Margo Bond Collins

When private investigator and owner of Incantation Investigations, Inc. Harlowe McKee is hired to join forces with a coyote shifter and track down a stolen shipment of tea, she gets more than she bargained for— and the chance to save all the tea left in Texas after the Tea Apocalypse.

Tea is a precious commodity in this post-apocalyptic world, so it comes as no surprise that when a shipment is stolen Harlow is hired to find it.

A surprise is the client, Benedict Abercrombie insists a shifter from his security work with her.

This is a favorite scene when they meet.

“There’s at least one person who wasn’t hurt by the Tea Apocalypse,” I murmured to myself as I scrolled through a list of the holdings they’d acquired recently.

“I take it you mean our mutual employer.” A tall, dark-haired man closed the door behind him. “Hi. I’m Connor Cole.” He held out his hand, and I stood to shake it.

“Harlowe McKee. I take it you’re the shifter he sent to help out— or keep an eye on me, maybe?”

He ducked his head, one lip quirking up in a slightly crooked grin, and glanced up at me through envy-inducing lashes. “Yep. That’s the plan.”

I bit back my irritation at having to include a stranger in my investigation and managed a smile. “I was planning to head down to Houston to interview the people who unloaded the missing shipment. Want to go with me? You can tell me what you know about the case on the way.”

“Sure. I’m all yours.”

His statement pulled me up short, reminding me as it did of a comment my former business partner— and boyfriend— had once made.

Jonah hadn’t been telling the truth, as I had discovered when I caught him in bed with another woman, and for a moment, I wondered if Connor Cole was lying, as well.

Keeping one hand down below the desk, out of Connor’s line of sight, I wove a quick spell, sending a tiny tendril of magic out into the air. It swirled through the air and around Cole, picking up information.
Abercrombie had told me Cole was some kind of shifter, but not what kind.

The magic pulsed back to me, confirming the shifter bit.

I spun the magic around in my fingertips, letting it fizz against my skin.

Not any kind of shifter I had encountered before, however. He wasn’t a werewolf, or a bear shifter, or even a snake shifter, rare as those were.

No, he carried a hint of something canine. Not one of the giant black hound shifters, either though. There was something wilder than that in him.

I flicked the magic up to my mouth, letting it sparkle against my lips and tongue. It tasted too rangy to be a fox, way too canine to be one of the big cats.

Finally deciding he was something entirely new to me, I rolled the magic into a tiny ball between my forefinger and thumb, then with a squeeze and a pop, allowed it to dissipate back into the air around us.

Connor quirked a grin at me. “Find anything interesting?”

I blinked, forcing myself not to show my surprise. Shifters generally didn’t recognize magic when it was deployed by a mage. They tended to have heightened senses in line with their animal sides, but not necessarily a recognition of magical forces.

“A little,” I acknowledged. “Not as much as I wanted to. What kind of shifter are you?”

“Coyote,” he said, his grin growing sharper. “See how easy it was to simply ask?”

I shrugged. “In my line of work, I find people are more likely to lie than not. But coyote definitely fits with what I sensed.” Without waiting for him to respond, I changed the subject. “How did you end up working for Abercrombie?”

“My parents went to college with him in the UK. So, when he came to Texas, he reached out. He said he wanted someone with local knowledge to help out as he set up his business here.”

“Are you a born shifter, or turned?”

“Born, on my father’s side. My mother’s British, and not a supernatural at all.”

“A coyote shifter attending college in the UK before the supernaturals were outed? That must have been interesting.”

“Oh, even more than you know. Apparently he didn’t tell Mom he was a shifter until she was pregnant with me.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” He grinned again, a dimple appearing in one cheek.

“Any idea why Abercrombie chose Texas? Seems like there would be plenty of tea drinkers in England.”

This time, it was Connor who shrugged. “He never said— only that there was business to be had here.”

I nodded. Not that really mattered why Abercrombie had started importing tea to Texas.
Margo Bond Collins; All the Tea in Texas. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 101-137).

Harlowe is good at what she does, and it doesn’t take her long to find a trail. Connor is also very helpful with finding and remembering scents.

As they follow the leads these two find they have an attraction, and they also work well together.

I was as surprised as they were as to the culprit, and now I have to read more of this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Margo!

Skye MacKinnon

Alien scientist Bainne never meant to cause the apocalypse, but a simple mistake means planet Earth is suddenly in the grip of the Great Curdle. He’ll need the help of milkman Kenneth to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

As the two unlikely allies try to save the world, they realise their shared interest in milk isn’t the only thing they have in common…

When aliens mess up, they do it in a big way.

Kenneth is a milkman and suddenly he’s getting calls that the milk is curdled. His supplier isn’t answering his phone, for the same reason. Then Kenneth gets a strange call.

Bainne has made a terrible mistake and he has to fix it before his reputation is ruined. He calls Kenneth, a milkman to help him figure out what went wrong with the scans. Promptly ‘collecting’ him.

This is a favorite scene.

This was a catastrophe. It could spell the end of my business. I’d worked hard to get this far. I’d left school with no qualifications. After years of doing odd jobs here and there, I’d jumped on the chance to take over an existing milkman business from an uncle’s friend. Until today, it had been developing well. I’d started advertising on social media, targeting eco mums and health-conscious millennials.  

Now, my dreams were curdling.   Another call appeared on my phone’s screen. The number wasn’t anything I’d recognised. Long and from abroad. It had to be. No British phone number started with 69.  

Curiosity piqued, I answered. “Kenneth, your local milkman.”

Crackle made me wince and I held the phone further away from my ear.

“Milk. Man.” A deep male voice said in a heavy accent. “I need. Milk. Man.”

“You’re calling the right number, I’m your local milkman.”

The slogan came easily off my lips. I’d used that phrase every day for years. People liked the idea of buying locally, especially since the pandemic of 2020.

“Milk expert?”

He clearly didn’t know much English. That was alright. I was proud to deliver to all parts of town, the very multicultural ones included.

“Yes, I suppose so. Are you calling because the milk curdled?”

“I don’t. Understand.” More crackle. The line really wasn’t good. “What is ‘curdled’?”

“Curdling is when the milk goes sour. It smells and tastes bad. Is that what happened to yours?”

“Yes. Milk bad. You know. Good. Will you help?”

I couldn’t help but smile. His voice reminded me of thick cocoa, rich and velvety. His accent was kind of sexy. I wasn’t able to place it. Something Slavic, maybe?

