Diane Alberts's Blog, page 33

Men & Women of the Military Giveaway Hop!!

 

The best heroes in the world, in my opinion, are military ones. Yes, yes. I might be a bit biased. I did marry a Marine, after all. But still–what’s hotter than a man or woman defending a country? I tend to write military heroes, and they are by far my favorite ones. In keeping with the blog hop I’m participating in, I’m offering a yummy prize up for grabs. All you have to do is comment below, and you’re entered to win!

The prize (open internationally)?

An eBook copy of my bestseller, Try Me. It’s the first in the Take a Chance Series, and features a hot, tattooed, delicious hero named Jeremy. How hot? Check out the cover.

 

Yep. That hot. Here’s the description:

What happens in Vegas…can lead to romance.

It took one wild night for Sergeant Jeremy Addison to realize that Vegas? Was a bad idea.

Bloody. Bruised. Dehydrated. Abandoned in the desert, and left to stagger down the road. The only way this leave could get worse was if his savior was his ex-best friend’s sister…and the girl he’d loved since childhood.

The last person Erica expected to find on the roadside was her high school crush. She hadn’t seen Jeremy in seven years—ever since the night he said he loved her, and she ran away. Losing him then had been a mistake, but wanting him now could be catastrophic if he discovered the secret that chased every other man from her life. But with a tall, tattooed Marine determined to prove he’s always been faithful, can Erica resist his advances…or will she surrender ground and give love a try?

Want to win a free copy? Comment below, and tell me who your favorite hero EVER is!

Don’t want to wait? Want to buy it now?
Barnes and Noble   Amazon   Amazon UK   Books on Board   Entangled Publishing

And don’t forget to follow the blog hop, and enter to win at all 121 stops!! Click the button above with the dates of the tour to hop along! (Or use the Linky list below)

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Captivated by You is out early! Get your Christmas on.

Yep, it’s out early! In the mood for a novella about a hot movie star finding love in a small town…with a dash of Christmas thrown in? Then look no more.

Blurb:

When Hollywood heartthrob Mark Delaney heads back to Colorado against his agent’s wishes, a snowstorm touches down (no doubt conjured up as punishment from said agent) that lands his Maserati in a ditch. Stranded, he knocks on the door of the first house he sees—the same house that his former math tutor grew up in. Expecting to find an elderly couple donned in robes and hair curlers, he’s knocked off his feet when an all-grown up Lacey Robertson answers.

Lacey opens the door to find a tuxedo-clad, most eligible bachelor two years in a row staring back at her. She tries to push twinges of her teen crush from her mind. Mark Delany is all man. But she couldn’t possibly compare to the gorgeous starlets he must be used to. And Lacey isn’t about to become one of the faceless women begging for his attention.

But when she finds out that he hasn’t stopped thinking about her, despite his A-list life, will she fall into his arms for a single night of pleasure? Or will she dare to hope for more?

 

Buy Links:

Amazon Amazon UK Barnes and Noble

Add it to your Goodreads shelf here.

From Swoon Romance.

Please welcome the author of Naturally, Charlie!

Today I have a special treat for you! The author of Naturally, Charlie is here to share a few thoughts with you. Please welcome S.L. Scott!

What a wonderful, whirlwind week this has been. My debut novel Naturally, Charlie was released. It’s been a truly happy and crazy busy week since, and I’m so honored to be on Diane Alberts website today to talk about my release and my book.

With a great blog tour in place that started two weeks prior to November 1st, 2012 aka Naturally, Charlie Day in my world, my excitement was building. But nothing compares to holding that paperback in your hands the first time and seeing it on Amazon when you wake up on release day. It wasn’t about sales at that moment, although sales are important. It was about a dream being realized – a lifelong goal being achieved. It was pride and tears and smiles all wrapped into one. And all of those feelings were given to me by two characters who feel like a part of me, two characters who share one name – Charlie.

The two Charlies, as I call them, have taken me down a journey that I once only dreamed about, but I also got to experience their journey as well. The love I feel for them and the emotion I experienced while writing these characters runs deep. They live in my heart and I’m so thrilled that I get to share them and their story.

