Casey Dawes's Blog, page 18
May 20, 2014
Review: Against the Wild by Kat Martin, Romantic Suspense
AGAINST THE WILD
Romantic Suspense
By: Kat Martin
Published May 27, 2014
Blurb
Dylan Brodie is the new owner of an old fishing lodge in remote Eagle Bay, Alaska, a place he intends to rebuild as a home for himself and his eight-year old daughter.
Unfortunately, the crew working on the lodge are beginning to believe the old place is haunted. So does the sexy, redheaded interior designer, Lane Bishop, that Dylan has hired to help him with the extensive remodel.
But is the haunting real? Or is it something even more sinister?
When Lane and Dylan work to solve the mystery, they discover a legacy of injustice and murder. With danger stalking their every move, Dylan must risk everything to save Lane and his daughter and uncover the truth–before it’s too late.
Buy Links
Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble
My Thoughts
I was engaged with Lane and Dylan from the very beginning of the book. Since it is Lane’s first trip to Alaska, we get to see Alaska’s wilderness through her eyes. The eerie going-ons at the hotel, the mystery of Dylan’s daughter’s silence, and a murderer on the loose keep the suspense alive. There is a real question about whether or not the relationship will be able to survive past the summer. Dylan is Alaska through and through; Lane lives in Beverly Hills.
If you like romantic suspense, Against the Wild is an excellent read. I look forward to the next in the series.
Excerpt
LEAD IN
Emily hadn’t spoken a single audible phrase since her mother had abandoned her three years ago. Not a meaningful word since the night Mariah Brodie had run off with another man.
CHAPTER ONE
The low moaning of the wind awakened him. The old fishing lodge, constructed in the thirties, was built of hand-hewn logs, the chinking between them worn by time and weather, leaving spaces for the air to blow through. An eerie keening echoed inside the house, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Dylan’s spine.
Just the wind, he reminded himself. Nothing to do with stories of ghosts and hauntings. Just an inconvenience, nothing more.
Still, he had Emily to think of. Dylan Brodie swung his long legs to the side of the bed, shrugged into his heavy flannel robe, and padded barefoot down the hall toward his daughter’s bedroom.
The lodge he’d purchased earlier in the spring was big and sprawling, two stories high, with a separate family wing for the owner, another for the prestigious guests it had once hosted, back in its heyday in the thirties. The living room was big and open, exposing fourteen-inch logs in the ceiling. A massive river rock fireplace climbed one wall, a second, smaller version warmed the sitting room in the master suite.
Dylan had fallen in love with the place the moment he had seen it, perched on Eagle Bay like a guardian of the two hundred forested acres around it.
Old legends be damned. He didn’t believe in ghosts or any of the Indian myths he had heard. He’d waited years to find the perfect spot for his guided fishing and family vacation business, and this was the place.
The wind picked up as he moved down the hall, the air sliding over rough wood, whistling through the eves, the branches on the trees shifting eerily against the window panes. Dylan picked up his pace, worried the noise would frighten Emily, though so far his eight-year-old daughter seemed more at ease in the lodge than he was.
Frosted glass wall sconces dimly lit the passage as he walked along, original, not part of a remodel of the residential wing done a few years back, before the last owner moved out and left the area.
The four bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs on this side of the building weren’t fancy but they were livable while he worked on the rest of the lodge. The master suite had been updated, but it wasn’t the way he wanted it yet. Eventually, he would rebuild this section, as well, bring it all up to the four-star standard he’d had in mind when he had purchased the property.
Dylan paused at the door to Emily’s room, quietly turned the knob and eased it open. His daughter lay beneath the quilt that his housekeeper, Winifred Henry, had made for her as a Christmas gift, princesses and unicorns embroidered in puffy little pink and white squares, all hand-stitched to fit her youth-size four-poster bed.
His gaze went to the child. Emily had the same dark hair and blue eyes that marked her a Brodie, but her complexion was as pale as her mother’s. Unlike Mariah’s perfect patrician features, Emily’s mouth was a little too wide, her small nose freckled across the bridge.
She was awake, he saw, her eyes fixed on the antique rocker near the window. It was just her size, fashioned of oak and intricately carved. She loved the old chair that had been in the lodge when he bought it.
Emily never sat in it, but she was fascinated by the way the wind made it rock on its own. Dylan found it slightly eerie, the way it moved back and forth as if some invisible occupant sat in the little chair. She was watching it now, her lips curved in the faintest of smiles. She mumbled something he couldn’t quite hear and Dylan’s chest clamped down.
It hurt to watch his little girl, see her in the make-believe world she now lived in, forming silent phrases, nothing he could actually hear.
Emily hadn’t spoken a single audible phrase since her mother had abandoned her three years ago. Not a meaningful word since the night Mariah Brodie had run off with another man.
Dylan’s hand unconsciously fisted. Maybe he hadn’t been the husband Mariah wanted. Maybe he’d been too wrapped up in trying to make a life in the harsh Alaskan wilderness he loved. Maybe he hadn’t paid her enough attention.
Maybe he just hadn’t loved her enough.
Guilt slipped through him. He never should have married her. He should have known she would never be able to adjust to the life he lived here. Still, it didn’t excuse her cruel abandonment of their daughter. An abandonment Emily had not been able to cope with.
Dylan forced himself to walk into the bedroom. Emily’s eyes swung to his, but she didn’t smile, just stared at him in that penetrating way that made his stomach churn.
