Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 31

#Review: EARL ON THE RUN by Jane Ashford

 

  3 of 5 stars

Jack, Merrill, the next Earl of Ferrington, never dreamed he would be the earl. He had a thriving shipping business in Boston and had no intention of ever seeing his English relations after they treated his father so horribly. Jack decides to go to London to meet his relatives are and he receives nothing but criticism from the moment he meets them. He flees the city and decides to wander the countryside before he checks out his ancestral home where he meets Harriet Finch. Harriett has no idea that Jack the Rogue as she calls him is actually the Earl of Ferrington. They form an attachment, but when she finds out he lied to her, she wants nothing to do with him. Can Jack win back her trust and her heart?

This was a different type of regency romance and parts of it were enjoyable. I liked learning about the Travelers and Jack's friendship with them, but I didn't really warm up to Harriet. She refused to listen to Jack's explanation about why he kept his identity secret. Harriet's mother was annoying after a while with all her issues and Mr. Winstead, Harriet's grandfather, was an arrogant and insufferable beast. I was disappointed when he did not get his comeuppance at the end of the book. That would have been much more satisfying.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own. 

 

#Excerpt: A BLESSED DARKNESS by Elexis Bell

A Blessed Darkness
Elexis Bell
Publication date: February 22nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

A dark connection. A deadly responsibility.

Sparks fly when Elairie, a mixed-blood elf living on the edge of society and serving as a night guard, meets her latest prisoner. Strange auras surround them, and a magical gravity draws her to him, despite what her associates might say about his race. But the connection they share comes with a dark side.

When Beluroan learns that he and his guard are Blessed Ones, hand-crafted by the Gods to stop a madman from recreating the Blood Magic of old, his veins run cold. Threatened with a return to the magical slavery such magic commands, fear grips him, and memories of his childhood Master fill his mind.

But together, their potential power frightens even the Gods. Can they overcome the prejudices marring their land and master their new magic in time to stop the man trying to enslave their country? Or will they succumb to their own power?

Filled with grit and magic, this literary romantic fantasy will take you on a ride.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

—

EXCERPT:

The vision whisks us away from the cottage, and our spirits fly to a tiny camp deep in the forest. We stand with hands joined, staring at four Elves gathered around a campfire.

Fortune magic whispers through my mind, telling me these are the Elves who took my mother. My blood boils, and I grit my teeth.

One of them, a young woman with a shaved head, has the faraway look of someone in the grip of a vision. The others wait, staring into the flames.

When her eyes focus on the world before her, she hisses, “Fetch her.”

A form beside her separates from the shadows. A malicious smile spreads over his features, but darkness hides sunken eyes. He disappears into a tent only to return, dragging my mother along behind him.

My heart twists in my chest.

Dirty ropes bind her hands. A gash on the side of her face sucks in the light, and dried blood coats her skin.

“Mother!” I scream, voice breaking.

But she doesn’t hear me.

The woman with the shaved head steps closer to her. “What do you know and who did you tell?”

“All I know is that Gourmaht wants to renew the Blood Magic, and he’s somewhere in the Cargam Mountains. That’s it.”

The bald woman looms over my mother, leaning close. “Who did you tell?”

“No one.”

The woman steps back and motions to the shadowy man. His hand flies out, slamming into my mother’s face.

She stumbles backward, nearly toppling into the flames, and I gasp. Cold horror sweeps through me.

But my mother doesn’t make a sound.

She squares her shoulders, lifts her chin. A single tear trickles over her cheek, and blood flows from the gash on her face, now weeping once more, cascading to her tattered shirt.

The bald woman shouts, “Who did you tell?”

Mother’s words come out a whisper, “No one. I told no one. I couldn’t bear to speak of it.”

Finally, this satisfies them. The bald woman enters another vision. But fortune magic tells me it isn’t by choice. Waergou triggered it. The same man who traced Mother’s location.

When she snaps out of it, she says, “Gourmaht believes that she told no one. She has no one, after all, so who would she tell? Such a pitiful, lonely existence.”

Turning to the remaining two figures, she says, “Make it look like an animal attack. Provoke one if you can.”

Then, she vanishes into the tent behind her.

The shadow man shoves Mother to the ground, and my mouth falls open. Beluroan’s grip on my hand tightens.

Don’t let them do this.

