Series: Filthy Feck Duet # 1
Author: Serena Akeroyd
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Release Date: January 5, 2023
BLURB
Star's my penguin.
She doesn't know it.
She took off. Sure. I'm mad at her. Sure. But that's her charm.
She's ornery.
Difficult.
Impossible to love, but I see her BS.
And I call her on it.
I'll chase her from the North Pole to Antarctica, this Fecker isn't about to lose his soul mate.
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EXCERPT
Chapter 1 - Filthy Lies
Past
Text chat
Conor: When did you know that you were good at coding?
Star: When I was a teenager.
Conor: What happened?
Star: Managed to change the password on the alarm system that protected the family house.
Conor: Why? To cause trouble?
Star: Nah. I was pretty well-behaved back then.
Conor: At least you recognize that you’re not well-behaved now. Lol.
Star: :P
Star: Oh, I can recognize it and admit to choosing to veer from the path of righteousness…
Conor: Meaning that you were on a righteous path at one point?
Star: For sure. You don’t enlist for shits and giggles. Surely Eoghan taught you that much.
Conor: I figured he wanted out of the Irish Mob lol and Uncle Sam wasn’t as big of a pain in the ass as Da is.
Star: It amazes me how you all let him get away with the stunts he pulls.
Conor: He’s our da. Don’t have to like him to know he wants what’s best for us.
Star: You genuinely believe that?
Conor: Most of the time.
Star: Do you love him?
Conor: I guess. It’s not an easy love though.
Star: Meaning?
Conor: Meaning that it’s a habit. We do as we’re told. We go to church. We eat Sunday dinner at the compound.
Conor: It’s like getting up and showering. You do it because you’re supposed to.
Star: I rarely do what I’m supposed to.
Conor: Please tell me you at least shower?
Star: I prefer baths.
Conor: Good to know lol. Personal hygiene isn’t an issue.
Star: Like it matters through a computer screen.
Conor: I don’t consign you to a computer screen.
Star: Meaning?
Conor: You sure you want to go there?
Star: Go where?
Conor: You playing coy?
COMING SOON
Releasing January 12
AUTHOR BIO
USA Today and International Best Selling Author Serena Akeroyd aka G. A. Mazurke is most known for her mafia and MC series set in the Five Points Mob Universe.
Avid reader of all things romance, she first started her career as a why choose author in both contemporary and paranormal. She eventually made her way to MF romance where she found her groove with the O’Donnelly brothers, the Satan Sinners and most recently the Valentini Family.
In her back list you can find some MM, MF, MFM and Why Choose romances. HEA guaranteed!
When not writing Serena is either reading, traveling or coloring.
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Title: The Rules of Dating
Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 19, 2022
Excited about Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland’s upcoming release, The Rules of Dating?
Check out this SNEAK PEEK!
Crash!
Shit. Billie and I looked at each other. A devilish smirk spread across her face…and then she turned and bolted.
I looked around. The coast seemed clear, so I ran as fast as I could while pushing a heaping cart full of crap. For the last hour and a half, Billie had been picking things out and holding them up to show me. If I agreed, she chucked them over her shoulder for me to catch with the cart. I’d been zigging and zagging, trying to scoop up all the merchandise she threw as I followed her around—both of us laughing like school kids the entire time. That is, until I missed that last toss and a glass bowl shattered on the floor.
IKEA was a giant maze, and both of us kept running, turning left and then right, until we finally arrived in the warehouse portion of the store, which was right before the checkout line. Billie leaned over with her hands on her knees, huffing and puffing.
“I think we’re in the clear,” she said.
“Pretty sure I would’ve rather paid for the twelve-dollar bowl than make a run for it. This cart is so full, it almost tipped like ten times.”
She laughed. “Did we get everything we need?”
“I’m not sure. But we definitely bought a lot of shit we don’t need. Like I think we could have done without the motorized ice cream cone spinners. The tenant can lick their own ice cream.”
Billie grinned. “Those are for me and Saylor. They light up, too!”
I snorted. “Come on, let’s check out before I’m completely broke.”
While we loaded everything onto the conveyor belt, I lifted my chin toward the in-store restaurant located just after the cashier stations. “You still up for meatballs?”
