Julie Elizabeth Powell's Blog, page 46
January 19, 2017
Romance Between The Pages presents #bestseller @JuliaMills623 #podcast #interview
Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through January. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!
HEY THERE! I'm Julia Mills. It's great to meet you! I've been incredibly blessed to become the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Dragon Guard Series. I'm a sometimes sarcastic, always southern woman that would rather spend all day laughing than a minute crying. I have two of the most amazing daughters ever created, a menagerie of animals and a voracious appetite for reading. I decided to write the stories running through my brain and I have to admit I'm having an absolute blast!! I read her first book, Dr Suess' Cat in The Hat at four years old and have been hooked ever since.
I believe a good book along with shoes, makeup and purses will never let a girl down. I know for a fact that all heroes in all the books I have ever read or will ever write will always pale in comparison to my hero, my dad! I'm a sucker for a happy ending and love some hot sweaty sex mixed with a huge dose of romance.
I'm still working on my own story but I can guarantee you that it'll contain as much love and laughter as I can cram into it!!!!!
Dare to Dream! Have the Strength to Try EVERYTHING! Never Look Back!
CHEERS Y'ALL!
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
January 18, 2017
THE ORDER OF THE CRIMSON LOTUS by Suzanne Quill
THE ORDER OF THE CRIMSON LOTUS
The Ravished Rose
Attractive, capable, intelligent, Elizabeth Mannings returns to London after two years on the Continent, looking forward to experiencing her first Season and finding a man to love and marry. Instead, she is brutally attacked, forcing her to flee London and abandon her hopes for the future.
Allan Ridgefield, Earl of Ridgecrest, no longer has a need for love, having had his heart crushed two days before his wedding when his childhood sweetheart fell from her horse and died. Ten years later, he desperately seeks a marriage of convenience in order to meet the terms of his father’s will and retain his estates and title.
“I know this is very awkward for you. It is for me, too. I, at least, had a momentary glimpse of you back in London. I knew you were attractive and from what I have heard, you have at least a degree of intelligence.”
A degree of intelligence, she thought to herself with disdain, his condescension raising her ire. Indeed! I’ve had the best education. I’ve read the classics, speak French and Italian fluently, and acceptable Spanish and Russian. I’ve even had some Latin. My logic is impeccable when I choose to use it. A degree of intelligence, indeed! She rallied to control her feelings before she erupted in his face.
Allan continued, “To you, however, I am an unknown quantity. You must be very intimidated by me, your new surroundings, and everything that has happened.”
Everything that had happened? Had her father told him the details? Did he know what she had actually been through?
“I hope this marriage of convenience will turn into a friendship, at least, over time. I will not force you to do anything you do not wish to do. Elizabeth, I will never force my attentions upon you. If at some point we both choose to, we may have greater intimacy, but for now I don’t think that is appropriate.”
Elizabeth stood as still as the post she clung to. Had she heard right? He would not bed her tonight? She did not have to tolerate his hands on her body, the intimacies she did not want?
“Elizabeth, did you hear me?”
She let out a quiet gasp of relief. “Yes, my lord.”
He started to go, then stopped and turned back to her. With great care, he laid his hands on the sides of her face, tilting it up.
Elizabeth stiffened once again.
“Look at me,” he said firmly but gently.
Her body trembled, her eyelashes fluttered as she reached for all of the strength she could to gaze up, to face the man she had married, her husband. When their eyes met, she was sure he could see the fear, distrust, the sense of danger that must reflect in her eyes.
She could see . . . What? His eyes were clear and blue. They held strength and coldness, but something more. She could see gentleness, like his voice. He could take her if he wished. He certainly had the size and strength to do it. But that did not show in his eyes, nor his touch. Both were gentle now. Tender to her.
His voice broke into her thoughts. “Elizabeth . . . may I kiss you good night?”
What should she say? What should she do? He was her husband. He had promised not to force his attentions. His hands strong and warm against her face, his eyes delved deeply into hers. “Yes, my lord,” she heard herself say, not knowing from where the answer came.
He bent over her to gently brush his lips on hers. Then he pressed his mouth to hers, firmly, tenderly.
Shivers coursed through her body, not missing a spot. His energy poured through her. The heat in her heart rose.
An Improper Seduction
Geoffrey Chisholm doesn’t want to be the head of a family, no less a marquess. But, his life radically alters when a cousin dies. At five and thirty, he must manage estates, marry, and provide an heir. A difficult chore considering how jaded he has become with affairs in the ton. He refuses to leg-shackle himself to just any woman; she must be one for whom he has some feelings.
Most women live to marry or must do so for family or finances. Angeline Hartley, her father’s estates unentailed, has no requirement to wed. Two years past her thirtieth year, she is on the shelf, her life contentedly complete. After the Marriage Mart and encounters with local gentlemen, she has vowed to remain unattached. After all, men do it when they have no need of a wife.
But Geoffrey meets Angeline and entices her to sample the intimacies of lovemaking. The coupling is explosive and now two strong-willed individuals must decide if they will give up personal stubbornness to make a bond for a lifetime.
“Lady Angeline,” Geoffrey began, “I will be off shortly.” He would for sure if he didn’t get his rampant sex away from her immediately. “I thought it best to come to say goodbye. And, before I take my leave, I thought I should tell you your father has given me leave to court you.”
Angeline turned upon her heel, her eyes blazing, the seafoam depths now a raging sea, wrath plain upon her angelic face. “I think not, my lord. I have no desire for your attentions,” she said with scorn. “You shall only be wasting my time and yours in such a fruitless endeavor. Leave me be. I do not wish to be the center of your marital goals. Surely there is some other woman who would be easier met to satisfy your needs.”
“There is no one else I wish to assuage my needs, my lady,” Geoffrey assured her as his rod twitched within his trousers. “And to attain your interests ours will not be a proper English courting.”
Throwing caution to the wind and taking the bold path, Geoffrey lowered his voiced and asked, “Tell me, my lady, have you ever felt the pleasures of a man? Have you ever swelled under the feelings of desire?”
The heat and color rose to Angeline’s face so quickly Geoffrey could not help but see it.
“That is none of your affair, sir. What I have or have not felt is no one’s business but my own. Your questions are most improper.”
Geoffrey moved a few steps closer, putting him less than a foot from her. He could easily reach out now to stroke her hair, her breasts, to raise her skirts from over her sensual derrière. “I thought not, based upon our little encounter this morning. My dear Angeline. . .”
“I gave you no leave to call me by my Christian name,” she spat out at him. “Please desist from these efforts and leave me be.”
Eyes still glaring, she refused to give him the satisfaction of backing off. She remained rooted in place before him, her cheeks an explosion of red color.
“Lady Angeline,” he went on, ignoring her reprimand, “let me be blunt. Do you truly wish to die a virgin? Do you have no thought to leave this plane having some knowledge of the secrets held between a man and a woman?” he quietly demanded. Only inches from her face, her lips, pink and full, enticed him to take them with his own.
***
Angeline was startled and appalled by his inquiry. “That is no business or concern to you, my lord.” But the heat was pooling in her abdomen.
What was it like to feel such things with a man?
