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Showing posts with label Sneak Peek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sneak Peek. Show all posts
Thursday, August 17, 2023

Excerpt Reveal + Review: I Could Never by Penelope Ward

LIVE EARLY ON AMAZON! Read an excerpt from I Could Never by Penelope Ward.  You can also check out my spoiler-free review and get ready to one-click this emotion-packed enemies-to-lovers standalone romance on August 21st!  

I Could Never by Penelope Ward  Kindle ebook cover

Title: I Could Never

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Forbidden Romance/Enemies to Lovers

Release Date: August 21, 2023

 

BLURB

 

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new forbidden, enemies-to-lovers story…

 

It all started with an unexpected phone call.

Two years after my fiancĂ© passed away in an accident, his father died suddenly, leaving Brad’s adult, special-needs brother with no one to care for him.

The next thing I knew, I was on a cross-country drive to New Hampshire where I’d be moving in to look after Scottie until I could get him into a group home.

The last thing I ever expected?

I wouldn’t be taking care of him alone.

Josh Mathers, my fiance’s best friend—who also happened to be my sworn enemy—insisted he was the better person for the job. He told me to go back to California, and I told him where he could stick that demand.

Our disdain for each other wasn’t anything new. It dated back to a text I’d accidentally read years ago.

We hated each other. But we both loved Scottie, so neither of us budged.

Now we were living together in a tiny house—with one available bedroom. Thank goodness it was only temporary.

Over time, I realized the broody jerk I thought I knew was different than I’d imagined.

I found myself slowly growing attached to someone I once considered the enemy…and growing attracted to him. 

Sure, both of us were guilt-ridden over Brad. We were also two grown people with pent-up frustration toward one another—stuck in a cabin in the woods.

But this was Josh.

I could never.

 

 

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/186725244

 

 

PRE-ORDER LINKS

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3P2Jgrz 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3rnlUnf

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3YCw8fU

B&N: https://bit.ly/3QCsiSb

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3s6FXqz

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3OQoyLs

Audible:  https://amzn.to/3smiS2X 

Amazon Audio: https://bit.ly/45v27kG

 

Sign up to be alerted when it goes live on Amazon here: https://fave.co/2KoLPUN

**No Amazon e-book preorder. Will go live on/around release day.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:

I Could NeverI Could Never by Penelope Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I Could Never by Penelope Ward Kindle Crack Teaser

I’m still thinking about I Could Never, by Penelope Ward, days after hitting the last page. Don’t read my review; just one-click this book. Ok, if you decided to read my review, I will say that you should be prepared to binge-read this book. I know you will devour this heartfelt and angsty enemies-to-lovers romance. I Could Never heated up my Kindle screen and melted my heart. Penelope Ward once again cemented my love of her words and romance books. I Could Never is one of my top reads of 2023.

EXCERPT

 

Copyright © 2023 by Penelope Ward

 

Josh sat at the table, casually having coffee as I walked into the house after my drive home from the salon. The smell of cigarettes emanated from him. He hadn’t smelled like that since the first day he arrived.

“Where’s Scottie?” I asked.

“In his room,” he answered without making eye contact.

I stated the obvious. “You smell like smoke.”

“Must be the firewood.” He brought his mug to his mouth.

“Bullsh*t. The pellet stove doesn’t emit any fumes.”

“Yeah. I caved and had one. Big deal.” He pointed toward the door. “I did it outside, though, while keeping an eye on Scottie through the window.”

“You’d been doing so well. What happened?”

He still wasn’t looking at me, and instead stared straight ahead. “Just human, I guess.”

Then something in front of him on the table caught my attention: pieces of ripped pages piled atop…my journal.

A rush of adrenaline shot through me. “Why do you have that?”

“It’s apparently your diary.”

“I’m quite aware of that.” My heart began to pound. “You were snooping in my room?”

He shot daggers at me. “Think, Carly. Of the two guys in this house, who is the one more likely to have been ransacking your room?”

“You were supposed to be watching him while I was at the salon,” I yelled.

“God forbid I take a piss in peace. Is it not bad enough that I’m showering with him now? Getting my balls tugged?”

I wanted to laugh, but this moment was far from funny.