The remaining Elves, two faceless figures, drag her to the edge of the firelight. Shadow wraps around them, hiding their faces.

I reach for a stick, anything to use as a weapon, but my hand passes through. Only my spirit stands here.

The Elves pull knives from within their cloaks and slash my mother’s arms, her stomach, her legs. A terrible scream erupts from me, but they hear nothing.

Mother bites her lip, silent and still. Blood trickles from her mouth where teeth pierce flesh.

I tug at Beluroan’s arm, desperate to go to her, to save her, but he pulls me into his arms.

“Elairie, we can’t do anything,” he gasps, voice cracking as he tucks my head against his chest.

They drag her past us, leaving a trail of blood glistening on leaves and broken twigs.

Author Bio:

I'm a nerd with a lot of hobbies and enough sarcasm and swear words to make a sailor blush, though, you'll never hear a word of it if I'm not comfortable around you. I've been an introvert since birth. When I'm writing, though, words come easily.

At the end of the day, I just want to write stories that make people feel something.

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#Excerpt: WITH LOVE by Alexa Randolph

With Love, Ella
Alexa Randolph
(With Love, #1)
Published by: February 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

New York’s power couple Daniel Collins and Ella Chambers, have been best friends since they were young. He is the Quarterback for the New York Giants, and she is one of the most sought-after New York Party Planners.

It is summertime in the Hamptons, which means Ella is in full swing planning events while Daniel prepares to get back to another season. They are busier than ever and more in love than ever.

He finally decided it is time to pop the question. Just after she says yes, she finds out news that has changed her world upside down.

Will they make it down the aisle?

Is the Hamptons drama too much for their relationship?

There are always people trying to take them down. Will they succeed?

Find out in the first book of the With Love, Series.

With Love, Daniel
Alexa Randolph
(With Love, #2)
Published by: February 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Daniel Collins, New York Giants Quarterback, just won the biggest game of his life, the Superbowl. He should be out celebrating with his loved ones, but instead, he has never felt so lost and alone.

He starts going down a dark path of destruction but cannot seem to find a way out. Then, one night he has a chance encounter with a stranger who is going through troubles of their own.

Daniel is in the process of losing everything, including his starting position on the team. His family and friends do not know what to do or how to help him.

Will he lose everything he holds near and dear to his heart?

Or will he finally see the light and get his life back on track?

Read on to find out how the With Love Series concludes.

Amazon

—

EXCERPT (With Love, Ella):

Ella walked into the bathroom to see Marissa checking herself out in the mirror. Marissa looked

up to see Ella and rolled her eyes.

“Marissa,” Ella said while fixing her make-up.

“Ella,” Marissa said while walking toward the door with a suspicious smirk.

The two girls hated each other. Most people weren’t big fans of Marissa, but especially Ella.

Marissa was always jealous of Ella, and Ella didn’t like how Marissa treated her and her friends.

She just had no use for toxic people in her life. They used to be somewhat friends back in

elementary and middle school, but everything changed in high school. Marissa became a

cheerleader. She had always had a thing for Daniel, and she told him at a party during the

beginning of high school, but he told her he wasn’t interested. So she had blamed Ella and had

her fellow cheerleaders torment Ella. But, of course, no one blamed Ella for hating Marissa. The party was in full swing, and everyone was having a great time. Ella finally decided to relax

and let whatever was supposed to happen, happen.

“Hey babe, you ready for a drink?” Daniel asked.

“Yes, a drink sounds great right about now.”

They made their way to the bar.

“Hey Ella, hey Daniel. Party is going great. What can I get you both to drink?” Tommy, one of

the bartenders, asked.

“Hey, big T can I have a Miller Lite and a Riesling for the superstar over here?” asked Daniel,

pointing at Ella.

“You’re doing a great job, T, and I’m not a superstar. I’m just doing my job. As long as everyone

is happy, or most people are happy, I’m happy.”

“Daniel is right Ella, you are a superstar, and I will have your drinks up in a minute.”

Daniel and Ella were waiting for their drinks when Marissa came up to them. They both

inwardly groaned, not wanting to deal with her and her drama that always seemed to follow.

“Hello Ella, Hello Daniel,” Marissa said in her fake high-pitched voice.

“Hello, Marissa. Enjoying the evening?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah, it’s been fine. So Daniel, are you excited for the upcoming season?”

