Melissa Snark's Blog: The Snarkology, page 11
April 28, 2016
InD’Tales 2016 RONE nominee… #Urban #Fantasy @MelissaSnark
I’m delighted to announce that VALKYRIE’S VENGEANCE is nominated for the NOVELLA category in the InD’tale Magazine’s 2016 RONE Awards. I’m in great company with other fabulous authors there.
I’m going to throw together some blog promotion to encourage voting during the RONE Awards the week of May 16-22nd. If you have a Facebook page, website, or blog, please consider signing up as a host. Thanks!
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April 18, 2016
Snowfall and Secrets by Kierra Quinn #Contemporary #Romance @Goddessfish
Tess escapes from Florida with a secret as big as Miami. She needs to find someplace to lay low and be on hide from her overbearing family. Mackinac Island, Michigan, should be the perfect place to hide out. However, her timing is a little off, it’s the dead of winter and she’s never been in temperatures below fifty degrees. Just her luck, her landlord, Lukas, is as hot as the sun. He’s also moody and hiding secrets as well. Which suits Tess fine. A man is the last complication she needs. A Michigan blizzard leaves them trapped in the same house together and things heat up, fast. Tess finds herself falling for Lukas, in spite of the secrets that could ruin everything before it even begins.
Snowfall and Secrets will be $0.99 during the tour.
Amazon
Excerpt:
Tess had made a lot of mistakes in her short life. She thought she got it of her system after high school, but apparently at twenty-five, she was still as dumb as she was at eighteen. Maybe more. This was definitely the stupidest thing she’d ever done.
After the plane touched down on the nearly frozen northern Michigan runway, she turned her phone on and discovered twenty messages from her mother and four sisters. They all said the same thing.
“Come home.”
She’d lived in Southern Florida her entire life. But she had to get away from there. Though she sure picked a crappy time of year. The second week of January wasn’t exactly smart.
Passengers at the tiny airport disembarked down a stairway instead of into the airport. As she stepped off the plane, she knew she made not one big mistake, but two. Prior to this moment, she’d never been in weather under forty degrees. This was probably below zero. She wasn’t prepared for cold like this.
The wind bit at her face and hands as she ran for the airport. She had gloves on, but they were useless against the chill. Lost in thought, she waited for her bags. She would need to stop at a store to get a better coat before she headed to the island. Never mind that she blew most of her savings on the best winter weather gear she could find in Miami, which wasn’t the place to buy for a Michigan winter.
A hand tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and found herself having to look up at a man with chiseled features. She sucked in a breath. She always had a weakness for tall, dark, and handsome.
Book review by Melissa Snark
Snowfalls and Secrets is a wonderful contemporary romance with a fast moving pace and many appealing characters, especially the hero’s Doberman, Dio. The story was also well edited and the male lead quite charismatic. Lukas was an empathetic and appealing hero. Tess is periodically immature but the man was always patient with her. I’m sure my reaction to her was primarily a matter of personal preference. This is a great story for readers who love contemporary romance.
Kierra Quinn will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kierra Quinn and her husband Michael love to travel the world together. From the hills of Scotland to the beaches of Thailand, their wanderlust takes them on adventures all over the world. But their favorite corner of the Earth is their home on Nova Scotia, that they share with their two Dobermans, Calcifer and Turnip. Kierra dyes hair by day and at night she loses herself in the worlds of her romance novels. She loves to cook, binge watch Netflix, and cuddle up with her boys and watch storms roll in over the ocean.
April 4, 2016
COME LOVE A COWBOY: Eight stand-alone Contemporary #Western #Romance novellas from Bestselling and Award Winning Authors.
From firefighters, bronco busters, and wealthy ranchers to bad boys, we have them all for you! If you’ve ever wanted to fall in love with a sexy, alpha cowboy of today…now’s your chance.
A savings of more than 75% if the books were purchased separately.
Only 99 cents on Amazon!
Luke’s Fate by Kathleen Ball
Meg O’Brien hoped never to lay eyes on the one man who broke her heart. To her dismay, Luke Kelly arrives at her ranch a much different and broken man. Can Meg ever forgive his callous treatment of her and help Luke become the man he used to be?
Grant Me The Moon by Caroline Clemmons
All Tory Fraser intended was to show her high school history club students a local archeology dig. How could she know the excursion would involve a murder?
Three for The Win by Keta Diablo
Hollis should have known better than to fall for a bone-melting man like Stede. He’s gone now and Eli is left to pick up the broken pieces of her life.