“Uh…hello? It’s the only reason I came.”
I clutched my hand over my heart. “Oww, that hurts. And here I thought you came for the company.”
After we were all checked out, I wheeled the cart over to a table for two in the corner of the restaurant. “Why don’t you stay here with the stuff, and I’ll go get us some meatballs.”
“Okay. But can you get me a drink, too, please? I’m so thirsty.”
When I came back, I set two big plates of meatballs on the table.
“Did you forget the drinks?” Billie asked.
I grinned and lifted a finger. “Actually, I didn’t. I brought them.” My gym bag from earlier had been lying on the bottom shelf underneath the cart since we walked in. Taking it out, I unzipped and started to unpack. “Wine, madame?” I held a bottle of merlot over one arm, showing the label like a maître d’.
Billie cracked up. “You brought wine with you? I thought it was strange when you took your duffle bag into the store. But I figured maybe your wallet was in it and stuff.”
I shrugged. “What choice did I have? You won’t go out with me, so I have to make the best out of our undate at IKEA.” I unloaded two plastic wine glasses, white cloth napkins, and a candleholder with a red candle.
Billie picked up the candle and examined it before raising a brow. “A winter village scene?”
I shrugged. “They’re Christmas candles. I only had an hour to get out of the house with a four-year-old. Don’t judge.”
The looks we got from the people around us as we ate meatballs by candlelight were pretty comical. I was also pretty sure it was against the rules to have an open flame in IKEA, let alone an open bottle of wine, but evidently the people behind the counter hadn’t read the employee rule book to be certain. Either way, the smile on Billie’s face made it all worthwhile. After we were done eating, I blew out the candle and started to pack up.
“You know…” Billie shook her head. “I think you just snuck a date into our undate.”
I shoved the cork back into the top of the wine bottle and zippered it into my duffle. “I did not.”
She squinted at me. “I’m pretty sure you did. What’s the difference between what we just did and a date? We shared a candlelight meal with wine and cloth napkins.”
I leaned down and whispered in her ear. “The difference is, you don’t get to come at the end.”
When I pulled back, Billie’s jaw was hanging open. I freaking loved that she looked so affected. She swallowed. “Is that the way all your dates end?”
I shook my head back and forth slowly. “No, but it’s damn straight the way ours would.”
BLURB
It all started when I hosted a little party for a bunch of new friends.
Though “friends” might not be the right word since the invitees were all the women I’d found out my boyfriend was talking to behind my back. When the guest of honor walked in--aka my now ex—things took a turn…
Unfortunately, a stranger witnessed the whole blowout. I was in a mood that night and ended up giving this gorgeous guy an attitude, too. As if my night could get any worse, before he stormed off, he informed me he was actually my landlord.
Colby Lennon, along with three of his friends, owned the building where my tattoo shop was located. He and I were total opposites. He wore a tie, oozed confidence that came with years of women falling at his feet, and wasn’t afraid to say what he wanted, which lately--was me.
I hated that I found myself attracted to him. Especially since I was supposed to be on a self-imposed dating hiatus. Yet the two of us couldn’t seem to stay away from each other. We started hanging out, as friends. I even went as far as making rules for what he’d dubbed our “undates.”
But eventually, our explosive attraction became too much to bear, and we broke our resolve. I let my guard down and started to really fall for Colby.
Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn't prepared for where I'd wind up when the ride was over.
All good things must come to an end, right?
Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.
PENELOPE WARD
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
VI KEELAND
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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Title: Moody
Author: Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2022
BLURB
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
The day I showed up to Dax Moodyâs sprawling home, I had no idea what was coming.
As a traveling massage therapist, I was used to entering the houses of strangers.
But this assignment was different from any before it.
From the outside, Iâd correctly assumed the owner was rich. What I didnât realize was that he would be younger than Iâd imagined, single, stunningly gorgeous, and mysterious.
Despite the fact that Dax had booked a massage, it never actually happened, since our first appointment was unexpectedly cut short by a comedy of errors.
Certain Iâd never see him again after that day, Iâd done nothing but think about the captivating man.
To my surprise, he called a second time. That appointment, we talked a lot, developing a stronger connection. But once again, there was no actual massage.
