Karen Docter's Blog, page 228
November 24, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: A Christmas Homecoming by Melissa McClone
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
Bar V5 Ranch Series
BY MELISSA McCLONE
Blurb
A kiss is just a kiss…
Unless it’s under the mistletoe.
Ellie Smith is determined to make up for Christmases past by spreading holiday cheer throughout the Bar V5 dude ranch, but tech “bah, humbug” billionaire, Josiah Whittaker, refuses to bask in the spirit of the season.
Unwilling to let the geek-to-gorgeous Josiah win, Ellie plans to give him a Christmas he’ll never forget. But after a simple kiss under the mistletoe, Ellie and Josiah both start questioning everything. Can Christmas really bring the gift neither one of them were expecting: true love?
A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
Bar V5 Ranch Series
BY MELISSA McCLONE
Excerpt
Ellie Smith stood in front of Room 104, holding a tray. Cookies and milk were typical of the welcome treats given on check-in day, but Nate had never asked her to “report back” on a guest after she finished her delivery.
Special treatment for Mr. Josiah Whittaker?
Most likely. And not surprising.
He was the Bar V5’s first billionaire guest. She couldn’t deny her curiosity. He’d been her late brother Buck’s high school classmate and friend. The two boys had been opposites. Josiah was brilliant, but struggled socially. Her brother was everyone’s best friend, but barely made passing grades. Somehow, they’d found common ground, even with Buck’s illness.
She knocked on the door.
“Go away, Nate.”
Only three words, but she recognized the pissed off tone.
“Not Nate.” She used her sunshine and daisies voice that had calmed riled guests in the past. “Ellie, with housekeeping, Mr. Whittaker.”
The ranch had a casual and laidback atmosphere compared to the fancy Graff Hotel in Marietta, but Meg Redstone Murphy, who was in charge of guest services at the Bar V5, had told Ellie to address guests with Mr., Mrs., or Ms. unless instructed otherwise.
“I’ve got enough towels and pillows,” he said.
Ellie blew out a frustrated breath. Why did everyone assume her only job was to deliver extra linens? No one noticed what she did unless something was missing or not working. But she hadn’t taken this job to receive compliments.
“I’m glad you have what you need.” She spoke through the door, trying to raise her cheery tone by a factor of ten. “I have something special for you.”
Silence.
She stood there and waited. And waited. And waited.
Ellie knocked again. No response.
Stay or go? She ground the toe of her shoe against the floor. Hanging outside a guest’s door for more than a few minutes wasn’t first-class customer service. More like loitering or stalking.
Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door. “Are you still here?”
We aim to please at the Bar V5. She repeated the ranch’s motto, and then smiled. “Yes.”
The deadbolt clicked. The door opened three inches, maybe four, enough to see a thin space between the doorjamb and the edge of the door. “Welcome to the Bar V5.”
“There are a million other places I’d rather be than here.” His deep, gruff voice was a hundred and eighty degrees away from the shy, quiet geek she remembered. Ellie used to spy on him and her brother during their study sessions.
The door opened wider.
Oh, baby. Her mouth watered. Heat climbed up her neck.
Talk about a hottie.
This couldn’t be…him.
Over six feet tall, he wore khakis and a forest green hoodie. His brown hair was messy as if he’d been sleeping. The ends curled, begging to be wrapped around a finger. Hers? She tightened her grip on the tray.
The frown on his face should have made him unattractive, but she wanted to make the hard lines go away. Bet he’d be model gorgeous if he grinned.
Definitely not how she remembered him. That begged a question. This had to be him? Better make sure. “Mr. Whittaker?”
“Call me, Josiah.”
Okay, she had the right guy, but how had he turned into this?
She tried to reconcile the handsome man with the teenager, who carried a beat-up laptop and never took the time to shower. Tried and failed. She’d been fourteen the last time she saw him so maybe she’d forgotten what he’d looked like.
Who was she kidding? A fourteen-year-old girl would have remembered a guy this attractive. He’d changed. And, boy, did she like the changes.
“What do you have for me?” The words came out sharp, like staccato notes.
Heat crept up her face. Oh, no. She was staring like a swooning teen.
Ellie raised the tray. “Fresh-from-the-oven cookies and cold milk.”
Her voice sounded hoarse, a little husky.
His frown deepened. “Christmas cookies?”
“Two gingerbread ones. The rest are chocolate chip and peanut butter.” The choices had surprised Ellie, given how many types Rachel had baked today, until Nate explained chocolate chip and peanut butter were their guest’s two favorites.
Josiah took a closer look at the tray.
The whiff of soap and musk and something else Ellie couldn’t define put the delicious scent of the cookies to shame. She imagined his brown hair wet from the shower, water dripping onto his shoulders and down his chest to a fluffy, white towel wrapped low around his hips.
She jerked back. The carafe of milk almost toppled, but Josiah caught it in time.
He eyed her curiously. “Careful.”
No kidding. His image scorched her brain. What was going on? She’d learned the hard way to not fall for a guest, but this one was setting fantasies into motion.
His expectant look told her he was waiting for an answer.
“Spider,” she blurted. “I thought I saw a spider, but it wasn’t. A spider.”
Pathetic answer, but saying the truth would embarrass her into hiding for the rest of his stay. Which was a month long. That would get her in trouble. Or fired.
“At least it wasn’t a mouse,” he said.
“The barn cats take care of those.”
His gaze zeroed in on the cookies.
She remembered his eyes being hazel, but they looked closer to green, more like a grass-covered meadow than a grove of pine trees. Razor stubble covered his chin and gave him a sexy edge.
