#289 : Valentine Pets and Kisses : Spotlight + Giveaway!

Nothing is more heart-warming than kisses from the pet who adores you and the man who loves you, so snuggle up with VALENTINE PETS & KISSES — an anthology of fourteen sweet romances from USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors — and strike the perfect mood for moonlit walks and candlelight dinners with your pet and sweetheart.

Check out descriptions and excerpts from two of the stories featured in the anthology!

Trembling Hearts - Suzette Riddick

Recluse Jason Carr is living in rural Virginia after an accident leaves him physically scarred. While taking a stroll and minding his business, the spunky Lezlie Sharpe literally crashes into his life, stealing the heart of his beloved pooch, Trooper. Now, forced to share living quarters, will Lezlie capture Jason’s heart too?

Excerpt

Whatever smart aleck retort she had ready to sass at him died on her lips. The dog's owner was a mountain of a man. Her eyes traveled his entire length. He had to stand at least six-five with shoulders nearly spanning the width of the doorway he occupied. 

She let out a long, slow breath. Lord have mercy he didn't have a shirt on. And those pajama bottoms were riding low on his hips. She tried forcing her eyes not to stare at the dark hair on his chest tapering down toward his pelvis. But failed miserably. Her bosom rose and fell with each breath she inhaled and exhaled. Her fingertips were itching to caress his golden brown, chiseled, tight abdomen. 

She bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as her eyes traveled up to his stony face. The faded jagged scar slashed across his right cheek gave him a dangerous, but oh so sexy look. She could tell at one time he was what her grandma referred to as “pretty” boy handsome. 

She continued to gape at him, her eyes blinking, wondering where in the world he had been all her life. The pain in her head was warring with the butterflies in her stomach.  

The butterflies were winning. 

Valentino, Be Mine - Tina D.C. Hayes

Kaylee Rose is thrilled when a neighbor moving out of the country asks if she'll consider taking in her teacup Yorkie, Valentino, but there are a few strings attached. When she finds out a man she can't stand is the other caretaker, she's forced to deal with the arrogant jerk until they decide who gets the pampered pooch permanently . . . or risk losing the dog to a heartbreaking fate. 

Excerpt

Kaylee hoped punctuality weighed somewhere in their evaluation, because whoever Carter was, he or she was fifteen minutes late the last time Kaylee checked her watch. Not that she minded. It was a little intimidating to meet the other potential owner. What if Valentino liked Carter better?

As if he sensed her worry, the Yorkie wiggled around in her arms and licked her cheek again. She draped him over her shoulder, a position she knew from experience that he enjoyed, and nuzzled her cheek against him.

Something behind Kaylee caught Ruthie’s attention. A silly grin twisted her mouth as she threw her hand up in an exaggerated wave. Unless this Carter person was a complete moron, they were pretty hard to miss, since they were the only people in that part of the park.

“Carter, over here!” Ruthie stood and flapped her arms even more.

OMG. Either Pam’s personal assistant had finally lost it after years of dealing with her perfectionist boss or there must be a celebrity walking up behind them. Kaylee was afraid to look. She racked her brain for any movie stars named Carter but couldn’t come up with a single one. From the blush on the other woman’s face, she was pretty sure Carter was a man, and if not a famous one, he must be drop dead gorgeous.

Valentino’s tail wagged in Kaylee’s face as he barked his hello and squirmed against her shoulder. A masculine laugh sounded before Carter greeted them. “Good morning, Ruthie.”

Kaylee ran her hand through her hair and pushed a section of bobbed blonde locks behind her ear before she turned around to meet him.

Sunglasses hid his eyes, but she could definitely understand why the PA was acting like a teenage girl backstage at a One Direction concert. Carter was smoking hot.

Author Bios

Suzette Riddick is a wife, mother and nurse practitioner who enjoys writing romance novels with a touch of reality. 

Tina D.C. Hayes writes romantic suspense and cozy mysteries while her pampered pooches and parrots stand guard against writer's block.