“Yes, it would be my pleasure to help. What’s your address? I’ll go back to the farm and get a new batch of milk.”

“Pleasure.” The way he said that made me shiver. He should become an audiobook narrator. I often listened to them while doing my deliveries and had come to appreciate a beautiful, expressive voice. His accent was a little distracting, but with a few English lessons he’d become an audiobook sensation.

“I will…” The rest of the sentence disappeared in crackle. “Prepare.”

“Huh? Prepare for what?”

My phone suddenly grew scorching hot and I gasped, letting it drop to the ground. Before it even hit the tarmac, a blinding light flashed all around me, causing me to squeeze shut my eyes. Something touched me all over my body, like a massive hand grabbing me. Drowsiness overcame me as I felt like I was being lifted off the ground.

Maybe I was having a seizure. Maybe I was fainting.

I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids were glued shut. It was probably better that way; the bright light was still all around me. My skin was hot all over, almost burning. I couldn’t move. I was frozen, unable to even wriggle my fingers.

And then it was suddenly all over. The light disappeared and I could move again. I collapsed into a heap before I could regain control of my body. The ground was no longer black tarmac. It had turned into a deep emerald carpet. What the fuck?

I blinked, trying to get my bearings. I was in a small room, a mix between a storage cupboard and an office. Tall shelves lined the walls, stacked to the brink with books, and a large wooden desk in front of me looked like it belonged to someone important. Only the dozens of cardboard boxes and plastic crates covering most of the floor and the top of the desk destroyed the impression of being in someone’s office space.

I staggered to my feet, using one stack of boxes for support.

“Hello?” I called out before erupting into a coughing fit. My throat was strangely dry. Even the inside of my lungs felt dry.

Footsteps outside were the only warning I got before the door opened, revealing a man in a Halloween costume. Not that it was anywhere near Halloween.

Horns sprouted from his forehead, almost as wide as his broad shoulders. His face – and the rest of him – was painted purple. He only wore black trousers, leaving his feet and chest bare. And what a chest that was. He looked as if he worked out every hour of the day. His chiselled abs were a thing of beauty. I had to close my mouth, or I would have drooled.

“Milk man.”

His voice was even more stunning than over the phone. Smooth and velvety with a sexy accent that I couldn’t place. His gaze ran up and down my body, an appreciative smile curling his lips. I supposed I had done the same. We were checking each other out. My gaydar was running at full strength. The way his emerald eyes were undressing me made it very clear what kind of milk he preferred.

“Yes, I’m your local milkman-” I stopped when I realised that I was spurting the same old slogan. I always fell into familiar patterns when I was nervous. And right now, I was more than just nervous. I had no fucking clue what was going on.

“How did I get here?” I asked instead. “I was on a street and now I’m suddenly in an office.”

“I collected you,” he said simply as if that made total sense. He pulled a small metal box from his pocket and handed it to me. “Translator.”
Skye MacKinnon; Alien Abduction for Milkmen. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 522-568).

Bainne and Kenneth are attracted to each other, and Kenneth is a more than a little curious about Bainne’s appearance. The problem at hand is a bit more important but that doesn’t seem to stop these two.

I really can’t say anymore without giving too much away. I laughed when I read the title and to be honest, this book is not only sizzling, it’s hysterical.

5 Contented Purrs for Skye!

Laura Greenwood & Arizona Tape

The end of the world was bad for everyone, especially the tea witches who had to ration the leaves that give them power. When the witches of the Purple Oasis hear a rumour about a group of nymphs who have successfully grown tea on British soil, Jasmine finds herself representing the Oasis in a trade deal.

But a trade link isn’t the only thing on Jasmine’s mind when she meets the nymph liaison.

This book opens with the council’s tea ceremony, and a meeting where Jasmine is chosen to travel to verify a rumor of Tea being grown on British soil. If it’s true she’s to negotiate with the Nymphs to acquire some.

Ryburn is Mother Nature’s choice to meet with the Tea Witch. He’s a water nymph and while he’s surprised to be chosen, he’s looking forward to traveling outside the Grower’s Cove.

Their meeting is one of my favorite scenes.

The sound of footsteps cut through my thoughts and I sat up straighter, trying to appear dignified and experienced. I had no idea who the Grower’s Cove were sending, but I didn’t want them to dismiss me as powerless, even if I felt a little that way.

Relief crashed through me as a guy who looked to be around my age stepped through the doorless frame, coming to stop in front of the metal table.

He didn’t look comfortable enough to be from around here, but then again, that didn’t mean anything. Most people had moved on from where they’d once lived after it became inhospitable to them.

He ran a hand through his short, black hair and waved awkwardly.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” I tried to smile reassuringly, but I was pretty sure it just came across as awkward.

“I’m Ryburn, from Grower’s Cove. Are you the liaison from Purple Oasis?”

I nodded, standing up and offering him my hand like Dad had taught me.

“I’m Jasmine,” I said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

His hand was surprisingly soft and his grip pleasantly strong. I could have lingered in our touch for longer but knew we needed to move on to the important task at hand.

“Likewise.”

“Have a seat,” I gestured to the dingy chair on the other side of the table. It was one of the better ones I’d found in the abandoned building. Not for the first time, I wondered about the practicalities of meeting somewhere like this. But the nymphs of Grower’s Cove were a secretive bunch who refused to let anyone into their home. And we weren’t exactly free with our borders either.

Which meant that we had to meet somewhere in the middle, even if that meant a rundown building and chairs that had seen better days.

I opened my bag and unpacked my travel kit, setting up a small gas burner and lighting it. I poured water from my stainless steel water bottle into the small travel kettle I’d brought with me, before setting it on top of the burner to boil.

The tea leaves waited in a small pouch, worth more than the rest of my equipment put together.

“What are you doing?” Ryburn questioned, gesturing to my set-up.

“Making tea.” I frowned. Wasn’t that obvious? Surely he knew I was a tea witch and that we had ceremonies we needed to perform.

He seemed confused. “Do you have to do that now? I thought this was a meeting.”

“We always drink tea during a meeting,” I answered. “I’m sorry, is this not common where you’re from?”

“No,” he said hesitantly.

“Oh. Okay. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.” I fiddled with the reusable tea bag, unsure what the best course of action was now. I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but I did want some tea. And not just because it would recharge my magic. “Do you want some tea?” I offered.

