✴ Freebie Tuesday (Edition #155) ✴

🌠 Happy Tuesday! 🌠

Thanks for stopping by to the first Freebie Tuesday of 2017! As always I will be tweeting random freebies that I can find on any given day so if you're looking for more free books make sure to follow me on twitter @JackieBookWorld. :)

***Note that there will be some books that will be free for limited time only, so make sure to download them as soon as you can. Also if there is any specific genre that you guys want me to find books of, let me know in the comment section below. (:  Enjoy! 

*Older Editions will be linked on the menu section (above) under Freebie Tuesday:)

All the Glory 
by Elle Casey
Release Date: October 26th 2014
Pages: 340
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Author's Links: Goodreads, Website, Twitter, Facebook

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers the Thriller/Romantic Suspense novel ALL THE GLORY: How Jason Bradley Went from Hero to Zero in Ten Seconds Flat.

Jason Bradley has everything going for him. He's Banner High's first-string varsity wide receiver, headed to another State championship, and the college recruiters are already knocking on his door. His girlfriend is every guy's dream, there's a brand new black Camaro with a 6.2L, V-6 engine parked in his garage, and he's on cruise control.

But when the school's beloved football coach turns up dead and Jason's found standing over the body, his cruise control cuts off bringing his charmed life to a screeching halt, and the reality of being an accused murderer of the first degree takes over.

When everyone else walks away and leaves him to hang, one girl can't. But it's going to take more than guessing and wishing to get through to him and the truth of what happened, since he seems bound and determined to accept his fate as a criminal, tried as an adult and eligible for lethal injection.

Can one really determined girl get to the bottom of the mystery when no one else seems to care? It would be so much easier to watch him go down, and for many, maybe just a little bit too satisfying. After all, who isn't guilty of finding pleasure in seeing that perfect someone suddenly exposed for the self-centered prick that he really is?

Content warning: For teens and adults. Some foul language, violence is mild in description but serious in effect.
(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

      

Rockin’ Country Series Box Set 

by Laramie Briscoe

Release Date: April 12th 2015 by Laramie Briscoe

Series: Rockin' Country #1, 1.5, 2

Pages: 542

Genres: Romance

Author's Links: Goodreads

Only The Beginning

Princess of Country Music

America's sweetheart

Survivor of the scrutiny that comes with it all

Hannah "Harmony" Stewart has lived most of her adult life in the spotlight. It hasn't always been easy. One heartbreak almost ruined her. Some days it's hard to keep a smile on her face and stay positive,but there are a lot of people counting on her to keep it together. Just when it seems like she's at the pinnacle of her career, her life takes a turn. She meets a man who challenges everything she knows about herself and makes her question if the life she's living is for her or for the Nashville machine.

Heavy Metal's bad boy

Hair trigger temper

Struggling to deal with pressure of the industry

Garrett "Reaper" Thompson is tired. Touring and keeping up appearances with his band "Black Friday" is beginning to wear him out. He's ready for a change, ready for something different. When he meets Hannah at an awards show, he knows that she's the one, he knows that he can't live without her.

The problem?

Their own insecurities, their fans, her ex-boyfriend, and the media themselves. Can they look past it all and come through on the other side? For their story - this is only the beginning.

Book #1.5 in the Rockin' Country Series

One Day At A Time

Celebrity Couple.

Perfect in the public eye; imperfect in private.

Perfectly imperfect for each other.

Reaper and Harmony are finally off the road and ready to just be Garrett and Hannah. Excitement turns into fear when they start to learn more about each other. Gone is the glitz and glamour of hotel rooms and living on the road.

Now it's real-life, and they have to learn how to deal with one another on a day-to-day basis.

Will they be able to withstand the pressure, or will they fold under the weight of the public machine?

They know the only thing they can do is take it one day at a time

Book #2 in the Rockin' Country Series

The Price of Love

Wife

Husband

Superstar entertainers

Two people completely in love

Harmony and Reaper thought life would be easier once they sealed the deal. Stage personas put to the side, settling into marriage should have allowed them to be Hannah and Garrett to the world at large.

Boy, were they ever wrong!

Pressure from record companies, fans, and the people surrounding them put their brand-new union under the strain of the entertainment machine. Long nights apart, quick meetings in hotel rooms, and new faces on the music scene were not what either of them thought they would have to contend with.

