Hello! Thank you for taking time out of your day to spend with me. I know you're anticipating the newest release in the Home Wreckers Construction series this week, but I've had to push the release date to February 23.

I sent out a reader questionnaire around New Year asking what you'd like to see more of. I'm answering the call and widening my storytelling skills so I can give you what you want and write the best stories possible. You're going to LOVE Jonas and Jenna's love story. It's packed with a swoony love story, extra heat, and the Home Wrecker crew you've come to love. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

What you'll find in today's email:

• Lucky Charm chapter 1
• Related Reading
• What's next for the Home Wreckers
• Books by Alexandra Beck and Everly Prince
• Freebie & Sales promos (1 new this week)

INSTALOVE SPOTLIGHT'S ON...

Lucky Charm! small town, friends to lovers, brother's best friend love story.

Why I wrote Lucky Charm: I love a good friends to lovers, sibling's best friend story. I also have a soft spot for underdogs and bad boys who change their life for the better.

Lucky Charm takes us back to Honey Ridge. We meet Micah's younger sister, Andi, and his best friend, Evan. Evan's looked after Andi while Micah got his life together, but a single promise between best friends kept Evan from confessing his love to the woman he loves. Everything changes one starry night when Andi and Evan lay their future with a bet on a lottery ticket.

Find out what happens when Andi and Evan risk their hearts, friendship, and family ties. Will they win the jackpot or find something money can't buy? Scroll for Lucky Charm Chapter 1.

I won't give anything away, but this story has been updated to include the content and clarity readers asked for.

Lucky Charm contains copyright material.

Chapter 1

Andi

“Another beer when you get the chance?”

“Be right with you.” Penny, the bartender, nods to me as she pops tops off bottles.

The bar is busy for the low season. At least that's what my brother, Micah, says. He moved to Honey Ridge in the middle of peak season, not quite a year ago. He says it's even more beautiful during the summer when everything blossoms. Wait and see, he tells me. That little phrase sums up my entire life.

Wait until you're older. You'll see. Just wait. Things will get better, you'll see.

Only things never seem to change. I don’t live a charmed life. It’s full of difficulties that test the limits. When Grandma Susan retired from the post office and moved to Florida, Micah asked me to join him in Honey Ridge. It was an easy choice. I followed my heart, and here I am.

Things have always been challenging for Micah and me. Especially Micah. He got involved with the wrong crowd early on and paid the price. But he’s changed since moving to Honey Ridge. Too bad it hasn’t changed the way he treats me. He will forever and always be my big, bad protector. I’ll never outgrow being his little sister.

I pick at the label on my empty bottle while waiting for Penny to bring me another beer. The TV monitor above the bar distracts me from my thoughts. The lottery's climbed to a ridiculous amount. The cameraperson pans to a line of people waiting to hand their money over for a dream. It would take a miracle to win that jackpot.

Someone shoves up to the bar beside me, disrupting my thoughts. I scoot to the side when his arm brushes against mine.

“Whatcha havin’ there?”

He smiles with a goofy grin and broadens his stance, dragging his hip and thigh next to mine. It is crowded, so I give him the benefit of the doubt and hold back my cringe.

"Beer." I'm curt but not entirely rude.

“How ‘bout I buy you another one? Pretty girl like you shouldn’t have to wait.” He leans into the bar and raises his voice over the crowd noise. “Hey, bartender. I need two here.”

Penny glances up, unimpressed with the dude’s poor manners. She’s busy. She’ll get to him when it’s his turn. Geez, this guy needs a chill pill.

“No thanks. I’m with—”

I’m abruptly interrupted as a man’s arm forcefully slides between obnoxious, too-close-for-comfort-guy and me. Ever the protector.

“Me.” He finishes my sentence as Penny slides another beer in front of me. Micah clutches my elbow and pulls me away from the bar. He hisses under his breath as he leads me back to the high-top table our friend, Evan, occupies. “Are you looking for trouble, Andi? It’s going to find you if you’re not careful. Wait and see.”

“Like you?” I yank away from his meaty paw and plop down on the seat next to Evan. Micah scowls at me. He’s been through a lot. I shouldn’t poke the bear when he’s only looking out for my best interest. I reach up and rest my palm on his forearm. “I didn’t mean it, Micah. That guy wasn’t going to get anything from me.”

It’s true. I’m not interested in random guys at the bar or elsewhere. There’s only one man I’ve ever wanted, but he treats me just like Micah treats me. I’m just a tag-along little sister he protects like a brother. Only I don’t want him to treat me like a little sister. I want him to desire me as a woman.

I want him to love me.

***

Evan

It takes all the willpower I can muster to stay in my seat when that meathead sidles up to Andi. My hand fists around my beer bottle in a death grip. Micah runs a hand across the back of his neck and lets out a heavy breath. It takes less than a second for him to react. If he'd been a second slower, I would've been by Andi's side instead. Only there's a good chance I would've ripped the guy's head off for touching her.

Micah and I made a pact long ago when their father died. They were already without a mother, and Andi was as rough and tumble as they come. But she became our sole responsibility. Micah and I didn’t always make good decisions for ourselves, but Andi’s always been our priority. She deserves a better life than the one she’s been handed.

It’s not that Andi’s incapable of taking care of herself. She’s more than capable. She’s downright scary when she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. But it pains me to see her struggling. I want to be the one to carry her through hard times.

When Micah left home for Honey Ridge last year, he asked one thing of me. Watch over Andi while he straightened his life out. Sure, she had her grandmother to guide her, but Micah knew I’d make sure Andi didn’t do anything stupid or get caught up in the wrong crowd. Above everything else, he asked me to steer her far and wide away from men like us. Micah's request put me on notice. Andi's off-limits to me, too.

Men like us. We’re men with a rough, dark past.

♥♥♥

Continue reading to find out Andi and Evan's biggest fear and fantasy!

♥♥♥

Continue Reading Lucky Charm

Lotto Love series

Lotto Love is available as a box set and paperback

Related Reading:

Andi's brother, Micah, relocated to Honey Ridge to get back on his feet. Read what happens when he meets his new roommate. Blair's wet, naked, covered in bubbles, and mad as a hornet. But neither roommate is afraid to get down and dirty. Read their friends with benefits, friends to lovers romance in Dragonfly Dreams.

Get another glimpse of Kira's wit and wisdom in Butterfly Kisses.

Read about Grandma Susan in Return to Sender.

I've written about winning lottery tickets before this series. Read Signature Needed and find out what happens when lottery tickets get forgotten in the bottoms of purses and pockets.

Dragonfly Dreams

Butterfly Kisses

Honey Ridge Summer

Return to Sender

Home Wrecker's Construction Continues

Pre-order Jonas - releasing Feb 23

Pre-order Luca - releasing Apr 6

Catch up on the series

AUTHOR CORNER

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas… Not when I can’t forget the feel of his body against mine.

Read Bossy Secret

She's always been the one. But it'll take two pink lines and an old yearbook to make her believe it. A steamy, emotional, accidental pregnancy, high school crush, brother's friend romance. 

Read Stick Around

FEBRUARY SALES & FREEBIES

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NEW Short & Steamy Romance

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Steamy Contemporary Reads

Boxed Sets & Anthologies

Love, Anonymous

Second Chance Romance

February Romance

Steamy Short Romance Reads

Bookspry February

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Thank you for scrolling today. I'll be back in your inbox Thursday with an excerpt from Jonas. Have a terrific week!

XOX Piper