Spotlight & Giveaway: Code Name: Rook by Sawyer Bennett

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Sawyer Bennett to HJ!

Hi Sawyer and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Code Name: Rook!

 
Hey, y’all!
 

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

Code Name: Rook is a pretty light-hearted romantic suspense about a playboy who falls hard and fast, then marries his dream girl all while lying to her about his profession. Spoiler alert: she’s NOT happy when she finds out he lied.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

“You cannot marry a woman unless you are in love with her, and she knows the absolute truth about what you do for a living.”
My grin is lopsided, half well-intentioned, half wry. “Well… I got half right.”
Anna straightens in surprise, blinking at me with wide eyes. “You love her?”

What inspired this book?

I went for a very ‘True Lies’ feel to this book. A little action, a little fun, a little sexy.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

I’m always surprised when I start writing a playboy and how quickly they fall in love. Like they just know when they’ve met their match. Cage was probably the more surprising of the two for me. Once he was in, he was ALL in.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give anything away, but the team at Jameson takes on a rescue mission that I enjoyed putting together. You’ll have to read it for yourself! 😉

What was the most difficult scene to write?

Any scene where Cage is trying to apologize and Jaime shuts him out, because you know he feels like a total dumbass and wants to make it right, but she’s (understandably) mad at him. lol Poor guy!!!

“Let’s talk when we get you back to our apartment.”
My head shakes hard, hair flying, and I hold up a hand. “Wrong. That’s my apartment, and you’re not welcome there.”
Cage’s eyes narrow and turn dark. “That’s not fair, Jaime. You’re not giving me a chance to explain.”
“You’ve explained it well enough. You’ve lied for weeks, and you were too cowardly to come clean. You think I want to be with someone like that?”
Cage just stares at me, either unwilling or unable to argue. He merely lifts his chin toward Agent Brandeis. “You better go.”

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

Code Name: Rook is very in line with the other books in the series–fun and sexy!

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

Lies don’t make friends! Or spouses, for that matter. Haha!!

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I am THRILLED to be working on a paranormal romance/urban fantasy series for 2021! I writing book three right now, and the entire five book series will release in quick succession in the spring. The Chronicles of the Stone Veil launches on February 9, 2021 with the release of The Revelation of Light and Dark!

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Signed paperback of Code Name: Rook — US only

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: White lies when you meet someone–okay or deal breaker?

 
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Excerpt from Code Name: Rook:

