The Holiday Chronicles - Book Tour and Giveaway

A Naughty Jolly Christmas
The Holiday Chronicles Book 1
by Denise M. Wheatley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Sasha Williams is an African-American public relations powerhouse who’s come a long way from the tough streets of Chicago to glamorous Los Angeles. While she loves her LA life, she hasn’t forgotten her roots and always goes back home to celebrate Christmas with her tight-knit family. 

This year, however, Sasha’s holiday plans are nixed when she’s forced to accompany her sexy, notoriously naughty new client, Drake Lancaster, on the press tour for his upcoming Christmas movie. 

Sasha’s furious, yet finds herself overcome with lust when Drake strolls into her office. She’s surprised, considering she’s never dated a white man. Drake’s attraction toward her is just as intense, and the pair partake in a hot, steamy sex session right there in her office.

Despite Sasha’s promise to keep things all business during the press tour, their sensual trysts heat up even further while out on the road. In the end, Sasha must decide whether their cultural differences, along with her secret painful past and Drake’s playboy reputation, are worth her risking her heart and career—especially without knowing whether this is the real thing or a racy fling.


Add to Goodreads
Amazon * B&N * eXtasy Books ​

​

​Drake appeared in Sasha’s office doorway, up close and personal, in all his sexy glory. He slowly eyed her from head to toe. Judging by the look of admiration in his penetrating gaze, he liked what he saw.
“So,” Drake began, his titillating tone filled with flirtation, “you’re the notorious Sasha Williams who’s been hired to clean up my image and take me to the next level…”
Drake’s smooth, deep voice sent shivers through her eardrums straight down to her panties. And just like that, her self-control slipped away.
Sasha struggled to compose herself. She managed to force a smile and extend her trembling hand. “Hello, Drake. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He gently took her hand in his and bowed slightly, kissing it softly. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Drake straightened up but didn’t let go of her hand. His firm grip and rugged skin sent delicate tremors straight up her arm. He slowly studied her face. Then he shamelessly became transfixed on her breasts, licking his lips hungrily.
Sasha froze. She felt lost underneath the spell of his intoxicating stare and stimulating touch.
Drake sauntered over to the door and locked it.
Sasha swallowed hard. “Can I, uh, can I get you something to drink?”
“Nope. I’m good. I’ve got everything I need right in front of me.”
Sasha’s heart thumped erratically. She watched Drake head over to the other side of her office.
“Should we take a seat on the couch so you can tell me everything you’re going to do for me now that I’m officially your client?”
Drake didn’t wait for her to respond. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her over to the couch. When she bent forward to sit down, his hand slid past her hip and cupped her ass.
Sasha gasped as Drake sat dangerously close to her. She moved over a few inches to put some space in between them, but he promptly moved in even closer.
“You’ve got such a beautiful complexion, Sasha. And I love your hair,” he murmured, lightly running his finger over her cheek.
She leaned back and eyed Drake suspiciously. “Do I really? Wait, let me guess what’s coming next. You’re going to tell me how exotic I look, then ask if you can touch my hair, right?”
“Actually no, I was—”
“Because, newsflash,” Sasha interrupted, now in full rant mode, “I’m just your typical, standard-looking African-American woman. My complexion, my hair…my entire look is the norm where I’m from.”
Sasha was so worked up she was beginning to perspire. She hadn’t meant to go off the deep end, but she was tired of that same old narrative of being viewed as some sort of foreign object—as if her form of beauty was somehow atypical. But Drake actually appeared somewhat amused.
“You made mention of where you’re from,” he said. “Where’s that?”
“Chicago. South side.”
“Ahh. Chi-town.”
“Please don’t call it that.” Sasha giggled. “It sounds so basic.”
“All right then, the Windy City. Great town. I shot a movie there last year. Fantastic food and even better people. Oh, and I hate to break this to you, Sasha Williams, but here’s my newsflash. There’s nothing typical about you, and you don’t resemble any other woman, period. You’re absolutely stunning.”
The compliment flipped Sasha’s feelings from offended to flattered within seconds. She looked into Drake’s eyes and saw nothing but sincerity, then felt herself falling under his spell once again. “Thank you,” she replied quietly.
“And no, I’m not going to ask to touch your beautiful hair, unless you want me to, of course. But your hair is not some sort of peculiar phenomenon to me. You’re not the first woman of color I’ve encountered. My guess is that you’ve never been with a white guy, though, have you?”
Sasha shifted in her seat. She wasn’t comfortable having such a personal, race-related conversation with this man she’d just met. “I’m sorry, Drake. But we’ve really gotten off track here. Why don’t we get back to business?”
“Sure. Whatever you want…”
Drake’s jeans rubbed against Sasha’s bare leg. He placed his arm behind her along the back of the couch, then let it slip forward over her shoulder, his fingertips practically brushing across her hardened nipples. If she moved an inch, her breast would fall right into his hand. Her entire body stiffened up.
“I’m sure you already heard about the altercation I had at the Hollywood Hills Resort last weekend. Do you think you could spin the story to somehow make me look like the victim? Because I’ve been slaughtered in the press, and when we go out on this press tour for Deck the Halls with Love, I need to have the fans’ sympathy and support.”
Sasha cleared her throat and allowed herself to slowly exhale, somehow managing to avoid having her hardened nipple graze Drake’s lingering fingertips.
“Well…” she began, struggling to steady her trembling voice. “The so-called fans who mobbed you at the resort were obviously trying to pick a fight. Their goal was to record the incident and upload it onto social media for likes and followers. I’ll counter the negative press by saying your actions were simply a matter of self-preservation. You were being attacked and had no security with you, so you had no choice but to protect yourself.”
Sasha was pleased with her impromptu response. And apparently Drake was, too, because she glanced down at his crotch and noticed he was fully erect.
“Wow, Ms. Williams. That was a very impressive answer.”
Sasha gazed into his eyes and saw a glimmer of insatiability. She became so memorized that when he slid his hand onto her thigh and gripped it firmly, she didn’t stop him. He boldly took her chin in his hand, pressed his soft, moist lips against hers, and slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
Her rigid body slowly relaxed. She couldn’t believe this was happening and was even more shocked by the fact that she was actually kissing Drake back.
When his hand glided up her leg, underneath her dress, and he slid her panties to the side, Sasha’s first instinct was to close her legs and deny him. But desire overtook her, and she instead opened her legs wider to give him easier access…

