Lily Graison's Blog, page 14
December 11, 2014
Jingle Balls Blog Hop
Welcome to the Jingle Balls Giveaway Blog Hop hosted by Satin’s Bookish Corner and Amara Label. This hop is for adults only and will run Dec. 12th – 17th. There are over a dozen blogs participating so be sure to visit them all for your chance to win some great prizes and find out more about a host of new authors/books.
What are you playing for?
One winner will receive a signed paperback copy of my contemporary rock star romance, Wicked: The Complete Series Boxset. This book has all 4 stories in the Wicked series in paperback.
All Four Novella’s in one Hot Book!
The four men who make up the rock band, Wicked, the hottest act to hit the scene in years, have earned their wicked status without much help. They’re bad, sinfully delicious, and a temptation to every woman they meet. Gearing up for a world wide tour, they’re about to come face to face with the only women who can tame them. But when you can have any woman you want, how do you convince the one that you can’t live without her?
Book 1: Wicked: Tempt Me Not
Book 2: Wicked: Leather and Lace
Book 3: Wicked” Jade Butterfly
Book 4: Wicked: Sweet Temptation
How To Enter This Giveaway
The Hop will run from 00:01 (GMT) on the 12th of December until 11:59 (GMT) on the 17th of December 2014.
In order to win one of the amazing prizes up for grabs you MUST be a follower of each blog participating in the hop.
You MUST comment leaving your email address so we can get in touch with you should you win.
Winners will be announced on the 18th of December.
Giveaways are open to all US, Canadian and International followers.
Fill in at least ONE option on the Rafflecopter form to enter. Winners will be picked using the form so follow the directions.
If you’d like extra chances to win, feel free to do the additional tasks.
Click on any of the following blogs for more chances to win!
The post Jingle Balls Blog Hop appeared first on USA TODAY Best Selling Romance Author, Lily Graison.
Friday First Kiss #57 :: A Willow Creek Christmas by Lily Graison (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, A Willow Creek Christmas by Lily Graison ( A Willow Creek Novel)
Her soft spoken words tore a hole in his heart. How could she act as if it made no difference?
Isabelle had cried when she saw him, shook her head as if to deny what she was seeing. Begged him to have someone fix it. But there was nothing to fix. His face was ruined, his body riddled with scars that made the one on his face seem like such an insignificant thing.
But Keri wasn’t flinching or looking away, instead, she was touching him, her fingers warm and soft against his face. A mere caress.
As nice as it felt to have her touch him, he’d never felt so exposed in his life. Fully clothed he felt naked, as if the entire town of Willow Creek was sitting there in his cabin laughing at the town monster who thought he was good enough for someone to love. He kept his eyes closed, not able to bear the pity he knew he’d see if he looked up at her.
Her thumb slid across his cheek again, the small touch leaving a trail of fire behind it. She moved closer, stepping between his legs until the heat from her body warmed him, the scent of that floral scented soap that lingered on her skin filling his senses.
A fluttering touch against his lip forced his eyes open. Keri traced the outer edges with the tip of one finger. The look on her face was his undoing. The disgust he’d seen cross Isabelle’s features weren’t present as Keri looked at him.
The fear of rejection he’d lived with since Isabelle turned her back on him shattered as he looked up at Keri, desire shining so brightly in her beautiful eyes his body jolted, his pulse leaping and dancing under his skin.
She ran soft fingers over his face, smoothed both of her hands over his bristled jaw and looked up, her heart shining in her eyes. “You’ve no reason to ever hide, Noah.” She cupped his face in her hands, her thumbs grazing his cheeks.
Then she kissed him.
His entire body clenched tight at the first touch of her soft lips, the air was sucked from his lungs and he sat there unmoving as she sealed her mouth over his, her tongue darting out to tease his bottom lip. He hardened in an instant, ached to have her with a craving so fierce it burned over every inch of his flesh.
He grabbed her, pulled her flush against him, and slid his tongue inside her mouth, tasting her sweetness as her arms wove around his neck.
Good God, how had he lived so long without the simple pleasure of a kiss? She felt so good, tasted as sweet as the finest wine, and caused his body to pulse with need. Threading his fingers into her hair, he angled her head the way he wanted and used his other arm to pull her flush against him.
She moaned deep in her throat, the sound vibrating through his body as her fingers dug into his scalp, her hold bordering on pain, and it still wasn’t close enough. He wanted to feel her against his skin, to drown in the scent of her. To end the agonizing yearning to sink into a soft, willing woman.
Running from a life she no longer wanted…
Widowed with two young children, Keri Hilam is desperate to escape her abusive brother in law, going so far as sneaking away in the dead of night in hopes of finding a better life. She never regrets leaving, not even when they find themselves stranded, starving, and alone. Fate brings them to Willow Creek, Montana, where they’re rescued by an unlikely hero, an ex-confederate soldier who seems more monster than man.
Hiding from a past he can’t seem to forget…
The war leaves Noah Lloyd scarred and bitter. When the girl he left behind broke his heart, he turned his back on the life he used to know, and sought refuge in a dusty little town that afforded him the solitude he wanted. Finding a woman and her kids hunkered down in an abandoned line shack in the middle of a blizzard is the last thing he needs. They’re ragged, half starved and vulnerable, but he’s determined to leave the trio in the care of the town marshal.