The man I now affectionately called âMoodyâ kept calling me to come back.
It took three times before I finally gave him the massage heâd ordered. Letâs just say it was challenging to keep things professional. I was extremely attracted to Dax, and by that time, I was falling hard.
Eventually, Iâd find out why heâd been so aloof, the reason why he and I could never be together.
Our story was supposed to end there, but it didnât.
Instead, I was left perpetually longing for a forbidden man.
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**No Amazon e-book preorder.
Will go live on/around release day
EXCERPT
Copyright © 2022 Penelope Ward
âWhat do you do exactly?â
âIâ¦stand beside you and rub my hands into your skin and work to get some of the knots out of your muscles.â
He shook his head. âNo. I meant, what do you do? Is this your full-time gig?â
Is that an insult? âYes. I went to school for massage after college, and I make a good living. Being a massage therapist is not something you do on the side. Itâs a great, fulfilling career in and of itself,â I said defensively.
âI didnât mean to imply it wasnât.â He fidgeted with his watch, which looked like it cost more than my car.
I blew out a breath. âI do have other aspirations, but this pays the bills and allows me to put some money away, too. Iâm currently saving for a trip to Europe.â
âI see.â He stared out the window, almost looking as though he wanted to escape.
Whatâs with this guy? âLook...I can leave if youâre not comfortable.â
âNo.â He walked over to a cabinet and took out a bottle of some kind of liquor. âI just need something to take the edge off.â He poured himself a glass of amber-colored liquid.
I stared at his big, masculine hands. âWell, this is a first.â
âA first what?â he asked.
âThe first time a client has ever had to relax before a relaxing massage.â When I laughed, I accidentally snorted.
His eyes narrowed. âWhat the hell was that?â
âSorry. I didnât mean to snort. That happens sometimes when Iâm nervous. It just comes out.â
âWhy are you nervous?â
âMaybe your attitude is rubbing off on me.â
He chugged the alcohol and slammed the glass down. âIâm sorry. I donât know how to relax. Itâs my nature. Even when Iâm supposed to be freaking relaxing...the thought of relaxing stresses me out.â
I nodded. âThatâs actually a real thing. Itâs called relaxation-induced anxiety.â
He chuckled. âThanks for the diagnosis.â
âI used to be like you. Iâd get panic attacks from the quiet when I tried to meditate.â
He licked the side of his mouth. âI suppose that defeats the purpose.â
âExactly. And sitting still, like in the hair salon or dentistâs chair, used to make me panicky when I was younger.â
âYounger? Youâre pretty young. How long have you been doing this massage thing?â he asked.
âA couple of years.â
âWhat made you get into it?â
âI wanted to make people feel good. And it doesnât bore me. I never have to be in one place.â
âDoes it pay well? How much of the fee do you get to keep?â
My eyes narrowed. âYou ask a lot of questions.â
âWell, maybe I need to get comfortable with you before I let you put your hands all over me.â
For some reason that comment rubbed me the wrong way. Let me put my hands on him? As if it was a privilege? (As if he could read my mind and sense my attraction? Ugh.)
I raised my voice. âI thought you told the company someone recommended me. Why are you so apprehensive?â
âOkay.â He sighed, scrubbing his hand over his face. âLetâs get this over with. What do I do?â
Jesus. Heâs wound tight. âTake off your shirt and lie down on the table. You can leave your pants on or take them off.â
He let out a guttural laugh. âTake my pants off?â
âYes. Thatâs actually customary. But itâs always the clientâs choice. I can leave the room, if you wish, while you undress. Thereâs a towel to cover yourself. But you can totally leave your pants on, too.â
âI will be leaving my pants on, thanks.â
âOkay. Just make sure you take the stick out of your ass one way or the other.â
He glared at me but finally cracked a slight smile. Iâd take it.
I laughed. âIn all seriousness, just breathe. Thatâs all you need to worry about.â I took a deep breath in, willing myself to take my own advice.
Dax slowly pulled his shirt over his head, once again granting me a view of his rippled muscles. There wasnât an inch of anything soft on his body. I turned away suddenly when I caught my eyes lingering a little too long.