Border Affair by Hebby Roman
When his partners’ daughter is kidnapped in México, a self-made millionaire must confront his feelings about their affair and the future of their relationship.
Leaving Necessity by Margo Bond Collins
Mac has one week to convince his ex-girlfriend Clara not to sell his oil company. In this high-pressure reunion, can they strike love again?
The Shape of Destiny by Julie A. D’Arcy
A young male shape shifter. A beautiful female ranch owner. Can love be born in a web of deceit?
Bad Boy, Big Heart by Andrea Downing
She’s a New Yorker escaping her parents. He’s a Wyoming cowboy supporting his dad. One summer, two young people—three months to find love.
Desert Heat by Patti Sherry-Crews
A single mother struggling to keep her guest ranch puts her own desires on hold. When a handsome and persistent fireman sets his sights on her, she must decide how much she’s willing to give.
Author: Andrea Downing
Genre: contemporary western romance
Publisher: self
Previous Awards: Favorite Hero at the Maple Leaf Awards along with Honorable Mention as Favorite Heroine, Favorite Short Story and Favorite Novel; Golden Quill Award for Best Novella; placed Third in Historical Short at the International Digital Awards; finalist twice for InD’Tale RONE Awards
Bio:
Andrea Downing has spent most of her life in the UK where she developed a penchant for tea-drinking, a tolerance for rainy days, and a deep knowledge of the London Underground system. In 2008 she returned to live in the city of her birth, NYC, but frequently exchanges the canyons of city streets for the wide-open spaces of the West. Her love of horses, ranches, rodeo and just about anything else western is reflected in her writing.
Blurb:
When New Yorker K.C. Daniels heads to Wyoming for a summer job, she wants nothing more than to fit in with the staff of the Lazy S Ranch. Yearning to be independent of her mom and dad, and have a taste of the west before she starts her Master’s degree, getting involved with a cowboy is the last thing on her mind—especially when she’s greeted with warnings about ‘Bad Boy’ Chay Ridgway.
High school dropout Chay Ridgway sees summer as his time to be a rodeo star and win a girl in his life, while facing the responsibilities he has for his father. Although working to bring in cash to help his dad, he’s never had a problem finding a woman who’s happy to be that summer love—until K.C. Daniels appears on the scene.
As two different worlds collide in a season that will end all too soon, is this going to be another summer romance or a love that will last for years?
Excerpt:
K.C. was licking her lips over a piece of cheesecake when Breezy ambled over.
“I heard,” she said in an undertone. “I’m so sorry, K.C. I really didn’t know or I certainly would have told you. All I knew was Jamie could be very unpleasant but nothing like that. You know, spoiled brat unpleasant.”
K.C. gulped down another mouthful. “Well, he certainly was ‘unpleasant’ and a ‘spoiled brat.’”
“Are you all right? You know if you ever want to talk about it or need a shoulder, mine is at the ready. And you know where to find me, though I suspect you have another shoulder in mind.” She tipped her head toward Chay, who had just come in and was chatting with one of the guests.
K.C. glanced across as he squatted down to speak with a little girl, tilting his hat back off his face and giving the child a wink as he rose again. Her stomach did a back flip.
“So how do you like the cheesecake?” Breezy was saying. “It’s my own recipe—chocolate mocha cheesecake. You seem to be doing pretty well with it but, of course, you may only be eating it to be polite.” She sauntered off in a stream of giggles.
And then a second fork was coming from above into that cheesecake.
“Do you always just take what you want?”
“Oh, shit, I’m supposed to ask! Sorry.” Chay slid into the chair opposite her at the long refectory table. He looked her in the eye. “May I please have a bite of your cheesecake?”
“Why don’t you get your own? In fact, shouldn’t you be starting with lunch and then dessert?”
“Had a sack lunch and got in earlier than expected.” His fork dangled threateningly over the waiting slice before he swung the fork like a pendulum.
“Oh, go on then. I guess you deserve it.”
Chay shoved a forkful into his mouth, having obvious difficulty chewing as he was smiling so much. Finally he got it down, stretched to grab a napkin from another clean place setting, and gave a wide grin to K.C. “Am I your hero, then? Riding in to save the day? How are you?”
“I’m fine. Thanks. Fine, but reluctant to keep telling everyone I’m fine.”
“Okay then, message received.”
K.C. studied him for a moment, melting at his pale green eyes. She suddenly reached across and gently poked the small dimple in his chin. Oh dear, what was she going to do about this man?
“You’re supposed to ask, aren’t you? You can’t just go around poking people in the chin, can you?”