I glance at my watch, noting the time of 1:47 AM. I look up at Jaime, who is currently dancing on top of our table in a nightclub we’d stumbled into half an hour ago.
And she is dancing all kinds of nasty, and I’m fucking turned on as hell as she lifts her hair up and gyrates her hips. I knew she was sexy, but that knowledge came from our adventures in bed. Seeing her in a tiny dress with lots of leg and even more cleavage showing, I realize I actually like this side of her.
Of course, it took copious amounts of alcohol to get her brave enough to let her hair down, so to speak. We had a nice dinner before jumping around the casinos and nightclubs, then walked the Strip. Each place we went into, we had a drink, and I feel slightly guilty that Jaime’s going to be hungover as hell tomorrow.
But she’s having a great time right now.
When the song ends, she laughs, gazing down at me. “I’m a spectacle, aren’t I?”
“The best kind,” I assure her, holding my hands out. She squats, letting me take her by the waist, and I lift her down from the table. She slides down my body, gliding her hands through my hair before letting her own head fall back.
She laughs again, a beautiful sound, and exclaims, “I’m having the best time.”
“I’m glad,” I say, pulling her upright so I can press a kiss to her mouth.
“Let’s have another drink,” she suggests, and I glance at my watch. I mean, why the hell not? This is Vegas, and we technically shouldn’t be crawling back to our hotel until at least daybreak. Which is fine… we’re taking a late flight back to Pittsburgh.
“Okay.” I bend to give her a serious look. “But you’re going to drink some water, too.”
“Anything you say, baby,” she replies with a goofy grin.
I’m able to snag the attention of a waitress, and I order another vodka tonic for Jaime and a Jack and soda for myself. We sit at a small table away from the dance floor, our chairs next to each other.
Reaching out, I take Jaime’s hand in mine and bump my shoulder against hers. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
“The best,” she replies. “Although, I heard there were sex clubs here that were a lot of fun. Maybe we should hit one of those up next.”
I almost choke on my own tongue at her mention of going to a sex club because I’ve actually spent a lot of time in one right here in Vegas called The Wicked Horse. But there is no way in fuck I’d ever bring Jaime to a sex club because there is no way in fuck I’d ever let another man even look at her naked body.
It’s a realization that strikes at me hard because it’s the first time it hits me that I’m actually feeling proprietary about her. A total first for me, yet I don’t begrudge the feeling. In fact, it’s just more confirmation I’m in deep with this woman.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Jaime quips with a giggle, leaning her face in closer to mine.
I smile. “I was just thinking how great you are, how lucky I am to be sitting here with you right now, and how there is no way in hell I’m ever taking you to a sex club.”
Jaime slumps as her expression melts into a gooey smile of affection. “Awww… Cage. That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said.”
“Well, it’s true.”
“What else do you like about me?” she presses, tilting her head and giving me a doe-eyed look.
After studying her critically for a long moment, I put my finger to my chin and tap. “Let’s see… I love your empathy. How you always care about people. I love your zeal to protect people.”
Her smile grows sappier.
“Oh,” I reply, giving her a sly grin. “I also love that thing you do with your tongue on the underside of my cock.”
Jaime bursts out laughing, but then leans in to whisper hotly into my ear. “I’ll do that very thing when we get back to the hotel.”
Just the promise of that makes me want to grab her and run out, but I’m enjoying our banter too much.
“Want to know what I like about you?” she inquires.
“Do I ever,” I drawl, leaning in closer.
A little of the drunk cuteness slips off her expression, but a smile remains in place. She leans in and rubs her nose along mine for a second, a move that causes my heart to hammer because of the care behind it. Pulling back, her hand comes to my cheek, and she says, “I like that you don’t try to pretend to be something you’re not. You’re genuine and grounded, and I like the security of that. You’re a good man, Cage, and I’m a very lucky girl to have found you.”
I’m speechless. That she sees so much good in me.
“Oh,” she says as an afterthought, her hand dropping from my face. She leans in closer. “And you’re really good with your tongue, too, so bonus!”
I should be laughing at that, because she always makes me laugh, but I’m still stuck on the fact she thinks she’s lucky to have found me. I feel the same exact way, like this was fated to be. Granted, I didn’t quite start this with the intention of us becoming anything, but I know now that it’s something very special.
“I wasn’t looking for this,” I say honestly. Her eyes stare into mine. “And yet, I can’t imagine never having met you.”
“It’s weird, right?” Her eyes are bright, shining with hope and excitement. “How deeply we connected and so quickly.”
“Some people believe in love at first sight,” I murmur, noting a tingle of expectation crawling up my spine. “Do you believe in that?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I believe in soul mates. That there’s that perfect person for everyone out there.”
I tilt my head. “You think that’s us?”
Jaime doesn’t answer immediately. I like that she takes a moment to think about it, because it’s a serious question. But then she nods, ever so slightly. “I do think that might be us.”
This is real.
This is fucking happening.
My heart has just rolled over and committed itself to this woman, and it’s never going to accept anything less.
I’m overwhelmed with the understanding Jaime is mine, and I’m never letting her go.
So I suggest what any sane, semi-drunk man would at this moment. “We’re in Vegas. We should get married.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Being a highly skilled operative for a company like Jameson Force Security is exhilarating and important work…until it comes time to date. I like to keep my profession under wraps for a number of reasons. Some of what we do is top secret, most of what we do is dangerous, and more than one woman has tried to latch onto me because she was more enamored with what I do than who Cage Murdock really is. And since I’m more of a ‘here for the night’ than a ‘here for forever’ kind of guy, what’s the harm in a little white lie about my job?

My harmless deceit has never failed me. Until now. Because I met the most amazing woman and did the unthinkable. I married her. And now my beautiful, unsuspecting, probably-going-to-leave-my-sorry-behind-when-she-finds-out-the-truth wife doesn’t know that I’m not a used car salesman like I told her when we met.

As it typically does with lies, the truth is about to come out in a big way when Jaime unwittingly gets herself mixed up with some unsavory characters and I, along with the team at Jameson, have to intervene. Now I need to save my girl and hope I can save my marriage too. Let’s just say I have some serious explaining to do.

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Meet the Author:

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
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