Tag Archives: Dalia Dupris

Soft Lies & Hard Truths Virtual Book Tour

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Soft Lies & Hard Truths cover

California Heart Series, Book 3

 

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 04-17-2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

 

Heartbroken and mortified by mean-spirited taunts and social media pictures
of her looking like a hot mess at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Leah
James decides to accept her friend, Miguel Montoya’s, offer to take a
road trip to their hometown of Santa Lorena.

Miguel, ex-Marine turned fitness trainer, is done pretending that he
doesn’t have strong feelings for Leah. From the moment he laid eyes on
her, he knew she was the one, and now this trip provides the perfect
opportunity to take their relationship to the next level.

Will shocking lies, deceits, and half-truths dampen the fiery sparks of
passion that ignite when Leah and Miguel are forced to share a cozy
honeymoon cottage, or will they overcome their fears and build a brighter
future based on honesty and love?

Soft Lies & Hard Truths tablet

EXCERPT

Chapter 9

Leah

That was an eye opener. I didn’t know Miguel had someone in Santa Lorena. What had the woman said? Something about him not having any clothes on. I’m happy for him, even if I’m disappointed that he can’t come get me. 

As soon as the cocky stranger retreats outside, I hop off the couch, grab my clothes, then run to the bathroom to throw on my clothes. The more I think about it, the more I’m certain that I over reacted. The guy has got to be doing some construction work on the house, hence the tool belt and the key to let himself inside. 

A pink t-shirt and my powder-blue jeans are perfect for hanging out around here. Since Miguel is busy with his girlfriend, I have got to talk to someone now. While heading into the kitchen, I call Jenny.

“So, what’s the skinny?” Jenny asks as soon as she picks up the phone. “Did you talk to your dad to find out what he’s doing with the student?”

“Jenny,” I say, exasperated. “You really have to control your imagination. That is absolutely not what’s going on here.” I open a few cabinets, looking for the cereal, which I find in the pantry between containers of flour and sugar.

“Oh.” She sounds disappointed. “I guess I was wrong then. So, your father said there was no hanky-panky, huh?”

“I didn’t ask him.” Opening the refrigerator, I find some almond milk and decide it will do fine for my bowl of cereal. “They were gone when I woke up.”

“What?” Sighing loudly, she continues, “Are you saying you didn’t talk to him about the woman in his house?” 

I can imagine her shaking her head. “She is not a woman.” I pour the granola in a bowl. “She’s a girl.”

“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” Her signature loud laugh echoes through the phone. “You said she’s in her mid-twenties.”

“At the most. Maybe younger.”

“Well, in any case, being in her twenties qualifies her for adulthood. Stop fooling yourself. We aren’t that much older that you don’t remember what it was like to have a crush on one of our handsome professors.”

“I remember no such thing.” I should have known Jenny would refuse to see logic, what with her magic incantations and spells. “There’s no hocus-pocus going on here.”

“No. I’d say not.” She chuckles. “If you don’t want to remember Professor Larsen, our very bohemian art history teacher, well, good for you. Even I was attracted to him, and that’s saying something.”

“Okay.” Of course, I remember him, but I’m not about to share that with her so she can gloat in satisfaction. My father is nothing like Professor Larsen, who had loads of sex appeal. He’d probably been in his late thirties or early forties, tall and rangy-looking, with a slightly disheveled look, messy hair, and crumpled clothes that looked like they’d been purchased at a secondhand store. He’d consistently appeared excited to discover he was teaching art to an excited group of students who he may or may not have noticed were mostly female. “I didn’t ask my father about the living situation because, by the time I came back in the house, they were in bed.”

“Together?” 

“Jenny!” After choking on my cereal, I wipe my mouth with a napkin. “No.” Although, really… how would I know? But the thought is too ridiculous to seriously consider.

“Go check now,” she orders. “See if it looks like she’s using the second bedroom and he’s using the other one.” Jenny can be very bossy. 

Normally, I admire her directness, but not so much right now. “I’m not going to snoop around my father’s house.” I chew on a mixture of crushed almonds, coconut shreds, and pumpkin seeds. Obviously, this cereal is eaten for the health benefits, not the flavor.

“Don’t be silly,” she says impatiently. “That’s exactly why you can snoop. All kids wait until their parents leave the house before they embark on a treasure hunt to discover what bounty they can unearth—candy bars, love letters, perfume samples, etc. You apparently missed out on some of those important developmental milestones. Go now and call me back when you’re done.”

