Brent Ryder is sick of the limelight. Struggling to write, struggling to sing from the heart when his heart isn’t in it, life on the road is taking its toll.
Widow, Caleigh Flynn, hasn’t looked at another man since her husband died three years ago. Feisty and strong-willed, Caleigh is happy spending her time looking after her son and serving a side helping of snark to her regular customers at Da Vinci’s Lock. Until the newcomer arrives.
He’s not staying, just passing through. Incognito Brent wants to write the album that will revive his tired heart. To do that he must stay off the radar, but Caleigh could be the one who calls him out. While small town life grows in its charms for them both, time no longer seems to be of concern, but secrets can find you no matter where you hide and the truth always has a way of finding its way out.
Excerpt
“Ouch. That’s a hard no for that guy then?!”
I don’t answer right away, so he speaks again, sending shivers through me with the sound of his gravelly voice.
“Seriously, what was it about that dude that made you swipe left so hard?”
“Nothing in particular, I just—”
And that’s when I turn around to get a good look at who I’m talking to.
My heart feels like it’s going to fall out of my ass. I didn’t take a very good look at the guy on the screen, but now I’m staring at the guy behind me, I just know it’s the same guy I just swiped past. “I-I … I just don’t swipe right,” I finish awkwardly.
I feel my skin flush profusely. I don’t know what else to say, so I’m sure I look like a goldfish as my mouth opens and closes.
“Then may I inquire as to the point of being on such a dating site?” he asks, a puzzled look crossing his face.
“Oh, umm … well … my mother. She constantly moans at me about finding a nice guy. But I hate internet dating. It doesn’t give you much of an impression of the guys. They umm … well, they mostly just want to hook up and I’m not that kind of girl.”
After the divorce from hell, Jenna Morgan swears off men. But could the town “bad boy” Nate, be the one to make her break that oath?
Freeing herself from the constraints of her ex, she decides to do the one thing she always wanted to but was never allowed; get a tattoo.
Nate Peterson is the town bad boy and owner of the Blank Canvas tattoo parlour. Walking into his shop could change her life forever.
At a speed-dating event, Jenna meets the business-savvy lawyer, Levi. Surely it couldn’t hurt to go on one date, with both men?
Conflicted by the choice, she sees and feels herself falling for the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
After a couple of crazy months together, a tragedy tears them apart. Nate finds himself pushing everyone away, including Jenna.
Realising his momentous mistake, Nate wants to win her back. But can he earn her trust again? Did he destroy everything he wanted but never knew he needed?
Will fate help push the pair back together or will it tear them asunder?
Bio
I live in the UK and am an avid bookworm. My first real memory of reading something I fell in love with was The Hobbit. In my teenage years, I became addicted to Point Horror books like RL Stine’s The Boyfriend, but also enjoyed lighter reads like What Katy Did and What Katy Did Next.
Over the years I have come to realise that I am a bit of an OCD freak about books. They have to be in perfect condition without the slightest bit of damage.
I have been a book reviewer for the last few years and a book hoarder for a LOT longer. You can NEVER have too many books! My shelves are bulging and overflowing but I always want “just one more book”.
I am an author of contemporary romance and MM romance and had my first book published in 2013. My PA has claimed ‘dibs’ on all the men I write and refuses to share.
Excerpt
As the needle is pressed to my skin, I suck in a sharp breath, bracing myself for the pain. But when it doesn’t come, I relax and enjoy the feeling in a way I didn’t know was possible.
Nate looks happy, like this is something he was born to do. And maybe he was. I know nothing about him. Not that I would mind getting to know him better, in more ways than one.
“So, Nate, how long have you worked here?” I find myself asking, wanting to know more about the alluring man with his hands on me.