My Unconditional Valentine
The Holiday Chronicles Book 2

Interracial entertainment industry it couple Sasha Williams and Drake Lancaster are still going strong. Her impeccable publicist skills have kept him on the A-list, helping Drake land the lead role in a major Valentine’s Day movie. When filming wraps, the couple plan on heading to Cabo San Lucas, inviting both their families along to meet for the first time.

But plans go astray when Drake reverts back to his bad boy ways during filming and gets into a huge altercation with the director. He’s booted from the movie and replaced by Mitch Morrison, a hot young African-American actor who’s recently taken Hollywood by storm. 

While Drake struggles to repair his image, Mitch hires Sasha to help manage his burgeoning career. The move infuriates Drake, but Sasha insists it’s a great business opportunity. She doesn’t realize Drake’s threatened by Mitch’s good looks and charismatic personality and is worried the pair will bond over their African-American heritage.

The stress of it all puts a strain on the couple’s relationship, especially when Mitch admits to Sasha that he’s developed feelings for her and she realizes the sentiments may be mutual. With the pressures of Sasha and Drake’s rocky union continuing to mount, the anticipation of their families meeting, and Sasha’s elusive affections towards Mitch, the couple can’t help but wonder whether their once booming relationship is about to crash. In the end, they must figure out whether their love is strong enough to withstand these challenges and carry them through this Valentine’s Day.


Add to Goodreads
Amazon * B&N * eXtasy Books ​

​

​Mitch make it down the aisle? Will Z-listed Drake go back to waiting tables? Stay tuned, as we here at Gotcha! work to getcha all the latest scoop!
Sasha leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Tears streamed down her face. She looked down at the article again. A note from Drake was scribbled at the bottom.
Of all the guys you could’ve replaced me with, you chose Mitch Morrison? And I had to find out through some trashy blog? I thought we were better than that. Guess I was wrong.
Sasha balled the article up and threw it across the room. Her chest heaved with remorse. She sobbed for several minutes before grabbing her phone and dialing Drake again. The call went straight to voicemail. She hung up and sent him a text, apologizing profusely and asking him to please call her. Right when she hit send, a message came in from Nick.
In a meeting and can’t talk, but I got a call from Drake saying he wants to sign with a new publicist, effective immediately. What’s going on?
Sasha swallowed the bile that was creeping up her throat and struggled to steady her breathing. “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening,” she said to herself over and over again.
She closed Nick’s message without responding and sent Amanda a text, telling her she had an emergency and asking if she could come over ASAP.
Amanda replied immediately.
I’m on my way.

Denise N. Wheatley is a lover of romance, happy endings and the art of storytelling. She used to cry as a three-year old child when her mother read to her because she so badly wanted to read the books herself! Once she learned, Denise constantly had her nose in a novel (especially the ones she’d sneak from her mom’s bookshelf). She’s been writing for as long as she can remember and draws inspiration from Chicago, the city where she was born and raised, as well as Los Angeles, which is one of her favorite places in the world. Denise has published several books and novellas with Simon & Schuster, Red Sage Publishing, eXtasy Books and independently, has written screenplays and teleplays, and has ghostwritten for some of your faves. When she isn’t sitting behind her computer, you can find Denise in a movie theater, on a tennis court, watching true crime television or chatting on social media.


Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

​

So how did The Holiday Chronicles series come about?
You know, that’s an interesting question. The first installment of the series, A Naughty Jolly Christmas, was originally written as a standalone. But after I turned it in to the publisher, I realized that I wasn’t done with my two main characters, Sasha and Drake. I felt that there were more stories to tell, holidays to celebrate, and dramatic experiences to be shared between the fiery couple. So that’s how the idea of a series came about, along with the second installment, My Unconditional Valentine.