“Yes, it will be great to get back into the routine. I have a good feeling about it.”

“That’s great. Well, I can’t wait to come watch practice in a few weeks. I know you will do

amazing.”

“Practices are closed for family only, but you can always buy season tickets to watch the team,”

Ella explained, trying to be as sugary sweet as possible but getting annoyed.

“Oh, I know, my cousin is the second-string quarterback and was able to get me into practice. So

it’ll be great.” Marissa said while putting her arm around Daniel.

“Oh well, that’s nice. Daniel, I love this song. Let’s go dance,” Ella said, holding his hand.

“Sounds great, babe.”

“Bye, Marissa,” they said, walking away with their drinks in hand.

Marissa just stood there glaring at Ella. What did she have that Marissa didn’t? Ella and Daniel had been dancing for hours with their friends and family, having a great time.

Ella had to go to the bathroom, so she dragged Julia, Daniel’s sister, with her to the bathroom.

Marissa and her friend saw them go in, so they decided to follow. She couldn’t let Ella get away

with humiliating her in front of Daniel.
A quick note that with a blitz I don’t assign a specific date to each blogger. They’re simply asked to post on any day between Jan 11th-15th – participants each choose the day that works best for them. Those interested in reviewing were asked to post their review either during the blitz or in the weeks following.

Here’s the Rafflecopter code for the giveaway if you wanted it too:

I’ll be in touch when I have the winner for you about a week after the blitz!

Thanks,

Author Bio:

I am a graduate of Michigan State University with a BA in Communications. I love to read, write, travel, binge watch Netflix for days, make up stories about random people I see for days and drink lots of coffee.

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#Review: DECEIVING THE DUKE by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

 

  4 of 5 stars

Seth Musgrave is the new Duke of Auchen after the death of his estranged father. Throughout his life, Seth had been bullied and called an imbecile by his father and Seth had tried so hard to prove his father wrong. His father's final wish was to return to Scotland and against his better judgment, Seth indulges the old man. Lady Ruby McAllister believes the former duke cheated her father out of his share of the profitable mill and pretends to be the old man's nurse to try and get him to do the right thing. What she doesn't count on was falling for Seth, but can they have a loving relationship based on lies and deceit?

This was an interesting read and the first book I've read by Ms. Carter. I felt such empathy for Seth trying to reconcile his feelings for his dying father who was proving to be the monster Seth remembered from his childhood or was he? The calming presence of Nurse Ruby is something Seth never counted on and he found himself falling in love with her. Ruby was a strong character who receives a shock in her quest for revenge and compensation from the old duke. She does redeem herself by letting Seth travel to London alone to adjust to being the duke while she stays in Scotland and tries to forget him. The plot moves along well and I especially liked Roddy, Seth's friend. He added some much needed levity to the story. While it was a rocky road, Seth and Ruby finally find their own HEA.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

#Excerpt: AUDREY by Sean-Paul Thomas

Audrey
Sean-Paul Thomas
Publication date: May 21st 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From the author of My Sister and I and The Old Man and The Princess (recently optioned to be a motion picture) – comes a new, suspenseful romantic tale that will knock you off your feet. A story that has a reminiscence of ‘500 days of Summer’ and ‘Midnight in Paris’ with a fair dollop of ‘The Graduate’ thrown in. And of course Audrey, a delightful, older female protagonist who takes the young and wayward ex-con Joe under her wing.

Just out of prison Joe, a young builder from Edinburgh who writes movie scripts in his spare time, randomly meets Audrey, a washed-up, hard-drinking, chain-smoking, middle-aged French film actress at his local film festival. After hitting it off and spending one crazy, magical night together, Audrey sees some potential in Joe and his writing and tries to help him win back his estranged daughter by getting his first screenplay made into a movie in Paris. And so, the adventure of a lifetime begins…

Goodreads / Amazon

Excerpt:

“Don’t say that. Jesus. You were brilliant up there. And you barely look a day over twenty-nine.” Joe said with a reassuring grin. Audrey’s eyes widened and she smiled with delight at the compliment.

“Well the dim lighting out here in this dark alleyway is fantastic, yes?” she teased. “It hides all of my lovely wrinkles and skin imperfections.”

