Stray (2022)

closed

Betrothal or Breakaway (D.C. Eagles Hockey) best friends to lovers, marriage of convenience sports romance by Leah Brunner is now LIVE!

What to expect:

✔️ Best friends to lovers

✔️ Neurodivergent Hero

✔️ Single mom

✔️ Marriage of convenience

✔️ Forced proximity

✔️ Sick bed scene

✔️ “My wife”

✔️ Fade to Black

We wonder WHY the SAME things keep happening to us, yet we continue to make the SAME choices! Prying open that door God’s been trying to shut! Not able to see the door He’s opened and the amazing opportunities we are missing out on! Just like the rearview mirror in the car, you have a great big windshield in front of you and a small rearview mirror to look behind, are you going to drive forward looking in the small mirror and miss what’s in front of you? Maybe you should nail a board over that close door, turn away and don’t look back! Open your eyes and see the opportunity God has planned for you! Something far greater than you can even think or imagine! He’s is the God of abundance! Able to do exceedingly and abundantly anything we think or imagine! Eph 3:20 It’s YOUR CHOICE, are you going to stay in the same situation or step out into something far greater then you can think or imagine?!! “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Isaiah 55:8 #godsplan #godsplannotmine #exceedingexpectations #faith #faithoverfear #trustgod #godofabundance #exceedinglyabundantly #closeddoor #opendoor #shutdoors https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOYciVrrlUoXMgsm1EGvu7j6j-9azNJP3XIlQ0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Thank you, God, for the open doors that promote me...but thank you especially for closed doors that protect me. #closeddoors Thank God for the doors He did NOT open. The prayers He did NOT answer. And the relationships He did NOT let work out. #closeddoor When God gives you a new beginning, it starts with an ending. Be thankful for closed doors. They often guide us to the right one. #closedoors Consider the fact that maybe God closed that door because He knew you were worth so much more. #missedopportunity When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. #disappointment What's ahead of you is so much greater than the closed doors behind you! #disappointments Be thankful for closed doors, they often guide us to the right one. #detours One day you will understand why God closed that door and you will thank Him for it. #detour Be thankful for closed doors, detours, and roadblocks. They protect you from paths and places not meant for you. #roadblocks Closed doors are answers to prayer too. #missedopportunities When one door closes, a bigger and better door always opens. #godsplannotmine 🔥Subscribe to my YouTube channel and podcast,👉🏾"Uplift Past Crossroads"👈🏾🔥 Befriend me on Facebook/LinkedIn = Sean Christopher Jenkins 🔥Follow👉🏾@troubledontlast 👈🏾IG/Twitter/Snap/TikTok for more🔥 Turn on Post Notification - Like - Comment - Share - Save ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ . . Follow my other Instagram accounts: Subscribe to YouTube(in bio)👉🏾@my_daily_bible👈🏾 Subscribe to podcast(in bio)👉🏾@upliftpastcrossroads👈🏾 YouTube👉🏾@upliftwithdrj👈🏾 Fashion👉🏾@glamourmeetsgq👈🏾 . . 👤 Tag a friend who would like this page ⬇️ ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ #roadblock #godsplan #whatismeanttobewillbe #whatsmeanttobewillbe #whatsmeanttobe #rejection #rejectionquotes #rejectionhurts #rejections #rejected #rejectionisgodsprotection #rejectionisredirection #rejectionsucks #beingrejected #closedoor #whatsmeantforyou #whatsmeanttobewillalwaysfindaway #whatismeanttobe #whatismeanttobewillalwaysfindaway (at Nashville, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChC3sI8r31F/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Closed Door an Abstract Design by Faten Anwar

ARC Review: A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

4/5. Releases September 20, 2022.

"Hallmark Christmas movie meets porn" is basically all I've ever asked for. I wish that every Hallmark film had an explicit sex scene or 5 focused on mutual pleasure and possibly gingerbread-scented lube. While this did not give me gingerbread lube, it did give me gingerbread lotion, and that was good enough for me.

The setup is very Hallmark itself, in a very roundabout way: Bee, otherwise known as Bianca Von Honey, is an alt porn superstar who's trying to break into mainstream film. Nolan Shaw is an ex-boy band idol who's attempting to rehabilitate his image after an incident involving a figure skater and two speed skaters in the Olympic Village years ago (every time this incident was referenced I did... lose my shit). Hence his signing on to star in Duke the Halls, a wholesome Christmas movie about a time traveler and the duke she falls in love with, during the holidays.