When love is strong, emotions go haywire, and frustration is at an all-time high, everyone's true colors are revealed.

Hannah and Garrett have a decision to make--is fame worth the price of love?

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

     

Teaching the Boss 

by Mallory Crowe

Release Date: March 11th 2015 by Mallory Crowe

Series: Billionaires in the City #1

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Author's Links: Goodreads, Website, Twitter, Facebook

Business-school student April Morgan is ready to graduate--from school, from the secretary pool, and from never-gonna-happen fantasies involving Sam Hunt, her hunky billionaire boss. But when Sam’s girlfriend of the week pushes her too far, April finds herself quitting on the spot with only a mountain of student loan debt to keep her company. In steps Sam’s worst enemy, his father, with a job offer she can't refuse. 

Sam was born into privilege, but refused to live life with a silver spoon in his mouth. After a decade of hard work, he’s on the verge of taking his business public and proving to his tyrannical family that he can make it without their help. When he finds out that April is working for his father, he knows she’s been turned into a pawn in his father’s twisted games. 

Despite Sam’s warnings, April is determined to prove she doesn’t need him to make in New York City. But when she finds documents that could lead to Sam losing everything he’s worked for, April realizes that she and Sam have to work together to save the empire they’ve both worked to build.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

    

Happy Reading! 😁

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Rebel by Elle Casey {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Rebel by Elle Casey

Release Date: October 29th 2013 by Elle Casey

Series: Rebel Wheels #1

Pages: 294

Genres: New Adult, Romance

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 of 3 in the New Adult Romance Series, REBEL WHEELS. 

Teagan Cross, college senior, rebel, and wiseass extraordinaire, goes from princess to pauper in a single phone call. Overnight, her life of privilege becomes one of survival, and no matter where she turns, it seems like the world is out to get her. She's not going to fall apart, though. She's a rebel and she's strong … determined to live life on her own terms … and nothing's going to stop her from getting things done and making things right. But when a twist of fate brings her to the doorstep of a different kind of Rebel, she's forced to figure out when something's worth fighting for and when something's worth letting go.

***FREE DURING THE BLITZ!***

Purchase: Amazon, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo

{EXCERPT}

My name’s Teagan. I know, I know … the name. Twenty-two years ago, my mother thought a Welsh name for her only child would be beautiful. Teagan means pretty, so it should have fit perfectly. Who has an ugly baby, right? I guess I did okay in the looks department. I’m not too short, not too tall. Eating chips and gummy bears every day has no effect on my somewhat athletic frame, and I’ve been told my green eyes compliment my pale complexion. The problem with the name Teagan is my mom never considered the creative names kids would morph it into.

“Yo, Teabag, what’s up?”

I flip Perry Spitler off, but he just laughs as he passes on by.

He and I have an understanding; when we see each other on campus, he insults me, I flip him off, and we never actually talk. It suits us both just fine. Making out with him and then ralphing on his shoes in freshman year was one of the best moves I’ve ever made in my climb up the social ladder at UCLA.

“Why do you even talk to that douche canoe?” asks my friend Quin as she brushes out her long, black hair. Quinlan is her real name, but she refuses to answer to it. We both have a thing with names, which is only one of the many reasons we get along so well. “I hear he puts toy cars in dark places on weekends.” She puts away her brush and takes a bite of an energy bar, chewing it like a cow and waiting for my reaction.

I’m both intrigued and disgusted. “And by toy cars and dark places we mean…” I twist my longish, wavy brown hair up into a bun and stick a pencil in it to keep it from falling to my shoulders again. It’s frigging hot out here in the student union today. Dry heat, my butt.

“Literally. Like that movie Jackass. He put a toy car in his asshole at a party the other night.”

I snort in disbelief and disgust. “He did not.”

Quin puts up her hand like a girl scout. “Swear. Guy’s an asscar driver.”

I’m really happy I barfed on him now. Really, really happy. The kiss we shared? Well, we’ll just tally that up to a serious lapse in judgment on my part. In my defense, there were copious amounts of beer involved.

I can’t help but stare at his butt as he goes by. “Remind me not to accept any rides from him in the future.”

We collapse in immature giggles that have Perry turning around and frowning. Watching his face and imagining that I can see he’s walking with a slight limp only makes it worse. By the time I can see clearly again, he’s gone.

