Kemberlee Shortland's Blog, page 8

BOOK SALE AT TIRGEARR PUBLISHING

Help Tirgearr Publishing celebrate their ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
Tirgearr Publishing opened its doors on 29 February, 2012, Leap Day. We took a big leap of faith that day to start our new venture. Now, one year on, things couldn’t be better. We have a great team of authors, our staff is growing, and our collection of books is second to none.
To celebrate, we’re putting all of our books on sale.
All Kindle titles for just 99c!
Join us from Sunday, 3 March, to Saturday, 9 March, for our one year anniversary sale.
These days coincide with Read an eBook Week.
 
What a great opportunity to pick up some great digital books at a fabulous price.This is no one-day sale. This sale goes all week!
☆ During our sale week, you could win some FREE books. ☆
Comment on one of our media sites and it could be you!
We’d love to hear comments on books you’ve read, but we’ll take a simple hello or even a smiley.
Heck, just ‘like’ a post on our Facebook page between 3-9 March, and we might pick you to win a book.
Just make your presence known and if we pick you, you can choose any book in our catalog.
Tirgearr Publishing
One Year Anniversary Celebration - Kindle eBook Sale
3-9 March, 2013
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com
http://www.amazon.com/TirgearrPublishing

A New Year and New Happenings

It's a new year and new things are on the horizon. Now that I've caught up from the holidays, and January coming to a close, I figured it would be a good opportunity to put a few things out there.

There was a great turn out for the Christmas themed stories through Tirgearr Publishing at the start of December 2012. My story, The Power of Love, among those stories released at that time. This is probably my favorite short story so far. Definitely the most emotive one.

The year is looking quite busy here. Next up for me will be a guest appearance on Dellani Oakes' radio show at Red River Radio. I'll be joined by some of my fellow authors, including, David Toft, Cathy Mansell, Charlene Raddon, KA Laity, Lynette Willows, Carley Bauer . . . I don't have the final list yet so forgive me if I missed someone!

This show is to commemorate the one year anniversary of Tirgearr Publishing. You'll want to tune in, as we'll be announcing something great coming up to celebrate the company's birthday!

Save The Date:
Date: Wednesday, 27 February
Time: 3-5pm EST (8-10pm GMT, 12 noon-2pm PST)
Place: Red River Radio

I'm currently working on a few personal projects, including finalizing the edits for Shape of My Heart, book three in the Irish Pride Series, which is out in the Fall.

I'm also working on a totally different project, a time travel, currently entitled The Diary. This book is slated for release early Spring 2014 to coincide with the 1000 year commemoration of the Battle of Clontarf in Dublin, Ireland, and also the 1000 year memorial of Ard Ri/High King Brian Boru's murder after that battle. As I understand it, a re-enactment group in Dublin will be putting on a big program for that weekend. Pretty exciting stuff.

As some of you know, I also write erotica under the name Scarlett Valentine. I'm currently working on her next release in the ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter Series. That book is called Beguiler. Following that book is Conquered. Currently working on an early Summer release for Beguiler and late Fall for Conquered. Meanwhile, if you haven't read Awakening, grab a copy.

I'm sure there will be a few other surprises through the year, too. I can't tell you all of them. If I did, they wouldn't be surprises now, would they?! ;-)

All of my books are available for all digital readers. Check out my books' pages and click directly onto the link for your preferred device.

As always, I enjoy hearing from readers, so if you've read any of my work, I'd love to hear your comments.

Happy 2013 everyone and thanks for your support!

~ Kemberlee ☮

Some Holiday Treats

With Christmas fast approaching and everyone doing a mad dash to find the perfect gifts for family, friends and colleagues, I thought I'd mention that The Power of Love is available again. This story has been given a fresh treatment and lengthened. It's an emotional story so readers are warned to have a tissue handy.

When Elaine discovers she's pregnant, she hesitates telling her husband, Ethan. They're newlyweds and want to wait until they're ready to start a family. Ethan surprised her by accepting early parenthood, embracing the idea more fully than either of them expected. But when they receive bad news after a prenatal exam, both must face that their charmed lives were about to come crashing down around them

Do Christmas wishes really come true? Elaine would stake her life on it!

The Power of Love is available from Tirgearr Publishing for the incredible price of 99c! This price goes through the holidays. After the New Year, it goes up to $1.99. So don't wait too long before getting a copy or twelve. With the money you save you can afford those tissues ;-)

~~ }} I'd like to mention that I'll be participating in two radio shows this upcoming week. The first is being hosted by author Dellani Oakes over on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2012/12/10/rfk-dellanis-tea-time at 4pm EST. That's 1pm Pacific time and 9pm GMT. I'll be joined by fellow authors, Kate Laity and Isabo Kelly. Hoping a few others will stop by. The show is two hours long, but if I know Dellani, it'll be great fun and the time will fly. I hope you can stop by to listen. There's a number on the above link page if you want to ring in with questions!

~~ }} The second radio show I'll be doing is the 15th, Saturday next, with author Rowena Cherry . This show is also at 4pm and over at Passionate World Radio (PWRTalk) -- http://www.pwrtalk.com. Again, there's a number there if you want to ring in with questions. The show runs for just an hour and we'll be talking about all things Irish!

I'd love to chat with some of my readers on one of these shows, so please stop over. Don't be shy!


Heads up for another incredible book -- Just Desserts . This is a collection of festive recipes for holiday desserts and drinks which was compiled by the authors and staff at Tirgearr Publishing .Tirgearr Publishing are offering this book for the low low price of . . . FREE . . . through Smashwords . All formats are supported at Smashwords , including Kindle. But if you prefer going direct to Kindle , Just Desserts can be yours for just 99c*.

*All proceeds from the Kindle sales of Just Desserts go directly to charity.

Just to give you an idea of what you're in store for, how about Chocolate Seduction Cake from Charlene Raddon? Or Magpie Pie by KA Laity? Or She's My Cherry Pie by Scarlett Valentine? Or Brandy Egg Nog by Dellani Oakes? Or Holly Berry Tea from Stella Whitelaw? Or a Peppermint Martini from SL Johnson? Or . . .

Well, you get the point. Sounds great, doesn't it?

I should also mention that Just Desserts is the final book in Tirgearr Publishing's Five Books in Five Days Christmas Special Week --

3 Dec - Christmas Present by Isabo Kelly $2.99 $1.49!
4 Dec - Dulcet by Dellani Oakes $4.99 $2.49
5 Dec - The Trouble with Mistletoe by Kristi Ahlers $1.99 99¢
6 Dec - The Power of Love by Kemberlee Shortland $1.99 99¢
7 Dec - Just Desserts by the authors at Tirgearr Publishing FREEღི♥ྀღ Half off sale price goes through Christmas!! ღི♥ྀღ
All of the books released this week are on sale through the holidays. So drop over and check them out. While you're there, check out the other books. If you're giving digital readers to some lucky loved ones, why not load them up with some great stories?
Finally, I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who's read my books this year. By buying my books, you're helping supporting a very addictive habit I have . . . WRITING. Okay, and that yarn thing, but we won't talk about that! :-)

Happy holidays!!

Kemberlee

TAGGED: The Next Big Thing

My lovely friend and fabulous romantic suspense author, Cathie Dunn, has tagged me on The Next Big Thing. I hope I can live up to the expectation of being 'the next big thing' :-)

• • •


What is the title of your work in progress?

Well, my next book is already written and waiting to be published this time next year. It's called Shape of My Heart and is part of the Irish Pride Series. The working title of my WIP is called The Diary.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

I’m always fascinated by questions. One that came up when I was looking for my next story to write came while I was watching the time travel movie, Back to the Future. It had been stressed to Marty to “Never meet yourself” as it could create a paradox and alter the course of history. So the question came to my mind, just how would the course of history be changed if just one event back in time changed? Living in Ireland now, I have such an incredible history to draw from. I’ve become interested in the Viking history of Ireland and thus the Battle of Clontarf came up, which also meant Ireland’s greatest High King, Brian Boru. What if one thing at the Battle of Clontarf had changed and Brian had not been murdered in his tent? What of Ireland’s future then??

What genre does your book fall under?

Time travel. The Diary starts in contemporary 2014, but the heroine goes back 1000 years to Ireland to 1014, the year of the Battle of Clontarf.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Oh my! Let's see --

My hero is called Darragh. Darragh is old Irish for 'mighty oak', the oak being one of the strongest trees on the planet . . . kind of the strong, silent type in the tree world.

Darragh is the chieftain of his clan. He emulates his namesake but can kick some Viking bootie when the time comes.

