Saturday, July 5, 2025

Blitz: The Heartbeats of Aloha: Under the Hawaiian Stars (The Aloha Soulmates Series #2) by Brooke Gilbert with an excerpt and a giveaway



The Heartbeats of Aloha
Under the Hawaiian Stars

Series: The Aloha Soulmates Series #2) 

by Brooke Gilbert

Release date: July 1st 2025

Genres: Action, Comedy, Romance





Blurb:

𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮, 𝙧𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚. 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧-𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧?

Reef has been in love with Luna since they were kids. As a secret romance novelist, he pours his unrequited feelings into his books, reliving their love on the page. But when Luna’s uncle proposes a fake relationship to thwart a stunt her PR wants to pull, Reef’s wildest dreams and worst fears are about to collide.

Luna never stopped loving Reef, even when she broke his heart to protect him. Music became her refuge, but fame brought unexpected complications. Now, fate has brought them back together, but the demons of their past threaten to consume them both.

As Reef and Luna navigate their rekindled feelings amidst a whirlwind of secrets, heartache, and desire, they’ll discover that sometimes reality is even more extraordinary than fiction. When their truths come to light, will their love survive, or will they wish they’d left the past buried in the sands of time?

The Heartbeats of Aloha is a poignant, swoon-worthy standalone in the International Soulmate series. Immerse yourself in:

  • A heart-melting second chance romance
  • The lush, tropical beauty of Hawaii
  • A fake relationship that feels all too real
  • Deep, nuanced portrayals of mental health and disability
  • Unforgettable characters, including an adorable canine companion

If you love emotional journeys filled with tender moments, sizzling chemistry, and the healing power of love, then Brooke Gilbert’s moving story is a must-read.

Let the rhythm of the islands guide you to your next great romance. Grab The Heartbeats of Aloha today and lose yourself in Reef and Luna’s unforgettable love story!

Content note: This book contains discussions of anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

Purchase:





Excerpt
 
“Come on, Casanova.” I heard Luna sing out.

“I think you have me confused with his helpless brother who didn’t make any of the history books,” I called as I hurried up to her. My hand extended to find a spot on her back, but then I thought better of it. Bare skin wouldn’t help this primal side of me. We were off duty and I’d gone back into the friend zone. Except ‘safe’ didn’t feel like what I wanted anymore. Luna’s song lyrics amidst Venice’s words were daring me to be bolder. But only ‘daring’. That was the problem. I didn’t know how to be bold with her anymore.

As we rode the elevator, my eyes gazed upward, trying to help keep my mind on platonic things. Or at least think of malnourished dogs at the pound to help kill my Luna buzz. 

“It’s not that bad, Reef.” Luna’s playful tone greeted me.

“You look like my teenage dreams and my grown-up fantasies all rolled into one. So yeah, it is that bad.” I looked over at her to see how much damage I’d done. Those light almond cheeks had gone pink. So I’d say a lot. It was no use. I couldn’t hide my feelings anymore. Not that my attraction to Luna had ever been much of a secret, but now it seemed really out of control. 

To my surprise, I felt a warm hand slip into mine. That feeling of comfort I’d so desperately craved came over me. “Yeah, and you look like all of mine.” 

“Right.” I guffawed. “I’m sure a lanky bartender really does it when ripped guys are fighting over you.” 

Slowly, she turned with this determined glint and she started coming closer to me. The look in her eyes made the hairs on my arm stand on end. “There’s no competition.” Her sultry voice floated over to me and my body inched closer to hers in response. Magnetized. Just as Locke had said. 

The gap between us continued to wane as my pulse thrummed in my ears. The tension building between us felt thick and palpable. Like the only way to breathe was to expel it. I tugged on my collar as if to loosen it. 

Ding. 

Suddenly, the elevator doors began parting and Louis’ voice came crashing into our cocoon
 
Lavender for anxiety: 
 
“You brought lavender with you?” Her eyes seemed to swell as she stood before me in the entryway. 

“Yes, an embarrassing amount and variety, too. So can you at least sit down on the balcony and take a little time to rest to make me feel better?” I teased. 

She smiled, those large hazels looking up from under her thick lashes. “I can’t believe you packed lavender for me.” 

“Well, that’s what a good bodyguard does. He makes up for his lack of muscles with herbal flowers. Making him such a bigger threat.” Laughter flowed out of her as she gave me a hug. She stayed with her head on my chest for a long time, tightening her hold around my waist. “Luna, this is not sitting. You’re disobeying bodyguard orders, so I may have to employ more types of exotic flowers. It could get ugly . . .” 

She looked up at me with a grin large enough to bridge the islands. One I hadn’t seen since she wore the flower crown when we were kids. 