Can a future together erase all the pain…
But the innocence of a child at Christmas breaks through Noah’s hard exterior and Keri’s tender care allows him to see that life may be worth living. All he has to do is let go of his past and let this unlikely family love him.
This book is priced at .99cent on Amazon.com until December 20th! It will return to its regular price of $4.99 after that so grab this special deal while you can!
Available everywhere else at $4.99
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About Lily Graison
USA TODAY bestselling author Lily Graison writes historical western romances and dabbles in contemporary and paranormal romance. First published in 2005, Lily has written over a dozen romance novels that range from sweet to spicy.
She lives in Hickory, North Carolina with her husband, three high-strung Yorkies and more cats than she can count and is mother of two and grandmother of three. On occasion, she can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.
To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google+
*Authors, want to see your book featured here on Friday First Kiss? Go HERE to find out how.*
The post Friday First Kiss #57 :: A Willow Creek Christmas by Lily Graison (Historical Western) appeared first on USA TODAY Best Selling Romance Author, Lily Graison.
December 4, 2014
Friday First Kiss #56 :: Maybe This Christmas by Kristin Holt (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Maybe This Christmas by Kristin Holt (A Sweet Historical Western Holiday Romance Novella)
On Monday morning Effie held the door open while Luke carried in the small stove he intended to install in her back room. On the way back to town last night after Sunday dinner with the Finlays, Luke had told her of his intentions to give her this second stove. His motives were pure—he simply wanted to see her adequately warm.
It was his idea, a Christmas gift, he’d insisted, and he would do the work himself.
Noelle waved in her good-natured manner as she followed Luke inside. She hung up her coat and set immediately to work.
Everyone in the valley trusted the Finlays. They all followed through and did exactly what they’d committed to. As Effie heard Luke unpacking the crate in her private quarters, she figured that strength was also her greatest danger.
Luke had vowed to win her heart, bit by bit, and that’s exactly what he’d done. He had her doubting her resolutions, wondering if she had the capacity for love.
She’d simply have to ignore him, concentrate on her customers and her work, and keep him at a distance.
As she’d lain in bed this morning, dreading another day with Luke near, she’d rehearsed a lengthy list of reasons why she was better off unmarried, why she was far happier alone. She squared her shoulders. She could do this. She would do this.
Mrs. Abbott, the mayor’s wife, came in shortly after nine to collect her orders. As Effie showed each item to Mrs. Abbott for her inspection, she couldn’t help but hear every rasp of the saw, every clank of iron stovepipe against wood. She was far too attuned to Luke. As they’d agreed, the door remained open. Customer curiosity would peak if they couldn’t see for themselves.
Unfortunately, this meant Effie could watch Luke at work. With his shirtsleeves rolled up and sawdust clinging to his jeans, he looked more a carpenter than a rancher.
Effie pulled her gaze away. She didn’t want to see the play of muscles beneath his shirt nor acknowledge the breadth of his shoulders.
“I see the rumors can’t be true,” Mrs. Abbott said, leaning over the counter as if to confide secrets. “If young Mr. Finlay’s going to all that work installing another stove on your premises, you can’t be leaving town.”
Effie looked up from folding Mrs. Abbott’s gabardine skirt. “Who said I was leaving?”
“Why, that handsome U.S. Marshal of yours did. But I see you’re simply adding value to the operation so it fetches a better price.” Mrs. Abbott softened her words with a wink. “Mighty fine business sense you have, Mrs. O’Leary.”
“Effie’s not going anywhere.” Noelle tore off a length of brown paper. “She’s told Mr. Rose so. I think he doesn’t want to believe her.”
The last thing Effie wanted was to add to the gossip mill, so she took the matching blouse Mrs. Abbott held and exchanged it with the shirt she’d just finished for the mayor. “Is the blouse to your liking? Good. Please take a look at the mayor’s new shirt.”
Ann Abbott had to be the most particular of Effie’s customers. Once Effie had proved her skills met Mrs. Abbott’s expectations, the inspection before payment had become a mere formality.
“Most handsome.” Ann admired the plackets at the sleeve’s cuff, fingered a buttonhole or two, and smoothed the expensive cotton with a palm. “You do excellent work.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Abbott.” Effie knew what would come next. As far as Mrs. Abbott was concerned, her orders, no matter when placed, should take precedence over any others. Her husband was the mayor, after all.
“How is your work on the mayor’s new suit progressing?”
Right on cue. Effie couldn’t help but smile.
Noelle, quick to please, brought out the suit coat. “Have you ever touched wool this soft and fine?”
As Noelle kept Mrs. Abbott occupied, Effie opened the ledger to make notations of the garments Mrs. Abbott had collected and tally the bill. Payment was accepted, pleasantries exchanged, and it wasn’t long and Mrs. Abbott left, her arms full and a smile on her face.
Effie put an arm about Noelle’s shoulders. “You’re a gem.”
“You’re the one who knows just what to say to her. She scares me.”
Effie chuckled. She’d once had all of Hartford’s Society at her feet. She could handle the upper crust of Mountain Home. “She’s not so bad. She simply wants to feel important and respected.”
Didn’t everyone want the same?
She did.
And Luke had an uncanny way of ensuring she felt both—important and respected.
How was she supposed to resist softening even more to his charms?
Her traitorous heart was so attuned to Luke and his progress that it had started pounding with happy anticipation as she heard him finishing up. She forced herself to complete the seam before turning to him. He leaned in the doorway to her private room, his shirtsleeves still rolled up over forearms. Thick veins and dark hair enhanced the pull…so masculine and so familiar all at the same time.
