Rebecca is running away from violation and loss. Young, frightened and homeless, but articulate, imaginative and determined, she dreams of a new life, a new self. There’s no going back.
Follow her path into desperate isolation during a freezing winter as she struggles to survive. When stealing offers a way out, fate plunges her into the criminal realm of drugs where the stakes and the hits are high, and deadly, and her existence relies on trust. But who is using who? Is she falling into the same traps again?
Crossing The Line by Chris Cloake leads you through the moral minefield of addiction and throws open the debate over control and consent, with outcomes that will stir deep emotions. If you’re a fan of challenging story lines then this you must read.
Get Crossing The Line now to discover the inescapable truths Rebecca faces as a vulnerable girl in a world driven by greed. Marvel at how her courage and an unexpected ally bring about an earth shattering conclusion.
I check my watch. Nearly nine o’clock. I’ve slept for two hours. I think of home, or what I was made to consider home. They won’t have even noticed I’ve gone yet.
My uncle would have headed to work and my aunt never emerges much before lunch. Then she will sit out in the conservatory, have a fag and the first drink of many.
I’m banking on this. She will wonder where I might be, if she even remembers I’m off school this week and haven’t appeared to raid the fridge.
A slight worry, nothing more. She leaves everything to him. When he’s back, he’ll check my whereabouts, expect me to cook dinner and have done his ironing.
And if the mood took him later, come to my room, he has the key, and have his way with his little slut again.
Not this time. Just for once I’ll have gotten the upper hand. He will be fuming. He’ll blame my aunt, breathe noisily through that ugly nose, blame her again, and then he’ll contact the police.
I smile at the image of him, so rarely flustered, unable to control the situation. Then I rub my ribcage as I remember the time when I defied him before, staying over at Carlos’s and denying him his usual gratification. Imagine if he’d known it was a male friend I’d been out with. The beating would have been harder.
So no one was going to be searching for me until at least tomorrow, if not beyond. I reckon I’ll secure a permanent hideout before my face starts appearing on news bulletins.
I even harbour the hope that he might want to avoid the inquest over why I have run away in case he ended up exposed for what he is. I tell myself not indulge such a fantasy.
He has ‘decency’ in society, a working man who took in a girl with nowhere else to go. And he won’t want to be without the thrill of his easy gratification. I must stay focused.
Giveaway
$20 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Chris Cloake was born in 1964 and began telling stories a couple of years later. He grew up in Kent, England.
He is motivated to write by a deep interest in life, particularly the cruel, deeply flawed nature of people contrasted with their incredible creativity and inspiration.
The power of the natural world is a common theme in his work as a writer and professional photographer. He lives happily with his wife, two children and a large collection of music, books and board games.
Because this book contains content that is 18+ with various TRIGGER WARNINGS, we do not feel excerpts will be applicable. It discusses Jo’s time as a child protection worker and features substance abuse, sexual assault and various other triggering topics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
In the beginning, a tragic event started me on my journey to a destination and my love for helping children of all ages and their families.
However, what I was not prepared for was that the people who assisted me and paved the way for my advancement in my chosen career in Child Protection were the same people who tried to bring me down.
This book will give you insight into what it is like to work in Child Protection. It will show you the difficulties and sometimes dangers workers face on a daily basis. Furthermore, the novel will also highlight the satisfaction you get when you can assist a child and their family through a traumatic event.
My career at Child Protection spanned nearly a decade, and during that time, I was bullied by management. I observed management bully other workers; I was also aware of workers consuming drugs, both outside work hours and during work hours.
This novel is a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens at Child Protection when the public is not watching or listening.
Child Protection is not an easy career path, but it can be a good job if you like long hours, have a thick skin, keep your head down, keep your mouth shut, and abide by everything that management wants you to do, even when you know it is wrong or unfair.
Pertinent Information:
Out of Home Care: Is It Really Safe?
Recent statistics and inquiries reveal disturbing realities about the safety and well-being of children in out-of-home care in Victoria, Australia. Despite being intended as a refuge, the system is fraught with challenges that leave many vulnerable children at risk.
Disturbing Statistics on Residential Care Incidents
The 2021-22 annual report of the Commission for Children and Young People highlights alarming trends:
Missing Children: Reports of children and young people going missing from residential care surged by 65% from 2019-20, reaching 3,558 incidents in 2021-22.