Ryburn hesitated. “Is it magic tea?”

“No, I brought green tea.”

“But aren’t you a tea witch?”

I smiled reassuringly as I pulled out two cups for us. “I am. But it’s not the tea itself that’s magic. It sort of recharges us, if that makes sense.”

“It does.” He still didn’t seem too sure.

“It isn’t magic tea,” I promised. “It’s just normal tea.”

Ryburn thought for a moment, probably trying to work out whether or not I was telling the truth. I’d be insulted, but I could understand his apprehension. It was a different world from the one I’d grown up in, and that meant dangers I’d never considered before.

“All right then,” he said after a moment.

I flashed him a relieved smile and turned my attention to preparing everything.

I tried to do it with the same grace as Father usually did, but I feared I didn’t manage nearly as well.

Ryburn watched me patiently, not saying a word until everything was set up and I faced him with my hands folded on my lap.

He gave me a small smile and cleared his throat. “Shall we get started?”

“Yes, we can,” I responded, my voice barely shaking. I was lucky it was covering up my nerves. “I’ll speak frankly, I don’t want to waste more time than necessary. Your Cove has recently succeeded in growing tea plants, correct?”

A surprised look flitted through Ryburn’s eyes but he covered it quickly.

But not quickly enough. I’d seen it, and that was all I needed to know that it was true.

“I’m not at liberty to say.” There was a hesitancy in his voice that made me think he wasn’t completely comfortable with lying, but knew that he had to.

But if that was the way he had to play it, then I would approach the subject carefully. Alienating Ryburn and Grower’s Cove wasn’t something I wanted to do.

“Okay, so let’s speak hypothetically. If it’s true that your Cove has successfully grown tea on British soil, Purple Oasis would be very interested in forging an alliance. We don’t want an inequitable trade. We have resources that we imagine Grower’s Cove might be interested in.”

“Right, the Nixion Spring.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m impressed. Not many people know the real name. Most just call it the Purple Spring now.” Though it wasn’t surprising in the slightest that he knew what I was talking about.

“I’m a river nymph, I know my springs,” he declared, rather proudly.

Ah, that explained it. The water in the kettle began to boil. I leaned over and turned off the burner, but left the kettle where it was.

“Are you not making tea?” From the expression on his face, he seemed to be both confused and curious.

Despite knowing I shouldn’t let myself get distracted, I couldn’t help but appreciate his patience.

Or the intelligence sparkling through his eyes. No wonder Grower’s Cove sent him.

“For green tea, it’s best to leave the water stand for a bit so it’s not too hot. It makes it taste better,” I explained, realising he might not know the ins and outs of proper tea brewing. He hadn’t had the same repetitive tea brewing lessons as I did as a child.

“Oh, I had no idea. I usually drink black tea.”

“You do?”

He flashed me a tight smile. “Yes.”

Had he inadvertently confirmed the truth about the tea growing in Grower’s Cove? Black tea had become a scarcity since the apocalypse, the little we had at Purple Oasis was locked in a secure safe and only used sparingly. I tried to keep a straight face so I didn’t let my thoughts slip out. But I wasn’t going to push the subject. It seemed like he didn’t want to talk about it. Or perhaps he’d been ordered not to. Either way, it wouldn’t be good for our negotiations if I made him uncomfortable.
Laura Greenwood; Arizona Tape; Nymph’s Trust. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 1236-1285).

Jasmine and Ryburn are attracted but neither can really act on it since they can’t jeopardize the negotiations.

Ryburn loves the spring in Purple Oasis and Jasmine is very impressed with the tea. Now Purple Oasis has to meet the requirements for the deal to happen.

Of course, someone doesn’t want that to happen and Ryburn and Jasmine have to figure out who and why quickly or everything is over. Including their budding romance.

5 Contented Purrs for Laura & Arizona!

Rebecca Royce

This tale takes us into the past to before the split of the human and magical. Marie has totally gone out of character and spent the night with not one but all three of the men who own the shop next door. She thinks they’re human, but they aren’t.

However, in the light of day there’s another problem. No tea, anywhere! It’s totally disappeared, not even a plant. Marie knows who’s to blame though, and she’s got to make it right quickly.

Enoch, Beau and Archie pop her into her mother’s kitchen for the confrontation.

This is a favorite scene.

“Ready to go? Check on your tea-loving mother?”

I shook my head. “You’re going to be seriously cold. She lives on top of a mountain. It’s really cold there already.”

“Thanks.” Archie immediately dressed all of them in leather jackets. It would really be a neat trick to be able to do that. What was more was that I couldn’t feel their magic at all. Usually, there was a feeling that happened, that told me there was magic, like a feather over my skin. Nothing. They could do magic so subtly that I didn’t notice the sensation.

Enoch put out his hand. “Come. Picture where your mother lives. And we’ll be there in seconds.”

“Can you only do this with an image? And are you taking the image from my head?” I had to draw the line somewhere. There were privacy issues. I didn’t need them roaming around uninvited. Or worse, my inviting them in without understanding what I was doing.

“I can do it with an address, too. Makes it a little trickier. Beau can actually track a person. Think of them and go but that’s not my gift. And, no, I’ll not be in your head. You’ll actually be leading the jump. I will, for just a second, give you my power.

Then it’ll transfer back to me and I’ll take us there. Not at all in your head. I wouldn’t do that.”

I appreciated that. “As I said, we don’t know each other. I don’t know that about you.”

He stroked a finger down the side of my face. “We’re guys who had a really hard time doing really tough stuff. Things we’d rather not talk about most of the time. Now, we’re living our dream. Part of that seems to be you. Who knew we’d all like the same girl? I think last night worked. I think you know that, too. So let’s go see your mom. And then you can check our morality after. If you want to. Maybe you’ll like it better when we’re a little bit bad.”

I opened and closed my mouth. Maybe I did.

Beau walked over slowly. “She needs to see her mom. So we need to do that. And get to being bad later today.” He lifted his eyebrows. “Unless you’d rather reverse that. Personally, I don’t give two shits about the tea. Fuck it. And I’d rather just stay here and do what I pictured doing to you in the morning when I passed out last night. It involved licking whipped cream off your body.”