Their friendship began when they met during a difficult stage in their lives. They make a deliberate decision to trust a stranger in this weakened moment – a stranger that won’t judge them or hold old baggage against them. They are two relative strangers who need a little light in their lives to help stave off the dark.

I let them lead me in their journey and I really like that they didn’t feel the need to progress things faster than they should. Their relationship is what the other needs at that time and the depth of their emotions and reliance on each other grows from a pure place. It grows naturally, and develops into so much more.

They take things at the pace that feels right for them, not letting other’s influences ruin what they hold so special, which is each other. With unresolved issues burdening them, they face their own challenges. These are obstacles they work to overcome with their own inner strength while having the support of the other to give them the courage to move forward.

My favorite part of the two Charlies is their sense of humor. They get to be who they are deep down, who they want to be without pretension or facades, with each other. They tease, taunt, and joke with each other, but they love, support, and build a deep bond because of it.

On the surface these characters are going about their lives they best they can, but they face realistic issues and try to work through those the best they can. This is a friends-to-lovers story filled with romance, laughs, and feel-good moments. Naturally, Charlie will take you through their ups and downs, joys and confessions, love and support, and leaves you feeling warm inside because you know that where they start and where they end up is exactly where they should be.

I hope you give Naturally, Charlie a read and enjoy reading this tale as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thank you, Diane, for hosting me on your lovely site.

XO,

S.L.

Amazon Paperback
Kindle | Amazon 

Learn more about S.L. here:

Twitter
Website 
Facebook – and S.L. is having a Facebook release party today with tons of prizes!

CAPTIVATED BY YOU signed book cover giveaway!

 

I posted on Twitter that if my upcoming release Captivated By You (Superstars in Love #1) managed to snatch up 100 adds on Goodreads in the first day, I’d give away a few signed copies of the book cover. Well, not only did it hit 100 in less than 24 hours, but it’s getting close to 200! So instead of just one signed book cover–I’m doing ten to say THANK YOU! Thank you for adding Captivated By You to your bookshelves, and thank you for helping spread word of my upcoming release, out November 27th from Swoon Romance.

 

CONTEST INFORMATION:

Okay, now to the fun stuff! Enter below (you can gain extra entries if you’d like) and wait to see if you won a free signed postcard sized book cover of Captivated By You from me!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

COVER REVEAL! Check out CAPTIVATED BY YOU, coming soon from @swoonromance!

I’m SO excited to share this cover and blurb for my upcoming release with Swoon Romance. This story is a novella of approximately 65 pages, but it packs the punch of a full size novel. Trust me.

It’s the first in a series with Swoon Romance centering around superstars falling in love. Want to learn more about Captivated By You? Then read on! First, here’s the hot, gorgeous, perfect cover. I’m in lurve! (You can click on the image to make it bigger, if you wish)

 

Okay, now that you’re done drooling over that hottie names Mark Delaney (are you done? I’m NOT!), read below to see what the book’s all about. I had a lot of fun writing this story–and hope you’ll have as much fun reading it! Captivated by You (Superstars in Love #1) hits the virtual shelves on November 27, 2012. 

Add it to your Goodreads shelf here.

Blurb:

When Hollywood heartthrob Mark Delaney heads back to Colorado against his agent’s wishes, a snowstorm touches down (no doubt conjured up as punishment from said agent) that lands his Porsche in a ditch. Stranded, he knocks on the door of the first house he sees—the same house that his former math tutor grew up in. Expecting to find an elderly couple donned in robes and hair curlers, he’s knocked off his feet when an all-grown up Lacey Robertson answers.

 

Lacey opens the door to find a tuxedo-clad, most eligible bachelor two years in a row staring back at her. She tries to push twinges of her teen crush from her mind. Mark Delany is all man. But she couldn’t possibly compare to the gorgeous starlets he must be used to. And Lacey isn’t about to become one of the faceless women begging for his attention.

