Release Blitz: Friend Zoned by Evelyn Sola

Fresh off of a messy divorce, Jeannie Dubois isn’t looking for anything more than friendship, and Aiden Walsh is more than happy to fill that role. But when these two friends become lovers, things quickly turn complicated. Can Aiden prove to Jeannie that they’re meant to be more than friends or will she send him back to the friend zone? Readers who enjoy spicy romances will devour Friend Zoned by Evelyn Sola, a steamy friends-to-lovers romance.

Title: Friend Zoned by Evelyn Sola
Publisher: Evelyn Sola
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 433 pages

Summary:

They say the best things come when you least expect it.

Burned by her ex-husband and a messy divorce, Jeannie Dubois isn’t looking for anything more than a good friend. Besides, she’s still dealing with the ex who can’t seem to let her go.

Insert NBA coach, Aiden Walsh. Sure, he wants so much more than friendship with the beautiful woman he met at a wedding, but he’s sure he can play the part and he’s good at biding his time. So, for now he’ll fill any role she wants.

But when these two friends become lovers, things quickly turn complicated when Jeannie finds out Aiden is so much more than just Manhattan’s favorite coach.

Can Aiden prove to Jeannie that they’re meant to be so much more, or will she send him back to the friend zone?

Goodreads

Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!: Amazon


Excerpt

Copyright 2023 @Evelyn Sola

The moment I get inside the mansion, I’m greeted by a server holding a tray of drinks. There are several different cocktails, but I grab a glass of red wine and move further into the home, noticing the white chairs set out for the wedding in the formal living room. I take off my coat, and someone takes it, handing me a ticket to retrieve it later. I look around and spot the mother and daughter. They’re on the other side of the room, and Jeannie is helping her mother with her coat before shrugging off her own.

I was right. She’s tall and lean, with nice hips, a firm ass, and a perfect set of breasts. That’s a woman’s body. She’s wearing a black shirt under a black blazer and a black skirt that reaches her knees. Her legs are visibly toned under thick black stockings and she’s wearing ballet flats that don’t seem to go with the outfit. Someone is making a statement that she’s here under protest.

The outfit can’t be described as anything other than plain and matronly, but on her body, it’s sexy as sin. Especially the bottom half with her hips and ass that sit in the skirt just right. My eyes travel up and land on her breasts. I was right. They’re perfect. Not too big or too small. Perfect to fit in the palm of my hand. She looks up at the exact moment that I lick my lips, and our eyes lock. It’s brief, but something in the room sizzles, and I feel my heart rate pick up for the first time in years. At least outside of a workout.

She looks away, and the moment is lost. Even from a distance, I can tell she’s clearing her throat and doing her best to appear comfortable. A server comes by, and she grabs a colorful cocktail. She takes a sip and must approve because her full lips curl into a small smile until her mother swipes the drink from her and drinks it.

She puts a finger in Jeannie’s face and waves it. “You have to drive me. No drinking.”  Jeannie flags down the server and grabs another. “That won’t be for hours. If I have to be here, I’m drinking. Don’t make me fight you again.” She makes a fist, and so does her mother. They knock them together once. “Keep it up and you’ll be taking the bus home,” Jeannie warns.

Her mother waves her off. “I have work to do. I’m going to find you a nice, young man.” She leans closer to Jeannie’s ear, and I take a few steps toward them so I can hear. “Mr. Colt knows a lot of young black men. Did I mention they are rich?” she adds again.

Jeannie looks around and rolls her eyes. “Well, then go do the Lord’s work, Mom.”

“I have to because you’ve given up.” Her mom grabs another drink from a server and says, “I’m having so much fun.”

The older woman limps away, and Jeannie seems to exhale in relief at her departure. She looks around and our eyes lock again, but she blushes and breaks the stare much too quickly. She moves to the back row of white chairs and takes a seat. She rummages through her purse, and I expect her to pull out her phone, but she surprises me. She pulls out a book. I can’t see the title or cover from here, but my interest is piqued yet again. She opens it, flips through a few pages, and looks down. I know the exact moment when she tunes everything out and focuses on the words in her book, and I make it my mission to find out what she’s reading before she leaves here tonight.


Author Bio

A Boston native, wife, mother, and wine enthusiast. If she’s not writing, thinking about writing, you will find Evelyn with a book in her hands. While a new publisher, she’s been writing for years, and she will continue to write for many years to come.

Evelyn is obsessed with assertive and confident men who will stop at nothing to get their woman. Her stories are filled with love, passion, and humor.
She currently lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and two daughters.