“I’m not sure,” I say hesitantly, while the idea begins to make sense. After all, they aren’t here, and it will just take a minute. 

Taking my bowl to the sink, I quickly wash it, then set it on the drying rack. “Okay, you’re blowing this whole thing out of proportion. You’ll see I’m right.”

“Want to bet?” she asks eagerly.

“Not really.” Now that I’ve decided to check out the rooms, I’m eager to get off the phone, so I can prove my point.

“If I win—or perhaps I should say when you see that they are sharing a room—you owe me a crystal of my choice.”

“Fine. And you owe me one when you find out that she’s renting a room.”

After disconnecting, I set my phone on the table and walk to the back of the house. My father’s room is the first door on the right. 

I twist the nob and look inside. Same teakwood headboard on his double bed that is clearly unsuitable for two people. The beige curtains cover two windows, and the oblong brown-and-beige rug is on the floor at the foot of the bed. 

Stepping inside, I make my way to the dresser where there’s one bottle of expensive designer cologne. My hand shakes as I pick up the bottle, looking for an indication if it’s for a male or female—but there’s no designation either way. Maybe I should check in the closet. If the girl’s sleeping in this room, she’ll have to have some clothes in the closet.

Just as I’m about to slide open the door panels, a deep voice behind me says, “What do you think you’re doing?” 

It’s the construction guy, a drill in one calloused hand, and a stern expression on his lean face.

“Hey.” Startled, I jerk away from the closet door and hit my hip against the sharp corner of the dresser. “Ow.” I rub the spot where the wood jutted out. “I’m looking for something.” Women’s clothes to be exact, but he does not need to know that. “I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here?” I feel guilty but also apprehensive since I’m alone with a stranger. Truth is, he probably does know what’s going on here, even if I don’t. 

“I’m working on the other room.” He tilts his head across the hall. “I didn’t mean to startle you this morning.” He looks at me sheepishly, a grin beginning to spread on his face. “I’m Aaron and you’re a friend of the professor?”

My face grows warm and I look down as I remember the short pajamas I was wearing earlier. No need to think about that, not when I have things that are more important on my mind. Maybe I should befriend him since he’s apparently harmless and knows more about my father’s situation than I do.

“You’re not…” His brown eyes are filled with questions. “… an acquaintance or should say friend of the professor, are you?”

“No, I’m not.” My response is quick since I’m unsure of the direction he’s heading. Obviously, Jenny’s gotten into my head with her overactive imagination. Not knowing when Melissa or my father will return home, I am now eager to leave the room. 

Edging my way past him, I can’t help but notice how he smells—like a combination of sweat and musk, a strangely appealing mix on him. “I’m Leah Ann.”

“Nice to meet you, Leah Ann.” Grinning, he follows me out of the room into the hall. “Is that one word or two?”

“Two.” I’m on a mission and not in the mood for small talk, even if Aaron appears to be a decent guy. “Don’t let me stop you from doing your job.” Glancing past him, I focus on the second bedroom door that he’s blocking. I feel like reaching around and grabbing the handle. And why shouldn’t I? It’s my father’s house after all—the place that I spent time in during school breaks. It doesn’t matter if I had fun or not. 

“What, with the other room being taken, I guess you had to sleep on the sofa.” Scrunching his nose, he makes a face. “Doesn’t look that comfortable.”

“It was okay,” I lie, remembering how uncomfortable I’d been.

“Here.” He slips a hand into his back pocket, pulls out a business card, then hands it to me. “At your service. My number’s there if you need me.”

I take a minute to read the card. Aaron Wong. Construction. His name is in bold, blue print, with a picture of a red crane in the background. A phone number, website, and a contractor’s license number are listed. “I won’t be needing this, but thanks anyway. I’ve got no plans to remodel anything. I’m just visiting my dad for a couple of days.” Feeling awkward about entering the other room now with him looking on, I saunter past the closed door.

“Really?” Following me down the hall, he adds, “I didn’t know the professor had a daughter.” He nods, looking at me appreciatively. “You must be excited.”

“I am,” I say confidently, having no idea what he’s talking about, but I don’t want Aaron to know how little I know about what’s going on in my father’s life. “Very,” I say emphatically. I’m eager for him to go so I can finish my snooping. What am I supposed to be excited about? It would be too weird for me to ask him what he means. After all, we are talking about my father. “Don’t let me hold you up.” I wave a hand. “I know construction runs on deadlines.”