Sexy was the wrong adjective to associate with a guest, even if she were only looking. She swallowed, ignored her sweaty palms.
Focus. They’d been talking about cookies.
Meet the Author, Melissa McClone… 
USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.
~~~
Links to Melissa’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://www.melissamcclone.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMcClo...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissamcclone
Purchase Links:
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Homec...
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-chr...
ibooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-ch...
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
Kindle UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Hom...
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:
In one scene of my story, a reindeer is mentioned. I thought it would be fun to put together a reindeer-themed prize pack. Which one of Santa’s reindeer is your favorite?
Answer in the comment section and one lucky winner will receive the reindeer prize pack that includes:
Stuffed reindeer
A Christmas Homecoming Keychain
Socks
Hot pad
Earrings
Cupcake holders with reindeer and Santa picks
Hot chocolate
Ornament
Sticker book
Candy
Autographed Christmas title from my paperback backlist
** Open Internationally **
~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Melissa, for sharing your story with us!!
November 23, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Within A Captain’s Hold by Lisa A. Olech
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
WITHIN A CAPTAIN’S HOLD
Captains of the Scarlet Night
BY LISA A. OLECH
Blurb
Captain Jaxon Steele is a tall, sun-bronzed, fierce-fighting Pirate King. He and the notorious crew of the Scarlet Night are both feared and respected for their ruthless reputation. The Captain’s only love is the open sea and the ship he calls home. When it comes to women, he has three rules: never sleep with another’s wife, don’t take virgins into bed, and most importantly, never bring a woman aboard—that brings the worst luck of all.
Annalise Gatherone has to leave London—tonight! Usually her only concern is the color of her latest gown, but now she’s choosing between life and death. Desperate to escape the clutches of an evil Duke, she stows away aboard the Scarlet Night, hoping she’s bound for Port St. Maria. Winning Captain Jaxon’s affections, she just might sneak by unharmed. But when her plans are altered in ways she never imagined, she must batten down the hatches for a journey into unknown waters…
WITHIN A CAPTAIN’S HOLD
Captains of the Scarlet Night
BY LISA A. OLECH
Excerpt
Time to weigh anchor and be away.
Jaxon stood at the helm as the Scarlet Night moved out of the crowded harbor. The sea stretched out dark and wide before him. He sighed the sigh of a man happy with his lot. London quickly lost her sheen. Even with good news from the Admiralty concerning his Letter of Marque and Reprisal, he’d had it with the feel of solid ground beneath his feet.
The crew followed his shouted orders to weigh anchor with practiced efficiency. Men heaved ropes, secured lines, and soon the sails were set.
The heavy canvas snapped before catching the wind and bowed like a rich man’s belly as the Scarlet began her impatient leap through the moonlit tips of the waves.
A familiar thump, thump, thump announced Cookie’s arrival. Samuel “Cookie” Burrows, the finest quartermaster Jaxon had been privileged to captain, but a ten-pound ball removed his left leg during a skirmish with a French merchant ship. The two fingers on his right hand were lost soon after when the surgeon was in too much of a hurry to remove the mangled end of his leg and Cookie was in too much of a hurry to stop him.
Keeping with pirate custom, he received ample compensation for his leg and fingers, and earned the security of lifetime status within the crew. Fortunately, Cookie turned out to be an accomplished cook and a decent surgeon. Lucky for him and his fellow crewmen he worked left-handed and no man was fool enough to call him Pinkie.
Cookie breathed deep, scratched the scrub of graying beard decorating his chin, and beat on his chest with both fists. “Nothin’ like the first breath o’ open sea air.”
“Aye. Never gets old.” Jaxon filled his lungs. “Think we could be sailin’ toward some weather, though, Capt’n.”
Jaxon shook his head. Sailors were a suspicious lot, none more than Cookie. “You worry like an old woman.”
Cookie raised his wooden leg and tugged at its leather straps. “Me foot’s been itchin’ fierce since we raised anchor. It ain’t ne’er lied to me before.”
“Only that it’s still attached to your leg.”
“I’m tellin’ ye. We be in for a wild ride.”
“Then best tell the crew to secure the deck. Make sure everything is lashed tight below.”
“Aye, aye, Capt’n.” Cookie tapped his forehead in salute.
Jaxon lifted a heavy brass spyglass. Off the starboard bow, things were clear to the horizon, but he knew better than to doubt Cookie’s phantom foot.
Meet the Author, Lisa Olech… 
Lisa is an artist/writer living in her dream house nestled among the lakes in New England. She loves getting lost in a steamy book, finding the perfect pair of sexy shoes, and hearing the laughter of her men. Being an estrogen island in a sea of testosterone makes her queen. She believes in ghosts, silver linings, the power of a man in a tuxedo, and happy endings.
~~~
Links to Lisa’s website, blog, books, etc.
BUY LINKS
ISBN: 978-161650971-2
Kensington:
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/31916
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/within-a-captains-hold-lisa-a-olech/1121320025?ean=9781616509712
AUTHOR LINKS
Kensington:
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31711
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/Lisa.A.Olech.Writer
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LisaOlech
Goodreads:
www.goodreads.com/author/show/7478599.Lisa_A_Olech
November 22, 2015
**Author Peek** Interview with Melissa McClone
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
MELISSA McCLONE!!
~~
INTRODUCING…Melissa McClone!
Hi, Karen! It’s so good to be back at your Killer Book Bench! I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, three kids (two in high school, one in middle school) and a menagerie of animals (fish, cats, dogs.) I’m excited to tell you that since I was here in October with A Montana Born Christmas, I’m now a USA Today best selling author. The boxed set hit at #78!
1. What genre(s) do you write and why?
I write sweet contemporary romance. Those are the stories I’ve always loved to read so writing them seemed like a perfect fit. And it has been. The emphasis is on the romance and emotion. My stories never go pass the kissing and sexual tension. That suits me just fine!
2. If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?
I’ve been asked this question before, and my answer hasn’t changed. If I had one superpower, I’d want to be invisible. I think invisibility is the perfect superpower for a writer and a mom!
3. Do you ever get stuck when you’re writing a book? What do you do to get “unstuck”?
If I’m stuck writing, that usually means I’ve made a mistake or what I call taken a wrong turn. So I go back to the beginning and try to figure out what I did. Once I find it, and fix it, I’m good to write again. This has happened enough time, I finally realized this is just how my brain works!
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Staring at the blank page. Coming up with the initial words can be difficult. I much prefer rewriting or revising pages I’ve already written.
5. If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
I’d make my mom’s lasagna recipe, some kind of veggie dish depending what was in season, tossed green salad, and garlic bread.
6. What is your typical day like?
I’m up by 6 am to feed the dogs and cats. I try to get a few chores done (load of dishes and laundry.) Once I get my three kids off to school, I spend anywhere from a half hour to an hour going through my email inbox and doing a little social media. After that I write (doing 20 minute sprints than taking a break) until noon when I have to feed the cats. I try to do a few more chores or run errands after lunch, then if there’s any time left, I’ll write until 3 o’clock doing 20 minute sprints again. Once my kids are home from school, I spend the rest of the afternoon/evening driving them back and forth to the pool and other places they need to be. We’ll eat dinner once everyone is back home and hang out. That could mean watching TV, helping with homework, or playing a board game. After the kids are in bed, I’ll go back on-line and/or try to get a few more pages written if my husband is away (which is most weeks.)
7. What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
Conflict is the hardest for me. I like for my characters to be smiling and happy. But that makes for boring reading.
8. How likely are the people you meet going to end up in your next book?
Not likely at all. I might get an idea or mannerism or even inspiration from their looks, but I much prefer to craft my characters from my imagination.
9. Tell us about your hero. Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses.
I love Josiah Whittaker. He was first mentioned in my novella Kiss Me, Cowboy. I knew I had to write him as a hero and A Christmas Homecoming was that story. I had him figured out before the heroine! One of Josiah’s strength is his kindness. He’s a billionaire, so has a lot of money to give, but he cares about others feelings. His weakness is a big one—work. He’s a workaholic to the nth-degree. Josiah sees the company he founded and himself as one in the same.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published? Please provide links to your website, blog, books, etc.
The only firm release date I have for 2016 is May 31st for an anthology from Zondervan called Kiss the Bride: Three Summer Love Stories. It contains three novellas published individually this year from me, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Kathryn Springer. But I’m working on a couple projects right now. I hope have release dates set soon!
~~~~~~~
Be sure to come back to read more about Melissa and A CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING, Bar V5 Ranch Series, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
~~~
Links to Melissa’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://www.melissamcclone.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMcClo...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissamcclone
Purchase Links:
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Homec...
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-chr...
ibooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-ch...
KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
Kindle UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Hom...
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**:
In one scene of my story, a reindeer is mentioned. I thought it would be fun to put together a reindeer-themed prize pack. Which one of Santa’s reindeer is your favorite?
Answer in the comment section and one lucky winner will receive the reindeer prize pack that includes:
Stuffed reindeer
A Christmas Homecoming Keychain
Socks
Hot pad
Earrings
Cupcake holders with reindeer and Santa picks
Hot chocolate
Ornament
Sticker book
Candy
Autographed Christmas title from my paperback backlist
** Open Internationally **
~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Melissa, for sharing your story with us!!
November 19, 2015
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Freezing Fresh Pumpkin & Pumpkin Pie
It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is FREEZING FRESH PUMPKIN and PUMPKIN PIE!
My family loves pumpkin pie, especially if it’s made from fresh pumpkin. No cans in our cupboards! Since we’re on the heels of pumpkin season and ready to get into Thanksgiving pies, I’m sharing two of my favorite recipes so you can enjoy fresh pumpkin pie, too.
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 234 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
FREEZING FRESH PUMPKIN
Small pumpkins are best for flavor and texture and ease of preparation, however, larger pumpkins can also be used.
Cut pumpkin in half (thirds if larger) and scoop out all seeds and debris. (Set seeds aside if desired to make baked pumpkin seeds.) Leaving rind on, place cut side down on cookie sheet or pan large enough to accommodate pumpkin halves. Bake in 275 degree oven 45-60 minutes until pumpkin meat is fork tender.
After 60 minutes, if pumpkin not quite tender, check in 10 minute increments. There might be a bit of browning juice in bottom but that’s okay as long as it doesn’t burn. When pumpkin is tender, remove from oven and let cool enough so it can be handled. Scoop the tender pumpkin into a ricer or food processor and process until texture is smooth. Use processed pumpkin in pumpkin pies, cookies, and desserts as needed.
** Be aware that fresh pumpkin retains more moisture than canned pumpkin and adjust your recipes accordingly. (See Pumpkin Pie recipe BELOW)
If you wish to freeze for future pies, recommend freezing in 5 cup increments. That way you’ll have exactly enough fresh pumpkin for the 2 pies in next recipe. Then, all you need to do is thaw one package. When pumpkin meat is completely cooled, spoon into ziplock freezer bags and mark with the date processed. Freeze flat for easier stacking. Thaw completely before use.
PUMPKIN PIE made with FRESH PUMPKIN
[Two 9-inch deep dish pies]
2 uncooked 9-inch pie crusts
1 lg. can pumpkin OR 5 cups fresh pumpkin
2 T. flour
1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 can evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
2 large eggs (add last!)