“Want to see?” he asked.
Effie stood, noted Noelle had nearly finished the buttonholes on the mayor’s suit coat. She took a moment to admire the perfect, tight stitching. “Very well done, Noelle. I do believe I owe you a raise. Your skills have improved, and you’ve earned it.”
The girl’s eyes lit with the same flair of happiness she often glimpsed in Luke’s. The siblings—including Miranda—all had that same spark.
They ought to figure out how to bottle it. They’d make a fortune selling the patent medicine.
“You mean it?” Noelle’s grin provoked a smile from Effie, too.
“Indeed I do. Next payday, a nice raise for you.”
“Yes, ma’am—umm, Effie.”
“When you’re done there, you’ll start sewing on the buttons?” She found the envelope containing the special-order leather-covered shank buttons Mrs. Abbott had insisted upon.
“Yes. Go see your stove.”
Effie had a hard time meeting Luke’s gaze. These two could see right through her, and no doubt recognized her attempt to delay joining Luke.
How pathetic was she?
It should be a simple thing, to admire his craftsmanship, thank him for a job well done, and offer—though he’d refuse—repayment for the hardware and compensation for his time.
What was wrong with her?
Butterflies flitted about her stomach and she couldn’t help but smile…sure signs her recent flirtation with certain disaster wasn’t entirely in the past.
Number one: I will not forfeit my hard-won freedom.
Number two: I am content with my life the way it is.
She would mentally recite her list as often and as frequently as required until the temporary infatuation passed. It would pass…she’d make sure of it.
Number three: Men are never the same after marriage as they appear beforehand.
Luke offered his hand. His expression conveyed such hope, such optimism she’d accept.
Effie split a glance between him and his little sister, and finding Noelle busily stitching by light from the window, she still hesitated.
Should she?
Was it really so bad, just to take his hand?
He simply waited, a soft smile playing about his lips. Oh! He knew how much conflict this caused her, and yet he offered his hand anyway.
Shame on him. She strode past him and into the bedroom, leaving him to follow.
She made sure she left him plenty of room so he didn’t need to stand too near. With her attention entirely on the new appliance, she scanned it from ceiling to floor, noting he’d built a square base of bricks to keep the iron legs off the floorboards.
Luke had cleaned up every stray bit of sawdust. The stovepipe climbed straight and true, and, as she’d overheard from her sewing machine, he’d built a fire in the stove’s belly.
He held out his hands to warm them. “Come try it out.”
“I feel the warmth from here. Thank you, Mr. Finlay.”
He quirked a brow. He seemed on the brink of laughter, but instead he snagged her wrist and pulled her forward. “I don’t bite. What’s the matter?”
She swallowed. “Not a thing.”
Number four: Marriage is most disagreeable.
She determined to compliment him and get the conversation back on track. “You’re a tidy worker.”
“Tidy?” Now he did laugh. “Loosen up, Effie. You’re talking to me like we’re barely acquaintances.”
He looped his arm about her shoulders, pulled her close. “And I think we’re more than that. We’re at least friends.” He whispered the last of it close to her ear.
Predictably, her stomach tingled and her body fairly sang at his touch. She fought to keep a straight face. “Yes, Mr. Finlay. We are friends.”
“Is that all we are?” He nudged the shell of her ear with his nose, then his lips.
The delicious friction had her pulling away. “You know it’s all we can be.”
Number five: My nature is unsuited to marriage.
He shifted, cupped her face in his big hands, and his mouth touched hers for the briefest of seconds. He searched her gaze and asked a silent question.
Number six: I do not want male attention.
His hands trembled.
Sudden awareness flooded her system. All she could see, feel, sense was Luke. Warm, near, and focused wholly on her.
I’m a liar. I want this man’s attention.
Intoxicating.
Exhilarating.
Her breath caught.
He looked her in the eye with an unguarded intensity she’d never experienced, never understood could happen between a man and a woman. He took her in, searching her gaze as if she were the most desirable woman in the world.
“Effie,” he mouthed, silently, and kissed her.
His lips, so warm, so soft, sent an electrifying sensation bolting from lip to crown to toes. Her hands, flat against the flannel of his shirt, ached to steal into the hair at his nape.
His kiss stunned her in its simplicity and utter reverence.
Never in her life—not even when she and Gus been young—had she experienced this kind of kiss.
Pure, wholesome, honest.
She understood demanding, rough kisses meant to subjugate and control.
She understood kisses devoid of tenderness.
She understood ungainly, forbidden kisses in carriage houses and moonlit gardens.
But this…
Her soul seemed to expand, bringing a sensation of exquisite joy quickly followed by panic…she could not allow herself to change her mind so easily.
Number six…no! Number seven: Men are undesirable.
That one—number seven—was a bald lie, it held no weight, and could not sustain her through moments of weakness.
This was most certainly one of those moments of excruciating weakness.
Luke Finlay was desirable.
So much more desirable for the innocence of his kiss.
He pulled back before she’d had a chance to savor—his kiss had been far too brief. In his eyes she glimpsed the most terrifying, awe-inspiring,the list-obliterating reason why this insanity must end.
Luke Finlay loved her.
Full, whole-hearted, bone-deep, life-long love. The same wordless communication she’d spied between Phil and Caroline, Luke’s parents. A mirror image of the expression she’d seen in Hunter’s eyes for Miranda.