 

But when she finds out that he hasn’t stopped thinking about her, despite his A-list life, will she fall into his arms for a single night of pleasure? Or will she dare to hope for more?

So, what do you think? Is he a hottie, or what?

New contract with Month9Books!

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve signed a contract with Month9Books for four short romance novellas! The first one is scheduled to drop by the end of 2012, and then next three will come out over the next year and a half! The series, aptly named Superstars in Love, centers around celebrities falling in love with average people. Think…small town girl, hostess at restaurant, etc. They’re fun, flirty, fast reads at about 10,000-15,000 words–perfect for an hour or so of entertainment on a busy, long day. The first book, Captivated by You, will be hitting stores soon–so keep an eye out!

I’ll keep you updated on the upcoming releases, and all other things Diane Alberts.

Who wants a free book?!

I’m in the mood to giveaway a couple of copies of TRY ME! If you haven’t read it yet, and would like the chance to read it for FREE, enter your email address below for a chance to win. I will be picking winners at random–and gifting the Barnes and Noble/Nook version of the eBook.

Don’t know what TRY ME is about? Click here!

I will not add you to a newsletter or mailing list! This is a free, fun giveaway with no strings attached!

Spotlight on Divinely Ruined (Divine Temptations Trilogy #1)

With my Entangled Publishing books, Try Me and One On Condition, I’ve had a lot of success in reaching new readers, and hitting the Top 100 bestsellers lists on both Amazon and Barnes an Noble. In between the releases of those two successful books, I released another Entangled Publishing book called…Divinely Ruined. It’s gotten a lot of fabulous reviews, including scoring a 4.5 review from GraveTells.

Divinely Ruined is a book that skirts on the edge of contemporary romance with a slight touch of paranormal thrown in. I think it often gets overlooked by my readers, since I primarily publish Contemporary Romance books, and this one is categorized as Paranormal. As such, I’d like to make a post to draw attention to Divinely Ruined–especially since it’s the first book in the trilogy.

At its heart, it’s a tale of two tortured, lost souls healing each other. Tony is a single father who has lost hope for anything good in his life…minus his little girl. Rebecca is so certain there is nothing good in life anymore, she’s ready to give up her every dream just to be safe. Find out what happens when the two of them are thrown together.

Now, I’d like to offer the first chapter up for free. Take a minute and scan through it. Maybe you’ll like what you see!

Links to buy:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Books on Board

Entangled Publishing

Excerpt

© 2012 Diane Alberts

Chapter 1

Angel Rule #1: Never lie to your assignment.

From the moment Rebecca set out to become an angel, she’d known she wasn’t the ideal candidate. She cursed. She coveted. She thought highly uncharitable thoughts—and those uncharitable thoughts often led to losing her temper.

Just like she had this morning.

It wasn’t her fault. The assistant kitchen angel wouldn’t give her any apple pie. Rebecca would swear until she turned blue in the face that the wench deliberately skipped over her—and Rebecca really, really liked apple pie. But she’d made herself cool off, and even apologize…until the brat had stuck her tongue out.

That was when the hair-pulling had started.

Like that wretch would ever earn her wings, either. Hmph.

Rebecca rubbed at the bite-mark the stupid brat had left on her forearm, and leaned against a telephone pole. Across the street, a U-Haul truck sat before a modestly sized house. Boxes strewed across the sidewalk. A little girl sat on the steps, clutching a doll in her arms. Her eyes were grave, and her chestnut hair gleamed in the sunlight. She was beautiful, Rebecca thought. As beautiful as the child Rebecca would never have.

She pushed those thoughts away. Her training—a strenuous ten-hour daily lecture combined with good old hands-on experience—warned her against dwelling on her mortal life, or the personal sacrifices she’d made to answer a higher calling. She’d tried, especially after the Archangel of New Recruit Training, Her Holiness and Eminence Miss Sally of the Disapproving Stare, had held her back an extra year.