My heart rate kicked up. Yes, I could easily let him do that. And then we’d get some chocolate syrup and…

I forced my brain to take over. Taking Enoch’s hand, I pictured my mother’s home on top of her mountain. Snow around them most of the year. Her crazy friends cackling as they made plans for world destruction because they were bored, because life had been unkind to them, and because it was nice to pretend that you could be that kind of powerful when the truth was that you were pretty unaccounted for most of the time.

Empathy ran deep in me. It was part of my power source. I could always understand someone else’s reasons. It was a problem when it turned out that the other person was truly filled with ill intention. Darkness would burn for the moments I felt it. And I’d grown up feeling those things all the time in the presence of my mother.

On her own, she was okay. Put her around her friends and it was a whole different issue. They could go dark. Of course, I could be wrong. I might just be thinking they’d done something they hadn’t done.

But I doubted that. Highly.

This tea nonsense was their fault. I just knew it.

There was a pop. I gasped. A swirl of light assaulted my eyes, and seconds later, I was just where I’d pictured myself being, in my mother’s kitchen.

I gasped, and Enoch dropped my hand to grab my shoulders. “Just breathe. It sucks the first couple of times. Then you get a little bit of a tolerance for it.”

Two more pops sounded, and his brothers appeared.

Archie grinned. “I can always find my brothers and Beau can always find anyone. Makes doing that really easy.”

“You’re all so impressive. I mean… the things you do.”

“Marie.” My mother gasped, coming into the kitchen. “What are you doing here with them?”

I stared at her, realization dawning for a second. “Do you know them? Have you met them before?”

She pointed. “I told you three. The next time you came here…”

“You do know them.” I stepped away from Enoch. “Did you know she was my mother? What’s going on here?”

Beau sighed. “I didn’t know. I should have put two and two together. But you are using a different last name, and we are trying to not investigate every person who comes into our lives. Now, however, it makes sense. This isn’t just that you’re worried about your mother. You’re worried that Dru here, one of the nastiest almost-offenders I’ve ever encountered, did this.”

“I am.” I’d deal with what they had and hadn’t known another time. “I’m using a different last name.”

My mother pointed her finger at Beau. Uh-oh. That wasn’t good. “I swore I would get you holier-than thou witches. I swore I would. Acting so big and tough because you never bend the laws. You do. Because you’re in charge, you do.”

“Mother,” I said her name fast. “Do not do anything here that you will regret. Do you understand me? Control yourself.”

“Don’t you speak to me like that, young lady. You’re not better than me. None of you are…”

I tried to take a deep breath, but it failed to calm me. Anger that only my mother could raise in me surged to the top of my skin, and despite my trying to push it back down, the kitchen started to shake. I took another deep breath. That was right. My temper wasn’t pretty. I almost never got mad but sometimes things shook. I had to control this. I had to…

“Mother, did you make all the tea disappear?” I spoke through gritted teeth. “Did you do this?”

“I did.” Now she was shouting. “And there isn’t a thing you can do about it.”

Archie waved his hand. “Pause.”

My mother stilled. She actually stopped moving mid-word like she’d been frozen in place. I would be very impressed if I weren’t worried I was actually going to destroy the room. Beau put his hand on my shoulder. “Easy, now. I can help you with this. But not without your permission.”

Enoch smiled before he stepped toward me.

“We can both help. If you want.”

I could be prideful about this but this was one of the reasons I’d left home and conducted my life the way I did. I kept things as even keel as I could handle. And even if I got mad, it was never mother mad. Mother mad was an entirely different thing.

“I’ll take the help.”

Two hands touched me, one on each of my cheeks. What followed was a cooling off the likes of which I’d never felt before. One second I released so much witch energy, the next it just stopped. They pulled their hands away and Beau hugged me close. “Don’t fall over. We dosed you pretty hard.”

I leaned my head against his chest. “Thank you.” With a wobbly hand I patted Enoch, too. That was when my frozen mother caught my attention. “How did you do that?”

“It’s a little trick I have.” Archie raised his hands over his head to stretch. “I absolutely promise to never do that to you. Unless you make all the tea in the world disappear.”

I was never, ever going to do that.
Rebecca Royce; Why Yes There Are Witches. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 2255-2312).

Quite a bit happens in this fun, short, sizzling tale and I really liked the epilogue. Now I have to go back and re-read the Wards and Wands series.

5 Contented Purrs for Rebecca!

Erin Bedford

There’s nothing worse than the end of the world. Except maybe having to live in it without your daily cup of tea.

Hazel enjoyed living by herself in her immaculate base beneath the dessert world with only her dog and her tea to keep her company.

Until she runs out of tea.

Now, Hazel must face the blazing desert, sand pirates, and a tantalizing trader just to get another cup. The only thing going through Hazel’s mind now was… is it worth it?

Hazel’s home is a fortified underground her parents built. She’s mostly self-sufficient but there are some things she can’t grow herself. Tea is one of those and she is truly addicted to it. When she finds she’s out of the life sustaining brew she sets out with her dog Tracy to her supplier Nic.

On the way they are attacked by a large animal and Tracy is injured. Nic does what he can and assures her Tracy will be okay. However, he doesn’t have any tea, and informs no one else does either.

Now these two have some history that they avoid, but you can see the attraction between them. Nic agrees to go to the sand pirates to get her tea, but she wants to take Tracy to their medic as well. Which is how they end up pretending to be together.

This is a favorite scene.

The sand cleared enough so that the full picture was available and what a picture it was. Half a dozen small steel boats surrounded us, their wheels covered in spikes to better move through the sand. On top of each boat had at least ten masked people looking menacing with their blasters and swords at the ready. Who carried swords nowadays?

“Hey Goose,” Nic cleared his throat and shifted in place, “I know I’m not due yet but I had a special circumstance.” He jerked his head in my direction.

The man named Goose shifted his face over to me and though I couldn’t see his eyes, I could feel his eyes roaming over my body. “Aye, I see. And what are you wanting in trade for the woman?”

I gaped at him and shot a glare at Nic. “I am not for sale.”

Nic dropped the reins of his sled and stepped over to me, sliding an arm around my waist.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at him, not wanting to shove him away in front of the pirates.

“Just play along,” Nic whispered through the side of his mouth. To Goose he said, “Sorry, Goose. This one’s mine.” He slapped a hand on the side of my hip a little too close to my ass for comfort.

A series of groans came from the pirates around us. Goose grunted, his focus on our embrace. “That’s too bad. My crew hasn’t had fresh tail in ages. So what brings you here if not to trade the woman? You didn’t run out of tobacco already?” He arched a thick fuzzy brow.