The actor I envision when I'm writing Darragh is
Speaking of which, my heroine is a little more complicated in that, as this is a time travel story, she has two personas. The story opens in the year 2014 and she is Eevean O'Brien. She's an artist with Irish heritage. After being told tales of the O'Brien clan (the name originating from Brian Boru . . . O'Brien meaning 'of Brian'), Eevean's interest in Ireland grew. She's read everything there is on Brian Boru, and as an artist, she's painted the visions she gets from reading the tales. And from the graphic dreams she's had since childhood.

For many reasons, Eevean decides to travel to Ireland. While there, she discovers a secret portal to the past, back to 1014, to the Battle of Clontarf and to the side of her ancient ancestor, Brian Boru. In 1014, she is known as Aoibheann. She is the same woman yet not. If not for her spirited and tenacious personality, she would not survive such a journey, nor to such a time, and certainly not such a place.

The actress I can see playing this character is
What is the one sentence synopsis for the book?

A troubled past, a troubled future: A woman travels to Ireland to find herself and discovers much more than she expected.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Perhaps a little of both. Owning a publishing company makes it easier to get my work out there. However, everything I publish undergoes the same rigorous editing as all of our authors. If something isn’t working, the editors, and proofreaders, will tell me. And sometimes brutally honestly, which is what I appreciate. I don’t hire editors who pussyfoot around just because I’m the boss. If it doesn’t work, say so. And they do!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

As The Diary is currently a work in progress, the first draft hasn’t been finished yet. However, with regards to the Irish Pride Series, each of those books averaged about seven weeks for first draft (Rhythm of My Heart 6 weeks, A Piece of My Heart 8 weeks, Shape of My Heart 7 weeks . . . Constant Craving doesn’t really equate as it’s a short story and only took a couple days).

What other books would you compare this story to withing your genre?

It’s difficult to compare The Diary to any other story because I’ve a twist in the story I’ve never read in any other book. However, I do know there are a few authors out there who’ve written both Brian Boru stories and stories set against the Battle of Clontarf, such as Pat McDermott (Band of Roses) and of course the incomparable Morgan Llywelyn (Lion of Ireland, etc).



Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Probably what inspired me to write this story was my own journey to Ireland in the mid 90s. Sort of a journey to find myself.
What else about your book may pique the reader's interest?
Anyone who loves historical romances, time travel or Ireland, will love this story. Or at least I hope to. I've tried to create a rich tapestry here . . . to be cliche! I'm striving for a balance between a wonderful love story and dramatic history of the times . . . a real epic tale! 


• • •
Okay, so it's my turn to tag some writer friends whose writing, voice and attitude I admire. 

Kristi Ahlers
http://kristiahlers.blogspot.com
If you haven't read The Trouble Series yet, do! The Trouble with Trouble is you can't put them down!

Dellani Oakes
http://dellanioakes.wordpress.com
She has a way with scenes . . . battle action one minute, bedroom action the next ;-)

Charlene Raddon
http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com
Wonderful historical romance. Like a step back in time.

Kate Laity
http://katelaity.wordpress.com
Hugely versatile author with a keen imagination.

Elizabeth Delisi
www.elizabethdelisi.blogspot.com
Clever whodunits and paranormal stories

Carley Bauer
http://fromcarleyslaptop.blogspot.com
Another wonderful historical romance novelist.

Lynette Willows
http://romancethethrillquill.blogspot.com
Part of a unique writing team with Carley Bauer. Great storyteller.

Have fun girls!

•❤•

The Power of Love

How cool is this? The Power of Love, my short holiday story, has gotten a facelift!

The Power of Love is also getting a rewrite. This story was originally published in a holiday anthology back in 2006 and has now been picked up by my publisher, Tirgearr Publishing, for re-release. This short story is being expanded into a novelette length story and will include some of the steamier scenes that were not allowed in the first release.

To refresh your memory, this story is set in Limerick City, Ireland. Hero and heroine, Nathan and Elain, are newlyweds with a plan for their future. But that plan doesn't include getting pregnant so quickly. Regardless, Nathan is over the moon about being a father and they quickly change their plans to include a child.

Then Elaine is hit with some bad news at a prenatal exam and both must face truth that their charmed life is about to come crashing down around them.

Do Christmas wishes really come true? Elaine's life depends on it!

One reviewer said of The Power of Love, "Shortland writes a powerfully emotional story that moved me to tears with an intensity that took my breath away." ~ M. Rondeau

Can't get any better than that!

Please visit my books page to read an excerpt of this story. And be sure to check out Tirgearr Publishing around the 25th of October for the release. Just in time for the holidays :-)

I love hearing from readers so please keep the emails coming. You can also find me on Facebook --
http://www.facebook.com/KemberleeShortland

Celebrate the Blue Moon with MOONDANCE

Help me celebrate the blue moon by picking up a copy of my newly released story, Moondance.

"Love that's true happens only once in a blue moon"
Blánaid thinks there's something wrong with her. It's been months since she's dated, and even if she makes the first move to invite a man out, it seems he can't run away from her fast enough. If it weren't for her best friends, Ronan and Siobhan, Blánaid is sure she'd go crazy with loneliness and despair. Then, one night while watching the sunset, Ronan kisses her and suddenly, the world as Blánaid knows it is thrown into turmoil. She turns to Siobhan for advice and a shoulder to cry on.

Can Blánaid face the truth in Siobhan's words?

The instant his lips touched Blánaid's, Ronan was sure he'd found Heaven. Ever since meeting her, he tried to find a way to tell her how he felt about her. When he overheard her telling Siobhan she never dated the friends they hung out with, he kept his feelings to himself- until this night when everything seemed so right. And he thought she felt the same when she returned his kiss. But when she realized what was happening, she ran from him. Ronan was sure he'd scared her off forever.

Can Ronan settle for just being Blánaid's friend? 

Read an excerpt here.
♥ ♥ ♥
Make some good luck wishes during a blue moon --

Lunar bath -- Take off all your clothes and bathe in the moon beams as if splashing water over you, chanting your wish three times.

Make a wish upon a blue moon -- Stare up at the blue moon and start by saying "Blue moon, blue moon,true blue moon . . ." then make your wish, saying this three times.

Make a wish on a silver coin -- Recite your wish three times while rubbing a silver coin (not silver colored!) then toss is into any body of water . . . river, stream, pond, lake, ocean or wishing well.

Taslisman wish -- Take a silver necklace or coin (again, not silver colored) and make a wish while rubbing the necklace/coin, repeating three times, then leave the item out overnight under the blue moon. The item will 'soak up' the energy of the blue moon and act as a good luck talisman and give you good luck until the next blue moon.
♥ ♥ ♥
HELP ME CELEBRATE

To celebrate the 2012 blue moon (tonight, 31 August), through 4 September, I'm giving away copies of Moondance through Smashwords. Yep, FREE!! Unfortunately, Kindle won't let us offer this story for free, so any purchases made through 4 September will go to Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Win-win, so what are you waiting for? Drop over to Tirgearr Publishing to chose the version you want. Moondance is available for all ereader types through Kindle and Smashwords.



Please note: Moondance was originally released in 2006 and has been rewritten and expanded to include new scenes and situations.

First Review for Rhythm of My Heart

My day started out a little iffy, as I realized too late that TODAY was the day the local council was shutting off power for several hours. They sent a notice last week and I put it in my diary.

But I forgot.

And nothing was charged!

I did get a little online time in before zero hour though. The first email that popped up was from reviewer, Sharal Hunter. Suddenly, my day was looking glorious, despite (or in spite of) the dark clouds on the horizon signalling afternoon rain. Never mind that the sun was out for a change.

Here's what brightened my day --

"First of all, take a look at the cover of this book. I don’t know what the Irish word for “WOW” is but that was my reaction when I saw it. If a guilty pleasure read is what you are looking for, then you don’t need to look much further once you see the eye candy on this cover. Women will want a Kieran Vaughan of their own. What’s not to love, ladies? He’s hot, hot, hot, he sings and plays blues guitar, he loves his little sister, he’s nice, he worships the ground Eilis walks on (lucky wench), he rides a Harley, he cooks (fanning face) and last but not least, he’s Irish so he’s got the accent going on and you know that’s going to be music to the ears. If I didn’t already have a Scottish guy, then an Irish guy would be high up on the list. With Kieran Vaughan, Kemberlee Shortland has created a character that makes a lasting impression that remains long after the book is done.

"Upon meeting Eilis Kennedy for the first time, my first impression of her is that she is extremely critical of herself and has a very poor sense of worth. Most women can certainly relate to Eilis. She has gotten knocked down quite a bit in love and life, unfortunately, and isn’t very trusting with her heart. She honestly doesn’t see what Kieran sees when she looks in the mirror. She gave up her own career as a singer so she could find new talent and represent them towards successful careers of their own. Regrettably, the “casting couch” scenario still pursues her, only now, her boss Fergus is the one she needs to be cautious around. I would have liked to see her get agitated and fight back, especially where Fergus is concerned. She does tell him off but I would have enjoyed seeing her mop the floor with his behind.

"For me, Kieran and Eilis are truly two halves of one whole. Upon meeting, the connection they feel is strong and almost psychic. They know when the other is near, hurt or frightened, the way identical twins are connected. Unfortunately they are human and the reader is made to wait longer for them to get together because they both experience “the big misunderstanding” more than once. I found this to be extremely frustrating because it’s so obvious to me they are meant to be together but they both have a lot of pride and jump to conclusions about each other instead of just talking. Happily, years do not go by before they work it out, as is the case in a lot of books.

"Ms. Shortland writes amazing characters that come to life and leap off the page. Even the villain, Fergus, as nasty and disgusting as he was, is very realistic. I got a very good sense of what Eilis felt having him around. Ms. Shortland takes it one step further and makes Fergus truly vile, which gives the story some very suspenseful moments. The story moves at a good pace, even with the big misunderstandings and delivers some exciting and heart-racing moments towards the end. I can’t spoil the ending for you, so you are just going to have to read this book to find out what I am talking about. I’m sure you will agree that Rhythm of My Heart is magical"

I mean, holy cow, Batman! Of course, I've read this about a million times since I first saw it, but I still feel all goose bumpy with each read.

Sharal is a stellar reviewer. Check out her website where she posts all of her great reviews, Sherri's Thoughts & Ramblings. Be sure to bookmark the page, or follow her page, to keep up with her reviews. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Thank you so much, Sharal! You've made me feel like an Olympic gold medalist!!

Available Now - RHYTHM OF MY HEART

Available Now!!

Doing the Snoopy Dance today. The long-awaited addition to the Irish Pride Series has been released today . . . RHYTHM OF MY HEART.


Artist Representative, Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career so that other women could have a fair chance at having their music heard. Having suffered rejection from callous men in the industry, she thought she would get away from ‘casting couch’ mentality. But when she finds herself in the office of Fergus Manley, all bets are off. Disgusted by his continual come-ons and lewd invitations, Eilis is looking for ‘the one’ who will take her career to the next level, getting out from under Fergus’s controlling thumb.
Aspiring blues guitarist, Kieran Vaughan, is looking for his big break. But after suffering near bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous business partner, Kieran is left picking up the pieces. He’s unsure if the debts will ever be paid or if he’ll ever have a chance to do something with his music. At his whit’s end, he’s about ready to throw in the towel and find a full-time job with real hours.
When Eilis discovers Kieran playing in a seedy pub in Dublin’s Northside, she knows he’s the one rare talent she’s been searching for. With her know-how and his talent, Eilis will finally get everything she’s been waiting for. Neither of them count on the powerful attraction from first meeting. Eilis is so rocked by Keiran’s forthright words that it sends her running. Kieran risks being arrested as he chases Eilis across Ireland.
Seeing what’s happening between Eilis and Kieran, anger wells inside Fergus and he steps up his pursuit of Eilis. Refusing to let Kieran get in his way, Fergus vows to add Eilis’s notch to his bedpost, whatever it takes.
Will Kieran be able to protect her?
If you like romance and romance set in Ireland, and if you like sexy men on Harleys and strong women who aren't afraid to explore their passions, you'll love Rhythm of My Heart. Kieran and Eilis are meant for each other, but Fergus might have something to say about that!!

Read an excerpt here.

Coming Soon - RHYTHM OF MY HEART

I never thought I'd see the day when I could say this --

RHYTHM OF MY HEART will be available starting 16 July!!!!!!

I know! Amazing, isn't it?!

This book is part of the Irish Pride Series. A Piece of My Heart was published back in 2010, so Rhythm of My Heart has been long-awaited.

