Thursday, February 12, 2026

Book Blitz: The Real ONes by J. Rose Black + Amazon GC Giveaway (INTL)

Welcome to the book blitz of The Real Ones by J. Rose Black, a sports romance. Don't forget to enter the giveaway below to win a $30 Amazon gift card (open INTL).
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The Real Ones by J. Rose Black
(Chasing Victory)
Publication date: February 12th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Second chances don’t usually come wrapped in shoulder pads on Valentine’s Day…

Ten months ago, All-American shortstop Briella Reddington fell hard for grumpy, battle-scarred quarterback Maddox “Mick” McBride.

And then he walked away—right when she was finally ready to let him in.

Now Ella’s done being vulnerable, done being blindsided, and definitely done with emotionally unavailable athletes. But losing a bet lands her at a Valentine’s charity flag-football event…face-to-face with the man who broke her heart.

Maddox never stopped wanting Ella—but teammates loyal to her golden-boy ex, a rival gunning for his spot, and a coach who made Ella the price of peace forced his hand. Choosing her once cost him everything. His season tanked, his starting job is on the line, and seeing Ella again is the one hit he isn’t prepared to take.

When a chaotic Valentine’s “cupid” pushes them together, sparks ignite, truths surface, and Maddox realizes he’s been fighting the wrong battles all year.

This time, he’s not walking away.

He’s fighting for the girl who was always worth the risk.

READ THIS IF YOU LIKE…

Grumpy/protective hero
Sunshine-with-boundaries heroine
Second-chance romance
College sports + rival athletes
Forced proximity
Emotional scars & healing arcs
Charity-event chaos
A hero who finally fights for his girl

TW: mild hazing, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse; mentions of combat scars.

Goodreads / Amazon


Author Bio:

J. Rose Black weaves stories about redemption and the transformational power of love - with a few side-helpings of snark. Now an award-winning and Amazon Top 300 chart-topping author, Rose writes about broody alpha males and plucky, no-nonsense women ready to fight for what they believe in. Her novels have been praised for their realistic mental health representations, with narratives offering a unique balance of romance, humor and tougher, real-world issues.

When Rose isn’t deeply immersed in her latest manuscript, she’s working in cyber security and thwarting the next generation of internet bad guys. Out of the office, she’s #Shipping with friends over her favorite, swoon-worthy couples, heading to the gym to battle the great evil that is Unmovable Baby Weight, or complaining about her husband’s addiction to 3D printing. Also: nagging her children to eat something other than cheese.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Newsletter


GIVEAWAY!

The Real Ones Blitz






Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Book Blitz: The Vacation Bubble by Marcella Steele


Welcome to the book blitz of The Vacation Bubble by Marcella Steele, a romantic comedy. Don't forget to check out the excerpt and enter the giveaway below to win a $25 Amazon gift card & 5x ebook copies of The Vacation Bubble (open INTL).
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The Vacation Bubble: A Second Chance Romantic Comedy by Marcella Steele
(To Barcelona with Love Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Readers’ Favorite
Perfect for fans of Beach Read, The Unhoneymooners, and Part of Your World—this witty second chance romance is a sun-drenched escape with heart, heat, and humor.

A fling wasn’t on her vacation itinerary. Neither was falling in love with the one man she’d already run from.

Romance has ghosted, gaslit, and gone full Shakespearean tragedy on Sofia Drake. She’s officially a one-woman rom-com with no third act in sight, ready to bolt if love sneaks up on her again.

Freshly dumped and jobless, Sofia is mid-pity-party (yes, wine and ice cream are involved)‌ when a friend drags her to a job fair. If she’d known how a chance meeting would blow up her carefully constructed life, she would’ve stayed home. One look into Ryan Hunter’s crystal blue eyes and she can tell he’s trouble. He’s gorgeous, charming, and way too young. He’s also the first man in years to make her feel a real, rocket-exploding kind of heat. But when the jet-setting Ryan invites her on a spontaneous trip to Barcelona, Sofia does what she does best: she runs.