Now, she understood.
Not once in her life—not even with Gus—had she experienced that utter, helpless, all-consuming love of a man, for her.
Her heart pounded with the realization she teetered on the verge of falling in love…maybe. Was she capable of the emotion?
A rush of hot tears threatened. It was simply too much.
She couldn’t bear to let him see how he affected her, so she dipped her chin and alighted against him. She fit perfectly in the hollow of his throat.
His arms came about her, as if it were the most natural response. Beneath her hand, his heart thudded, quick and sure and strong.
The magnitude of her response to his kiss and the undeniable truth that he loved her changed everything. If his kiss hadn’t moved her, if she’d not witnessed the depth of his affection, she might be able to set it aside with the ease in which she’d set Gus’s kisses aside.
The two were simply incomparable.
An hour ago, she never would’ve believed she might so much as consider forfeiting her freedom and independence. Now, her whole world had shifted.
The shop door opened, tinkling bells carrying in the quiet.
Scissors thudded on the cutting table. Noelle’s stool scraped against the floor. “Afternoon, Mr. Rose.”
Maybe this Christmas by Kristin Holt
A Sweet Historical Western Holiday Romance Novella (Rated PG)
Holidays In Mountain Home, Book 2
(The books in this series are loosely connected and may be read in any order.)
Luke Finlay intends to court Effie O’Leary as soon as she puts aside her widow’s weeds. He’s in no hurry…until August Rose, a beau from her youth, steps off the train in Mountain Home wearing a federal badge.
Effie’s not sure if August—Gus—tracked her down to face criminal charges, or because he’s still sweet on her. Either way, Gus’s arrival causes her all sorts of grief. If Gus isn’t underfoot in her tailor shop, then Luke is. It seems the two men have decided she’s a prize to be won…and the escalating competition between the two leaves her torn.
She survived one disastrous marriage, so why would she accept either Gus or Luke? But these two can be most persuasive, and have a way of showing her that maybe this Christmas it’s time to open her heart to love.
Sometimes even an old-fashioned courtship needs a deadline.
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About Kristin Holt
I recall the winter of my first grade year, basking in the heat from our fireplace in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dad read aloud Madeline L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME and Mom peeled orange segments for us to enjoy. That was the definitive moment I fell in love with fiction.
I write sweet (wholesome) romances set in the 19th Century American West. I’m newly active in a fantastic Facebook group for authors and readers of Western Historical Romances: Join the fun at www.facebook.com/groups/pioneerhearts.
Please stop by at www.KristinHolt.com and say hello!
*Authors, want to see your book featured here on Friday First Kiss? Go HERE to find out how.*
The post Friday First Kiss #56 :: Maybe This Christmas by Kristin Holt (Historical Western) appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
November 29, 2014
Friday First Kiss #55 :: Mistletoe Waltz by Alanna Lucas (Historical Romance)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Mistletoe Waltz by Alanna Lucas
Faith wondered if she had spilled something on her dress. She followed Aunt Lou’s gaze upward. Mistletoe. The pounding in her chest got louder and louder, Faith wondered what Marcus would do.
The decision was made for him.
“Kiss her,” Aunt Lou commanded, rather than stated, with a playful smile. Faith looked at Marcus with uncertainty. Was this a test? They had never exchanged even one kiss, not even after their hasty marriage. And the few times he visited, he was here and gone so quick that Faith had never gotten the chance to know him, let alone share intimacies.
Marcus took one step in, and Faith’s pulse started to pound in rhythm with her heart. She felt anxious and a little light-headed, but not in a bad way, not the way she was used to feeling when the opposite sex was near. He didn’t say a word, just bent his head and gave her a kiss on the lips.
When their lips met, Faith’s world became brighter, and the anxious anticipation was replaced by a tingling sensation. She was flying on a cloud of mistletoe across a snowy landscape. His lips were soft, gentle. He tasted like sweet custard. Faith had not been so aware of him before.
Faith did not know if he felt the same way; she assumed not. Marcus was handsome, probably had the attention of his fair share of women. What was Faith to him but an inconvenience and an unwanted bride?
Disappointment rushed through her when the kiss ended and Marcus stepped back. He did not say a word to her. He turned to his aunt, bid her good night, and left the room, leaving a very puzzled Faith to wonder what she had done wrong.
Mistletoe Waltz by Alanna Lucas
Holiday Wish
Marcus, the Marquess of Hawthorne, vowed never to fall in love. He should have vowed never to marry. Caught in a compromising situation, he’s been forced to wed the young woman he was trying to rescue. Beautiful? Yes. But his new bride’s apprehensions seem worse than his own, and as family and friends arrive at Deer Park to celebrate Christmastide, all he wants is for Faith to play the part of a happy wife and hostess.
She will not, however—or cannot. And when she commits yet another desperate act, this time with disastrous results, Marcus must save Faith once again. Now he must discover what drives her, what dark secrets keep her unable to trust or love, and what she truly desires. Only then will they, with the magic of mistletoe, overcome the pasts and taste the delights of the season.
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Boroughs Publishing Group
About Alanna Lucas
Alanna Lucas grew up in Southern California. From an early age, she took an interest in travel, incorporating those experiences into her writing. When she is not daydreaming of her next travel destination, Alanna can be found researching, spending time with family, or going for long walks. Alanna Lucas is a member of the Romance Writers of America, East Valley Authors, The Beau Monde, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers.
*Authors, want to see your book featured here on Friday First Kiss? Go HERE to find out how.*
The post Friday First Kiss #55 :: Mistletoe Waltz by Alanna Lucas (Historical Romance) appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
November 21, 2014
Friday First Kiss #54 :: Diamond in the Dust by Peggy L. Henderson (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Diamond in the Dust by Peggy L. Henderson
On shaky legs, she moved further into the room, toward the bed. Gabe lay on his back, cradling Logan in a protective hold in the crook of his arm. Her baby had his thumb in his mouth, nestled against Gabe’s chest, sleeping peacefully.
Tears rolled down Morgan’s cheek at the most amazing, heart-melting sight she’d ever seen. She swiped a hand across her eyes, and sniffled. A warm sensation originated in the center of her chest, then slowly radiated all throughout her body. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from this big, rough-looking, yet devastatingly sexy man, so at peace in sleep at the moment, and the tender way he held her child.
She gave a quick, quiet laugh, and sniffled again, wiping at her eyes, and turned away from the bed. Weak and shaky legs carried her to the alcove by the bathroom. Morgan quietly blew her nose into a tissue. She sank against the wall and hugged her arm around her middle, allowing the tears to flow. Tears of unexplainable elation and joy. The image she’d just seen would be burned into her mind forever.
“You all right?” a deep voice drawled behind her.
Morgan whirled around to come face to face with the man who’d, moments ago, stolen her heart without even knowing.
“Logan?” she whispered, her voice foreign in her pounding ears.
Gabe ran a hand across his face. “I . . . ah . . . heard a noise over here, so I put him down in his crib. He started fussin’ after you left. I apologize if I ought not have picked him up. I’ve heard it’s best to let a baby cry it out or they get spoiled, but it just didn’t seem right, so I–”
Morgan raised her hand and touched a finger to his mouth. She stepped closer, the masculine scent of his skin adding to her already-heightened awareness of him.
She locked her eyes with his dark gaze. Gabe’s forehead wrinkled with uncertainty.
“What you did was perfect,” she murmured, and reached her hand up to curl around the back of his neck. Lifting her finger away from his lips, she slid it along his cheek while tugging his head down toward her. She leaned into him and stood on her toes, then touched her lips to his.
Standing stiffly for only a second, Gabe’s hands clamped either side of her waist, and drew her up against him. Morgan’s heart pounded in her ears, every part of her in tune to the feel of him holding her close.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his mouth. “Thank you for taking care of my son.”
She wound her arms fully around his neck, and leaned up closer.
“Morgan, what—”
“Don’t,” she said quickly, and silenced him by pressing her lips fully to his.
Slowly, the tension and stiffness eased from his body. His lips softened, and he parted his mouth, responding to her soft coaxing. All reason left her, and heat exploded inside her when his hands moved along her waist. The soft, tender touch of his fingers stroking her, sliding up along her ribcage and back down to her hips belied the strength and power in his hands. It was as if he was afraid she’d break, as if she were some delicate flower that he might crush if he held her any tighter.
The heat of his palms moving slowly up and down along her sides in a sensual exploration of her melted her insides. Shivers of pleasure ignited her skin, following the wake of his touch through the fabric of her t-shirt. She leaned fully into him, no longer coaxing him to kiss her. He’d taken complete control of her mouth, covering her lips with his own. Her lungs became hollow as all air left her, and she gave herself over to the sweet sensation of the languid strokes of his hands.
Morgan loosened her hold around his neck, sliding her palms down his chest until her arms wrapped around him, delighting in the slight shudder that passed through him. Encouraged by his reaction, her fingers explored the hard planes and contours of the muscles along either side of his spine. One of his arms snaked around her back in response, his hand moving upward at a painfully slow pace until he cupped the back of her head. Part of her wished he’d hold her tighter.
Gabe weaved his fingers through her hair, kneading her scalp, while his lips made love to her mouth in a tender assault.
Morgan gripped the back of his shoulders when Gabe leaned over her, pushing her back against the wall. He inhaled deeply, and the pressure of his kiss intensified. Breathing became impossible. Her mind spiraled out of control until nothing existed except his mouth on hers and his hands leaving trails of fire along her skin with his exploring caresses. Her knees had gone completely weak, and she relied on him to keep her on her feet.
Without warning, he abruptly pulled away from her, and straightened. Panting and breathless, Morgan caught her balance and stared into his midnight black eyes. Regret, indecision, frustration, and confusion all mixed with fierce hunger and yearning.
Breathing just as hard as she, Gabe ran a hand through his hair and stepped away from her. Morgan reached for his arm, sensing he was about to turn away.
“Don’t you dare apologize,” she said quickly, her lips quivering.
Gabe’s eyebrows drew together, and he shook his head slightly.
“You’re not a whore, Morgan,” he said roughly between clenched teeth. “I ain’t gonna treat you like one.”
He pulled his arm free of her grip and turned away. Snatching his clothes up off the ground where she’d dropped them, he yanked the door open, and disappeared from view.
Morgan inhaled a slow breath, and leaned against the wall. She touched trembling fingers to her lips that still pulsed in time with her heartbeat. Her entire body smoldered with the memory of his kiss, his touch. Her heart still hadn’t slowed its erratic pounding minutes later, when she finally moved away from the wall and staggered toward her bed. She sank onto the mattress, and curled around her pillow in a fetal position.