“Ah, but it is, my lady, because I choose to be the one to teach you the pleasures between the sexes. You may never marry, me nor anyone else, but you shall not go to your grave pristine and untutored. You shall know the very meaning of passion and desire.”
His eyes were heavy-lidded and held a glint of knowledge she knew she wished to share. But she would not. Especially not with this. . .this. . .rake.
Only You
Denied the right to marry his beloved Jessica due to his depleted estate, Jonathan Stratton, the Earl of Sheffield, travels the world in search of his fortune. Not only does he gain wealth, he learns the ancient Tantric sexual teachings of the Order of the Crimson Lotus. Returning after a five-year voyage, which was only supposed to take three, he finds Jessica more beautiful and desirous than when he left and married another.
Heiress Jessica Esterly, Lady Wickham, is beside herself. Not only was she forced to marry a man she did not love, she discovers him to be a debauched, avaricious rake of the first water. To make matters worse, she's having nefarious nightmares and hauntings that are threatening to drive her mad.
Then Jonathan returns, handsome, wealthy, and ready to love her and share the ancient Tantric mysteries of the Order of the Crimson Lotus.
How is she to tell Jonathan of her impending madness? How is she to tell him her husband will kill her rather than give up any of the funds her inheritance provides?
“No, no, that’s not all of it!” She jerked away from him. “There’s more, you see. You’ll not want me after you know but I must tell you. I am . . . I’m losing my mind. I’m going quite mad. I know I am. The sounds, the visions . . .” Jessica collapsed against his shoulder and sobbed once again.
“Mad, Jessica? What are you talking about? There’s no one in your family who has ever gone mad, no such tendency. Whatever would make you think you’re going mad?” Jonathan nudged her gently away so he could scan her tear-stained face. Tears were still coursing down her cheeks.
“Truly, Jonathan, I’m not making this up. I wake in the middle of the night for no reason at all. Then I hear sounds, awful sounds.” Jessica’s voice cracked with anguish.
“Tell me about the sounds, my heart, I’m listening.” He cleared his mind of all other thoughts as he held her gently to his chest, his only concern now her current state of safety and well-being.
“Moans and groans and chains. They start softly at first. I can barely hear them when they start. They sound so far away.” Jessica’s eyes glazed as she seemed to go into a trance. Then she came back to herself abruptly. “They get louder and closer. Soon they’re right inside my room. And then it comes. I know not what it is.”
“You see something, my heart? Something appears to you?” he inquired with care.
“Yes, yes. It’s white, I think, and not quite there. It seems to float. It groans and moans. Sometimes I think it calls my name. Sometimes it reaches out to me.” Her voice was still strained, her face downcast.
“Who have you told about this? Who else has seen or heard the vision?”
“No one else that I know of. I told Martin. He told me I was dreaming, having a nightmare. He says they can recur when a conscience is not clear. That there has never been a ghost in the house before. He suggested I might grasp a little tighter on to reality,” she said forlornly.
“I see,” Jonathan said, his mind reviewing all she had said. “It’s all right, my heart, maybe it was a bad dream. Maybe it’s not. Promise me you’ll let me know the next time it happens.”
“I never know when it will happen, Jonathan. It just does.”
“I know, Jessica, but I’m here now, you don’t have to go through this, or anything else, alone. Promise me. Promise that you’ll come to me or send a message the next time it occurs. Maybe I’ll see it, too, or maybe I’ll be able to figure out what it is.”
“Yes, Jonathan, I’ll let you know. It would be a relief to share my nightmare with someone. It would be even better if I could make it go away. I promise, I’ll let you know.” She dropped her head against his shoulder. She was so tired, tired of being scared, tired of crying, tired of being alone and lonely.
If Love Were Enough
Priscilla Brunell, Marchioness of Rutherford, is in desperate need of a son and heir. Her seventy-year-old husband of ten years has died leaving her a virgin and the protectress of his estates. If she can’t produce a son in the next nine months, the current heir, Damon, will succeed in ruining the family fortunes in a matter of a few years due to his gaming and womanizing. Dare she ignore her morals and pass another man’s child off as her husband’s? Can she do so without losing her heart?
Soon to be the Viscount Brookfield, Brandon Bradley arrives at a house party at the insistence of his dying father. In all rights, he should be home marrying Estella and begetting his heir. Estella is certainly pleasant and attractive, but in all their years of friendship he has never felt anything but a cold distance from her. Then he meets Lady Rutherford. Not only can she help him through his grief, he is immediately attracted to her. Can he let down his father and Estella merely for his own benefit? Can he break the pattern of society and marry for love?
Priscilla thought of her last moments with Robert, how he held her hand so weakly, his hand frail and dry clasping hers. He had looked into her eyes, but the twinkle had dulled in his. Still, his earnestness, his caring, had been apparent.
He counseled her to find another and to marry once again. But he begged her not to be dictated to by Society. She would have money from his estate. She should look for a man to love her not her fortune. Look for someone who could gratify her in all the ways his old, arthritic and impotent body failed to do. She should find someone who would teach her the full meaning of marriage and the conjugal relations that could be shared within its bounds. She should seek gratification that could be given by another.
Tears ran down her cheeks again, and she dabbed at them as she tried to regain her composure. She turned her face away again using the brim of her bonnet to hide the image of her grief.
She was afraid and intimidated by such thoughts. Of course, she knew what should happen in bed between a man and a woman. But that never happened with Robert because of his maladies. After waiting so long, she feared she would not be able to release herself to someone else’s care and tenderness, no less return the same intimacy with him.
Robert asked too much of her, considering he could never demonstrate what she should expect to give or have returned.
But she had smiled and reassured him amidst her tears. She agreed she would try. If it never occurred, it would not be her fault, nor would it be a promise broken since it was predicated on deep feelings that would never exist.
But she would have a man bed her in hopes of an heir. And, if she could manage it and get over this incessant crying, she would like to make it this handsome stranger who had some of Robert’s younger features and seemed so much kinder than she could have ever hoped.
Her companion shifted next to her. A shiver ascended her spine once again. She was sitting too close if she could sense him so easily.
And she could breathe the scent of him.
This man did not smell of ointments and age. He smelled of sandalwood, leather, and something indefinably male. She knew too little of the world in general and men in particular to be comfortable in his company.
But he did quirk her interest. And he could solve her problem. He could unknowingly gift her with a son.
Knowing what an old man felt like beneath her hands, what would this Corinthian, with his muscles and strength, feel like when her fingertips slid over his skin?
She felt heat pool in her belly as her thoughts meandered to the intimacies she could share with him.
And he, being a rake of the first water, would know what to do with a lady, to her, to deliver on the promises whispered between them before the mating.
Suzanne Quill, the nom-de-plume for Susan Dudics Dean, has been pursuing a fiction career for over fifteen years. With prior experience writing articles for interior design trade magazines and local newspapers she decided to find a more creative outlet for her vivid imagination. Inspired by romances from such icons as Amanda Quick, Diana Gabaldon and Mary Balogh, she chose historicals as her first genre. She is currently writing a sensuous series called The Order of the Crimson Lotus. The series includes: If Love Were Enough, Only You, An Improper Seduction, and The Ravished Rose. All are offered through Soul Mate Publishing and Amazon.com.
