Shannon Guymon's Blog, page 5
June 4, 2014
Cover Reveal for Falling for Rayne!
So I'm going to make this short and sweet since I'm working hard on finishing this book. Get ready for it . . . Cover reveal!
Coming to a Kindle near you Very VERY soon!
Coming to a Kindle near you Very VERY soon!
May 27, 2014
Sneak Peek at Book 1 in my newest trilogy and a FREE book!
Hi Friends!
Good news. My newest book is almost done and I wanted to share the first chapter with you. I don't even have a title yet, but it's the 1st book in my Love and Flowers Trilogy and it's all about Garrett. You'll remember him as Jane Kendall's ex-boyfriend and the man who helped Taryn push Brogan over the edge. He's had his issues, (who doesn't?), but I've always had a soft spot for this guy.
Oh and before I forget, just to celebrate the fact that Summer is just around the corner and I'm in a really good mood, my book You Belong with Me is Free on Kindle for 5 days, so tell you friends! Here's the link.
Rayne stared out her window down at the landscapers and sighed. Pansies. Flats and flats of pansies. She bit her lip and glanced around the yard and remembered what it had looked like ten years ago when she’d come here with her grandmother. There had been zinnias and ice plant and gladiolus and hostas and bright orange poppies. Now she was going to be surrounded by pansies. Rayne shook her head. No she wasn’t. She ran out of her bedroom and past her sister, Ivy who was coming out of the bathroom with a towel around her head and rushed down the stairs and out into the gentle sunlight. She was used to San Diego and this pale light was a welcome change. She put her hands on her hips and glanced around at the men unloading the flats and narrowed her eyes. There had to be someone in charge. She watched the men for a moment and then zeroed in on the tall man with his back to her standing by the door of a large truck. He had a phone to his ear as he ran his hand through his medium brown hair, cut brutally short. Rayne cleared her throat lightly and clasped her hands. She wasn’t used to dealing with landscapers or men who looked like this guy. His gray t-shirt was straining over his shoulders and arms and she looked away as she realized she was checking out her landscaper. She closed her eyes briefly and smiled at herself. Who would have ever thought Rayne Nyman would be checking out her landscaper? Certainly none of her friends. Rayne cleared her throat again as she leaned up against the truck and waited for the man to finish is conversation. She inched forward, listening in curiously. “I don’t care how good looking she is, no more blind dates… forget it Rob, you and Wren will have to go to the concert Saturday without me . . . Uh uh. Besides, I don’t even know much about classical music. I’d be sitting there looking like an idiot. . . Yeah, yeah, I know I owe you. . . Ha! Yeah, I’ll talk to you later, bye.” Rayne smiled politely as she waited for the man to turn around and notice her. He mumbled a few words and then shoved his phone in his pocket before pulling on gloves. He turned around and Rayne’s mouth fell open, her eyes going wide and her mouth going dry. He. Was. Beautiful. She’d never in her life seen cheekbones like his. And his eyes were such a light shade of blue they were almost silver. Forget landscaping, this guy should be modeling. “Hi there, what can I do for you?” he asked with a polite smile as he glanced over her head as if he was distracted. Rayne let out a breath and stared at her feet for a moment before looking up again. She could do this. “I’m Rayne Nyman the new owner of this home. It passed to me from my grandmother Marion Stewart when she died a year ago. I was upstairs and I noticed that you were getting ready to plant all of these um, pansies. I’d rather you didn’t,” she said and then watched as his blue eyes focused completely on her. Wow. “It’s nice to meet you Rayne. My name is Garrett Murphy and I’m the owner of Murphy Landscaping. I’m sorry for your loss. So you don’t like flowers huh?” he said and then crossed his arms over his chest as he put all of his weight on one hip. Rayne tried to drag her eyes away from the man’s muscular arms and decided to focus on his face. She was immediately draw to his cheek bones and his full mouth and was horrified to find that she was turning into a boy crazy airhead. She’d skipped that faze when she’d been a teenager, but none of the boys at her private school had looked like this either. She’d better play it safe and just look somewhere else. Rayne turned her body around and looked at the handful of workers who were still gathering their shovels and bags of mulch. “I do. I love flowers which is why I’d rather you didn’t plant these.” Garrett glanced at the flats of marigolds and frowned. “Your property manager put in the order for flowers last month and with your budget which includes lawn care and weeding and trimming, these pansies are what you can afford.” Rayne bit her lip, thinking of the millions of dollars that now sat in her bank account and sighed. “Mr. Murphy, let me assure you I can afford something better. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you packed up the pansies and returned them.” Garrett frowned and stared at her, his eyes going hard and she shivered before remembering to turn away. Much safer to stare at the bushes than her landscaper. “Just pack them up and return them huh? So what would you like put in their place then?” he asked softly stepping closer to her. Rayne could feel him move closer and gulped. He had so much energy she could feel it coming off of him in waves. She pushed her long brown hair over her shoulder nervously and straightened her shoulders. She was twenty-six years old. She was a mature, intelligent woman and she could have a basic conversation with a good looking man. She glanced at him quickly over her shoulder and felt the slam of attraction hit her again. Maybe. “Since I was unaware that you were coming today I’d like the chance to work up some ideas tonight and then I could run them past you tomorrow or Wednesday. Would that be okay?” She waited breathlessly for him to answer and felt a strange tension in her back. He was staring at her, she could feel it. She turned slowly and looked up at him as she bit her lip. His face slowly softened and he nodded his head. “That sounds fine. What time tomorrow would you like to get together?” he asked taking out his phone and scrolling down to his calendar. Rayne stepped closer. “I’m pretty open to be honest. My sister and I just moved in a few days ago and we’re still getting our bearings here.” Garrett looked up and put his phone in his pocket. “Let’s meet for lunch then at The Iron Skillet and we could go over your ideas then.” Rayne blinked in surprise and stared at the man. A lunch meeting? She narrowed her eyes at him and stepped back. “Don’t you have an office Mr. Murphy where we could meet at instead?” Garrett shrugged and put his hands on his hips. “Ms. Nyman, I’m a busy man but if you’d like to wait until Thursday we can set up an appointment for ten in the morning if you’d feel more comfortable with that,” he said, his voice sounding stiff. Rayne glanced at the empty flower beds and the wash of pale pastels from the flats of pansies and shook her head. “No, no, that’s fine. I’ll meet you tomorrow, where did you say?” Garrett nodded his head. “The Iron Skillet. A buddy of mine owns it and they serve good food there. If you give me your phone number I can text you the address.” Rayne told him her number and watched as he added it to his contacts. He looked up and smiled at her. “Okay then, I’ll see you tomorrow at one, Rayne. I’m curious about your ideas,” he said and then walked toward his men. “Okay guys, change of plans. Let’s pack up the flowers. We’re heading back to the nursery.” Rayne walked slowly back to the house and stood in the shade of the porch as she watched the men repack the truck and drive away. As the truck turned the corner and disappeared from sight she let out the breath she’d been holding and shook her head as if to clear it. She’d never in her life been affected by a man as she had been by Garrett Murphy. She was used to musicians and businessmen and quiet, cool cerebral men whose clothes fell elegantly against their trim pale bodies. Garrett Murphy was a completely different kind of man than she was used to and she wasn’t sure how to react. She grinned and