“And you’re not the bad man you seem to think you are, Gabe McFarlain,” she whispered into the darkness.
Diamond in the Dust by Peggy L. Henderson
Reverend Johnson is in the business of granting second chances to those deserving a new start, even if it means bending the rules of time travel on occasion. In Gabe McFarlain’s case, he may have gone too far . . .
Abandoned by his father, and raised in a whorehouse, Gabe has grown bitter to the world. Fueled by revenge and hatred, his actions leave him facing the hangman’s noose. Accepting certain death, he wakes up in a time and place that is as foreign as the tender touch of the woman who rescues him.
Down to earth and level-headed, Morgan Bartlett isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. All she wants is independence from her overbearing mother, and the freedom to shape her own destiny. When she aids a badly beaten man along the side of the road, she may have found more than a dusty cowboy down on his luck.
Morgan’s unshakable belief that Gabe is a good man slowly chisels away the walls he’s built around himself. As he comes to terms with living in the future, he must decide if losing his heart is worth more than holding on to the life he’s led in the past.
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About Peggy L. Henderson
Peggy L Henderson is a laboratory technologist by night, and best-selling western historical and time travel romance author of the Yellowstone Romance Series, Second Chances Time Travel Romance Series, and Teton Romance Trilogy. When she’s not writing about Yellowstone, the Tetons, or the old west, she’s out hiking the trails, spending time with her family and pets, or catching up on much-needed sleep. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart. Along with her husband and two sons, she makes her home in Southern California.
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The post Friday First Kiss #54 :: Diamond in the Dust by Peggy L. Henderson (Historical Western) appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
November 13, 2014
Friday First Kiss #53 :: Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer
“All right.” She took a breath to steady herself. She could be reasonable and hold her head high no matter how strange the situation. “If you’re truly here to take a bath, then bathe.”
She tilted her chin up and ignored him, taking the soap and running it over her arms and under the fabric of her chemise. It was a poor excuse for a real bath, but far better than anything she’d been able to manage on the trail so far.
She almost let her guard down and enjoyed the feeling of getting clean, until she noticed that Cade was still watching her.
“Do you mind?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t have any soap.”
Her eyes wandered over the expanse of his chest, glistening with water in the sunlight now. His nipples stood out in sharp relief against his chiseled muscles. Without warning, she caught herself imagining that chest lathered with soap suds. She swallowed, hot and cold all over.
“Fine,” she said at last, breathless. “Have the soap.”
She rubbed it under her arms as one last, desperate measure to cool the situation down, then inched sideways, closer to Cade. She extended her arm to its full length and handed him the slippery cake of soap.
Cade reached for it, but as their fingers touched, Lynne pulled back. The soap tumbled out of her grasp and into the water before Cade had hold of it.
“Oh!” Lynne gasped as the current caught it and whisked it away. “Hurry! Get it!”
She lunched toward the spinning cake as it rushed past her. Laughing, Cade lunged after it, diving into the water. Lynne shrieked as he splashed her. She rubbed water out of her eyes as quickly as she could, then scrambled after Cade. As far as she knew, that was the only cake of soap they had for the entire trip. She wasn’t about to lose it so early in the journey.
“Get it! Get it!” she shouted, splashing and scrambling over Cade as he half swam, half floated on the stream’s current. Lynne reached out as the soap bobbed just out of reach, her arms tangling with one of Cade’s as he cut in front of her.
“Well, I would if you weren’t in the way,” he said.
Lynne tried to reach further, but the bulk of Cade’s body was in the way. His arm brushed against her waist. One of his legs bumped against hers, sending her careening off-balance. He was right there to scoop her up, though, and just about the time she was able to orient herself in the rushing water, the current running over her shoulders and around her chest, it dawned on her that Cade might have impeded her efforts on purpose. How she got there she wasn’t entirely sure, but she was firmly in Cade’s arms. Her chest pressed against his, nothing but the wet fabric of her chemise separating them. His hands spread across her back, holding her tight. His muscled thigh nestled between her legs, and with a gulp she realized she was sitting more or less in his lap. Her feet weren’t touching the ground. Every part of her that touched him, from her taut nipples to the aching juncture between her thighs, was alive with wonder.
“Now isn’t this an interesting predicament,” he said, smile as broad as the prairie.
“Is it?” She tilted her chin up, pretending every part of her wasn’t quivering with anticipation and…and a dozen other emotions she didn’t want to think about.
“It is,” Cade answered and brought his mouth slanting down on top of hers.
If the sky had opened up and gold nuggets had rained down on them, Cade wouldn’t have noticed. Lynne was hot and supple in his arms. Her body was as soft and curvy as he had imagined it to be through every long, sleepless night. Since he’d first laid eyes on her. Since she’d one-upped him by riding Arrow. Her lips were as sweet as nectar. What was more, she parted those lips and let him tease his tongue against them, let him taste as deeply as he had longed to, without a second of hesitation. Her body melded against him.
His response was strong and immediate. He pulled her closer, lowering a hand to cup her backside and press her against the growing spear of his erection. A tiny voice at the back of his head told him he was a damned fool for treating her like a saloon girl, but she didn’t offer up a bit of resistance, to the pressure of his hips or to his invasion of her mouth. In fact, she hummed with delight.