“Golly. What have I started?”
“I don’t know. What have you started?” The smile was replaced by a very direct look.
“I…I’ve been told things about you. I don’t want to be a summer romance. And I do have to leave at the end of the summer, and the summer is fast fading.”
“It’s only June, K.C.” He hesitated before, “What sort of things were you told?”
K.C. looked around to make sure they weren’t being overheard. “That you like to…to date the girls who work in the office because we leave at the end of the summer, and it makes for a clean break.”
“True.”
K.C. blinked at his honesty.
“But it doesn’t mean it will always be the case.” Chay fidgeted on his chair. “What time do you get off? Let’s go for a ride. You do ride, don’t you?”
“I ride…English.”
“Oh, yeah. Bob said something about that. That can be fixed. So what time?”
“Five-thirty weekdays, Saturday noon as long as the check-outs are complete. Sunday is hit or miss; I work virtually all day until all the check-ins are done.”
“Hmmm. I’m taking out a pack trip tomorrow, back Friday. Meet me down at the barns as soon as you’re off Saturday.” Chay swung out of the chair and stood, then leaned in and stabbed one more bite of cheesecake. “Saving you calories,” he said. “You’d be amazed at what goes into this.” And with that, he stuffed the piece in his mouth and was off.
K.C. sat there, turning over Chay’s words in her mind: ‘It doesn’t mean it will always be the case.’ Yet the fact was, her Master’s degree meant two years…oh, what was she thinking? That was way ahead and, while she knew she was deeply attracted to Chay, it didn’t necessarily mean…. She stared at the remaining cheesecake on her plate, then pushed it away.
What was ‘the case’?
Links to Social Media:
WEBSITE AND BLOG: http://andreadowning.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerAndreaDowning
Twitter: @andidowning https://twitter.com/AndiDowning
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6446229.Andrea_Downing
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?...
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-Downing/e/B008MQ0NXS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Tags: contemporary western romance, Wyoming, cattle ranching, guest ranches, rodeo, bareback bronc riding, new adult
Readers can download a free sample book with recipes at
April 3, 2016
Character Interview with Declan Hunter – Collateral Damage @Goddessfish #Romance
What’s your biggest goal?
I started working for the FBI right out of college, back when I was 22 years old. I don’t think I knew what I was getting myself into but I also knew fighting crime was what I was meant to do. I stayed in Chicago up until pretty recently, when I put in for a transfer to Washington. For personal reasons.
So now you’re working for the Counter-Terrorism Unit in the FBI?
Yeah, for a guy named Nick Doyle. To be honest, I think he’s got his doubts about me and I’m still not one hundred percent sure why the hell he hired me. I had a few things come up in Chicago that threw me off my game. I was up front with Doyle about them and half expected never to hear from him again after the interview. But he called and said he wanted me to come right away. I was hoping to prove myself with the case I’m working on now but things have gone off the rails.
Can you say a little bit more about that?
Only that sometimes you’ve got to put what’s really important ahead of your own interests, your own career. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn’t but it’s not really a question of choice. I signed up to defend and protect people, no matter what the consequences, no matter what the risk. That means I don’t get to prioritize my own life.
Do you consider yourself a risk taker?
Oh, yeah. Always have been. I grew up in kind of a rough Irish neighborhood in Chicago. I guess I was always the kid who got into the wrong side of a fight. As in the losing side. But I like a challenge. And I hate to see bullies win. So I do whatever I have to stop that from happening. Sometimes that involves what some might call reckless behavior.
What’s your biggest weakness?
Trust. Lack of it, I mean.
Care to elaborate?
Nope.
Okay, point taken. Tell us your impression of Laura Drake.
She’s beautiful but doesn’t seem to have any idea that she is. She also may be the first truly honest person I’ve met. I don’t mean she’s an open book, just that she’s the sort of person who is incapable of lying, at least not when it comes to the things that really matter. But she holds herself back, even pushes people away. I can’t figure that out and I don’t want to be one more person who’s trying to push her.
Your feelings for her seem a bit romantic?
[hesitates] I want to help her out of the mess I got her into. And to be her friend. I don’t think she wants anything more and God knows I’m not in any position to offer her more right now.
Care to explain?
Nope.
Why am I not surprised?
[laughs]
Okay, change of subject. How did you meet Elijah Todorev?