“Okay,” Joe said rolling his eyes. “Maybe thirty-five then when you were outside earlier in the natural light,” Joe said, teasing her back, trying his best to flirt with her now, but it had been such a long time since he’d played the flirting game with anyone, that he didn’t even know if he was doing it right anymore. They both chuckled at his words and Audrey even slapped him lightly on the arm. Joe took it as a pretty good sign that she enjoyed his rusty flirting banter, even if she was only humouring him. He was just about to ask her something else. Something a little bit deeper and meaningful. That was when the festival host suddenly appeared through the fire escape, desperately searching for Audrey. Joe realised instantly that he was coming to steal her away even before he gave Joe a quick dismissive look.

 “Miss Beart? We need to take some more pictures now. Can you please come back inside?”

Joe had never felt so gutted before in his life. It was like the brick alley walls around him were all crumbling in and there was nothing he could do to stop the imminent disaster. They both hesitated and looked deeply into each other’s eyes like they knew they had so much more to say and ask of the other. At first, the festival host just assumed that Joe was only a starstruck fan and would be dropped by Audrey like a hot piece of coal effective immediately at the host’s mere white-knight presence in front of them. But after a long but comfortable silence, even Joe felt surprised that Audrey was still standing there and hadn’t made her excuses to leave already.

“So…” She finally uttered with that cute and delightful smile of hers, which was directed straight at him once again. “It would appear as if they remembered who I am after all…”

Audrey threw her almost finished cigarette down onto the ground and stamped it out with her shoe.

“I guess it was nice meeting you then… Joseph...”

“Please, just call me Joe”

“Hey, Joe, what do you know?” Audrey replied right back at him with a playful smile and a casual wink.

“You too, Audrey. It was an absolute pleasure,” was all Joe could fire back even though he wanted to say a million and one other things.

There was another fleeting second of hesitation. Joe didn’t want her to go anywhere and he knew she could feel it too, but in the end, he felt utterly powerless to make her stay. Who the hell was he to demand such a thing? In a normal world of boy-meets-girl, this would have been the ideal time to ask for her number or e-mail address or at least add her on bloody Facebook. But Joe did nothing. Not only was he well out of practice on the boy-meets-girl market front, but who the hell was he to ask anything of her? Joe knew he didn’t belong there. He knew he didn’t belong in Audrey’s world at that particular moment in time. He hadn’t yet earned that kind of accolade or respect as an artist. He was a nobody, and she was a somebody. Joe lived in Edinburgh as an ex-con, part-time plumber, and a starving writer and she lived in the vibrant, stunning, and equally chaotic city of Paris, or so he’d read on her IMDB page, deep within the magical film world that Joe hadn’t even begun earning the right of entry into. Plus, it felt even more awkward to him with the festival host still impatiently leering over them, still wondering why on earth Audrey hadn’t made her excuses and left with him yet, but at the same time not wishing to appear verbally rude by enforcing her to come back into the cinema.

“Good luck with the movie, too, and your writing.” Joe finally added, still not taking his eyes away from the middle-aged beauty.

“Merci Beaucoup,” Audrey replied, still gazing right at him before finally turning away and beginning to make her idle move back through the fire exit doors and into the cinema. “See you then,” she continued in a tone that suggested if Joe would only man the hell up and ask her to meet him later that evening for a drink or a late-night coffee so they could chat some more about movies, writing, or whatever the hell other life subjects that came up, then she would absolutely and positively accept his invitation. But Joe didn’t say another damn word, because Joe wasn’t that bold, or charming, or confident. Had he ever been? Yes, perhaps, once upon a time, before five long years of living in a lonely cell had robbed him of some crucial part of his personality and socialising skills to the extent where two minutes conversing with a French film actress convinced him that was two minutes more than what he actually deserved. Then, to the cinema host’s deep frustrations, Audrey suddenly paused at the fire exit door for much longer than he would have liked.

“What are you doing later, Joe?” Audrey asked out of the blue. Joe found himself utterly taken aback by her question, but quickly composed himself with a sharp, cool, and confident response that he would thank himself for in the not too distant future.

“Nothing I can’t get out of. Why, what do you have in mind?”

“Can you show me where to buy some cigarettes around here?”

“Aye. I can do that.” Joe replied, utterly delighted but trying his best to hold it in.