“Man, I totally needed that.” I can feel the good mood drugs floating around in my brain. Now the upcoming Summer of Doom doesn’t seem quite so bleak.

“You ready for summer break?” Quin asks, crumpling up the wrapper to her energy bar and throwing it on the ground.

I lean down and pick it up, sighing as I stick it in my bag. This is her thing. This is my thing. This is how we roll, with her being a pain in the ass and me picking up after her. “No. I’m not ready. I want to stay here and hang out with you and all the cool people.”

“No, you don’t. Do you know how hot it gets here in the summer? Ugh.” She brushes crumbs off her lap. “I am going to literally cook in my own skin, like a poached egg.”

“You forget, I’ve lived here for almost four years now, and No Cal isn’t that different.”

“But you always leave in the summer, and No Cal is different, so that doesn’t count. By the time you get back this September for your very last semester - by the way, you completely suck for graduating before me - all the poaching will be done.”

“You should come with me. Silicon Valley’s got a drier heat than LA.” I’m lying, but she’ll never know.

She faces me, not smiling. That’s a rare expression for her, as Quin-grins come frequently and often without provocation. We’re not much alike in that way; my smiles are rationed for only truly happy moments.

“You should invite me, and maybe I would,” she says.

“I always invite you.”

“No, you don’t. You just say, ‘You should come.’ That’s not the same thing.”

“What do you want, an engraved invitation?” A tiny spark of hope glimmers in my chest. Summer would only suck half as much if Quin were with me back at my father’s place.

“Yes. That would work.” She sniffs and looks off into the distance.

“I’ll seriously do it, if that’s what it would take to finally get you up there.”

“No, don’t bother. I can’t go.”

“Why? Because LA’s social scene would never survive without you?”

“No.” She stands, brushing off her legs. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

“Late for what? My classes were all done as of twenty minutes ago.”

“I have an appointment with a milkshake over at McDonald’s House of Horrors. Come on. Your treat.”

We begin the long walk across campus. “I’ll pay for your ticket,” I say, testing the waters. I don’t know why I bother, though.

“Nope. I pay my own way.”

“Do you have the money?”

“No. You know I’m broke.” Quin is always broke. She lives off the kindness of others and a scholarship. I’m not even sure what the scholarship is for. Do they give scholarships for being a smartass? Because if they do, she qualifies for a full ride.

“Then let me pay,” I say.

“No.”

“You can pay me back.”

“No.”

I try a different tack. “It’s because you don’t like me, I know. Admit it.”

“No, that’s not it, and if you try and guilt me into doing it, we won’t be friends anymore.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Yes, it is, but still … I won’t let you pay.”

I give her my puppy dog eyes. “I’m going to be desperately lonely.”

“No, you won’t be. You’ll have a bodyguard babysitter.”

I sigh. “They always suck.”

“That last one didn’t.”

“The last one was like forty years old!”

“So? What do you want to do? Fuck them or just have them take a bullet for you?”

“Can’t I do both?”

We laugh, knowing I’m full of crap. I actually liked the last guy assigned to babysit me, the guy being paid to assuage my father’s paranoia. He actually believes there are people in silicon valley trolling the neighborhoods for executives’ kids, since according to him they’d make really excellent kidnapping targets.

Jim was the name of my last babysitter. Maybe I’ll get him again and we can play chess all summer like we did last year. I’ve never slept with one of my dad’s employees. They’re always married, ugly, old, or a trifecta of all three. Besides, my dad would kill us both if I did something that stupid. We don’t fraternize with the help.

That’s what my uber arrogant step-mother says, anyway, although I’m not so sure she hasn’t put that rule to the side from time to time with the pool boy. Seriously … I’m not kidding. The pool boy.

“What are you thinking about right now?” Quin asks me. “I.O.U. for your thoughts.”

“I’m thinking how much I hate The Heinous One for being such a bag of dicks.”

Quin smiles. “I’m really looking forward to meeting your step-mother at graduation, you know that? I’m totally going to call her that to her face.”

I smile back. “Me too. Some day.” When I find a way to support myself and don’t have to worry about my father cutting me off.

AUTHOR BIO:

Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month. 

Website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter

{GIVEAWAY!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by! :)

✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ Rebel by Elle Casey {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Rebel by Elle Casey

Release Date: October 29th 2013

Series: Rebel #1

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY brings readers Book 1 of 3 in the New Adult Romance Series, REBEL WHEELS.