Sexual Exploitation: During the same period, incidents of sexual exploitation rose by 28%, with 303 cases reported.
The Disproportionate Impact on Aboriginal Children
Aboriginal children are profoundly overrepresented in the out-of-home care system:
In 2020-21, 134.9 per 1,000 Aboriginal children were placed in care, compared to just 6.7 per 1,000 non-Aboriginal children.
Aboriginal children constitute nearly 30% of all children in care, despite representing less than 1% of Victoria’s population. This overrepresentation extends to tragic outcomes. In 2022, two Aboriginal children were among 37 who died within 12 months of involvement with child protection services, reflecting deep systemic failures.
Systemic Challenges Exacerbate Risks
Investigations point to several systemic issues, including premature case closures and poor collaboration between child protection services and external agencies. Underfunded support systems further compound these challenges, leaving children without the resources they need to thrive.
The Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People stated:
“Action is desperately needed to ensure the child protection, out-of-home care, and youth justice systems meet children’s needs. Current data shows abuse within these systems is being uncovered at unprecedented levels. Vulnerable children continue to suffer due to a pressured system unable to provide adequate care.”
Blaire’s Story: A Case of Systemic Failure
Blaire’s experience exemplifies the failures within the system. At 15, she entered foster care after losing both parents to drug overdoses. Her transient life left her feeling abandoned and rejected.
Initially placed with a foster family who appeared ideal—one parent was a former Child Protection worker—Blaire quickly learned otherwise. The couple faced allegations of sexually abusing another child in their care. Blaire disclosed her awareness of the situation during an interview:
“Are you talking about Cheryl, Bernadette, and Sam? They had threesomes and used sex toys. I already know about that. They wouldn’t try that with me; I’d smack them out.”
While Blaire avoided direct abuse, the placement failed to provide the stability she desperately needed. Her next foster home also fell short: the foster mother refused to give Blaire a house key, forcing her to wait outside until late evening. Attempts to advocate for Blaire’s independence were met with resistance, leading to further disruptions in her care.
The Hard Question: Where Can Children Feel Safe?
If children are not safe in their own homes, nor in the out-of-home care system, where can they turn? Blaire’s story, alongside the harrowing statistics, underscores the urgent need for reform.
A Call to Action
The out-of-home care system must prioritize:
Increased Oversight and Accountability: Ensure all carers meet stringent safety standards.
Support for Aboriginal Communities: Empower Aboriginal-led solutions to reduce overrepresentation and address cultural needs.
Adequate Funding for Support Services: Strengthen child protection services to prevent case closures that leave children vulnerable.
Our most vulnerable children deserve better. It’s time to act to ensure every child feels safe, supported, and valued.
Blaire
Blaire came to the attention of the Department as she was only fifteen years of age and did not have an age-appropriate carer. Blaire has had a tragic life, and until the aforementioned foster care placement, she was transient.
Blaire’s father died of a drug overdose, and the very next year, on the exact same day, her mother died of a drug overdose.
I don’t know for sure, but I can surmise that it is highly likely that the mother committed suicide rather than an accidental drug overdose.
Blaire was then moved from family member to family member and, of course, felt extremely rejected by her family.
I am not sure how she met the friend who she thought would be able to care for her before becoming known to the Department. I am sure that Blaire would have felt angry by being taken from her friend’s care and had some resentment towards the Department.
Blaire was placed with a couple that you would have thought were able to provide the perfect stable home life that was required to address Blaire’s abandonment/rejection issues.
The foster care mother was a Child Protection worker prior to becoming a foster care worker (I can’t recall the father’s occupation).
Information was provided to the Department that another teenage girl was being sexually abused by both the foster care mother and the foster care father at the time that Blaire was residing with the couple.
Therefore, Blaire had to be interviewed to confirm whether she had been sexually abused or not.
The Team Leader of the High-Risk Adolescent Unit and myself spoke with Blaire although the Team Leader conducted the interview.
In Mary’s unique style, she stated, “Are you talking about Cheryl, Bernadette, and Sam? They had threesomes and used sex toys. I already know about that. They wouldn’t want to try that with me; I’d smack them out.” I don’t doubt that.