“Scottie ripped those pages out?”

“The notebook is bright orange, like his iPad cover. Probably caught his attention. The drawer next to your bed was open, so he must have gone in there. I assume that’s where you kept it. Admittedly, I’d been letting him hang out in your room, but you sometimes do, too. I went to check on him, make sure he wasn’t doing anything bad, and found those pages strewn about.” A vein popped in his neck.

Josh was angry. Why? I should’ve been the angry one.

“Did you read it?”

“I only happened to see what was on the pages he ripped. I didn’t read anything else once I figured out what the hell it was.”

This is bad. Starting to sweat, I asked, “But how much did you see?”

He stood up from his seat and slowly approached me. With each step he took toward me, I took one back. When we could go no farther, he placed his arms on either side of me, leaning his hands against the wall. And I forgot how to breathe.

Fear. Arousal. Embarrassment. You name it, I was feeling it right now. Every emotion hit me at once.

His breath grazed my face. “How much did I actually see?” He paused. “Enough to know you think I’m an evil pig.”

Ugh. No. Now his anger made sense.

When he backed away, I walked over to the ripped pages on the table and sifted through them.

“It’s the last one, for reference,” he noted.

I read what I’d written the other night.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

Photo of Penelope Ward Author Kindle Crack

 

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

 

Website: https://penelopewardauthor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps

Instagram: http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@penelopewardofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor



Thursday, March 30, 2023

Sneak Peek: The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Check out this sneak peek of The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward.  I absolutely loved this book.  Download this book for free using Kindle Unlimited.

The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister

 Title: The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister
Authors: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 2, 2023 

Excited about Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward’s upcoming release, 

The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister?

Check out this SNEAK PEEK!

 

“What the hell?” He stood on the other side of the door. “Where’s the doorknob?”

I leaned down and spoke through the hole where the knob used to be. “It’s in here with me. The lock jammed, and the knob came off in my hands when I tried to pull it open.”

“Alright. Give me a minute. I need to run next door to get a screwdriver.”

“I have one now! I picked it up after the beeping incident, so I wouldn’t need to bug you again. It’s in the top drawer in the kitchen!”

“Okay, great. Hang on.”

Two minutes later, the door popped open. It wasn’t until I saw Holden’s face that I remembered I was only wearing a tank top and underwear, sans bra.

He gulped and took a long look before turning his head. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you weren’t dressed.”

I wasn’t the only one scantily clad. Holden had on only a pair of boxer briefs, his beautiful tanned skin and carved six pack on full display for my eager eyes, yet again. I couldn’t stop myself from staring. Silence ticked by until Holden turned his head back, probably to see why I’d grown quiet. “You oka—”

My eyes rose to meet his, but not before he’d caught me ogling him.

I shook my head and laughed nervously. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. I just hadn’t expected you to be in your underwear either, I guess. It caught me off guard.”

Holden ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m sorry if I checked you out, too.”

I should’ve just left the bathroom and covered up with a robe, but something about being near this man made me say and do things that were completely out of character. “Would you mind if I…looked a little more?”

Holden’s brows shot up to his hairline. “You want to check me out?”

My face heated. I shook my head and looked down. “Oh my gosh. I’m so embarrassed. I think the lack of sleep and stress from being locked in here made me a little bonkers. It’s just that maybe we both have some pent-up curiosity about what we look like as adults. I mean, I’ve only stolen glimpses of you without a shirt on since we were teenagers in my backyard pool. And you certainly haven’t seen me in a skimpy bottom and no bra since then. I guess I was thinking if we took a good, long look, once and for all, we might get it out of our systems.”

Holden stared at me. I could see the wheels in his head spinning. Eventually, his eyes dropped to my chest. “You have no bra on…”

I shook my head. “No bra.”

He swallowed. “Let’s do it.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Fuck yeah. I’m going to hell anyway. Might as well enjoy the ride down. But you have to stay in the bathroom, and I’ll stay on this side of the doorway.”

“Okay.” I bit my bottom lip. “You look first.”

“Why don’t we look at the same time?”

I nodded. “Good idea. How long should we do it for?”

Holden shrugged. “A minute?”

“Do you have your phone?”

