Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 300

Pam Champagne: Days of Old (Contest)

“Old roads, old dogs, old folks and old ways still have a lot to offer in this sped up world we live in.”

I grew up in rural Maine so I learned some of the old ways of survival. Our food consisted of what my father trapped, shot or caught fishing. I can still smell the rabbit stew brook trout and fiddleheads. My mother canned vegetables from our garden, and we stored cabbage, carrots, potatoes and turnip in the root cellar. By today’s standards this was considered hard living.

My thoughts often wander back to the colonial days.  Women worked from dawn to dusk cooking outdoors in the summer, hauling water and toiling over chores.  Today, if we want a candle we drive to the store and buy one where we can choose from numerous scents.  There are thin ones, fat ones, small ones and giant ones.  Have you ever wondered what it was like in the 1700’s when candles had to be made from scratch? They weren’t used for decorative reasons or to set a mood in the home. It was the main source of light.

The majority of colonial people made candles from tallow (animal fat).  These tapers didn’t burn well and emitted an offensive odor.  Only the wealthy could afford beeswax, which was rolled to make sweet smelling candles.

Another type of candle was made from bayberries.  These berries have a waxy texture.  The berries were boiled down and the wax was skimmed from the top.  Many pounds of bayberries were needed to make these candles.

I researched candle making in the colonial times for my time travel story, The Enchanted Inn. My heroine from present times traveled back to 1778 where she found huge surprises and hard times!  To celebrate the re-republication of this story with Entangled Publishing, I am giving away a bayberry candle made from natural ingredients.

To enter the contest, please sign up for my newsletter at http://pamchampagne.us16.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=deb383ea22963fda6536b61e9&id=92609443e1.

 

The Enchanted Inn

Their love is timeless…

When snow forces Gina to stop and spend the night at the Enchanted Inn, she’s less than happy to find her ex-fiancé there, too. But she can be civil for one night, especially after the innkeeper gives them a bottle of homemade wine to share. A few glasses of that wine sends Luke and Gina back to 1778, where Luke seems to think he’s someone called John—a man who knows more about life in colonial times than he should.

Gina may be able to deal with the hardships her new reality throws at her, but she doesn’t give up hope of finding a way home. And when she does find a way, she’s determined to take John with her—whether he wants to go or not.

The book will be released on August 21 by Entangled Publishing and will be ready for pre-order by August 1 for only $.99.  Find the buy link at https://entangledpublishing.com/books.html or on my website at www.pamchampagne.net.

 

A Brand Spanking New Romantic Comedy–Without the Spanking!

Ready for another full-size novel? Something with plenty of sexy Texans, humor, emotion, humor—yeah, we’re baaaack!

My sister, Elle James, and I are back with the last installment of the Texas Billionaires Club! This one features another sinfully sexy, rich Texan, who meets Ms. Right, who just so happens to live next door.

Is your reading slate set for the coming weekend now? Have fun!

Love & War

Sophie Keaton’s love life is a disaster.  Too busy with her art gallery and weekends spent with the Army National Guard, she rarely has time for a date. Her orderly existence takes a twist when her Army National Guard unit gets a new Company Commander, Captain Gage Jenkins, who dislikes the idea of women in the Army, particularly her, and proceeds to make her weekend drill miserable. To bolster her self-esteem, Sophie finally takes her love life in hand and goes out on a date.  Unfortunately, her date ends up in the emergency room with an allergic reaction to her cat.  Her mooch of a brother, Bryce, feels sorry for her and offers to take her out to pick the “perfect man”.  When she finds Mr. Perfect, she spends a passionate night with him, but awakens to discover that Mr. Perfect is none other than her new commanding officer!

As a member of the Texas Billionaire’s club, Gage has watched every one of his college buddies tie the knot. Although he’d met every challenge the group set in the early days, he resisted the last one—finding the perfect wife. Now, with his hands full expanding his construction business and whipping his new Army Guard command into shape, he has plenty of excuses to avoid that particular commitment. However, when he moves next door to one very attractive, very sexy  woman, he finds himself deliciously distracted. When he discovers that woman is the same klutzy lieutenant he’s been dogging from day one, he’s not angry. He’s amused. And intrigued.

When the pair are challenged by their warring pets and matchmaking sergeants, the rules of Love and War get complicated…

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay | Print

Coming Tomorrow — Love & War! (Excerpt & Contest)

On Wednesday—tomorrow, folks—the last of our Texas Billionaire Club romances hits the stores! And even though I only list the Amazon link below, it’s EVERYWHERE. Sis (Elle James) and I are super-excited to share it. Because, #1 – this is a story we co-wrote; #2 – it’s funny; #3 – many of the funny Army situations we write about are things that actually happened to us; and #4 – it’s the first story we EVER wrote. Of course, the original version was full of all our newbie mistakes, so it took some time for us to revise the heck out of it. Still, the story at the core of this romance was always one we loved.

So, if you love those Alpha Texas guys, love funny situations, love dogs & cats, and love to sink into a series with a group of guys who fall hard for Ms. Right, you will love Love & War. It’s a nice, long, feel-good read. And it’s sexy, have no fear!

Enjoy the excerpt below and if you haven’t already pre-ordered your copy, do so today! You’ll want to sink deep into this one!

If you leave a comment below, you’ll be entered to win one of the three prequel stories below. Happy reading! ~DD

  

Love & War

Sophie Keaton’s love life is a disaster. Too busy with her art gallery and weekends spent with the Army National Guard, she rarely has time for a date. Her orderly existence takes a twist when her Army National Guard unit gets a new Company Commander, Captain Gage Jenkins, who dislikes the idea of women in the Army, particularly her, and proceeds to make her weekend drill miserable. To bolster her self-esteem, Sophie finally takes her love life in hand and goes out on a date. Unfortunately, her date ends up in the emergency room with an allergic reaction to her cat. Her mooch of a brother, Bryce, feels sorry for her and offers to take her out to pick the “perfect man”. When she finds Mr. Perfect, she spends a passionate night with him, but awakens to discover that Mr. Perfect is none other than her new commanding officer!

As a member of the Texas Billionaire’s club, Gage has watched every one of his college buddies tie the knot. Although he’d met every challenge the group set in the early days, he resisted the last one—finding the perfect wife. Now, with his hands full expanding his construction business and whipping his new Army Guard command into shape, he has plenty of excuses to avoid that particular commitment. However, when he moves next door to one very attractive, very sexy woman, he finds himself deliciously distracted. When he discovers that woman is the same klutzy lieutenant he’s been dogging from day one, he’s not angry. He’s amused. And intrigued.

When the pair are challenged by their warring pets and matchmaking sergeants, the rules of Love and War get complicated…

Get your copy here!

Read an excerpt!

It’s all his fault!

Sophie Keaton’s boots slurped in the mud as she trudged onward, while mentally listing the numerous reasons she resented the new captain. He was autocratic, judgmental, unfeeling, overbearing… The list continued as she concentrated on putting one sore foot in front of the other to keep up with the long column of shadowy figures in front of her. Her head hurt from the weight of her helmet, and her shoulders ached from carrying the fifty-pound rucksack she had slung across her back. With her hands fully occupied carrying an M4A1 rifle, she couldn’t satisfy an itch that was beginning to grow under the elastic bands of her underwear. With each step she silently repeated her mantra, It’s all his fault!

The rain had fallen hard enough before the sun set to wash away the last trace of mosquito repellent she’d used, and a scourge of the winged creatures hovered around her, feasting on her exposed skin. The weather was unseasonably warm—even for springtime in Texas. She could feel the steam rise from the rain-soaked grass, plastering the heavy layers of her uniform to her body, and adding to her ever-increasing misery.

Her platoon’s training schedule specified an afternoon road march between the rifle range and their camp. That wouldn’t have been so bad, but the morning’s weapons qualification firing had taken longer than expected, stretching late into the afternoon.

Sophie was reaching for the field radio to request transportation to take her soldiers back to camp, when the new Company Commander, Captain Jenkins, arrived in his government-issue, desert-camouflaged HUMMV. The vehicle had the top and doors removed in deference to the heat, which made it an easy task for him to climb out in a hurry. He leaned over to say something to his driver then strode in Sophie’s direction.

She snapped to attention and executed a sharp salute, returning her arm to her side when he returned it with his more masculine, and muscular, version.

“Lieutenant Keaton, what’s the hold up? You’re an hour behind schedule.”

What did you expect, Keaton? Sophie mentally groused. How’s the weather? What’s your favorite color?

“Thirty-three qualified today, Sir. We had four fail to qualify. They required retraining and retesting. We now have one hundred percent of the platoon qualified, Sir.”

Sophie lifted her chin and squared her shoulders, preparing for the inevitable finding of fault. When he didn’t respond immediately, she studied him from beneath the rim of her helmet.

The captain wore those infernal sunglasses, which made it impossible for Sophie to read his expression. All she could see of his eyes were the crinkles beside them as he watched the soldiers chuck their gear for a break in place.

She hated the way he spoke to her without looking at her. But she supposed she was a bit of an eyesore in her rumpled camouflaged uniform and thick black, army-issue glasses—not that she wanted to appeal to him, or could for that matter.

Perspiration ran down the side of her face, and she knew her blond hair was probably frizzy and falling from its once neat coil at the nape of her neck.

Captain Jenkins, on the other hand, looked immaculate. His uniform still appeared like it had just come freshly fluffed from the drier, despite the humidity. His hair was completely covered by his helmet, but he had the beginning of a five-o’clock shadow sprouting dark and thick. The rim of his helmet cast a shadow over his eyes, but Sophie could see a somewhat broad nose and a full bottom lip that was…interesting. Other than the fact he needed a shave, he looked as sharp as the day they’d left for the field. He didn’t even have the decency to break a sweat. Life wasn’t fair.

Sophia sucked in a deep breath and dared to break the silence. “Since we finished up late, may I have your permission to call the First Sergeant to arrange for transportation to take the platoon the rest of the way back to camp?”

He turned to look her full in the face, lifting one eyebrow over the top of his sunglasses, a corner of his mouth slanting in a poor excuse for a smile. “The training plan specified a road march, Lieutenant. Are you or your soldiers afraid of the dark?”

She could learn to hate that smirk. It made her blood boil, and her hand itch to wipe it off his face, the arrogant so-and-so. He stood so near she had to tilt back her head to look into his face. “Of course not, Sir. I just thought since we’d finished so late…”

“You’ll continue with your training schedule, Lieutenant. You need to learn to take advantage of unexpected opportunities to train. We can include a lesson in light and noise discipline during night movement, while we march back to camp.”

Oh no, what did he mean by we? She didn’t want him joining her platoon for the march. Things happened whenever he was near her. Her normally poised and collected body seemed to grow two left feet, and she always managed to say the stupidest things. Her mouth seemed to disconnect from her brain in his presence—she couldn’t seem to help herself.

Captain Jenkins pulled a map of the training area from a pocket in his uniform and spread it over the hood of his vehicle. “We’ll follow the road until we reach this hill,” he said, pointing at the map. “Then we’ll leave the road to go cross-country for the rest of the march.”

“But Captain, it’s rained every day since we arrived. The ground’s pretty muddy. Shouldn’t we stick to the road?”

That eyebrow shot up, and the smirk started again at the corner of his lip. Her stupid mouth had just earned Captain Jenkin’s sarcasm. Instead of showing her concern for her troops, she managed to sound like she was whining. Sophie knew what was coming next.

“Why, Lieutenant, are you afraid you’ll melt?”

“No, Sir. I just thought it would be nice to get a transport for the men…”

She realized her mistake as soon as the words left her lips. Too late, she’d done it again.

Those eyebrows shot up over the top of the damned sunglasses. “Nice? Nice? Lieutenant, maybe you haven’t noticed, but this is the Army not a tea party. Next thing you know, you’ll have the men knitting socks.”

The blood rushed up Sophie’s neck, creeping across her face and into her eyes until she saw red. “Captain Jenkins, Sir, you may be my superior officer, but that remark was uncalled for, and I resent it. My job is to look out for the welfare of the men under my command.”

“Lieutenant, you need to remember that these are soldiers, and you’re supposed to be their leader not their mother.”

“Oooooo!” Sophie stomped her booted foot. “And you are not my father, or step-father, for that matter, although you’re just as opinionated. I’ve been in charge of this unit for over three years, and these are my soldiers. I look out for them as would any officer worth his, or her, salt. You’ve only been in charge for two days, most of which you’ve only shown up two times for a few minutes. You don’t know my platoon like I know them. They work hard, are dedicated and know their shit.”

She stopped short of saying she loved them like brothers. That would have set off the captain, yet again. Without waiting for a response, Sophie pivoted on her heel and marched toward the soldiers. “Platoon, fall in!”

 

The rain started again when they were twenty minutes further into the ruck march. The soldiers took it in stride, unfurling their waterproof ponchos to cover themselves from head to knee. Unfortunately, Sophie’s hung past her feet, dipping into the mud as she slogged along, causing her to stumble. Forced to choose her steps cautiously, she fell behind.

The terrain was every bit as sodden as she’d warned the captain, but it didn’t seem to faze him. And to her chagrin, the soldiers seemed to enjoy the challenge of marching through the muck. Sophie angrily berated herself for her earlier outburst with the captain, recognizing how unprofessional and childish it must have sounded. Not exactly the image she had worked so hard to build in front of her troops.

A stinging sensation assailed her cheek, and her hand automatically swung up to smack the pesky mosquito. The sound echoed loudly in the dark. The column in front of her halted, and one shadow separated from the rest of the men to draw close to her.

“Keaton, you’re supposed to lead by example. Some example. At least try to keep the noise down,” the voice whispered harshly.

Sophie recognized the source of the sharply-issued command as her nemesis, Captain Jenkins.

“Sorry, Sir,” she muttered, resigning herself to the fact she just couldn’t do anything right in his eyes.

The soldiers turned to continue their march.

Adjusting the straps of her rucksack, Sophie shifted the weight to a slightly less agonizing position. She was beginning to think the captain had an exceedingly poor sense of direction. She felt as if they’d been walking for hours.

With little else to keep her mind busy, Sophie thought back over the past three years she’d been a part of the unit. Admittedly, she’d joined the Army National Guard partly to rebel against her stepfather’s autocratic ways. He was dead set against her going into the Guard. Which had made joining all the more attractive. The poster of men in uniform went a long way toward her decision as well. Sophie loved a man in uniform. There was something sexy about a man standing at attention, with every line of his body reeking patriotism and discipline.

Her first day drilling with her unit burst the man-in-uniform bubble. Most of the men in her unit were good-old-boys. A large portion of them were overweight, tobacco-spitting red-necks. After the initial shock, she’d come to realize they were a great bunch of guys, who, despite their slovenly appearance, knew their jobs. The best part about the group of soldiers under her command was their marvelous, if somewhat raunchy, sense of humor. Never a drill went by without some memorable practical joke.

Sophie had busted her butt trying to earn the respect of her troops through her intelligence and willingness to learn. She overlooked some of their shenanigans, and they helped her to learn the job of leadership. Yet, in the space of just two days, all that work seemed to be inexorably sliding down the drain. Why should the advent of a new company commander have such a negative effect on her?

Captain Jenkins had been introduced as the new commander in front of formation on Friday evening, before they’d left for their weekend bivouac on the nearby military reservation. And to think, Sophie had actually admired him at that point.

Jenkins had stood straight and tall, all his creases lining up perfectly. He could have been the poster boy for an Army National Guard advertisement. His military bearing was enough to make her catch her breath, but it was the way his rolled sleeves strained against his muscular biceps that set her heart racing. She loved to see a man who went to the trouble of keeping in good shape.

The lenses of her glasses steamed at the memory. Since she could barely see her hand in front of her face anyway, she pulled them off and stuffed them into the pocket of her uniform.

Her only regret at the moment he’d been introduced was that his eyes had been shaded by the brim of his hat. She’d imagined him with soft brown eyes that could melt her to her soul. Now that she’d experienced his derision, Sophie figured he probably had ice-blue eyes that matched the color of his heart.

Sadly, his first impression on her had been a far cry better than her first impression on him. Everywhere she’d gone that evening in preparation for their field training, Captain Jenkins had been two steps ahead of her, issuing the commands she should have given. Her initial admiration had quickly turned into irritation.

“Kinda like our new captain. Do you, L.T.?” asked her crusty old platoon sergeant, Sergeant First Class Schott.

He chuckled at her discomfort, and she muttered beneath her breath, glaring daggers into the new captain’s departing back.

“You know the type, L.T,. fresh off active duty and new to commanding a National Guard company. He’s trying to make a good first impression. Hang in there. We’ll break him in right, you’ll see. Just leave it to us Non-Coms.”

So far, she hadn’t seen any breaking on Captain Jenkins part, but she, on the other hand, was getting ready to run screaming through the woods with his arrogant macho bullshit.

The night was dark as pitch, but she could hear the faint sounds of the soldiers moving down a ravine. Deciding she might as well get as comfortable as possible, she stopped to remove her helmet, placed the strap of her rifle over her head, and heaved the weapon around her back. Replacing her helmet, she turned to follow the sounds of the soldiers as they made their way into the pitch-black gully.

At the top of the ravine, she paused, squinted and searched for the path the others had taken. With a deep breath, she stepped off the edge and landed in a muddy hole that sucked her foot downward until she stood ankle deep, the muck covering the top of her boot. “Damn!”

All she needed was to call attention to herself once more. The captain already thought she was hopelessly inept. With the suction of the mud pulling her down, she attempted to pull her foot free, then gasped as the weight of her rucksack carried her backwards to land with a whomp in the deep mud.

Sophie flailed helplessly, like a turtle on its back, her hands searching for something to hold on to so she could pull herself back up. At least her trapped foot was free of the sinkhole filled with mud. Then suddenly, her other foot lost traction and slipped out from under her. She let out a long screech as she slid down the rain-soaked hillside. The rifle beneath her acted as a sled, the added weight of the rucksack giving her momentum to catapult her toward the group of soldiers walking single-file near the bottom of the ravine.

Muffled curses accompanied scrambling soldiers as they tripped over each other, trying to scatter out of the way. Too late. Her hurtling form collided with the tall man standing at the rear of the column of soldiers, looking up the hill toward her speeding form.

She swept his legs out from under him, and he landed with a whoosh on top of her, knocking the wind out of both of them. Together, they continued to slide, plowing into the group of soldiers causing a domino effect, and toppling one soldier after the other. Finally, they bumped to a halt amid the chaos of strewn soldiers and equipment.

Sophie remained still for a moment, winded, certain the rock on top of her had crushed the life out of her. The instinct to survive spurred her into action. She struggled to suck the breath back into her lungs and wriggled her arms up her sides, inserting her hands between herself and the rock. With all the strength she could muster, she pushed to dislodge the heavy weight from her chest, barely budging the massive frame.

The rock moved, slowly raising its head. Even in the dark, Sophie could feel his glare burn into her eyes. Her heart stilled, and she groaned inwardly as she realized the hunk of granite on top of her was none other than Captain Jenkins.

“Lieutenant Keaton, you are a boil under my skin.” He shifted his weight, pushing Sophie deeper into the mud.

Slime oozed beneath her clothing, and she wondered whether he might decide to lie there long enough to make sure she sank all the way to China. The weapon and rucksack underneath her back pushed her breasts against his chest, and she limply gave up any further attempt to dislodge him. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and she grew light-headed. “Captain…Sir,” she wheezed. “Just…get…off!”

He placed his hands in the mud on either side of her and lifted his chest from hers, which left the lower half of his body resting heavily between her legs. His nostrils flared, and his lips tightened. Sophie felt him pause for a moment before he abruptly lifted the rest of his body, until only his feet and hands rested on the muddy ground. Crab-stepping over her, he jumped to his feet, adjusted his uniform and donned his military bearing like a cloak. “With soldiers like you, who needs enemies,” he growled. And with one last look of disgust, he turned and walked away.

The other soldiers rose to their feet, grumbling and swiping at the mud clinging to their backsides. After retrieving their rucksacks and weapons from the mud, they trailed after the captain.

Sophie sat up slowly. I guess that pretty much sums up his opinion of me. It wasn’t as though she’d crashed into him on purpose. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Soldiers didn’t cry. She pushed her loosened hair from her eyes and looked around for her helmet. When she found it, she plunked it on her matted hair and hurried to catch up to the column of men.

Flashlights glowed in the thick darkness. Because of her, it was a little too late to worry about light and noise discipline now.

When Sophie finally caught up with the formation at the road bordering the training area, Captain Jenkins was just replacing the mike of the radio carried on a soldier’s back.

Within minutes, a large, smoke-spewing truck lumbered down the road toward them, and Sophie heaved a sigh of relief. The captain had abandoned the idea of completing the ruck march. A spit bath and a sleeping bag weren’t too far away, and she was exhausted.

The vehicle pulled to a halt beside them, but Sophie hung back, waiting for the last soldier to climb aboard. Struggling to get her foot high enough to reach the metal step on the tailgate of the truck, she was suddenly lifted by a large hand placed strategically against her derriere. She didn’t need to look around to know the impertinent hand belonged to Captain “Jerk.” She flew up into the back of the truck and landed on her hands and knees.

Sophie scrambled to find a seat on the bench and tried to be invisible as she watched his dark frame walk around the side of the vehicle and slide into the cab next to the driver.

Being invisible was impossible with her platoon of soldiers. No sooner had she settled on the bench and the truck started rolling, then the comments started flying.

“Seems you’re a hit with the new commander, Lieutenant,” a soldier commented in the darkness.

“Him and a few others,” agreed another, rubbing his arm.

“Have to give you a ten for first impressions on your commanding officer.”

“I think he likes you.”

“Yeah, and what’s with him helping you into the truck?” said a voice Sophie recognized as SFC Schott’s. “Would’ve been last in had I known you needed a hand. I guess rank really does have its privileges.”

“He didn’t help me into the truck,” boomed a deep male voice.

“’Cause you’re too damned ugly, Luckadoo!”

Loud guffaws of laughter broke out among the soldiers as Sophie slumped further down on the wooden bench, praying the captain couldn’t hear the jokes made at her expense. Keeping a quiet and professional facade, she did her best to pretend not to be thoroughly mortified.

She wondered what had made her think the Army National Guard might be a great place to build her confidence. Right now, her confidence level had hit rock bottom.

She calmed herself with the knowledge that tomorrow marked the end of this disastrous weekend and a return to her sane, dry civilian life, where others appreciated and respected her abilities and judgment. She wouldn’t be in a constant struggle to earn the respect of the men with whom she worked, namely, one Captain Gage Jenkins. Thankfully, she only had to put up with him once a month.

Megan Westfield: Sports Romance — Hello Rock Climbing

As sports romance readers, we love professional athlete characters because they are confident, fit, and capable of feats that are not possible for the rest of us.  In other words, they are the closest thing we have to a real-life super-hero.

There are lots of sports romances that center on mainstream sports like football and hockey, but at the time I was drafting my debut novel, Lessons in Gravity, there were almost none that centered on the types of sports I loved and think are the sexiest: non-motorized outdoor adventure sports.  (Examples: backcountry skiing, surfing, mountaineering, rafting, and mountain biking)

To me, these types of sports are the sexiest because they take athletic ability far beyond what you see in a city-sport, plus the stakes are way higher because chances of rescue are very slim if the athlete gets hurt.

Lessons in Gravity is specifically a rock-climbing sports romance. In summary:

Falling for the star of a rock climbing documentary is not a good idea, especially if you’re the filmmaking intern who will be dangling from the side of a three thousand foot cliff with a camera while he climbs Yosemite’s most treacherous spire without a rope.

(If you’ve been following the news in the past few months, the “climbs Yosemite’s most treacherous spire without a rope” part might sound familiar.  In June, the esteemed professional rock climber Alex Honnold stunned the whole world when he climbed Yosemite National Park’s 3,000-foot El Capitan cliff, yes, without a rope. It was crazy. And amazing.)

So, what’s sexy about rock climbing? Let’s hear it straight from April, the heroine of Lessons in Gravity, as she secretly watches the hero, Josh Knox, climbing on a boulder in their campground.

His deep focus was inherently dramatic, and she could see that this, thousands of feet in the air and set against some of the amazing vistas that supposedly existed in Yosemite, would make for some stunning cinematography.

Climbing might be a bizarre sport, but she had to admit, it was also a little sexy. The height. The fearlessness. The confidence. The apparent impossibility of it all.

Another sexy aspect of rock climbing and other adventure sports is that the athletes are reminiscent of the fearless explorers of yesteryear, like Amelia Earhart, Lewis and Clark, or Vikings. In the words of Josh Knox:

All the continents have been discovered, the West has been won, the wilderness has been mapped. To climb new routes is to explore a final frontier, and it’s one of the few things left in this world where your survival is based solely on your skill. It’s deeply satisfying. Climbing an old route a different way is also a new frontier. It’s a new frontier of skill. An evolution of what is physically possible.

For discussion

Let’s get a conversation going in comments: Which sport do you think is sexiest? Also, have you ever tried rock climbing, and if not, would you ever?

Next Book!

I will soon be releasing news about my next book, which is set in the same world as Lessons in Gravity but with an exciting, foreign setting and a female pro athlete. My email list subscribers are always the first to know details such as these, and I’d be thrilled if you’d consider joining up!

Sale

If you happen to be a reader who lives in Canada or Australia, Lessons in Gravity is on sale on Kobo for one week at 75% off, so go grab it before the price goes back up!

Lessons in Gravity

All eyes are on Josh Knox…

Fearless. Guarded. Cut-to-perfection. Daredevil rock climber. The best in the world.

This time he’s poised to scale Yosemite’s notoriously treacherous Sorcerer Spire, with Walkabout Media & Productions filming every move.

April Stephens’s dream to be a documentary filmmaker rests on her acing her internship with Walkabout, and that means getting the abrasive Josh to give her more than one-word answers in his interviews.

The problem is, with every step forward professionally, she and Josh are also taking a step forward personally, and after watching her stunt pilot father die in a fiery crash, a guy who risks his life for a living is the last person she should be falling for. Especially because in one month her internship will have them dangling three thousand feet in the air from the side of the Sorcerer. She’ll be filming. He’ll be climbing without a rope.

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About the Author

Megan Westfield has dabbled in many hobbies and pastimes over the years, ranging from playing the cello to cake decorating (i.e., icing-eating) to a dozen different outdoor adventure sports. Eventually, she discovered the only way to do it all was though writing—her first and strongest passion. She grew up in Washington state, attended college in Oregon, and lived in Virginia, California, and Rhode Island during her five years as a navy officer. Megan is now a permanent resident of San Diego where she and her husband count family beach time with their two young kids as an adventure sport.

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Denysé Bridger: Escape to Africa (Contest)

Note from Denysé: I’ll pick a random comment and send the winner a copy of the set, too. Winner will be picked tomorrow by noon!

* * * * *

This particular set of stories came about as the World Romance Writers chatted about themes for future sets after the best-selling debut set, Letterbox Love Stories. We wanted to do something a little more exotic and add a touch of suspense, so the idea of tales set in Africa was born. I’ve long been a lover of the movie Casablanca, and wanted to try something in a similar vein to the movie. So, with a tip of the hat to that classic movie, I hope you enjoy a peek at this one–the first in a series of stories with this set of characters because I know their adventure is just beginning…

 Escape to Africa: A Dangerous Liaison

World Romance Writers

Kobo Books  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Amazon

In late 1942, Casablanca, an undercover French operative is given information vital to the alliance, and it’s now up to her to get the microfilm to someone who can insure it’s turned over to the Allies. Isabeau Renault has kept her cover in place for many months in Casablanca, and probably saved countless lives because of her activities. But, with the resistance being choked by the Nazi stranglehold, will she be able to get the most important intelligence she’s ever held safely out of Casablanca, or will she die trying? It all hinges now on the owner of a popular café, an American named Cade Maddox, a man few know anything about, but who appears to have a friendly relationship with the Prefect of Police, and several German officers.

Excerpt:

“Cassi, I need to talk to you.”

Cade Maddox’s voice dug into her brain.

“I will join you at the bar, Monsieur,” she repeated. “In five minutes!”

The rapid, muted voices that followed her assured her the maid, Diata, was living up to her fierce name, the lion. She sat at her dressing table and took quick inventory of her hair and makeup. Dark, curling tendrils escaped the elaborate style and she twisted them back into place and tucked pins into the coils. She picked up a brush and dusted darkly tinted powder across her cheeks, peering closely at her reflection. She barely recognized herself these days, but it kept her alive and unnoticed among the citizens of Casablanca.

Gathering her wits, she took a deep breath and stood. Eluding Maddox was more draining than it should be, but something about the man got under her skin and made her jittery. The man was impressive, six feet plus in height, dark eyes, tanned skin, he looked at home in Casablanca, though she knew he was American by birth. Braced for the on-going deception, she stepped into the narrow hallway and walked to the main area of the café, her casual manner wholly feigned. Inside she was shaking in her sandals as she prepared to dodge Cade Maddox and his too shrewd eyes.

“What brings you here, Monsieur? You’re usually holding court at the Stardust this time of the evening.” She sat at the small corner table he’d chosen, the strategic position not escaping her notice. From here the entire main room could be watched, while the wall at his back assured no one could approach him unnoticed.

Maddox smiled. He looked like a wolf who’d just scented prey.

“I was planning to lure your dancer away to work for me,” he said. “Jolene keeps running them off just when the Germans get used to them.”

“How unfortunate for you.” She shook her head when the bartender began to approach the table with a drink for her. He shrugged and headed back for customers who did want to drink.

“Why don’t you drop in this evening,” Cade suggested. “I’m expecting company that might interest you.”

“And why do you think your company would interest me?”

She hadn’t made eye contact with him since sitting down, and he clearly hadn’t missed the ruse. He’d told her on more than one occasion that she intrigued him, and because of it, he was determined to discover what she was hiding. For his sake, she prayed he never did!

For a moment silence hung between them. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he nodded. “Drop by this evening, you might enjoy yourself.”

“I’m busy this evening,” she told him, “if things get boring here I’ll consider your offer.” The scrape of the chair moving indicated he’d left his seat. A slight displacement of air seconds later and he was gone, footsteps so careful they were soundless. Maddox was an enigma she had no time to figure out, he could be dangerous to her. Before she could think too much about it the bartender shouted her name and it was time to get back to business.

As the evening wore on, Isabeau wondered if Cade could be trusted. The question plagued her as she went about her business, serving drinks, flashing a false smile, and presenting yourself as the perfect hostess. This was a job she could do in her sleep, she’d been in Casablanca for several months, even the false face she wore had become much too familiar. And much too comfortable. Her intuition had often saved her so she rarely disregarded it, and against all good sense she knew Cade Maddox was someone she was going to need if she expected to escape with her life.

*~*~*

Denysé Bridger

Romance for the discerning reader…

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Two things to do on a HOT AS HELL weekend…

In my neck of the woods, today’s going to be a scorcher. The kind of heat where you don’t bother with makeup and you wear those shorts, no matter how unflattering. Even the pool won’t be refreshing, because it’s going to feel like bath water. Bleh.

So, if you’re stuck inside, like me, and wondering what to do, I have two suggestions…

Find some new music. I’ll start you out with one of my favorite, latest finds. This is a group out of Iceland, of all places. If you like a bluesy tune with growling vocals, like I do, maybe you’ll love this, too! Listen, while you solve the puzzle below!

And after you solve this puzzle, maybe you’ll be tempted to read it! Do you like a funny, sweet, HAWT read when you’re stuck inside with nothing to do? Uh-huh, you’re welcome! ~ DD

All About Cowboys! (Contest)

Do you love cowboy menage stories? Love it when brothers are involved? How about the added taboo of the brothers going after their teacher? Well, I have a story that you will find very naughty, but surprisingly sweet. Two Wild for Teacher releases in one week—July 28th! It’s one of the stories I got back from Samhain when they closed their doors. I’ve revised it, given it a new cover, and now it’s ready for prime time!

Read the first chapter below! Even though it’s #6 in the series, the only story I’d say you need to read before Two Wild is #5, Four-Gone Conclusion!

For a chance to win one of the stories in this naughty-fun series, one of those currently out—see the six covers below—answer me this:

Tell me the name of your favorite Western movie or TV series!

  

(click on these covers to learn more about the stories!)

  

And now…Two Wild for Teacher!

Lone Star Lovers, Book 6

Two bad boy cowboys need a little tutoring to learn how to love…

Fathers know to keep their daughters close whenever Sam Logan’s twin sons come to town. Those two hell-raisers have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. All of it earned. When it becomes clear his youngest sons won’t settle down without another nudge, Sam reissues his challenge. Find a wife…

There’s only been one woman who could hold their attention for more than one night, but she’s been out of reach. Their former teacher’s a little too worried about a pesky morals clause to let them close. But they’re older now and ready to prove to her that sometimes rules are meant to be broken…

Molly Pritchet thinks her path is predetermined: to always be a child’s teacher, never a mother or a wife. Until the two boys who tempted her way back when crash back into her life. Overwhelmed by yearnings she’s long suppressed, she’s swept along on a tide of forbidden desires.

Pre-order your copy here!

Also ready for pre-order! Books #7 and #8

 

Excerpt from Two Wild for Teacher

Sam Logan couldn’t sleep. He had one last chore to take care of. One he’d been putting off. No time like now to get ’er done.

He walked softly on bare feet down the long hallway, past the master bedroom he’d given up when Johnny married Ellie and moved both his new wife and his brother Killian into the large room to share it. He shook his head, a glimmer of a smile tugging at his mouth. Sounds that hadn’t been heard in this old house in over three long years echoed up and down the hallway.

Sexy sounds—happy sighs and laughter, slick slaps, an occasional yelp from Ellie. He could only imagine what his two oldest boys were doing to the girl. But they all seemed happy with the arrangement, and both men were gaga for Mean Ellie Harker. Who would have thought one simple pronouncement would produce such lightning-fast results?

It’s time you boys found yerselves a wife. 

That’s all it had taken. Sam had disappeared for a long weekend to attend a cattle auction and give them time to think about what he’d said about what was missing from all their lives, only to return and find all four men looking as though they’d been wrung through a wringer and put up wet.

His sons hadn’t told him everything, but he’d heard the rumors—from Ole Win at the diner, who’d witnessed how the oldest two had swarmed Ellie like bees around a hive, and then from Wade Luckadoo, whose daughter had witnessed Ellie’s kidnapping by the twins but for some inexplicable reason hadn’t called the sheriff.

So, they hadn’t wooed Ellie in a traditional way. Didn’t much matter to Sam. A pretty woman stood in the kitchen every morning, a happy smile on her face, and all the boys had perked up, falling over themselves to please her.

These days, meals were an event. Ellie had been running the town’s only diner and knew how to cook a mean chili, sear steaks to perfection, and bake glorious pies.

The pies had become a bit of a joke in the house over the last month.

Ellie had figured out right off that Johnny loved apple pie. However, Killian wouldn’t commit, sampling the varieties she lined up on the counter every Sunday and sighing, but never telling her which one was his favorite.

Sam thought he knew why.

Killian wasn’t sure about his place in Ellie’s heart. She’d melted first for Johnny, but had accepted Killian in her bed, too, and even told him often that she loved him. Killian only half believed her, and given his upbringing, living in a house with two people who’d hated each other’s guts and whose anger had spilled over onto him, Sam understood why Killian had doubts anyone could love him.

Ellie’s unending search for the perfect pie to please Killian was her way of proving she loved him. From the way his second adopted son beamed each time Ellie introduced a new set to sample, Sam didn’t think Killian would ever tell her which pie he loved most.

Pie was taking on mystical properties, a true elixir of love in every bite. And pie was what the twins, the youngest of his brood, huddled over now.

A single light shining from the stove was all that lit the kitchen. The boys sat, bleary-eyed, blond heads in need of a good haircut and a comb, with elbows propping up their chins while they shoveled sweet pie into their mouths.

Sam crept in silently, opened a cabinet door and gave it a good slam.

Both boys jumped, startled stares swinging his way.

Mace gave Sam a tired grin. “Hey, Pa.”

Sam never tired of hearing that. The two older boys still called him Sam. The twins had been eager to accept him and Gracie as their parents when they’d first arrived for fostering. Something Gracie had loved as well. She’d always wanted to be someone’s mama. He felt a pinch in his chest at how happy she’d been—all the way to the end—surrounded by her boys. “Why aren’t you two in bed?” he snapped, his voice gruff. “You’ll be fallin’ off your horses tomorrow.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Mace grumbled, rolling his eyes.

“Why’s that?” Sam asked, although he had a pretty good idea why.

Mace grunted. “Too much damn noise. People gettin’ happy. Wish’t I was that damn happy.” He lifted his fork and turned to take another bite.

Sam came closer and peered over Mace’s shoulder. “That the cherry pie?”

“Mmm-hmm,” the younger twin groaned. “S’good.”

Sam arched a brow. “Think we should tell Ellie that Killian’s not a pie man?”

Both boys’ heads jerked up, eyes rounding.

“Hell, no!” Jason said around a mouthful of peach pie. “She might stop bakin’.”

“We’d still get lots of apple,” Sam said with a dry chuckle. “Girl wears herself out tryin’ to please y’all.”

“That ain’t what has her all wore out,” Jason muttered, then grimaced from the audible whack his brother gave his leg.

“You know,” Sam said, “there’s a simple solution to your problem…”

“Earplugs?” Mace quipped.

Sam shook his head. “Seems all y’all need is a little somethin’ to keep your minds off what you’ve got no business hearin’.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “I know what you’re gonna say. We need to find ourselves a wife.”

“A wife?” Mace murmured, his mouth stretching into a wide grin.

Both boys shared a glance then dipped their heads to continue milling into their pie. In that one glance, they seemed to share the same thought. And maybe they did. No two boys could be closer.

Men, Sam amended in his mind. They weren’t scrawny teenagers anymore. A woman, a good woman, would have herself a fine husband—if they could ever decide which would marry her.

“Strange times we live in,” Sam murmured, thinking about how the town was changing. Multiple men taking up with a single woman. He’d never have imagined it, but then, for him, there had only been Gracie. And she’d had eyes only for him.

On that melancholy note, he turned. Pie wasn’t going to satisfy his yearning. Sleep, a chance to dream about a golden-haired girl with freckles on her nose—that’s what he needed. “I’ll say good night. My job’s done. ’Night, boys.”

 

Jason turned his head to watch Sam leave the room, not liking the hint of sadness he’d seen in Sam’s eyes before he’d turned away. They all missed Gracie Logan, but none more than Sam. “Think he’s really okay with how things worked out for Johnny and Killian?”

“He hasn’t said a word about them holing up in the same damn bedroom. Don’t think he cares so long as everyone’s happy. Why you ask?”

“Don’t know. Sometimes, he gets a look.”

Mace nodded. “Know the one you’re talkin’ about, but I think it’s ’cause he’s missin’ Mom.”

Jason pushed away his empty plate and sighed. “Only thing’s gonna make him happy again is when we all start makin’ babies.”

Mace grimaced. “Think we don’t get any sleep now…” He shrugged. “It’s not like Johnny and Killian aren’t doin’ their best on that end. Still, Pa’s not gonna rest easy ’til we find a woman, too.”

“A woman?” Jason said, reminding his brother how Mace’s sly joke had started the ball rolling with Ellie. They’d been teasing Sam and had irked the hell out of Johnny, who’d taken Sam’s pronouncement as marching orders and didn’t like them making light of it. Jason felt responsible for how things had worked out. Johnny might never have considered sharing a woman with Killian if Mace hadn’t first planted that seed. Not that both Johnny and Killian didn’t appear satisfied with the arrangement. Still, it was his job to curb Mace’s wildness. He was the oldest. Little brother needed to get serious about this business of finding a wife.

Mace shrugged. “Be easier havin’ just one woman. Less yap. And we’ve got lots of practice sharin’.” He picked up his glass of milk and downed it in a couple of big gulps.

Jason knew Mace would prefer to drop the subject of the marrying part. The thought of taking a wife and starting a family made both of them feel itchy. Until they’d come to the Doubletree Ranch, they’d never known what a loving family could be like. Who knew whether they would follow their birth parents’ sorry footsteps rather than Sam and Gracie Logan’s? But Sam expected them to man up and give it a try. “How the hell we gonna find ourselves a woman?” he said aloud, although he didn’t really expect Mace to have the answer. He wasn’t the thinker. “We can’t settle on one for a whole weekend—how we gonna settle on one for the rest of our lives?”

Mace nodded. Then his blue eyes glinted, narrowed. He sat forward in his chair. “There’s only been one woman we ever wanted for longer than a day.”

Jason had an instant image of soft brown hair pulled back into a messy bun, dark-rimmed glasses perched on a pretty, slender nose, green eyes peering over the tops. He and his brother had fantasized about her for years. “She’s a pretty thing, but doesn’t even know it.”

“I like the way her eyes bug when she’s mad. She doesn’t like losin’ it.” Mace’s grin said he couldn’t wait to push her to the edge.

A smile twitched the corners of Jason’s mouth. Wouldn’t she be appalled to see them again? The thought didn’t dampen his enthusiasm one bit. On the contrary, just the idea of pursuing pretty Molly Pritchet caused heat to fill his loins. “We ain’t jailbait anymore,” he drawled.

“No, we ain’t.”

Both men shared wicked grins as they let the thought of what it might be like to seduce Miss Pritchet blossom.

“School’s out tomorrow,” Mace murmured.

Jason gave a firm nod. “She’s gonna have time on her hands. A whole summer’s worth.”

Both men scooted closer to the table, pie forgotten, and made their plan.

 

As she adjusted her burden in her arms again, Molly Pritchet wished she’d driven. She was hot, starting to sweat, and the muscles in her arms were beginning to burn with the weight of her box of personal items she’d emptied from her desk. Earlier, traces of roses and honeysuckle scenting the warm air had drawn her from her house, enticing her to get ready to embrace the last day of school and the start of her plans for a summer of blessed solitude, free of responsibility. That morning, she hadn’t wanted to think about anything but the pretty day, the flowers she’d purchased to set into their beds, and the small, decorative pond she wanted to install in her backyard.

Besides, walking to and from the little high school was the only real exercise she ever got.

With every passing year, she fought a little harder to keep padding from settling on her rear and upper thighs. So, she walked, getting more of a workout than she’d planned, but enjoying the sounds of lawnmowers growling, birds chirping, and children playing.

Lord, she loved the sounds of children. Not something that had changed over the eight years she’d been teaching. And it was a true joy to meet up with graduates who remembered her and stopped by to tell her about their lives, and how she’d touched them.

She might never have her own, but there were plenty of children she’d helped raise in her own limited capacity.

The sound of footsteps on the sidewalk—heavy tread, a little hollow—men’s booted heels, came from behind her, and she edged to the side to let whomever was approaching pass.

However, the steps slowed, and before she knew it, she had a man at each elbow.

Her breath caught when she recognized them. “Mason, Jason,” she said, hoping they’d take her reddening cheeks for exertion, not delight. She’d always had the most inappropriate thoughts where these two were concerned.

Some things never changed. They both looked so handsome and tall—shaggy blond hair curling beneath the brims of their straw cowboy hats, matching blue work shirts—nicely ironed—and dark Wranglers that molded to powerful thighs. The only notable difference in their appearance was their boots. Mace Logan’s boots were saddle-brown leather while Jason’s were black. She didn’t need visual clues to keep the two of them straight. Unlike most folks in Two Mule, she’d always been able to tell them apart. Mace had a lazy smile that invited a woman to linger. Jason was a tad sharper, with a keen glance that had burned right through more than one woman’s defenses, or so she’d heard.

Good Lord, she’d just checked them out, and from Mace’s slow grin and Jason’s razor gaze, they both knew it.

Two sets of blue eyes glinted with humor.

“Howdy, Miz Pritchet,” Jason said, his smile wide, perfect white teeth gleaming.

Mace cleared his throat, drawing her attention. Before she had a chance to sink into his brilliant blues, he reached out his arms. “Let me take that box for you.”

“No need,” she said, wheezing a bit because she couldn’t manage a deep breath with both of them towering over her. “I need the exercise. Home’s not far.” She knew her voice was a little shrill, but she couldn’t help it. She needed them gone before her cheeks heated until they were as purple as sugar beets, and she really started to sweat.

The Logan boys, these particular two, were trouble with a capital T. Any sensible woman would steer well clear of them. A teacher with a pesky morals clause in her contract had even more to worry about. “I swear I can manage this box on my own. Always have.”

Mace gave her a crooked smile. “Didn’t say you couldn’t manage it on your own, ma’am. But why deprive us of a chance to do a good deed?”

Stiffening her spine, she gave him her best “teachery” steel-eyed glance. “You’re here to do a good deed? Why do I suddenly feel like an old lady a Boy Scout’s about to help cross the road?”

“Oh, you’re not old, Miz Pritchet, and we’re not Boy Scouts,” Jason piped in, probably to get her flustered because she had to look left and right to hold this conversation. Her foot stumbled on a rock, and she fell forward.

Hands reached to grab the box, another slipped around her middle.

Breathless and embarrassed, she let go and tried to straighten away from a hot palm that branded her lower back.

Jason bent toward her while Mace juggled the box. “I know you’re a little flustered, but if you’d quit fightin’ us, this’d be over so much quicker,” Jason whispered then gave her a wink.

Molly gulped, cheeks aflame, but she gave a terse nod and lifted her chin. “Your hand is no longer needed,” she said, her voice clipped.

“Fair enough,” he said with a wicked waggle of his eyebrows, slowly sliding his hot palm away.

Pushing her dark-rimmed glasses up her nose, she backed up one pace, then whirled on her heel and stepped out again, leaving both men to follow in her wake. “Well, seeing as how you were both so insistent…” she threw over her shoulder, “…don’t dawdle!” She picked up her pace, arms swinging, angry with both of them, angry with herself for letting them get under her skin.

It was just like her first year teaching. She’d been fresh out of college, eager to take command of her first classroom, and both Logan boys had landed in hers. They hadn’t lingered in the back like most of the football players—no, they’d taken seats at the front. Their handsome faces had greeted her with smiles and compliments every morning. She’d begun every day gritting her teeth, because she couldn’t suppress the heat in her cheeks or the breathless hitch in her voice that their attentions brought. Back then, they’d been beautiful young men, horny and popular with the girls—not so much with the girls’ parents, because they could tempt an angel into parting with her wings. They’d turned their considerable charms on Molly, making the ninety minutes they’d shared a constant trial on her nerves.

No doubt, they’d done it on purpose, to test the new teacher. She had never been so glad to have a semester end.

Still, until they’d graduated, she’d had to endure seeing them in the hallways, knowing their interested stares followed her. She’d dressed as frumpily as she could bear, foresworn makeup, all to discourage them.

They were just too handsome, too cheeky. And she’d been all too aware there weren’t that many years between them. Just five. Something the boys teased her about.

The last few months they’d been in school, they’d begun to drop hints that they’d like to see her—after they weren’t jailbait anymore, but she’d had better sense. Even though they likely had more experience than she did in the sex department, she was starkly aware of how a relationship with two former students would look. Despite their sly and charming efforts at tempting her, she’d remained firm.

Unfortunately, it seemed time hadn’t changed them a bit. They may have left boyhood firmly behind, but they still liked to tease her to the point of exasperation.

And Lord, she wished she hadn’t noticed they weren’t boys anymore. Both were tall, and their rangy frames had filled out nicely. Any woman they passed couldn’t help but pause and watch, be she ten or a hundred. They knew their attraction and took full advantage of it. She’d heard the rumors of their sexual exploits. Apart, together—they only had to give a girl a sly wink to have her sidling their way. Then it didn’t take more than a sexy smile to have her panties around her ankles—an image which shocked Molly because it came so readily to mind.

No, she was not imagining that girl was her. How ridiculous would that be? Her, standing in broad daylight with lacy pink panties pooled around her feet.

And yet, what made it so real, so tempting, was that she knew if she wanted it, all she had to do was signal them with a crook of her finger. One lazy summer afternoon spent between the sheets with the Logans might just get the yearning out of her system.

The thought lodged tightly inside her head. But then another, of her getting naked with two perfect specimens of manhood, splashed cold water all over the dream.

She could never stand to be just another one of their conquests—even if they only intended to tease. They couldn’t be seriously thinking about doing anything more. They had their pick among the female population. She wasn’t the prettiest or the shapeliest. Sure, she was smart, but men like the Logan twins didn’t prize a high IQ. What they wanted was a woman with a single-word vocabulary.

So, why did the word yes feel as though it sat perched on the tip of her tongue, ready to take flight? Was it because she didn’t have a boyfriend or plans for a romantic summer? Until that moment, she’d been happy about that fact.

Molly’s house loomed in the distance, and she sped up again, trying not to think about what they might be looking at. Her butt might be a little soft, but there was muscle underneath. She lifted her arms and power-walked the rest of the way home.

Susan Saxx: Real Deep (Giveaway)

Do you love reunion stories? I do. Especially when the couple faces great odds to get back together. It could be family issues, different backgrounds, or the infamous “We were on a break!” line that Ross kept spouting on Friends, much to Rachel’s chagrin (until the very end). But whatever it is, when two people that have allowed their soul to trust another human being on the deepest level find the courage and the strength to make their way back to that original realization despite genuinely tough times – I’m a mess. A happy, story-fulfilled, blubbering mess.

And with that, I introduce you to Dare and Abby from Real Deep, the second book of my REAL MEN series. These two have been through a lot! Abby’s from Money (with a capital M), Dare isn’t. Yet he’s the only one who’s ever ‘seen’ her. And for his part, no one’s ever been there for Dare before, either. So in the backstory, when they break up, it’s a tragedy.

But there’s something about being stuck on a practically deserted tropical island that strips away the rest and brings out only the gold…

If you like reunion stories, I’m betting you’ll want to take the journey with Dare and Abby, two of my very favourite characters.

And as an added benefit, Real Deep is another exciting installment of the Real Men series. This series introduces readers to the brotherhood of a group of men who have bonded through serving as army reservists in various location. They’re connect to the fictional town of Jack’s Bay in northern Ontario as well as the fictional town of Golden, British Columbia.

Today, I’m giving away one copy of Real Deep to a randomly chosen commenter below! All you need to do is:

Follow me on Amazon and…take your pick of: signing up for my newsletter or following me on the social media of your choice.  Let me know in the comments what you chose. Giveaway ends on Sunday at midnight, so let all your friends know!

See you August 7th, folks! And I should have more information about a new, special, summer of 2017 release!

Real Deep

Real Men #2

Deserted tropical island, hunky male models. Sole female photographer. Everything is on track for Abby Haines to please her sleazy boss and win the make-or-break photography contest of the year so she can prove herself to the wealthy parents who’ve disowned her, keep the career she loves, and oh yeah. Eat.

That is, until the past love of her life shows up. The scumbag.

Part-time solider and handyman extraordinaire Dare Logan gets things done. But life just ratcheted up a few degrees for the guy from the wrong side of the track. If he doesn’t kowtow to the creepy shoot director, he can’t save his fledgling renovation business and take care of his mom and sister. And now he’s got to deal with Abby—the woman who broke his heart, proving that what he could provide for her wasn’t enough. Super.

But when they’re sent on a dangerous trek across the island and fate plays with their deeply-entrenched principles and worse, their hearts, choices will have to be made, and the stakes are no longer simple.

Amazon

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Real Men

A new, small town military romance series. Featuring full-length stories and meet-cutes.

Read the entire series to fall in love with the men of Jack’s Bay!

About Susan

Susan Saxx writes sexy, unexpected, heartwarming romances. Her REAL MEN series focuses on a band of Canadian military reservists and the strong women they fall in love with. Meet the cowboy, the ex-hockey player and more at her website, and join her mailing list for exclusive teaser stories and release updates!

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Elle James: Life Gets Busy!

As I’m writing this blog, I’m not writing my book MONTANA SEAL DADDY. I know, I know. I need to finish it by the end of this week, and I will. But I also need to let you know what’s coming up. Next Tuesday is the rerelease of MACK’S WITNESS.  This book first came out under my Myla Jackson pen name, but it didn’t sell worth a crap because it was really an Elle James book. All about romantic suspense, adventure and military heroes. My Myla Jackson books are usually based around the Ugly Stick Saloon, fun, funny and sexy. Yeah, I confused my readers and they weren’t buying it from Myla. Now that I have the rights back from Samhain, I know you’ll love MACK’S WITNESS. I loved writing this book because I got to put a lot of my trip to Ireland in this story. From running into Irish Gypsies (called Travelers) to staying in a castle bed and breakfast with its sassy proprietress.  I hope to start writing book #3 soon, Ronin’s Return. I’m setting it in Venice, another place I visited and loved.

If you haven’t preordered your copy of MACK’S WITNESS, hurry! It comes out next Tuesday!

Passion leads to danger on the Emerald Isle…

Tired of eating sand and dodging bullets, Marine Captain Mack Magnus is ready to relax and enjoy his brother’s Dublin wedding. A few pints in a quaint Irish pub and the company of a pretty Irish lass, all the better. Instead he winds up getting ordered around by the cousin of the bride. Fed up with her mouthy attitude, he kisses her to shut her up. Now he has a new mission: get into the sexy redhead’s panties.

Busy international model Deirdre Darcy knows the six-foot-four Marine’s type: hit-and-run sex and off to the next port. Fall into bed with an arrogant bastard like Mack? No thanks. When she stumbles upon a couple of Irish gypsies leaving a murder scene, she must go into hiding or become their next victim.

His protective instincts kicking into high gear, Mack whisks Deirdre away to a small town where it’s easier to keep her safe. Except there’s no escape from their growing attraction—or from the one thing neither of them thought they wanted. Love.

Get your copy here!

I’ll be in Orlando when MACK’S WITNESS comes out at the Romance Writers of America National Convention. In fact, I’ll be listening to an Air Force Parajumper talk about how they rescue downed pilots. More fodder for more stories!  And on Wednesday, LOVE & WAR releases! Again, I’ll be busy in workshops and meeting with editors and other authors. It’ll be a busy week in Orlando. I look forward the party Harlequin always has where I’ll be recognized for my 50th Harlequin book. When I get home on Sunday, I’ll have 2 days to repack and jump on plane to Ottawa, Canada for the Romancing the Capital conference with Eve Langlais. I’ll be there from 2-6 August and then my husband will join me for some sightseeing in Canada until the 15th. Holy smokes! I’m so excited. I also hope to tour Harlequin’s headquarters in Toronto on that trip.  Watch my FB. I’ll post pictures of my adventures!

Tell me a story… (Contest)

Sometimes, I peruse photo sites without any particular purpose in mind. I find photos for projects I’m working on that I think might be used for covers. Then there are photos like the one below that I just can’t resist, because I know there’s a story waiting to be written.

While I go through old blog posts and find winners to contests I have to close out, let’s start a new one!

Tell me a story! Doesn’t have to long. Doesn’t have to be good. Have fun with it! And I’ll choose one winner to get a copy of Two Wild for Teacher , which comes out the 28th of this month!