I don’t know what happened to those foster care parents (although I would not really class them as parents), but I hope they received a jail sentence and were placed in the general population of the prison. Why should they be provided protection when they didn’t provide protection to our most vulnerable young people?
The next placement that Blaire ended up in did not work out either. The foster care mother would not provide Blaire with a key and made her wait outside until she got home from work (which would be nearly nighttime). I tried to explain to the foster care mother that Blaire had proved herself to be responsible.
However, the foster carer would not allow Blaire in the home when she was not there. I stated to the carer, “Maybe you should reconsider the age group you are willing to care for. You clearly do not trust teenagers.” I went on to say, “You cannot have children waiting on a doorstep with no cover for hours until you get home.”
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
The life of Jo Cooling is like living in a theme park: one minute, it’s like riding a roller coaster, baking cupcakes, cookies, and slices. With a kitchen covered with chocolate, flour, and cooking utensils. Also trying to develop new tastes and ideas for her growing baking business.
Sometimes, she feels like she travels through life in a Dodge ’em car. All the while, she works to complete two novels while caring for two Cavoodles, who believe their mother was placed on this earth purely to play with them 24 hours a day.
But no matter how out of control her life can be at times, eventually, she ends up sailing around on the Walt Disney teacup ride on top of the world. However, when she relaxes, the Cavoodles see this as an opportunity to snuggle on Mum’s lap.
Jo’s work career has been just as colorful as her current life. She has worked in horse and car racing, sold lingerie, designed websites, been a Personal Assistant, and worked as a Law Clerk.
Jo looks at life like a box of chocolates: each day unwraps a new layer, revealing unexpected flavors and textures.
Alina Riley, Robin O’Connor, Sky Robert, Lola Blix
Discover passion among the stars…
Blast off to the future with this limited edition collection of sizzling, science fiction romance stories!
Otherworldly seduction and intergalactic adventures await you in these high-heat, open-door tales from a diverse group of authors. Meet alien gladiators, cyborgs, AI lifeforms, psychic aliens, interstellar royalty, psy-changelings, fearless humans, and more. Visit alien worlds, travel on high-tech vessels, and immerse yourself in red-hot seduction blazing brighter than any quasar.
The Beyond Earth anthology is a pulse-pounding, toe-curling journey into the cosmos. If you enjoy out-of-this-world romance with guaranteed happily ever afters, lovers from different worlds, fated mates, enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine, rescue romance, and more, then you’ll love this treasure trove of spicy, steamy, futuristic stories.
Order your copy of Beyond Earth to begin your passion-filled voyage into the galaxy today!
Including stories by:
Candice Gilmer – NY Times and USA Today bestselling author
Sparks fly when a battle-hardened cyborg rescues a sassy human lost in the cosmos…
Earth-girl Calie is out of hope. Kidnapped, enslaved, then abandoned by aliens, she’s sure to suffer a slow death on their stupid space station. Then new trouble arrives, claiming her as their property, but hot on their heels is a grumpy guy with a big hot bod and blazing eyes… The thrill setting her skin afire has less to do with potential rescue or New Guy’s battle prowess, and everything to do with the way he looks at her.
Cyborg soldier Kaden is unamused by his enemy’s unhealthy interest in the vulnerable lone female with a sharp tongue and wild braids. Her terrible aim is complicating his rescue attempts, but her bravery, stubbornness, and velvet voice send electric need through both his human and cybernetic systems. He’ll do anything to save her.
Kaden wants to explore his attraction to Calie and claim her as his, but his sworn enemy’s relentless pursuit and Calie’s own skittishness challenge his goal. Calie appreciates all the cyborg has done for her, but she’s homesick and unsure about diving into a relationship, even if the hunky cyborg is the nicest man and best kisser in the universe.
While the enemy horde stalks them across the galaxy, can they learn to trust each other with both their lives and their hearts?
CLAIMING KADEN is a spicy, open-door, Fated Mates Rescue Romance, and the first installment in Celia Breslin’s CYBORG GUARDIANS OF THE AURORA science fiction romance series. If you like take-no-prisoners cyborgs and sassy heroines, sizzling seduction and intergalactic adventure, check out CLAIMING KADEN today!