The sound that came from low in her throat must have startled her, because a heartbeat later she gasped and jerked back. Not enough to signal to him she wanted out of his arms, though. Her dark eyes went round and her mouth hung open. It was probably shock, but it was short-lived. Her heavy-lidded gaze focused on his mouth. Cade was ready to kiss her again the second she leaned toward him. This time, she took as much from the kiss as he did.
It was over far too soon.
“What are we doing?” she hissed, pulling away in earnest.
“So you do like me after all.” Cade smiled. Her kisses were better than Christmas and the Fourth of July rolled up in gold and ice cream.
Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer
Someone is trying to kill Lynne Tremaine. After her father sentences two members of The Briscoe Boys gang to death, Judge Tremaine feels he has no choice but to send Lynne to Denver City along the Oregon Trail to live with her Uncle George…against her will. For Lynne, the only thing worse than being sent away to the wild west is making the journey with the handsome, arrogant, wicked man her uncle has hired to escort her. Especially when the anger she feels toward him begins to turn to something hotter.
Cade Lawson is determined to prove himself to his employer, George Tremaine, after letting him down months earlier. But what he thought would be his second chance may, in fact, be a harsh punishment for his past mistakes. Lynne is headstrong, fiery, and determined to show him she is fearless. She is also beautiful and tempting, and when Cade sees just how afraid she really is underneath her brave act, he may be in danger of losing his heart to her forever. When her would-be killer attacks, it’s all he can do to keep Lynne safe.
He swore to protect her, but who will protect him from her?
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About Merry Farmer
Merry Farmer is an award-winning writer of historical romance and more who lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats, Butterfly and Torpedo. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn’t have to wait for the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always have something to write about.
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The post Friday First Kiss #53 :: Trail of Kisses by Merry Farmer (Historical Western) appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
November 6, 2014
Friday First Kiss #52 :: Rania Ropes a Rancher (Brides with Grit Series: Book 1) by Linda Hubalek (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Rania Ropes a Rancher (Brides with Grit Series: Book 1) by Linda Hubalek
When Rania walked back from the bedroom Jacob stood and took her hands. “Like your gift?” He returned her big smile and changed his hands to hold her waist. “Maybe enough to give me a little thank–you kiss?” Jacob teased.
He felt Rania tense up a moment, but then relax. “I like that you’re tall, Rania. I can look you straight in the eye instead of having to bend down. And it’s so handy to kiss you, too.” Jacob softly touched Rania’s lips for a second, and then backed off to look in her eyes.Why were they squeezed shut? Then Rania opened her eyes and leaned up and touched her lips to his, making him forget his worry.
Jacob felt elated as Rania’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him against her chest. This was what he wanted, a passionate woman he could share his life with. The kiss felt so right between them and he wanted to continue savoring her lips forever, but he forced himself to stop and pull Rania away at arm’s length. It was time to talk.
“Rania, I’ve already talked to Dagmar and asked his permission.” Rania looked confused, so Jacob took a deep breath and smiled to calm her worried face. “I think you’re very special and I have a question to ask you.” Jacob took another breath before continuing, “I’d like to court you in hopes that you’d agree to become my wife.”
Her shocked look, then crumbling face was not what he expected at all. “Rania? What’s wrong?” Rania was starting to hyperventilate until she got herself under control.
“I…I have to tell you something, Jacob. I’m honored that you asked me but…”
“But what?” Jacob asked warily as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. This wasn’t the reaction he thought he’d get from Rania.
“I think I’m pregnant.”
Rania Ropes a Rancher (Brides with Grit Series: Book 1) by Linda Hubalek
Rania Hamner and her family emigrated from Sweden fourteen years ago to work on a Texas ranch, working cattle and herding them up the Chisholm Trail. Something in her life on the trail caused her to doubt her worth, and her ability to trust a man enough to become his wife. Once the family buys a homestead in Kansas, she meets a rancher who begins to make her believe she can trust and fall in love after all.
Rancher Jacob Wilerson noticed Rania last year when she rode drag behind a herd of longhorns—right down Main Street of Ellsworth, Kansas. He’s been waiting for her family to return this spring with another Texas herd to the booming cowtown, because he hopes to rope her into staying permanently on his ranch—the way she had already roped his heart.
When Rania’s past attacks with new danger, she decides to fight for all she’s worth because she realizes she wants to be with Jacob forever.
When Jacob realizes Rania is in danger, he rushes to save her, whether or not she still loves him, hoping to rope Rania—his heart—once more, as she has roped his.
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About Linda Hubalek
Linda Hubalek grew up on the Kansas prairie, always wanting to be a farmer like her parents and ancestors. After earning a college degree in Agriculture, marriage took Linda away from Kansas as her husband worked in engineering jobs in several states.
Meanwhile, Linda wrote about pioneer women that homesteaded in Kansas between 1854 to the early 1900s, especially her Swedish immigrant ancestors. Her historical fiction book series are Butter in the Well, Trail of Thread, Planting Dreams and the Kansas Quilter. She also has a historical western romance series called Brides with Grit.
Linda and her husband finally returned back to Kansas, where they raised American buffalo (bison) for a dozen years.
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The post Friday First Kiss #52 :: Rania Ropes a Rancher (Brides with Grit Series: Book 1) by Linda Hubalek (Historical Western) appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.