Nic laughed. “No, no. This errand isn’t for me. The woman -” I cleared my throat. “I mean, Hazel needs more tea and we were hoping you’d lend us your medic for a moment?”

Goose stared at us for a long moment before he threw his head back and laughed. “Aye, I can see how dire a situation it is. I, myself, cannot bear to go a day without my hit of caffeine.” He waved his arms and a long plank cranked out of the bottom of the boat. “Come aboard and we can see what we can do for you.”

The other pirates yarred and the engines calmed down around us. The majority of them went inside their boats while a few meandered around on top, keeping their eyes on us. That part was particularly annoying.

“I’m going to kill you,” I snarled into Nic’s ear as we gathered Tracy up off the sled and walked up the plank.

“Just play along,” Nic bit out between his teeth. “You don’t want to be something they trade. Once they see you as goods and not a real person then it’s all over.”

I snorted. Tracy whined in my arms. I shushed her. “Sorry, baby girl.” To Nic, I glowered. “And I’m sure this has nothing to do with you wanting to own me.”

“What?” Nic gaped at me and then forced a smile at a pirate watching us come aboard. “This has nothing to do with that and that’s not what I meant. You know that!”

“Doesn’t it?” I tried to talk without moving my lips. “We conveniently are in the position where I have to be your woman. I bet you’re just loving this.” I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and stalked forward.

A pirate jerked his bald head toward the entrance to the lower levels. “Don’t touch anything. Unless you’re willing to pay for it.”

I clutched Tracy close to me, causing her to yelp. I loosened my grip. “Sorry.”

The light through the lower levels was brighter than I expected. Not that I’d been expecting much from a bunch of pirates. It was a lot cleaner than Nic’s place for sure.

“Down here,” Goose’s growling voice called out further into the lower level. There was a lot more room inside of the boat than it looked like from the outside. If I didn’t already have a prime place of my own, I’d have said it was a good alternative.

I walked into the room Goose’s voice came from and glanced around. Not bad. Not bad at all.

“Ah so that’s the patient.” Goose said from his desk and jerked his head toward Tracy. “You can lay her over there.” He pointed a pen toward a small cot in the corner. “I’ll have the medic come in just a moment.”

“Now, Nic,” Goose addressed the man coming in behind me. “Why haven’t you ever told me about your woman here? I had plans to set you up with my own girl, Beth Ann.”

Nic smirked and leaned on the edge of Goose’s desk. “Ah, you know. It took me a bit to tie this one down.”

Goose guffawed. “A feisty one is she?” Goose raised a brow at me with a masculine grin that made me want to punch him in the face.

I lowered Tracy down to the cot before I hurt her from needing to hurt something. Or someone. Turning back to the two of them, I gave a look to Nic that made the grin fall right off his face.

Nic jerked up straight and cleared his throat, lowering his gaze to the ground. “Yeah, you know, gotta keep that spirit alive and whatnot. So…” he whistled and gave me his back to look at Goose. “What about that tea? Got any on hand?”

Goose flipped through the pages of the book he had in front of him, checking off this and that every few seconds. “Ah, yes. We’ll get to that in just a moment. I’m pretty sure we have a good stock left. What do you have to trade? Any copper?”

Nic scratched the back of his neck and gave me a sideways look. “No, no copper today.”

Goose harrumphed. “What about buckweed? You’re usually good for an ounce or two.”

I snorted and crossed my arms, turning my back to him. Not surprised Nic would be doing the kind of trading no one else would dare do. Copper was hard to find nowadays. You had to travel to the remnants of the big cities to find it. Buckweed was hazardous to the health. Growing that stuff took up way more resources than it was worth.

“Uh, yeah. I’ve got some,” Nic grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Think you could help me out with the medic? I’d owe ya some next time.”

Goose’s head lifted up finally to look at Nic and then to me. A sneaky grin curling up his lip. “Actually, I have a better idea.”
Erin Bedford; Do It For The Tea. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 2840-2888).

The pirate’s idea of a trade becomes attendance at a party. Nic and Hazel find they really are attracted to each other, and things heat up to sizzling rapidly.

I’m going to have to check out more of Erin’s books.

5 Contented Purrs for Erin!

Zoey Indiana

Need to repel a curse for shifter speed dating, what could go wrong?

The curse has stolen years from me with my fated mate. I have a plan in place to give myself a few hours to find my mate, but it all hinges on the True Love Tea Luncheon. Except the witch who curse our town to never find true love has struck again. The cream we use to activate our tea spells has curdled. Not only does it steal my chance to find my fated mate, it destroys my mercenary business, leaving all my employees on the run for their lives.

A spell experiment goes wrong, leaving me at the mercy of my screaming mate bond. I want Ravenna, but is this urge because she’s my fated mate, or a side effect of the tea. When the tea’s side effects never dissipate, I know she’s the one destined for me.

But when she finds out that I hid her dream job from her, I’m not sure she’ll find a way to forgive me. Throw in a kidnapping, a possessed witch, and three meddling shifters, I’m not sure if we’ll be able to save our town, let alone the world from the tea apocalypse.

Zagan and Nora were planning an event designed to get rid of a curse on their town. Shifters who live here or even visit won’t ever find their true mate. Apparently, someone isn’t happy with that idea.

This is a favorite scene.

“I’ll have to call the mayor if she-” my words drifted off as a green ball of light slammed into the window next to us. “What the fuck is that?” I watched as the shimmering light repeatedly bounced off the glass.

Nore rolled her eyes. “Probably the answer to our questions. Someone forgot to imbue it with common sense.” She flicked her fingers as she whispered and the window slid open right before the orb would have crashed into the glass again.

The green ball floated between us then exploded green goo everywhere. Nore squealed in anger as it splattered over her face and clothes. I tried to spit out the gelatin-consistency slime. Oddly, it tasted like lime and cucumber. When I’d scraped most of it off my face, I saw the wax sealed envelope sitting on the table between us. It didn’t have a speck of green on it.

Nore screeched as she flicked her fingers uselessly. “I’m going to hex a bitch for this!” She snatched up a cloth and wiped her hands and face. Then she grabbed the envelope and looked at the seal. She didn’t seem to recognize it. Keeping it intact, she carefully pried the wax off the paper, then ripped the envelope open.