Excerpt from “Claiming Kaden” by Celia Breslin
The station’s vid screen flared to life, blocking her view. A handsome and angry male face filled the space. The brightest amber eyes she’d ever seen glared at her.
“Stop shooting,” the man growled.
The face disappeared.
“Who the hell was that, Athena?” A Zyphorran? She ignored the gorgeous stranger and kept firing at the battleship.
The face reappeared. Dark brows furrowed over his blazing whiskey eyes. “Desist, woman!”
“Desist this, you jerk!” She shot at the enemy. Continued to miss. “Ugh!”
She didn’t care how handsome he seemed, with his pale, silvery blue skin and spiky dark hair, and those glowing eyes which looked like they could melt a girl’s panties.
No one told her what to do, and no one would force her into servitude.
Never again.
The green vessel took out two enemy ships before it planted itself in front of Calie’s station.
Angry Guy’s face filled her screen. “I’m trying to help you. Stop firing!”
Oh… Cranky Guy was the pilot of the green ship. Possibly a good guy? Calie lifted her hands away from the controls.
As she watched, he took out every single destroyer then turned his attention to the warship.
“Shield at eight point seven percent,” Athena announced. “Hm…”
“What do you mean, hm? Should we head for an escape pod?”
“This is most intriguing. And disconcerting,” Athena murmured, not answering her escape question.
“What, that guy’s amazing battle prowess?”
“No. He infiltrated and took over my communication system to speak with you.”
Okay, now Calie was doubly impressed with good-looking Mister Frowny, because Athena was a powerful genius. No one bested her.
Calie plastered her palms on the controls. “Let’s help him kick that warship’s ass.”
“Don’t you dare,” their unknown ally barked, audio only.
“Are you eavesdropping on us? Rude!”
“The unknown male is attempting to take control of all station systems, Calie.”
“Cut it out, whoever you are,” Calie warned him. She aimed one of the station laser cannons at his ship.
“Who I am? I’m the male who’s going to disable and commandeer the warship, then eliminate everyone on board it while you sit on your pretty ass and stay out of my way.”
He thinks I’m pretty? She shook off the frisson skating down her spine. “Screw you. I’m blowing up that warship. Athena, take it out.”
Giveaway
$15 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Celia Breslin lives in San Francisco, California, USA, with her family, which includes three feisty felines who like to stalk across her keyboard while she’s hard at work crafting urban fantasy, sci-fi and paranormal romances.
Her current creature obsessions are cyborgs, the Fae, vampires, wolf shifters, and warrior-class angels, and her action-packed stories include some of her favorite tropes: fated mates, second chances, rescue romance, opposites attract, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and more.
When not glued to her laptop, Celia likes to work out, read books (of course!), hang with her family, and binge-watch sci-fi and fantasy TV shows and movies. Matcha lattes keep her fueled for All The Life Stuff!
When the world is not what it seems, what will Adir do when his identity collides with the destiny existence has in store for him?
The Staff of Beckoning
A Symphony of Spheres Book 1
by Praneet Menon
Genre: Epic Fantasy
“Menon’s storytelling is sharp and deliberate, blending high-stakes action with introspective moments … Addictively readable!” —BookView Review
The more we know, the less we understand …
Adir Nathar craved more than what he was born into. And existence obliged.
A mysterious death … an act of revenge! Adir flees Marafel, abandoning friends and family for safety and a fresh start. But, unbeknownst to him, he is pursued by the Khasmia Shadow, a secret society charged with a sole divine purpose—eliminate the destructive venna with the sacred Staff of Beckoning.
The world of Leakarha itself is undergoing a seismic shift. Rakhor, terrible demonspawn, are emerging farther south from the Precipice than ever before.
Caught in the middle of it all, Adir is driven deeper into his own shadows, forced to face truths he never knew existed.
But this isn’t just Adir’s story.
From Naven to Ostarium to Cayan, this story unfolds through the eyes of a troubled father, a ruler fighting to secure her legacy, an heiress obsessed with knowledge, a woman torn by love, an archer chasing glory, a man harboring a hidden past, and a noblewoman caught between two worlds—each holding a piece of a greater truth waiting to be uncovered.