NOTE: If using fresh pumpkin, increase flour to 3 T. and use 3 eggs.
Make two 9-inch,deep-dish pie crusts, either from scratch or use store-bought crusts. Set aside. In large bowl, beat together rest of ingredients until smooth and thoroughly mixed. Pour into un-cooked pie crusts, spreading evenly between pie shells. Do not overfill—extra pumpkin can be poured into oven-proof bowl and cooked separately as a custard. (Great for those who don’t want piecrust!) Bake in 400 degree oven, 10-15 minutes. Then, turn down heat to 350 degrees for 45 minutes until middle is set. NOTE: May need to cook longer to set when using fresh pumpkin. Check in ten-minute increments after 45 minutes. Cool on racks and serve. If not serving immediately, cool, and then place (covered with plastic wrap) in refrigerator. Serve with whipped cream.
November 18, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Princess and The Pea by Eileen Dreyer
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
Korbel Classics: The Humorous Collection
BY EILEEN DREYER
Blurb
Moritanian Crown Princess Cassandra leads a fairy-tale existence. Some consider her the most spoiled woman in Europe. Then she is kidnapped.
Retired spy Paul Phillips is a self-made man more at home with flying bullets and fast cars than champagne and caviar. Then he finds Crown Princess Cassandra.
Now speeding through Europe, the pair are ducking enemies and each other. But as sparks fly, they wonder if they might be driving toward a fairy tale ending.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
Korbel Classics: The Humorous Collection
BY EILEEN DREYER
Excerpt
Her Highness the Crown Princess Cassandra Catherine Anna Marie von Lieberhaven turned away and closed her eyes. Oh, God, she thought, waves of relief and terror still washing through her with equal force. What am I going to do?
No more than three months earlier, she had been standing in St. Cyril’s Cathedral in Braz waiting to be married. Waiting to be crowned Queen of Moritania. The entire country had been there, cheering and waving and singing. The cathedral had shimmered in the afternoon sunlight and glittered with the trappings of ritual and wealth. It would have all been hers—if she’d only married Rudolph and assumed her duties by once again doing what everyone expected of her. Well, no one else had to face living with that pimply-faced mannequin or spending the rest of their days counting curtsies.
By now, Eric would be king. A more popular monarch than she, Cassandra knew in her heart. A more fitting one.
Now she would have to go back to face him…to face her grandmother. Fresh tears welled in her hazel eyes at the thought, but Cassandra squeezed them back. A princess did not show weakness. She did not allow herself the frailties which most humans assumed as their right. Cassandra tried her best to overcome the momentary lapse by concentrating on her rescuer instead.
For a moment, she toyed with the idea of taking a sidelong glance at him. More than just curiosity drew Cassandra. There was something about him that made her feel at once safe and unsure. He would catch her watching, though. He seemed to anticipate her with deadly accuracy.
Her first sight of him had terrified her. She’d thought he’d been one of the terrorists. He’d moved like a jungle cat, a black panther against the harsh illumination of the headlights. He was lean and quick, with thick, sable-brown hair. Long, she realized now as it began to dry, almost to his shoulders, and wild. It looked almost like a mane, giving him a slightly dangerous look. He hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and his eyes were tired.
His eyes. They were so soft, so sweetly blue like a lake in early spring. Cassandra had seen terrible wariness in them at first, then laughter and compassion. Those eyes seethed with life, with energy.
He wasn’t a handsome man. His angles and slightly off-plumb features made him look as if he’d taken his share of knocks—as if the wariness in those eyes had been well earned. All the same, Cassandra reacted to him more intensely than to any of the dandified, educated men she’d known all her life. Just sitting next to Paul in the confines of the small car set her skin humming.
A panther, Cassandra thought once again, finally succumbing to the urge to take just one look. What an appropriate image. What a dangerous one. He wore a black turtleneck and jeans, slung low over lean hips. Cassandra didn’t know whether to feel comfortable with him or at peril. She had only an instinct that this man wouldn’t put her in an even greater danger than the one she’d escaped. And truth be told, Cassandra and her instincts had not really been all that reliable.
One thing was sure. Even though there was no looking forward either, for now she was warm and dry and away from the nightmare she’d stumbled into. And more than anything, right now, she wanted to know about the man who’d rescued her.
Meet the Author, Eileen Dreyer…
New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medicalforensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.
2015 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first nonfiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she’s been taking with a friend’s ashes.
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and
large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
~~~
Links to Eileen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: eileendreyer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer
Twitter: @eileendreyer
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Eileen!
Happy Reading!
November 17, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Tangled Up In Tuesday by Jennie Marts
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
TANGLED UP IN TUESDAY
Page Turners Novel Book Four
BY JENNIE MARTS
Blurb
Love and murder add up to a deadly equation
Organized accountant Zoey Allen likes her life neat and tidy. But it goes from managed to messy when a dead body ends up in her apartment on an ordinary Tuesday night. After uncovering a money-laundering scheme in a routine audit at her company, Zoey finds herself the target in a murderous plot that doesn’t quite add up. Good thing she has Mac—a handsome police officer—and the Page Turners book club to help her solve the case.
Officer ‘Mac’ McCarthy came back to Pleasant Valley to get away from murder and corruption. The last thing he needs is to be tied up in a case of attempted murder with the beautiful blonde bookkeeper that he can’t get out of his mind. She’s looking for him to protect her, and that’s the one thing he doesn’t think he can do.