What's this book about? Check it out --

Artist representative, Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career so that other women could have a fair chance at having their music heard. Having suffered rejection from callous men in the industry, she thought she would get away from ‘casting couch’ mentality. But when she finds herself in the office of Fergus Manley, all bets are off. Disgusted by his continual come-ons and lewd invitations, Eilis is looking for ‘the one’ who will take her career to the next level, getting out from under Fergus’s controlling thumb.
Aspiring blues guitarist, Kieran Vaughan, is looking for his big break. But after suffering near bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous business partner, Kieran is left picking up the pieces. He’s unsure if the debts will ever be paid or if he’ll ever have a chance to do something with his music. At his whit’s end, he’s about ready to throw in the towel and find a full-time job with real hours.
When Eilis discovers Kieran playing in a seedy pub in Dublin’s Northside, she knows he’s the one rare talent she’s been searching for. With her know-how and his talent, Eilis will finally get everything she’s been waiting for. Neither of them count on the powerful attraction from first meeting. Eilis is so rocked by Keiran’s forthright words that it sends her running. Kieran risks being arrested as he chases Eilis across Ireland.
Seeing what’s happening between Eilis and Kieran, anger wells inside Fergus and he steps up his pursuit of Eilis. Refusing to let Kieran get in his way, Fergus vows to add Eilis’s notch to his bedpost, whatever it takes.
Will Kieran be able to protect her?
{sigh}

Kieran is probably the best hero I've written yet. And I love Eilis's personal growth in this story.

To celebrate the release of this book, I'm hosting a fabulous competition on my Facebook page. It's pretty simple, really. Just 'like' my page by the 16th (closing date) and you're automatically entered to win a copy of Rhythm of My Heart. Not just that, but also A Piece of My Heart, Constant Craving, AND the November release of Shape of My Heart. That's the whole Irish Pride Series in one go if you win. All it takes is a 'like' on my page.

I will also be doing a bit of a blog hop in the coming weeks. Check out my schedule here --

16 July - Across the Plain of Shining Books with Pat McDermott
18 July - Romance To Make Your Heart Race with Wendi Zwaduk
5 August - Nights of Passion with C. Margery Kempe

I'll post more dates as I have them. In the meantime, 'like' me over on Facebook for your chance to win the Irish Pride Series. And join me on the 16th for the release of Rhythm of My Heart and for my chat with Pat McDermott. You won't want to miss that!

I love hearing from readers, so keep your emails coming in. And feel free to message me on Facebook!

Peace!

~ Kemberlee

 

Review: A Piece of My Heart by Ginger Dawn Harman

I had a wonderful surprise in my 'in box' last night--this wonderful review for A Piece of My Heart by Ginger Dawn Harman.

I'm continually delighted when new reviews come in for this book, especially as it's now two years old. However, in light that the next book in the series, Rhythm of My Heart, will be out this summer, I'm not surprised with the renewed interest.

And don't forget that Constant Craving is the short story sequel to A Piece of My Heart. You don't want to miss that one!

Thanks so much, Ginger, for a wonderful review. I'm SO happy you enjoyed the story.

So, without further adieu, here it is! --

A Piece of My Heart by Kemberlee Shortland A Book review by Ginger Dawn Harman

Kemberlee Shortland has charmed and captivated this reader with a romantic fictional novel titled, A Piece of My Heart. The novel begins with Mick and Kate who have been disconnected for several years. Mick lives in Dublin and has pursued life away from the farm in which he has been raised.  His work, selfishness, and dissatisfaction with his current life have consumed an unresolvable tension that keeps him away from his family and past.  During this same period, Kate has remained in the Irish countryside where she's been managing and helping to care for Mick's dying parents.  With the death of Micks parents, Attorney Tighe initiates the reading of the will.  This revelation of the will astonishes them and now they must confront their past and future.  This and several other tensions like Deaman O’Flannery keep the narrative alive and is the core of the story.

Mrs. Shortland’s characters endear themselves to the reader with their candor, wit, and determination for love and respect.  With A Piece of My Heart, the author has created several moments where the characters are brave enough to look back on their life and imagine themselves making different choices with resolution.  Furthermore, Mrs. Shortland takes great pains in painting such an accurate and authentic Irish backdrop throughout this novel that it's nearly impossible not to find one transported to Ireland where one watches Gaelic football, listens to the wireless, visits pubs, and drinks in the solstice moonlight of the ancient stone circle.  My favorite part of the novel was the scene that included the Claddagh Ring with its hands for friendship, heart for love, and crown for loyalty.

A Piece of My Heart is unlike any other romance I have ever read.  It has a great contemporary style with a slight erotic flare. With this noted, the sensual petting is done brilliantly with a sensation of foreplay between the author and reader until the very last chapter!  Additionally, this is first in the Irish Pride series.  I was very excited to learn that the story of Mick and Kate continues.  Solid writing and storytelling, excellent characters, and romance make A Piece of My Heart a novel you won't want to miss. I highly recommend.