The Staff of Beckoning, the first book in the series A Symphony of Spheres, is an epic fantasy tale of identity, destiny, and purpose.
Blending elements from science fiction, mythology, and dark fantasy, this gripping narrative is perfect for readers who enjoy complex characters, intricate world-building, and expansive sagas.
If you’ve enjoyed series like The Wheel of Time, The Kingkiller Chronicle, and The Prince of Nothing, then this book is for you.
Muhain walked up, eyes determined, but Adir was not perturbed. He felt a strong determination within himself. Something in him seemed to have clicked.
As Adir proved the distance and assumed the ready stance, a surge of energy radiated through him, ready to burst out. He could hear his heart beating. He could feel the staff in his grip. He could smell the dirt underneath his feet. He dug in his front foot.
“FIGHT!”
Adir charged forward, pushing off his front foot, staff raised. As he closed in on Muhain, he brought it down in an overhead strike. Muhain spun, sidestepping the attack, swinging his staff around him, almost hitting Adir’s thigh. With an awkward jerk, Adir abruptly changed direction, hopping away from the incoming staff. Landing a few paces away, he spun around and faced Muhain. They paused.
Muhain looked surprised, his earlier arrogance slowly draining away. Then his face hardened. He let out a roar and charged at Adir, lashing out with a flurry of quick jabs and short swipes. However, Adir had no trouble tracking each attack. Muhain certainly was strong, but all that bulk came at the price of speed. Who knew being lanky could be an advantage?
Adir dodged and parried successfully as if he knew exactly what Muhain was about to do. None of Muhain’s attacks succeeded. However, each attack did push him closer to the ring’s boundary, eventually pinning him against it. If he stepped out, it’d all be over.
Again, they paused for a moment. Adir stood his ground, staff held defensively, blocking his chest. Listening to his breath.
Muhain leapt forward, guiding his staff in a downward diagonal arc from the left. Adir ducked and threw himself to his left. He felt the air stirred up by the whipping staff cool his scalp. Crashing onto the ground, he rolled away.
Muhain, carried forward by the momentum of his unsuccessful charge, now teetered at the ring’s boundary. The tables had turned— one step and Adir would win.
Muhain strained against himself, arching backward, arms outstretched and flailing, desperately attempting to keep himself from crossing the boundary. Anxious murmurs spread through the crowd but were soon hushed as Muhain started to tip outward. But just before he tipped beyond the point of no return, Muhain kicked off and, with the grace of a drunk toddler, managed to tumble backward, falling into the safety of the ring. The crowd let out a collective breath.
Realizing that the bout wasn’t over, Adir swung and struck Muhain’s arm.
“HALT!” bellowed the official, and some of the crowd broke out in cheers and applause. “Adir Nathar moves on to the melee!”
Giveaway
$20 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Born and raised in India, Praneet’s life began immersed in a medley of cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions that sparked his passion for storytelling. Then, he moved to the United States and has now spent more than half his life there. The two cultural backgrounds have led him to embrace a fusion of Eastern and Western philosophies that deeply influence his writing.
Praneet also spent the better part of two decades working as an engineer and flight instructor, which instilled in him a precision that he brings to his existence-building, pursuing that perfect blend of reality and fantasy. His exploration of philosophy and psychology at an early age allows him to imbue his stories with age-old themes of identity, purpose, and destiny. These themes play a central role in his debut novel, The Staff of Beckoning, Book 1 of the series A Symphony of Spheres.
Praneet lives in Vermont, embracing a homesteading lifestyle, community involvement, and writing while pursuing a master’s in counseling.
ONE ANCIENT PROPHECY, TWO HEARTBROKEN LOVERS, AND A WORLDWIDE SCAVENGER HUNT FOR THREE MIRACULOUS PAINTINGS.
After her husband’s death, New York artist Claire Lucas has baffling dreams and waking visions as she channels an enigmatic and healing painting of a holy man in India at the deathbed of a young woman.
When widowed antiquarian Richard Markson announces that Claire’s canvas is one-third of three paintings prophesied by the Angel Scroll, a recently discovered Dead Sea parchment, she is pulled into an international scavenger hunt to find the stolen scroll and the paintings it predicts.