He then lay down stomach-first on the table and within seconds, I heard the pitter-patter of paws and the clanking of a metal collar coming from down the hall.
A large English sheepdog pushed through the door and entered the room, barking profusely at the sight of me. Then he jumped up on the table and landed on Daxâs back.
âDamn it, Winston!â Dax yelled.
I didnât even know a dog that big could jump so high. The dog shot me the evil eye. This house is just full of welcoming people.
âHello,â I said awkwardly.
He growled. It seemed Doggy was just as extra as his owner.
âGet off me, you fluffernutter!â Dax groaned.
The dog kept growling at me while I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. âWhy is he so angry?â I asked, trying to stifle my amusement.
âHeâs protective to a fault. He was napping upstairs when you arrived. I hoped heâd stay sleeping. I hadnât planned on him coming down, although I shouldâve.â
Dax sat up and somehow got the beast of a dog off him. He hopped down off the table. âIâll be right back,â he said, guiding Winston out of the room and down the hall. The sound of the collar disappeared into the distance.
Left alone for a moment, I exhaled and wandered over to a shelf that displayed various things, including a large, white seashell that seemed completely out of place, given the roomâs otherwise masculine vibe. It was beautiful. Remembering what my mother had told me when I was little, I lifted the shell and placed it against my ear in an attempt to hear âthe ocean.â Met with the ambient noise that resonated from within, I closed my eyes and smiled.
âPlease donât touch that,â Dax called from behind me.
Shaken by his abrupt tone, I jerked, and the shell slipped from my fingers and crashed to the ground.
He let out a jarring shriek.
My hands shook. âIâm so sorry... I...â I bent to clean up the pieces, but he bolted to stop me.
âDonât touch anything!â His tone was grating.
âWhy? Itâs my fault,â I insisted.
âPlease just get up,â he commanded in an even harsher tone.
Burning with embarrassment, I stared down at the mess. Thatâs when I realized something had fallen out of the shell.
AUTHOR BIO
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
AUTHOR LINKS
Title: The Boss Project
Author: Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 11, 2022
Excited about Vi Keeland’s upcoming release,
The Boss Project?
Check out this SNEAK PEEK and meet Merrick and Evie!
Merrick
“Mr. Crawford?” My assistant, Andrea, poked her head into my office while I was eating lunch with Will. “Sorry to interrupt, but HR asked me to find out if you might have time to talk with one of the candidates for the in-house therapist position?”
I shook my head. “I don’t need to talk to the applicants. I already gave my input to Joan. HR is holding second-round interviews and will let me know what they think when they’re done.”
“Apparently one of the candidates asked if she could have a minute with you after her appointment with HR. But her meeting is starting now, and I know you don’t like anything on your schedule during trading hours.”
“Which candidate?”
“Evie Vaughn.”
I leaned back in my chair with a chuckle. “Sure. Why not?”
She nodded. “I’ll let her know.”
Will lifted his chin after Andrea shut the door. “What was that little grin about?”
“One of the candidates for the stress therapist job is interesting, to say the least.”
“In what way?”
“Her first-interview appointment wasn’t until five one day last week, so when the market closed, I ran downstairs to Paloma to pick up a suit I’d bought and had tailored. After I left the store, I thought I’d forgotten my cell phone in the fitting room, so I went back to check. When I opened the door, I walked in on a woman.”
“I hate those places that have one fitting room for both men and women.”
“Actually, this place has separate ones. The woman was just in the men’s room. But that’s not the best part. When I walked in, she was half undressed…and smelling her armpit.”
Will’s brows shot up. “Come again?”
“You heard me right. Anyway, a few minutes later, my five o’clock appointment walks in, and it’s her. The woman from the fitting room.”
“The pit sniffer? Get the hell out of here. What did you do?”
“Nothing. I played it off like I didn’t recognize her, though she definitely recognized me. I could see her squirming.”
“Shit like this only happens to you, my friend. So what went down? How did the interview go?”
“She was the least-qualified candidate. I don’t even know how her resumé made it into the group that got called for interviews.”
“Yet she’s back here today for a second interview?”
“She is, indeed.”
Will shook his head. “What am I missing?”