An unknown female voice read the letter aloud. “How dare you attempt to thwart my spell! It’s one thing to sully yourself with your magick for hire by a shifter… but to work around my love banishment spell is another. For your audacity, I’ve had to rid the entire planet of cream. Don’t choke on your creamless, bitter tea. P.S. I embellished this messenger spell with a little something extra. Have fun cleaning this up without magic!”

The letter burst into flames and disappeared with the envelope and wax seal. “That annoying, egotistical, self-serving bitch!” Nore grabbed a fresh cloth and wiped the pages of her book clean. “At least I preventatively placed a protection spell on all my books.”

I pulled my shirt off, turning it inside out, and used a clean spot to wipe off as much of the goo as I could. Nore glared at me, then snapped, and an identical shirt appeared on me.

“No one wants to watch you flaunt all that flying rodent flesh of yours.” Nore went back to cleaning up.

“Hey, some people like my human form. Females frequently flirt with me. I just don’t date them because I’m trying to find my fated mate, as shifters do.”

She tossed the cloths in the trash. “Well, now it’s confirmed. A witch cursed our little town. Which explains why none of you shifters can find love…” Nore paused as her glare focused on me. “It’s your stupid True Love Tea Luncheon that started this!”

I gaped. She was right. The letter had referenced a love banishment spell. “Wait a minute. If they’re trying to ban fated mates within this town, that means they have something to lose. You know what that means?”

Nore examined her shirt then cast a spell. When she pulled off the one covered in goo, an exact replica was already in place under it. “I have no idea.” She dropped it in the trash can as she closed the window and went back to the book.

“We have to move forward with the True Love Tea Luncheon. This witch doesn’t want someone to meet their fated mate, so we can’t cancel it.”

I tapped the table with my fingers, which resulted in another glare. “Of course when someone tells you not to do something, then curses the entire planet, you feel the need to piss off this powerful witch even more?” Nore tapped her long, perfectly polished nails on the table. “Actually, I think it might be fun. Flush this witch out and see how powerful this someone might be. And I have an idea of how to activate the tea.”

Nore flitted around the room, grabbing different ingredients. A scoop of this, a sprinkle of that. I wasn’t able to read any of the labels since they were in the same unfamiliar language as her spell book. She glanced at me, then whispered a spell so quiet, I couldn’t even make out the words with my shifter hearing. A tiny jar of leaves flared with a bright white light. When she was done, she carried the small jar into the shop area. Nore placed her new enchanted tea on a table, then retrieved a larger container of Terrible Tipping Tea.

Her main business was enchanting prank teas with punny names for tourists to buy for unsuspecting victims back home. Without the activator cream, they worked more like a mild suggestion than actual magic. I watched as she boiled a tea pot of water, then set it on the table’s potholder. With precise measurements, she combined the two teas and steeped them.

“Aside from being clumsy for an hour, it shouldn’t bother you much.”

The door chimed. I turned and watched the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen step into the store. Ravenna. She lived on the other side of Witch Cove in a cute little cabin on the beach. I couldn’t remember what she did for a living, but I’d run into her a few times.

“Are you having a tea tasting?” Ravenna neared the table and inhaled deep. “It smells delicious.”

Nore smirked as she glanced at the jar. I noticed there was no label on the jar, just the shelf. “Yup, Zagan here is testing a new blend for me.” She poured two cups of the tea and gestured for us to pick them up.

I grabbed mine, wondering how to stop Ravenna from Nore’s little prank. Since Ravenna was human, she wouldn’t normally notice the effects of the tea, but with the new activator, it might actually enchant her.

Ravenna was too trusting. She picked up the mug and tapped it against mine, then took a drink before I could warn her. Not wanting to look suspicious, I gulped mine down. “This is really good.” Ravenna took a few more drinks before she finished it off. She set the cup down and smiled. “I came to pick up my usual…” Ravenna’s voice trailed off as she glanced at me.

Her gaze lit a fire inside of me I’d never felt before. I set the teacup down. Before I’d realized what I’d done, I’d pushed Ravenna against the wall and kissed her. Ravenna’s hands pulled at my shirt, sliding underneath.

Nore cleared her throat. “Oh shit. I think I accidentally switched the teas earlier when I was straightening them. Probably should label the jars and not the shelves.” Every muscle in my body froze at her words. I stared into Ravenna’s gaze, consumed with the need to claim my mate. “I think this was the True Love Tea.”
Zoey Indiana; Totally Steeped. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 3107-3155).

Ravenna and Zagan drink the tea Nora prepares, but it isn’t what she thought it was. As the mating hits the two of them Zagan struggles to explain to Ravenna that this is for life. What he doesn’t realize is she knows about shifters and has been attracted to him for a long time. He wants to be sure their mating is for real and not just a side effect of the tea before proceeding so with a push from Nora they head to his apartment.

They don’t make it there, instead they’re kidnapped and things heat up in more ways than one!

This is a fun read with so many consequences I’m going have to read more of this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Zoey!

Demelza Carlton

Sinclair has one goal in life: to survive her sentence on a prison ship full of male prisoners so she can go home and live her life again. Until the ship’s systems start to fail.

Edward prides himself on being a model prison guard, obeying all the rules. Until Sinclair steps aboard his ship. She’s everything he ever wanted… and everything he can’t have. But when disaster strikes and they’re stranded in space, a little sin could mean their salvation…

Sinclair and her sister Virtue are inmates on the Prison Mining Ship Vice. They are awakened by Virtue’s alarm and head to the dining hall for breakfast. At the food fabricator, Sinclair orders up her tea, only tea isn’t what she gets. Thanks to her sister’s quick move she’s saved from death, and watches the liquid burn through what was thought to be an indestructible surface.

When their guard Edward joins them, he surveys the damage and goes to reset the system and get the days orders. Only what he finds is that there are none, no communications for hours. He is able to reboot the computer system so at least they should get actual food. It’s after breakfast that he discovers that not only are there no communications, but there is no gravity in the cargo hold and Captain Solon was in there, dead.

When Edward doesn’t show up for lunch or with afternoon orders, Sinclair goes looking for him.

This is a favorite scene.

She sought him out in the guard office, raising her fist to rap on the door, only to find he hadn’t even bothered to close it properly. That wasn’t right – he always locked this door, because he knew he couldn’t trust convicted criminals not to cause trouble.