The issue? His co-star is unable to film at the last minute due to an accident. Fortunately (unbeknownst to Nolan) the producer of the movie also has another production company... One that gave Bee her start in the adult film industry. Bee is called up to sub in as the lead, with one condition: she must not let anyone know her Bianca identity. Well, two conditions--she also can't fuck anyone. This is a WHOLESOME CHRISTMAS MOVIE.

Second issue: Nolan immediately recognizes Bee, even if she doesn't realize it. He has been a top subscriber to her ClosedDoor account for the past six years. Six. Years. Much gingerbread lotion will be needed for this one.

This was great, basically. Was it weird for me to read a holiday book in August? Yes, but I tend to want to give myself a few weeks to finish an ARC just in case something weird comes up--and I kind of wish this one was being released closer to the holidays. While it's not OVERWHELMINGLY Christmas (if you're a bit of a Scrooge you'll still have much to enjoy) it does have that seasonal vibe, with most of the story taking place in a town that remains Christmasy all year round in order to stand as a set for Christmas TV movies. There were so many delightful elements on this front, but my favorite was most definitely the Christmas-themed stripper, Prancer.

But more on the book itself. Julie Murphy is new to me, though I've been told by teens in the know that Dumplin' is great. I have read Sierra Simone before--and this is definitely a departure for her. I believe everything I've read of Sierra's has been self-published/indie, whereas this is an Avon release. I've got to say--while it's not quite as intense as a typical Sierra book, it doesn't skimp on the sex. There's fun sex, emotional sex, sex in different positions, sex in places people shouldn't be having sex. And the concept of sex work in this book was so well-handled. Nolan never has a true issue with Bee's work as a porn star. Bee isn't ashamed of it, so much as she is shamed by the world. There are nice porn stars and annoying porn stars, asshole producers and good producers. It's given a level of respect that you see in few depictions of the industry. Bee isn't a little girl lost. She has two moms who love her and a ton of supportive friends.

Speaking of two moms--this book is super queer. Bee and Nolan are both bi; almost every supporting character is queer. There's one... maybe two? Characters that I can think of as being definitively straight. While this is not necessarily the center of the story (nobody is coming out--they've been out) Bee does mention to Nolan how important it was to her that he was out while in his band and at the height of his fame. It's a great way, to me, of underlining that Bee and Nolan's queerness is a part of them and their relationship even if it appears hetero on paper.

What struck me most was how deftly the situation between Bee and Nolan was handled. Personally, I found the idea of Nolan being a top subscriber of Bee's... hot. Off the bat. But I know that it's a tricky deal, and you don't want him to come off as desperate and pathetic and creepy. He could have, for sure. And he never did. At the same time, he wasn't a defanged nice boy. There was an edge to him, something that is sorely lacking in a lot of contemporary romance heroes I've read lately. He's not a Ted Lasso knockoff looking to aw shucks one moment and inexplicably turn into a dom alpha as soon as the sex scenes kick up. He's not what I would call an alpha hero, per se, but there's always a bit of a... swagger? To him? The vibe that this is a guy who fucks, shall we say. Even if he is also a caring son and brother who just wants to get his career together so that he can put food on the table. (Also: Nolan's mom suffers from a bipolar disorder, and while it's not the most central thing to the plot, I did appreciate its depiction as someone who has bipolar II. It felt authentic and not at all exploitative or shock jock-ish, the way bipolar rep often does in fiction.)

Additionally, Bee is never given the "oh golly gee Mr. I sure am grateful that a hot guy like you would like a lowly fat chick like me" treatment. Which was such a fucking relief. Bee has an insecure moment here and there, but that's natural. It's not dwelled upon. It's not condescending. Nolan very clearly is extremely attracted to her, and that's that.

There is a level of suspension of disbelief you have to maintain with the idea that there would be this much press over a TV Christmas movie.... But that's just a quibble. Who cares? The core of this story is the relationship between Bee and Nolan, and that more than sells itself. Their connection is not without its conflicts, but none of them feel contrived, and they're both deeply likable, if flawed people.