Most aspiring angels were allowed contact with humans after the mandatory twelve-month training program. It had taken Rebecca two and a half years of endless book studies and lectures on why slouching was bad for her shoulders before Sally even considered letting her accept a case on Earth—and now here she was.

She believed she just might be stalling.

No, there was no “might” about it. Rebecca tore herself from her pensive thoughts and looked away from the child. She wasn’t here for the girl.

She was here for one Anthony Richard Weis, single father of four-year-old Miranda and a man sorely in danger of losing his soul.

A gruff voice rumbled from inside the U-Haul, echoing throughout the cavernous space. Well. He had a mouth on him, didn’t he? The tips of Rebecca’s ears heated, but she lifted her chin, wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt, and crossed the street to the truck.

She could do this. All she had to do was make sure Anthony remained on sound moral footing. In the course of three years, Anthony had lost his job, his house, and the mother of his child—and would soon commit a murder. Her job consisted of stepping into his life and persuading him to take the higher ground. Or in this case, not to kill anyone.

Easy enough, right?

Except that Rebecca had never really succeeded at much in life, unless there was an award for sucking the most. Her life before Sally had been a miserable failure. She couldn’t fail again. She had this situation under control, and she would succeed.

Why, then, was she so nervous?

Maybe because her entire life depended on this mission. Her future as an angel. A purpose that would finally make her life mean something.

She couldn’t panic now.

She’d been chosen by God as one of the elite few humans given the opportunity to become an angel. A real, honest-to-goodness, ever-serene angel.

She just had to get Tony to believe in God, and in her. And work on that serenity thing. Then, maybe she’d be the person she’d always wanted to be. Maybe she’d no longer be a failure. Maybe she’d no longer be alone.

Maybe, just maybe…she’d finally be whole.

…

Tony threw the box into the stack in the back of the truck. It tumbled back down. The packing tape, which he’d only haphazardly slapped on in the first place, snapped. Mismatched dishware spilled across the floor. Two plates shattered. Tony snarled, swore, and climbed into the truck to pick up the pieces. He was in no mood for this.

He was rarely in the mood for anything except Miranda—but these days, no one would be surprised by that. Jane had walked out on him. She hadn’t even stuck around for the divorce. Instead she’d left him with overwhelming daycare expenses, a never-ending stream of diapers, and the stress that came with finding affordable housing on a single father’s income. A plumber’s paycheck only went so far, especially when he missed out on doubling his hourly rate for those lucrative on-call jobs.

He’d only become a plumber when his father passed away. He’d been an accountant before. Lucrative, but with brutal hours. But when Mike Weis left him the family business, it was either sell off a company his father had spent a lifetime building, or take over his legacy. Jane had said she was on board. She’d obviously lied. Once they’d moved into the suburbs to be closer to his father’s established client base, she’d acted like every minute there was torture. Who knew a white picket fence and a homeowner’s association were the equivalent of waterboarding at Guantanamo.

Once she left him, the three a.m. house calls were no longer an option, unless it was a wake-up call to feed a fussy baby. Late night feedings had turned into late night nightmares and under-the-bed monster inspections, but it didn’t change that Miranda still needed him. Then again, he needed his baby girl, too.

She was the only good thing he had left.

Tony sighed, set the fragments of porcelain down, and ran his fingers through his hair. He really should be able to let this go. It had been over three years now, and Miranda was still a joy, no matter the difficulties of raising her alone. It was too hot to be stressing himself out, anyway. He was practically giving off heat waves like molten blacktop, and sweat was a gritty extra layer between his shirt and his skin. He needed an ice cream break—or a beer.

Ice cream. Miranda loved ice cream, and right now he needed to watch her face brighten and her eyes light up. Needed her laughter, and those tiny arms around his neck to remind him why he worked so hard. He climbed out of the truck and started toward the porch.

He only made it two steps.

Two steps, before he stopped and stared at the woman at the foot of the ramp.

She cocked her head to the side and watched him with eyes as blue as the summer sky above. Her shockingly bright red hair cascaded to her hips, and clung to the damp film on ivory shoulders just beginning to dew with sweat. The faint sheen of perspiration made her seem to glow in the sun. A small splotch of freckles splayed across her nose.

She was impossibly beautiful.

Which meant he had sunstroke, and this was a hallucination.

Tony ground his fists against his eyes—but when he looked again, she was still there. She was real. Very real, and watching him as if waiting for him to say something.

He cleared his throat. “Can I help you?”

She smiled. The ironic little twist of her lips roused an answering twist in his gut, tight and hot. He shoved it down with zero remorse. Women like her were nothing but trouble. They used their looks to get what they wanted, then abandoned men after they’d used them up and sucked them dry. Heartless, every last one of them.

The woman faltered, looking at him strangely, before her smile returned. “I’m looking for Anthony Weis. Are you him, by any chance?”

Tony shrugged. She probably needed a plumber. She was a bit late. “Yeah, but I’m out of business. You’ll have to find someone else. I’m moving.”

He swung himself down the ramp to the asphalt and pushed past the woman without another glance. As he strode up the walk, Miranda looked at him with those wide, solemn eyes that made him ache. No one so young should have eyes so old.

“Hey, darling,” he murmured, and sat on the steps. Miranda smiled and rested her tiny hand on his knee. His heart lurched, and he swallowed hard. She still trusted him so much, even though he’d not only failed to keep his father’s business afloat, but failed to provide for her. He’d failed her, and it was his fault they were now forced to move into a cramped two-bedroom apartment in Dallas.

“You hot, Daddy?” she asked.

“Mmhm. Very.” He smiled and leaned closer. She tipped her adorable face up to his. “I wish we could find something to help us cool off.” He tilted his head, thinking. “Something cold, I think. Something…chocolaty. Maybe with sprinkles. If only I could think of the name…”

She raised a hand and grinned, practically bouncing. “Oh! I know! I know!”

He arched a brow. “Know what?”

“Ice cream, Daddy.” She giggled, covering her mouth. “It’s called ice cream.”

He slapped his forehead and rolled his eyes. “Now, however did I forget that? I love ice cream more than anyone else.”

“No you don’t, Daddy. I do!” She squeezed his hand, her eyes wide and earnest. “We go?”

“You have to pay the Daddy tax, first.” He pointed to his cheek and waited. She laughed and planted a big, wet—very wet—kiss on his jaw. Tony smiled and took her hand. “Paid in full. Okay, let’s go.”

The excitement in Miranda’s eyes reminded Tony so much of her mother, before things had gone sour. He swallowed back on his bitterness, and the shame that came with it. Shame would inevitably lead to hatred, and he wouldn’t ruin Miranda’s happiness with his ugly mood.

It wasn’t her fault, anyway. Wasn’t her fault that her laughter reminded him how badly her mother had broken his heart. Jane was the primary reason he didn’t trust women. In his opinion, men and women were better off if they stuck to satisfying their mutual needs now and then, and left each other alone the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year. None of this bullshit about relationships.

None of this bullshit about love.

Never again.

Miranda was the only love he needed, and she looked at him right now, nearly squirming with eagerness.

“Now, Daddy?”

“Sure,” he said, and stood with her little hand curled in his. “Off we go.”

Miranda hopped to her feet. Patches of sweat darkened her dress, which stirred sluggishly in the subtle breeze. Tony picked up her wide-brimmed sun hat and plopped it onto her head. She giggled, tipped the hat up, and looked down the walk.

“Daddy, who is she? Is she coming, too?”

Tony jerked and tore his eyes away from his daughter. The woman was still there, standing on the sidewalk and watching them with that same wry smile. Why the hell was she even hanging around, let alone eavesdropping on a private conversation with his daughter?

He clenched his jaw and forced each word out clearly and slowly. “Look, lady, I told you I’m closed. I’m a little busy now, so I’d like you to leave.”

The woman ignored him, sat down on the porch step, and offered her hand to Miranda. “Hi there.”