Author Links: Reader Group * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok * BookBub * Newsletter * Amazon * Goodreads

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

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June’s Reading Challenge: Word in Title Begins with any Letter in “JUNE”

June’s Reading Challenge is to read a title with any word that begins with any letter in “JUNE”. Or you can step up the challenge by reading titles that begin with all the letters in “JUNE”.

I am going to step up challenge this month and read titles that spell out JUNE. And to make the challenge just a little more difficult, I’m picking titles that start with each letter in JUNE!

I used the search function in my Kindle Library to search by letter to find my titles. A little time consuming but it does help.

My “J” title is Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler.

Please click HERE to learn more about Justice for Sara.

Since it’s baseball season, I selected KD Casey’s Unwritten Rules for my “U” title. The other reason I chose it is because I need to read more romances!

Please click HERE to learn more about Unwritten Rules.

Whew! I didn’t think I’ve EVER find a book that starts with “N”. However, I prevailed! I selected No Exit by Taylor Adams.

Please click HERE to learn more about No Exit.

Because I absolutely adore Marie Bostwick’s novels, I selected Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly for my “E” title. As an added bonus, it’s also a recent release!

Please click HERE to learn more about Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly.

I am looking forward to your selection!
Happy Reading!!

If you participated in last month’s challenge, check out the discussion post HERE and let us know if you met your challenge!

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May Reading Challenge Discussion

May’s Reading Challenge was to read two books.

I selected Fire with Fire and Only the Beautiful.

Fire with Fire by Candace Fox: 4.5 stars. An action-packed, fast-paced thriller. The “good guys” are flawed but that only adds to their likeability. The lab kidnappers’ actions are understandable yet incredibly misguided. Detective Charlie Hoskins is very relucatant to pair up with Lynette Lamb but she refuses to take no for an answer. She is a very intuitive investigator whose assistance is invaluable throughout their investigation. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as this incredible mystery races to a breathtaking conclusion.

Please click HERE to learn more about Fire with Fire.

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner: 5 stars. Heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting. Rosie’s situation is absolutely harrowing yet she does not let it permanently define her or prevent her from reaching her goals. While she is enduring the unthinkable, her friend, Helen Calvert is seeing Adolf Hitler and the Nazi depravity firsthand. After the war ends, she knows it is time to return home and she sets out to find Rosie after learning what happened to her. The two storylines are seemingly unrelated yet the similarities soon become apparant. Based on real life events, this beautifully rendered novel is incredibly moving and details some of the most horrific and shameful events in both the United States and World War II.

Please click HERE to learn more about Only the Beautiful.

Did you enjoy the books you selected for the challenge? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts about your selection!
***

Check out June’s challenge HERE.

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eBook Contest May 5/31

Here are the eBooks for this week’s Winning Wednesday contest:

Title: Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 365 pages

Summary:

From the author of The Restoration of Celia Fairchild, comes a novel about the meaning of family and the places we call home. If you love “southern summer” fiction authors like Mary Alice Monroe and Kristy Woodson Harvey you’ll love this delicious novel about family, friendship, and finding your true path in life.

Esme Cahill thinks she has failed spectacularly: fired from her New York City publishing job, divorced from her husband, and possessing little more than a broken-down car and a pile of unfinished manuscripts, she drives home to Asheville at the request of her late grandmother, Adele, who had begged her, just before she died, to return to the place she grew up.

There she discovers the once-charming lakeside retreat run by her family is sliding toward financial ruin, so with the help of her grandfather, George; estranged mother, Robyn; and a travelling chef Dawes (maker of the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich) they set to work. In the attic, Esme unearths a trove of museum-worthy art quilts, sewn by Adele. Piecing together the inspiration behind them, Esme discovers a forgotten chapter in her family history and her grandmother’s untold story, that of a gifted artist who never received her due.

This is an always-emotional, sometimes humorous, very human novel of what it means to be family—the ties that bind us together and the unintentional hurts that can rend us apart. And, along the way, Esme learns that failure can be the first step toward the life you’re meant to find.


Title: The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson
Heart Lake Book Two
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 337 pages

Summary:

In this charming installment of the Heart Lake series, a grumpy single dad and a small-town bookseller—who’s secretly an advice columnist—find love when they least expect it.

As chaotic as it can be, Rosie Dean loves her unruly life. But between raising twins alone, running her struggling bookshop, and secretly writing a parenting advice column, the single mom can’t think about dating. At least that’s what she tells herself . . . until her high school crush (and his incredible blue eyes) return to Heart Lake for the summer. Even though Evan has grown into a huge grump, he’s still a super sexy one, and soon sparks begin to fly.

Single dad and widower Evan Mills is used to hearing he’s too serious. But with a grieving tween daughter to raise on his own, the graphic designer is just trying to stay strong for her. He hopes a few weeks at the lake will be the fresh start they both need. Evan never anticipated reconnecting with Rosie, or that she could make him feel whole again—if he’d give her the chance. Will one steamy summer with Rosie be long enough to melt Evan’s heart?

Includes the bonus novella, Annie Rains’ Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs!

Summary:


Title: The Deadliest Fall by Charlie Cochrane
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Genre: Historical, Gay, Mystery
Length: 340 pages/Word Count: 89,800

Summary:

Some truths can’t be left buried.

The second world war may be over, but for Leslie Cadmore the scars remain. His beloved dog died, there’s a rift between him and his lover Patrick, and his father inexplicably abandoned the family for life in a monastery. Fate’s been cruel.

A chance meeting with Patrick’s sister stirs old memories, and Leslie starts to dig into both his father’s motives and long-unanswered questions around the death of Fergus Jackson. The worst of a group of disreputable pre-war friends, Fergus was a manipulative rake who allegedly fell on his own knife in a training accident. An accident for which Patrick was apparently the only witness.

Leslie’s persuaded to meet Patrick again, and the pair easily fall back into their old dynamic. They uncover connection after surprising connection between their hedonistic old friends and not only Fergus’s murder, but Mr. Cadmore’s abrupt departure. As their investigation deepens, Leslie and Patrick’s bond deepens too. But no reconciliation can occur until Leslie knows for sure that his erstwhile lover wasn’t Fergus’s killer.


Wednesday is contest day on Book Talk and More with Kathy. Three lucky winners will win the eBook of their choice! Here’s how to enter:

You must Do TWO of the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (below). One email daily with the day’s posts.

Enter your Email:

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OR:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Talk & More with Kathy Facebook page

OR:

3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookTalkMore)

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

4. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Talk and More with Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.

And don't forget to:

5. Fill out the form below by 4 PM Mountain Time Friday afternoon:

CONTEST OVER

* I am the only person who will have access to info that is submitted to me UNLESS a publisher or author has donated an eBook for the giveaway. For a prize donated by an author or publisher, I will forward your e-mail and format selection to the person responsible for distributing the eBook. Please refer to the privacy page HERE if you have questions about how your information is used. In the event the contest form is not working, please leave your book selection in the comments below.*

It’s that easy! The winners will be selected using random.org. I will e-mail the winners the eBook of their choice in their preferred format. The winners will be posted HERE on Saturday.

***The eBooks in this giveaway have been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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Teen Tuesday: Don’t Ask If I’m Okay by Jessica Kara

Teenage or adult readers who like Young Adult novels might enjoy this week’s spotlight:

Title: Don’t Ask If I’m Okay by Jessica Kara
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: 339 pages

Summary:

Heartfelt and bittersweet, this coming-of age story explores the tender space of healing where grief meets love

A year ago, Gage survived a car accident that killed his best friend, Hunter. Without the person who always brought out the best in him, Gage doesn’t know who he is. He likes working as a fry cook and loves his small-town friends and family, but they weren’t in the wreck and he can’t tell them how much he’s still
hurting. He just wants to forget all his pain and move on.

So when his stepdad shows him a dream job opening in one of his idol’s restaurants, Gage knows this is his chance to convince everyone and himself that he’s fine. To try to push past his grief once and for all, Gage applies for the job, asks out a crush, and volunteers to host a memorial for Hunter.

But the more Gage tries to ignore his grief, the more volatile it becomes.

When his temper finally turns on the people he loves, Gage must decide what real strength is—holding in his grief until it destroys him, or asking for help and revealing his broken heart for all to see.

Goodreads

Purchase Link: Amazon * B&N

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Mystery Monday: A Good Family by Matt Goldman

If you love a good mystery then you should check out this week’s spotlight!

Title: A Good Family by Matt Goldman
Publisher: Forge Books
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 291 pages

Summary:

New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman’s A Good Family is a gripping, emotional thrill ride about the secrets hidden underneath a picture-perfect neighborhood.

Katie Kuhlmann’s marriage is falling apart. But she has a secure job, her children are healthy, and her house, a new construction in the prestigious Country Club neighborhood of Edina, Minnesota, is beautiful. She can almost ignore the way her husband, Jack, has been acting–constantly checking his phone, not going to work, disappearing from the house only to show up again without explanation.

Tension in the Kuhlmann house only gets worse when Adam “Bagman” Ross, a mutual friend from college, happens to be in the neighborhood and in need of a place to stay. Jack is quick to welcome him into the sanctity of their home, but Jack’s strange behavior only gets worse, and Katie fears their new guest is also harboring a dark secret. As she begins to uncover the truth, she realizes that something is terribly wrong–and she must race to protect her family as danger closes in.

At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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