“I’ve been here for about eight years now. I found this place empty and knew without a doubt it was perfect for my vision. I started working at Tattoo Envy when I was eighteen and just an apprentice. I honed my craft until I felt I was ready to open my own place when I was around twenty-eight. To be honest, I would have started out on my own before then, but I really loved the staff that had become like a family to me. I didn’t want to leave them. But they urged me to spread my wings and that’s when I started Blank Canvas. I had learned the business side of things from Hannah, the woman that owned Tattoo Envy, and so I had all the necessary skills to start this place. I just didn’t know if it would take off. I’m glad it did though.”
I hadn’t been expecting him to divulge so much information and, as he realised this himself, he apologised for oversharing. Smiling at him, I told him apologies weren’t necessary.
“Is there a story behind this?” he asks as he nods his head at where the wings are starting to really take shape.
“You know what they say about rising from the ashes,” I start. “Well, I guess it’s true. I’m making my fresh start. I should have done it a long time ago, but I didn’t possess the courage. Or at least I didn’t think I did. This tattoo represents me being stronger than I ever knew. I guess you could say the ashes and flames of the design represent Lee, my ex-husband. And the phoenix is me, rising from the past to a beautiful new future.”
There, I’d overshared in reciprocation. Though I didn’t admit Lee’s real name wasn’t in fact Lee, or Douchebag, or Cheating Asshole, or Serial Shagger. No, I’d kept that information to myself. Stanley Eugene “Douchebag” Mason was a part of my past I’d rather not discuss with the hot, muscular, tattooed guy with his hands on me. He’s not a therapist after all, just your run of the mill tattooist. Though I’m not sure anything about Nate could be classed as “run of the mill”.
“I know the feeling. And to think I almost married her. Thank goodness for small mercies.”
His statement has me curious, but his gaze collides with mine and all the air leaves my lungs in a rush. There’s something like hunger in his gaze as his eyes roam over me. I cannot get entangled with any man, much less this incredibly hot specimen. I’ll end up hurt and my heart can’t take any more right now. I can sure dream about the hot guy who took my virginity though—ink virginity, that is.
My best friend, Brogan, has told me I have what she calls “virgin skin”. I laughed at the notion, but I guess it’s true.
“I did marry mine,” I reply after a pause. “I was young and naïve. There’s no chance of me making that mistake again. Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me too. I couldn’t stick around for him to hurt me again. There are only so many chances you can give a person and, while I’m a believer in second chances, I don’t believe in twenty-second chances, you know?!”
Nate looks at me with something akin to pity in his gaze, but all traces of that vanish when he looks me square in the eye.
“I’m sorry he hurt you. I may not know who he is or what he did, but I do know if I had a woman like you, I wouldn’t want to hurt her for the world.”
Keren Hughes is one of the Black Velvet Seduction authors. I met her through their group. Like the other authors in that group, I’ve enjoyed getting to know her.
Author bio
I live in the UK and am an avid bookworm. My first real memory of reading something I fell in love with was The Hobbit. In my teenage years, I became addicted to Point Horror books like RL Stine’s The Boyfriend, but also enjoyed lighter reads like What Katy Did and What Katy Did Next.
Over the years I have come to realise that I am a bit of an OCD freak about books. They have to be in perfect condition without the slightest bit of damage.
I have been a book reviewer for the last few years and a book hoarder for a LOT longer. You can NEVER have too many books! My shelves are bulging and overflowing but I always want “just one more book”.
I am an author of contemporary romance and MM romance and had my first book published in 2013. My PA has claimed ‘dibs’ on all the men I write and refuses to share.
Tell us about yourself.
Oooh, what to say?! Well, I am nearly 37 years old, I have been disabled for the last few years (since 2012), I am a mom of one – that teen is my world.
I’m an introvert with social anxiety, but I like to try and push my own boundaries and conquer that anxiety.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Honestly, not properly until 2012.
When I was 15/16 years old, I wrote for fun, but never thought anything would come of it, as much as I wished it would.