“Good. Why don’t you meet me out front in say… thirty minutes, and I’ll maybe even let you show me around your wonderful city, too, if you’re lucky?” Audrey said, finishing with a wink.

Joe smiled with utter pleasure. He couldn’t quite believe what Audrey had just said, but he went with it all the same.

 

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Author Bio:

Scottish Author/Screenwriter.

Sean is an author from Edinburgh in Scotland. He is the best selling Kindle Author of 'The Old Man and The Princess' which was recently optioned to be a major motion picture.

Sean spent most of his childhood and teenage years on the move with his Scottish and Irish army Parents growing up in the likes of Cyprus, Germany, Wales, and England, as an army brat.

With a keen interest in both reading and writing, he was diagnosed with travel and writing bugs very early in life. Now, writing, travelling, reading, cinema, and Scottish football (Supporting the mighty Edinburgh City for his sins) are his main passions in life.

His main inspiration for writing today comes from living in such a beautiful, charming and hauntingly, Gothic city, such as Edinburgh. An awe-inspiring wee city that has given him so much amazing inspiration to write the more time he spends there.

Recently, Sean has been working on a couple of screenplay adaptations of his books. One of which 'The Old Man and The Princess' made the final of the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition 2018 and has since been optioned by an award-winning Director /Producer team. Scheduled to go into production in Ireland in the summer of 2021 filming has been postponed until 2022 due to the recent covid pandemic.

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Interview with Elizabeth Mason, DEMON HUNTRESS

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

I consider my book a paranormal romance, but it can also be considered an urban fantasy. In Demon Huntress, there are two protagonists: Ezra and Maeve. They are an unlikely duo who team up for a similar goal. While writing Demon Huntress, it was important to me to build a unique premise with a strong element of surprise and a great amount suspense.

 

Demon Huntress will be part of a series, and each book will follow Ezra and Maeve as they navigate elements of the afterlife, apocalyptic events, and uncover mysteries of Heaven and Hell.

 

Do you have a favorite character?

“What consumes your mind controls your life.” – Bones. Bones is my favorite character. He is unique, mysterious, and funny. My story would be too serious and too dark without a witty character like Bones to lighten the mood.

 

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?

Yes, and I signed with a traditional publisher.

 

How long before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for your first novel?

I queried for a few months before I got my first full request, and a few days later, the publisher wanted to represent me.

 

What factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?

I signed with my current publisher, Darkstroke Books, for several reasons. They matched my niche, I liked their covers, and they genuinely cared about my writing.

 

If you used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the creative process for your cover?

I was somewhat involved. I got to choose the basis of the cover, but the finer details were left to the publisher. I would have appreciated a bit more involvement, but they understand the market better than I do.

 

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?

I am not involved in a critique group, but I do work one-on-one with a mentor. She is an experienced author and guides me through my writing process. Most importantly, she keeps me on a strict timeline.

 

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

I’m very strict with my writing routine. When my two sons are at school, I write for three or more hours each weekday. Also, I can’t listen to music while I write, it’s too distracting, but oddly enough, I leave the morning news on to fill the silence. If it’s too quiet, I’m distracted by outside noise. It’s my perfect balance. Oh, and I can’t work unless the house is tidied up.

 

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

I didn’t outline my first book, and I would have saved hundreds of hours if I had. Now, I map out my story in chronological order as well as interview my characters. The development stage takes more time, but the overall process is much faster and organized. However, I try not to get excessively detailed with my planning, mapping, or outline. I still want my characters to tell the story; not me.

 

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?

Absolutely, I hired a copy editor before querying, and my publisher did a round of edits before publishing.  

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Demon Huntress: Love Me To Hell And Back
Elizabeth Mason
Publication date: September 18th 2021
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A search for a cure. A journey fraught with danger. A fateful bond.

Determined demon-hunter, Maeve, must risk everything to obtain The Book of Raziel—a font of spells, divine magic, and ethereal knowledge—to cure her work partner of a deadly supernatural virus. And though she isn’t surprised to discover that the book is in the Garden of Eden, she is surprised to learn that the garden is situated in Hell!

Now Maeve faces her biggest challenge: fighting her inner demons¬, or be lost to the wanderlust of Hell forever.