Her teasing tone sang out, “I’m going, I’m going. I wouldn’t want that to happen.” 

Once she made her way, I used the suite coffee maker station to brew some tea. Then I took two cups for us to enjoy out on the balcony. After a couple of sips, I could see her shoulders relax and I felt my body do the same. That Luna shield was dropping. And I hoped she would see it was okay to still feel her emotions and be herself—all of herself—with me.

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INT) ends July 10
  • Gift box - 2 winners




AUTHOR BIO:
Brooke Gilbert is a Tennessee native, a microbiology graduate of the University of Tennessee, and a border collie mom. She is, as you may have already guessed, a hopeless romantic and a lover of Jane Austen. When she isn’t writing, she works as a jewelry designer, an audiobook narrator, and a graphic designer. Her writing features characters with autoimmune disorders, something she deals with herself. She believes it is important for these types of characters to be seen in modern literature and started writing so she could see someone like herself in literature. She is considered a medical mystery and has several rare autoimmune disorders. These disorders caused her to withdraw from Physician Assistant School, but she is happy to be pursuing her dreams of designing, creating, and writing. She thanks God for leading her heart on this new path and recites “perhaps this is the moment for which you were created” in times of doubt (Esther 4:14).

She loves watching classic films (thrillers and romantic comedies, too), reading, playing the ukulele, painting, dancing, Pilates, and spending time with her dog, family, and friends. One of her favorite quotes is from Flashdance: “When you give up on your dreams, you die.” She believes that if you’re waiting to pursue your dreams, stop waiting and start doing. Your time is now. And may you never stop being a hopeless romantic. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a very good quality. She’s still looking for her Mr. Darcy. Visit brookegilbertauthor.com to connect and stay updated on her latest projects.

Author links:



Friday, July 4, 2025

Release Boost: Mine: The Anti-Hero by Amanda McKinney, narrators Gideon Frost and Allison River


MINE (The Anti-Hero) by @amandamckinneyauthor is now LIVE in audio!

Narrated by: @gideonfrostaudio & @allisonrivernarrator

Listen today!

Audible: https://bit.ly/3Hhbyxe

Amazon: https://bit.ly/43OrzDz

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/42Z5HDY

#enemiestolovers #agegap #forcedproximity #torturedlead #suspense #military #blushaudiobooks @blush_audiobooks 




Book Tour: Break Away (Riot MC Next Generation #2) by Karen Renee with my review

Break Away


Series: Riot MC Next Generation


by Karen Renee


Release: June 24, 2025


Genre: MC Romance


Cover Model: Alex Turner

Photographer: Furious Fotog/Golden Czermak

Cover Designer: Bee at Bitter Sage Design


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216155718-break-away


Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/break-away-riot-mc-next-generation-2-by-karen-renee





Blurb:

He’s the one who got away…


Rafferty and I were inseparable best friends growing up.

Then it ended.

I avoid him as much as possible, but it’s difficult since the Riot MC is one big family.

When an accident throws us back together, I’m reminded of how much I love spending time with Rafferty and how perfect we used to be. The bitter-sweet reminder comes too late since our lives are headed in opposite directions. He’s a Riot MC prospect, and I’m in dental school.

It’s good that we’ve moved on, because he wouldn’t want a woman who still has her v-card. A man like Rafferty definitely doesn’t want a woman like me.

Or am I wrong?


…But he never got away from her.


Alexandra is the only woman I’ve ever wanted.

After things fell apart between us, I tried to find someone else.

No woman measures up to my loyal, gorgeous, spit-fire friend.

She insists that her life won’t be tied to the Riot MC, which means she doesn’t want a biker like me in her life.

Taking her home after a horrible car crash opens my eyes.

We’ve both changed.

She can run from the club, but she can’t deny that the club always has her back.

It’s time to show her how good we can be.

Not everyone is thrilled with this development, the Riot MC brothers especially. I can handle the brothers by proving I’ll do anything for my woman.

But a threat from Alexandra’s past puts us to a test we never imagined and it might just tear us apart.


Buy Links:

Books2Read (Universal): https://books2read.com/u/b5Pvw6

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4dwWI1w

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4mv3xES

Apple: https://bit.ly/3HprNbq

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3FiIjtj

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3F9VqwZ

Smashwords: https://bit.ly/4kcQXsv

Paperback: https://bit.ly/4kbnqhW





Praise for the Novel:

5 Stars from Cheri at Readers Across the Pond - “Great characters, plenty of heat, and a touching story.”


5 Stars from Tracy at Spunky~n~Sassy Blog - “I loved this couple and all the drama, love, family and danger they faced. Such a great story with the Riot MC family. I highly recommend.”