Mac and Zoey find themselves in a dangerous adventure full of lies, betrayal, and murder that takes them from the underbelly of the legalized marijuana business to a secluded cabin in the mountains. As she finds herself falling in love, is she really falling into a trap? Is Mac the man she thinks he is? Zoey must learn to let go of her ordered life and risk it all because murder can be a crime of passion, and falling in love is about to get messy.
The Page Turners prevail in this newest mystery with their amateur sleuthing and undercover missions and…as always…delicious desserts.
Women of all ages will enjoy this tale of humorous, women’s fiction, mixed with cozy mystery and romantic comedy in this small town love story.
TANGLED UP IN TUESDAY
Page Turners Novel Book Four
BY JENNIE MARTS
Excerpt
THUD!
Zoey Allen’s eyes popped open.
She waited for her vision to adjust to the dim light of her bedroom. Searching the room, she noted her bedside clock read one-thirty-eight AM.
Nothing seemed out of place, but something had woken her up.
Her heart raced as she pushed herself upright in the bed.
Something was off. She could feel a disturbance in the air. Her heart jumped to her throat as she detected movement, a shift in the darkness.
Her ears strained for the slightest noise, and the hairs stood up on her arms as she detected a whisper of fabric, followed by a footstep.
“Zoey.”
Her name, spoken in a man’s voice, breathy and deep, sent shivers racing up her spine.
She reached for her cell phone on the bedside table. Her fingers barely touched the edge of the phone before it was knocked to the ground as a huge bulk of a man fell across her bed.
She screamed.
Pushing against him, her nostrils filled with the scent of sweat and a metallic coppery scent. And Axe body spray.
Wait. She knew that smell.
“Zoey,” he said again. Just one word. Just her name.
But it was enough. She stopped struggling. She recognized the voice. The body spray. The frame of the large man that had just fallen on her. “Teddy?”
She reached for the bedside lamp, but his big hand clamped on her arm. “Don’t. They’re coming. I had to warn you.”
“Teddy, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?” Teddy Grimes was her coworker at Cavelli Commerce. Both accountants, they’d had neighboring cubicles for the past several years.
Teddy was a big guy. Tall, overweight, always hurrying into work and out of breath as he sunk into his office chair, a light sheen of sweat often dampening his drab brown hair against his forehead. Fast food wrappers littered his messy desk, the complete opposite of Zoey’s meticulously organized cubicle.
Still, she liked him. He made her laugh, and they’d become friends. Like his name, he was gentle and kind like a big teddy bear.
She was used to Teddy offering her an extra donut or grabbing her a coffee on his way in to work. And she trusted him enough to give him a key to her apartment to water her plants and pick up her mail when she’d recently been out of town.
But she hadn’t heard from him in days, and his presence in her bedroom at one in the morning told her something was very wrong.
He’d landed across her when he fell, and she reached out to push him off her lap. Her hands met his solid girth, and his shirt was wet. She jerked her hands back, her fingers tacky and damp.
Her heart leapt to her throat. Oh no.
She reached out and touched the small lamp next to her bed, bathing the room in soft light. She didn’t care what he said. She needed to see what was going on.
Her fears were realized. The coppery scent, the sticky wetness.
Teddy’s eyes were closed, his chest heaved with effort, and his white shirt bloomed with a large wet circle of crimson blood. So much blood. The deep color looking almost black in the soft light.
Zoey looked down at her hands and almost gagged. They were covered in blood as well. A perfect red fingerprint showed on the side of the lamp where she’d touched it.
She swallowed her instinct to scream. “Teddy, you’re hurt. You’ve got to let me call 911.”
He should his head. “No, I’ll be okay.”
“You’re not okay. You’re bleeding. What happened?”
“Stabbed me. Tried to fight them.” His breathing was labored. He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I barely got away. I need to tell you something, then you need to run. Get somewhere safe. Before they find you.”
“Who?” She asked the question, but in her heart, she already knew.
“The Cavelli brothers. They know I have the final proof to put them away. Not just Carmine, but all of them.”
“What kind of proof?”
“Numbers. Data. Figures showing the money coming in and going out and who’s involved. I’ve been collecting the details of their money laundering scheme. I’ve known something was wrong for a long time but didn’t want to say anything ‘til I had concrete evidence. Then you called them out in the audit.” He gave her a half-hearted grin. “You are one brave chick.”
She didn’t know if she was brave or stupid.
She hadn’t known the extent of the scheme when she’d first uncovered it a few weeks ago. She’d collected as much evidence as she could before she reported it, then they’d fired her.
After receiving threatening messages, and having reporters constantly hounding her doorstep, she’d fled to the safety of her grandmother’s house in Pleasant Valley, about a half an hour’s drive from her apartment in Denver.
It hadn’t been much of an escape. In fact, she’d found herself in more danger there, and she still had the cuts, bruises, and purplish knot on her forehead to prove it. But at least in Pleasant Valley, she’d had the protection of Officer McCarthy, a local cop.
She’d only been back in Denver for a few days and was already missing the handsome police officer. Especially now—with holding the weight of her friend as he bled onto her comforter. Yeah, she could use Mac right about now.
Meet the Author, Jennie Marts… 
Jennie Marts loves to make readers laugh as she weaves stories filled with love, friendship and intrigue. She writes for Entangled Publishing and reviewers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and full of great characters that are “endearing and relatable.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two sons, two dogs and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, and her latest hot hockey players series, the Bannister Brothers Books.
~~~
Links to Jennie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books , or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com.
Amazon link: http://bit.ly/1LsUQ8m
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: The Page Turners book club loves to search for clues and romance while eating really great desserts. Jennie will giveaway an ecopy of Another Saturday Night & I Ain’t Got No Body- the first book in The Page Turners series to one person who comments below what their favorite dessert is to bring to a book club or get together! Leave a comment below for a chance to win.