Then in 2011 I became a blogger and that opened new doors for me. In 2012, I had an operation on my spine, so that left me with time on my hands and not much to fill it with. So, that’s when I wrote my first book that would go on to be published.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I read a lot of genres, but primarily write in contemporary romance and MM.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
The first book I ever wrote is a YA paranormal romance and is due to be republished soon (I have the rights back from my first publisher and it’s now due out with my other publisher).
The rest are definitely for over 18’s.
What is your current release or project?
My upcoming release is called More Than Words. It was co-written with my bestie and is her debut book. It’s about a woman who flees a domestically violent situation and a man who fell through the cracks in foster care. He was beaten, neglected, abused
Tell us about the key characters
Evie is pregnant when she flees her abuser. She is stronger than she believes, but her world threatens to cave in on itself when he sends people after her. She’s now a single mom to a young daughter, Maya and wants a better life for her than she has for herself.
Trey is a solicitor. He fell through the cracks of the foster system repeatedly, along with his younger sister Leah. Unfortunately Leah is no longer around to see him make a better life for himself than they had growing up. He helps women who are in DV relationships, and makes it his mission to open a shelter in his sister’s name one day.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Evie
Taking my daughter with me, I moved far away from my hometown. I wanted to leave my past behind. I was not looking for a relationship. Love had got me nowhere, just pain and darkness, heartbreak and disappointment.
Suddenly a shard of light brightened my world. Trey showed me compassion, love, and had broken down the walls I had tried so hard to build. My worry is, will the darkness I have been trying to hide from come back to haunt us?
Trey
Abused, neglected, broken and rejected; this was my life in foster care with my younger sister, Leah. I had been trying to protect her all my teenage years, but she took her own life. I was devastated by the loss and determined to make something of myself. After school, I studied law, and as a solicitor I helped survivors of domestic abuse.
I never thought I’d find love and then I met Evie. Her strength amazed me; she juggled her life as a single mum and a business owner. We were drawn together, but Evie had her secrets and I had mine. Together we are strong. But are we strong enough?
Share an excerpt
Having only known that I’m pregnant for an hour, the protectiveness that I feel for this unborn baby shouldn’t be natural. I’m not the maternal type, after being with Greg for the last four and a half years, I knew I didn’t want to bring a baby into this type of life. I’d done everything I could to prevent it, I secretly had the contraceptive injection so I wouldn’t fall pregnant. But he found out and decided to get his payback, trying everything to get me pregnant. Even if it was against my will. Looks like he succeeded, I thought. I shake my head, wanting to get rid of that thought before it fully festers in my mind. I won’t allow my child to grow up and think he or she was a mistake or not wanted.
The drivers side door opening startles me, I jump and turn, ready to kick and scream before I realise it’s my father. As I visibly relax, my father’s sharp eyes take in everything; I notice his eyes narrow, then soften. He reaches in and gently grabs me in his arms, cradling me to his chest as if I were a child. The full force of what has happened makes my body shake as I sob into his chest. He whispers soothing words into my ear as he helps me from the car and guides me into the house. I notice my mother standing in the foyer with a hand over her mouth, unshed tears brimming in her eyes.
How I managed to pull into my parents’ driveway without realising makes me feel unnerved, having not been completely aware of my surroundings like I usually am.
As my dad turns into the living room, I see my uncle sat there in his police uniform. I start to shake and try to get away, but my father’s arms clamp tighter around me.
“You need to finally make him suffer for what he’s done to you, no more hiding,” he whispers in my ear.
Reporting Greg to the police had never been an option. He warned me that if I ever did, he would hurt me so much worse than he ever had before—and that pain didn’t have to come in physical beatings or mental abuse, it could mean hurting my parents. So, I never went to hospital with my injuries in case they saw signs of abuse and reported it to the police—because they are duty-bound to do so. I never dialled 999. I always dressed covering myself from head to toe, sometimes using makeup to cover bruises—something I became an expert at doing.
I instantly feel overwhelmed. Do I really want to report him? What if it goes to court and I don’t have any physical evidence of what he did to me? He’d get off and then come after me ten times as hard as before.