Miranda looked between Tony and the woman, her eyes wide and confused. Tony drew a deep breath and clenched his fists. This was getting out of hand—and the moment she went near his daughter, she turned from a minor irritation into a potential threat. Who did she think she was?

She caught his eye. “You can yell at me if you want, but it won’t do any good. I’m not leaving. I’m here on a mission.”

Tony stared at the woman, raising a brow. A mission. Seriously? A— No. He didn’t want to know. He drew his daughter away from the woman’s outstretched hand and urged her up the steps. “Miranda, honey, go inside and find your baby dolls. Bring them out so we can put them in the truck.” The entire time, he watched the woman warily. She said nothing, only dropping her hand to her lap.

Miranda pouted. “But we can’t pack them, Daddy. They’ll get scared.”

“Of course not, pumpkin. I’d never want to scare them. You know that. Put them on the swing. In the sun.” Tony kept his voice mild for his daughter’s sake, but the moment Miranda scurried inside, he turned to the woman and bit off, “You need to leave. Now.”

If she didn’t, he’d call the cops. Maybe he was overreacting, but he didn’t play when it came to Miranda’s safety. He’d rather let the cops deal with the woman than tangle with her himself, and run the risk of hurting her.

“Call the cops if it makes you feel better.” She shrugged. “But I won’t leave. I’m here under the power of a higher authority, and you won’t get rid of me until I’m done.”

Tony frowned. He was fairly certain he hadn’t spoken out loud. Maybe that sunstroke was worse than he’d thought.

She chuckled. “You don’t have sunstroke. Before you ask—” She raised a hand. “Yes, I heard you think that. The grace of God does funny things. My freckles aren’t that dark, by the way.” Her smile faded and she stood, regarding him with a somber gaze. “I’m here to save your soul, Anthony Weis.”

Tony choked on an incredulous laugh. “This is the part where you strip, right? And sing some stupid little jingle? Who put you up to this?” Anger burned through his veins. “And in front of Miranda, you—”

His mouth dried. His thoughts filled with the image of the woman—undulating around him, lithe and curved, naked except for a few strategically placed scarves. In his mind’s eye, her pale skin shone through the misty fabric, and her mouth was a luscious, ripe temptation, glistening red.

Her clipped voice snapped him back to reality. “I’m not a stripper. I told you, I’m here on a mission. It doesn’t involve—” She flapped a hand with a huffy sound. Pink stained her cheeks. “—that.”

Tony cleared his throat and shrugged. “Look, this has been great. I needed a laugh. It’s been a crappy day. But I’m done. Get lost before I really do call the police.”

He turned away and headed down the walk, back to the truck. Frigging nutjob. Hot or not, she was the last thing he needed to cap off this already shitty day.

“I’m sorry you’re having a bad day,” she called after him. Her voice was musical, its cadence lyrical. “But I’m not a nutjob. I’m here to help you, whether you believe me or not.”

That was it. He’d end this game right here and now. Tony whirled to face her. “Okay, lady. If you can read my mind, answer this.”

How many times did Jane and I make love before she left me in the dirt?

He stared at her and waited. He’d expected a wild guess, or a challenging deflection. What he didn’t expect was the warmth in her eyes, or the sympathy. She studied him in silence. Her lips trembled, just for a moment. Her lashes swept down, and she looked away.

“Four hundred and seventy-two,” she said, each word soft with sorrow. “One hundred and twelve until you were gifted with Miranda. One last time, in anger and in hatred, before she left.”

The memories shot through him with every word. Every thought that had played through his mind over and over each time he’d asked himself why, when he’d thought…he’d thought they were so good together. He’d started counting after the very first time. Their picnic date had ended in a summer shower that left them drenched and scrambling for the car. They’d laughed all the way back to her place, until that laughter turned to kisses. Caresses. More. And he’d counted each time they’d made love since, so he’d never forget.

Even if now, he wished he could.

Tony sank down on the nearest box, legs numb, chest tight. He stared at the woman. “Who—what are you?”

She knelt before him and laid her slender hand atop his knee. Just like Miranda. He tensed. Her fingers were warm, even through his jeans, and shot a jolt of fire straight through him. He shoved her away and scooted out of reach. He didn’t need a strange woman’s touch. He’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.

“I’m an angel,” she said, “and I’m here to save you.”

Tony tried to speak, but the words lodged in his throat. If angels existed, they would look like this woman. But she couldn’t be an angel; he didn’t believe in angels. He’d have to believe in God for that, and he’d given up on faith a long time ago.

So what was she?

Her shoulders stiffened. Her brows furrowed, and she fixed him with a puzzled look. “You shouldn’t lose faith,” she recited mechanically. “It’s like losing air. You’ll die without it.”

“You don’t sound like you believe that.”

“I do.” She tossed her head with clear pride. Wasn’t that a cardinal sin? “I’m an angel. How could I not believe?”

Yet there was a hesitation in her voice, an emptiness. A lack of conviction that told him she was the last person to make him believe in God. She hadn’t convinced herself yet, so how did she plan on saving him?

He shook his head. “All you need to lose faith is to lose your reason to believe. And you sound like you’ve lost yours.”

She lifted her chin. Her jaw jutted out stubbornly. “Are you talking about me, or yourself?”

“Maybe both.” He watched her. Her mouth was tight. Her eyes were glassy. “I can still breathe without belief in a higher power. If you hold a pillow over my head, I’ll die. That’s fact. That’s truth. That’s what I believe. And I think that’s what you believe, too.”

“You don’t know what I believe.” The flash of anger in her eyes almost made him smile. So she wasn’t all sweetness and light. She had fire. “You can’t sit there and tell me I don’t have faith.”

“Maybe not, but I can tell you to give up.” Tony ran his hand over his jaw and pushed himself to his feet. “You’re wasting your time here. There’s nothing to save in this mess.”

She frowned and flicked an imperious hand at the stacks of boxes. “You’re surrounded by material possessions. You had the money to rent a truck. You lost your home, but you still have another one. A home that will keep Miranda sheltered and warm. A home that will keep Miranda safe. You have so much more than so many others. More than anything, you have the love of a little girl who needs you, when so many others would kill to be able to even have a child.”

Her throat worked in a swallow. “You have so much worth saving. So much that shows everything you’ve worked for, and everything you love. But you can only see failure and despair. You’re lost. You’ve lost yourself. That’s why I’m here, Tony.”

Guilt took on a life of its own, and forced Tony to look away. Damn it, she was right. It only made him want her gone even more. That sweet face, those tormented, intense eyes, were the last things he needed haunting his life.

“Consider me chastised,” he muttered. “Now leave.”

He pointed down the street and waited, glaring. The tactic usually worked on one of Miranda’s tantrums, and would send her bolting to her room to take comfort in her dolls. This woman didn’t budge an inch. Her arms folded across ample breasts, and of their own accord, his eyes drifted down. If she was an angel, shouldn’t her tank top cover just a little bit more?

The angry tapping of her foot dragged him back up to meet a ferocious glower. This woman was no angel. Not with the temper making sparks dance against those blue eyes.

“I don’t have a temper,” she said through her teeth. “And you can stop trying to scare me into running. I’ve seen worse. Do you think you can just sulk me into leaving?”

Tony threw his hands up. “What more do you want?”

“To save your soul. Remember?”

“From what?”

She went still. Her eyes darkened, and her lips parted, then closed again. She dropped her arms to her side. That damned look was back. That look of sympathy that hit him like a shot to the stomach.

“Murder,” she said.

Murder? Tony felt sick, and he braced his hand against the truck for support. Was she saying he’d be murdered? For what? By whom? Who hated him enough to take his life?

Impossible. She was lying. No matter the sick sense of dread in his gut, she had to be lying.

He licked parched lips and whispered, “How will it happen? A robbery?”

She shook her head. “You aren’t the victim, Tony. You’re the murderer.”

It took a moment for the word to sink in. Murderer. It was as ugly and dark as his rage. How dare she? This—this wispy slip of a girl thought she could walk into his life and accuse him of some imaginary murder? She didn’t even know him. He could never do something so unthinking, so careless and cruel. He might have lost faith, but he hadn’t lost his mind. Tony Weis wasn’t a murderer. He was a lot of things—an asshole, a womanizer, sometimes a failure as a father—but he wasn’t a murderer.

Even if she just might drive him to it.

“You listen,” he said, and advanced on her. “I’d never do something like that. Maybe you think I don’t know the difference between right and wrong, but I do. What’s right is remembering Miranda. Remembering that if I did something that heartless, she’d be left alone. I’m all she has. Without me, she’ll end up in foster care. How dare you?”

The woman held her ground and met his gaze steadily. “You might think you’re not capable now, but you will be. You’ll be driven to murder, but I won’t allow you to fall so far.” She bit her lip. Her eyes were bright. “I promise you that.”

Those soft, liquid eyes sapped his fury. Damn it, he was a sucker for a pretty face…and already halfway to forgiving her. She was worse than Miranda. One look from his daughter and he’d do anything to please her, from fixing a broken baby doll to attempting to solve the world’s economy. Anything Miranda needed.

This woman looked at him like she needed him.

And, God or angels or whatever help him, like he needed her.

No. He didn’t need anyone else in his life. Not a woman, and especially not an angel.

He backed away from her. “It’s impossible.” He flung a hand out sharply. “I wouldn’t—I couldn’t do something like that!”

Tony turned his back on her and willed her to disappear. Willed her to get out of his life. He squeezed his eyes shut and counted to ten.

When he opened them again, his neighbor, Mrs. Harrington, was just ducking out of her garage. She waved. “Tony!” she called. “I was hoping to catch you before you left.”

Tony swore under his breath and turned back to the woman. “You have to go n—”

She was gone.

The truck was empty, save for boxes packed so tight she couldn’t possibly hide among them. There was no one in the street save for Mrs. Harrington, her blue-washed head bobbing with every creaking step. There was no sign that his so-called “angel” had ever been there. No sign she’d existed at all. What the hell?

What the hell had just happened?

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Here’s what some reviewers have said:

I can’t remember the last time I picked up a book and did not put it back down until I finished it. Thank God it was the weekend. I look forward to the subsequent stories in this series. I will be the first in line to devour Ms. Albert’s next Divine Temptations series! –GraveTells

Diane’s writing style is amazing and you just get sucked in from the first page. Both books of hers I have read I have read in one sitting because I literally could not put them down they were so good. Her characters are incredible and you really feel for them and want everything to work out so badly…I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. I am determined to now backtrack and buy and read all of her books because I just love them. I think they are amazing and I love them so much. If you want an amazing short paranormal romance then this is the book for you. Incredible! –Kayleigh, from K-Books

New Author Photos!

I need your help! Which photo do YOU think should be my avatar picture on Twitter? I can’t decide!

Yesterday, I got some new author photos done by the amazing Deb Moran. I love them all…so, I made a post to show them to you! Without further ado…here’s me! Which one is your favorite?

Official Author Photo #1

 

Official Author Photo #2

 

Official Author Photo #3

 

Official Author Photo #4

Thinking about going to RT 2013 Convention?

If you are even thinking about going to the RT Convention in Kansas City from May 1-5, then jot down this information! A bunch of Entangled Publishing authors are hosting a reader’s panel called Book Cover Bingo–including me! Make sure to stop by and have fun! Here’s the official snippet from RT Magazine:

Come play bingo with Entangled Publishing’s category romance authors! Win prizes like books, swag and goodies, and hear excerpts from some of your favorite authors’ works. Get ready for a crazy good time, this isn’t your grandmother’s bingo!

Hosts: Diane Alberts, Jenna Bennett, Boone Brux, Lillie Finn, Addison Fox, Laura Kaye, Lisa Kessler, Jessica Lee, Tracy March, Gina L. Maxwell, Theresa Meyers, Katee Robert

FRIDAY 4:45-5:45 pm