“We’re just getting started.” He lays a hand on his tool belt. “I’ve been working for the professor for a while.” He shrugs. “I do odd jobs here and there, although this is a bigger project. Anyway, it’s nice meeting you.”

“Nice meeting you, too.” I wave my hand again, before shoving the door closed.

After he leaves, I rush to the other room. As I’m about to enter the bedroom, I hear someone at the front door. Impatient, I rush back down the hall to see who’s here now.

“I thought of something.” Aaron’s hands are jammed in his pockets as he stands on the porch, a sheepish expression on his face.

“Yes?” How am I supposed to inspect the other room if Aaron keeps distracting me? I slowly uncurl my fingers from where they clutch the door handle. It’s too early for either Melissa or my father to be returning any time soon—or… is it? What if he has only one class to teach today and Melissa’s running an errand that takes a short time to complete? “Did you forget something?”

“You’re here to spend some time with your father, right?”

“Correct.” Now I’m puzzled. He now wants to talk about how I’m going to spend my time? I glance at my watch.

“Probably Melissa, too, am I right?”

“Hmm.” Saying no could be construed as rude, so I murmur something unintelligible. Why is this man assuming that I’d want to spend time with one of my father’s students? Strange.

“I know you said you’re only going to be around for a couple of days, but there is a new Italian restaurant in town.” With a grin, he holds out a hand. “Do you like Italian?”

“I do.” He has a great smile and his tattoos are sexy, but I’m not interested in going out with anyone at this time—even someone as ruggedly attractive as Aaron.

“Great. Want to get a bite to eat later? How about six? I can pick you up or we could meet in town.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m good.” This guy works fast. Maybe if I lived here, I’d take a chance since Raymond has someone and so does Miguel. But I need to stop hanging onto the past and move forward. “I’ll be gone in a couple of days, so…” 

“Say no more. It’s cool. You have my number.” 

As he walks out the door, I hear him call out, “Call me if you change your mind. You have to eat while you are here.” 

 

 

About the Author

Dalia Dupris

Dalia Dupris has been a book lover as long as she can remember.
Dalia’s BA in English Literature from UCLA and Master’s degree
in Social Work, from the University of Southern California, in addition to
years of experience as a licensed psychotherapist, contribute to her
creation of relatable and complex characters.

In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding along the California coast with
her husband, and hiking with her daughter. She loves hearing from her
readers. Their words of encouragement inspire her to continue creating
memorable characters, who will make you laugh and cry and keep rooting for
them until the very last page. Subscribe to her website for a chance to
learn more about Dalia and her books.

 

Contact Links

Linktr.ee

Website

Facebook

Twitter @dalia_dupris

Goodreads

Instagram

TikTok: @daliadupris8

 

Purchase Today

 

 

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Soft Lies & Hard Truths Blitz

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Soft Lies & Hard Truths cover

California Heart Series, Book 3

 

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 04-17-2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

 

Heartbroken and mortified by mean-spirited taunts and social media pictures
of her looking like a hot mess at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Leah
James decides to accept her friend, Miguel Montoya’s, offer to take a
road trip to their hometown of Santa Lorena.

Miguel, ex-Marine turned fitness trainer, is done pretending that he
doesn’t have strong feelings for Leah. From the moment he laid eyes on
her, he knew she was the one, and now this trip provides the perfect
opportunity to take their relationship to the next level.

Will shocking lies, deceits, and half-truths dampen the fiery sparks of
passion that ignite when Leah and Miguel are forced to share a cozy
honeymoon cottage, or will they overcome their fears and build a brighter
future based on honesty and love?

 

About the Author

Dalia Dupris

Dalia Dupris has been a book lover as long as she can remember.
Dalia’s BA in English Literature from UCLA and Master’s degree
in Social Work, from the University of Southern California, in addition to
years of experience as a licensed psychotherapist, contribute to her
creation of relatable and complex characters.

In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding along the California coast with
her husband, and hiking with her daughter. She loves hearing from her
readers. Their words of encouragement inspire her to continue creating
memorable characters, who will make you laugh and cry and keep rooting for
them until the very last page. Subscribe to her website for a chance to
learn more about Dalia and her books.

 

Contact Links

Linktr.ee

Website

Facebook

Twitter @dalia_dupris

Goodreads

Instagram

TikTok: @daliadupris8

 

Purchase Today

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RABT Book Tours & PR

Comments Off on Soft Lies & Hard Truths Blitz

Filed under BOOKS

Soft Lies & Hard Truths Reveal

 

Soft Lies & Hard Truths cover

California Heart Series, Book 3

 

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 04-17-2024

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

 

Heartbroken and mortified by mean-spirited taunts and social media pictures
of her looking like a hot mess at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Leah
James decides to accept her friend, Miguel Montoya’s, offer to take a
road trip to their hometown of Santa Lorena.