What was the easiest part of writing The Holiday Chronicles Series?
The easiest part was connecting my real-life love of Hollywood with various aspects of the stories. I really enjoy writing about movie stars, film production, tabloids, blogs, etc. So penning things like Drake and a film director having a huge blowup on set, the bad press he receives, and Sasha’s efforts to clean up his image as his publicist was a lot of fun for me.


So far you’ve written two installments of The Holiday Chronicles Series: A Naughty Jolly Christmas and My Unconditional Valentine. What’s the biggest difference between the two stories?
In A Naughty Jolly Christmas, my main characters are focused on getting to know/adjust to one another on a professional level. Sasha, who’s one of the best publicists in the business, is forced to sign bad boy actor Drake as a client. But as the twosome begin working together, they soon fall in lust, then love. This is a challenge for Sasha considering she doesn’t normally date her clients, and as an African-American woman, it’s the first time she’s ever dated outside of her race.

In My Unconditional Valentine, the story opens with Sasha and Drake doing very well in both their relationship as well as their careers. But when Sasha adds a young, sexy African-American actor named Mitch to her roster and he begins landing major roles, Drake feels threatened. His vulnerability, along with Sasha’s potential to betray him, are enough to possibly tear them apart.


How many additional novellas are you planning to write for series, and will we be seeing more of Drake and Sasha’s journey via those books?
I’m planning on writing at least two more installments, and yes, I will definitely delve further into Drake and Sasha’s relationship in all of them. I may branch out and bring other secondary characters into the forefront, like Sasha’s best friend Amanda who works at her PR firm, and one or two of Drake’s filmmaker associates. I’ll have to see where my brainstorming sessions take me then go from there. Who knows, there may even be a wedding and baby in Drake and Sasha’s future….


What are you passionate about these days?
I am really into true crime television, so right now I’m addicted to watching Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours. I’ve also been binge-watching Mara Brock Akil’s drama series Being Mary Jane on BET/Netflix, starring Gabrielle Union. I’ve already seen all of the episodes, but I have been catching up and reacquainting myself with them in anticipation of the series finale movie.

Let’s play who, what or where. Go!

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Driving down Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles with a dreamy man and a bag of peanut M&Ms.

What is your pet peeve?
Moodines

Where do your ideas come from?
My heart

What is your most treasured possession?
My mother

What can’t you live without?
Lip gloss

Who are your favorite authors?
Wally Lamb, Terry McMillan, Sidney Sheldon and Jules Asner

What inspired you to become a writer?
My soul. I was born with the desire to write.

What was your last purchase, book or otherwise?
Author Alyssa Cole’s novel A Princess In Theory: Reluctant Royals

What is your favorite movie?
All About Eve starring Bette Davis about an aging Broadway star who’s befriended then betrayed by a young aspiring actress.

If you could pick up and move to any city today, where would it be and why?
Los Angeles, for the entertainment industry, beautiful weather, stunning scenery and proximity to Vegas (party!)

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self to always be confident in my writing, don’t take rejection as defeat, always study the craft and ongoing trends in order to stay in top of my game, and never get too comfortable. More importantly, I’d tell myself to remain consistent and keep writing! As they say in Hollywood, you’re only as good as your last project.

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

Apr 29
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Craving Lovely Books

Apr 30
Lock That Door
Educated Book Freak

May 1
nanasbookreviews
Books a Plenty Book Reviews

May 2
Romance Novel Giveaways
b for bookreview

May 3
Readeropolis
The Magic Of Wor(l)ds

May 4
FUONLYKNEW

May 5
2 chicks and a book

May 6
A Mama's Corner of the World
From Head To Tale

May 7
Better Read Than Undead
Luv Saving Money

May 8
Scrupulous Dreams
Bedazzled By Books

May 9
Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed – GUEST POST
A Pinch of Bookdust

May 10
My Devotional Thoughts
Pick a Genre Already

May 11
fundinmental
Bookish Reviews

May 12
Book Review Virginia Lee
Maiden of the Pages

May 13
Always Love Me Some Books Blog
Reviews and Promos by Nyx

May 14
Books & Spoons
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author

May 15
Tome Tender
Books all things paranormal and romance

May 16
books are love
Books, Authors, Blogs

May 17
Breanna Hayse Romance
Girl with Pen

May 18
Dragon's Den

May 19
Viviana MacKade – GUEST POST

May 20
Midnight Book Reader
Paranormal Palace of Pleasures

May 21
Chapters through life
eBook Addicts

May 22
Book-Lover
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read

May 23
Paranormal Romance Trance
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'

May 24
Sylv.net
Tracie’s World of Books

May 25
T's Stuff

May 26
Teatime and Books

May 27
The Book Dragon
Triquetra Reviews

May 28
Twisted Book Ramblings
Inside the Insanity

May 29
Yearwood La Novela
Bookarella

​

a Rafflecopter giveaway