I met Eli back in Chicago. He was this pimply teen-age hacker genius who was into LARPing and Cosplay. Not to mention a huge pack rat. Everybody—the NSA, the CIA, the FBI—was after him. He went the government route for a while but he got bored with it eventually. I think he was always too much of a rebel to spend his life in a cubicle taking orders. He still thinks of himself as working for the good guys—and he’s right—but he does it on his own terms. He’s also one of the people who can always make me laugh.
All right, let’s do a few speed round questions. You game?
Sure.
Favorite Group: Springsteen. Always.
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite possession: My Harley. I sold it a while back, but that still counts, right?
Favorite Food: Cheeseburger and fries.
Favorite City: Chicago
Favorite Movie: Shawshank Redemption.
Love or lust?: [grins] I take the fifth.
GENRE: Romantic suspense
For three years Laura Drake has watched Senator Pete Worthington promote a series of gorgeous women while she sits in a forgotten corner answering constituent letters on an outdated computer. When Worthington asks her to find an elusive file one Friday night he sets off a series of events that brands her as a killer and puts her life in jeopardy. The path she sets out on forces her to confront not only the nature of evil but the ghosts from her past that have never been set to rest.FBI Agent Dalton Ross transferred from Chicago to Washington to escape his own ghosts. When his investigation leads him to Laura he’s torn between his desire to keep her safe and the need to protect his own heart. As the mystery that surrounds them deepens, Laura and Dalton race to save themselves and the nation from someone willing to sacrifice anything to protect a secret.
Available on Amazon
Excerpt:
Dalton checked his gun and opened the driver’s side door as quietly as possible. “Appearances can be deceiving.”
She opened her door too. “You leave me here, I’m gone when you get back.” She flashed an object in front of his face. “And I’ve got the key.”
“Do you have a death wish or something?” How had she managed to get hold of the key? He was sure he’d put it in his wallet, which was tucked away in the glove compartment. He would have remembered it if she’d opened it. “I thought you said you were dull.”
“I am.” She deposited the key down the front of her dress. “But I’m kinda getting the hang of this adventure thing.” A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he suppressed it. She was charming, no doubt about that. And damn mysterious, too. As she stood there smiling with cat-like satisfaction, he had to resist the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her. Just the idea of pressing his lips to hers was making him hard. The trouble was Laura had no idea what she was up against. She thought of all this as an exciting change from her ordinary life. But this was real life, and real life was full of people whose sole purpose was to inflict as much pain as they possibly could. It was all too easy to go about one’s business without ever seeing the dark side of things—he’d done it for years, and in a way, he wished he could go back to being that twenty-year-old kid who signed up for an interview with the FBI mostly to impress his buddies. But after more than a decade spent hunting killers he knew that like all fairy-tales, the happily-ever-after of suburbia had its monsters.
In real life, people died.
Gwenan Haines will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
I live in an old Cape house with my daughter, too many books, and a red-and-white Siberian husky born on Halloween. After working in Washington, D.C. for several years and traveling to Russia, Europe and Pakistan, I moved back to New England. I’m the author of the romantic suspense novel Vertigo, which is available as an E-book from Amazon Encore and in paperback from Wild Rose Press. Collateral Risk, the follow-up novel to Collateral Damage (which features Dalton’s boss Nick Doyle and scientist Mia Lindgren), is forthcoming from Wild Rose Press. When I’m not working on fiction, I write poetry, teach literature and am still trying to learn how to cook.
www.gwenanhaines.blogspot.com
Amazon Author: http://www.amazon.com/Gwenan-Haines/e/B005WEXWRW
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/gwenan.haines
Author Page
https://www.facebook.com/Gwenan-Haines-271101656263836/
Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5278329.Gwenan_Haines
March 30, 2016
Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastreich #Fantasy @Goddessfish
In a land ravaged by civil war, the Mage King Kedehen initiates a ruthless purge of the magas. Eolyn, last daughter of the magas and sole heiress to their forbidden craft, seeks refuge in the South Woods.
When she meets the mysterious Akmael, heir to the throne of this violent realm, she embarks on a path of hope, seduction, betrayal, and war. Desire draws Eolyn toward Akmael’s dark embrace, but fate binds her to Corey of East Selen, a cunning mage whose ambition challenges the limits of love and loyalty.
Can she trust either man?
Hunted in a realm of powerful wizards and brutal deceptions, Eolyn must find her own path to freedom or she will burn on the pyre.
“Vigorously told deceptions and battle scenes, with a romantic thread.” -Publishers Weekly
Available on Amazon
Excerpt:
The Hunt for Eolyn
Eolyn lunged at Akmael, hand raised to strike him. He caught her wrist in a vice-like grip that gave pause to her fury.