“Mr… Edward?” she ventured, peering inside. She’d almost called him Mr Perfect to his face. That would have gone down well. “Are you in here?”

“Stars, I killed him.”

His voice came from under the desk.

Sinclair leaned down for a better look. He was under there, all right, with his knees up under his chin, and his head buried in his hands.

Only something utterly earth-shattering could have wrought such a change in him. Whatever it was, Titania had to be at the heart of it.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I killed the captain.”

Sinclair scanned the office. There was no corpse to be seen – not the captain’s or anyone else’s. She scrutinised the checkerboard of surveillance footage on the screen for a long moment before she had her answer.

Captain Solon did appear to be dead.

“I didn’t know he was in the cargo hold, and the artificial gravity failed. He must have been crushed. If I’d known, I could have saved him,” Edward – for she could hardly call the ashen faced guard huddled under the table perfect – mumbled, more to himself than to her.

Sinclair had answered enough emergency calls to recognise shock when she heard it. What he needed was to be talked off that hypothetical ledge, into taking practical action. But in order to help him, she needed more information.

Information she could find far more quickly for herself, instead of having to talk him through getting it for her.

She pulled up a diagnostic on the ship’s systems. Just one look had her swearing, wishing she’d had this data hours ago. The ship had lost contact with Titania in the early hours of the morning, and the ship had responded by kicking the systems into emergency mode. Anything non-essential, like gravity in the cargo holds or the equipment in the refinery levels, had shut down.

If the captain had sneaked into the cargo hold to snack on the ore, which he did several times a day, he could easily have fallen asleep in there and not noticed when the gravity failed.

“You couldn’t have saved him. He’s in a hold full of free-floating ore that was waiting to be crushed before it could be stored safely. The safety locks on the doors won’t let anyone in there until gravity’s restored. He shouldn’t have been in there in the first place,” Sinclair said. “What was he after, anyway?”

“Aluminium,” Edward said. “He was addicted to raw aluminium ore. He had aluminium supplements, which should have been enough for any alicanto, but he’d developed a taste for the raw stuff while working the mining ships, and no one cared enough to help him as long as there was enough lithium on board when the ship reached port. I told Central a few times, but all they cared about was the lithium, and they told me to let him do as he wished on his ship. He’d scoff as much aluminium as he could before the lithium he’d accidentally ingested with it sent him off to sleep.”

Sinclair nodded slowly. So that’s why Captain Solon had showed up as unmoving on the life signs detector when she was manning the comms desk. He’d been in a lithium-induced stupor. “Have you contacted your superiors on Tito?” she asked.

Edward shook his head. “Comms are down, too. Haven’t received any messages since before midnight last night.”

Stars. So Titania really was taking over.

“Then we need to return to Tito,” she said.

Edward stared at her for an impossibly long moment. He climbed out from under the desk and stood in front of her, still staring. “You are a genius,” he breathed.

Sinclair wasn’t entirely sure how it happened. One moment, she had her mouth open, ready to tell him she wasn’t, and the next…

Mr Perfect was kissing her, and if there could be such a thing as a perfect kiss, then he was definitely giving it to her.

Was it any surprise that he had her kissing him right back?

Stars, she didn’t want to stop kissing him. He was… it was… everything was… perfect.

Until it ended.

They both gasped for breath, staring, but not daring to say a word, for that would break the spell.

Sinclair swallowed. Her mouth tasted of him. She hadn’t imagined it, though it sure felt like she had, but they needed to face reality.

“Everyone is still in the galley, awaiting the afternoon work orders. We’ll have to… you have to go tell them,” she said. When his eyes widened, she added, “About returning to Tito, of course.”

If anyone found out she’d kissed a guard, even Mr Perfect, there’d be hell to pay. And if the others found out he’d kissed her… that’d be even worse.

So they kept a courteous distance, like any other guard and prisoner, as far apart as the passageway would permit, all the way back to the galley.
Demelza Carlton; A Cup of Sin. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 4118-4161).

With the systems detached, Sinclair tells Edward they really have to head back to their home planet, Tito. They can’t continue mining on the asteroids without the computer directions.

Getting out of the asteroid belt was an interesting feat as was the route Sinclair takes after Pride refuses to fly without the computer guidance. The relationship between Edward and Sinclair rapidly accelerates once they are out of the belt.

Plenty of surprises await them as they get close to Tito, a visitor and a change of landing location.

I’m going to read more of this series, I want to know all these characters better.

5 Contented Purrs for Demelza!

Jade Waltz

Selena is a demi-human who is having pregnacy cravings. Her mates are doing everything they can to provide her with those things but now the entire planet of Destima is out of tea. One of her mates, Xylo is the one to tell her and he hated to disappoint her. In a last effort they call her sister Masmi. She’s a little miffed they haven’t called sooner since it would have been easier during the harvest festival. It’s Selene’s friend Tori who comes up with the idea of a competition. While that’s in the works her only relief is her mate Xylo his ‘flavor’ is most like her favorite Osso tea.

This is a favorite scene.

Standing behind my dark marbled podium, I faced thousands of Destima citizens and the guest tea growers in their booths who were eagerly awaiting my official announcement to begin the tea tasting contest. I knew I had the support of my clan and our friends behind me, ready to aid me whenever I needed it.

I wouldn’t be able to have this tea contest if it weren’t for Masmi working with Vagren on organizing it. They were the ones responsible for making this happen. I knew I had nothing to worry about because I had full faith in Kaede and the Fab Five. Security would be tight, especially when there were demi-human guards roaming about, ready to prove themselves to their superiors.

I just needed to focus on enjoying the event— and tasting all the tea.

Tea.

No matter how many times Vowels reports to me that my body— or my daughter— wasn’t lacking anything, I couldn’t deny the intense cravings that flooded my thoughts often. If it wasn’t sex, it was tea. I felt as if I was in some heat like Kaede had experienced, but instead, it was a never-ending experience.

I felt for Xylo— and was thankful that he had never complained about me needing to sample him. My Primary was selfless and so giving. After today, I needed to make sure I paid him back for everything I’d done to him.

Tea.

It was time to start my tea competition— before everyone started to get restless.

Taking a deep breath, I rolled my shoulders and slowly exhaled. It was time for me to steel myself and bring forth my confidence.