Teagan Cross, college senior, rebel, and wiseass extraordinaire, goes from princess to pauper in a single phone call. Overnight, her life of privilege becomes one of survival, and no matter where she turns, it seems like the world is out to get her. She’s not going to fall apart, though. She’s a rebel and she’s strong … determined to live life on her own terms … and nothing’s going to stop her from getting things done and making things right. But when a twist of fate brings her to the doorstep of a different kind of Rebel, she’s forced to figure out when something’s worth fighting for and when something’s worth letting go.

Content Warning: Contains sexy adult situations, creative foul language, and some mild violence. May not be appropriate for younger readers.

Purchase: Amazon, B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Google PLay

{EXCERPT}

I’m packing up the last of my crap from my dorm room when I get the call. I moved in here for my last semester and a half to make life easier. Six months ago my lease was up on my apartment, and the douchebags who run the place didn’t want to extend it; apparently, my parties annoyed the old farts who also lived there. I tried to tell my dad at the time he moved me in there that the condo wasn’t a good place for a college student’s living arrangements, but he didn’t listen. He liked the gated security and the living-breathing guard in the lobby; and besides, he never listens to anyone under the age of twenty-five. I’m still three years away from having anything of value to say in his world.

The Call. The one that changes my life forever. It comes as I’m sitting on my suitcase, trying to get it to zip up. Stupid cell phones. They sit there on the desk or in your pocket or purse, tiny and black, taking up so little space, but sometimes they carry messages that show how incredibly powerful they really are. Bastard fucking cell phone.

They say you shouldn’t kill the messenger, but that doesn’t stop me hearing words straight from my worst nightmare and responding by whipping my phone across the room into the wall, shattering it into about ten different pieces.

“What the hell?” asks a girl walking by in the hallway. She stops in my doorway. Lindey. We know each other, but not well. She’s mostly lame and I’m only halfway lame, so we move in different circles.

I sit down on my bed, ignoring Lindey as visions race through my mind. This cannot possibly be real. Maybe The Heinous One is pulling some kind of seriously sick joke on me. Am I being punked? Would she do something like that? I don’t put much past her, but this … this cannot be a cruel joke. It has to be real. Not even she would be this evil.

“Should I call Quin for you?” Lindey asks.

I don’t answer. I can’t. The words aren’t really making sense to me right now. All I can picture is my father’s face the last time I saw it. Serious. Annoyed. Stressed. I can’t remember the last words we said to one another. Were they kind? Loving? Dismissive? Cold? I vote for the latter choices; those would be more in keeping with our relationship of late. Ever since the Heinous One entered it two years ago.

AUTHOR BIO:

Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

Website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter 

{GIVEAWAY!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by! :)

☼ Freebie Tuesday (Edition #85) ☼

Happy Tuesday! 

I will be tweeting random freebies that I can find on any given day so if you're looking for more free books make sure to follow me on twitter @JackieBookWorld. :)

***Note that there will be some books that will be free for limited time only, so make sure to download them as soon as you can. Also if there is any specific genre that you guys want me to find books of, let me know in the comment section below. (:  Enjoy! 

*Older Editions will be linked on the menu section (above) under Freebie Tuesday:)

Destiny: Tempest
by Mia Morgan
Release Date: July 11th 2015 by Brazen Romance
Pages: 97
Genres: Romance

DESTINY Do you find it? Or does it find you?

Waitress Korinna Scharpova has her hands full fending off the advances of her ex-boyfriend Mark Wilhelm. Complicating matters is Mark wants to marry her, and he won’t take no for an answer.

Korinna transplanted to the metropolis Sicily, Pennsylvania hoping to have a fresh start. She takes any odd job to make ends meet—because anything is better than staying with her two-timing ex, Mark.

Hearts collide Working a job that leaves her wanting more, Korinna works at a grand city event and meets the enigmatic John MacBeth. The two connect instantly and their attraction heats faster than either can control. There is only effect when hearts collide—and Korinna must choose between protecting her heart or risking everything she is to experience soul-searing, heart-pounding, love, in this five-part, girl-meets-boy billionaire romance.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

    

The Color of Heaven

by Julianne MacLean

Release Date: January 23rd 2011 by Julianne MacLean
Series: The Color of Heaven #1
Pages: 324
Genres: Romance, Contemporary

A deeply emotional tale about Sophie Duncan, a successful columnist whose world falls apart after her daughter’s unexpected illness and her husband’s shocking affair. When it seems nothing else could possibly go wrong, her car skids off an icy road and plunges into a frozen lake. There, in the cold dark depths of the water, a profound and extraordinary experience unlocks the surprising secrets from Sophie’s past, and teaches her what it means to truly live...and love.

Full of surprising twists and turns and a near-death experience that will leave you breathless, this story is not to be missed.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

         

Lost and Found 

by Elle Casey 

Release Date: December 25th 2014 by Elle Casey
Series: Love in New York #1
Pages: 394
Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Sometimes engagement rings can get lost and then found. Sometimes people can too. All it takes is a heavy-duty dose of karma and the magic of Manhattan to make it all come together.

Leah is a financially destitute new age hippy. James is a wealthy surgeon with a trust fund. She's awkward, he's poised. She's completely crazy, he's way too sane. People might say they have nothing in common, but they'd be wrong. They both live in Manhattan, they both have no idea how to change a baby diaper, and they're both lost … until they find one another.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads) 

Happy Reading! :)

✯BLOG TOUR✯: Lost and Found by Elle Casey {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

Lost and Found by Elle Casey

Release Date: December 25th 2014 by Elle Casey

Series: Love in New York #1

Pages: 394

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

Sometimes engagement rings can get lost and then found. Sometimes people can too. All it takes is a heavy-duty dose of karma and the magic of Manhattan to make it all come together.

Leah is a financially destitute new age hippy. James is a wealthy surgeon with a trust fund. She's awkward, he's poised. She's completely crazy, he's way too sane. People might say they have nothing in common, but they'd be wrong. They both live in Manhattan, they both have no idea how to change a baby diaper, and they're both lost … until they find one another.

Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo

{NOTE: FREE (regular price $4.99) from Sept 9-13!}

{EXCERPT}

Leah.

I’m still feeling like a Disney princess when I leave the store mid-afternoon and head to the subway. I only work half-days because that’s all Belinda can afford, and usually that stresses me out on account of the fact that I make almost no money, but today, I’m perfectly fine with it. The sun is shining, my favorite fountain is working and sending white water splashing all over the place, and …

“Shiiit!” I yelp, slipping on the sidewalk and nearly busting my ass in the process. I’m saved by my ninja-esque skills as I grab the edge of a garbage can affixed to the concrete next to the street. I hang there for a couple seconds until I can get my feet under me again.

“Oh, man, that’s some bad luck right there,” says a guy who’s walking past and looking at the reason for my near-fall.

I cringe as I stand up and realize I’ve slipped on a dog turd. Literally. It’s a poop right there on the ground.

“Who didn’t clean up after their dog?!” I yell, for some reason imagining that the perpetrator is still hanging around the scene of the crime, when I know perfectly well he stopped, plopped, and ran. “This isn’t Paris, you know!”

I’ve heard there’s dog poop all over the sidewalks there, but here in New York, people usually take care of their doggie-business. Unfortunately, my head was too full of dreams of re-designing Belinda’s place to realize where my feet were placing themselves.

“What the hell am I going to do now?”

I look down the sidewalk and notice a man with a hot dog cart up ahead, and an idea-lightbulb goes on above my head. Hot dog carts have lots of napkins. Score.

As I start to hobble over, an alarmed expression comes over the vendor’s face and he starts shaking his finger at me.

“Oh, no, lady, no no. No doggy stuff for me. No, not for me. Not for you. No, no.” For some reason his horrible accent is making this worse. His hand becomes a stop sign. “You go away!”

AUTHOR BIO:

Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.

Website, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter

{GIVEAWAY!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by! :)

✯BOOK BLITZ✯: Just One Night by Elle Casey {EXCERPT & Q&A}

Just One Night by Elle Casey

Release Date: February 27th 2014 by Elle Casey

Series: Just One Night #1

Pages: 82

Genres: Adult, Romance

Jennifer is sexually frustrated and disillusioned with love, a very dangerous combination. Convinced there's no such thing as Prince Charming, and against her best friend's better judgment, she places a personal ad seeking a one-night stand. No strings, no commitments, no second dates. Her goal? To restore her faith in men by setting up a single night of fantasy that can never be tainted by reality.