In the silence that followed, Akmael measured the heat under Eolyn’s skin, the rhythm of her pulse, the condensation of her breath against the cool night air.
“Eolyn.” He did not bother to hide the note of surprised hope in his voice. “Are you jealous?”
She wrenched free of his hold. “Your magic is a disgrace! You have allowed your abilities to be twisted to foul ends. Dragon did not grant us these powers to invoke fear or take advantage of those weaker than ourselves. And our festivals are meant to celebrate the heritage of Moisehén, not to reinforce your authority, much less your sexual prowess.”
“That may be the case, but your question about the third night of Bel-Aethne…It did not arise out of concern for the proper interpretation and practice of magic. Did it?”
Eolyn cheeks flushed, but she lifted her chin. “There is no place for jealousy in a maga’s heart.”
Akmael did not let her finish. He caught her lips in his. In an instant the spark granted to them as adolescents was reignited. Akmael wrapped his arms around her, inhaling her honey and wood aroma, intertwining his fingers in her silky hair, exploring every delicate contour of her face and throat. The force of his passion pushed her back against the raw trunk of a large tree. His hands traveled insatiable over the landscape of her body, at once familiar and new.
Karin will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands for over twenty years. Her past times include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to The Silver Web trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency.
Website: http://krgastreich.com
Twitter: @EolynChronicles
March 29, 2016
Loki’s Wolves: Valkyrie’s Vengeance
I’m delighted to share a new cover for Valkyrie’s Vengeance by Ravenborn Covers. This is the first new cover in the series, which I’m rebranding for a more Urban Fantasy feel. Be on the look out for Hunger Moon next!
Calling the Reaper by Jason Pere @Goddessfish Dark #Fantasy
The time of the Unity has ended. Now, the realm of man is stranded between Paradise and Purgatory. The Valkyrie and Reaper battle over the fate of all who pass from the land of the living and into the afterlife.
Eight mortal spirits from vastly different worlds tread the same, inevitable path toward their last, crucial decision. Within them all exists the defining conflict every man must face—to look upon the end of their life with glory and honor, or to give credence to their baser longings, calling the Reaper to their own demise.
In this rich, harrowing tale of pride, deceit, honor, vengeance, and redemption, each individual must battle their inner turmoil, facing the sacrifices they have made before their unavoidable end in the land of the living.
But their last day in life is also their first day of death amidst the terrors of the underworld. Lord Master Death wants them all…and the real battle has only just begun.
Available on Amazon
Excerpt:
“In the beginning. In the time before. When the Unity sat atop the throne in Paradise and reigned over the world of man below, all was good and fruitful. There was life without end for every spirit drawing breath within the embrace of the Unity. Things were as such for a time longer than memory itself. But such things end. The day of the Shattering came upon us all. Paradise above and the realm of man below were forever changed. The Unity became no more, and from it was born both Life and Death. On that day, it was decreed that all who lived must one day die. And we the Valkyrie, the children of Paradise, became its warriors. Our robes were replaced with armor, and hands once empty now grasp sword and shield. Our charge is to watch over those who dwell below in the realm of man. We are tasked with the guardianship of every spirit that yet holds life. We shall protect them until that life is at an end. Then it must leave the realm of man. For each spirit that meets its end with virtue and courage, we the Valkyrie shall fly to them and bid them welcome into the warmth of Paradise. For each spirit that meets its end with fear and wickedness, they shall call the Reaper, and I shall mourn them as they are cast into the cold realm filled with weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
—Laurel, ArchValkyrie of the Thorn Crown
Jason will be awarding 1 print copy of Calling the Reaper,(international winner) or 2 ebooks (one of Calling the Reaper and the second winner’s choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Jason Pere is a born-and-raised New Englander. He always had a passion for the arts and creative storytelling. At the age of thirteen, Jason took up the craft of acting for film and theater. He pursued that interest for over a decade until refocusing his medium of expression into writing.
At first, Jason took a causal interest in writing, starting with poetry and journaling. Over time, he honed his direction and finally began writing larger works. In November of 2012, Jason self-published his first book, Modern Knighthood: Diary of a Warrior Poet.
Since then, Jason has continued writing on his own, mostly short stories and poetry. Calling the Reaper was his first experience committing to a full-length Fiction title.
In early 2015, Jason became affiliated with Collaborative Writing Challenge (CWC). Since then, he has joined many other writers on numerous collaborative projects. Jason is a regular contributor to CWC and is scheduled to have multiple pieces of his work appear in their publications throughout 2016.
