Thanks, updates, and STEAM. Oh my....

Author

Bethany Monaco Smith
March 21, 2023

In this email...

  • Thank you!

  • An update from me

  • Your NSFW freebie!

  • A teaser from The Last Lie

  • Behind the scenes of what I'm working on right now

First, a massive thank you!

Y'all, it's been a week and a half since Together Like This released and it has been one of my best releases ever! It hit number one in its category and you've all shown it so much love! Thank you for all your support and love--not just for Sarah and Joel, but for the entire Friends Like This series. I wouldn't be able to tell these stories without your support & I'm so excited to bring you the next one!

A quick update...

Did you know I have approximately 8 million story ideas? Seriously, this week alone, I've fleshed out story arcs and characters for 3 books that are two years from being written, but I love telling stories and creating these worlds and characters for you all to fall in love with.

Going along with all that, I realize I may have over-promised the amount of free novellas I can send your way this year. I promise you'll still be getting some here and there along with free short stories and bonus scenes, but in order to keep the books I have planned on track and at the best quality, there won't be quite as many freebies as I hoped. That said, I do have a FREE NSFW Aaron & Rae scene for you all to enjoy TODAY. Keep scrolling to grab your copy & see a teaser! And keep an eye out for my next newsletter where I'll be announcing what other books you can expect from this year!

P.S. If you're wondering about the results of the next freebie short story from the last vote... the answer is Caity & Aiden, and I'll start working on that very soon. Olivia came in second, and I have a fun little Christmas short planned for her.

Wanna get dirty...?

Have you ever been reading an Aaron and Rae sexy scene and wondered what would happen if it were smuttier? Don't worry, I've got you covered. Because of how the series started and it's coming of age vibes, I tend to keep the sex scenes on the lighter side, but as Aaron and Rae have grown in their relationship, their sex life has, too, and they deserve a full blown spicy scene. This is the first of a few to be sure because writing alpha Aaron Cooper is my FAVE. Without further ado, here's a teaser & be sure to grab the FREE pdf of the entire scene below!

Finally, a quick tease from The Last Lie...

Mark & Frannie's fun, sexy vacation novella is coming June 13th as part of the Holidays and Hookups Anthology from the New Romance Cafe. Here's a quick teaser just for you!

Mark has a very important question about his first date with Frannie & his best friends are... unhelpful at best.

“Stubble or no stubble?”

“Uh. What?” Ackley asks.

“Really? You’re going to make me say it again?” I ask.

Hardy strokes his chin. “I need context.”

“Cont… fuck you. You don’t need any context to answer me about whether stubble is sexy or not.”

Hardy and Ackley exchange a glance as I wallow in regret over making this stupid call.

“If you want an answer from me, I most certainly need context.”

Asshole.

“Fine,” I huff. “I have a date tonight.”

“Woo buddy! Yes. Markie Mark is finally about to get laid. It’s about damn time, dude.”

Ackley plops down on the couch next to Hardy as I groan. And question why I’m friends with them. I should’ve called Dani. Of all my cousins, she’s the most no-bullshit and would’ve given me an answer without an inquisition.

“I thought you were anti-hookup,” Ackley says.

“I’m not anti-hookup. I’m anti jersey chasers. Don’t get me wrong, all the respect. They know what they want and they have the proverbial balls to go after it, but I want something more than that.”

“And this girl is more? Did you bring her with you? Find an ex or something?” Hardy asks.

“No. I met her on the plane. We have a lot in common. She’s sweet. Look, I promise to call you and gush about the date tomorrow and you can swoon onto your fainting couches, but for now, please, just tell me yes or no. Stubble?”

“Yes,” Hardy says, at the same time Ackley says, “No.”

Hardy and Ackley stare at each other.

“Christ, you two are useless. Why did I call you?”

“To be fair, you called me,” Hardy points out. “Because I know women.”

“To Mark’s earlier point, you know the jersey chasers. They’ll tell you whatever you want to hear if you let them suck your dick.”

Hardy stares at Ackley dumbfounded.

Ackley grins at me. “No stubble, man. Girls like that boyish look.”

I stare at my phone in disbelief. “Okay, that’s it. You’re both fired.”

Hardy strokes his beard. “Maybe you need to grow that stubble out.”

“I’ve gotta go figure out what to do with my face since you two are wildly unhelpful.”

“Hey, call us tomorrow!” Ackley says.

“I second that. I want to hear about this girl. Blonde? Brunette? Curvy?”

“Goodbye.”

I end the call to the sound of their laughter. Assholes.

Ready for Mark & Frannie's fun sexy story full of steamy moments, shenanigans, and excellent banter? 

Behind the scenes with me

Want to know what I'm working on right now? Listening to? Reading? What's rumbling around in my head? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway!

  • Currently working on: Finishing The Last Key

  • Currently distracting me from those things: A future MMF college story, a second gen featuring a child from the Freaking Love series, and one other super angsty college romance. Not writing any of them, but plotting the bigger beats. (Oh & they all go together as part of two connected series--think Elle Kennedy's Off Campus & Briar U series)

  • Currently reading: Nothing because Devon and Kennedy are not taking it easy on me.

  • Currently listening to: I'm on a playlist rotation right now, but What I Wouldn't Do by Jordan Davis has been stuck in my head!

If you want more fun behind the scenes info, make sure you join my FB reader group! It's where we talk about books, romance, my characters & their love stories, and where I share random unedited snippets of what I'm working on and other fun teases! And this year there might be an exclusive giveaway or two as well!

One last massive thank you to all of you for your continued support! You make this crazy little writing dream of mine possible! Can't wait to share what's coming next. Until next time, take care and happy reading!