Broken and reclusive, Ezra Virunas has one goal—kill the demon who stole the Sacred Seals, and, in return, he would regain his freedom. Never mind that Ezra has to use Maeve’s soul as bait to close the case, Ezra knows just how deceitful women can be, and he is convinced Maeve is no different. But he is mistaken, and despite fighting against it, her pure heart soon becomes a light to his darkened past.

As Maeve and Ezra’s bond deepens, so too does the danger awaiting them. Will they emerge from Hell unscathed?

Love Me To Hell And Back is a haunting tale of self-reflection and forgiveness.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

Elizabeth is a Cali girl who should enjoy the California sun more than she does. She’s content being indoors writing and creating spooky stories with strong leading women and bad boy leading men. With a degree in psychology, Elizabeth is drawn to the complexities of human behavior. The diversity of personalities, interactions, emotions, and relationships reflect in her writing.

When Elizabeth isn’t busy typing away, she enjoys time with her husband, two boys, and her two Weimaraner pups. And thanks to her love for lattes, she enjoys reading paranormal romance late into the night. Her husband and her two boys inspired her to never give up, and thanks to them, she’s proud to announce her debut novel: Love Me To Hell And Back. A haunting tale of self-reflection and forgiveness, even in the darkness of Hell.

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#Review: INDECENT by Darcy Burke

 

  4 of 5 stars

Bennet St. James, the Viscount Glastonbury, is in deep financial trouble thanks to his father gambling away the estate's future. He needs to marry an heiress and fast before he loses everything. He plans a desperate kidnapping plot, but when things go sideways, he's left with an even bigger mess. Miss Prudence Lancaster is kidnapped out of her bed instead of the heiress and when she finds out who's behind the plot, she must do everything she can to escape. With a horrific thunderstorm raging outside, Prudence is stuck at an out of the way inn with the viscount. Can she reconcile her growing feelings for Bennet while being furious for the situation he's landed them both in?

This was another enjoyable story from Ms. Burke. I could understand Bennet's desperation trying to save his family from destitution, but he soon realizes how wrong he was to hatch the kidnapping plot in the first place especially as he gets to know Pru better. He realizes there's so much more to her than her quiet and reserve personality, but she's a penniless companion and he cannot marry her even if he wanted to, besides the fact that he's hiding a devastating family secret. I really liked Pru. She was a strong woman who had been dealt some serious blows in her young life, but she carries on with her head held high. I loved the plot twist as Pru finds out who she really is. This couple had a rocky path to their HEA, but love does triumph in the end. Can't wait to read Ada's story.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

#New Release: MIDLIFE SHIFTER UNEXPECTED by Melle Amade

Midlife Shifter Unexpected
Melle Amade
(Cougar Creek Coven, #2)
Publication date: January 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Women’s Fiction

My new BFF is a witch and apparently, I’m a member of a witch’s coven. Only, I’m not a witch. Word is, I’m a wolf shifter. When I said I wanted to start over again, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.

Being a shifter isn’t the worst thing I could imagine. It’s taken care of all the hot flashes. My body temperature now runs constantly high. I like it. Snow? Who cares? I don’t need no stinking coat anymore.

I can smell like ten times better than even when I was pregnant, and as for my vision? Glasses are SO last year. I won’t be needing those anytime soon.

But man, what about the actual shifting? That hurts like nobody’s business. They say I’ll get used to it, but they don’t know how much it hurts, because I’m the only shifter for miles around. “They” are the coven that has accepted me and given me a new family.

The threat from the cemetery is very real and the dead aren’t sleeping quietly. Our coven is the frontline on keeping the dead in their graves and for some reason, they think because I’m a wolf I should have some superpower against the dead. But I don’t.

What I have is an amazing BFF just as powerful and middle-aged as me and I know together we can face anything. At least I think we can. We survived the first half of our lives.

How hard can the second magic half be?

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A hot new series celebrating midlife, friendship, and older women who crave adventure by Melle Amade. Perfect for fans of K.F. Breene, Shannon Mayer, Jana DeLeon, Darynda Jones, Robin Peterman, Elizabeth Hunter and Denise Grover Swank.

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Author Bio:

USA Today Bestselling Author. Farm Girl. Marketing Director.

Since I was eight, I have been writing stories that capture the adventures in my head and the characters strong enough and flawed enough to have them. When I look at an empty field, I see a formidable citadel. When I meet a vulnerable old man, I greet an emeritus warrior. When I walk through city streets, I feel dimensions hiding around every turn. It has been my lifelong passion to explore these worlds that reveal the pain of loneliness, the joy or self-actualization, and the hope of magic.

