If you're new to the ARC team-- welcome aboard! I'll include a detailed explanation of how things run at the end of this email.

If you haven't read the first 3 books in the Do-Over Pact yet you can grab them on Amazon and read them for free in Kindle Unlimited. (Unfortunately, Amazon's terms of service don't allow me to offer up free copies of published books to get you caught up.)

Grab your pre-release copy of The Last First Touch, Do-Over Pact book 4 now:

ARC of The Last First Touch

The download link will remain active until Sunday, September 12 so make sure you download your copy before then.

I'll be hitting publish on Sunday, September 12 with hopes of being able to send you links for your reviews by Tuesday, September 14. Let's all cross our fingers that Amazon cooperates with that plan!

Brace yourselves!

The next (and last) in this series is scheduled to drop on the 19th, so the ARC for the next book will be landing in your inbox very shortly after this one goes live.

I know many of my ARC team members also review for other authors so I tried to come up with the best plan to avoid confusing anyone. (Mostly me.)

If you notice any horrible errors in the copy, please give me a heads up! This one is still due for its final proof-reading, and that will be happening over the next few days while you get some quality time with this pre-release copy. However, this is the final version of the story. There won't be any changes (unless the proofer, or one of you, find a glaring continuity issue) so no worries there.

If you have any questions-- feel free to email me!

Abby:

What's it like to look back on your dating life and not cringe, I wonder?

When I think back over all the guys I've dated all I come up with is a list of regrets going all the way back to that summer before my senior year of high school when I made out with Jeremy Stevens at the end of summer beach party up in Lakeview.

Talk about cringey.

***

The guy with the guitar stops playing intermittently to discuss his technique with the group of mesmerized kids. I watch the kids mimic the way he holds his fingers on the fret board.

This must be the guy that's taking over teaching music down here.

I take in the dark hair, the wide shoulders, the bulge of obvious biceps under an otherwise loosely fitted flannel shirt.

When he raises his head to look up at me, the view of his close-cropped, dark hair gives way to a chiseled jaw and a wide smile as recognition fills his deep brown eyes.

My initial interest is immediately replaced by a wave of nausea that moves through me as I realize that the new "Jeremy" teaching music at the recreation center is the same old Jeremy of my awkward adolescent fantasies turned nightmares.

My voice fails and I resist the urge to break into a run as my very first regret stares up at me.

Jeremy:

I'd been crushing on the Abster since the sixth grade. I hoped that make out session before our senior year back in high school might have meant she felt something for me too.

Then she ghosted me.

One look at her today and I know that what I felt for her was more than a crush.

She might still be out of my league, but at least now I have something to offer a woman like Abigail.

Maybe there's more than one reason I'm back in Landsburg, I think, maybe this is my chance to show Abby that I'm not that same loser she remembers from high school.

If I can just get a second chance with her, I'll make sure she never regrets kissing me again.

Welcome to Landsburg:

Bottomless mimosas, bitchfests, and brunch.

That's what we do on Sunday mornings.

The Lakeside Laundry & Boat Dock Cafe is the quirky sort of place you'd expect to find in a much trendier city like Seattle or Portland-- or at least some place that actually had a lake.

But no. There's no lake, no laundry, and no boat dock but there is a pretty damn good cafe...

Welcome to Landsburg and five girlfriends who make a pact to step back, slow down, and get a do-over on their dating history.

From here on out, they're saving themselves for someone special.

The Do-Over Pact is the new series of short stories featuring a group of close girlfriends and the third-pitcher-of-mimosas decision they make during one Sunday brunch that ultimately kicks off the chain of events that leads them all to their happily ever afters.

It's amazing how fast the Right One shows up once you're done wasting time on all the wrong ones.

I'm so excited to have this little series (almost) completely done! Thank you so much for being such an important part of the publishing process! You guys rock!

~Rox

New to the ARC team or Just forgot how it works?

Greetings and thanks for joining Rocklyn Ryder's Review team!

If you're new to the review team (or just need a reminder,) let me explain how mine works:

Take a look at the book description here in the newsletter and/or on the Bookfunnel landing page, and decide if the book being offered is one you're interested in reviewing.

If not, no sweat, don't download it and I won't wonder where your review is.

If you decide to download the advance copy, please review it.

Once the book is available, I'll send out a second email with links to all the places where you can leave your review.

Once you leave your review, please send me proof of your review. A link, a screenshot, the little "thanks for your review" receipt that Amazon gives you, whatever is easiest. Just something so I know you followed through on your end so I don't remove you from the team.

I'm pretty easy going: It really helps to get reviews posted as soon as possible. I ask that you get them posted in the first 30 days. If it takes you a little longer or if you space out on sending in your proof of review-- don't stress out. Just don't make a habit of waiting six months to get around to it. I do remove members from the team after several downloads and no reviews.

About my ARC files:

It's important to understand that I send my review copies out rough. That means that I'm an impatient author! I get all excited about finishing a book and I want to share it with you as soon as I'm done.

I do two full read throughs when I finish a book, making sure the story makes sense and doing all the major edits and fixing as many typos as I can find.

When I'm satisfied that the story is final, I send it off to you.

So you are reviewing the story, not my spelling. Please.

I know my ARC files are filled with typos. While you are reading the advance copy, the final draft is going through another set of eyes for the final edits and another set of eyes when the book gets formatted for publishing.

I welcome your feedback! If you find typos, grammar problems (sometimes those are on purpose though,) or consistency errors, feel free to let me know about them.

About your ratings:

Of course I love having enthusiastic readers who love my books.

However, the goal is your honest opinion of the story. Always.

Reviews help other readers discover new authors and books to love, so it only makes sense to ask you to be authentic in your review.

I understand that not every reader is going to love every story I tell, however, if you find that you don't like anything I write-- that's a good indication that we just aren't a good fit for each other and you shouldn't be reviewing for an author you don't like.

No hard feelings. If you want to leave the team but stay on the mailing list, you can update your subscription perferences or send me an email and I can do it on my end. If you choose to leave the mailing list entirely, it's easy to hit the unsubscribe link included with every email.

Thank you so much for your participation.

I hope you enjoy the book!