You can find out more about Jason Pere’s involvement and publications in collaborative fiction at: www.collaborativewritingchallenge.com
To connect with Jason, check him out at: www.facebook.com/jason.pere.7
Jason also writes fanfiction for Team Covenant on their Blog of the Pheonixborn, dedicated to the new game by Plaid Hat Games, ‘Ashes’. Go to http://teamcovenant.com/ashesonline/ to read Jason’s flash fiction work.
March 28, 2016
Three Weeks to Wed by Ella Quinn @Goddessfish #Historical #Romance (Regency)
In the first book of her dazzling new series, bestselling author Ella Quinn introduces the soon-to-be Earl and Countess of Worthington–lovers who have more in common than they yet know. The future promises to be far from boring…
Lady Grace Carpenter is ready to seize the day–or rather, the night–with the most compelling man she’s ever known. Marriage would mean losing guardianship of her beloved siblings, and surely no sane gentleman will take on seven children not his own. But if she can have one anonymous tryst with Mattheus, Earl of Worthington, Grace will be content to live out the rest of her life as a spinster.
Matt had almost given up hope of finding a wife who could engage his mind as well as his body. And now this sensual, intelligent woman is offering herself to him. What could be more perfect? Except that after one wanton night, the mysterious Grace refuses to have anything to do with him. Amid the distractions of the Season he must convince her, one delicious encounter at a time, that no obstacle–or family–is too much for a man who’s discovered his heart’s desire…
“Oh, the tangled webs we weave…especially when our hearts are involved. Three Weeks to Wed is a delightfully heartwarming escape into the sparkling world of the Regency. Ella Quinn weaves magic.” –Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author
Available on Amazon
Book Review by Melissa Snark
Regency Romances are a weakness of mine so I’m always happy to lose myself in a whirlwind English courtship. Three Weeks to Wed by Ella Quinn was a delightful and well-written read. I found the author’s style flowed easily while her language choice provided that touch of historical flavor without slowing the pace. The characterization was good. Both Grace and Matt were appealing and interesting, and as a couple they shared excellent chemistry.
Now this isn’t a thriller–a blackmail plot was about the most intrigue the story had. However, but it was a story about love and large families, of which it had plenty. Potential readers need to be aware of what they’re getting but I can’t fault the story for lacking the elements of other genres. It did have wonderful setting and charming dialogue, as well as all the trappings of a historical romance with one notable deviation… The heroine chooses to make love to the man she loves–believing that it will be her only shot ever at knowing the pleasure of his caress–willingly and without being married.
I’ve read some of the other reviews and was taken aback by readers who felt the hero wouldn’t have married a woman of “ill repute” following a one night stand. Egads, people have been falling head over heels in love for centuries and sex is a natural consequence. Regardless what historical romance would have you believe. It may have been regarded as scandalous but in any era there will be people who are courageous enough to live their lives with goals of happiness and fulfillment. The establishment be damned.
Oh, any “hero” who would take a woman’s virginity and then refuse to marry her… Well, he’s no hero of mine. Keep that jerk out of my romance novels, please. Matt was a solid and honorable gentleman in his conduct.
My primary issue with the story centered around the lack of tension. I would’ve preferred a more drawn out romance and a few solider barriers to the couple getting together. All in all, it was an enjoyable story. Thank you, Ms. Quinn.
Excerpt:
“Yes, my lady.” He nodded, tapping the side of his nose. “You were never here. Don’t expect to see anyone else in this weather. You and your servants will sleep warm and dry tonight.” He pointed to the door next to the stairs and within easy reach of the common room. “I’ll put you in this parlor for dinner.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you. That will be perfect.”
Susan, one of Brown’s daughters, showed Grace to the large chamber at the back of the inn on the first floor. She handed the girl her cloak to dry, then shook out her skirts. “I’ll call for you when I am ready to retire.”
“Yes, my lady. Anything you need, just pull the bell.” Susan bobbed a curtsey and left.
Grace glanced around. Although she had stopped here any number of times on family outings, she’d never spent the night. The inn had been in the Brown family for several generations. The building was old, but it was clean and well maintained.
She took a book and Norwich shawl from her large muff before descending the stairs to the parlor. Although it was early, not much past two o’clock, Mr. Brown had closed the shutters, and a fire was lit, as well as sufficient candles to brighten the room.
An hour later, warm and dry, she was engrossed in Madelina, the latest romance from the Minerva Press. Over the storm, sounds of another carriage arriving could be heard. Grace lowered the book, wondering who the newcomer could be.