I grew up in a place called Potter Valley where the Milky Way is held aloft by a circle of mountains and the central business district consists of a bait store and a saloon. At 19 I moved alone to London and spent the next ten years exploring the world, even becoming an Australian citizen, before I returned to California and found a new home in Los Angeles. My world revolves around my two wee children, storytelling, and my love of travel.

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#SALE .99 THE LADY AND THE SPY by Debra Elizabeth

 

Viscount Alesbury, a seasoned spy for the Crown, wants to scale back his missions after his current assignment is complete. It was time he looked for a wife and he knew just the young lady he wanted to be his viscountess, Miss Violet Bainbridge, the sister of London’s spymaster.

 

Miss Violet Bainbridge was excited to come to London for her Season and attend teas, musicales, dinners and balls. She had met Lord Alesbury last fall, but has not seen him since. Her heart flutters when she thinks about the handsome lord. Will he be in London for the Season and, more importantly, does he crave her company as she does his?

 

Can these two reconnect or are there unseen forces working to keep them apart?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LR73PZV

Read for FREE with KindleUnlimited 
 

#Excerpt: LIGHTNING CRASHES by Maria Holt

Lightning Crashes
Marla Holt
Publication date: January 18th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The Tower Card: Upheaval, Crumbling Foundations, Chaos, Awakening
The Sun Card: Enlightenment, Joy, Success, Vitality

Rachel Ferrer fled the church when she was eighteen, burying her trauma to chase her dreams, only to have them thwarted when her husband died shortly after their son was born. Now she and her tarot-reading roommate do their best to get by.

Nicolas Rivera should be happy. He answered his call to the ministry and has held a position in the church he grew up in for more than a decade. He’s married and he loves his kids, but something in him has shifted and the life he thought he wanted doesn’t feel like it fits anymore. When his childhood best friend’s widow reappears in his life, Nicolas tells himself that his desire to be near Rachel is altruistic.

Until it isn’t.

Rachel and Nicolas have been on the periphery of each other’s lives for years, but when their worlds collide, attraction sparks, lightning crashes and the walls they have been hiding behind begin to crumble.

Lightning Crashes is an exvangelical romance that examines what happens when we build our lives on faulty foundations and what can happen when we leave that behind and step into the sun. Follow Rachel and Nicolas down the path of temptation, through their yearning slow-burn, and into their happily ever after.

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EXCERPT:

Rachel lifted the quilt covering Nicolas and slipped beneath it. He made as much room for her as he could, but his legs were already hanging over the far arm, his back pressed against the cushions.

Rachel didn’t need much room as she snuggled into his side, tucking the quilt back around them. “It’s freezing in here,” she said, her voice husky and low, her breath feathering against his neck.

“You need to check your insulation,” he said. “And probably get new windows.”

“I’ll get right on that,” she said in a voice that implied the opposite.

She shivered, and Nicolas allowed himself the indulgence of pulling her closer against him. In the name of keeping her warm. “What are you doing up?”

Rachel’s hand found his waist under the blanket, her fingers icy against his bare skin, but he didn’t dare flinch, lest he scared her off. “I wanted to see if you showed up. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s good you got some rest.”

“More like I sobbed myself to sleep in Naomi’s bed, but yeah, sleep was good. How are you?”

He sighed, at a loss for words to describe how he was feeling. His face ached, his body felt drawn, like he’d worked out too hard without enough food afterward. Nicolas couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. He wasn’t even sure he had a digestive tract anymore. Who had room for food when they were filled with heartbreak and betrayal? Was it possible to be yawning open with emptiness and full of dread and darkness all at the same time? It felt like the same thing, and yet entirely different.

Rachel’s hand was playing over his torso in a way that she probably didn’t even realize she was doing, but in a way that was distracting, allowing temptation to edge in on the periphery.

Author Bio:

Marla Holt believes in second chances, romance, and the radical notion that everyone deserves a happily every after. She's living her own fairy tale, writing contemporary romance novels in her Kansas farmhouse with her husband, three boys, three cats, and flock of imaginary sheep. Follow her at marlaholt.com or on Instagram as @marlaholtauthor

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