Currently a member of Romance Writers of America and the Washington Romance Writers Chapter, Suzanne lives in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. She is happily married, has a beautiful daughter, two inside cats and two outside cats. After years of running a successful interior design business that started in Southern California, relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and finally in the Greater Washington D.C. Area, she has finally retired to pursue her writing dreams full time.
Look for more in the Crimson Lotus series soon and contemporary romances under the name of Susan Dean in the near future.
January 14, 2017
FALCON: Resistance by Victoria Danann
FALCON: Resistance
by Victoria Danann
Genre: Paranormal Romance
The knights are losing the war with the mutated virus. Humanity's extinction is a possibility.
Black Swan needs a miracle.
Who would guess that it might come in the form of a womanizing vampire?
"Reminiscent of My Familiar Stranger."
The next generation of the Knights of Black Swan have been inducted and vested with all the privileges and responsibilities of the B Team legends in whose shadows they took their training. K Team is coming into their prime as servants of The Order, with most of their lives ahead. Or so each one hopes.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Victoria Danann, brings us a sizzling new take on the Knights of Black Swan. The boys are all grown up and bursting at the seams looking for action.
Black Swan believed they'd found the cure for the vampire virus, but it mutated and the resurgence threatened to be the extinction of humanity within a generation. Help comes from a most unexpected source, a vampire.
Meanwhile, the new Director of Operations is cute, curvilicious and has Falcon reeling. And he doesn't need distractions when he's busy saving the world.
"Grabs hold and won't let go." - The Paranormal Romantic
The epic saga that has won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES the past three years in a row (Reviewers Choice Awards, the Paranormal Romance Guild) continues with a new crop of vampire hunters that we already know and love.
Grab your copy TODAY and find out why KBS is called astonishing, breathtaking, nail biting, spectacular, unique, and a wild and sexy ride.
Ram’s swagger looked a little wilted as he found Storm and Kay having a quiet drink and flopped into one of the bar’s cushy lounge chairs next to them.
“You in shock?” Kay said. “Do we need to order whiskey and a blanket?”
“Aye. Shock. Those women…”
Storm smirked. “How many?”
“All of them. They’re all in the space that used to be my temporary home. Elora. Litha. Rosie. They’re actin’ like ‘tis the event of the century. Dressin’ my sister up like she’s auditionin’ to dance at the Moulin Rouge.”
“They having fun?”
“Aye. That’s what’s so scary about it all. And the noise level…”
“Mr. Heavy Metal is complaining about noise?” Kay asked.
“Well, I would no’ want to say they’re screechin’ exactly. But when they get excited, their voices get high pitched and they do this thing where they… I can no’ even explain it.”
“Squeee?” Kay asked.
Ram’s eyes got big. “Aye. ‘Tis exactly that. Squeee. Sounds more like a banshee than anythin’ else.”
“Did you leave your children with them?” Kay asked.
Ram screwed up his face. “They’re with Nanny, but you are guiltin’ me for leavin’ them in the apartment. Great Paddy. They may develop psychosis. I should get them out of there while they’re still sane.”
“What makes you think your children are sane?” Storm teased.
“Ho now. You can chide me all ye wish, but do no’ be disparagin’ the fruit of my loins.”
The waiter arrived at the arm of Ram’s chair. “Triple whiskey,” he said. The waiter raised an eyebrow. “’Tis no’ your place to judge. ‘Tis my night off and I’ve been forced to flee my humble home.”
Ram didn’t wait for an answer before turning back to his teammates.
“So what’s this all about anyway?”
“No’ sure I’m at liberty to say.”
His teammates held a silent conversation with each other. Kay cleared his throat. “In that case, it would be wrong for us to press. So we won’t ask.”
Ram gaped at Kay. “Seriously? You’re no’ puttin’ up more of a fight than that?”
“Well, if you’re not at liberty to say…”
“On second thought, I’m sure Glen would want me to advise my trusted friends and teammates.”
“Only if you’re sure…” Kay said.
Ram proceeded to tell the story, which was fairly accurate for being third hand at that point. “So I’m gettin’ Rev to go out with you tonight. If it turns out this Jazz Man is what he says he is, I’m no’ takin’ any chances with my sister. That prancin’ poofer she’s married to would be sendin’ an army to join my da’s own army and all of them would be after my head. I’m very fond of these beautiful blonde locks, as you both know.” Storm and Kay both nodded thoughtfully. “So I’ll be playin’ bodyguard to her highness tonight.”
“You know we’ll be patrolling the neighborhood around midnight. We could maybe swing by Dublin Down. Just say hi. Make sure everything’s going okay.”
Ram grinned. “You fuckers are dyin’ to get a look at him.”
Kay shrugged.
Storm wanted to appear nonchalant, but couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Ram when he said, “I’ll bet Elora would like to sashay by there tonight. We know she has a thing for talking vampire.”
Ram caught the mischievous gleam in Storm’s eye and knew Storm was teasing, but it was also a dig that didn’t go down easy. After three children and years of married life, the way Baka and Elora had interacted, back in the day, still bothered Ram. And Storm knew it.
Rammel carefully set his whiskey tumbler down on the table beside him before launching himself out of his chair so fast it looked like he’d been sitting on an eject mechanism. He flew across the space that separated them and attempted to get Storm in a headlock.
“What are you doing?!?” Storm wheezed, turning red and trying to get his breath while Ram’s forearm squeezed his windpipe. “It was a joke!”
Ram didn’t respond to that protest because he didn’t care if it was a joke. He jerked Storm out of the chair by his neck, which was a testament to Ram’s strength because Storm was still a big well-muscled guy. As soon as they fell to the floor together, Ram hauled back and launched a fist that caught Storm in the side. Storm reacted by rolling over so that he could get enough room to clip Ram on the side of the face. Kay, of course, was yelling and doing his best to break it up, but in the process took punishing hits from both of them.
Several of the other knights came to assist Kay and fifteen minutes later, the three veteran members of B Team were standing in the Sovereign’s office, being called on the carpet like they were kids.
“The. Hel.” said Glen, clearly furious. “Every trainee in Jefferson Unit has already heard that B Team were brawling in our own club lounge, rolling around on the floor like… like…”
“Brawlers?” Kay suggested.
“Famous legendary elite vampire hunters indeed.” The sarcasm was dripping from every word Glen uttered. “A fine example you set for the next generation tonight.”
“He started it,” Storm mumbled.
“You did not say what I think you just said.” Glen looked incredulous. “Is this some kind of midlife crisis?”
That hit a mark. All three men looked horrified. “We’re no’ yet even thirty-five,” Ram protested.
“You’re acting like you’re not yet five.”
Ram glared at Storm. “There are just some things you do no’ say about an elf’s mate.”
Glen pulled back and studied Ram for a minute. “I don’t believe there is any power in heaven or hel that could make me believe Engel Storm insulted Elora Laiken.”
“Well,” Ram hedged, “he did no’ insult her per se.”
“Per se,” Glen repeated.
“Aye. Per se.”
Glen threw up his hands. “You know, I don’t really care what happened. If you were Z Team, I’d just roll my eyes and say, ‘What else is new?’ The three of you are going to be guest speakers at one ethics and decorum class per grade during this term.”