The inn door slammed opened. Moments later, Mr. Brown’s agitated tone and that of another man, a gentleman by his speech, reached her.
Her heart skipped a beat. Worthington? Could it really be him? She hadn’t heard his voice for four years, but she’d never forget it.
Ella will be awarding signed print ARCs of THREE WEEKS TO WED to five randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. (International)
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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.
Website: www.ellaquinnauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor
Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor
Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom
March 21, 2016
A chat with #Paranormal #Romance author Liz Gavin @Goddessfish
If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
Hmm I’d have to say talking to spirits. I mean one could learn so much from them, don’t you think?
What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to learn about you?
That I’m not kinky. LOL I mean AT ALL. Hehe And some would also find it hard to believe I’m straight.
When writing descriptions of your hero/ine, what feature do you start with?
Hair and eye colors.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Oh I’m a pantser no doubt about it. So much so that my characters often hijack the plot from me. For instance, in Luck of the Irish, Paul O’Hallon character was born as a no-line, no-name character who was supposed to be a brief distraction in the story and became a huge antagonist to Declan.
Did you learn anything from writing this book? If so, what?
As a writer it was the first time characters took over the story for me and it was both an amazing and scary experience. As a person I got to know a few sides of my personality I had no idea existed. Not a bad thing, right?
GENRE: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Keira Ashe’s parents are great but her mother has overprotected her for years. Now, this twenty-two-year-old Bostonian has graduated from college and can go on a trip she has been planning for years. She fears her shyness may get in the way of her enjoying what could be a life-altering adventure. However, Keira feels her luck is about to change when she meets gorgeous bartender Declan Slane.
Declan Slane is twenty-six and works at a hotel bar in Dublin. He hasn’t been very lucky in his love life so far. Also, he has got a troubled past he has chosen not to revisit in order to keep his sanity. Because he isn’t looking for a girlfriend, Declan isn’t very pleased to meet a certain breathtaking American who walks into his bar one afternoon.
Get a taste of adventure and heartache as Keira spreads her wings and matures while she gets to know her great-grandparents’ home country – Ireland. Hold your breath when she faces tough decisions and dangers. Root for Keira while she weighs up the consequences of making love for the first time. Bite your nails when she comes across unforeseen threats.
Liz Gavin’s second full-length novel is hard to put down just as it is hard to pinpoint its genre. She has woven an intricate web around her characters that will leave readers breathless. In the sizzling concoction, this talented new author poured heart-warming romance, heart-stopping suspense, and a dash of heart-searching paranormal. Take your pick. Regardless of the literary genre you might favor, Liz Gavin’s writing will take you to a whole different side of it.
Prizes for the tour are as follows:
• One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
• One randomly chosen host will receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
Excerpt:
“I could do this forever, you know,” he whispered against her burning skin. He felt her heartbeat going wild as a vein throbbed under the tip of his tongue when he suckled a sensitive spot on the white column of her neck.
“I think we should,” she replied while her hands found the lower hem of his sweatshirt and lifted it, exposing his torso.
When her cool fingers touched the bare skin of his abdomen, close to the waistband of his sweatpants, Declan felt a scorching wave of heat radiating through his muscles. Shivers ran down his spine and he held her hands, “You know we shouldn’t.”
He stared into the crystal blue depths of her eyes and felt their pull; not much different from the sirens in the fairy tales, but he had to resist it. He would one day drown in the sea of pleasure her eyes promised. But not before she was ready for the plunge.
“I’d love to rip our clothes off and lose myself in you. You’re not ready, though. Not yet.”
She gazed into his eyes as if assessing his soul, “Our feelings grow stronger by the day. We’ve been through so much together. The difficulties we faced, and overcame, have strengthened our bond. It’s much more than physical attraction. Why do we have to wait? I want you. You want me. Are you sure I’m the one who’s not ready? Sometimes I think you’re the one running from these feelings.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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When Liz Gavin was in Second Grade – just a couple of years ago, really – her teacher told her mother the little girl should start a diary because she needed an outlet for her active and vivid imagination. She was a talkative child who would disrupt the class by engaging her colleagues in endless conversations. She loved telling them the stories her grandfather used to tell her.
Apparently, the teacher wasn’t a big fan of those stories, and Liz’s mother bought her a diary. She happily wrote on it for a couple of months. Unable to see the appeal of writing for her own enjoyment only, she gave up on it. She missed the audience her friends provided her in class. She went back to disturbing her dear teacher’s class.