Miguel, ex-Marine turned fitness trainer, is done pretending that he
doesn’t have strong feelings for Leah. From the moment he laid eyes on
her, he knew she was the one, and now this trip provides the perfect
opportunity to take their relationship to the next level.

Will shocking lies, deceits, and half-truths dampen the fiery sparks of
passion that ignite when Leah and Miguel are forced to share a cozy
honeymoon cottage, or will they overcome their fears and build a brighter
future based on honesty and love?

 

About the Author

Dalia Dupris

Dalia Dupris has been a book lover as long as she can remember.
Dalia’s BA in English Literature from UCLA and Master’s degree
in Social Work, from the University of Southern California, in addition to
years of experience as a licensed psychotherapist, contribute to her
creation of relatable and complex characters.

In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding along the California coast with
her husband, and hiking with her daughter. She loves hearing from her
readers. Their words of encouragement inspire her to continue creating
memorable characters, who will make you laugh and cry and keep rooting for
them until the very last page. Subscribe to her website for a chance to
learn more about Dalia and her books.

 

Contact Links

Linktr.ee

Website

Facebook

Twitter @dalia_dupris

Goodreads

Instagram

TikTok: @daliadupris8

 

Preorder Today

 

RABT Book Tours & PR

Comments Off on Soft Lies & Hard Truths Reveal

Filed under BOOKS

Anything But Love Virtual Book Tour

Anything But Love banner

Anything But Love cover

California Hearts, Book 2

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 06-15-2022

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Known as the anything but love girl, Morgan Hart has two passions,
travelling and having fun. After reassuring her French lover, Marcel, that
their relationship will resume unchanged when she returns, she’s ready
to begin her Cape Town adventure, only to find that her friend Amber is a
no-show at the airport, and Morgan’s stuck with having to travel solo,
that is, until she falls into the lap of widowed single father, Dakar Ngosi,
whose good looks and charm have her questioning her resolve to living life
unattached and carefree.

Dr. Ngosi is beyond annoyed when a seemingly inebriated Morgan slumps down
beside him in the airport lounge where he’s waiting with his sister
for their flight. When his sister volunteers him to show the lovely American
the sites of their country, his irritation grows, but he soon discovers that
Morgan is as enticing as she is beautiful, and he must decide if he’ll
stick to his vow to never love again or pursue the American woman whose
captured his heart.

Anything But Love tablet

EXCERPT

Chapter 1 

Lovers & Friends 

“We stayed in bed for too long.” Panicked, I peer at my watch for the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes before frowning at Marcel’s profile. His wavy brown hair is uncombed, tufts of it stand straight up in the back, and a stubble of new growth darkens his chin while his periwinkle blue eyes stay focused on the predictably slow-moving Los Angeles traffic. “I cannot miss this flight.” Even at five o’clock on a Saturday afternoon, it’s a sea of wall-to-wall cars. Squirming in my seat and growing more anxious by the minute, I tense, certain that we should have left an hour ago. 

“Amber is probably at the airport already.” 

Blowing out a puff of air, I know that he’s not the only one who looks like he just crawled out of bed after a wild night between the sheets. I barely had time to shower and grab my suitcases before shoving him out the front door. 

“I still can’t believe she decided to join me. Claire and Chris won’t believe that  I’m the one running late today.” 

Claire, Chris, and Amber are my best friends from high school. Claire’s as dependable as they come, with a solid marriage to her accountant husband, Craig, and two adorable children. Chris is married to Reggie. 

Unfortunately, Amber’s relationship with Derrick is drama-filled. Hopefully, this vacation will help her come to her senses, and she’ll figure out that she deserves more than his lies and manipulations. 

Vous n’avez rien à craindre.” Glancing in my direction with a wicked sparkle in his eyes, Marcel winks before refocusing on the road. 

“What does that mean?” Folding my arms, I send him a perturbed glare. It’s unfair of him to use the beauty of his native language against me. He knows I’m a sucker for accents—that his seductive utterances weaken my resolve to be irritated. 

“You have nothing to worry about.” He shakes his head and smiles. “That, ma cherie, is the translation.” 

“Yes, I do.” I rub my hands together. “Please stop using French. It’s a distraction.” 

Je suis désolé.” His deep laughter fills the car. 