October 30, 2014
Friday First Kiss #51 :: The Ballad of Annie Sullivan by Kirsten Lynn (Historical Western)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, The Ballad of Annie Sullivan by Kirsten Lynn
Her voice floated up to him. He couldn’t understand what she said to the chickens, but he wished she’d just keep right on talking. One of her feathered friends must have alerted her to his presence because her gaze snapped up to him.
She didn’t run. She didn’t even move. Her gaze just followed him as he edged his way down the small rim, leading Chap. She set the pail down as he closed the distance between them, her gaze never leaving his.
Then, he stood not three inches from Annie Sullivan…if that’s who she was. He lifted his hand and swore when his fingers shook as he touched her cheek.
Her eyes slid shut, and she leaned into his touch.
Hank snapped, “Aw, hell!”
He cupped her face between his hands and molded his mouth to hers. On a gasp, her lips parted and Hank took advantage of her surprise to slip his tongue inside her sweet mouth and give her a thorough taste. A groan that started in his gut escaped his mouth as he continued to ravage her lips.
He tangled his tongue with hers until she followed his lead and mated her tongue with his. Her pleasure entered him on a breath. Hank didn’t even realize he’d been moving until he had her pinned between the side of the barn and his body. She didn’t resist, but roped her arms around his neck and rubbed her body against his. His blood boiled, and his erection stretched against his denims until it was painful.
His hands left her face and wandered over her soft curves until they found her round backside and he lifted her, pressing his erection into the folds of her dress until he found her sex. She ground against him and Hank woke from the dream with a start. He was fixin’ to take a stranger against her barn.
He set her feet back on the ground and broke the kiss, taking a step back. Her body swayed with his, her arms still wrapped around his neck. Her gaze met his, and fire flashed from those amber eyes.
“Hank.”
His name on her lips was like dry wood tossed on a fire, and he crushed her to him again, taking her mouth in a harsh kiss that had everything to do with owning her, branding her to him.
He lifted his mouth from hers in a heavy breath. “Bed?”
The Ballad of Annie Sullivan by Kirsten Lynn
Hank Renner enjoys summers and early autumns when he can escape his large family and spend time alone at the cow camp in the Bighorn Mountains. That is, until he starts seeing a beautiful woman with flaming red hair and brown eyes, who disappears as quick as the Wyoming sunshine. Questioning his sanity, Hank begins a search that just might lead him to his heart.
Annie Sullivan wants only one thing more than revenge for a rape and murder that occurred ten years ago…Hank Renner. Haunting the mountain, she’s kept watch over the handsome cowboy. But this year she did something she’s never done before, something that could change everything. She’s let the man see her—and exposed her soul.
Two lonely souls search for the truth that could solve a murder and a love that could resurrect their hearts.
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About Kirsten Lynn
Kirsten Lynn writes stories based on the people and history of the West, more specifically those who live and love in Wyoming and Montana. Using her MA in Naval History, Kirsten, weaves her love of the West and the military together in many of her stories, merging these two halves of her heart. When she’s not roping, riding and rabble-rousing with the cowboys and cowgirls who reside in her endless imagination, Kirsten works as a professional historian.
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October 23, 2014
Friday First Kiss #50 :: Anne’s Dream by Mia Blackwood (Time travel -Contemporary/Regency)
The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.
Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.
This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Anne’s Dream by Mia Blackwood
Finally it was time for the grooms to kiss their brides. Emily and Edward held each other and got lost in the tender, practiced kiss of lovers. They felt the familiar, warm tingle they’d come to expect each time they touched.
For Anne and Thomas, it was a new experience. They moved in what felt like slow motion, savoring every second of anticipation. As their lips met, the tingle they’d experienced each time they’d touched jumped to life and shot through them like a bolt of lightning. Passion erupted and washed over them unlike anything they’d ever imagined. The world around them ceased to exist.
That is, it ceased to exist until Edward clapped a hand on Thomas’s shoulder, which broke the magic of the moment and brought Anne and Thomas back to reality. Anne’s face turned a bright shade of red as she realized her family had been watching her first kiss with her husband. Her husband! How strange that sounded, and how wonderful!
Anne’s Dream by Mia Blackwood
Anne has always been a dreamer. When she stumbles upon a magic coin near a fountain in the woods one evening, she makes a heartfelt wish to find her true love.
Frustrated with the pressure from his family to marry, Thomas dreams of finding a real love before a marriage to a stranger can be arranged for him. He discovers a fountain and makes a wish for true love. Suddenly he finds himself nearly two hundred years in the future. Will he be able to adjust to his new life and find his true love before it’s too late?
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About Mia Blackwood
Mia Blackwood was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1969. With the exception of eight years in Tucson, Arizona, she has lived in south-east Wisconsin her entire life. She currently lives there with her husband of 21 years, her son, three cats and a dog. She has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.
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October 17, 2014
Pioneer Hearts .99¢ Sale and Giveaway!
We’ve been teasing readers all week with this event and its time for the BIG reveal!
The authors of Pioneer Hearts, the coolest historical western romance group on Facebook, have come together to offer huge savings on your favorite western romance books in our .99¢ sale and giveaway. There are over 30 authors taking part in this and there’s no better time to grab some great books.
Take a look below at all the fabulous books reduced to .99¢ just for this sale! Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the page for bookstore links and for the Rafflecopter giveaway where you can win one of two $10.00 gift cards, western jewlery, signed paperbacks and more.
To enter the giveaway, visit the rafflecopter form HERE to win!
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