walked back into her house. Throwing herself at him was probably a huge no-no. She thought of her ex-boyfriend, Liam Michaels and smiled. She had been friends with Liam most of her life since he was the son of her parents’ best friends. It was only natural that they dated on and off throughout school. Their families vacationed together and they were constantly thrown together. There had been other boys who had asked her out of course, but Liam had been safe. Too safe. She frowned as she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Last year Liam had asked her to marry him and she had said no. For no other reason than she hadn’t been in love with him. Her parents had been horrified that she’d turned Liam down. But it was her life and her heart and she wouldn’t marry a man just because it would be easy. She wanted more. She wanted love. Her decision to break things off with Liam had hurt her relationship with her parents though. And it still tortured her that the last conversation they’d had before their car accident had been a fight over Liam. Her father had accused her of being shallow and uncaring and her mother had accused her of being selfish. She’d in turn accused them of caring more for Liam than they had for her and her feelings and it had gone downhill after that. She’d slammed out of the house and had gotten on a plane for New York. A month later, she’d been informed that her parents had died in a car accident on Pacific Highway. A car going over a hundred miles an hour had sideswiped them sending their car rolling. That had been three months ago. She and her sister Ivy had been struggling ever since. With the death of her grandmother and now her parents, she had a completely different life than the carefree one she’d been enjoying so much. As a concert pianist with her parent’s backing and the acclaim of critics, she could play wherever and whenever she wanted to. She could travel through Europe which she’d done for the last few years or she could stay in the states. But she had Ivy to think of now. And her sister would come first. Always. Which is why she’d hired her friend Cleo to watch out for her. She grabbed the carton of orange juice out of the fridge and poured herself a glass. “Why’d you get rid of the lawn crew? I was looking forward to seeing some of the male species.” Rayne smiled and turned around to see Cleo flop down on a chair, looking at her glumly. “Never fear, they’ll be back. They were getting ready to plant pansies and so I had to stop them. I’m meeting tomorrow with the owner to go over what I want.” Cleo looked glum and rested her chin on her hands. “Knowing you, it’ll take a month to pick the best flowers. I was already planning on bringing out pitchers of lemonade and glasses. They’d all be so grateful they’d invite me to go dancing.” Rayne raised an eyebrow and sat down across from her. “Dancing? With strange men? Come on Cleo, you’re smarter than that.” Cleo glared at her and sat up. “No I’m not. It’s been months since I’ve gone dancing.” Rayne’s smile slipped and she looked away. It had been three months. Ever since she’d gotten the police report from her parent’s car accident. There were witnesses who had sworn that the car who had rammed her parent’s Mercedes had done it on purpose. “Hey, sorry. Look, forget it. No dancing. Just stop looking like I kicked a little puppy.” Rayne shook her head and smiled. “No, it’s okay. Look, I’m sorry you’re bored Cleo, but this is serious to me. That’s why we’re here. I just lost my parents. I’m not about to let anyone take my sister from me.” Cleo stared at her sadly and crossed her tanned, toned arms. “Or kill you.” Rayne nodded and stared at her friend. “Or kill me. Which is something you won’t let happen.” Cleo nodded her head solemnly. “I wish you’d hire a real body guard. I’m just a glorified yoga teacher and I can’t be two places at once anyways. If you’d hire that guy I was telling you about, I’d feel a lot better about you meeting up with your landscaper.” Rayne frowned and studied her short nails. “You are a real body guard Cleo and you don’t just teach yoga. You’re the one who taught me everything I know about self-defense and you have a license to carry a gun.” Cleo snorted and stood up to walk over to the fridge. “That’s not the real reason.” Rayne shrugged and took a sip of her juice. “Ivy relaxes around you. You can protect us and help my sister too.” Cleo shook her head and took out the pizza box from last night. “You should tell her Rayne.” Rayne glared at Cleo and shook her head. “Absolutely not. She’s been through enough. She barely has her anxiety under control as it is. What would knowing there could possibly be someone trying to kill us do to her mental well-being?” Cleo sighed and took a bite of the cold pepperoni pizza. “She’s tougher than she looks Rayne. Ever since you found out she has OCD and have her on the right medication, she’s been doing a lot better.” Rayne groaned and leaned her head in her hands as she thought of last night as they stood in the bathroom and she’d watched as Ivy had died strands of her hair near her neck bright pink from a box she’d picked up at the drug store. “She’s twenty-three and she looks like a drummer for a rock band,” she complained just as Ivy walked in the kitchen. Ivy narrowed her eyes at Rayne and walked over to the fridge. “I look like a drummer? Exactly what I was going for since I’ve been thinking about starting a rock band.” Rayne closed her eyes and massaged her temples. “Of course you were. So what are your plans for the day?” she asked politely. Ivy shrugged and grabbed a jar of Nutella out of the cupboard and began smearing a large amount on the left over brioche Cleo had picked up at the local bakery yesterday. “Cleo and I are going to rent some jet skis and head out on the water. You should come with us. You know, live a little.” Rayne’s eyes drifted to the red lines on Ivy’s arm where she’s cut herself and wondered how a girl who had tried so hard to hurt herself was far better at living than she was. “Next time,” she promised and watched as her little sister rolled her eyes. “It’s always next time with you. What are you going to do here? Walk around the yard? Read? Seriously Rayne, come with us or Cleo and I are going to start thinking you’re completely dead inside.” Rayne swallowed and looked away from her sister’s taunting eyes and out the window at the yard that was begging for color and life. She had been feeling dead inside. Completely gray and lifeless. “Actually I’m going to be planning out the flower arrangements because I have a meeting with our landscaper tomorrow afternoon. You two go on without me. We can catch a movie tonight when you guys get back, okay?” Ivy frowned but nodded her head and left the kitchen. Cleo walked over and touched her arm. “Don’t forget the alarm system and always have your mace nearby.” Rayne nodded her head and smiled. “Of course. Which reminds me, sometime this week I want to go pick out a guard dog. It will be an added protection and it’ll be good for Ivy.” Cleo nodded and tilted her head. “It’s okay sometimes to think about what would be good for you too you know.” Rayne blushed and looked away as Cleo walked out of the kitchen. There was too much guilt to think about what would be good for her. Because the majority of the people she loved had died she was now a millionaire and the owner of a successful shipping business. It was such a horrible thing to think that because the people she loved had died, she profited. How could she enjoy that? She stood up and walked over to the window and leaned her forehead against the cool glass. And to think that there was someone out there who very much wanted her and Ivy out of the way so that he could profit now. She thought of Graham Mitchell and shivered. Her half cousin from her grandmother’s first marriage had been very vocal about his fury at being cut out of their grandmother’s will. He had a posse of lawyers who had tried to contest her grandmother’s will but they’d failed. A month after learning the verdict, her parent’s had died. Graham Mitchell was determined to have his share one way or another.
She listened to her sister and Cleo laugh as they walked out the front door and knew she’d do anything to protect her sister from him. Even if it meant hiding out in Fircrest Washington while her private investigators worked to find evidence to prove that he had killed her parents.
