Nona Raines's Blog, page 12

#Newrelease: Write to Me @nonaraines #contemporaryromance exclusive #excerpt

Good morning friends, and happy Wednesday! It's a happy day for me, because I'm proud to announce that my latest contemporary romance novella, Write to Me, is now available from The Wild Rose Press. To celebrate, I'd like to share an exclusive excerpt from the story with you.


Gloria Navarro met and married her soul mate. When he died, she felt she'd never know that kind of love again. But when she finds a love letter between the pages of a book and the man who wrote the missive, she starts to believe lightning might strike twice.

To Bryan Dunn, love is a four-letter word. He doesn't go in for cheap sentiment or hearts-and-flowers. But he wants Gloria, and to get her, he'll let her believe he wrote the silly letter. The longer he's with her, though, the more he cares. If she discovers the truth about him, it just might break the heart he never thought he had. 
Excerpt:
Gloria picked up her keys and her purse and was just about to walk her daughter out when someone tapped on the glass door. Both women started. Gloria gasped. Bryan stood on the step outside. “We’re closed,” Desi said loudly, pointing to the clock on the wall behind the front desk.“Let him in,” Gloria told her. “I know him.”Desi gaped at her, then unlocked the door. “Hello?”“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Bryan glanced from Desi to Gloria. “I meant to come earlier.”“Come in, Bryan. This is my daughter, Desiree. Desi, this is Professor Dunn. He teaches…poetry at the college.”He nodded at Desi. “English Literature and World Lit. How do you do?”“Hello.” She gave her mother a wide-eyed stare as she stepped back and allowed Bryan into the salon. Her gaze travelled up and down his tall form. Behind Bryan’s back, she gave her mother a nod of approval and a thumb’s up. He’s hot, she mouthed. Gloria tried to tamp down the excitement skittering up her spine but couldn’t control the way her pulse spiked as Bryan neared. She was afraid she’d have slipped his mind, but he hadn’t forgotten her. Just as she couldn’t forget him. “This is unexpected.”He reached into his jacket pocket, the same jacket he wore earlier, and pulled out the letter. “I’m here because of this.”Gloria’s glance bounced from her daughter back to Bryan.“I still need your help.” His expression was so sincere, his tone so earnest. Did he really need her?“I don’t know what I can do—”“Help me write a letter to Courtney.”His statement punctured her hopes, letting the air out of them. He wanted her to help him win back his lover. She wanted to smack herself for feeling disappointed.Thinking about him all day had buoyed her mood. She’d told herself it was a chance meeting, a mild flirtation with a handsome stranger. Nothing would come of it. Had she been lying to herself, secretly hoping for more?



Purchase Write to Me from:
TheWild Rose Press 
Amazon  
Barnes & Noble  
iBooks
Kobo
AllRomance  

Off Topic: More Adventures in #Iceland! @nonaraines #travel #BlueLagoon

Hi friends! I promised last week to tell you more about my trip to Iceland and Denmark. I'm sure I sound a bit like a hick as I recount some of my "adventures", but please bear with me. :-)

Last time I shared a bit about our first full day in Reykjavic, where we explored the city on a walking tour and then on our own. The following day, we took a trip to The Blue Lagoon !  It is a geothermal spa and one of the most visited tourist spots in the country. We took a bus there, almost an hour from Reykjavic.
View from the bus window in IcelandThe scenic view was fascinating on the ride. We traveled for miles without seeing anything but moss and rocks: no trees, no houses, no animals or people. The population of Iceland is approx. 320,000 people and the majority live in Reykjavic. 


Enjoying the geothermal watersThough the day was dreary and cold, as soon as we hit the lovely warm water we were happy! The water wasn't too deep, about shoulder level. Of course, that meant our heads were still cold, but you can't have everything. The water is full of minerals that are supposed to good for your skin, but they do a real number on your hair, in spite of the conditioner provided by the spa. Another view at the Blue Lagoon

After lounging around in the water, we grabbed our towels and robes and went inside for some drinks and snacks. *Note: If you're booking tickets for the spa, the "basic" level only provides you admission. You need to provide your own towel. Since we didn't bring any, we decided to upgrade to towels, robes and slippers. Hey, you only go around once! :-) *

We stayed and had an early dinner at the spa restaurant. And we bought some hats to keep our heads warm for the rest of our stay! If I ever go back to Iceland (which I hope to do some day), I'll be better prepared for the weather. Afterwards, back to the hotel on the bus. It was a wonderful day.