William is a busy executive, newly arrived in the United States from England. Life for him is all about minimizing complications. He doesn't have the time nor the inclination to share his life with anyone, to have obligations outside of work, or to become entangled in a relationship with an emotional basket case of a woman who’s desperately seeking her Prince Charming. But he does see the value in having an attractive woman on his arm for networking purposes ...

**This ebook is Part 1 of the serial romance novel, JUST ONE NIGHT, approximately 25,000 words or 100 paper pages long. The story continues with Parts 2-6.

DUE TO SEXY SITUATIONS AND CONTENT, THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY
NOT APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNGER READERS.**

Purchase: Amazon, B&N

AUTHOR BIO:

Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month. 

Website, Twitter, Facebook. Goodreads

{EXCERPT}

Jennifer

I have this plan. It’s not exactly your run-of-the-mill kind of situation, but to be honest, neither is my life. Sure, I could sit around and wait for things to happen to me, but I’ve been doing that for years and I’ve got nothing to show for it but disappointment.

It’s time to take the bull by the horns and make some big changes. I’m so sexually frustrated right now it’s not even funny. And yes, I’ll admit … this pent-up sexual energy may be adding fuel to the fire for this hare-brained idea that sprouted up in my mind last weekend, but I don’t care. I’m doing it anyway.

I ignore the call coming through from my best friend Mia. She’ll tell me it’s a terrible idea and talk me out of it, and I don’t want her to do that. I can make my own decisions … good ones, as a matter of fact. The lecture she gave me last week about considering some therapy made me really cranky. I don’t need a shrink; I need some seriously hot sex with a ridiculously hot guy. I’m totally taking the responsibility for my happiness into my own hands, and no one’s going to stop me.

My computer screen is glowing, lighting up my face in the dark bedroom, the tiny corner of which hosts my laptop sitting on a piece of plywood balanced on two piles of books. It’s the middle of the night and I’m hiding. From whom? No one. Myself, maybe.

I live alone in a tiny apartment, the new home sweet home I had to sign on the dotted line for with very little notice. Why did I do this when I was happily ensconced in a fifteen hundred square foot, fully-loaded condo in the trendy part of town? Well, when I found out my fiancé of way too many years was sleeping with a girl who looks like she should still be carrying textbooks in a backpack, I took that as a sign that I should move on. Cheating rat bastard that he is, Hank left me no choice but to start all over at age thirty-five. I wasted the best years of my life on that asshole. The man I used to love with all of my heart is now el numero uno on my shit list.

I’m still weighing the pros and cons of running him over with my car. I don’t need to totally flatten him to get satisfaction. Maybe just a tap would be okay. How much trouble could I get into over just a tap? I could make it look like an accident. Oh, hi, fancy meeting you here, Hank, in the middle of the road … with the grill of my car. Did that hurt? Muahahahahaaaaa… I’m pretty sure if a jury heard my story, they wouldn’t convict, especially if it had any women on it. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and we’ve all been scorned at some point in our lives, haven’t we, ladies?

Ugh, I cannot think about him anymore. At least not right now. I’m on a mission to take back my life. No more pity parties allowed.

My phone beeps. Mia has left a voicemail. Against my better judgment, I play it out on the speakerphone.

“Jennifer, I know you’re there. Why didn’t you pick up? You better call me back, ho-bag. Are you doing that personal ad thingy you talked about after your third martini last weekend? Because if you are, just stop, okay?”

I don’t remember telling her my plan. Dammit. I can’t even keep secrets from myself.

Her message keeps playing, much to my chagrin. “You aren’t cut out for one-night stands, you never were. Remember Mike? Remember Jake? Remember that guy … the one with prematurely gray hair and the flat butt? Shit, I can’t remember his name. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. You fell apart. You liked them right away and then your heart broke when they didn’t call a second time.”

Yeah, that’s helpful, Mia. Thanks for reminding me what a loser I am. I could stop the message from coming out over the speaker to fill my room, but I don’t. I wallow in the unpleasant memories she’s dredging up.

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with you, so don’t even go there. They weren’t the right kind of guy for you. Seriously. Call me. You’d better not be doing that ad. I’m going to come over there and mess you up.” The message ends there.