“When I got home that night, I started thinking about how the board is shoving this position down my throat. They mandated that I hire someone, not that the person be competent.”
Will smiled. “Genius.”
I shook my head. “I need my people to be focused and ruthless while they’re here—not getting in touch with their emotions.”
“I hear you.”
As we finished lunch, Andrea returned and knocked. Evie Vaughn stood right behind her. Her wavy blond hair was up today, and she wore a simple black skirt and jacket with a red blouse underneath, giving her the sexy-librarian look every male fantasizes about at least once in his life. I tried to ignore the stir seeing her caused in me and forced my gaze down.
Andrea peeked her head in the door. “Do you need more time?”
I looked at Will. “We need to discuss anything else?”
He shook his head. “Not that I can think of. I’ll get the Endicott buy order placed as soon as it hits forty a share.”
“Good.” I turned my attention to Andrea. “Please show Ms. Vaughn in.”
Will left, tossing me a smirk over his shoulder as he passed Evie.
When the door shut, she took a few steps forward, then hesitated. “Thank you for seeing me.”
I nodded and gestured to the guest chairs on the other side of my desk. “Have a seat.”
“Your assistant mentioned you don’t usually take appointments while the market is open.”
“I don’t.” Leaning back, I tented my fingers. “What can I do for you, Ms. Vaughn?”
“It’s Evie, please. And…well, I was hoping you could clear something up for me.”
“What would that be?”
“Why am I here? For a second interview, I mean. You made it pretty clear during the first one that you didn’t think I had the right experience for the position, and I didn’t exactly make a winning first impression in that fitting room. So…why am I here again?”
I folded my arms across my chest and deliberated how to answer. The politically correct and professional response would’ve been to say I’d reconsidered based on how she’d handled herself during the interview. But I’d never been accused of being politically correct or professional.
“Are you sure you want the real answer? Sometimes it’s better not to know and just accept the outcome.”
She folded her arms across her chest, mimicking my posture. “Maybe, but I’d like to know anyway.”
I liked her spunk. It was a challenge to keep myself from smiling. “You were invited back because you are the least qualified of all of the people we interviewed.”
Her face fell, and I felt a tinge of guilt, even though she’d said she wanted the truth.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because hiring an in-house stress coach wasn’t my idea. My board of directors is forcing my hand.”
“Is it a problem because it wasn’t your idea?”
“I employ a hundred-and-twenty-five people whose jobs are to give me ideas.” I shook my head. “No, I don’t have an authority issue, Ms. Vaughn.”
She pursed her lips. “Doctor—it’s Doctor Vaughn. I prefer to be called Evie, but if you insist on using formal etiquette, you might as well use my proper title. I hold a PhD in clinical psychology.”
I couldn’t hold back the smile that time. I nodded. “Fine. No, I don’t have authority issues, Doctor Vaughn.”
“So you’re against the position, in general, and you wanted to hire the worst person to prove a point?”
I nodded once. “You could say that.”
“Are you against therapy?”
“I believe some people can benefit from therapy.”
“Some people? But not your employees? Do you believe your employees don’t have any stress in the workplace?”
“This is Wall Street, Ms.—Doctor Vaughn. If it weren’t a stressful job, my average trader wouldn’t earn seven figures. I just prefer my people to be focused while they’re here in the office.”
“Did you ever consider that you might be looking at things backward? Taking an hour out of the day to speak to someone isn’t what’s interrupting a stressed-out person’s focus. They’re already not focused because of their stress level. Therapy could help center someone so they can concentrate better.”
“Noted that there’s more than one way to look at things.” I studied her for a moment. “Is there anything else you wanted to ask? Or have we reached the point in the discussion where you tell me you hope we never see each other again?”
She smiled shyly. “I’m sorry about that. It wasn’t an appropriate thing to say.”
I shrugged. “It’s fine. Believe it or not, I’ve been accused of being inappropriate a time or two myself.”
She laughed as she stood. “Gee, I never would have guessed that from the man who sniffed me during my interview.” Evie held out her hand. “Thank you for your time. And your honesty.”
★★★
Excited? We are too!
RELEASING JULY 11th!
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Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
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