** Copyrighted Material
Good news. My newest book is almost done and I wanted to share the first chapter with you. I don't even have a title yet, but it's the 1st book in my Love and Flowers Trilogy and it's all about Garrett. You'll remember him as Jane Kendall's ex-boyfriend and the man who helped Taryn push Brogan over the edge. He's had his issues, (who doesn't?), but I've always had a soft spot for this guy.
Oh and before I forget, just to celebrate the fact that Summer is just around the corner and I'm in a really good mood, my book You Belong with Me is Free on Kindle for 5 days, so tell you friends! Here's the link.
Rayne stared out her window down at the landscapers and sighed. Pansies. Flats and flats of pansies. She bit her lip and glanced around the yard and remembered what it had looked like ten years ago when she’d come here with her grandmother. There had been zinnias and ice plant and gladiolus and hostas and bright orange poppies. Now she was going to be surrounded by pansies. Rayne shook her head. No she wasn’t. She ran out of her bedroom and past her sister, Ivy who was coming out of the bathroom with a towel around her head and rushed down the stairs and out into the gentle sunlight. She was used to San Diego and this pale light was a welcome change. She put her hands on her hips and glanced around at the men unloading the flats and narrowed her eyes. There had to be someone in charge. She watched the men for a moment and then zeroed in on the tall man with his back to her standing by the door of a large truck. He had a phone to his ear as he ran his hand through his medium brown hair, cut brutally short. Rayne cleared her throat lightly and clasped her hands. She wasn’t used to dealing with landscapers or men who looked like this guy. His gray t-shirt was straining over his shoulders and arms and she looked away as she realized she was checking out her landscaper. She closed her eyes briefly and smiled at herself. Who would have ever thought Rayne Nyman would be checking out her landscaper? Certainly none of her friends. Rayne cleared her throat again as she leaned up against the truck and waited for the man to finish is conversation. She inched forward, listening in curiously. “I don’t care how good looking she is, no more blind dates… forget it Rob, you and Wren will have to go to the concert Saturday without me . . . Uh uh. Besides, I don’t even know much about classical music. I’d be sitting there looking like an idiot. . . Yeah, yeah, I know I owe you. . . Ha! Yeah, I’ll talk to you later, bye.” Rayne smiled politely as she waited for the man to turn around and notice her. He mumbled a few words and then shoved his phone in his pocket before pulling on gloves. He turned around and Rayne’s mouth fell open, her eyes going wide and her mouth going dry. He. Was. Beautiful. She’d never in her life seen cheekbones like his. And his eyes were such a light shade of blue they were almost silver. Forget landscaping, this guy should be modeling. “Hi there, what can I do for you?” he asked with a polite smile as he glanced over her head as if he was distracted. Rayne let out a breath and stared at her feet for a moment before looking up again. She could do this. “I’m Rayne Nyman the new owner of this home. It passed to me from my grandmother Marion Stewart when she died a year ago. I was upstairs and I noticed that you were getting ready to plant all of these um, pansies. I’d rather you didn’t,” she said and then watched as his blue eyes focused completely on her. Wow. “It’s nice to meet you Rayne. My name is Garrett Murphy and I’m the owner of Murphy Landscaping. I’m sorry for your loss. So you don’t like flowers huh?” he said and then crossed his arms over his chest as he put all of his weight on one hip. Rayne tried to drag her eyes away from the man’s muscular arms and decided to focus on his face. She was immediately draw to his cheek bones and his full mouth and was horrified to find that she was turning into a boy crazy airhead. She’d skipped that faze when she’d been a teenager, but none of the boys at her private school had looked like this either. She’d better play it safe and just look somewhere else. Rayne turned her body around and looked at the handful of workers who were still gathering their shovels and bags of mulch. “I do. I love flowers which is why I’d rather you didn’t plant these.” Garrett glanced at the flats of marigolds and frowned. “Your property manager put in the order for flowers last month and with your budget which includes lawn care and weeding and trimming, these pansies are what you can afford.” Rayne bit her lip, thinking of the millions of dollars that now sat in her bank account and sighed. “Mr. Murphy, let me assure you I can afford something better. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you packed up the pansies and returned them.” Garrett frowned and stared at her, his eyes going hard and she shivered before remembering to turn away. Much safer to stare at the bushes than her landscaper. “Just pack them up and return them huh? So what would you like put in their place then?” he asked softly stepping closer to her. Rayne could feel him move closer and gulped. He had so much energy she could feel it coming off of him in waves. She pushed her long brown hair over her shoulder nervously and straightened her shoulders. She was twenty-six years old. She was a mature, intelligent woman and she could have a basic conversation with a good looking man. She glanced at him quickly over her shoulder and felt the slam of attraction hit her again. Maybe. “Since I was unaware that you were coming today I’d like the chance to work up some ideas tonight and then I could run them past you tomorrow or Wednesday. Would that be okay?” She waited breathlessly for him to answer and felt a strange tension in her back. He was staring at her, she could feel it. She turned slowly and looked up at him as she bit her lip. His face slowly softened and he nodded his head. “That sounds fine. What time tomorrow would you like to get together?” he asked taking out his phone and scrolling down to his calendar. Rayne stepped closer. “I’m pretty open to be honest. My sister and I just moved in a few days ago and we’re still getting our bearings here.” Garrett looked up and put his phone in his pocket. “Let’s meet for lunch then at The Iron Skillet and we could go over your ideas then.” Rayne blinked in surprise and stared at the man. A lunch meeting? She narrowed her eyes at him and stepped back. “Don’t you have an office Mr. Murphy where we could meet at instead?” Garrett shrugged and put his hands on his hips. “Ms. Nyman, I’m a busy man but if you’d like to wait until Thursday we can set up an appointment for ten in the morning if you’d feel more comfortable with that,” he said, his voice sounding stiff. Rayne glanced at the empty flower beds and the wash of pale pastels from the flats of pansies and shook her head. “No, no, that’s fine. I’ll meet you tomorrow, where did you say?” Garrett nodded his head. “The Iron Skillet. A buddy of mine owns it and they serve good food there. If you give me your phone number I can text you the address.” Rayne told him her number and watched as he added it to his contacts. He looked up and smiled at her. “Okay then, I’ll see you tomorrow at one, Rayne. I’m curious about your ideas,” he said and then walked toward his men. “Okay guys, change of plans. Let’s pack up the flowers. We’re heading back to the nursery.” Rayne walked slowly back to the house and stood in the shade of the porch as she watched the men repack the truck and drive away. As the truck turned the corner and disappeared from sight she let out the breath she’d been holding and shook her head as if to clear it. She’d never in her life been affected by a man as she had been by Garrett Murphy. She was used to musicians and businessmen and quiet, cool cerebral men whose clothes fell elegantly against their trim pale bodies. Garrett Murphy was a completely different kind of man than she was used to and she wasn’t sure how to react. She grinned and walked back into her house. Throwing herself at him was probably a huge no-no. She thought of her ex-boyfriend, Liam Michaels and smiled. She had been friends with Liam most of her life since he was the son of her parents’ best friends. It was only natural that they dated on and off throughout school. Their families vacationed together and they were constantly thrown together. There had been other boys who had asked her out of course, but Liam had been safe. Too safe. She frowned as she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Last