As she pursues the paintings with Richard across historic and holy sites in America, Israel, and Europe, Claire encounters a series of remarkable teachers.
A Buddhist, a Benedictine monk, and a professor of early goddess worship all provide rich explanations for the artist’s compelling and perplexing psychic experiences — until she assembles the incredible triptych and deciphers its inspirational message for the modern world.
Screenshot
Excerpt:
Richard looked at the beautiful young woman who strolled beside him, the sun picking up copper highlights in her rich dark curls and catching golden flecks in her green eyes. She had been through a lot.
He wanted to put his arm around her shoulder and draw her close, hold her, and protect her. Instead, he pressed his hand for a moment on the small of her back, allowing himself to feel her warm skin through her white cotton artist’s blouse before he let his hand drop.
His touch caught Claire by surprise. The gentle pressure on her back felt so intimate and filled her with unanticipated pleasure that stirred sensations in her groin.
She felt an aching need to lean into him. Instead, she wandered away from his side to regain her balance. Looking in a shop window, she let herself be distracted by the display of distinctive, hand-painted pottery.
Richard felt chastened. She was so light and free with me on that amazing afternoon we spent together in Jerusalem, he thought.
She seemed to love exploring the old city and markets, but since London, she’s been cool. Whenever I get close, she tenses up. I should keep some distance and not crowd her.
It’s a bad idea to push unwanted affection on her when she’s obviously still grieving for Jake. It’s too soon for her to think about being with another man. And then there’s the lie I told her about Hilde.
About The Author:
Screenshot
Penelope Holt was born and educated in England and now lives in New York. She is a novelist, playwright, business writer, and marketing executive, whose work has been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, York Arts Center, and New York’s American Folk Theater.
In addition to writing fiction, The Angel Scroll, and The Apple, based on the controversial Herman Rosenblat Holocaust romance, Holt is a prolific writer, editor, and co-author of non-fiction, including Business Intelligence at Work A Personal Operating System for Career Success, Singing God’s Work, the story of the Harlem Gospel Choir, and many other works.
I was a day pupil at an all-girl Catholic convent school in England run by nuns from the Order of the Cross and Passion. I ran with a gang that included Margaret, Claire, Tammy, and Helen.
We talked boys, movies, fashion, and celebrity crushes. We gossiped and moaned because we were forced to wear restrictive uniforms.
What are you passionate about these days?
I’m experiencing a renewed passion for writing with so many ideas flowing, and not enough time to bring them all to fruition.
My other career is in marketing and advertising, and I’m currently helping to build a mentoring platform to support young people in career exploration. Working with a founding group on a passion project offsets the solitary pursuit of writing.
If you had to do your journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?
I’m not sure. Publishing is so dynamic these days. Initially, self-publishing was considered vanity publishing, but now it’s preferable in many ways.
Self-published books are often excellent and well-received. They make more economic sense for authors, especially since there are so many great low-cost marketing tools out there.
Writers must decide when it serves them to secure a publishing house to represent them, and when to self-publish.
My only regret is that my career in marketing often left little time for creative writing, even though it always gave me daily opportunities to undertake creative writing tasks for business.
Ebook or print? And why?
Both because target readers embrace one or the other and it’s important to reach as many as possible.
What is your favorite scene in this book?
Announcing my favorite scene would give away the ending. I do love the early dream sequences where Claire sees a Christlike figure at the deathbed of a beautiful young woman in India whom he does not save.
The scene is so powerful that Claire channels it into a healing masterpiece that is one-third of the miraculous triptych that the Angel Scroll prophesies.
The best laid plans sometimes crumble, but fate has the perfect detour.
The Marriage Agreement
The Agreement Series Book 2
by A. Akinosho
Genre: Age Gap, Second Chance Contemporary Romance
The best laid plans sometimes crumble, but fate has the perfect detour.
Ayodele
In desperate need of a solution, I’m about to lose everything—my education, my future—if I’m deported before finishing school. Osei, bless his heart, is willing to marry me, but his wandering eye would only bring more trouble than we need.
Enter Luke, my best friend’s brother, with a shocking proposal: a marriage agreement. A simple arrangement that could save us both.
He needs to escape the forced marriage his father’s pushing on him, and I need to stay in the country to finish school.