I laugh at my friend’s fake bravado. She’s always threatening bodily harm, but as far as I know she’s never even hurt a fly. She says all of God’s creatures have value, even the ones that start out as maggots.

Of course I’m going to ignore her every word. The old Jennifer would hesitate and worry, but the old Jennifer would also date a turd like Hank and that’s not going to happen anymore. My life is about to change … like, right now.

Okay, back to business. My brilliant plan is to restore my faith in men by setting up a single night of fantasy that can never be tainted by reality. I have the whole thing figured out; now I just need a willing partner.

My fingers hover over the keyboard and I wiggle them around to get them warmed up. Magic will be flowing from these babies in about five seconds. My approach has to be short and sweet, clear and up front. I’m not interested in frills. No flowers, no candy, no diamond rings, thank you very much. I just want one amazing night with an amazing guy who I can walk away from and never see again.

I click on the ‘New Listing’ button to start my ad. Chewing on my lip, I consider my options. How much do I really want to expose of myself? Do I want this mystery man to know I was recently dumped in a very embarrassing way? No, that would make me pitiful. That would bring in the vultures. Vultures do not make sexy dreams come true. I should know, seeing as how I lived with one for six years.

I start typing. ‘Single, attractive, successful woman …’ Stopping there, I chew my lip some more. Should I say I’m successful or should I be more circumspect about that part of my life? It’s not like I’m a millionaire or anything, but I do okay in the real estate business. Well enough that I can support myself, anyway, and every year my client list gets longer. I try not to be bitter over the fact that I had to change brokers. Wanting to kill one’s boss is never conducive to a good working environment. Hank took more than my self-esteem and my heart from me.

Typing once more, I force myself to have more confidence. This is easy. Why am I over-thinking it? Just make it happen, Jennifer, make it happen.

My fingers fly over the keyboard. ‘Single, attractive and successful businesswoman seeks very short-term, intimate and discrete affair. No strings, no commitments, no second dates.’ I sit back and read the ad over and over about ten times. Is it too cold? Too short? Not short enough? Misleading in any way? Ridiculous? Pitiful? Sassy-awesome? I vote for sassy-awesome.

Huffing out a breath of frustrated air, I put my hands back over the keys. It’s not like anyone who reads it will know who I am, right? I have a throw-away cell phone that I bought today just for this project, and I’ve used a post office box for my address to set up the online account. I’m untraceable. Anyone I meet will be checked out in advance by me anyway via telephone so I can conduct a psycho test on them. Plus, we’ll meet for the first time in a very public place, so it’s all good. Safety first, I always say.

My finger floats over the enter button. The angel on my shoulder is crying over the fact that I’ve given up on love. The devil is doing a tap dance telling me to go for it … life is too short to wait around for a Prince Charming who doesn’t even exist.

I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days. I press the button with only a slight twinge of fear in my chest. Now all that’s left to me is the waiting game.

{Q&A}

1. What made you start writing? How long have you been an author?

I've been writing for about three and a half years now. I saw some articles online about publishing books for Kindle, and I thought if other people could do it, maybe I could do it to. People have told me all my life I should write a book, and I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying, so why not? The risk of spending a month or two writing a novel that someone might never read seemed worth the possible reward of finding a reader who might like my work. I've been a bookworm my whole life, and I have a huge amount of admiration for authors who can create a world for me to get lost in. To think I could be one of those people was very exciting for me.

2. What is your advice to writers who are new to self-publishing?

My advice is to make contact with other like-minded authors who write in your genre and use them as sounding boards and partners in promotions. Always be genuine and be yourself when using social media to promote your work and your brand; readers don't want to meet a fake persona, they want to meet the real author behind the words. And finally, always keep the readers in mind when you're running your business; it's not just about writing books, it’s also about the business of selling books, and the readers are not only your clients but they’re your bosses too. Keep ‘em happy.

3. What specifically inspired you to write Just One Night?

I was looking to write something a little steamier than I have in the past, and I liked the idea of a one night stand that turns into something more. I also have a real soft spot in my heart for Hugh Grant, so having a character who is a charming Englishman really appealed to me.

4. How would you describe the characters in Just One Night?

I would describe the two main characters, Jennifer and William, as business-minded people who are disillusioned with love or don't feel like they have time for love, but still have a yearning to be with someone. And they both have a pretty good sense of humor.

Thanks for stopping by! :)