year Liam had asked her to marry him and she had said no. For no other reason than she hadn’t been in love with him. Her parents had been horrified that she’d turned Liam down. But it was her life and her heart and she wouldn’t marry a man just because it would be easy. She wanted more. She wanted love. Her decision to break things off with Liam had hurt her relationship with her parents though. And it still tortured her that the last conversation they’d had before their car accident had been a fight over Liam. Her father had accused her of being shallow and uncaring and her mother had accused her of being selfish. She’d in turn accused them of caring more for Liam than they had for her and her feelings and it had gone downhill after that. She’d slammed out of the house and had gotten on a plane for New York. A month later, she’d been informed that her parents had died in a car accident on Pacific Highway. A car going over a hundred miles an hour had sideswiped them sending their car rolling. That had been three months ago. She and her sister Ivy had been struggling ever since. With the death of her grandmother and now her parents, she had a completely different life than the carefree one she’d been enjoying so much. As a concert pianist with her parent’s backing and the acclaim of critics, she could play wherever and whenever she wanted to. She could travel through Europe which she’d done for the last few years or she could stay in the states. But she had Ivy to think of now. And her sister would come first. Always. Which is why she’d hired her friend Cleo to watch out for her. She grabbed the carton of orange juice out of the fridge and poured herself a glass. “Why’d you get rid of the lawn crew? I was looking forward to seeing some of the male species.” Rayne smiled and turned around to see Cleo flop down on a chair, looking at her glumly. “Never fear, they’ll be back. They were getting ready to plant pansies and so I had to stop them. I’m meeting tomorrow with the owner to go over what I want.” Cleo looked glum and rested her chin on her hands. “Knowing you, it’ll take a month to pick the best flowers. I was already planning on bringing out pitchers of lemonade and glasses. They’d all be so grateful they’d invite me to go dancing.” Rayne raised an eyebrow and sat down across from her. “Dancing? With strange men? Come on Cleo, you’re smarter than that.” Cleo glared at her and sat up. “No I’m not. It’s been months since I’ve gone dancing.” Rayne’s smile slipped and she looked away. It had been three months. Ever since she’d gotten the police report from her parent’s car accident. There were witnesses who had sworn that the car who had rammed her parent’s Mercedes had done it on purpose. “Hey, sorry. Look, forget it. No dancing. Just stop looking like I kicked a little puppy.” Rayne shook her head and smiled. “No, it’s okay. Look, I’m sorry you’re bored Cleo, but this is serious to me. That’s why we’re here. I just lost my parents. I’m not about to let anyone take my sister from me.” Cleo stared at her sadly and crossed her tanned, toned arms. “Or kill you.” Rayne nodded and stared at her friend. “Or kill me. Which is something you won’t let happen.” Cleo nodded her head solemnly. “I wish you’d hire a real body guard. I’m just a glorified yoga teacher and I can’t be two places at once anyways. If you’d hire that guy I was telling you about, I’d feel a lot better about you meeting up with your landscaper.” Rayne frowned and studied her short nails. “You are a real body guard Cleo and you don’t just teach yoga. You’re the one who taught me everything I know about self-defense and you have a license to carry a gun.” Cleo snorted and stood up to walk over to the fridge. “That’s not the real reason.” Rayne shrugged and took a sip of her juice. “Ivy relaxes around you. You can protect us and help my sister too.” Cleo shook her head and took out the pizza box from last night. “You should tell her Rayne.” Rayne glared at Cleo and shook her head. “Absolutely not. She’s been through enough. She barely has her anxiety under control as it is. What would knowing there could possibly be someone trying to kill us do to her mental well-being?” Cleo sighed and took a bite of the cold pepperoni pizza. “She’s tougher than she looks Rayne. Ever since you found out she has OCD and have her on the right medication, she’s been doing a lot better.” Rayne groaned and leaned her head in her hands as she thought of last night as they stood in the bathroom and she’d watched as Ivy had died strands of her hair near her neck bright pink from a box she’d picked up at the drug store. “She’s twenty-three and she looks like a drummer for a rock band,” she complained just as Ivy walked in the kitchen. Ivy narrowed her eyes at Rayne and walked over to the fridge. “I look like a drummer? Exactly what I was going for since I’ve been thinking about starting a rock band.” Rayne closed her eyes and massaged her temples. “Of course you were. So what are your plans for the day?” she asked politely. Ivy shrugged and grabbed a jar of Nutella out of the cupboard and began smearing a large amount on the left over brioche Cleo had picked up at the local bakery yesterday. “Cleo and I are going to rent some jet skis and head out on the water. You should come with us. You know, live a little.” Rayne’s eyes drifted to the red lines on Ivy’s arm where she’s cut herself and wondered how a girl who had tried so hard to hurt herself was far better at living than she was. “Next time,” she promised and watched as her little sister rolled her eyes. “It’s always next time with you. What are you going to do here? Walk around the yard? Read? Seriously Rayne, come with us or Cleo and I are going to start thinking you’re completely dead inside.” Rayne swallowed and looked away from her sister’s taunting eyes and out the window at the yard that was begging for color and life. She had been feeling dead inside. Completely gray and lifeless. “Actually I’m going to be planning out the flower arrangements because I have a meeting with our landscaper tomorrow afternoon. You two go on without me. We can catch a movie tonight when you guys get back, okay?” Ivy frowned but nodded her head and left the kitchen. Cleo walked over and touched her arm. “Don’t forget the alarm system and always have your mace nearby.” Rayne nodded her head and smiled. “Of course. Which reminds me, sometime this week I want to go pick out a guard dog. It will be an added protection and it’ll be good for Ivy.” Cleo nodded and tilted her head. “It’s okay sometimes to think about what would be good for you too you know.” Rayne blushed and looked away as Cleo walked out of the kitchen. There was too much guilt to think about what would be good for her. Because the majority of the people she loved had died she was now a millionaire and the owner of a successful shipping business. It was such a horrible thing to think that because the people she loved had died, she profited. How could she enjoy that? She stood up and walked over to the window and leaned her forehead against the cool glass. And to think that there was someone out there who very much wanted her and Ivy out of the way so that he could profit now. She thought of Graham Mitchell and shivered. Her half cousin from her grandmother’s first marriage had been very vocal about his fury at being cut out of their grandmother’s will. He had a posse of lawyers who had tried to contest her grandmother’s will but they’d failed. A month after learning the verdict, her parent’s had died. Graham Mitchell was determined to have his share one way or another.
She listened to her sister and Cleo laugh as they walked out the front door and knew she’d do anything to protect her sister from him. Even if it meant hiding out in Fircrest Washington while her private investigators worked to find evidence to prove that he had killed her parents.
** Copyrighted Material
May 5, 2014
Free Book Anyone?
So it was my birthday and to celebrate - I've decided to give YOU a gift! Starting today until May 9th I'm giving away free Kindle versions of Come To Me. It's the first book in my newest trilogy and You. Will. Love.It.
No really, you should grab a copy. And here's the really cool thing. Not only am I celebrating my birthday by being nice to all my friends but I want you guys to pay it forward and be nice to an awesome Mom you might know since Mother's Day is THIS SUNDAY. Just go to Amazon and instead of Buy with 1 click just go one step below and hit Give as Gift. So easy. So free. So nice for your mom or your friend or your sister (or yourself).