“What’s so funny?” I rub my hands together harder. If my palms were sticks, they would have already caught on fire. They get itchy when I’m stressed, so I tuck my fingers under my thighs, before my hands are raw. 

“Hmm. I remember last night and earlier today. 

You weren’t complaining about my French—or anything else.” Removing his hand from the steering wheel, he gently squeezes my thigh. “As for us running late, you are to blame as much as me. When a woman cries out for more, I have a duty to give her what she wants.” 

“Okay.” An image of us tangled in the sheets and me gasping out urgent demands flashes in my memory. 

“You’ve made your point.” 

The man definitely knows his way around a woman’s body. So much so that I had lost track of time as we made love twice this afternoon, totally ignoring my two unpacked suitcases. What was I thinking? Oh, right I wasn’t. I had allowed myself to be swept up in pure sensual pleasure while the clock kept ticking, and now, here I am, mad at myself for, once again, allowing desire to win out over logic. If only I were more practical like my older sister, Elaine. She’d never lose track of time by succumbing to passion. However, now that she’s married and on her honeymoon, I hope that’s exactly what she’s doing. 

Smiling at the thought, I run a finger through my short cap of curls and peer out the window, trying to gage how long it will take to arrive at LAX. 

Marcel has been driving his new toy—a candy-apple-red convertible sports car—for over two hours from my small hometown of Santa Lorena, which is sixty-five miles north of Los Angeles. What started out as a beautiful scenic drive overlooking the cresting white waves of the Pacific dramatically altered as we made our way through Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Malibu. At some point, we veered onto the six-lane 405 

freeway, where we encountered a sea of slow-moving vehicles. Whenever there is a tornado or hurricane anywhere in the country, more people eagerly and understandably flock to our beach-lined shores. I can’t blame them. 

Sighing loudly, I wonder why they all have to be on the road today. 

“You have nothing to worry about.” Marcel grasps my hand and gives it what I expect is meant to be a reassuring kiss. “We will make your flight.” He points to a large green sign that spans across the congested lanes. “Culver City, home to the first movie studio.” He gestures to the sign. “It says we are only six miles from the airport.” 

“Yes, but six miles in this city is the equivalent of twenty miles anywhere else.” 

 

About the Author

Dalia Dupris

 Dalia Dupris has been a book lover as long as she can remember. She has won
two EMMA awards and is a Spectrum Grant recipient. Dalia’s degrees in
English Literature and Social Work, in addition to years of experience as a
licensed therapist, contribute to her creation of relatable and complex
characters. In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding with her husband, and
hiking with her daughter. She loves hearing from her readers. To learn more
about Dalia and her books check out www.daliadupris.com and
https://linktr.ee/DaliasBooks.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

BookBub

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RABT Book Tours & PR

Comments Off on Anything But Love Virtual Book Tour

Filed under BOOKS

Anything But Love Blitz

Anything But Love banner

Anything But Love cover

California Hearts, Book 2

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 06-15-2022

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

 

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

Known as the anything but love girl, Morgan Hart has two passions,
travelling and having fun. After reassuring her French lover, Marcel, that
their relationship will resume unchanged when she returns, she’s ready
to begin her Cape Town adventure, only to find that her friend Amber is a
no-show at the airport, and Morgan’s stuck with having to travel solo,
that is, until she falls into the lap of widowed single father, Dakar Ngosi,
whose good looks and charm have her questioning her resolve to living life
unattached and carefree.

Dr. Ngosi is beyond annoyed when a seemingly inebriated Morgan slumps down
beside him in the airport lounge where he’s waiting with his sister
for their flight. When his sister volunteers him to show the lovely American
the sites of their country, his irritation grows, but he soon discovers that
Morgan is as enticing as she is beautiful, and he must decide if he’ll
stick to his vow to never love again or pursue the American woman whose
captured his heart.

About the Author

Dalia Dupris

 Dalia Dupris has been a book lover as long as she can remember. She has won
two EMMA awards and is a Spectrum Grant recipient. Dalia’s degrees in
English Literature and Social Work, in addition to years of experience as a
licensed therapist, contribute to her creation of relatable and complex
characters. In her spare time, she enjoys bike riding with her husband, and
hiking with her daughter. She loves hearing from her readers. To learn more
about Dalia and her books check out www.daliadupris.com and
https://linktr.ee/DaliasBooks.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Instagram

 

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

BookBub

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RABT Book Tours & PR

Comments Off on Anything But Love Blitz

Filed under BOOKS