5 Stars from Caroline at World_of_Books65 - “Karen Renee delivers a love story with grit, heart, and enough heat to burn up your kindle.”


In the Series:

Break Out (Riot MC Next Generation Book 1)

Books2Read (Universal): https://books2read.com/u/3ypeQn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aFWSAI

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4aU44JO

Apple: https://apple.co/3yVHtik

B&N: https://bit.ly/4bGUf33

Smashwords: https://bit.ly/3V7RaC3

Google Play: https://bit.ly/4kAXME0





Author Bio:

Karen Renee is the author of the Riot Motorcycle Club, Beta, and O-Town series of books. She once crunched Nielsen ratings data but these days she brings her imagination to life by writing books. She has wanted to be a writer since she was very young, but it's taken the last twenty plus years for her to amass enough courage and overall life experience to bring that dream to life. Some of those life experiences came from the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she's not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.


Social Media Links:

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/authorkarenrenee

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160322688125031/

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/karenrenee.bsky.social

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/karenreneewrite

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-renee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenreneeauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17912815.Karen_Renee

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorkarenrenee/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorkarenrenee 

Website:  http://www.authorkarenrenee.com


 





My Review - 5 of 5 stars - 

I found this story hard to put down, though the real world kept interrupting. Lex was tied to the MC world, but she wanted different. I admired her determination to separate from them in order to lead her own life. She followed her childhood passion and her own independence. Danger came and showed her all that she had missed around her. She was open and caring enough that she looked past signs. Back into her life rode Raff. He was so protective and hated hurting her so that she would see the truth. A couple worth reading about. Look forward to the next in the series.



Release: Torrent Strike (Royal Bastards MC: Newport, RI Chapter) by Heather Dahlgren


TORRENT STRIKE


Series: #RoyalBastardsMC - 7th Run


Newport, RI Chapter


Author: Heather Dahlgren


Cover Designer: Crimson Syn- Syn Ink Books LLC

💥GRAB YOUR COPY!💥

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://shorturl.at/SyAH7 



“I’m in her blood. She’s in mine. I don’t give a shit where she came from. I know where she belongs.”

Torrent never planned on falling in love.
Tessa never planned on trusting a biker.
But when your heart finds home, nothing else matters.

The newest chapter of the Royal Bastards MC – Newport, RI is under attack, and they just made it personal.
They took the wrong woman. And now?
He’ll bring hell with him to get her back.



💥 Gritty MC Romance
💥 Alpha/protective President
💥 Strong heroine with a secret
💥 Brotherhood, heat, and heart
💥 Enemies, love, redemption

Torrent built this chapter from the ground up. Now he’ll burn it all down to save her.

 


🔥BLURB🔥

Torrent doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t falter. As President of the Royal Bastards newest chapter in Newport, Rhode Island, he’s calm under pressure, deadly when crossed, and loyal to the bone. He’s a man who leads with his head, fights with precision, and never lets emotions cloud his judgment. Building this club from the ground up took everything he had, and he refuses to let anything or anyone derail it. Until her.


Tessa Levine didn’t come to Newport looking for a man, and she sure as hell wasn’t looking for a biker. Hardened by a brutal past and secrets that haunt her every step, she’s built her life around staying invisible. But Torrent sees her, and worse, he makes her feel seen. Wanted. Safe.


They’re fire and gasoline. Wild, intense, and completely unpredictable. Their chemistry is explosive, their nights together hot enough to scorch, and the feelings growing between them threaten to bring them both to their knees. But when they give in to what’s building between them, Tessa’s past returns with a vengeance. Secrets unravel. Blood spills. And the very club Torrent built becomes the battleground for a war he didn’t see coming.


The Bloody Scorpions want to destroy everything the Royal Bastards have built, and they’ve taken Tessa to do it.


Now, with the woman he loves in the hands of his enemies, Torrent will unleash hell to get her back.


Even if it means burning the whole city to the ground.


Brotherhood. Blood. Redemption. In the world of the Royal Bastards, love isn’t a weakness. It’s war.


✔ Website/Series Links: https://www.royalbastardsmc.com/


✔  Follow the Royal Bastards MC here:  https://www.facebook.com/royalbastardsmcbooks/

 

Blitz: The Heartbeats of Aloha: Under the Hawaiian Stars (The Aloha Soulmates Series #2) by Brooke Gilbert with an excerpt and a giveaway

The Heartbeats of Aloha Under the Hawaiian Stars Series: The Aloha Soulmates Series #2)  by Brooke Gilbert Release date : July 1st 2025 Genr...