Next up: Copenhagen, Denmark!


Have a wonderful week, all!Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
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#Sale Blitz: The Trio's Trilogy #Boxset Only #99cents! #69Bottles @zoeyderrick

For Addison Beltrand, PR rep for Bold International, Inc. climbing the corporate ladder is all that matters in life. Her hard work is finally rewarded with the promotion she’s worked her ass off to earn—but the gig comes at a price. She leaves in two days for a twelve-week tour with America’s hottest alternative rock band, 69 Bottles.Talon Carver, lead singer of 69 Bottles, has no problem with women--as long as they’re gone by morning. When Addison shakes up his world, it’s a huge problem—compounded by the fact that Addison’s not the only one he wants.Kyle Black, manager of 69 Bottles, has a secret. He and Addison are closer than she thinks, but telling her could keep her away. When Talon sets his sights on Addison, Kyle uses his secret to push her into Talon’s arms, only to discover she isn’t the only one he needs.Two men. One dilemma.Talon is wild, reckless and loves control.Kyle is calm, collected and loves passion.The perfect balance…or Addison’s ultimate undoing?Talon and Kyle push their boundaries and Addison’s, but can they throw their reservations to the wind and claim her together?Two men. One woman. A rock band. A tour bus. One Wild Ride…****Content Warning**** Sexy, naked, bisexual rock stars…and a lot more… This book contains, but is not limited to the following sexual content – reader discretion is advised - hot sex between two men and one woman. M/M/F, M/F/M, M/F, F/M and M/M sexual content. There are no boundaries when these three crash together, as long as you’re over 18 years of age. Rock hard once again with Zoey Derrick’s sizzling hot rock & roll series!The story picks up as 69 Bottles continues their tour, riding a surge of success thanks to an impromptu duet between Talon and Addison.It’s a crazy turn of life for Addison Beltrand, who’s always lived to work and worked to live. Now, everything is shifted upside down—and that’s not a bad thing. Stepping on the 69 Bottles tour bus has banished the heartache of her past, and feels like a rocking new beginning.Talon Carver and Kyle Black couldn’t agree more. The band’s lead singer and manager are falling hard for the beautiful rock chick, and will do anything to keep her in their bed—and between their bodies—forever.The trio’s blissful bubble is popped by a danger nobody has anticipated. The band’s security team, always watchful for fan attacks on the members, isn’t prepared for what happens to Addison during this leg of the tour. Will Kyle and Talon be able to help save Addison? Or will her fear force her to pack her bags and return to LA?Everything hinges on her decision…Two men. One woman. A rock band. A tour bus. One Wild Ride… Falling in love was the easy part…For Talon Carver, the commanding and charismatic lead singer of the rock band 69 Bottles, life has never been better—or worse. His heart’s at a full 11 for Addison Beltrand, his feisty PR rep. But admitting it was a much different tune. The dilemma’s even more complicated when adding his other lover to the mix: Kyle Black, the band’s handsome, sweet and sexy manager.Why ruin a good thing, right? Things are pretty damn perfect for the trio—in and out of bed. But just when they find their best rhythm with each other, a rocky night in Minneapolis forces all three to reexamine their feelings—and take their relationship to new levels.But can love be enough?The band’s soaring popularity, along with the pressures of maintaining an unconventional relationship on a high-profile rock tour, start to take their toll. When Addison starts to fall apart, Talon and Kyle must come to terms with how important she is to them both.Can Addison find the strength to be their glue once more?What happens when the world goes on…but yours suddenly stops?When everything looks like it’s going to fall apart? Is love enough to bring Talon, Kyle, and Addison back to each other’s arms…and with it, the magic that true redemption can bring? AMAZON * B&N * KOBO * iBooks It is from Glendale, Arizona that Zoey Derrick, a mortgage underwriter by day and romance and erotica novelist by night, writes stories as hot as the desert sun itself. It is this passion that drips off of her work, bringing excitement to anyone who enjoys a good and sensual love story.Not only does she aim to take her readers on an erotic dance that lasts the night, it allows her to empty her mind of stories we all wish were true.Her stories are hopeful yet true to life, skillfully avoiding melodrama and the unrealistic, bringing her gripping Erotica only closer to the heart of those that dare dipping into it.The intimacy of her fantasies that she shares with her readers is thrilling and encouraging, climactic yet full of suspense. She is a loving mistress, up for anything, of which any reader is doomed to return to again and again.Website * Facebook * TwitterHosted By:

Book Blitz: Warrior by Nicole Blanchard #contemporary #romanticsuspense @blanchardbooks

Warriorby Nicole Blanchard  Publication Date: September 9, 2015 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Amazon US • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
Read for Free on Kindle Unlimited
I thought it was just one night with my brother’s best friend. The boy I had dreamt about since he gave me my first kiss, under the lights of the Ferris wheel.
I knew he was about to leave for a year – no chance for a future. But our one night together would create memories for a lifetime. Our paths crossed again, but I had lied, and he was no longer the man he once was. He was warring against demons. Against the silence that was threatening to swallow him. And I had kept a secret from him, one he would never forgive me for. But my secret was about to be ripped open. Displayed for the world on national news. And I had only one way to repair the damage. I had to trust the man I lied to. The man I never got the chance to make a life with. The only man who could save what we had created together.



About Nicole BlanchardNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Blanchard lives in Florida with her family and their menagerie of animals. She chooses each day to chase her own fairy tale even if they contain their fair share of dragons. She is married to her best friend and owns her own business.Nicole survives on a diet of too many books and substantial amounts of root beer and slim jims. When not reading, she’s lavishing attention on her family or inhaling every episode of The Walking Dead and The Big Bang Theory. You can learn more about Nicole and her work at www.authornicoleblanchard.com . 
Join her mailing list for updates at http://eepurl.com/6zSvD


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Write To Me Coming Sept. 16! #Preorder #Romance #Newrelease @nonaraines

Happy Friday, friends! I'm so proud to announce that Write to Me, my contemporary romance novella, will be released by The Wild Rose Press on September 16. It is now available for pre-order.
Gloria Navarro met and married her soul mate. When he died, she felt she'd never know that kind of love again. But when she finds a love letter between the pages of a book and the man who wrote the missive, she starts to believe lightning might strike twice.
To Bryan Dunn, love is a four-letter word. He doesn't go in for cheap sentiment or hearts-and-flowers. But he wants Gloria, and to get her, he'll let her believe he wrote the silly letter. The longer he's with her, though, the more he cares. If she discovers the truth about him, it just might break the heart he never thought he had.


Excerpt:Gloria, still holding his arm, strolled by his side. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. She shuddered. “That doesn’t sound good.”“No.” A fine mist of rain began. He squeezed her hand and nodded toward a gazebo in the distance. “Let’s head over there.”Their clothes and hair were damp by the time they reached the structure. Bryan tried not to let his gaze linger on the way Gloria’s pretty sundress clung to her curves.She smoothed her shoulder length hair. “It’s frizzing up already. I must look awful.”“No.” Without thinking, he threaded his fingers through her dark tendrils. Her hair felt delightfully soft and luxurious. “It’s lovely.”Her breath caught and her hands fell to her sides. Bryan went still. He didn’t want to stop touching her. The air around them felt electric, from the storm or from their mutual attraction. If he took one step closer, he could kiss her…
Thunder rumbled again and fat heavy drops of rain began to fall. Gloria stepped back, her smile hesitant. “How have people reacted to your new haircut?”He took her cue to put some space between them. “I’ve gotten quite a few compliments, actually.”The corner of her mouth lifted. “From your adoring female students, I’m sure.”His eyebrows flew upward in surprise. Was there a tinge of jealousy in her voice? The thought pleased him.She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said that. Of course you’ve gotten compliments. The cut is very becoming, if I do say so myself.” She moved to sit on a wooden bench in the center of the gazebo. “We should talk about the letter.”
He blinked. “Ah. The letter.” Of course they’d come round to that again.“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “That’s why we’re here, yes?”No. He didn’t want to waste time talking about the damn letter, but he’d boxed himself into a corner. It was the only way she’d continue seeing him.Man up, his better self urged. Tell her the truth. She’ll be pissed, sure, but she’ll get over it. Then you can tell her how you really feel.And how did he feel? This whole adventure began with him wanting to get Gloria into bed. He still wanted that, but he wanted more, too. Something new for him. Uncharted territory he had no idea how to navigate.