Feel free to share the love! Oh- And here's the link.
No really, you should grab a copy. And here's the really cool thing. Not only am I celebrating my birthday by being nice to all my friends but I want you guys to pay it forward and be nice to an awesome Mom you might know since Mother's Day is THIS SUNDAY. Just go to Amazon and instead of Buy with 1 click just go one step below and hit Give as Gift. So easy. So free. So nice for your mom or your friend or your sister (or yourself).
Feel free to share the love! Oh- And here's the link.
April 16, 2014
It's time to play . . . Cast that Movie Star!
You guys know I love doing this. I honestly can't resist to be honest. So let's do it. Let's cast the movies stars for my latest trilogy since I just finished Tough Love. So we have a big day of casting ahead of us. We need to cast Rob Downing and Wren Tyler from Come To Me and Bailey Downing and Kam Matafeo from Be Mine, and last but not least, Taryn Downing and Brogan Moore from Tough Love. So I'm going to start by throwing out who I'm picturing but I would LOVE it if you guys joined in and helped us out. Who do YOU see starring in these movies?
My picks: Rob Downing *Theo James* (I'm sort of on a Divergent kick right now, so sue me)
Wren Tyler *Blake Lively*
Kam Matafeo *Alesana Tuilagi, Rugby player*
Bailey Downing * Adriana Lima - but with more blond highlights*
Brogan Moore * Gabriel Aubrey but blonder*
Taryn Downing * Bianca Balti - famous Italian model*
What do you guys think? Did I nail it? Disagree/Agree? Let me know - Post some pictures of your casting picks.
And if you haven't had a chance to pick up my latest Love and Trust Trilogy, head on over to Amazon and download your Kindle copies today.
My picks: Rob Downing *Theo James* (I'm sort of on a Divergent kick right now, so sue me)
Wren Tyler *Blake Lively*
Kam Matafeo *Alesana Tuilagi, Rugby player*
Bailey Downing * Adriana Lima - but with more blond highlights*
Brogan Moore * Gabriel Aubrey but blonder*
Taryn Downing * Bianca Balti - famous Italian model*
What do you guys think? Did I nail it? Disagree/Agree? Let me know - Post some pictures of your casting picks.
And if you haven't had a chance to pick up my latest Love and Trust Trilogy, head on over to Amazon and download your Kindle copies today.
April 7, 2014
Let's play Catch up!
Last Friday Tough Love went live, finishing up the Love and Trust Trilogy. I've gotten some good reviews so far and I'm pretty excited about the reaction I'm getting. If you're just now hearing about this trilogy I'll do a quick run down for you.
Book 1 is Come To Me, Rob's story.
Will the past repeat itself? Rob hasn't had the best of luck when it comes to women and his epic failure with Kit Kendall is still very fresh. Rob might be successful in sports and in business but does he have what it takes to be successful in love? When Rob gets to know Wren Tyler, his sous chef, he's willing to try again even knowing he could get hurt. Wren on the other hand, is very attracted to Rob, but she knows she's not in his league. So when he starts to pay her attention, who could blame her for being a little suspicious? But have Wren's past heartbreaks destroyed her ability to trust? And will Rob be able to overcome his past failures and become the man Wren needs him to be? Only true love will be able to heal Wren's heart and help her trust again. Here's the Amazon link.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally Rob!!
March 3, 2014By erinzachjjFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseIt was so good to finally see Rob end up with his happily ever after. After his struggle in the Sweetheart series it was wonderful to see him as a good man again. Thank you Shannon Guymon for giving us a new family to love, and for letting us stay involved in the sisters lives. This is a must read for all of you clean romance lovers!!
Book 2 is Be Mine, Bailey's Story.
Men are terrifying to Bailey Downing. Not that she wants anyone to know that, but with her mom insisting she fall in love and Kam Matafeo pushing her to feel things she doesn't want to feel, Bailey is determined to make a nice, safe choice. Dean Hogan is the perfect man for her. Smart, wealthy, charming and best of all, safe. But when her romance begins to unravel with Dean, she's faced with a choice: open her heart, or stay safe, cold and lonely. Kam is determined to help Bailey no matter what it takes and with the support of her sister Taryn and her brother Rob, she makes the decision to be brave. But Kam's ex-girlfriend Meredith isn't shy about wanting him back. Bailey will have to learn to fight for what she really wants. The question is, would she rather be safe or would she rather be loved. Here's the Amazon link.
Apr 05, 2014Kathy Jo rated it 5 of 5 starsShelves: owned, favorites*dreamy sigh* I absolutely LOVED Be Mine! It was amazing and exactly what I needed at right now. It reassured me that even though there is evil in the world and no one is perfect... everyone deserves love and a chance to be happy! Love is not always easy but have a little faith in it... it can heal and make you whole again. <3
When ever I read a book in this series and the love and dessert series I'm always saying whatever book I just read is my favorite out of all of them. But now that I've finished this one I can truly say this is my favorite out of all of them! Maybe it's my mood... maybe it's giving me the hope I've been really needing lately... but whatever it is... it's exactly what I needed at the exact moment I needed it. Definitely a favorite and definitely will be added to my reread over and over again shelf! LOVED it! :)And now, Book 3 Tough Love is Taryn's story and it's a little intense.
Taryn Downing has made a name for herself as a smart, tough businesswoman. The title she doesn't want though is Cougar. But Brogan Moore, the man she has feelings for has given her an ultimatum: Tell the world they're together, or he walks. As Taryn watches Brogan walk out of her life, she has to ask herself, if her pride is more important than Love. Taryn isn't the only one who has issues with pride and image though. Brogan will have to decide if Taryn is the woman for him, or if his parents are right and he would be better off playing it safe. Here's the Amazon link.
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it!! April 4, 2014By Chelsey TannerFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseI loved this last book in the Love & Trust trilogy. Perfect way to end the Downing family. I'm actually sad it's over! But I wouldn't change it at all! I love Taryn and Brogan's characters and everything they face. It seems realistic but at the same time a 'Happy Ever After' story. I only like to read books like that. Thanks so much for all your hard work and sharing your talent Shannon!
Book 1 is Come To Me, Rob's story.
Will the past repeat itself? Rob hasn't had the best of luck when it comes to women and his epic failure with Kit Kendall is still very fresh. Rob might be successful in sports and in business but does he have what it takes to be successful in love? When Rob gets to know Wren Tyler, his sous chef, he's willing to try again even knowing he could get hurt. Wren on the other hand, is very attracted to Rob, but she knows she's not in his league. So when he starts to pay her attention, who could blame her for being a little suspicious? But have Wren's past heartbreaks destroyed her ability to trust? And will Rob be able to overcome his past failures and become the man Wren needs him to be? Only true love will be able to heal Wren's heart and help her trust again. Here's the Amazon link.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally Rob!!
March 3, 2014By erinzachjjFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseIt was so good to finally see Rob end up with his happily ever after. After his struggle in the Sweetheart series it was wonderful to see him as a good man again. Thank you Shannon Guymon for giving us a new family to love, and for letting us stay involved in the sisters lives. This is a must read for all of you clean romance lovers!!Book 2 is Be Mine, Bailey's Story.