My heart races in my chest, feeling like it’s trying to burst free of its constraints. I try to swallow past a lump in my throat as I feel tears sting the backs of my eyes.
I can do this. I will do this. I have to do this. For myself, but more importantly for the innocent life inside me. My child deserves the best start in life and that can’t happen with Greg walking free. He has to pay for what he’s done.
I can’t live my life constantly looking over my shoulder, in fear of every street corner, every dark alley…
The blows he dealt me over the years made me feel weak. But I know now that I’m not weak. I am strong. I am willing to fight back. For my life and for my child to grow up without him.
If he isn’t behind bars when my baby comes into this world, I dread to think what he would do if he found out. He’s not a real man, so he could never be a real father. But he’d want access and he’d fight me for it. It would go to court and if they found in his favour, I’d have to allow my child to see that piece of shit on a regular basis.
Over my dead body.
I sit on the sofa and am instantly squashed with my mother and father on either side of me. My mother’s hand reaches into my lap and takes hold of my hand. Looking up at her, she gives me a reassuring smile.
I can do this. I know it will hurt my parents to hear my story, but they need to know the truth. I need to stop lying and covering up for that bastard. He’s the one to blame in all of this and it’s about time I stopped blaming myself for making him hurt me.
That’s one thing he always said, “You know I’m only giving you what you deserve. You brought this on yourself. I wish I didn’t have to do this, but you give me no choice. You make me hurt you.”
I’m sick of being petrified of my own shadow and I won’t let my child—my innocent, pure child—be tainted by a life with that man in it.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Gosh, that’s a hard question as I love it all. But my favourite is probably where Trey asks Evie if they can be a proper couple. He’s so nervous to ask, scared of rejection. He doesn’t do relationships, so it’s all new to him. He’s a real sweetheart. Although Bobby wouldn’t say he is. (To see who she is and why, you’ll have to read the book).
What advice would you give a beginner?
My advice would be to just write. If you have a story, then write it. Whether you think you’ll end up publishing it or not is a question for after it’s written.
If you do want to publish, then you need to be prepared to market your work, dedicate time for social media to talk to your fans/readers, make connections with other authors, bloggers and readers. The book community is a hugely supportive place.
Just remember that you need to be authentic. Having a ‘persona’ when your online isn’t helpful. You don’t need to tell everyone every little detail about your life, but what you do tell them and how you interact with them, that has to be 100% the real you.
Taking my daughter with me, I moved far away from my hometown. I wanted to leave my past behind. I was not looking for a relationship. Love had got me nowhere, just pain and darkness, heartbreak and disappointment.
Suddenly a shard of light brightened my world. Trey showed me compassion, love, and had broken down the walls I had tried so hard to build. My worry is, will the darkness I have been trying to hide from come back to haunt us.
Trey
Abused, neglected, broken and rejected; this was my life in foster care with my younger sister Leah. I had been trying to protect her all my teenage years, but she took her own life. I was devastated by the loss and determined to make something of myself. After school, I studies law, and as a solicitor I helped survivors of domestic abuse.
I never thought I’d find love and then I met Evie. Her strength amazed me; she juggled her life as a single mom and owning a business. We were drawn together, but Evie had her secrets and I had mine. Together we are strong. But are we strong enough?
About Keren Hughes
I live in the UK and am an avid bookworm. My first real memory of reading something I fell in love with was The Hobbit. In my teenage years, I became addicted to Point Horror books like RL Stine’s The Boyfriend, but also enjoyed lighter reads like What Katy Did and What Katy Did Next.
Over the years I have come to realise that I am a bit of an OCD freak about books. They have to be in perfect condition without the slightest bit of damage. I have been a book reviewer for the last few years and a book hoarder for a LOT longer. You can NEVER have too many books! My shelves are bulging and overflowing but I always want “just one more book”.
I am an author of contemporary romance and MM romance and had my first book published in 2013. My PA has claimed ‘dibs’ on all the men I write and refuses to share.