It’s a deal that works for both of us.
But neither of us expected that living together, pretending to be husband and wife, would blur the lines between what’s real and what’s just part of our agreement.
I didn’t plan on falling in love with Luke, but sometimes the heart doesn’t care about the plan.
Luke
There was always a girl—a girl I couldn’t get out of my head. When I finally find her, she’s with the one person I could never betray—my brother.
I’ve kept my distance, believing that Ayodele was off-limits, only to learn she’s only my brother’s best friend. But crossing that line still felt forbidden. So, I’ve watched her quietly, wanting what I thought I could never have.
Now, she desperately needs help, and I see a way to help her—and myself. A fake marriage would solve both our problems. She stays to finish school, and I escape the loveless match my father is forcing me into.
It’s the perfect solution.
Or so I thought. What was supposed to be just an agreement is becoming something else entirely. The connection I’ve tried to deny is impossible to ignore, and keeping my distance is no longer an option.
Maybe this was never supposed to be a plan, because, neither of us is sticking to the plan.
He promised her the world, Then, abandoned her at the altar.
Anne I’m a realist, cynical about falling in love. Until I met Declan – the rich and powerful player. With his quiet determination, he dismantled my cynicism and made me believe. Before I know it, I’m flashing a radiant smile, dressed, and eagerly awaiting him at the altar. Only, I got the text – “I’m not coming” – shattering my world. Regret is a waste of time; I stand by my original convictions. Years later, he’s back demanding a second chance, how dare he?
Declan I shook on the agreement without hesitation because I had zero plans to marry for love. Ever. Years later, Anne crashed into my life. I find myself craving what I thought I didn’t need or want. Unexpectedly, the agreement I made resurfaced, presenting me with a dilemma:
Marry as agreed or Lose Anne forever.
Deal accepted, regardless of hurting Anne. When I find Anne again, she’s engaged, far as I’m concerned, she’s still mine. I’ll cheat, steal, and fight before I let Anne marry another. All is fair in love and war. And this is war…hope he’s ready to fight?
The Handshake agreement is a contemporary an age gap, second chance romance with a Possessive MMC
A. Akinosho lives in her own little nest in Illinois. An avid reader, she enjoys reading thrillers, suspense and romance novels (partial to romance genre).
When she’s not reading or keeping up with life. She enjoys writing and creating twists to stories. She loves writing about diverse characters, friendship and overcoming challenges through, what is perceived as a weakness.
The Starlight Contingency is Titan AE meets Nikita!
The Starlight Contingency
Book 1
by Kyoko M.
Genre: SciFi Romantic Adventure, Space Opera
Orphaned siblings Scarlett and Duke Nam have had it rough. Cast aside by society, they’ve managed to stay afloat as thieves on the streets of Alexandria, Virginia.
Things plunge straight to hell when a heist goes wrong and they’re on the run from the cops, but after they stumble into a nearby home to escape, something seemingly impossible happens – the house transforms into a spacecraft and leaves the Earth’s orbit.
Scarlett and Duke awaken to find that they are now prisoners aboard the Titan International Spaceship. The Earth has been destroyed by the Bergleute des Todes, AKA The Miners of Death. Scarlett and Duke are given the chance to become soldiers to fight the aliens who destroyed the world.
The only thing left for them is the hardest thing of all: Survival.
The Starlight Contingency is the new space opera from USA Today best selling author Kyoko M. (She Who Fights Monsters, Of Cinder and Bone).
There were windows at least twenty feet high in front of us, and beyond them was a sky so black that it felt like night itself stretched across my vision. There was only one thing breaking up the blanket of darkness.
To the right, I could see the atmosphere of a moon of some sort—its surface a pale orange. I had never seen anything like it. Stars sparkled out in the distance, but none of it looked familiar.
These were not our stars. I had seen them as a child, studying charts in my science classes and naming their patterns while my mother hovered over me, smiling.
“Hey, Duke,” Scarlett said next to me in an alarmingly detached sort of voice.
“Yeah?” I whispered.
“This looks kind of…real.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. I thought it was just me.”
Then Scarlett went limp and started to fall. The guards reached for her, but Captain Hallstead caught her with an expression on his face between surprise and pity. She had actually fainted. Not that I blamed her. The blood had retreated from my face, and I could feel dread filling my stomach like cold poison.