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Jennie, for sharing your story with us!!
November 16, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Miss Featherton’s Christmas Prince by Ella Quinn
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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MISS FEATHERTON’S CHRISTMAS PRINCE
The Marriage Game
BY ELLA QUINN
Blurb
Ella Quinn’s wealthy, titled bachelors think they’re immune to romantic notions. Yet no matter how they try to evade it, love somehow finds a way…
In the two seasons since her triumphant debut, Meg Featherton’s heart has been tested to its limits. Her first suitor: a criminal. The second, a cur. For her third act, Meg vows to leave love completely out of the marriage equation. She has set her sights on a newly made viscount whom she could take or leave. However, now she must avoid his handsome, roguish, irresistible best friend like the plague. It’s no easy feat, as they are all attending the same house party…
Damon, Marquis of Hawksworth, cannot imagine why Miss Featherton seems so damn disinterested—or why he cares so terribly much. Certainly Meg is a fine wifely prospect for a man in his position, but more than that, he finds he longs for her as he has never done for another woman. She may be determined to protect her heart, but Damon is equally set on winning her over, one delicious kiss at a time…
MISS FEATHERTON’S CHRISTMAS PRINCE
The Marriage Game
BY ELLA QUINN
Excerpt
Meg gave a shiver of delight as she reached out and plucked a burning raisin from the bowl. Hawksworth got two of them, handing one to her. Then she did the same.
“You’re very good at this.” His voice was warm with praise.
“So are you.” Even though the fire burned off most of the alcohol in the brandy, the flavor was still strong.
Shrieks of laughter filled the room, as he leaned close to her. “A passionate game.”
Oooh, she was going to murder him right here. Not wanting anyone else listening, she kept her voice low. “We have already had this discussion.” Easing herself out of the circle, she murmured, “I need some air.”
Hawksworth caught up to Meg at the end of the long terrace. “What is it about passion you do not like?”
She closed her eyes and counted to ten before turning to face him. “What has passion to do with anything?”
He prowled slowly toward her. The torches reflected the fire lurking in his eyes, making him more dangerous than ever before. She took a step back toward the wall, and before she knew it her back had hit the cold stone.
“If you do not want love, you must at least have passion.” Bracing his hand on the wall next to her cheek, he leaned forward until his breath caressed her face. It was sweet with raisins and brandy.
Nervously, she licked her lips. Would her breath smell the same? “I want . . . I want . . .” Oh God! Why was it so difficult to articulate what she desired and that it did not include him? “I do not need passion. I want respect from a man who will never betray me.” Not someone who made her head spin and stirred strange feelings in her body and heart. “I want a calm life and children.”
“Children.” He spoke the word as if it had made his argument. “And how do you plan on getting children?”
How dare he mention what went on between a man and a woman? Her sister-in-law had given Meg some information. Still, an uncomfortable heat rose in her neck and face as she realized that he probably knew much more about the subject than she ever would.
Unable to stop the threadiness in her voice, she forced the words out. “In the usual way.”
Before she knew it, his lips were next to hers. “You have no idea.” The tip of his tongue trailed languidly along her bottom lip, and her knees began to turn to marmalade. “Will you lie in your cold bed with your nightgown on while your husband ruts?”
She should be shocked. No one had ever talked to her like this. The image Damon brought up held no appeal. Mary had said when a man and woman loved one another . . . But that was not something Meg would have.
Meet the Author, Ella Quinn… 
Bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She has just finished her first series, The Marriage Game, and her new series will start in April 2016.
She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and granddaughter, one cat and a dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat cruising the Caribbean and North America.
She loves having readers connect with her.
~~~
Links to Ella’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom
Amazon http://amzn.to/1FbRDE1
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1ZQy5BF
Apple http://apple.co/1LFhzg2
Google http://bit.ly/1EsPLvs
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Ella!
Happy Reading!
**Author Peek** Interview with Jennie Marts’ Character, Zoey Allen
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
JENNIE MARTS’ Character, Zoey Allen!!
~~
INTRODUCING….Character Zoey Allen, TANGLED UP IN TUESDAY by JENNIE MARTS.
1. What is your name? Do you have a nickname?
Zoey Shining Star Allen- I know, it’s so embarrassing. My mother is a hippie. She changed her own name to Moon. I just go by Zoey and very few people know my middle name. Although my mother uses it all the time.
2. Where were you born? Where have you lived since then? Where do you call home?
I was born in Pleasant Valley, Colorado. My parents were living on a commune at the time, but my grandmother, Edna, insisted that they come to stay with her and my grandfather when she had me. Well, my grandfather at the time. Johnny is my grandfather now—but that’s a different book, er…I mean story. I was raised mainly on the commune, but I spent a lot of summers in Pleasant Valley with my grandparents.
3. What is one strong memory that has stuck with you from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
I remember my mom and I spent a weekend with my grandparents and they took us on a road trip back to Kansas where they met. We went camping by the lake and my grandmother taught me how to catch lightning bugs in a jar. I’d never seen lightning bugs before, and Grandma Edna convinced me they were actually fairies. It was a magical trip—I’ll always remember it.
4. You’re getting ready for a night out. Where are you going? What do you wear? Who will you be with?
Oh, gosh. For me a night out usually consists of going to the grocery store, so I’d most likely be wearing yoga pants. I’m pretty much a homebody. I like to read. I do date occasionally, usually men from the finance world in which I work…well, where I used to work…before I got fired a few weeks ago after I uncovered a money-laundering scheme.
5. Where do you go when you’re angry? What do you do there?
Oh, usually if I’m good and mad, I drive up to Edna’s. My grandmother can usually cure just about anything that ails you. She’s great to talk to, and we usually end up doing something fun and by the time I leave, I always feel better.
6. Have you been in love? Had a broken heart? Who was it and what happened?
I don’t know for sure. I met this really cute cop. His name is Mac. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m in love with him—not yet, anyway. But he does make my heart race and I feel all tinglie and nervous when I’m around him. He’s ridiculously good-looking and his muscles- oh my gosh—is it getting warm in here?
7. What is your biggest fear? Who have you told this to? Who would you never tell this to? Why?
Right now—my fears are all centered around the dead body that was just found in my apartment and the two men who were sent to kill me. I’ve really only shared this with Mac and my grandparents and my grandma’s book club, the Page Turners. But they’re helping to solve the case-so that’s okay. I’m just not sure who else I can trust.
8. If you had to make a meal for me right now with only the ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry, what would you make me?
Hmm- either a microwave Lean Cuisine or an omelette. I usually have eggs and cheese.
9. Look down. Describe what you’re wearing. Is this the way you’re normally dressed? If not, what do you normally wear?
Right now I’m wearing my workout clothes because I had to flee my apartment in my pajamas in the middle of the night and this was all I could grab. I usually wear pressed pants or skirts, starched white shirts and sensible high heels.
10. What’s the one thing you want out of life that you don’t think you can have? Why can’t you have it?
Right now, I just want my normal, calm, orderly life back. The one where things make sense and fit into neat, tidy cubicles. I can’t handle all of this chaos of dead bodies, and my co-worker being stabbed, and running for my life with a handsome cop. Well—I can handle the handsome cop part-although he worries me too. I don’t know how to fit him into my orderly life, but I don’t want to let him go, either. I just want my life to be normal again.
~~~~~~~
Be sure to come back to read more about Jennie, Zoey, and TANGLED UP IN TUESDAY on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
~~~
Links to Jennie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books , or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com.
Amazon link: http://bit.ly/1LsUQ8m
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: The Page Turners book club loves to search for clues and romance while eating really great desserts. Tangled Up in Tuesday is the fourth book in the Page Turners series. With the holidays right around the corner, Jennie will giveaway an ebook copy of A Cowboy for Christmas–A holiday novella in the Page Turners series–to two readers who comment below with a favorite holiday tradition. Leave a comment below for a chance to win.
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Jennie, for sharing your story with us!!
Congratulations Week 11-02-15 & 11-09-15 Giveaway Winners!!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
11-02-15 & 11-09-15
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Charlene Raddon!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Charlene has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Leave a comment below for a chance to win an e-copy of DANCES IN MOONLIGHT by CHARLENE RADDON. Thanks again, Charlene, for sharing your book with us!
WINNER ~ JULIE McDONOUGH!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with The Bluestocking Belles Amy Rose Bennett, Susana Ellis, Sherry Ewing, Mariana Gabrielle, Jude Knight, Caroline Warfield & Nicole Zoltack!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: The Bluestocking Belles are giving away a gift swag that includes a Christmas ornament, a print copy of THE BLUESTOCKING BELLES’ GUIDE TO A GOOD TIME and other author swag to one of their Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog readers! Thanks, ladies, for sharing your stories and recipes with us!
WINNER ~ DARCIE DUDKIEWICZ!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with KAREN DOCTER!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Comment on the following question for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card I am giving away next week!! What is your favorite childhood memory or holiday ritual you enjoyed with your family? Happy Reading!
WINNER ~ MELISSA MORR!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with K.L. DOCTER!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Comment on the following question for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card I am giving away next week!! There are actually two villainous characters working their machinations in Killing Secrets. Name your favorite villainous character in a book or movie or TV, and tell us why you enjoy him or her. Happy Reading!!
WINNER ~ KATHLEEN BYLSMA!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with KRISTINA KNIGHT!! 
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kristina is giving away an e-copy of any of Kristina’s backlist books to one of her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog readers! Thanks again, Kristina, for sharing your book and recipe with us!
WINNER ~ KATHLEEN BYLSMA!!
~~
EVERYONE’S A WINNER FOR A LIMITED TIME!!!
Don’t miss the SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET for only $.99 ~ Pre-order Only!!
Five (5) full-length suspense/mystery/thriller novels by Award-winning and Bestselling Authors JERRIE ALEXANDER, KIM CRESSWELL, K.L. DOCTER, RACHEL KENT and MARIAN LANOUETTE!!
Releases December 1st at $7.99
Get your Pre-Order HERE:
Amazon – amzn.to/1WS2RHV
KOBO – bit.ly/1VJAw3R
iTunes – apple.co/1huLmNC
B&N – bit.ly/1NvGZjL
chapters.indigo – bit.ly/1LmlQ9y
~~~
All giveaway winners chosen by random.org from reader comments with the exception of Rafflecopter giveaways which are determined and announced offsite by publisher/authors. Thank you.
November 13, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Wicked Edge by Rebecca Zanetti
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
WICKED EDGE
The Realm Chronicles
BY REBECCA ZANETTI
Blurb
If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!
Daire Dunne is more than ready to take a quick break from his duties as a Coven Nine Enforcer. When he spots a sexy blonde across a Titan’s of Fire party, it’s not long before she’s on the back of his Harley on the fast track to his apartment. Unfortunately, one overheated kiss in, the woman drugs Daire and steals valuable files that can’t fall into enemy hands. The second he comes to, the hunt is on…
Now that Cee Cee has the information to take down an enemy that destroyed her family, she can implement her perfect plan for revenge. Nothing will stop her, not even a shockingly sexy enforcer barging into her life. Not even the spectacular, fire-branding sex engulfing them. But if Daire ever figures out who her family really is, all bets are off…
Zanetti gives paranormal a sexy MC twist!”—New York Times bestselling author Joanna Wylde
“Zanetti delivers decadently delicious romance in the second Realm Enforcers paranormal motorcycle club romance … The wild action rarely stops, sweeping readers along in the main plot while allowing a rich and satisfying romance to build between the leads.”- Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW
“Zanetti’s Realm Enforcers series is hot with a capital “H”! The characters are real and feel like people whom readers would run across – or hope to – in everyday life. This is a great read to add to your collection.”- RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick
Amazon Editor’s Pick for November!
WICKED EDGE
The Realm Chronicles
BY REBECCA ZANETTI
Excerpt
Without moving, she glanced around at the gyrating bodies on the dance floor, despite the lack of decent music. “Not here, however.”
Yeah. A woman like her didn’t belong in a place like this. “Wanna get out of here?”
She sat back, studying him.
He didn’t smile or try to cajole, almost fascinated by the play of expressions across her finely crafted features. When she opened her mouth to speak, he fully expected a refusal.
“You sure you’re safe with me?” she asked, that throaty voice scratching under his skin.
He grinned. Not in flirtation, and not in reassurance, but in pure amusement. He was a three-centuries-old witch, an enforcer for his people, and one of the most dangerous beings on the planet. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Remember those words,” she whispered, sliding from the stool. He pushed back and stood, struck by her size. Even wearing spectacular black boots with three-inch spike heels, she barely reached his chest. It was a colossal mistake to spend the night with a human woman, and he was surely ignoring his duties, but for once, he didn’t give a damn.
His two younger brothers, both enforcers, were out of the country on jobs, while the two prospects, who weren’t quite prospects, were out clubbing in Seattle, looking for the elusive drug they were all trying to stop. None of them required babysitting for the evening. In fact, nobody needed his assistance right now, and with a woman like Cee Cee sending out unmistakable signals, he was taking a f******g night for himself. Yet he paused. “This is one night.”
She threw back all of that glorious hair and laughed, deep and throaty. “I’m not looking for a ring, Enforcer. This is an adventure for one night, and then it’s back to reality.”
He had the oddest urge to discover her reality, but he shook it off. “Fair enough.” Sliding a hand around her bicep, he propelled her through the crowd to the door, ignoring the hangdog expression on Grad’s face. The kid hadn’t had a chance and apparently was too dumb to know it.
They reached outside, a cool Seattle night, and he escorted her to the Harley. “You have a car here?”
“No. I came with my friend.” She eyed the supercharged bike with bright eyes. “She’s beautiful.”
His chest lifted. Yeah, she was. “Thanks. You ever ride a bike before?”
Her pretty lips turned down. “You know, oddly enough, I have not.”
The way she talked, every once in a while, bespoke an Ivy League education and hard-won experience. Just who was Cee Cee? “What’s your last name, darlin’?”
“Jones.” She shivered in the night air and zipped up a designer leather jacket.
Daire would bet his last coin that his cousin, clothes aficionado Simone Brightston, would approve of the coat. “You’re a mystery, Cee Cee Jones.”
She stepped into him, bringing the scent of wild hyacinth. “I’m just a good girl out for one wild time before getting back to real life. You going to give me that, Enforcer?”
Aye. Aye, he was. He threw a leg over the bike and held back an arm to assist her to sit behind him. She straddled the bike like she’d been born for it, and he shoved down a groan at the mental image of her straddling him. Then she slid her hands around his waist, tucking them inside his jacket.
Swallowing deep, his body rioting like a teenager’s on a first date, he handed back the helmet. “Tiny blondes with big brains protect their heads,” he rumbled, his voice sounding like he’d swallowed shards of glass.
She shifted against him and slid on the helmet. “I’m ready.” Her voice emerged muffled.
S**t. He was more than ready. “Hold on, baby.” He paused before igniting the engine. “Your place or mine?” Damn, had he really just used that stupid line?
She laughed and leaned up and into him, the helmet smacking his cheek. “Your place.”
Fair enough. He had a flat across town in a high-rise building where they wouldn’t be disturbed. Igniting the engine, he pulled out of the lot and opened the throttle down the quiet road. Cee Cee held on tighter, her laugh an energetic hum of pleasure. He smiled and slowly took a turn. She plastered her body against his, relaxing into him, allowing him to control the bike without any resistance. The woman was a natural.
What else was she a natural at?
Sneak Peek into
REBECCA ZANETTI’S January 2016 Release!!
MERCURY STRIKING
January 26, 2016 print and eBook release
With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynn Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynn is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…
Danger has never looked quite so delicious…
“Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling best!” —Lara Adrian
“Nothing is easy or black or white in Zanetti’s grim new reality, but hope is key, and I hope she writes faster!” —New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione
Page for buy links: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/the-scorpius-syndrome-series/mercury-striking/
Meet the Author, REBECCA ZANETTI… 
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over twenty-five dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and contemporary romances, including the Dark Protectors, Realm Enforcers, Sin Brothers, and Scorpius Syndrome series. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out.
~~~
Links to Rebecca’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Website buy page:
http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/wicked-edge/
Website: www.rebeccazanetti.com
Author Website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/
Author Twitter: http://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti
Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RebeccaZanetti.Author.FanPage
Newsletter: http://rebeccazanetti.com/extras-2/subscribe-to-my-newsletter/
~~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this series. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Rebecca! Happy Reading!!