Men are terrifying to Bailey Downing. Not that she wants anyone to know that, but with her mom insisting she fall in love and Kam Matafeo pushing her to feel things she doesn't want to feel, Bailey is determined to make a nice, safe choice. Dean Hogan is the perfect man for her. Smart, wealthy, charming and best of all, safe. But when her romance begins to unravel with Dean, she's faced with a choice: open her heart, or stay safe, cold and lonely. Kam is determined to help Bailey no matter what it takes and with the support of her sister Taryn and her brother Rob, she makes the decision to be brave. But Kam's ex-girlfriend Meredith isn't shy about wanting him back. Bailey will have to learn to fight for what she really wants. The question is, would she rather be safe or would she rather be loved. Here's the Amazon link.
Apr 05, 2014Kathy Jo rated it 5 of 5 starsShelves: owned, favorites*dreamy sigh* I absolutely LOVED Be Mine! It was amazing and exactly what I needed at right now. It reassured me that even though there is evil in the world and no one is perfect... everyone deserves love and a chance to be happy! Love is not always easy but have a little faith in it... it can heal and make you whole again. <3
When ever I read a book in this series and the love and dessert series I'm always saying whatever book I just read is my favorite out of all of them. But now that I've finished this one I can truly say this is my favorite out of all of them! Maybe it's my mood... maybe it's giving me the hope I've been really needing lately... but whatever it is... it's exactly what I needed at the exact moment I needed it. Definitely a favorite and definitely will be added to my reread over and over again shelf! LOVED it! :)And now, Book 3 Tough Love is Taryn's story and it's a little intense.
Taryn Downing has made a name for herself as a smart, tough businesswoman. The title she doesn't want though is Cougar. But Brogan Moore, the man she has feelings for has given her an ultimatum: Tell the world they're together, or he walks. As Taryn watches Brogan walk out of her life, she has to ask herself, if her pride is more important than Love. Taryn isn't the only one who has issues with pride and image though. Brogan will have to decide if Taryn is the woman for him, or if his parents are right and he would be better off playing it safe. Here's the Amazon link.
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it!! April 4, 2014By Chelsey TannerFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseI loved this last book in the Love & Trust trilogy. Perfect way to end the Downing family. I'm actually sad it's over! But I wouldn't change it at all! I love Taryn and Brogan's characters and everything they face. It seems realistic but at the same time a 'Happy Ever After' story. I only like to read books like that. Thanks so much for all your hard work and sharing your talent Shannon!
April 3, 2014
Tough Love - Book 3 is LIVE on KINDLE!!! Woot! Woot!
Taryn Downing has made a name for herself as a smart, tough businesswoman. The title she doesn't want though is Cougar. But Brogan Moore, the man she has feelings for has given her an ultimatum: Tell the world they're together, or he walks.
As Taryn watches Brogan walk out of her life, she has to ask herself, if her pride is more important than Love. Taryn isn't the only one who has issues with pride and image though. Brogan will have to decide if Taryn is the woman for him, or if his parents are right and he would be better off playing it safe. Available now, here!
As Taryn watches Brogan walk out of her life, she has to ask herself, if her pride is more important than Love. Taryn isn't the only one who has issues with pride and image though. Brogan will have to decide if Taryn is the woman for him, or if his parents are right and he would be better off playing it safe. Available now, here!
April 2, 2014
Time for a Cover Reveal!
I have LOVED writing Taryn's story which is why I'm so excited about this cover. This is exactly how I pictured her. I can't believe I'm finishing up the last of the edits already. Which mean Book 3 in the Love and Trust trilogy,
Tough Love
will be live before you know it. I'll keep you posted!
March 31, 2014
Sneak Peek at Tough Love Book 3 in the Love and Trust Trilogy
Hey Friends!
Just thought I'd let you know that Tough Love is going through the final edits. To celebrate, I've decided to give you a little sneak peek. I'm hoping tomorrow to do a cover reveal, but don't hold me to that. In case you're new to the Love and Trust trilogy, I'll give you a little background. My first trilogy was the Love and Dessert trilogy based on the Kendall sisters and Belinda's Bakery in Fircrest Washington. My Love and Trust trilogy is based around Rob Downing and his sisters Bailey and Taryn and their restaurant The Iron Skillet. Come To Me was Rob and Wren's story and Be Mine is Bailey and Kam's story.
So of course that leaves Taryn. Tough Love is the perfect title for Taryn's story because she's pretty tough. She's feisty and proud and strong, but she can also be loving and sweet. If you've read Come to Me and Be Mine, you know she has some hang ups about being with Brogan, a younger man. Being a Cougar might be harder than it looks though.
Taryn drove home in a fog of depression. It was a special kind of hell to sit at the dinner table with her family and see how in love Rob and Wren were and how passionate Kam and Bailey were about each other. She reached up and massaged her forehead as she came to a stoplight. There was no one else now to diffuse mother’s attention. She was the last one and her mother would now stop at nothing until she was married happily with two children. She drove down the street and pulled into her driveway. She rented the top floor of a renovated craftsman style home from the early 1900’s. The older couple she rented from took care of the upkeep and the yard so she never had to worry about anything. She could have had a modern condo down by the water, but this was close to work and felt more homey. She walked up the steps and let herself in, automatically locking up behind her. She threw her purse on the counter and headed for her bed. She collapsed face first onto her pillow and kicked her legs for good measure. How in the world was she supposed to come up with a date for Bailey’s engagement party when she knew full well Brogan would be there too? She turned to her side as her oxygen began to fade and sighed with her eyes closed. She’d been seeing Brogan secretly off and on for the last few months, but she’d broken things off for good a couple weeks ago and she still felt physically sick about it. Brogan had given her an ultimatum. Bring their relationship out into the open or they were done. So they were done. Taryn pulled her pillow over her chest, hugging it to her face as she remembered Brogan’s face as she’d told him they were over. Shock, disappointment and surprisingly, pity. He’d turned around walked out without another word and that was the last time she’d talked to him. At work, she studiously avoided him. And he wasn’t exactly seeking her out either. She pulled her knees up into a fetal position and listened to the rain hit the windows as she thought about Brogan. She missed him. He was always so positive and happy and kind. He had a gift for turning her bad moods around and getting her to laugh. He was like her own personal Prozac and she was turning darker, meaner and less happy with every day that passed without him. And oh how she missed the kissing. Brogan was big on kissing and was always finding excuses to pull her into her office to kiss her breathless. But that was over now. Really, how could she see herself in a serious, long term relationship with a waiter? It was ridiculous. Okay, maybe he was more than a waiter, but still. He was younger than her by three years, and he still lived at home. Total deal breaker. Taryn turned over on her stomach and leaned her chin on her hands. Sure he was living at home and waiting tables to pay off his student loans and she could respect that, but why should she date him, when there were thousands of men who were past that stage in life? She could very easily be dating a man who had an established career, who was out of debt andliving independently. Taryn closed her eyes. Well of course he had started his own graphic design business on the side and was doing pretty good so far, but that was no guarantee of future success. Most business failed in their first year. Startups were a gamble and it was very likely that he would end up at the end of the year, broke and right back where he started, living at home and waiting tables for her brother. She stood up and walked over to her bathroom, flipping on the light and leaning over the sink as she stared into the mirror. She was Taryn Downing, manager of The Iron Skillet. She was a strong, smart, successful woman and what would that say about her, dating a younger man? People would call her a Sugar Mama or worse, a Cougar. She grinned at the term and tilted her head as she studied her reflection. She wasn’t conceited but she knew she was attractive. She was tall, slim yet strong and she had good Italian genes thanks to her mama that gave her face with a little extra drama, from the dark wings of her eyebrows to her full pouty mouth. Being beautiful had been a double edged sword. She was noticed but disregarded because of her looks. She’d had suppliers try and take advantage of her because no way could a beautiful woman have brains. She loved reeducating people. She could get a date to the engagement party if she wanted one. She’d been asked out just yesterday by one of their regular patrons, Jeffrey Archer. He was perfect actually. In his mid-thirties, successful, kind and attractive, but she’d said no before she’d even thought about it. For some reason, dating another man kind of made her sick to her stomach. Taryn walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her cell phone as she scrolled through all the selfies she and Brogan had taken of themselves. She smiled softly at the picture of them in Seattle a month ago. They’d driven up to see a concert and have dinner. Taryn felt her heart ache as she noticed how happy they both were. Brogan was so blond and golden compared to her dramatic dark coloring. They were the exact opposites in just about everything, which is probably why they were so drawn to each other. She scrolled down to a different picture and sat down on the edge of her couch, feeling her heart bleed a little. They’d been right there in her family room, watching a movie. She’d had her head leaning against his shoulder. They looked so comfortable with each other. She couldn’t even imagine being so comfortable and easy with another man. She sighed and walked over to the long window and leaned her forehead against the cool glass as she wondered for the thousandth time if she’d made the worst mistake of her life. She closed her eyes and thought of what Brogan had asked of her. It wasn’t so much really. Just tell everyone that they were together. Let her family and everyone at work know that they were in a committed relationship with each other. He had told her he was sick of being kept a dirty little secret and that he deserved a woman who not only respected him but was proud to be with him. She felt horrible about hurting him, but in the end, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t stand the thought of people judging her, snickering behind their hands at her. Laughing at her.