Order Write to Me from:
TheWild Rose Press  Amazon  
Barnes & Noble
iBooks   Kobo     AllRomance  
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
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#Newrelease! Better Than Chocolate @JLynnRowanLit #contemporary #romance

Carmella Sannarelli is a people pleaser. She can’t say no to anyone, even when it means putting off her own personal goals in the process. So, when her best friend, Sadie Miller, calls with the announcement that she’s broken up with one fiancé and eloping with another in St. Croix, Carmella can’t stop herself from dropping everything and accepting the invitation to stand as maid of honor.
Jilted fiancé, Ryan Wutkowski, has been the third member of the Carmella-Sadie trio for nine years. He fully supports Sadie’s new engagement and upcoming nuptials, knowing it’s the right decision and best for both of them. But when he boards a plane to San Juan for a business conference, Carmella is the last person he expects to find occupying the seat next to his.

Two days in San Juan, then a week in St. Croix—Carmella knows her two best friends are hiding something. But can she figure out what went wrong between them as she battles her own tingly, off-kilter feelings toward Ryan, while dodging advances from a womanizing best man, and confirming for herself that Sadie did make the right decision? When Ryan unexpectedly shows up at the rehearsal dinner and gets himself invited to the wedding, will Carmella finally uncover the secret he’s held since the day they first met?
Excerpt:Ryan’s silent for a second or two. “Maybe I’ll put the house up for sale and move to Savannah. I’d be closer to you if I did that.”“Oh, come off it,” I scoff, but my voice quivers with tears.“I can deliver cakes for Tess.”He’s trying to joke about this? “Your career, your whole life is in Atlanta.”“Maybe that’s not important enough to me anymore.”I should protest, should tell him he’d be stupid to uproot himself because of all that’s happened. But my voice stops working, and I don’t know why. In the end, he wouldn’t really do it, even though he’s always professed a certain adoration for my adopted hometown. Ultimately, he would suck it up, maybe sell the house, but continue on as usual without complaining.After a few minutes, the urge to wail like a thwarted baby passes, and I relax against him. He rests his chin on the top of my head, swaying to the unpredictable ebb and flow of the foaming breakers. The movement calms me, and I close my eyes with a grateful sigh. He gathers my hair and lifts the whole, tangled mass of it, resting his hand at the nape of my neck. His fingers caress, a touch so fleeting I barely notice it.“Carmella.”There’s a note in his voice I don’t understand, and my defenses flare. With a deep breath to steel myself, I push away from him, thankful the shadows hide both our faces.
PURCHASE  BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE  
Author Bio: J. Lynn Rowan started writing stories as a small child, usually starring her favorite cartoon characters. Most of her work through middle and high school was filled with typical teenage angst and melodrama, and usually mirrored the books she loved to read. But eventually she found her own author’s voice and decided to seriously pursue a writing career.
Historical fiction remains J. Lynn’s “first love”, but she has enjoyed the journey to becoming an author of romance and chick lit. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Central New York Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society. She is also a teacher who tries to instill a love of learning, reading, and writing in her students.
When she’s not writing, J. Lynn enjoys travelling, gardening poorly but enthusiastically, studying various topics in American history for her own expertise, and channeling Julia Child every time she steps into the kitchen.
A native of Oswego, NY, she now lives in Charlotte, NC, with her own Romantic Hero of a husband and the most adorable baby on the planet.
Email: jlynnrowanliterature@gmail.comWebsite: http://jlynnrowanliterature.wordpress.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/JLynnRowanTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/JLynnRowanLitPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jlynnrowan/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UClfsVyA4LQYMA0Cq7T1rb6wGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14191767.J_Lynn_RowanAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Lynn-Rowan/e/B012YC8PQ2/

First time ever #99cents! Uncollared @nonaraines #BDSM #romance #sale

Hi friends, and happy Wednesday! I'm thrilled to announced that my BDSM romance Uncollared is on sale for 99 cents for one week only. 


Blurb:Submissive Mia Manetti is devastated when her first Master uncollars her just as she was hoping for a permanent relationship with him. Trying to move on, she agrees to sub for a powerful and sexy new Dom. As she experiences erotic delights with Master Chess that she's never known before, Mia find it increasingly difficult to keep her emotions separate. Will her heart be broken once again?
Chess Ryan has wanted Mia from the start, but it was always "hands off" because she belonged to his friend Philip. Now, thanks to that friend's maneuvers, Mia is finally his. But only for a little while.

Guilt, secrets and misplaced pride all keep Chess and Mia from being completely honest with each other. But as they connect sexually and emotionally, they realize what's between them is far too serious to be called "play".
Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo IBooks AllRomance


Also, the first book in The Man series, One Good Man, is also on sale for 99 cents.

Blurb:
Just one touch...that’s all Andie Benedetto wants when she glimpses her father’s sexy neighbor. Images of deep, long kisses and down and dirty sex heat up her fantasies. When he catches her watching him, she’s embarrassed but undeniably turned on.
Just one weekend...that’s all Matthew Vostek can offer Andie. He recognizes her shyness, but also senses her desire, the same desire he feels. Maybe they can fulfill each other’s hottest fantasies.
Just an adventure...that’s what Andie tells herself. Tired of playing the good girl, she’s ready to accept Matthew’s challenge and enjoy the most exciting sexual escapade of her life. But when the weekend is over, will Andie finally take what she wants instead of settling for second best?


The Wild Rose Press Amazon Barnes and Noble AllRomance      Bookstrand Kobo ITunes  

It's part of the Summer Blow Out Blitz organized by author Zoey Derrick which features plenty of free and 99 cents romance from September 1 - 7. In addition to the sale, there's a $110 Amazon gift card as a Grand Prize! So please check out the sale and join us in the Facebook group. Your ereader will thank you!


 


Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
Sign up for my newsletter for new release info and fun tidbits

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End of Summer Blow Out #Sale Sept 1 - 7! #Free & #99cents Reads & $100 #Giveaway!

Free Books! | .99¢ Books | $1.99 Boxed Sets | Giveaway!





Free eBooks for You!Starr's Awakening by Kennedy Layne Saved by His Submissive by Angel PayneViscount's Christmas Temptation by Erica RidleyCaptured Innocence by Kennedy LayneFinding Her Rhythm by Dani Wade Intoxicated by Alicia Renee KlineBecause The Night by Kristen StassalRemember When by T. TorrestA Game of Persuassion by Emma Locke





.99¢ eBooks for You!Naughty Beach Fling by Mia Dee Finding Love's Wings by Zoey DerrickChasing Love's Wings by Zoey DerrickTaming Dex by Zoey DerrickTeach Me by Ella SheridanThe Ascension of Laney by Kris HackSecondhand Heart by Kristen StrasselRun by Gillian ZaneFight by Gillian Zane Sexting Texas by Darah LaceUnmasked by Darah LaceBachelor Auction by Darah LaceBared to the Viscount by Lara ArcherWild at Heart by Lara ArcherDark Surrender by Erica RidleyLet it Snow by Erica RidleyUncollared by Nona RainesOne Good Man by Nona RainesThree Brides and a Dress by Mary MartinezWatching Jenny by Mary Martinez



$1.99 eBooks Sets for You!The Beckett Series by Mary MartinezThe Reason Series by Zoey Derrick
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#New! Third Take is the Charm @MsMarieLark #erotic #menage

Good morning, everyone! Today my guest is fellow Loose Id author Marie Lark whose new book has just been released. It's a sexy menage tale titled Third Take is the Charm. Welcome, Marie!
Blurb:Not everyone gets a second chance at their own happily ever after—except maybe in the movies.

All her life, filmmaker Melody Gellar has wanted to tell the perfect love story. Recently widowed and with her thirtieth birthday looming, she decides that now more than ever she needs to remind herself what true love looks like. With a passion for erotic cinema and an eye for chemistry, she finds two male dancers with a long history together to play the lovers in her film.

Francis and Denny are electric on screen, but Melody quickly discovers she’s stumbled into an actual romance—one that neither of her stars have acknowledged and that threatens to push them apart. Worse, Melody begins to fall for them both from behind her camera. With their troubled, violent past dogging their every step, Francis and Denny need Melody to come out in front of the lens, to tell her own story with them—to make their happily ever after.

Sometimes the third take is the charm.


Buy links:Loose Id  Barnes and Noble All Romance Amazon
Third Take is the Charm is actually the third book in a series! The first two, Indelible Ink andStripped Down, take place in the same city with characters who appear briefly in this book. And while all three books stand reasonably well on their own, the one thing that ties them all together is the theme of finding ways to make work fulfilling—to be both creative and loving with a partner, be it in a gay, lesbian, or poly romance. (Or straight, presumably, haha. I haven’t gotten there yet.) For Jon and Arthur, that’s tattooing. For Red and Saro, it’s burlesque. And for Melody, Francis, and Denny—the heroes of Third Take—it’s documenting their love story on film.
Love stories, for me, are just as much about real-life issues as they are escapism, so writing Third Take, I wanted to explore the fantasy of three people falling in love with each other, while grounding it in the reality of money trouble, grief over lost loved ones, and other everyday struggles. I find the triumph of the fantasy all the more satisfying and moving when it’s packed with details that I can still relate to in my own life. What bits of realism do you like to see in your fantasies?
Excerpt:
Frankie gestured toward her. “Melody has a job opportunity she’d like to discuss with us.” 

The gentle skepticism and mockery in his tone were not lost on her, but she didn’t think he meant any offense. It was quite presumptuous of her to approach them when they were so clearly otherwise occupied. 

“I wanted—I wanted to ask if you’d think about being in a movie that I’m shooting,” she said. 

“Starring me or him?” Denny asked. His eyes glinted as he slid a glance at Frankie, his obvious competitive streak surprising Melody not even a little. 

“Ideally, both of you.” 

“What kind of movie?” Frankie asked. His voice betrayed the beginnings of curiosity. 

“Well, it’s a—a love story.” 

Denny wielded his grin like a knife. “Well, we’re in—aren’t we, Franny? 

“Please, don’t call me that.” He said it as though this was a regular point of contention between them. 

“You don’t have to commit now,” Melody said quickly. “I thought we could meet over the weekend, maybe?” 

“How much would you pay?” Denny asked as he cast a quick glance over his shoulder to the man waiting by the car. 

“Twenty thousand each.” The money was the hook—no point hiding it. She didn’t want it sitting in her bank account, a constant reminder of what she’d lost. 

Frankie’s eyes widened, and Denny barked a laugh. “You’d pay us forty grand to mess around with some girl.” 

“Not exactly. I’d pay you forty grand to tell a love story between the two of you.” 

A frosty silence descended then that Melody had foreseen but was unable to avoid. The rumble of car engines and the sounds of distant laughter from the club parking lot were brittle between them until Melody jumped back in. 

“Anyway, if you’d like to talk more about the job, here’s my card.” Flipping open the slim brass case, she pulled out two. Frankie took one without hesitation, though his expression was a bit blank as he looked down at it, and Melody suspected he was only being polite. 

Denny didn’t even bother to take his hands out of his pockets. “I live with him,” he said. “We’ll only need the one, thanks.” He cast a cagey look at Frankie. “I’ll see you back home, yeah?” 

His voice seemed to bring Frankie out of his daze, and he blinked, straightening to his full height. “Yeah. Be careful.” 

Denny saluted as he jogged back to the man waiting by the car. As soon as Denny was within arm’s reach, the man grabbed for him and spun him around, kissed him, and pushed him down into the open front passenger door. 

“Melody Gellar.” 

She turned at the sound of her name, finding Frankie once again smiling at her. He held up her card. 

“It’s a nice name. Sounds like the heroine of her own movie.” 

Melody felt his easy charm wrap around her like another coat. “Thank you. I—I hope you’ll consider my offer.” 

“We’d be idiots not to.” 

“Still—” 

“I’ll give you a call, Melody Gellar.” With a flourish, he pocketed the card. Then he hesitated, took a step closer, and leaned down to speak into her ear. “And my name is actually Francis.” As he straightened, Frankie—Francis—winked at her, like he was pleased to share his name. With a grin, he returned his attention to the woman in the red coat still waiting for him. 

Not wanting to intrude any further, Melody backed up a few steps and fished in her bag for her car keys. After that first opening gambit, she wanted to be home in her quiet house more than anything. 

As she crossed the street, she looked back once as the cars behind her pulled away. Both Francis and Denny rode in the passenger seats. Melody didn’t have to ponder too terribly long why Tommy had been hesitant to send her over there. Though it hadn’t been drugs, she suspected a transaction of some kind had taken place. 

Unlocking her car, Melody decided that might actually work in her favor. 

Bio and Links:Marie Lark is a part-time teacher and rest-of-the-time writer. She lives in New York with her very respectable husband and tiny dog. She writes contemporary New Adult and LGBTQ romance, but loves love stories of all kinds. Romance is like kung fu—it’s in everything. Jackie Chan said that, right?

msmarielark.wordpress.comtwitter.com/MsMarieLarkfacebook.com/msmarielark

Off Topic: Nona's Adventures in Iceland! @nonaraines #travel #Iceland

Hi friends! The blog has been a bit quiet the past few weeks. We Divas have all been busy, and one of the things that kept me busy was my first ever European vacation. I'm not the adventuresome type (I leave that for my heroines, lol) and tend to be a worry wart, so my anticipation was tempered by anxiety about "what might go wrong." But very little went wrong and my companions and I had a wonderful time.

The trip was to honor my mother, whose mother grew up in Denmark. On our way to that country, we had a three day stopover in Iceland. So forgive the off-topic post, but I'd like to spend the next few blogs sharing some photos and experiences with you.

We stayed in Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland. We stayed in a small hotel right near the Marina, so got a great view of the boats (or are they ships?)

One of the ships along the Marina. 

This fellow took his role as sentry very seriously.
Statue of Leif Erickson Our first full day in Reykjavic, my traveling buddy and I took a walking tour around the city. We booked through I Heart Reykjavic Tours and had a great time. Our tour group met at the statue of Leif Erickson in front of the famous Hallgrimskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. Our guide Audur (I can only spell an approximation of her name, because Icelandic has letters we don't have in English) was born and raised in the city and shared a lot of history and everyday life in Reykjavic. She was an awesome guide, and is also the owner and founder of I Heart Reykjavic. If you're planning on visiting, I highly recommend this tour.

The temperature was in the fifties, chilly and drizzly. Though I had a warm jacket, I wished I'd also had the foresight to pack a hat and gloves. Just a heads up to anyone planning to travel that way. Hallsgrimskirkja

On our walk around the city, our guide pointed out some of the more colorful homes. They sure were bright and eye-catching. Because of the dearth of wood as building material, many homes are constructed of corrugated metal.

We also saw a number of paintings/murals on the outside walls of buildings, commissioned by the local government to encourage local artists and discourage random graffiti.
An example of the outdoor paintings around Reykjavic


After a wonderful morning, my buddy and I had lunch at a local restaurant (Snaps--one of the places Audur recommended). Very yummy! I had fish (ling, which I'd never had before) and afterwards we explored the city on our own.
Another ship  "Looking Seawards" honors those
who lost their lives at sea.

Well, I still have more to share, but don't want to bore you with too much chatter. Next time I'll tell you about the Blue Lagoon! Until then--

                                    Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Nona Raines
Hot Contemporary Romance
Edgy ~ Emotional ~ Erotic
www.nonaraines.com
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