“No. I thought someone broke in and you were being attacked. My phone was the last thing on my mind.”

“Mine should be on the coffee table. Do you want to grab it so we can use the timer?”

Holden walked away and came back ten seconds later. “What’s your code?”

“Zero, seven, one, three.”

He started to type and then froze before looking up at the ceiling. “That’s the day you’re getting married, isn’t it?”

I nodded.

Holden cursed as he went back to typing. “I’m so fucking going to hell.”

He called up the clock app and then turned the phone to show me. The countdown was set for one minute. His finger hovered over the green button. “You ready?”

I nodded.

Holden pressed the button, and we began to openly ogle each other.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

 

 

PRE-ORDER LINKS

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Zty1L1

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3HtPiwF

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3kZL5cv

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3DwYHlI

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3FY7BKn

Audio: https://amzn.to/40Qhulr

 

 

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62683711-the-rules-of-dating-my-best-friend-s-sister


BLURB

 

From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a new standalone romance.

Rule number one for dating your best friend’s sister: Don’t.

Just don’t do it.

Especially when your best friend is dead and the last thing he made you promise him was that you’d keep an eye on his little sister, but not too good of an eye.

As a musician whose longest committed relationship was six weeks, I, Holden Catalano, was the last guy on Earth who should’ve been messing around with Laney Ellison.

The super smart girl whom I affectionately dubbed Lala since childhood was always off limits.

Though that didn’t stop me from thinking about her over the years, especially those times when the two of us would sneak out onto the roof and talk for hours after my buddy fell asleep. It was innocent, but I’d always held a torch for her.

After Ryan passed away, I vowed to always protect Lala. That included protecting her—from me.

Now all grown up and a scientist, Lala needed a place to stay when she accepted a temporary research position in New York. I thought I did the right thing by offering her an apartment in the building I co-owned with my three friends.

Except having her close by reignited all of those old feelings.

And things started to get complicated.

Especially since she was engaged.

And especially since, lately, I’d noticed something more in her eyes. Desire.

Lala didn’t exactly look at me like the platonic brother figure I was trying so desperately to be, even though I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anything.

Yet, I was being good—on my very best behavior.

But you know what they say…all good things must come to an end, right?

 

 

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.

 

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/vi.keeland

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vi-Keeland/435952616513958

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup

Website: http://www.vikeeland.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/Vi_Keeland

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vikeeland

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViKeeland

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6887119.Vi_Keeland

 

 

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.

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps

Website: http://www.penelopewardauthor.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@penelopewardofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7105545.Penelope_Ward

 

Thursday, September 15, 2022

SNEAK PEEK: The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland is almost here!  Check out my spoiler-free review and a little excerpt below. This September 19th release will be available to download for free in Kindle Unlimited.  

The Rules of Dating by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward on Kindle Crack

Title: The Rules of Dating

Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 19, 2022



BUY LINKS:

KINDLE Amazon US ➜ https://amzn.to/3BorSWs

Paperbackhttps://amzn.to/3BjvE39

Audio https://amzn.to/3UhhB78


AMAZON LIVE RELEASE ALERT: https://www.subscribepage.com/2FreeBooks

 

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61645755


Try Kindle Unlimited FREE for the first month - https://amzn.to/3xmE0pQ


Excerpt:

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 maĂ®tre 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.”

 

Copyright © 2022 Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland



Review:


The Rules of DatingThe Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland made my heart sing. I'm still smiling like a loon just thinking about this book a week after finishing it. It was that good! This unexpected, opposites attract romance has the perfect about of sweet and heat.

The Rules of Dating is flirty and fun romance lovers gold. I legit couldn't put the book down until I reached the end. You guys are in for a treat. That ending! I've said this before, and I'll repeat it, Vi and Penelope make it impossible not to fall in love with their characters and their co-authored books. The Rules of Dating is on my Best of 2022 list.


The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland Video review

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.

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps

Website: http://www.penelopewardauthor.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@penelopewardofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7105545.Penelope_Ward

 

 

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.

 

Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/vi.keeland

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vi-Keeland/435952616513958

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup

Website: http://www.vikeeland.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/Vi_Keeland

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vikeeland

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ViKeeland

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6887119.Vi_Keeland



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