Head Over Heels In Love by Mariah Ankenman is a Stress Busting Book Festival pick #romance #newrelease #mustread #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- May 8
- 6 min read
Title: Head Over Heels In Love
Author: Mariah Ankenman
Genre: Romance
Book Blurb:
Catching a woman breaking into his car was not the way Ace Jackson wanted to start his day. Finding out she’s the new hire at his family’s distillery is even worse. Sure, she said she mistook his car for her’s, but there’s something about Millie he doesn’t trust. Too bad all his siblings vetoed his vote. What’s the point of being the oldest if you don’t get to be in charge?
Millie Danes told the grumpy Adonis she wasn’t breaking into his car, but did he believe her? No! The guy has a stick up his butt bigger than the pine trees gracing the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, he’s her new boss or she’d try and see if she could melt that icy exterior. But she has more on the line than a job, she needs funds to start her dream. Her very own aerial studio.
When a theft is discovered at work, Ace enlists Millie’s help as a spy in exchange for the money to build her dream. Their tentative truce becomes complicated when desires fan the flames of temptation. In the battle of love, who will fall first?
Excerpt:
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Millie Danes let out a small screech as her heart jumped into her throat. Not literally. She knew that wasn’t the way hearts work, but it damn sure felt like it. The organ pounded in her chest, reverberating up her throat at the loud demand from behind her. The bobby pin she’d been using—unsuccessfully—to try and unlock her car door fell to the ground with a tiny ping, so soft she could barely hear it over the blood rushing in her ears. Again, not how blood worked, but that’s the phrase people used in books and right now she couldn’t think of any other way to describe what her body was doing.
Panicking, Millie girl. We’re panicking.
Right, that. Loud sounds always startled her. Sound was always a bit tricky for her with her audio processing disorder. She turned to answer the very rude demand, but words escaped her as she stared up, and up, into one of the most handsome and grumpy looking faces she’d ever seen. The white guy standing behind her was tall. Not saying much since she barely topped five two, but he towered over her by at least a foot. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he did not look happy to see her. Weird since she’d never met the man in her life. What could she have done to piss him off?
His sandy brown hair was short and clean cut. His lips were pressed into a firm, disapproving scowl so she couldn’t tell how full they were. But she knew how loud they could be. His shout still rang in her ears. But what really got her were his eyes. Piercing blue, like the sky on a bright summer day. Not as warm, though. No, these eyes were cold and hard. He glared at her, opening his mouth to speak when she remained silent.
“I said, what the hell are you doing.”
The stun of his handsome looks wore off quickly as irritation set in. Who talked to strangers that way?
“I heard you,” she said, lifting her chin and affecting her most haughty tone. “I bet the whole town heard you.”
She hadn’t been in Kismet very long, two weeks to be exact, but she knew the place was smaller than most of the places she’d laid her head to rest.
“If you must know, Mr. Manners,” she continued ignoring his bushy arched eyebrow at her nickname. “I’m trying to get into my car. I must have locked my keys inside. I can’t find them and normally the bobby pin trick does the job, but it’s being a pain today.”
“Your car?” He said it like a question, but his face held a hint of amusement.
“Yes. My car.” Bending down she let out a huff of frustration, grabbing her fallen bobby pin and raising to glare at the sexy stranger who ruined her progress and her mood for the day. “Look, buddy—”
“Ace.”
“Huh?”
Mr. Manners uncrossed his arms and pointed to himself. “I’m Ace.”
“Like the hardware store?”
His brow drew down in confusion. She pasted a cheery smile on her face, doing her best to refrain from singing the company’s jingle. Something told her Mr. Grumpy Pants wouldn’t find the humor in it.
“Never mind. Hi Ace, I’m Millie and as I was saying I’m trying to get into my car so unless you have a lockpick or you’re a locksmith I’d appreciate it if you’d stop shouting at me and move on with your day.”
She turned back to the car, hunching down to inspect the lock again. It looked weird. Different than she remembered. Weren’t there a few scratches missing? She’d locked her keys in her car so many times. The hairpin trick usually worked—and left a ton of marks on the locks. Thank goodness she had to drive an old clunker. One of those new electric cars would be impossible to pick open.
“I’m not a locksmith and I don’t have a lockpick set,” Ace’s deep voice said from behind her.
She released a heavy sigh, wishing this man would just go away and let her work. What was his deal anyway?
“But I do have the key.”
At those words her hands stilled, pin hovering millimeters from the door. She stood and turned, confusion and relief swirling inside her. Why did he have her keys? Had she left them at the coffee shop when she grabbed a donut and latte? She did that sometimes. Once she left her keys in a men’s room gas station. In her defense the women’s was full and in her rush to get out of the smelly, dirty, room she’d forgotten to grab them from the sink. She really should get a lanyard or something for them. Keep them around her neck so she’d never lose them.
“You have my keys?” She grinned up at Ace, reaching out for the silver metal keys dangling from his fingers.
“No.” His hand closed around them before she could grab them. “I have my keys.”
She frowned, frustration mounting. What was this guy’s problem? All she wanted to do was get in her car and decompress for a few minutes before heading to her job interview. Why was he being so rude and cryptic?
“What?”
“My keys.”
He opened his palm and that’s when Millie noticed the keys in his hand were not hers. For one thing, the key ring was a simple plain, boring silver. It didn’t have her tiny squish gecko or her clicker fidget, or any of the tchotchke she kept on her key ring.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/head-over-heels-in-love-mariah-ankenman/1147040154?ean=2940180555199
What’s your favorite way to combat stress?
If it’s energized stress I do aerials to get the energy out and have fun! If it’s exhaustion stress, a cold martini and a hot book with a comfy blanket!
Why is your featured book a stress busting read?
Laughter helps relieve stress and head Over Heels In Love is a laugh out loud romcom sure to have you giggling all your stress away!
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs May 1 – 31, 2025
Drawing will be held on June 1, 2025.
Author Biography:
Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her. Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books, visit her website http://mariahankenman.com/ follow her on social media, or sign up for her newsletter.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://mariahankenman.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mariahankenman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariahankenman
