Excerpt Reveal Smash by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

 EXCERPT REVEAL

Title: Smash

Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Forbidden Romance

Release Date: October 25, 2026

Take a sneak peek at SMASH.

You know you want to…

Copyright © 2026 by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland

There was a beat of silence. For some reason I continued to stand there. Rafe looked at me for a few more seconds, like he was deciding something. Then he lifted his chin, gesturing toward the hallway. “You just got back from a run?”

I nodded. “First one since I left Montana.”

“How was it?”

“Definitely different. There are so many people out on the streets.”

He smiled. “There’s an art to dodging the slow walkers and people glued to their phone. You’ll pick it up.”

“I’m guessing I’ll also learn to stop apologizing to people I cut around. I think I said ‘I’m sorry’ a hundred times on an hour-long run.”

“Dead giveaway you’re from out of town.”

I laughed. “That and the fact that I’m wearing purple. What is it with everyone wearing black in New York? Especially women. They’re all in black pants, black leggings, black tops, black coats, black purses...”

His eyes flicked over me again—this time I definitely didn’t imagine it. “I like that you wear color.”

My stomach did a small, traitorous flip. “Thanks.”

Another pause stretched between us, this one charged in a way I couldn’t quite explain. Then Rafe walked to the table and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on. It made me wonder if he’d caught himself looking at me and felt wrong—exactly the way watching him felt for me. 

“I, uh, I’m sorry Calder and I didn’t make it to your girlfriend’s show the other day.”

Rafe smiled. “Not my girlfriend and not a big deal.”

“How was it?”

“Good. I like plays better than musicals, but it was fun watching someone I know become someone else onstage.”

Maybe that’s why it sometimes felt like he was watching me—because being around him turned me into someone else. Or maybe this was the real me. I wasn’t sure who the hell I was anymore.

“Any good plans for the week?” he asked. “You start your new job soon, right?”

I nodded. “The Monday after next. I’m planning to hit a different museum each day as I count down.”

“Nice. I love museums. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with dinosaurs. I used to beg my babysitter to take me to the Museum of Natural History. I’ve probably been there fifty times over the years. It’s still one of my top two favorites.”

“What’s the other one?”

“It’s called the Noguchi.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

He nodded. “It’s in Queens, so it’s not as popular as the museums in Manhattan that the tourists hit. It has a lot of sculptures, but the best part is the outdoor garden. It’s one of the most peaceful places in the five boroughs.”

“I’ll have to check it out.”

“It’s a good place to think. Or not think.”

I laughed. “I might need both of those this week.”

He held my gaze for a second, like he understood more than I’d said out loud. “Yeah…you should go.”

I shifted my weight, suddenly aware again that I was still lingering in his doorway. “Thanks for the recommendation.”

“Anytime.”

Another pause. Why wasn’t I leaving?

Rafe smiled. “I was just going to make some breakfast. Want to join me?”

I thumbed toward the hall. “I should probably get upstairs and shower.”

“You sure? Your boyfriend texted and told me to keep an eye on you while he’s away. I think that might include making sure you don’t start any more cooking fires.”

“I didn’t start—”

Rafe laughed. “I’m teasing. Go take your shower. I’ll have breakfast ready when you’re done. Consider it payback for helping my aunt.”

I hesitated. I should’ve said no, even though everything in me wanted to say yes. But I didn’t. “Okay. I’ll be quick.”

“No rush.”

I forced myself to start up the stairs. 

It’s just breakfast. 

No big deal. 

Calm down already.

Heck, Calder told him to look out for me.

Still, I took a little more time in the shower than usual and let my mind wander to places it shouldn’t. When I got out, I wrapped a towel around myself and started digging through my drawers for something to wear. One drawer, then the next, and eventually moving onto the closet. 

I blew out a breath.

I was being ridiculous. Who cares what I wear? I was going downstairs to eat eggs, not attend a black-tie event.

And yet…

I sprayed on a little perfume. Took a few extra minutes fixing my hair. Put on eyeliner when I normally just brushed on a bit of mascara. By the time I got dressed, it felt like I’d crossed an invisible line I hadn’t meant to step over. 

Or maybe I had.

I shook the thought away. It’s just freaking breakfast. I grabbed my phone, took one more glance in the mirror, and headed back downstairs. 