“I would like to welcome everyone here today for this amazing opportunity.” Placing my hand on my small baby belly, I flashed a warm smile to the crowd. “I’m sure most of you know about my pregnancy cravings and how this tea competition was created. Tea is one of the most ancient and well-known beverages in the galaxy. Almost every species has their own process on how they harvest, care for, and create it— including their own wide variety of flavors and how it’s prepared.

“Tea has always been my favorite beverage, and I want to share my love for the beverage with all of you—”

“Listen up!” Tori yelled as she placed a hand on my shoulder and carefully pushed me away. “I am going to take it from here.”

My blonde haired friend stepped in front of the booth as Zirene gripped my hips and guided me to stand in front of him, securing me in place. Her rainbow highlights glistened in the sun beaming through the dome’s glass.

“My girl, Selena, is pregnant and doesn’t want to worry any of you about her needs. The Beacon needs tea. There is something in the beverage that her body craves, and pregnant humans don’t crave anything unless their body is lacking something from that specific refreshment. Sometimes those cravings can be a little nontraditional— like combining items that aren’t typically served together or at a different temperature. It’s a serious matter and the true reason why this contest was created.”

“Tori,” I whispered, sounding more like a hiss. “You can’t say stuff like that!”

Ripples of concern echoed through the moon’s mental network as all eyes turned to me. Fear flooded their eyes at the discovery— the mere thought of being lost without a leader to hold the Circuli psychic web.

Tori flicked her long rainbow-highlighted hair over her shoulder as she turned to peer at me.

“Selena.” She let out a sigh as she covered one side of her mouth with her hand, as if she were trying to tell me a secret without being beside my ear. “You can’t deny how much tea cravings have taken over your life. A leader such as you shouldn’t be without something as common as tea. Let them know how important it is to you, so they understand why you are doing this.”

“Today was supposed to be a celebratory day—”

“And it will be. Just watch.” Tori flashed me a wide smile as she turned toward the crowd and gripped the podium. “Okay. The rules are simple. Each one of you has three votes. The top three companies will be given the opportunity to sell their teas here on Destima. The Beacon will reward one tea as her official tea of the royal family. These are all very honorable opportunities, including being some of the first outsiders allowed to set up a business here on this exclusive moon.

“Once the suns set, we will announce the winners.” She pointed at the suns beaming through the glass dome. “And now, let the tasting begin!”
Jade Waltz. Refresh. Tea Apocalypse (Kindle Locations 4668-4702).

Selene finds herself disappointed that the teas she’s been offered taste so similar to her favored Osso. She’s looking for something different one that satisfies the cravings.

The characters we meet are fun and different, her best friend Tori is a hoot and her mates as loving as they are devoted.

I truly loved where she finds what she’s looking for. I am going to have to read more of this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Jade!

USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times bestselling author Margo Bond Collins is a former college English professor who, tired of explaining the difference between “hanged” and “hung,” turned to writing romance novels instead. Sometimes her heroines kill monsters, sometimes they kiss aliens. But they always aim for the heart! Want to hang out with the author, win book prizes, see the cool covers first, and read her books early? Join the Official Margo Bond Collins Fan Club!

Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don’t have to choose.

She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she’s writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

When she’s not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards, and being covered in pet hair by her two bunnies, Emma and Darwin.

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking ridiculous amounts of tea, trying to resist French Macaroons, and watching the Pitch Perfect trilogy for the hundredth time (at least!)

A creator at heart, Ari has always been in love with the idea of turning nothing into something. She wants to conquer the book world with stories that focus on inclusivity and diversity, writing what she likes to read. Whether it’s adventure or romance, dragons and vampires, or princesses and students, there’s something for everyone.

Born in China, raised in Belgium, and currently living in the United Kingdom with her girlfriend, Ari is a citizen of the world and loves discovering new cultures. Luckily, her crazy imagination lets her discover places she’s never been to, meet people that don’t exist, and talk to readers from all over the world.

As a teenager, I would hide in my room to read my favorite romance novels when I was supposed to be doing my homework. I hope, these days, that my parents think it was worth it.

I am the mother of three adorable boys and I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. I live in Austin Texas where I am determined to eat all the barbecue in town.

I am in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and try to use all of these elements in my writing. I’ve been told I’m a little bloodthirsty so I hope that when you read my work you’ll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. I love to write series because I love to see characters develop over time and it always makes me happy to see my favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In my world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.

I’d love to hear from you!

Cheers!!

Erin Bedford is an otaku, recovering coffee addict, and Legend of Zelda fanatic. Her brain is so full of stories that need to be told that she must get them out or explode into a million screaming chibis. Obsessed with fairy tales and bad boys, she hasn’t found a story she can’t twist to match her deviant mind full of innuendos, snarky humour, and dream guys.

On the outside, she’s a work from home mom and bookbinger. On the inside, she’s a thirteen-year-old boy screaming to get out and tell you the pervy joke they found online. As an ex-computer programmer, she dreams of one day combining her love for writing and college credits to make the ultimate video game!

Until then, when she’s not writing, Erin is devouring as many books as possible on her quest to have the biggest book gut of all time. She’s written over thirty books, ranging from paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and even sci-fi romance.

Zoey Indiana was inspired by the idea that everyone deserves love and their own happily ever after. She loves to write about heroic heroines who go on amazing adventures while finding the love they deserve. After creating her first fictional planet where amazing creatures roamed at age ten, she was determined to prove love could be found in the stars. In addition to writing, she listens to eclectic music, practices Krav Maga, and takes on home improvement projects just for the fun of it.

USA Today Bestselling author Demelza Carlton has always loved the ocean, but on her first snorkelling trip she found she was afraid of fish.

She has since swum with sea lions, sharks and sea cucumbers and stood on spray drenched cliffs over a seething sea as a seven-metre cyclonic swell surged in, shattering a shipwreck below.

Demelza now lives in Perth, Western Australia, the shark attack capital of the world.

The Ocean’s Gift series was her first foray into fiction, followed by her suspense thriller Nightmares trilogy. She swears the Mel Goes to Hell series ambushed her on a crowded train and wouldn’t leave her alone.

USA Today Bestselling author, Jade Waltz lives in Illinois with her husband, two sons, and her three crazy cats. She writes character driven romances within detailed universes, where happily-ever-afters happen for those who dare love the abnormal and the unknown. Their love may not be easy– but it is well worth it   in the end. Jade enjoys knitting, playing video games, watching Esports, green tea and writing all the stories that live in her imagination.