“Take her to the infirmary,” General Bridgewater said impassively. “Let me know when she revives.” He might have been used to seeing reactions like this, especially if this wasn’t an illusion.
Captain Hallstead handed my sister over to one of the guards, his eyes lingering as the man carried her out. I tried to read his expression, but it was like taking impression from stone: flat, lifeless, cold. But there was something there. I just didn’t know what.
“Do you have any questions, son?”
I glanced up at General Bridgewater and had to swallow before I could answer. Even then, my voice wavered. “Do you have…footage of Earth’s destruction? I’ll admit that I am starting to believe you, but this could still be some sort of elaborate ruse.”
The general turned and motioned to a wide circular console different from the ones the crewmembers were using. He touched his fingertip to the surface, and an enormous 3D digital map appeared. Briefly, I saw the coordinates for where we were in space and then he switched to a feed from a satellite.
“This is the last footage we received before it happened. It’s from one of our satellites. I’m sure other countries have their own versions of it as well. By the time the Bergleute entered the solar system, the ships including the Starlight Contingency had already evacuated the Earth.”
The satellite showed the surface of the Earth as I always remembered it—seeming to hang in the darkness of space like a sapphire. The upper corner of the globe began to darken, confusing me until I realized it was a shadow from the alien cruiser.
The satellite wasn’t facing it so I couldn’t catch a glimpse, but I knew it was there. I saw a bright flash and then a red beam burrowed into one side of the planet.
My stomach jerked inside me at the sight of the land crumbling and the seas boiling in its wake. It had disintegrated part of Asia already, and there were burning waves climbing outward from the entry point.
After a few minutes, the beam burst out the other side of the planet and the tectonic plates of the Earth’s surface began to crack apart.
Bright yellow and orange spurted from the cracks, evidence of the planet’s core peeking through as the weapon ripped it apart from the inside. At last, it exploded, and the satellite feed went to static.
General Bridgewater closed the feed. He showed no emotion at seeing it. I got the feeling he had watched it a hundred times, his pale eyes filling the world just before it turned into nothing more than rocks and dust.
“General Bridgewater,” I said. “If this is some sort of trick, understand that I will do everything in my power to end your life.”
He nodded. I wiped my eyes and straightened my posture. “Then consider this my agreement to cooperate with your operation. I can’t say the same thing for my sister, but I will do what is needed as long as I am on this vessel.”
“Good man. Escort him to the barracks.”
The guard reached for me, but I held up my hands. “What is going to happen to Scarlett?”
General Bridgewater glanced at Captain Hallstead, and he answered instead. “She needs to be examined for psychological damage, and if she chooses to play ball, she’ll be placed in the women’s division aboard this ship. You’re both going to become soldiers.”
“I need to be able to see her. She won’t recover as quickly without me.”
Captain Hallstead paused, seeming unsure. “We’ll see if we can make arrangements, but as of now she won’t be released until we’re sure she’s stable. A lot of people suffer from PTSD after seeing the world destroyed. We’ll keep her safe.”
I stepped forward, unafraid. “I want your word on that, Captain.”
He met my eyes. “You have my word.”
I let the guard take me back to the elevator and lead me to my new home. The only home I had left.
God help us.
Giveaway
Print Copy of The Starlight Contingency,
$10 Amazon giftcard
– 1 winner each!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Kyoko M is a USA Today bestselling author and a fangirl. She is the author of The Black Parade urban fantasy series, the Of Cinder and Bone science-fiction series, and the Starlight Contingency space opera series with Falstaff Books.
The Black Parade has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews. Of Cinder and Bone placed in the Top 30 Books in Hugh Howey’s 2021 Self Published Science Fiction Contest.
Kyoko M has appeared as a guest and panelist at such conventions as Geek Girl Con, DragonCon, Blacktasticon, Momocon, JordanCon, ConCarolinas, and MultiverseCon.
She is also a contributor to Marvel Comics’ Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda (2021) anthology as well as the Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson (2025) anthology.
She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology.
She is currently working on a science fiction trilogy with Falstaff Books and her debut novel, The Starlight Contingency, released October 29th, 2024.