Since then, she has become a hungry reader. She will read anything and everything she can get her hands on – from the classics to erotica. That’s how she has become a writer of erotica and romance, as well.
As a young adult, she participated in a student exchange program and lived in New Orleans for six months. She fell in love with the city and its wonderful inhabitants. NOLA will always hold a special spot in Liz Gavin’s heart. Nowadays, living in Brazil, Liz’s creativity has improved many times because it’s such a vibrant, gorgeous and sexy country.
Welcome to her world of hot Alpha males and naughty, independent women. Add a touch of the paranormal in the presence of some wicked souls and you’ll get the picture.
AUTHOR LINKS
Blog – http://lizgavin.wordpress.com
Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/lizgavinauthor
Twitter – @LizGavin_author
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360069.Liz_Gavin
Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00F5BJC7Q
B&N Author Page – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/liz+gavin?_requestid=513766
Email – lizgavin@elessarbooks.com
The Honeydripper Affair by Joanna Kidson #RomanticSuspense @Goddessfish
She should never have met up with Ryan, that’s for sure.
You see, Lucy Nevin has got something that people are willing to kill for – she just doesn’t know it….yet.
Handing Ryan the notebook threw the killers off her scent for a while but as Lucy uncovers more details about the death of her father, it becomes clear that this ruthless gang of criminals will stop at nothing to get what they want from her.
And then Dan shows up. Is that coincidence or by design? Either way, she’s now sucked into a deadly game between the killers, the armed forces and the government. They all think that Lucy has the code – the code that will give them control of the internet. The scary thing is; if you’ve ever used the internet, this is happening to you right now.
Trouble is – time is running out for Lucy and she needs answers. What exactly is the Honeydripper Affair?
Available from Amazon
Excerpt Two: From Chapter Nine
Danny looked as though he knew this was coming. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“Looking back, I should have acted differently, but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Everything happened so fast, I honestly thought it was best to get out of your life completely before I ruined it.”
“Ruined it? Didn’t you think that just leaving might have ruined it too?”
“I figured I was replaceable.”
“That sounds like you’re doing both of us a disservice.”
“Do you remember telling me about how your mother left when you were younger?”
“Yes, I do. It’s not a story I share very often,” said Lucy, slightly confused.
“How she couldn’t handle the way of life, the constant moving, the dangers of your father’s job. Well, that’s what the future was looking like.”
“But you could have asked me. Maybe I would have been okay with that.”
“I had become a target, that means anyone close to me would have become a target too. That wasn’t a particularly attractive lifestyle to offer anyone.”
“A target?” Lucy asked. “But you work for local government – who’s targeting you?”
“Local government is just a useful cover. I work for myself now. Call me an Intelligence Troubleshooter.”
“Er…alright,” Lucy said, deliberately leaving some space for him to fill.
“I provide information to the Ministry of Defence through a satellite agency.”
“So, how does that make you a target?”
“Let’s just say I’m a hands-on operator.”
“So you’re a secret agent,” she said bluntly, with a slightly tongue in cheek smile.
“If you like, it’s a bit different in the modern world.”
“So basically, we’ve outsourced our spies!”
“Something like that. It’s more convenient this way, less difficult questions when things go wrong. Much easier for the government to distance themselves.”
“I still don’t understand how you become a target?”
“When you’re working out in the field you end up pretty close to the opposition. Sometimes it’s a physical as well as a mental battle,” Daniel explained.
“I didn’t think that sort of thing really existed; you know, all that cloak and dagger stuff.”
“It’s unpredictable, that’s for sure.”
“I don’t get why you didn’t tell me all this before.”
“It was all kicking off back then, everything was moving so fast. I was quite new to the whole way of life and I just didn’t think it was safe to involve you.”
“But you’re telling me now,” Lucy pointed out.
“Now you’re involved directly. I’ve no real choice. It’s ironic that the very thing that pushed me away has now pulled me back here.”
Joanna will be awarding a $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
After living in America and Australia, Joanna finally settled in England and now lives in London, a stone’s throw away from the river and the park. Also in the household is a husband, two kids and a small dog.
She’s a hopeless romantic at heart and an eternal optimist, believing that everything will turn out alright in the end.
She also believes that the chance of a lifetime comes around about once every two weeks and we actually did land a man on the moon!
Writing is a joyful escape but it’s often laced with a healthy dose of truth and reality.
LINKS:
Website: www.joannakidson.com
https://www.facebook.com/joanna.kidson.books
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