The question was, was her pride so important when in the end, she was alone?*Copyrighted Material*
This has been one of my favorite books to write just because Taryn is so close to my heart. Be warned though, this one's a little intense. Let me know what you think!
Just thought I'd let you know that Tough Love is going through the final edits. To celebrate, I've decided to give you a little sneak peek. I'm hoping tomorrow to do a cover reveal, but don't hold me to that. In case you're new to the Love and Trust trilogy, I'll give you a little background. My first trilogy was the Love and Dessert trilogy based on the Kendall sisters and Belinda's Bakery in Fircrest Washington. My Love and Trust trilogy is based around Rob Downing and his sisters Bailey and Taryn and their restaurant The Iron Skillet. Come To Me was Rob and Wren's story and Be Mine is Bailey and Kam's story.
So of course that leaves Taryn. Tough Love is the perfect title for Taryn's story because she's pretty tough. She's feisty and proud and strong, but she can also be loving and sweet. If you've read Come to Me and Be Mine, you know she has some hang ups about being with Brogan, a younger man. Being a Cougar might be harder than it looks though.
Taryn drove home in a fog of depression. It was a special kind of hell to sit at the dinner table with her family and see how in love Rob and Wren were and how passionate Kam and Bailey were about each other. She reached up and massaged her forehead as she came to a stoplight. There was no one else now to diffuse mother’s attention. She was the last one and her mother would now stop at nothing until she was married happily with two children. She drove down the street and pulled into her driveway. She rented the top floor of a renovated craftsman style home from the early 1900’s. The older couple she rented from took care of the upkeep and the yard so she never had to worry about anything. She could have had a modern condo down by the water, but this was close to work and felt more homey. She walked up the steps and let herself in, automatically locking up behind her. She threw her purse on the counter and headed for her bed. She collapsed face first onto her pillow and kicked her legs for good measure. How in the world was she supposed to come up with a date for Bailey’s engagement party when she knew full well Brogan would be there too? She turned to her side as her oxygen began to fade and sighed with her eyes closed. She’d been seeing Brogan secretly off and on for the last few months, but she’d broken things off for good a couple weeks ago and she still felt physically sick about it. Brogan had given her an ultimatum. Bring their relationship out into the open or they were done. So they were done. Taryn pulled her pillow over her chest, hugging it to her face as she remembered Brogan’s face as she’d told him they were over. Shock, disappointment and surprisingly, pity. He’d turned around walked out without another word and that was the last time she’d talked to him. At work, she studiously avoided him. And he wasn’t exactly seeking her out either. She pulled her knees up into a fetal position and listened to the rain hit the windows as she thought about Brogan. She missed him. He was always so positive and happy and kind. He had a gift for turning her bad moods around and getting her to laugh. He was like her own personal Prozac and she was turning darker, meaner and less happy with every day that passed without him. And oh how she missed the kissing. Brogan was big on kissing and was always finding excuses to pull her into her office to kiss her breathless. But that was over now. Really, how could she see herself in a serious, long term relationship with a waiter? It was ridiculous. Okay, maybe he was more than a waiter, but still. He was younger than her by three years, and he still lived at home. Total deal breaker. Taryn turned over on her stomach and leaned her chin on her hands. Sure he was living at home and waiting tables to pay off his student loans and she could respect that, but why should she date him, when there were thousands of men who were past that stage in life? She could very easily be dating a man who had an established career, who was out of debt andliving independently. Taryn closed her eyes. Well of course he had started his own graphic design business on the side and was doing pretty good so far, but that was no guarantee of future success. Most business failed in their first year. Startups were a gamble and it was very likely that he would end up at the end of the year, broke and right back where he started, living at home and waiting tables for her brother. She stood up and walked over to her bathroom, flipping on the light and leaning over the sink as she stared into the mirror. She was Taryn Downing, manager of The Iron Skillet. She was a strong, smart, successful woman and what would that say about her, dating a younger man? People would call her a Sugar Mama or worse, a Cougar. She grinned at the term and tilted her head as she studied her reflection. She wasn’t conceited but she knew she was attractive. She was tall, slim yet strong and she had good Italian genes thanks to her mama that gave her face with a little extra drama, from the dark wings of her eyebrows to her full pouty mouth. Being beautiful had been a double edged sword. She was noticed but disregarded because of her looks. She’d had suppliers try and take advantage of her because no way could a beautiful woman have brains. She loved reeducating people. She could get a date to the engagement party if she wanted one. She’d been asked out just yesterday by one of their regular patrons, Jeffrey Archer. He was perfect actually. In his mid-thirties, successful, kind and attractive, but she’d said no before she’d even thought about it. For some reason, dating another man kind of made her sick to her stomach. Taryn walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her cell phone as she scrolled through all the selfies she and Brogan had taken of themselves. She smiled softly at the picture of them in Seattle a month ago. They’d driven up to see a concert and have dinner. Taryn felt her heart ache as she noticed how happy they both were. Brogan was so blond and golden compared to her dramatic dark coloring. They were the exact opposites in just about everything, which is probably why they were so drawn to each other. She scrolled down to a different picture and sat down on the edge of her couch, feeling her heart bleed a little. They’d been right there in her family room, watching a movie. She’d had her head leaning against his shoulder. They looked so comfortable with each other. She couldn’t even imagine being so comfortable and easy with another man. She sighed and walked over to the long window and leaned her forehead against the cool glass as she wondered for the thousandth time if she’d made the worst mistake of her life. She closed her eyes and thought of what Brogan had asked of her. It wasn’t so much really. Just tell everyone that they were together. Let her family and everyone at work know that they were in a committed relationship with each other. He had told her he was sick of being kept a dirty little secret and that he deserved a woman who not only respected him but was proud to be with him. She felt horrible about hurting him, but in the end, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t stand the thought of people judging her, snickering behind their hands at her. Laughing at her.