“Oh, for…” Kay started.
“Not. Another. Word.” Glen walked over and opened the door to his office. “Get out. And shame on you.”
Standing in the outer offices, Kay looked at the door that had been shut in his face and said, “I didn’t do anything! In fact I tried to stop it.”
Ram and Storm started walking down the hall toward the elevator. Storm turned to Ram and said, “Look what you did now.”
“You want me to? Pull your shirt up so I can see.”
“There’s nothing to see. You on the other hand are going to need some ice soon if you don’t want that eye to swell shut.”
Ram reached up and touched it. “You got me good.” He smiled.
Storm’s face split into a proud smile. “You’re gonna be wearing my mark for a while. Elora’s gonna chew your royal rear end when she hears about this.”
By that time Kay had caught up. From behind them he said, “Maybe you two are having a midlife crisis.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KnHy...]
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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Victoria Danann, continues the breathtaking new take on Knights of Black Swan with a sizzling follow up to Falcon.
The Next Generation of Black Swan knights continues the struggle to rid the world of "deadheads", virus infected vampires who are barely more cognizant than zombies. Jax, one of the vampires turned by the immortals, joined the fight and became Falcon's partner.
For six hundred years Jax has seduced women, drunk their blood, and left them feeling blissfully satisfied, but without memory of the event. It was a good and manageable life as a vampire. Certainly it worked for him. Until now. The deliciously wild redhead remembers. And she's pissed.
Amazon ✯ Amazon Int'l ✯ Goodreads
New York Times bestselling author of thirteen romances. Victoria's Knights of Black Swan series won BEST PARANORMAL ROMANCE SERIES for the past THREE YEARS IN A ROW. Reviewers Choice Awards, The Paranormal Romance Guild.
Her paranormal romances come with uniquely fresh perspectives on "imaginary" creatures, characters, and themes. She adds a dash of scifi, a flourish of fantasy, enough humor to make you laugh out loud, and, occasionally, enough steam to make you squirm in your chair. Her heroines are independent femmes with flaws and minds of their own whether they are aliens, witches, demonologists, werewolves, hybrids, psychics, or past life therapists. Her heroes are hot and hunky, but they also have brains, character, and good manners... usually.
The rich characterizations come from being a lifelong student of behavior, casually, and a serious student of behavior academically. She also studied comparative religion, myths, and Dark Ages history.
Victoria lives in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband and a very smart, mostly black German Shepherd dog.
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MoB Promos[/caption]
January 11, 2017
MYSTERY ANGEL ROMANCE SERIES by PETIE McCARTY
MYSTERY ANGEL ROMANCE SERIES
by PETIE McCARTY
Official Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
NO GOING BACK (Book 1)
Kellen Brand's inheritance turns out to be a whopper -- one dilapidated farm in West Virginia and one guardian angel! Since Kellen is convinced no sane woman would choose to live in Riverside, she vows to sell her farm and quick.
Her handsome and reclusive neighbor Luke Kenyon must block the farm sale or risk exposure of his family's secrets. While Kellen has located one potential buyer, she faces a town full of objectors. Someone is trying to frighten her off, and Luke is forced to step in and rescue her more than once.
Unfortunately, Kellen can't seem to stay out of trouble. She stumbles onto a clandestine hazardous-waste-dumping operation next to her farm, and she prays Luke has one more rescue up his sleeve. It's her only hope of staying alive.
Unless her mother really did leave her a guardian angel…
A horse whickered behind her, then the telltale creak of a saddle -- too close for comfort. Kellen froze. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as though lightning were about to strike. Ankle deep in the water, she couldn't make a decent sprint for the car, and she regretted her impulse to visit this deserted stretch of riverbank.
She eased around and saw the towering silhouette of a powerfully built man astride a huge black stallion, the rider's face shadowed beneath a wide-brimmed Stetson. The cowboy made an impressive, and at this moment intimidating, sight -- a throwback from the frontier days of the wild wild West.
The horse whickered again and sidestepped away from the edge of the embankment, forcing the cowboy to twist around to keep her in sight. She could feel his dark eyes studying every inch of her. The intensity in his gaze raised goosebumps on her arms and sent a tiny shiver vibrating up her neck. Trapped here along the edge of the river, she felt vulnerable yet strangely unafraid. Would he come any closer?
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ANGEL TO THE RESCUE (Book 2)Child psychologist Rachel Kelly isn't quite sure how to handle the situation with her newest client -- a six-year-old boy who says he can talk to angels and one is coming to help Rachel. She already has her hands full of trouble this Christmas season, and things quickly take a turn for the worse when a stalker crashes Rachel's Christmas party and takes her young clients hostage.
Police negotiator, Lt. Jake Dillon, walked away from his fiancée Rachel when she suddenly balked at having kids. His kids. Yet when the hostage crisis erupts, Rachel calls Jake first. Now he has a choice to make -- stand back and wait for the cavalry to save Rachel or step in and try to save her himself. Time is running out, and Jake may be their only chance for rescue.
Unless Rachel's little angel-spying client is telling the truth…
"Want to tell me what that was all about?" Wally asked, when they climbed into their Crown Vic.
"No."
"You said ex-fiancée."
Jake ignored him, hoping he'd shut up. Seeing Rachel -- touching her -- had shaken him.
"She's gorgeous."
He shot Wally a fulsome glare.
"Just saying is all. Kind of hard to believe you'd let somebody that gorgeous get away."
"Drop it," he growled.
"But we're partners. Partners talk."
"We've only been partners for three days."
"We can still talk about stuff that bothers you," Wally prodded.
"Nothing's bothering me," Jake snapped. "Come find me in three months. We'll talk then."
"But as real partners, we're supposed to share--"
"No, we're not," Jake bit off. "You don't need to know everything about me."
Wally stuck his palms up. "Okay, okay. Gees! Doesn't matter anyway. Some things I can see for myself."
Jake glowered at him again. "What are you talking about?"
"I thought you said to drop it?"
"Spit it out," Jake snapped.
"I can see you're not over your ex-fiancée. Yet.
"Jake swung the Crown Vic hard into traffic. "You're crazy."
Wally shrugged. "I don't think so."
THE SEAL'S ANGEL (Book 3)
Navy SEAL Sean MacKay's teammate is murdered after stealing a deadly nerve-gas formula from Syrian terrorists. Naval Intelligence believes MacKay's teammate was a traitor and shipped the stolen formula to his sister in the states for safekeeping. MacKay is given orders to find the sister before the terrorists do and to retrieve the stolen formula at all costs.
Foreclosure looms for Cory Rigatero as she fights to keep her rustic resort near Mt. St. Helens afloat after her brother deserted her to join the SEAL Teams. Cory's whole world dives into a tailspin when Sean MacKay shows up at her resort with the news of her brother's death and the wild suspicion her brother may have sent her traitorous classified documents. No way will Cory trust MacKay -- the man who once seduced her and then vanished into the night without a trace.
Mac hauled ass for the main house, Garth huffing hard alongside, already winded and trying to stay on his heels. Something had happened to the dog, but he couldn't worry about that now.
The two broke through the border of the side garden. Mac could see the kitchen door of the main house standing wide open and raced that direction.
A second scream ripped through the air. This one sounded closer to the front of the house, and Mac turned course to race in that direction. Garth stayed straight and bounded through the kitchen door as Mac cleared the corner on the house.
He stumbled when he spied a man wearing a black hood and dark clothes -- a knife held at Cory's throat -- half-carrying, half-dragging her down the front steps. Mac skidded silently into the rhododendron bushes lining the porch. The assailant hissed over his shoulder to someone behind him.
Okay. Two tangos.
A wolf-like howl suddenly echoed in the house, clearly audible through the open front door. A heavy thud, a scream of pain, and vicious snarling sounded in rapid succession. Mac had backup. Garth had made it inside.
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Petie earned a Bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Central Florida, which was no help at all when she decided to write romance novels as a second career. Her particular background did afford her the luxury of many unique assignments during her career as an aquatic biologist, including aquatic plant surveys in Florida lakes and streams by airboat. Many of those off-the-wall assignments provided background for her stories.
Petie spent most of her career working as a biologist at the Walt Disney World Resort, "The Most Magical Place on Earth." What could be more magical than driving by Cinderella's Castle on your way to work every day? Living in the heart of the theme park entertainment industry constantly tweaked her imagination and made her want to write. She had the fun of working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night. She eventually said good-bye to her wonderful "day" job to write her stories full-time.
These days, Petie shares her home on the beautiful Cumberland Plateau with her horticulturist husband, a spoiled-rotten English springer spaniel addicted to green olives stuffed with pimento, and a talkative Nanday conure named Sassy who makes a cameo appearance in Angel to the Rescue. She loves golf, running, and reads voraciously. That's Petie, not the conure.
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January 9, 2017
HEATHENS TO HEARTS by Stacy Eaton
HEATHENS TO HEARTS
The Celebration Series, Book 3
by Stacy Eaton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Jason Hayes loves working as a nurse and living in Celebration Township—or he did until Riayn Simmers showed up in town, and a secret from his past is threatened to be exposed.
Riayn Simmers is shocked to find her college love-and the man she had called a heathen-residing in the same town as her aunt. Now Riayn needs to decide if she can handle sticking around to run her aunt’s bakery, My Baked Buns.
Somehow Riayn and Jason must find a way to coexist in the small town, but what happens when Jason’s secret is exposed and he’s up to be auctioned off at the Valentine’s Day Party? Will the town believe, as Riayn once did, that Jason truly is a heathen, or will he finally win over her heart for good?
The Celebration Series
Welcome to the third book in the Celebration Township Series, Heathens to Hearts. This series consists of thirteen novel and novellas that take place over the course of a year, beginning with Christmas. During that year, twelve more stories will unfold in the Township of Celebration, Pennsylvania, and each release will coincide with an upcoming holiday.
I was dumbstruck as Linda introduced Riayn around the table to Ian, Thad, Casey, and Corrine, but when she stopped at me, I could barely look in Riayn’s direction. I was so rattled by Riayn’s sudden appearance after, what, eight, nine years that I stood so quickly I almost knocked over my bulky wooden chair.
“We already know each other.” I gave Linda a brisk nod and refused to glance at Riayn as I fled the table without another word. My heart raced in my chest as past memories roared through my skull in a deafening wave.
No doubt Linda was going to bust my chops for taking off the way I did, but by the time she got around to cornering me, I could hopefully come up with an explanation. I just hoped that Riayn didn’t open her big mouth before I had a chance to speak with Linda.
My blood felt like it was boiling under my skin and I practically shoved people out of my way to get to the bar, “Dabby, give me a shot of whiskey.”
I clenched the worn wooden edge of the bar and kept my back to the mass of people who had shown up at Dabby’s New Year’s Party as the room began to spin.
Why the hell was she here? I was tempted to turn and search for her in the crowd, but I waited tensely for my shot, and when it arrived, it barely touched the bar before I was throwing it down the hatch. “Another.”
Dabby raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t say anything while he refilled my shot glass. I tossed that one back just as quickly and then stared at the scuffed bar.
The burn of the first shot was filling my gut, and the second one was working its way down my esophagus. I didn’t normally do shots, not since college, but tonight it seemed more than appropriate to throw back a few—numb the pain, numb the memories, numb myself.
“You alright, man?” I jolted to awareness to find Thad standing on my right side.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I held my finger up to get Dabby’s attention since he had wandered off to help another customer.
“Please tell me you don’t want another shot,” Dabby eyed me critically as he returned. He was a big man who could easily be confused with a lumberjack because of his ever-present flannel shirts and bushy beard. I guess it was good to look like a hard ass when you owned a tavern, but if you really knew the man, you’d know he was a teddy bear.
“No, I’ll take a beer.”
“How many shots did you just toss back?” Thad queried from beside me.
I turned to him, “Two, and don’t worry, I promise I won’t drive home. I’ll sleep in my car if I have to, but I won’t drive.”
Thad slapped a hand on my back, “Good to know. I’d hate for one of my guys to have to arrest you for DUI.” Thad Wagner was one of the local police officers on our small Celebration Township police force, and a good friend to have.
“I’m not stupid, Thad,” I retorted and winced as I considered how harsh the words sounded.
“Sorry, man. I know you’re just looking out for me,” I said to Thad softly.
“That’s alright. You want to talk about it?” Thad asked as he sipped from a longneck bottle, probably the same one he’d been nursing the last hour.
“Nah, I’m good, but thanks.” I gulped down half my beer to stop the burning in my throat.
“Alright, but you know where I am if you want to talk.”
“Thanks.”
Thad slapped my back again and walked away, leaving me with a storm of memories that immediately crashed around in my skull.
Shit.
Of all places, Riayn had to show up here. I couldn’t help myself this time as the urge to look for her struck me again. I’d blame it on the whiskey, not my lusting need to get another peek at her after all these years.
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Welcome to Celebration Township.
Casey Lowe is new in town and hiding from her past. Her next-door neighbor, Thad Wagner, is a sexy police officer, who is good with his hands, and his lips, but Casey refuses to get involved with a married man, and Thad can't seem to understand why she keeps pushing him away. No matter how they try to stay apart, something keeps drawing them together. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Casey's house the week before Christmas, her future is on the line. Will Thad figure it out in time to save her, or will Casey become a conspirator to a murderer?
Tangled in Tinsel is the first book in the thirteen-story novella series that takes place in quaint Celebration Township, Pennsylvania. The rest of the series will begin to release in the fall of 2016.
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Linda Maxim is a woman who learned early on how to work hard and succeed. Her only regret is that the man she loved disappeared just days after she got pregnant at the tender age of sixteen.
Fourteen years later, Ian Dugan needs a break from life and ends up crashing his vehicle and waking up in the hospital to find Linda watching over him.
Can Linda forgive Ian for leaving her alone as a pregnant teen? Will Ian be able to forgive Linda and himself when he learns of the daughter he never knew about? Find out on New Year’s Eve if Ian can erase the tears and find something to cheer about.
Dabby Finnegan got roped into being auctioned off for the annual Valentine’s Party, and nothing could have prepared him to face the vibrant and determined Paige Brogan. From the moment she jumps into his arms to collect her prize, his life will change.
Paige Brogan has had a crush on Dabby for a long time, and this auction is exactly what she’s been waiting for to finally catch his eye. When Paige wins a date with Dabby, the only thing she wants to do is spend the day with him working at his tavern.
As Paige and Dabby get to know one another, Dabby has a hard time understanding why this incredible woman would be interested in him. It’s when the rainbows are overhead, and green beer is flowing that Dabby finally realizes what he has and vows to never lose it.
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Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Best Selling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took an early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016, with her last three years in investigations and crime scene investigation to write full time.
Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement, and her teen daughter who is working toward her second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and on the choral and cheerleading squads at school. She also has a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy.
Stacy is very involved in Domestic Violence Awareness and served on the Board of Directors for her local Domestic Violence Center for three years.
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MoB Promos[/caption]January 6, 2017
THE BEAST WITHIN by Jacquie Biggar
THE BEAST WITHIN
Mended Souls, book 2
by Jacquie Biggar
Genre: Thriller
Content Warning: 18+
She didn't expect to land in the crosshairs of a serial killer.
Can two displaced angels save a woman from the clutches of a vicious psychopath?
When Julie Crenshaw is offered a news reporter's job on beautiful Vancouver Island she didn't expect to land in the crosshairs of a serial killer.
Connor O'Rourke has seen his share of human depravities during his fourteen years as a homicide detective, but is still sickened by the murderer terrorizing his island shores. And threatening his key witness.
As the stakes rise, can two people get a second chance at love?
Or will a killer become the winner?
Her skin was tender as the belly of a kitten. And just as fragile.
Her screams edged toward hysteria, muffled by the material of her slutty shirt. He’d taken pleasure in cutting the offensive cloth from her body and stuffing it into her cherry red mouth.
Almond shaped eyes, the color of strong black coffee and wide with terror, glittered with the tears streaming down her dusky cheeks.
Too late for that. She should have begged for mercy when he demanded it. Instead, she’d laughed at him.
She wasn’t laughing now.
He ran a finger from the gold love knot piercing her belly button, up to coffee-colored breasts tipped with cocoa nipples peaked with fear. She should be scared. He was her master and she’d wronged him. She had to pay.
He grinned.
This was his favorite part. There was probably something wrong with him, but the thrill he got out of having complete control over his subjects filled his body with adrenaline, made blood rush to his extremities, and turned him rock hard. Way better than sex. Sex was dirty, all that sweat and bodily fluids. Not this. This was clean—spiritual.
He picked up the red hot iron he’d been heating on the propane stove. When she saw what he had in his hand, her body bowed against its bonds, but there was no escape. She’d run away from him for the last time.
He pinched her pebbled nipple, tipping her breast upward so he could access the tender skin beneath. The acrid scent of burning flesh and the inhaled silent scream of torture before her eyes rolled back in her head rewarded him for his patience. The S was perfectly shaped. The snake’s head crested the top of the curve, its forked tongue curling around the scorched meat of her breast.
She was his now.
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Restitution begins with the truth.
Lucas Carmichael and Scott Anderson had it all, money, fame, and fortune. But one night's stupid mistake takes everything they thought they cherished and dumps it upside down.
A car accident ends Lucas' life and leaves Scott injured and bitter.
As the local ME, Tracy York, investigates the case, discrepancies begin to point to more than a simple drunk driving incident.
When threats are made to Tracy's life can Scott and his guardian angel, Lucas, protect her, or will she become another casualty?
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JACQUIE BIGGAR is a USA Today bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males who know what they want, that is until they're gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them what they really need is love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has just started a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls.
She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.
Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can't function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart.
LOVE ACROSS TIME box set
LOVE ACROSS TIME
Genre: Multi-Genre Romance
Enter the world of yesterday… Ten full-length historical and time travel romances by bestselling authors will take you from Ancient Egypt to the British Regency to the American West and more.
Sexy, stubborn heroes and beautiful, daring heroines follow their hearts to prove love does indeed transcend time. Explore another century and find your timeless happily ever after.
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SCANDALOUS ENDEAVORS by AMANDA MARIEL
Lady Amelia has only known the comfort of life in mid-eighteenth century English aristocracy. But when her father dies, she finds herself alone, grief stricken and not of age. Her appointed guardian, an American uncle, has ordered her to relocate to America where she must remain until she comes of age.
COUNTERFEIT COUNTESS by LYNNE CONNOLLY
After Waterloo, John Dalkington-Smythe travelled overseas to Canada to find some peace and make his fortune. A frantic visit from his cousins, the Earl of Graywood and his brother brings him back home, but a tragic incident aboard ship leaves John the new heir.
In London, John meets the woman calling herself his widow. Except he isn’t dead and he’s not married. When he discovers the impostor is the woman he’s desired for years, he decides to persuade her to keep the position of Countess of Graywood.
Faith spent years trying to ignore the presence of Lieutenant-Colonel Dalkington-Smythe, her husband’s military commander. Finding herself in dire straits after Waterloo, she poses as his widow. She only ever meant it as temporary. To find that John is alive comes as a severe shock, but her feelings for him are as strong as ever. The passion John and Faith discover together is worth fighting for.
Someone is threatening to expose Faith’s deception and destroy John’s fortune and position in society. If they don’t discover the identity of their unknown enemy and thwart the schemes, John and Faith could lose everything—title, fortune and even their lives.
STEALING A LADY’S HEART by TAMMY ANDRESEN
Locksmith by trade, Graham Fairfield needs a miracle to save his father’s barony. Instead, disaster comes calling in the form of Lady Charlotte Beaumont, cousin to the prince regent. Fleeing the dastardly attentions of a Scottish lord, Charlotte finds a safe haven with the tradesmen in the crumbling old manor and she breathes new life into their lives. It is almost as though fate has brought her to their door. When danger catches up with her and steals her away, it will be up to Graham and his clever brothers to rescue her. Will he be too late to save the lady and the love blooming between them?
FAITH AND THE TEXAS LAWYER by CARRA COPELIN
Faith Daniels has had a hard time fitting in all her life, from the time she was left on the steps of a firehouse to her recent divorce. The only time she feels connected is when she rehabs old houses. Often she wishes she could have experienced life in a simpler time. Her current project, a 1900 Galveston mansion, is all she ever wished for and more. When some mysterious force transports her from 2016 to 1900, just prior to the most devastating natural disaster on record, will Faith give up all she has attained in her present life to stay in the past with the sexy turn-of-the-century lawyer?
Joseph Benning has serious trust issues. He is still recovering from the jolt of being dumped by his fiancé shortly before their wedding. In order to prove to himself he can manage on his own without a woman in his life, he decides to reach outside of his routine and buy a house. Suddenly, a strange woman shows up inside his house telling fantastic stories of disaster and destruction. Will Joe be able to make the right decision and let her go, when it comes time to save her life?
TIMELESS HEART by KARYN GERRARD
Suffering from burnout, elementary school teacher Sandra Cranston is on leave and trying to eliminate stress from her life. That plan is blown when she discovers an abandoned carriage deep in the woods. Inside is a man, Jerrod Ross, who fuels all of her wicked Regency dreams and fantasies. Take him home? Sure, why not?
Jerrod Ross has been ripped from the only world he has ever known—1821 Cornwall, England. A mine owner with many responsibilities, all he wants to do is return to his time. But his growing attraction for the lovely lady who found him makes staying in the future a temptation he finds hard to resist.
Torn between duty and desire, past and future, the hardest thing Sandra and Jerrod will do is admit their feelings. Or say—goodbye.
FALLING by MEREDITH BOND
Long-hidden secrets, ageless magic, forbidden romance—nothing Erin could have ever imagined when she called on a hypnotist to cure her of her fear of falling. When fate gives Erin and David a second chance they need to find their happily ever after before things go very wrong… again.
ROLF’S QUEST by AUBREY WYNNE
A wizard, a curse, a fated love…
When Rolf finally discovers the woman who can end the curse that has plagued his family for centuries, she is already betrothed. Time is running out for the royal wizard of King Henry II. If he cannot find true love without the use of magic, his line will end.
Melissa is intrigued by the mystical, handsome man that haunts her by night and tempts her by day. His bizarre tale of Merlin, enchantments, and finding genuine love has her questioning his sanity and her heart.
From the moment Melissa stepped from his dreams and into his arms, Rolf knew she was his destiny. Now, he will not only battle against time and a powerful duke, but defy his king and the gods to save her.
PASSION’S CHOICE by JANIS SUSAN MAY
Tourist Elissa McLaughlin falls over the edge of the Hathor chapel reconstruction at Deir el Bahri, but when she lands she finds herself in the time of its construction. Taken as a pleasure woman by the general in charge of building, she soon finds herself constrained to a dangerous masquerade in the center of political intrigue that could change the course of Egypt’s history forever. It is no time to fall in love…
THE ART GALLERY by KATIE STEPHENS
When the sole purpose of the company you work for is to send people back in time to fix things, mistakes happen. Kara Brennan’s job is to pursue those mistakes and bring them back to the present before they can do more damage, even if her mark happens to be the dangerous Jack the Ripper. Kara’s lover and fellow teammate sent Jack through the wrong art gallery painting, but now Quinn Markham searches her out for another reason. Another mistake, one that could eliminate his very existence.
Lucas Taylor doesn’t understand why he appears during the American Revolution as a British soldier. Even more disturbing, while attending a celebratory ball in eighteenth century Philadelphia, he recognizes Kara as the young orphan he hasn’t seen in sixteen years—in the twenty-first century. He’s never forgotten her.
Kara identifies her mark, but never expected him to be the boy she knew from the orphanage. Lucas Taylor had been her hero once before. Will her girlhood dreams of the perfect man turn out to be true? Or can Quinn keep Lucas from winning back the only woman he ever loved?
WITCH by ELENA KANE
When suspicion is everywhere, how can love be found? Especially, when you're the one they seek.
Amanda Mariel dreams of days gone by when life moved at a slower pace. She enjoys taking pen to paper and exploring historical time periods through her imagination and the written word. When she is not writing she can be found reading, crocheting, traveling, practicing her photography skills, or spending time with her family.
Amanda lives along the Lake Huron shoreline in northern Michigan with her husband and two kids. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts Degree with a concentration in literature and has a long-standing love affair with sugary junk food.
Award winning, top selling author Lynne Connolly writes historical romance, paranormal romance and contemporary romance.
She lives in the UK with her family and her Mews, Jack. She also loves travelling, and often incorporates the places she visits into her books.
Tammy Andresen lives with her husband and three children just outside of Boston, Massachussetts. She grew up on the Seacoast of Maine, where she spent countless days dreaming up stories in blueberry fields and among the scrub pines that line the coast. Her mother loved to spin a yarn and Tammy filled many hours listening to her mother retell the classics. It was inevitable that at the age of 18, she headed off to Simmons College, where she studied English literature and education. She never left Massachusetts but some of her heart still resides in Maine and her family visits often.
In addition to this set, Tammy has published two full length novels: Lily in Bloom and Midnight Magic.
Carra Copelin: I write contemporary and historical romances but, unlike so many other authors, I didn’t write from childhood or read long into the night beneath the covers with a flashlight. I found romance novels as an adult. After reading about a million, I discovered numerous people residing in my head, all looking for a way onto the printed page.
I’m a member of Romance Writers of America and Yellow Rose Romance Writers, plus I’m a regular contributor to the blogs, Smart Girls Read Romance and Sweethearts of the West. I’m a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution, and The Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
My husband and I live in North Central Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where we enjoy our family and grandchildren. In addition to writing and researching, I enjoy my Bridge group, crochet, and tracking down our relatives through genealogy.
Karyn Gerrard, born and raised in the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada, now makes her home in a small town in Northwestern Ontario. When she’s not cheering on the Red Sox or travelling in the summer with her teacher husband, she writes, reads romance, and drinks copious amounts of Earl Grey tea.
Even at a young age Karyn’s storytelling skills were apparent, thrilling her fellow Girl Guides with off-the-cuff horror stories around the campfire. A multi-published author, she loves to write sensual historicals, particularly in the Victorian era. She also writes contemporaries. Tortured heroes are an absolute must.
As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden. Karyn’s been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement and loving support keeps her moving forward.
Meredith Bond's books straddle that beautiful line between historical romance and fantasy. An award-winning author, she writes fun traditional Regency romances, medieval Arthurian romances, and Regency romances with a touch of magic. Known for her characters “who slip readily into one’s heart,” Meredith’s heart belongs to her husband and two children.
Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule and barn cats. She is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. Obsessions include history, travel, trailriding and all things Christmas.
Her short stories, Merry Christmas, Henry and Pete's Mighty Purty Privies have won Readers Choice Awards and Dante's Gift received the 2016 Golden Quill, Heart of Excellence, and Aspen Gold award, as well as being a Maggie finalist.
Aubrey’s medieval fantasy series launches in 2017 with Rolf's Quest. Besides the Chicago Christmas novellas, Aubrey will also release "A Vintage Romance" series inspired by tales of her stepfather, who served for the British Air Force in WWII. The stories will be set in the 40s & 50s.
Janis Susan May is a seventh-generation Texan and a third-generation wordsmith who writes mysteries as Janis Patterson, romances and other things as Janis Susan May, children’s books as Janis Susan Patterson and scholarly works as J.S.M. Patterson.
Formerly an actress and singer, a talent agent and Supervisor of Accessioning for a bio-genetic DNA testing lab, Janis has also been editor-in-chief of two multi-magazine publishing groups. She founded and was the original editor of The Newsletter of the North Texas Chapter of the American Research Center in Egypt, which for the nine years of her reign was the international organization’s only monthly publication. Long interested in Egyptology, she was one of the founders of the North Texas chapter and was the closing speaker for the ARCE International Conference in Boston in 2005.
Janis married for the first time when most of her contemporaries were becoming grandmothers. Her husband, a handsome Navy Captain several years younger than she, even proposed in a moonlit garden in Egypt. Janis and her husband live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.
If you discovered a sealed box with "Katie's memories" scribbled on the side, you'd find a lifetime of partially completed stories, plays and musicals. Katie Stephens has opened that box and writes both non-fiction and fiction, where she happily experiments with all genres. Although her grown children are scattered east and west across the country, she lives solidly in mid-America with two kitties and a husband who keeps asking when she's really going to retire.
Elena Kane is preschooler teacher who lives in a small town in Ohio. She has three wonderful children who enjoy family movie night, playing board games, and the occasional game of hide-and-go-seek. She loves watching her kids play in the marching band, football in the fall and simply cannot get enough of the lights, decorations, music, and anything else that has to do with the Christmas. She love flowers, the outdoors, and considers flip-flops an absolute must in the summer.
January 5, 2017
Romance Between The Pages presents...
Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through January. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!
THIS WEEK'S BEST SELLING AUTHOR...
LESLIE WILDER!
Leslie Wilder grew up in a small town in West Tennessee. A country girl at heart, she’s always thought that life is too short, but she had no idea how short it really was until her brother passed away in 2014. She’s always been an avid reader, loving the escape only a great book can give, and wondered if she had what it took to write one of the wild romances she’d come to adore. With the support of her family and friends, she published Inferno: A Devil Chaser’s MC, one year after her brother’s death. With him in mind, she fulfilled her lifetime dream of writing. Since then, she’s completed the Devil Chaser’s Series and continued on with the Satan’s Fury MC Series. She has so many stories in her head, and can’t wait to share each and every one.
Leslie has been blown away by the support of her readers, appreciating every message, review, and encouraging word she’s received over the past year. She looks forward to continuing this journey with them for years to come.
Listen on Itunes (Subscribe so you never miss an episode! It’s FREE!)
INFAMOUS by Lori Sizemore
INFAMOUS
by Lori Sizemore
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Justine Montgomery, daughter of a divorced beauty queen and TV magnate, is a tabloid disaster after her infamous sex tape. She’s so desperate to help save her family’s home she turns to her deal-making dad. Can she prove to him she’s cut out for a career in television or will she lose it all?
Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.
They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.
When she came out and flipped the bathroom light off behind her, Sawyer wanted to tell her to try again. Her choice was anything but unattractive. She’d slipped into a gown that settled halfway between her knees and…well, places he had no business concerning himself with. The gown flounced around her, touching her nowhere except under the arms and across her chest with a black ribbon gathering the material.
She lifted one foot and slid it behind the other. “Poppies.”
He dragged his gaze to her face. “What?”
“The flowers on the gown are poppies. They make you drowsy.” She slid her gaze to the side. “I found that amusing when I bought it.”
He held up his hands. “It’s fine. Get in the bed.”
“I don’t do pajamas. I have a thing against sleeping in pants. I like the way the sheets feel, cool and slippery, on my legs.” She looked past him to a corner of the room. “I talk a lot when I’m uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine.” He shifted toward the bed and then paused as her words sank in. “Wait, you have panties on, though, right?”
“Of course.”
He tilted his head to glance at her with a frown, trying not to look at her bare legs. “Are they hot?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Right, no. Doesn’t matter. Lay down.” She stopped beside him at the foot of the bed and they stared at the down-turned blankets. “I want to make sure you get some sleep. You get under the covers, and I’ll lie on top so I don’t invade your not-pants-wearing space.”
“You’re volunteering to give me emotional comfort.”
“Shut up, Justine.”
She hopped into bed, twisting to pull the covers to the top of her shoulders, and lay on her side. He climbed on top of the blanket, scooted close. “Do people send you designer nightgowns, too?”
“Trying to sleep here.”
Her body moved in the rhythm of breath, slowed down, as her muscles softened and relaxed. He wanted to kiss her shoulder, to press his lips against it, to find out if it was as soft as it looked. And what was that scent? Her hair fanned across her pillow and it smelled like… watermelon? Strawberries? Apples?
She interrupted his fruity thoughts, her voice soft and blurry. “Thank you.”
“I’m an ass.”
“You’re okay right now, though.”
“I’m using you, right now, because I like how you smell. I’m an ass.”
She didn’t speak again, and he realized she was out. He should get up. Go to his own room. Get away from the bare legs, under the covers, and the shoulder, and the hair. Try to put whatever had awoken during that hug back to rest. In a minute, he’d get his jacket and go.
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Lori Sizemore grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and never quite managed to escape them. Lori lives at home with her husband of twenty-plus years and two of her three daughters. She also lives with two dogs, a cat, and five hermit crabs. Yes, five of them. This menagerie and her family keep her busy. She worked in mental health as a social worker for ten years before making the choice to write full-time.
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SPY GAME: Romantic Suspense by Suz deMello
SPY GAME: Romantic Suspense
by Suz deMello
Fledgling agent Ani Sharif has finally been assigned to her first undercover mission—to seduce software tycoon Richard Rexford, known as the fearsome T-Rex of Silicon Valley. He's suspected of selling software secrets to the Chinese. Ani must succeed at her first assignment, but will handsome, clever Richard uncover her secrets and seize her heart?
Prologue
San Francisco, California
On Saturday afternoon, Gar saw an umbrella hung in the signal tree in Golden Gate Park, so he met his contact in the Castro at midnight. To anyone watching, they’d look like two guys outside a crowded bar, sharing a smoke, but his contact passed Gar a tiny package, a package worth millions to his customers in Indonesia.
He tucked the package inside his jacket and mounted his motorcycle, heading for Potrero Hill and the shelter of a safe house. As he passed through a residential area, he slowed, and only then did he hear the growl of another motorcycle on his tail. At first he thought it was happenstance, but as he turned one corner and then the next, with the following motorcycle’s roar ringing and banging in his ears, he realized he’d been tagged.
Gar tried every trick he knew to shake the tail, but nothing worked. Too late, he saw that he’d been herded toward the shore of the bay, heading too fast down a dead-end alley, with warehouses on each side and a chained metal gate in front of him
Braking too hard, he jerked the bike into a sharp turn in front of the ten-foot-high gate. The bike slewed on the slick, damp street, drawing a screeching curve to the left before crashing into the cyclone fence.
He hit hard and went down, his bike clattering on its side, sliding out of the fog lamp’s amber halo into the dark, misty night.
In a haze of pain, he lay stunned on the pavement, moving in and out of consciousness, with the bitterness of failure flooding his mouth.
The other motorcycle stopped. Gar heard the scrape of boots on asphalt. Blinking, he raised his heavy head a fraction to see an hourglass figure silhouetted against the golden light. He groaned and dropped his head back. One hand scrabbled toward the precious parcel, seeking to protect it.
The boots stopped close to his head. Too close, but nothing he could do about it. Too weak.Too much pain. Should have worn a helmet…
Motorcycle leathers creaked. He smelled jasmine, felt warmth, sensed she knelt beside him. He blinked again.
She had a jaunty smile and eyes that gleamed green even in the dim light. Opening his jacket, she removed the package, which contained the prototype of the computerized brain that would run some of the United States’ newest, most sophisticated guided missiles.
“Thank you.” She tucked the package into her jacket and walked away, her boots crunching. He heard her bike kick, catch, and roar away, its growl receding into the misty night.
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Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello has written nineteen books in several genres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she's held the positions of Managing Editor and Senior Editor, having worked for such publishers as Totally Bound, and Ai Press.
Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.
A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.
Website ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Amazon ✯ Facebook ✯ Blog ✯ Pinterest
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