★★★

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Excerpt Reveal Crooked by Vi Keeland

 

EXCERPT REVEAL
Title: Crooked
Authors: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 29, 2026

Take a sneak peek at CROOKED.
You know you want to…
 

Copyright © 2025 by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland
 
“Sorry for making up that story,” he said. “But I didn’t know what else to tell him. Wasn’t like I could admit the real reason I’m here looking out for you.”
I crossed my arms. “Maybe you should’ve, and he could’ve carted you away, so I don’t have to deal with any of this.”
“Now, now. Is that how you talk to your loving boyfriend?” He winked.
“Please don’t repeat that.” Especially in that annoyingly seductive voice.
“Well, you don’t think at some point we’re gonna have to pretend to be something to each other? People are going to wonder who the hell I am. How else are you going to explain me, if I’m not your boyfriend?”
“I’m hoping not to have to explain you at all because I’m counting on this arrangement ending soon.”
“Well, if you’d let me sleep inside like you should’ve, I wouldn’t have attracted the neighbor’s attention.”
“I will admit that making you sleep outside was a mistake, in hindsight.” I rubbed my pounding temples. “Do you want some coffee? I need to get a cup before my head explodes.”
He smiled wide. “I would love some.”
God, those dimples.
Had they been there yesterday?
Of course they had.
Again, I needed coffee.
After I filled two mugs, I handed him one. “As you just saw, my neighbor is very nosy. You need to keep a low profile. That means no hanging around outside my house unless absolutely necessary. She’ll try to talk to you.”
“I’ll be fine if she does. I’m a pretty good liar.”
“How commendable.”
He shrugged. “I don’t make a habit of it. But in this business, you have to be able to stretch the truth with a straight face.”
Putting my coffee down, I crossed my arms. “We have to set some ground rules.”
Wes grinned from behind his mug. “Okay…”
He’d better be taking this seriously. I took another long sip of coffee. “One, you have to sleep on the couch. I only have one bedroom. So…”
“All right. I was expecting that. No big deal. I’ve slept on worse things.”
“Not even gonna ask.” I sighed. “Also, no walking around without your clothes on.”
Wes raised a brow and laughed. “Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know. You seem like the type who might be comfortable enough in your skin to want to flaunt it or something. Just letting you know I won’t appreciate that.”
“No naked ass. Got it.” He nodded. “What else?”
“No eating anything in my refrigerator that belongs to me. I just went to Erewhon to stock up. Practically spent a week’s salary.” I opened the fridge and began moving my items to the right, leaving spots on the left of the top two shelves empty. “You can keep your stuff on this side.”
“How generous of you…” He grinned.
I tilted my head. “Are you mocking me?”
“No.” He pursed his lips, probably to keep from laughing.
I sighed. Maybe I did need to calm down. This situation was making me more high-strung than usual.
After a moment, he asked, “Are you done?”
“I’ll let you know if I think of anything else.”
“Look…” he said. “I don’t wanna be here any more than you want me here. So let’s just try to make the best of it.”
“We don’t need to make the best of it. We need to stay out of each other’s way and not make each other insane.” I downed the last of my cup of joe.
Wes’s expression dampened. Had I hurt his feelings? This situation stressed me out and made me less than pleasant. My father’s antics brought out the worst in me. I felt like I needed a time out.
On that note, I took my own advice and ventured back to my room to have my second cup of coffee in peace.
When I walked back out into the living room about fifteen minutes later, my jaw dropped. It was like I’d walked onto the set of Love Island. Wes was sitting on the couch with his feet up on the ottoman—shirtless, with every beautiful contour of his bronzed chest on full display.
What. The. Heck. I gulped. “What are you doing?”
He stood, looking confused. “What do you mean? I’m just sitting here.”
“You’ve only been here a matter of minutes, and you’ve already broken a rule.” I scoffed. “The most important one, I might add.”
He drew in his brows. “What rule?”
I glared. “Naked?”
He looked down at his chest. “I’m not naked.”
“You took your shirt off.”
“That’s shirtless. Not naked. You say naked, and I think…junk hanging out. This is not naked.”
I shook my head. “You need to wear a shirt in this house.”
He stalked toward me. “It’s hot as Hades in here. Does your air conditioner even work?”
“I don’t like it too cold. I freeze easily.”
“I guess that’s what happens to people who are already cold enough.”
As he stood there with his hands on his hips, I did feel oddly warm, actually. And it had nothing to do with the air-conditioner setting.
He smirked. A chill ran down my spine.
F*ck. Those dimples.
I’m going to kill my father for hiring this guy.

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Crooked: Special Edition: Keeland, Vi, Ward, Penelope: 9781966867968: Amazon.com: Books

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria, Israel and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films, and two of her books have been optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.