The question was, was her pride so important when in the end, she was alone?*Copyrighted Material*
This has been one of my favorite books to write just because Taryn is so close to my heart. Be warned though, this one's a little intense. Let me know what you think!
March 25, 2014
Breathtaking Update!
I had SO much fun at the launch party last night! If you stopped by for a while, thank you. It was fun getting to know you guys a little better. I think our first day on sale went really well. And if you haven't heard, if you go to my facebook page and share my post about Breathtaking - you're entered into a giveaway for a beautiful necklace from Mayan Treasures. It goes from now until Saturday. So easy, all you have to do is share the post.
In the mean time, check out two more books being offered in the set. Remind me, what's $.99 divided by 7? Just kidding, I totally knew the answer - That's $.14 a book and these are some fantastic books. Remember it's only on sale for a short time so check it out here !
Unbelievable by Sherry Gammon
Deliah Dreser's in town to take care of family business. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but there's more to Lilah than meets the eye. Cole's in danger of losing his heart when this firestorm throws sparks his way. Is she simply playing him for the fool in order to exact revenge for her brother's murders?
Bestselling author Sherry Gammon's reviewers exclaim; "She has a gift for touching her readers with beautiful, gripping stories that you can’t put down."
Home Before Dark by Christy Barritt
Nothing good ever happens after dark. Those were the words country singer Daleigh McDermott’s father always repeated.
Now her father is dead, and Daleigh finds a hidden journal hinting that his death was no accident. Small town mechanic Ryan Shields is the only one who seems to believe Daleigh. As the two work to unravel the mystery, it becomes obvious that someone wants them dead. They must rely on each other—and on God—if they hope to make it home before the darkness swallows them whole.
Award-Winning Suspense Novelist and Bestselling Amazon Author, touted as "scary, funny, passionate, and quirky" by USA Today
March 21, 2014
Want to know more about Breathtaking: 7 Novels of Love and Suspense?
I want to tell you all about two more books in our Boxed set - going on sale March 24th. 7 Full length novels at the amazing price of $.99
Cami Checketts- Blog This
Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?
Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.
Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won't hide any longer.
In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?
5.0 out of 5 stars
You won't be able to put it down
December 5, 2013By Elsa AkinaFormat:Kindle EditionI usually read a book once and I'm good. Blog This however is full of suspense and excitement it's hard to put it down once you start reading it. I've read it three times and each time I react as if I had just picked it up. Have read all of Cami's books and enjoyed each one but I love this one. Just when you think you know what's going to happen Cami leads you down a different path. This is not a book you want to start reading before you go to bed...it will keep you awake. Highly recommend this book, you won't be disappointed.
Kimberly Krey - Cassie's Cowboy Crave
Cassie's words dangled in the air like an invitation, warm and welcome. He couldn't likely bring her home without a simple kiss, now, could he? When their eyes met, Shane tilted his head, asking for permission with the lift of his brow. She nodded slightly - a silent response - yet the best thing he'd heard in weeks - Yes.
Twenty-four-year-old Cassie Lovell has a great job, good friends, and an apartment with a killer view. That is, until life is turned upside down. Without the chance to say goodbye, Cassie is forced into a witness protection program on Emerson Ranch. Just when she fears life is doomed, Cassie meets Shane Emerson, the stunningly handsome cowboy who'll be posing as her newlywed groom.
Shane Emerson is determined not to fall for the woman he's agreed to harbor. Especially since the whole thing was his family's way of trying to get him hitched. So why is it when he takes Cassie into his home, Shane wants nothing more than to turn their make-believe marriage into more than just a sham?
In a moment of weakness, Shane steals a kiss.
In return, Cassie steals his heart.
Yet before they confess their undying love,
a hidden danger threatens to tear them apart.
*Though this novel is considered clean romance, it contains passionate kissing & a few mild curse words.
5.0 out of 5 stars Every girl's dream... December 28, 2013By Amazon CustomerFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseWhat woman doesn't want a handsome man to fawn all over her, fall in love with her, and protect her with everything inside of him? And throw in that Shane's a cowboy, living on a huge ranch, with a close knit family, you can't go wrong. Ms. Krey does a wonderful job at bringing these characters to life. Cassie's Cowboy Crave was 'clean without losing the steam' just as the author promised. Great read!
Cami Checketts- Blog This
Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?
Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.
Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won't hide any longer.
In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?
5.0 out of 5 stars
You won't be able to put it down
December 5, 2013By Elsa AkinaFormat:Kindle EditionI usually read a book once and I'm good. Blog This however is full of suspense and excitement it's hard to put it down once you start reading it. I've read it three times and each time I react as if I had just picked it up. Have read all of Cami's books and enjoyed each one but I love this one. Just when you think you know what's going to happen Cami leads you down a different path. This is not a book you want to start reading before you go to bed...it will keep you awake. Highly recommend this book, you won't be disappointed.Kimberly Krey - Cassie's Cowboy Crave
Cassie's words dangled in the air like an invitation, warm and welcome. He couldn't likely bring her home without a simple kiss, now, could he? When their eyes met, Shane tilted his head, asking for permission with the lift of his brow. She nodded slightly - a silent response - yet the best thing he'd heard in weeks - Yes.
Twenty-four-year-old Cassie Lovell has a great job, good friends, and an apartment with a killer view. That is, until life is turned upside down. Without the chance to say goodbye, Cassie is forced into a witness protection program on Emerson Ranch. Just when she fears life is doomed, Cassie meets Shane Emerson, the stunningly handsome cowboy who'll be posing as her newlywed groom.
Shane Emerson is determined not to fall for the woman he's agreed to harbor. Especially since the whole thing was his family's way of trying to get him hitched. So why is it when he takes Cassie into his home, Shane wants nothing more than to turn their make-believe marriage into more than just a sham?
In a moment of weakness, Shane steals a kiss.
In return, Cassie steals his heart.
Yet before they confess their undying love,
a hidden danger threatens to tear them apart.
*Though this novel is considered clean romance, it contains passionate kissing & a few mild curse words.
5.0 out of 5 stars Every girl's dream... December 28, 2013By Amazon CustomerFormat:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified PurchaseWhat woman doesn't want a handsome man to fawn all over her, fall in love with her, and protect her with everything inside of him? And throw in that Shane's a cowboy, living on a huge ranch, with a close knit family, you can't go wrong. Ms. Krey does a wonderful job at bringing these characters to life. Cassie's Cowboy Crave was 'clean without losing the steam' just as the author promised. Great read!