Would read again close to Christmas, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. Maybe some gingerbread lotion on the side. Not sure about where I'll be this Christmas.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Bust out your figgy pudding and get ready to live laugh love your way through A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. An adult film actress is cast in a Hope channel holiday romance movie alongside an ex-bad-boy boyband member looking to relaunch his career with a clean image. Both co-stars have come to this small Christmas-themed town in Vermont with the intention to maintain a clean image while on set. Bee Hobbes the Hope Channel ingenue has had a long, successful career as Bianca von Honey, a fat adult film star.  Her favorite producer, Teddy wants to diversify his income with Holiday movies, but to do so, he needs to keep his adult film company a secret. When his leading lady and a portion of his crew get sick at the last minute, he must bring his old collogues with him to Vermont, on the condition they deny any connection to adult filmmaking. Just one problem, she has always had a major crush on Noah Shaw, her new co-star, and he is a loyal fan of her ClosedDoors account. The magic of Christmas romance is hard enough to replicate on the set of a movie with a time-traveling duke, but now, Bee and Noah also have to pretend their relationship is not warming up off-screen. It just goes to show you, that sometimes what happens in Vermont doesn’t always stay in Vermont. A Merry Little Meet Cute delivers on high spice, big laughs, and a bisexual couple who is absolutely too cute for this world.

This might be bold of me to say, but if you are going to pick up any new Christmas romance this holiday season, this is the one to buy. The setting is absolutely perfect. Every aspect of Christmas Notch, Vermont is designed around Christmas and Christmas movies, including the hotel. The cast of characters does not disappoint either. I love and want books for everyone on set. Each side plot is so specific, it builds the characters of anyone involved. Bee’s supportive moms and friends are so warm and funny. Noah’s family and ex-boyband members are just as great. I imagine the two other members of INK will be given a romance of their own, but that is entirely speculative on my part. I am a big, big fan to say the least.

Noah and Bee are great together. Because they both start out with their own prosocial fan relationships with one another, I never felt like there was a power imbalance. They often had frank conversations with one another that allowed them to develop their relationship over the course of the book. However, the dual POV helps the reader understand the moment a character makes the wrong choice when they translate what they think to what they say. I do like their little moments with each other. The high spice content is uniquely tailored to these specific characters. The celebrity aspects of the celebrity romance were handled with care. Not to mention the next-level banter. Overall, this Christmas romcom is wonderful, and I cannot recommend it more.

If you are looking for a little holiday love and cheer, you should defiantly preorder A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone set to release on September 20, 2022. I would like to thank Avon for providing my reviewers copy of A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone in exchange for my honest review.

Pe fondul a grave persecuții și discriminări îndreptate spre creștini, numărul acestora creşte cu 30 milioane pe an #ClosedDoors #Creştini #Credincioși #creștinilorrefugiați #discriminări #discriminare #LăcaşuriDeCult #numărulcreștinilor #OpenDoors #Persecuţii #politicileprivindimigrarea #privareadelibertate #raportul #regimuriautoritare #StateleUnite #Statisticile https://bit.ly/4aQZpJM

🎁 𝓒𝓞𝓥𝓔𝓡 𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓔𝓐𝓛 🎁

Cabin Mate by Leah Brunner has a brand new alternate cover just in time for the holidays! Grab yours today for just $.99 (US and UK only) for a limited time!

➜ https://books2read.com/CabinMate

Link in bio @leah.brunner.writes

BLURB

When the woman of my dreams finally becomes available, all bets are off.

I lost a bet to my older brother. My evil, life-ruining older brother. (Okay, maybe that’s a little over-dramatic).

Now I can’t go on a date for FOUR months. I can’t even touch a woman. No hand holding. Forget kissing.

I’m walking the straight and narrow (AKA dateless and lonely) just fine. Until my best friend (the woman I’ve been pining over since college) gets her heart broken.

How can I say no to those big, blue eyes when she asks me to fly to Vermont to attend her sister’s Christmas wedding with her? As her fake boyfriend.

It’ll be easy… pretend to be my best friend’s boyfriend without holding her, kissing her, or falling even more in love than I already am.

But when we end up having to share a room at her family’s Vermont cabin, the line between real and fake becomes very blurry…and very tempting.

#Coverreveal #Cabinmate #Fakedating #HolidayRomance #Tistheseason #Sale #KU #KindleUnlimited #Closeddoor #Romcom #Romanticcomedy #Bookstagram #Books #Holidaybooks #LeahBrunner #Wordsmithpublicity

🏒  HOT NEW RELEASE 🏒

𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐅����𝐜𝐞𝐨𝐟𝐟, D.C. Eagles Hockey Book 2, by Leah Brunner is LIVE! Don’t miss this all new enemies to lovers hockey romance!!! 

#ONECLICK TODAY! 

➜ https://books2read.com/FlirtationorFaceoff

Read Desire or Defense, Book One

➜ https://books2read.com/DesireOrDefense

BLURB

After getting my heart broken, I’ve sworn off athletes forever.

Then my best friend has to go and marry an NHL player, and his teammate, Colby Knight, won’t leave me alone.

Colby is a master at scoring (on and off the ice), and he’s not used to being told no. So he takes my disinterest as an invitation to pursue me even harder. I ignore him… until I realize I can use his expertise to help me get my crush’s attention.

But now that he’s my dating coach, and we’re spending so much time together, I’m growing more and more distracted. I mean, those dimples? Very enticing.

Just when I think he might be more than just a playboy hockey player, a blast from the past comes back and reminds me why I swore off athletes in the first place.

Can I trust Colby, or is he just another jerk who will break my heart?

(This is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance, and can be read as a standalone. This book contains mild language. Trigger warnings: cheating exes.)

Add to your TBR: https://bit.ly/FOF-LB

Pe 30 am fost la sală, pe 31 la Body Time. Pe 01 am lenevit ca o legumă.

De două zile n-am mâncat nimic dulce și n-am băut niciun strop de Cola Zero. Am băut atâta apă că sclipesc pe dinăuntru.

E vremea să reiau bunele obiceiuri.

M-am dus întinsă la sală și sala… era închisă și azi! 😂

Rămâneți aproape, voi transforma nervozitatea generată de abstinență în forță creatoare. A ceva.

#closeddoors

Thank you, God, for the open doors that promote me...but thank you especially for closed doors that protect me. #closeddoors Thank God for the doors He did NOT open. The prayers He did NOT answer. And the relationships He did NOT let work out. #closeddoor When God gives you a new beginning, it starts with an ending. Be thankful for closed doors. They often guide us to the right one. #closedoors Sometimes God closes doors because it's time to MOVE FORWARD. He knows you won't move unless your circumstances force you. #missedopportunity When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. #disappointment What's ahead of you is so much greater than the closed doors behind you! #disappointments Be thankful for closed doors, they often guide us to the right one. #detours Consider the fact that maybe God closed that door because He knew you are worth so much more. #detour Be thankful for closed doors, detours, and roadblocks. They protect you from paths and places not meant for you. #roadblocks Closed doors are answers to prayer too. #missedopportunities When one door closes, a bigger and better door always opens. #godsplannotmine 🔥Subscribe to my YouTube channel and podcast,👉🏾"Uplift Past Crossroads"👈🏾🔥 Befriend me on Facebook/LinkedIn = Sean Christopher Jenkins 🔥Follow👉🏾@troubledontlast 👈🏾IG/Twitter/Snap/TikTok for more🔥 Turn on Post Notification - Like - Comment - Share - Save ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ . . Follow my other Instagram accounts: Subscribe to YouTube(in bio)👉🏾@my_daily_bible👈🏾 Subscribe to podcast(in bio)👉🏾@upliftpastcrossroads👈🏾 YouTube👉🏾@upliftwithdrj👈🏾 Fashion👉🏾@glamourmeetsgq👈🏾 . . 👤 Tag a friend who would like this page ⬇️ ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ #roadblock #godsplan #whatismeanttobewillbe #whatsmeanttobewillbe #whatsmeanttobe #rejection #rejectionquotes #rejectionhurts #rejections #rejected #rejectionisgodsprotection #rejectionisredirection #rejectionsucks #beingrejected #closedoor #whatsmeantforyou #whatsmeanttobewillalwaysfindaway #whatismeanttobe #whatismeanttobewillalwaysfindaway (at Nashville, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgw0y_erI42/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Title: A Merry Little Meet Cute

Author: Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone

Series or standalone: standalone

Publication year: 2022

Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, LGBT+

Blurb: Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn’t ask for more...but when Bee’s favourite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he’s making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee’s career is about to take a more family-friendly direction. Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns that this is a task a lot easier said than done...though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her costar is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan’s promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he’ll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom...but things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont when Nolan recognises his new costar from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he’s a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel’s execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan’s singing career comes snooping around...and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee. If Bee and Nolan can’t keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor.