Robyn Echols's Blog, page 10

Wednesday Wonders: THE RULES IN ROME

This week's Wednesday Wonders features  The Rules in Rome  by A.L. Sowards
Praise for the Book: 
Readers who hunger for a great espionage thriller with an extra helping of romance will devour The Rules in Rome. A.L. Sowards is at the top of her craft with this terrific WWII suspense novel. It is definitely a book not to be missed! Gregg Luke, author of Bloodborne and Deadly Undertakings  Book Summary:
With Hitler’s forces firmly entrenched in Europe, countless heroes seek to end the madman’s reign. Bastien Ley is one of the best. Working in Italy for the Office of Strategic Services, he’s been tasked with sabotaging German convoys. When his team kills an officer headed for Rome, the man’s similarity to Bastien is undeniable, and seeing an opportunity to turn the tide of the war, Bastien makes a bold decision: he will assume the dead officer’s identity. He becomes Dietrich, an Iron Cross–wearing German officer—an ideal position from which to infiltrate the Nazi ranks in Rome. To help with his stressful assignment, his superiors send him a reinforcement in the form of the lovely Gracie Begni, an intelligent and eager radio operator with absolutely no undercover experience.
With a gulf of resentment between them, these two agents must find a way to portray a couple in love. Soon their reluctant alliance becomes much more as Bastien and Gracie find themselves getting lost in their feelings for each other. But as they engage in battle against the deadliest foe the world has ever known, the pair quickly realizes their love may be doomed. As the Rome Gestapo threatens to destroy all they’ve worked for, will Bastien and Gracie survive their charade?
Excerpt:
     Marcello walked around the car to stand next to Bastien. “So no one in Rome has ever met him before?”      Bastien shrugged. “How should I know?”     “How’s your German?”
     “Better than my English or my Italian. Why?” But Bastien already had an idea of what Marcello was about to suggest.     “Do you have any idea how valuable it would be to have a plant inside German headquarters in Rome?”     Bastien shook his head. “I’d be dead in two days, Marcello.”     Marcello fingered the thin black mustache on his upper lip. “No, Ithink this could work.”     “It’s not your neck on the line, is it?” But even as his instincts argued against it, Bastien could see the value in having intimate knowledge of the massive defenses being built to stall the Allied push north. And what other information could a German officer learn? Which convoys to attack? Weaknesses in the supply chain? Battle plans? Impending roundups targeting Italian partisans and the OSS men working with them? I want to do something more effective than watch Nazi convoys drive by, don’t I? It was a calculated risk; if caught, he’d be killed. But the potential was huge, and in comparison, the value of Bastien’s life seemed small. “Find his papers.”

My Book Review:
The Rules in Rome is the fourth book written by A.L. Sowards I’ve read and it didn’t disappoint.

From the start the author develops strong characters with personalities and attitudes that become as much of the action as the setting and the plot. The overall theme is espionage, and Bastien is able to pull off the role he takes on because of being a native German who was forced to flee the country after his father was killed for speaking out against the rise of the Nazi party in the 1930’s. Due to a fortuitous event, he is encouraged to assume the role of a German officer over engineering projects who was killed while traveling to his new assignment in Rome. Bastien agrees to do so, knowing he does not have enough intelligence about the history of the man. It could put him in danger, and it does.
Gracie is an intelligent, Italian-born college grad who, after losing her fiancé to the war, decides to pull her education and skills to use in service to her country. She is recruited by the OSS to become a radio operator. Since she lived in Italy until she was eleven and is a native speaker, she is assigned to Rome. Both she and Bastien find themselves assigned to work together. Both find reason to resent the other, yet their mutual danger prompts them to look out for each other.

One thing I like about the author’s style, and this one is no exception, is the manner in which she describes some of the enemies as sympathetic characters, real people doing their best while being loyal to their country. Even as Bastien works to thwart the Nazi effort to win the war in Italy, he is friends with some of the men he is spying on. He recognizes their humanity. The moral dilemma with which he is often faced adds to the tension and suspense of the book.
The romance elements are clean and proper. Although I saw it coming, there were a few surprises at the end that added to my overall satisfaction with the story. I highly recommend it.

Author Biography:
A.L. Sowards has always been fascinated by the 1940s, but she's grateful she didn't live back then. She doesn't think she could have written a novel on a typewriter, and no one would be able to read her handwriting if she wrote her books out longhand. She does, however, think they had the right idea when they rationed nylon and women went barelegged.

Sowards grew up in Moses Lake, Washington. She graduated from BYU and ended up staying in Utah, where she enjoys spending time with her husband and children or with her laptop. She does not own a typewriter. She does own several pairs of nylons. 
Purchase Links:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Deseret Books  |  Seagull Books
Connect with A.L. Sowards:
ALSowards.com  |  Facebook,  |  Twitter  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads

Wednesday Wonders: A HEART ON HOLD

 This week's Wednesday Wonders features A Heart on Hold by Sara Barnard


Book Description:
Charlotte Adamsland is separated from her husband, Sanderson Redding, the day after their marriage. A captain in the Confederate Army, Sanderson must return to his unit, leaving Charlotte alone on their Arkansas homestead to fend for herself. Yankees camp around the town of Altrose, bringing their own kind of lawless danger. And then, one dark day, a Southern soldier arrives with terrible news…Sanderson has been killed trying to escape a Yankee prison.

Sanderson has found salvation and hell in a single turn of events he could never have imagined—his much-younger brother, Jackson, is his Yankee guard. When Jackson’s cruel commanding officer learns of the brothers’ family ties, he devises a wicked plan to see them both dead. Jackson is determined to get his brother to safety—but a last-minute betrayal by another prisoner could be the death of both brothers.

Charlotte can’t accept the news of Sanderson’s death—he promised to come back to her. She heads north armed with only her faith in God and her beloved horse to bring her love home—one way or the other. Will she be able to rescue him? Or will her love remained locked forever in A HEART ON HOLD…
Excerpt:
“I have a bad feeling about the gaje who have come,” Minerva confessed to her younger brother as they watched the sun sink into the waves of the paanii. A nasal-toned voice cut into their conversation. “I’m Todd Davenport,” the haughty Englishman informed Esmeralda after she’d finished dancing with her tambourine on the makeshift stage. “I’m fifty-fourth in line for the crown. You tell my fortune and see if I’ll see the inside of the palace in my lifetime.”
“Si, you come in the vardo,” Esmeralda instructed. Minerva thought she caught her mother flicker an infinitesimal look at her father. Tamas nodded a near imperceptible nod. This served only to stoke her feelings of unease. 
“You wait out here, Millicent,” Mr. Davenport barked at the plump woman browsing through the charms and potions. Millicent paid no mind to her husband or his order as he followed Esmeralda into the vardo. Minerva watched as her father kept glancing at the vardo door then down to his pocket watch. She knew that her mother had given her father the signal she reserved for when she had a sour perception about a customer. After a few minutes, Tamas was to go in and check on her. 
Florica toddled over and held her chubby arms up to Minerva. “Come here, ves’tacha,” she said as she scooped the toddler into her arms, still watching the vardo door. Just as Tamas started toward the door, a horrendous screaming and crashing sounded from within the family’s traveling wagon. 
A hush rippled through the growing crowd of gaje. 
“Daj?” Minerva called. Dropping what he’d been carrying, Tamas broke into a run. Before he could reach the vardo, a shrieking Todd Davenport tore from the door, cupping his shriveled genitals in one hand. Eyes wide, Tamas bellowed, “ESMERALDA!” Minerva stood helplessly holding her baby sister as her beautiful mother, with tears and blood streaming down her face, flew from behind Mr. Davenport and into her father’s waiting arms. Esmeralda was speaking Romani so quickly that Minerva struggled to keep up. “Smashed my face into the crystals as I tried to locate the heart line on his palm,” she explained, her voice wavering on the edge of hysteria. “Then tried to force himself upon me. I hit him with the bottle of moon fire.” 


Minerva shuddered. Moon fire was reserved for the most serious of injuries, for the liquid burned like hot water on a sun burn when applied. What Todd must be feeling on his genitals had to be anguishing. And deserved, she thought. The laughter and pointing of fingers from the crowd of passersby served only to anger the thwarted rapist of royal descent as Tamas produced his lace trimmed hanky and began to dab at Esmeralda’s gashed forehead and bloody nose. 
“You will LEAVE now,” he commanded to Mr. Davenport.
 “By God, I will not!” Todd squealed. “Millicent! Woman, where are you?” he bellowed as his wife backed into the sea of onlookers. “I’m bewitched! That green-eyed Gypsy is a witch and she’s bewitched me!” 
The raucous laughter coming from the throng of patrons squelched at the mention of the word witch. A wave of uneasiness swirled through the gaje as Todd continued to hop about and spew forth allegations of black magic. Minerva sucked in her breath hard, in an attempt to stop the tears before they could start. “Tatiyana Chechykov was drowned in Russia after being called a witch,” she whispered to her grandmother, whose eyes no longer sparkled. “And Baba Leeskha was branded a sorceress and hanged in Hungary!” Minerva dashed, sobbing, to her mother’s side. I’ve learned one absolute truth that rings true through all the countries of the world. To be called a witch by the gaje is a death sentence.   You may purchase this book on Amazon by CLICKING HERE.
About the Author:
Sara Barnard is mother to four beautiful children, daughter to a pair of awesome parents who have become two of her best friends over the years, wife to a handsome Texan, student to her Master's of Arts in European History classes, and friend to many. Oh, she writes some, too.

Sara began writing in the third grade, but became serious about becoming published after watching Eclipse with her friend, Rochelle. Rochelle mentioned that Ms. Meyer was a housewife with many children, so Sara decided that since she was back home while her husband was deployed, she would put pen to paper and see what happened. Wow. She started writing in 2009 and hasn't stopped since! This has led to her finding her publisher, 5 Prince Publishing, and her awesome Warrior Princess editor! Her debut novel, A Heart on Hold, was published in 2012 and quickly became a series. Books 2 and 3, A Heart Broken and A Heart at Home, were published in January 2013 and June 2013 respectively, with book 4, A Heart Forever Wild, forthcoming! Book 1, A Heart on Hold, made it to the top three finalists for the best of 2012 American Historical RONE award and became an Amazon bestseller! Book 2, A Heart Broken, appears to be following in the same path. On a different note, set to release in November is Sara's debut Amish romance novella, Rebekah's Quilt.
Author Links:
Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Amazon Author Page


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Wednesday Wonders: EVARANCE

Today's Wednesday Wonders features  Evarance: Rise of the Shadows  by Bonnie M. Clark 

About the Book:
EVARANCE - THE PATHWAY BETWEEN DREAMS AND REALITY

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She gently lifted the bracelet out of the box and clasped it around her wrist, admiring the little fire charm that shimmered in the sunlight and looked as if it were really burning. She didn’t know it yet, but that one simple act would change everything forever.

Trapped in a world of dreams turned to nightmares, Rachel struggles to escape the encroaching darkness and the shadow wolves that hunt her. Aided by firefoxes, mysticorns and other elementals, she must now travel across the land in search of a way to return home. The clock is ticking and death awaits if she fails…

Preface:

        “Wake up! Just wake up already!” Rachel’s head screamed as the monstrous black creature approached, growling low and viciously, his lips curled up showing razor sharp teeth dripping with saliva and blood.          “You have nowhere left to run, little girl,” he snarled with a wicked grin, crouching low, readying for the attack.          Rachel took one step backward before her back pressed hard against the solid rock wall. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the blow that would certainly end her life.          There was a time, before the horrible nightmares began, that she found solace in her dreams. To Rachel, her dreams were an exciting escape from the boring life she once lived. But now, more than anything, she just wanted the dream she had become trapped in for so long to end.
CLICK HERE to view the Book Trailer.
Excerpt:

     “Oh, I almost forgot,” Dad said, straightening his glasses before addressing Mom, who had already begun eating. “Have you seen Rachel yet this morning? Evalyn said she wasn’t in the tent when she woke up.”     “Rachel wasn’t in the tent?” Mom asked with alarm. “I’ve been up for over an hour, and I haven’t seen or heard her.” Mom’s usually pleasant face changed, a look of worry sweeping across it.     “Rachel!” Mom yelled, the words echoing through the woods. “Rachel, honey, where are you?”     Everyone froze in silence, waiting for a reply, but the forest remained still.     “Rachel?” Dad’s voice called out, also echoing through the eerily quiet. “Can you hear me?”     Again everyone listened in quiet anticipation, but still there was no reply.     Mom turned to Dad, her worried expression growing quickly into panic. “It’s not like Rachel to wander off—”     “No, that’s not like Rachel at all,” Dad agreed as he turned toward Evalyn. “Evalyn? Go wake up your brother. Hurry!”     Evalyn didn’t have to be asked twice. She sprinted over to Chris’s tent and ripped up the zipper as fast as she could, flooding light into the tent.     “Ahhh, it burns!” Chris hissed grumpily, throwing the pillow over his head to block out the light.     “Not now, you idiot!” Evalyn snapped, tearing the pillow off him. “Mom and Dad said get up now! Rachel’s missing!”     Chris sat straight up in his sleeping bag, rubbing his eyes. “Wait, Rachel’s what?”     “She’s gone! Missing!” Evalyn yelled in agitation, throw-ing the pillow back at him. “Get dressed! I’m going to help Mom and Dad look for her!” With that, Evalyn stormed away from the tent and followed the sounds of her parents’ increasingly frantic shouts.     “Rachel, honey!” Mom bellowed.     “Rachel!” Dad called, over and over again, that was until he saw Evalyn approach.     “Evalyn,” Mom said, her voice shaking, “come help us look for her.”      “Where’s Chris?” Dad asked, looking around.     “He’ll be here in a minute,” she replied, “he’s throwing some clothes on.”     “I see,” Dad said, calmly trying to mask any fears he might be feeling. “Well, we don’t need anyone else to go missing. Evalyn you go with your Mom and search the south side of camp. I’ll wait for Chris, and we’ll take the north side.” Dad’s voice trailed off, his worried face giving away his otherwise calm demeanor. “Oh, and take this.” He handed Evalyn a two-way radio. “Not much cell phone reception out here. Keep it on channel three, and let me know if you find anything.”     “Okay,” Evalyn said, grasping the radio securely in her hand.     “Sweetheart?” Mom inquired, grabbing Dad’s hand in hers, her eyes telling him all the unspoken fears she couldn’t vocalize.     “We’ll find her,” he replied in the most confident voice he could muster, giving Mom’s hand a tight squeeze. “Now go, quickly. I’ll head over to get Chris.”
Purchase Evarance on Amazon by CLICKING HERE.

About Bonnie M. Clark:

Bonnie Clark lives in West Virginia with her husband and five children. She worked at a comic shop as a young adult, attending Japanese Anime conventions where she participated in cosplays, art shows, and sold merchandise. She has a passion for writing, achieving her dreams, and helping others achieve theirs. She loves gardening, nature, animals, and has dreamed about firefoxes since her early teens. She also loves getting back to basics by learning self-sufficiency and emergency preparedness skills. She graduated from BYU-Hawaii with a degree in Information Systems and currently works as a Cyber Security professional. To learn more, visit her website at www.evarance.com.

EVARANCE – RISE OF THE SHADOWS is her debut novel.
Connect with Bonnie:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Google+  |  Pinterest
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Blog Tour: BORN TO TREASON

This week's Wednesday Wonders is part of the blog tour for Born to Treason  by E.B. Wheeler  
Book description:
It's 1586, and Queen Elizabeth I has declared war on Catholics, making it illegal to befriend a priest, read foreign books, or even own a rosary. Joan Pryce is not only Catholic, but also Welsh, a people stripped of their rights by their English overlords. Smuggling pages from a forbidden book is a small act of defiance against the queen, but it entangles Joan in a plot that may cost her heart and her life. 
Excerpt:
           I, Joan Pryce, was born to treason. If I did not choose between betraying my country and betraying my conscience, I would betray them both. Just as my father had.
          Shovelfuls of mud thumped on his coffin. Each thud resonated in my aching chest, burying me, smothering me. I pulled the hood of my cloak lower to hide my anger and grief. They were a window into my traitorous thoughts, and anyone might be a spy for Queen Elizabeth.          Her law condemned my father to a Protestant funeral—laid to rest in holy ground but unshriven, without the benefit of a priest or last rites. Some of the other mourners owned the implements to give my father a proper Catholic burial, bring peace to his soul and mine, but they were too frightened to bring the bells and candles from their hiding places. Too frightened to sing or pray. I glared at them from the safety of my hood, but none even glanced at me. Cowards, cowards: white-livered cowards, every one.          And I the greatest coward of all, for I said nothing. The thought of the gallows choked off my protests. Where was my loyalty?          Blessed Mary, forgive me.

My Book Review:


Born to Treason deals with the difficult issue of the role religion can play in politics and subjection of classes of people. Henry the VIII had renounced the Catholic Church and established a protestant religion. His daughter, Elizabeth, continued the religion and sought to wipe out Catholicism and its followers, not so much out of devotion to the state religion but to control and destroy the language and ethnic identity of the Welsh, traditional enemies of the English.
This book once again reminded me of how fortunate I feel to live in a nation that does not have a state religion, and does not impose that state religion on its subjects through seizing their property, imprisonment, torture and death. That was the situation facing the Welsh at the time of this story. Some chose to change to the state church to avoid persecution. Some still favored Catholicism, but paid lip service to stay safe. Others practiced Catholicism in secret, and were constantly at risk of exposure and arrest. This was the days of homes built with hiding places known as “priest holes.”
These were the choices facing the strong-willed heroine of this book, Joyce Pryce. She was a devout Catholic frustrated over what she not allowed to do given the limitations put on women in her day. After her father had been tortured before renouncing his faith, only to die shortly after, she was disenfranchised as a male relative took over her home and sent her to live with her godparents—lukewarm Catholics who paid lip service to the protestant faith. One priest strongly encouraged her to flee to Italy and join a convent, devoting her personal wealth to the church. She felt she was destined to marry and have a family. She found herself facing three choices for a husband: one, a handsome, charming rebel who worked to publish in the Welsh language, transport priests so they could perform services and recruited her to help transport Welsh language documents to a printer. Another man she had known as a child, who had been disfigured while serving as a soldier for the crown, who opposed rebellion against the crown, but did not go out of his way to turn in those who favored Catholicism. The third choice she considered was to flee the country to live in a Catholic nation where she could meet and marry a man of her faith. I had to wait to the end to discover her final choice.
The author has Welsh Catholic ancestors and has studied this period extensively. I found the story she wove based on her understanding of this period in Great Britain’s history interesting and exciting. The story was well written. I highly recommend this book.
About the Author:

E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California. She earned her BA in history from BYU and has graduate degrees in history and landscape architecture from Utah State University. With Welsh ancestors on one side of her family and crypto-Catholics on the other, she’s been fascinated by the story of Welsh Catholics since writing about them in her master’s thesis. She’s the award-winning author of The Haunting of Springett Hall and lives in northern Utah with her family.

Connect with E.B. Wheeler:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  Purchase Links:Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books & things   

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Book tour: THE MAKING OF A MAN

Today's Wednesday Wonders is part of a book tour for  The Making of a Man  by Rachel Rossano 


The Earl of Dentin returns. Eight stories ranging from short story to novelette in length give us greater understanding into why Dentin is the complex and enigmatic man he is. It also includes new adventures that happen between Honor and the next Rhynan novel. 

Passing the Mantle – An ill-fated hunting trip 
Forging Friendships – Recruiting able-bodied men ineligible for knighthood 
The Sword of Korma Monroe – A sword made for trouble 
Turning Point – A duke and an earl plot treason 
The Bittersweet Pear – A marital misunderstanding 
Isbeth’s Redemption – Dentin doesn’t make a good first impression 
A Squire’s Love – Reginald’s quest 
Restoration – A trip to Braulyn produces unexpected company 


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Rachel Rossano specializes in clean romantic fiction set in historical-feeling fantasy worlds. She also dabbles in straightforward historical romance and not-so-strict speculative fiction. 

A happily married mother of three small children, she divides her time between mothering, teaching, and writing. She endeavors to enchant, thrill, entertain, and amuse through her work. A constant student, she seeks to improve her skills and loves to hear from readers.



Connect with the Author here: ~ Facebook ~  Amazon ~ ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Google+ ~ ~Pintrest ~ Goodreads ~Youtube ~ Newsletter ~
Snippet #3Lowen ReginaldThe backdoor crashed open before we dismounted. An orange feline emerged, dragging the carcass of what appeared to be a goose.“Get out of my kitchen, you fiend!” Gelsey tumbled out the door after it. Waving a broom and with her hair awry, she chased the large tabby across the yard in the direction of the back gate. Halfway there, the tabby gave up its prize and abandoned it without ceremony in the dirt while it made all haste to escape Gelsey’s well-aimed blows with the besom.I scrambled down to fetch the carcass for her and offered it with care when she marched back toward the house.“Pardon, my lord,” she offered Dentin a hurried bow. “The mid-day meal will be delayed.” Claiming the bird with barely a nod, she disappeared inside.I watched her go until the door closed.“What a shrew!” Starneck snorted. “I would hate to be hitched to her.”“Watch your tongue,” Dentin admonished. “Gelsey is an even-tempered lass as long as you don’t mess up her kitchen.”“Or steal the provisions,” I added as I caught the bit of Lord Dentin’s horse to hold it still for his dismount.“Fair journey, my lord?” the groom asked as he emerged from the barn.“Pleasant enough.” Lord Dentin glanced at Starneck’s turned back with a slight grimace. “The weather was fair.”Though not the company. I suspected Starneck would not be joining us on the return journey. We settled the horses and Starneck and I unpacked the gear. Once the horse work was done and the weapons stowed, I headed into the main house. With three sets of saddlebags across and over my shoulders, I wedged my way through the servant’s entrance and began the tricky negotiation of climbing the narrow back stair.I was just rounding the first turn when Gelsey stuck her head out into the passage from the kitchen below.“Is that you, Reginald?”“Aye.” I leaned back against the wall behind me and turned just enough to look down at her over my load. She was a pleasant sight to behold, honey curls escaping her coiled braid and slightly angular chin balancing the softness of her wide eyes. Seeing that was well worth the increasing weight of the gear.“Food will be ready in about a quarter hour. Will that be enough time for you to see to all that?” She gestured to my full arms with a flour-covered hand.“Should be. I will be right down as soon as I finish with these.”She flashed me a wide smile that warmed my middle far faster than any of her good cooking. She ducked back into her fragrant domain releasing a puff of savory scented air as she closed the door hard. Apparently she wasn’t taking any risks that the cat would return for another try.
Top Ten List 10 Random Facts about Rachel Rossano 
was homeschooled Kindergarten and then 4ththrough 12th grade.  has three kids, two boys and a girl, which includes a set of twins.  is a selective vegetarian, meaning she will occasionally eat bacon (because who doesn’t like bacon).  has more unpublished books than published (a fact she is working hard to change).  homeschools her three children.  hates folding laundry unless a movie is involved.  is addicted to home improvement/decorating shows (Fixer Upper, Property Brothers, Househunters International…), though her house definitely doesn’t reflect it.  only dated one person, the man she married. He is the inspiration for all of her book heroes and her toughest editor.  designs book covers for fun.  cannot ride a horse, shoot a bow and arrow, or fight with a sword, though she really would love to learn to do those things someday.
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Book Tour: WHERE SHADOWS DWELL

"A Fathers Betrayal. A Lover's revenge. One woman, determined to save them both"
For Lily Frost, love is a double edged sword. She craves it, she needs it, but the asking price for love may be her life.
After her mother's apparent suicide, Lily receives a terrible warning: leave California or run the risk of death. Afraid for her life, she flees. Her only hope for safety lies with her father, a man who abandoned her when she was five. But while she searches for him, she discovers love and safety in the arms of James Prescott.
James is a man tormented by his mother's unsolved murder. More than anything he wants to see her killer lifeless, lying in a shallow grave. When Lily enters his life, he realizes that he hasn't been living. Lily shines for him, a light that finally pierces the darkness. For the first time in years, he feels hope. Their relationship blossoms and Lily discovers that she is worthy of love. However, she soon realizes that the safety she craves and the love she's found may be short lived.
The past James carries and the life Lily left behind collide, throwing the couple into the path of the murderer. Secrets long buried come to surface and threaten to destroy everything. Will they face their demons together or will they let the past tear them apart?

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Julianne Kelsch is an author and freelance writer who picked up the pen after the birth of her second child. A mother of four, she believes words have a special kind of magic all their own. With a word you can open the heart or break the soul; you can breathe life into love or distinguish the final flame. For her, reading is a place to experience worlds unseen and lives never lived; writing is the place to create them. 




Connect with the Author here: ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Pintrest ~
Lily is a sweet young woman, one with whom I don’t personally identify. Yet I recognize there are many women like her. Feeling abandoned and unsure of herself, she is trapped in a verbally, emotionally and physically abusive relationship. She believes it is love, and anything that goes wrong happens because she is at fault. If she leaves him, she will be totally alone with no one to love her. As a reader I saw it was not true, and I wanted to shake her and tell her to get it together and pay attention to what was really going on. And stop crying all the time. But, I also know those who suffer from this state of mind have a difficult time overcoming those feelings, and it was satisfying to watch Lily throughout the book as she struggled to do so.
As the story progresses, she starts to realize how manipulative her boyfriend has been after she decides to move from California to Michigan for six months in search of a father who left her fifteen years earlier. There she meets another young man who treats her as a valuable person. She is able to see the difference between the two, and makes her choice. But, there are consequences, and more tears, and injuries. And the consequences are what make this book a page-turner until the very end.
James was a great hero, a little too intense at times, but his devotion to his family and later to Lily made him admirable. It was hard to not like him as a hero even as he struggled with his feelings about Lily once he realized they had an unfortunate connection. In addition, I liked how all the characters were portrayed, even the bad guys I loved to hate.
This book is a romance with a lot of suspense elements. It also dealt with choices on how the characters handled their strong emotions of hate, revenge and occasional desires to commit bodily harm to those who had hurt them. The internal struggles and the way the characters influenced each other in an effort to keep things in perspective and maintain balance were also important elements in the storyline.
The action started at the beginning and escalated to the end, with a surprising twist that capped the story beautifully. It was a great plot with minimal language, clean romance (although there was plenty of angst), a sizable chunk of action and violence and excitement that kept me reading to the end. I highly recommend it to those who love reading thrillers and contemporary romantic suspense.



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Wednesday Wonders: THE BUCKSKIN TRAIL

Today's Wednesday Wonders features  The Buckskin Trail  By JoAnn Arnold 

About the Book:
“This is what my parents died for?” Kelzi whispered, looking at the battered buckskin.
Ahyoka nodded. “And now you must take it with you and protect it.”
A miracle saved Kelzi’s life when she was younger, now it’s her turn to save others. When Kelzi discovers the truth about her parents' deaths, she steps onto a dangerous path, one where she must avenge those who have died and protect the land of her Cherokee people—at any cost.
Excerpt:

       Finally the fire chief heaved a deep sigh. He took a step backward, mentally calculating something in his mind. He furrowed his brows, rubbing his fingers over his chin. “I’ve been in this home numerous times. As I recall, the front door was approximately fifteen feet straight ahead of me, and I ask myself, why were they unable to escape . . . unless the fire started where they stood.” He paused, his eyes searching for something not visible. He shook his head. “Amedohi was a respected lawyer throughout the state of North Carolina. He and Kate made a handsome couple.” A deep sadness revealed itself in his eyes as he cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you to your work.” He turned and walked away.        The investigating officer pulled the radio from his belt, pressing his thumb against the button while wiping away the perspiration that trickled down his face. “I need a forensics team at the core of the fire investigation,” he said, his voice scratchy from the inhalation of smoke.
       He lifted his eyes and quickly scanned the area around him. Strapping a surgical mask over his nose and mouth to prevent any more of the gray residue from getting into his lungs, the officer brushed ash and debris from what remained of a rib cage. He removed long tweezers from inside his case and slipped them between the pallid bones, blindly searching through the rubble when his radio crackled and a voice informed him that the forensics team was two minutes out.     Time was short. Sweat stung his eyes. His throat felt dry. His heart pounded. Moving rapidly, he found what he was looking for. His work was finished and two objects were safely inside his pocket; he cautiously scattered ashes around the area. He leaned back, letting the air flow through his lungs unhampered while his heart calmed to a steady beat. Still, his mouth felt like cotton, and he could taste the ash that had somehow found its way to his tongue. In fact, his clothes, hair, and skin were completely covered with the stuff.       As soon as forensics arrived, the officer directed them to the evidence and then stepped away, letting the three men do their job. A few minutes later, he heard their voices meticulously identify and label each piece of evidence.       When their work was done, the officer suggested that if the remains were those of Amedohi and Kate Tsali, it might be necessary to search for a third body . . . that of their eight-year-old daughter, Kelzi.  
My Book Review:
My attention was immediately caught with the arson fire that claimed the lives of the parents—one Cherokee and one Irish—of an eight year-old girl, Kelzi Tsali. Hidden by her parents who realized they were under attack by unethical men willing to stoop to murder to steal a valuable land deed, Kelzi sees her parents’ murderers and with supernatural help, manages to escape and be raised to adulthood, hidden in plain sight. Only then can she, the hereditary chieftain of her tribe of Cherokee, reach her destiny as an adult and be able to help her people.
This story drew upon the Native American belief in the power of nature,  respect for Mother Earth, faith in God or a Great Spirit and the assistance of those who have already left this earth, but who have an interest in preserving their descendants. I felt the paranormal elements were handled well and in balance with a belief in a higher power. The setting took place in North Carolina, the original home of the Cherokee at the time the Europeans arrived on this continent. It could only take place here since the story reached back into the early legends that were tied to the land before the coming of the Europeans.
The author created memorable and believable characters, both Cherokee and those of European descent. I enjoyed the insight into the Cherokee culture. The romantic interest was introduced late, and I do think since Kelzi and Cassidy knew each other as children he could have been mentioned earlier in the book. Although he was not the main character, he added a nice balance to the story as it built towards its conclusion.
The focus was on Kelzi. The first part of the book moved a little slow as the author walked the reader through her growing up years and setting the stage for her mission in life. But, readers need to hang in there. Once Kelzi was called “home” to face her challenges as hereditary chieftain and keeper of the contract her tribe depended upon, the story exploded with suspense and action. I was unable to put the book down until I finished.
The book was well-written, interesting and exciting, and the romance elements were clean and proper. I highly recommend it. 

About JoAnn Arnold: JoAnn Arnold was born in Price, Utah. Her first experience in creative writing was in authoring both Children's musicals and Adult Musicals for her community. Her musical, "Rosie the Riveter" received an honor in a special addition of the Smithsonian Magazine.
Her first book, "Miracles for Michael" was written as a Christmas Musical for her community Theatre. A few years later, she decided to turn it into a book.
It is her belief that it is with the gift of imagination that we create in ourselves the person we want to become, and she wanted to become an author so she did. "My dream is to be an artist who paints from the heart; to be an author who can take the imagination beyond that which is conceivable. I'm still in the infant stage of those dreams, but I run with the stars and, in the distance, I see the dreams fulfilled."

Connect with JoAnn Arnold:
Website  |  Facebook  |   Goodreads  |  Amazon Author Page
 Purchase links:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Books & things 

Please tweet this blog Post:This is what my parents died for? THE BUCKSKIN TRAIL by JoAnn Arnold #WedWonders http://bit.ly/1Wpaqqm

Wednesday Wonders: THE REAL YOU

Today's Wednesday Wonders features The Real You by R. M. Alexander
About the book:
Paige Reed heads to a location shoot in Detroit where an A-list actor is filming the next big blockbuster. But it's the man in the background she can't take her eyes off. Throwing caution to the wind, Paige is captivated by Kellen Richards and the slow burning romance which emerges. But when Kellen asks her to move to L.A several months later, she quits her job, only to find the consequences could be deadly.

With his life built around Hollywood, Kellen Richards expects the masks people wear and is drawn to what-you-see-is-what-you-get Paige Reed. But wealth and fame come with a heavy price tag. Kellen finds he has to keep Paige safe, a task that won't be easy.

With everything stacked against them, can Paige and Kellen come out the other side together, or will the danger lurking within two separate worlds drive them apart?
About the Author :

RM Alexander is an author of Contemporary Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Thrillers.
With driven characters who suffer the worse kinds of betrayals, her novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.

When she's not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and fans.



Author Links:
Facebook  |  Website  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter
Purchase Links:
Amazon  |  B & N  |  Kobo  |  iTunes  |  Audible




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Wednesday Wonders: BERTIE

This week's Wednesday Wonders features Bertie by Shanna Hatfield



 About the Book:

She needs an adventure  —
He needs the warmth of her smile… Bertie Hawkins survived a traumatic ordeal that stripped away her sunny outlook on life and left her afraid of every shadow. Terrorized and tired of reliving the past, she accepts an offer to change her situation. Although she only intends to work through the summer, the peace she finds at Nash’s Folly keeps her there every bit as much as her interest in a mysterious new ranch hand.    Desperate to escape his memories, Riley Walsh buys a run-down farm in Pendleton, Oregon. To pay for the many necessary repairs, he goes to work for his neighbor, never intending to fall in love with the effervescent girl who helps around the house.    Riley isn’t the only one enchanted with Bertie. His own crazy mule and the neighbor’s son both share his infatuation, driving him past the brink of jealousy.   A sweet romance that embraces the trials and triumphs of yesteryear, Bertie blends laugh-out-loud adventures with heartwarming moments.

Excerpt:

   “I, um…” Bertie stopped a few feet away and scuffed the toe of her shoe in the dirt, stirring up little puffs of dust. “I owe you an apology, Mr. Walsh.”
   Riley stopped fussing with Mud’s saddle and turned to stare at Bertie. “For what?”
   “It was completely inappropriate for me to throw eggs at you yesterday. In addition, I failed to thank you for coming to my rescue. Left to my own defenses, I might still be sitting in the pen, surrounded by demented chickens intent on inflicting harm.”
   He chuckled and shook his head. “I think you would have been just fine without my help.” His eyes trailed over her from head to toe then settled on her face. “I’m sorry I laughed, Miss Hawkins. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
   Bertie didn’t know what to say to his sincere apology. She could tell it was earnest by the humble look on his face and the kindness in his eyes. “You’re forgiven, this time.” Bertie smiled and held out a square of fabric to him. “Unless I’m mistaken, this belongs to you.”
   As he took his neckerchief from her hand, his fingers brushed across her open palm. They both drew in a startled breath at the jolt the touch created. Bertie raised her gaze to his. Her eyes were wide and luminous as surprise and something Riley refused to acknowledge shined in their depths.
   Hastily, he stuffed the square into his pocket and nodded his head. “Thank you for returning it. Did you find the flowers?”
   “I did. Daisies are my favorite.” Bertie took a step back, too aware of her interest in Riley Walsh. Too unsettled by what his handsome features and resonant voice did to her sensibilities. Around him, she felt like a tongue-tied ninny. Yet, at the same time, her thoughts lingered on how much she’d like to be held in his arms, taste his kisses. It was positively… indecent how frequently he’d invaded her thoughts in the last week.

 
  Bertie is the sixth book in the Pendleton Petticoats series.  Author Bio:   Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, USA Today best-selling author Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with relatable characters.
   When this hopeless romantic isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.
Contact the Author:
Find Shanna’s books at:Amazon| Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords| Apple
Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | Pinterest | Goodreads| You Tube| Twitter
Please CLICK HERE to tweet this blog post: She needs adventure; he needs the warmth of her smile BERTIE @ShannaHatfield bit.ly/1S0RXgR #RobynEcholsBooks
 

Blog Blitz: HER INDEPENDENT SPIRIT

Today my alter-ego, Zina Abbott, will share with you excerpt #2 anda chance to win a copy of Her Independent Spirit by playing the Amazon Giveaway sweepstakes.
Catch all seven excerpts on participating blogs on Zina Abbott's website by CLICKING HERE .
Please join Zina Abbott on the Sweet/Clean Romance Facebook event
Monday, April 11th at noon/1:00/2:00/3:00p.m. or Wednesday, April 13th at 3:00/4:00/5:00/6:00p.m.by CLICKING HERE .
About the Book :
Beth Dodd has made a promise to help “Lulu”, a young prostitute at the Blue Feather, keep her baby if she decides to leave the whorehouse and become a respectable woman. But Beth hadn’t counted on the obstacles she and the new mother will face from society in the mining town of Lundy. From the obstinate landlady, Mrs. Ford, to her intractable German boss, Gus Herschel, Beth must fight for the woman she’s promised to help. But Beth Dodd never gives in, and she keeps her word with a stubbornness that Lundy folks are not accustomed to seeing from a woman.

Once Lulu, now known as the more respectable Louisa Parmley, starts working for Gus in his kitchen, she proves that Beth was right to take a chance on her. She has every intention of making a good life for her new daughter. But can she also hope to find happiness with Gus? And will Gus be able to accept her and baby Sophie Ann as his? Love was never in the cards for Gus, but Louisa dreams of happiness with the stoic man, and Beth is determined to bring them together through HER INDEPENDENT SPIRIT.


Excerpt #2:
     “Speakin’ of Miss Flora, I done promised her I’d not be the one to pull you out of the Blue Feather. You got to be the one to walk away. If you do, I ain’t wantin’ to hear much more about Miss Flora.”      “I will, Mrs. Dodd. Anything to keep my baby, especially if it will get me away from doing this. And, this man, Mr. Herschel, he said it’s all right for me to work there?”     “Reckon I’ll tell him you’re comin’ this Friday. If Gus don’t have enough work, I’ll teach you to bake for me.”     “You’re sure? And it will be all right for me to keep Sophie Ann with me while I work?”     Lulu watched the woman purse her lips. She hurried on before Mrs. Dodd could change her mind about helping her.     “Also, I’ll need someplace to rent for me and Sophie Ann to live. Is there a place with rooms by this eating place where I’ll be working?”     “Reckon you and Sophie Ann best live with me at the Pioneer Lodging House.”     “Isn’t that Mrs. Ford’s place? Will she let the baby and I live there, considering my-my past?”     “I’ll speak with her.”     “What if one of them says no, Mrs. Dodd? What can I do then?”
Photo: Many buildings closer to the lake burned down in the great fire of 1886 (some sources say 1887), but this 1890’s photo gives a good idea of what buildings in Lundy looked like in 1884. To learn more about the town of Lundy, click here .
Zina Abbott is offering a copy of the book through Amazon Giveaway sweepstakes with a  one in fifty chance of winning. You may access Amazon Giveaway by CLICKING HEREand following the instructions.
About the Author :



Zina Abbott is the pen name used by Robyn Echols for her historical novels. You may find the first two novellas in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, Big Meadows Valentine and A Resurrected Heart , by clicking on the hyperlinks for the novel titles or by going to Zina Abbott’s Amazon Author Page by clicking HERE .

To learn of new releases and special offers, Zina Abbott invites you to sign up to receive her monthly NEWSLETTER . You may sign up by CLICKING HERE .
Zina Abbott Author Links:
Website   |  Blog   |  Facebook   |  Pinterest   |  Goodreads   |  Google+   |  Twitter  
Purchase links for Her Independent Heart:
Amazon   |   Smashwords   |  Kobo   |  iBooks


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