It takes a kick from her best friend (a “get a life” lecture) to move Sofia out of her comfort zone and onto a plane to Barcelona—alone. No men, no pressure, just a solo adventure. At least… until she runs straight into the one man she swore she’d never see again.

Now, Ryan is offering to be her personal tour guide, and Sofia is breaking her own ‘no men’ rule for a new one: keep it vacation-only. Sun, sangria, and maybe a little sizzle. They make a pact for the summer: Thirty days—no falling in love, no risky complications. Really.

Sometimes the best adventures happen when you finally stop running from what scares you the most.

“The Vacation Bubble will resonate with readers who crave wanderlust, sizzling chemistry, and second chances.” Readers’ Favorite

Goodreads / Amazon

Only 99c for a limited time!


EXCERPT:

Sofia – the meet cute #1 San Francisco job networking event

It was his voice I heard first—deep, with a sexy tone that rumbled through me.

“I’m in the mergers and acquisitions department. Possibly you’re acquainted with the bank?” he asked the balding man next to him. “It’s a global company whose headquarters are located here in San Francisco and in London. We’re looking for fresh talent, someone with experience in finance. The organization has an excellent training program.”

The line moved up, but I hung back, waving at people to take the place in front of me. Obvious? A few sideways glances confirmed that my chivalry wasn’t going unnoticed.

His voice came from my right, only a few feet away. I shifted in my high heels and casually pretended to brush a piece of lint off my shoulder, then caught sight of him. It may have been only four or five seconds, but as my eyes raked across his features, time seemed to slow, as if watching a movie at half speed. To say he was gorgeous wouldn’t do him justice. That face belonged on the cover of GQ magazine. Tall, dark, and handsome with refined, perfectly symmetrical features, luscious full lips, and, God help me, a chiseled jawline resembling Adonis. That was the moment I knew I was in trouble.

He continued his pitch to the short man in a suit. The man wasn’t over thirty-five, but the back of his head was already thinning. Sexy guy stood over six feet tall, his bronzed olive skin and tousled dark curls effortlessly stylish without seeming overdone. Even his clothes were sexy, although it was more about the way they fit his frame. My eyes scanned him from bottom to top, taking in his leather shoes, indigo-blue designer jeans, a white-collared shirt, and a black sport coat cut close to his body, revealing broad shoulders that led to a slender waist in a V shape. When he raised his arm to retrieve a business card, his bicep bulged against the sleeve of his jacket. Holy shit.

A buzzing sound rang in my ears, muting the conversation, but I watched as his face broke into a wide smile, dimples forming like perfect punctuation marks on his cheeks. Without warning, his head swiveled a fraction to the right and his eyes caught sight of mine—sparkling, deep blue eyes that held me transfixed for a split second. Then, in one swift (not obvious at all) move, I brought my hand to my hair and, as I flicked it over my shoulder, my gaze shifted to the blond woman directly in front of me. Thank God I was next in line.

A flush bloomed on my face, not solely due to the hot flash racing up my neck. Stop right there, missy, I told myself. He’s too young, probably in his thirties. I’d never needed a drink so desperately. Forcing my view straight ahead, I ordered a gin and tonic when I reached the edge of the bar.

“Make it two, please,” his voice rang in my ear.

Author Bio:

Marcella Steele is an American author/screenwriter who now writes with her laptop precariously balanced on a cafĂ© table in Barcelona, but can sometimes be found dreaming up stories on a terrace in Bali or on a balcony in Paris. Marcella champions the radical idea that women over forty are just getting started and her contemporary romance/women’s fiction novels celebrate love, passion, and self-discovery at any age. With her passion for travel, she delights in bringing the reader along to discover the magic of faraway places. When she’s not writing, she’s planning her next adventure or practicing her spins on a salsa dance floor.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!

The Vacation Bubble Blitz






Monday, February 9, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn @ The Book Date.




What I Read Last Week:




What I'm Reading Now:


The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White
She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva


What I'll Read Next (maybe):

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark




Have you read any of these books? Do you want to?