“Em, honey, are you okay?” She didn’t answer, as he knew she wouldn’t. “It’s just the wind. The lodge is old. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Emily’s gaze went to the window, where a lone pine branch shifted restlessly against the sill. Ignoring him as if he weren’t there, she snuggled back into her pillow and closed her eyes. She blamed him for the loss of her mother, he knew. It was the only explanation for why she had withdrawn from him so completely.
Tucking the quilt a little closer beneath her chin, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. The wind picked up as he walked out of the bedroom and eased the door closed. Emily was his to watch over and protect, his to care for and comfort. But he had lost his daughter three years ago.
When he had driven her mother away.
Author Info
For New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin, a career in real estate led her down the road to romance.
Through real estate, Kat found her own perfect match–her husband, Western author Larry Jay Martin.
“We were on opposing sides of a transaction–I represented the seller and he represented the buyer,” Kat recalls.
A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he’d written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author!
“It was quite a romantic story,” she admits. “I’d still like to see it get published.” Then, after doing some editing for her future husband, she thought she’d try her own hand at writing.
Kat moved on to become the bestselling author of over fifty historical and contemporary romance novels. To date, 15 million copies of her books are in print, and she’s been published around the globe, including Germany, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, Estonia, Lithuania, South Africa, Italy, Poland, Thailand, Portugal, Turkey, The Slovak Republic, Spain, Argentina, Estonia, Czech Republic and Greece.
When she’s not writing, Kat also enjoys skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe. Currently, she’s busy writing her next book.
Connect with Kat: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Website | Goodreads
May 13, 2014
Review: Slope of Love, Contemporary Romance
SLOPE OF LOVE
Contemporary Romance
By: Melissa Foster
Published April 21, 2014
Blurb
Olympic gold medalist skiers Jayla Stone and Rush Remington have been best friends for years. They’ve seen each other at their best and worst and have kept each other’s secrets without fail. Only there’s one secret Rush has kept close to his chest. After months of introspection, Rush realizes he’s been filling his bed but not tending to his heart. He’s changed his womanizing ways, and the only woman who can fill his heart has been right by his side all this time.
Years of intimate conversations and the sharing of hopes and dreams collide when Rush reveals his secret, and one toe-curling kiss changes everything between Rush and Jayla. They’re no match for the passion that kiss ignites, or the pull of true love. But being Rush’s best friend means knowing all about his revolving bedroom door—and Jayla has a secret of her own that could jeopardize her career and her relationship with Rush. Even their love may not be enough to overcome Rush’s past or secure Jayla’s future.
Buy Links
Amazon
| iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/02/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for-slope.htm
Goodreads link to series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/117170-love-in-bloom-the-remingtons
My Thoughts
I enjoyed Rush and Jayla’s story. It’s interesting to read about friendships that take a turn to romance. The friends have to readjust and it’s not always easy. Jayla needs to learn to trust Rush on several levels. Rush needs to learn the balance between love and over-protectedness.
I liked the characters from the beginning and thought they had more depth than the pair in the previous book of this series. Still, I found the story could have had a little more action at times.
An enjoyable read, especially if you like ski stories.
Author Info
“Melissa Foster is a wonderful connector of readers and books, a friend of authors, and a tireless advocate for women. She is the real deal”– Bestselling Author Jennie Shortridge
“What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about… desperately. This is psychological suspense at its most chilling. I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked.” International bestseller, M.J. Rose
Melissa Foster is an award-winning, International bestselling author. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa is also a community builder for the Alliance for Independent Authors. She has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Connect with Melissa: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Website | Goodreads
Melissa’s social network for women: http://www.TheWomensNest.com
World Literary Café: http://www.worldliterarycafe.com
Fostering Success: http://www.fostering-success.com
May 12, 2014
Review Tour: California Thyme, Contemporary Romance
CALIFORNIA THYME
(California Romance Series)
Contemporary Romance
By: Casey Dawes
Published April 7, 2014
Blurb
Caterer Mandy Parker doesn’t want to turn out like her mother, an aging bi-polar actress desperate for the love. Avoiding anything Hollywood-related is vital for Mandy’s sanity. Her ideal man has a nine-to-five job and coaches Little League—someone true to her and to their family, unlike her philandering Hollywood producer father. But when waitress shifts at Costanoa Grill are cut, she’s forced to find additional work as a movie caterer.
Since the woman he’d loved had married his best friend, movie set location manager James Lubbock has put women far behind advancing in his career. The assistant caterer is attractive, but he’s more focused on figuring out who was sabotaging his set. If he can’t determine the culprit, he’ll lose everything he’s worked for over the last five years.
Sparks fly between Mandy and James, but can they overcome their painful pasts to risk a chance on each other?
Buy Links
Amazon
| iTunes | Barnes & Noble
Tour
Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/02/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for_7715.html
Or go to the links below:
May 12th- Fic Central
(Stop 2) In Between the Lines
May 13th- Books with Leti Del Mar
May 14th- Reading Bliss
May 15th- I am, Indeed
May 16th- Racing to Read
May 19th- Storm Goddess Book Reviews
May 20th- Romance Bookworm
May 21st- The Phantom Paragrapher
May 22nd-Erin Lindsey Maurer
May 23rd- Brooke Blogs
Excerpt
Mandy dumped her discontent and walked into the Costanoa Grill for her evening shift. Waitressing in an upscale restaurant in a beach town in the summer was a decent job. One she was lucky to have in this economy.
As she entered the staff room, Carolyn, a fellow waitress, tapped her on the shoulder.
“Good looker just sat down at table nine. He was here last week, too. No wedding band. Jill says he’s a good tipper. Lucky you.”
Mandy smiled. Big tips meant more money in her savings account. Her Subaru was still running, but the high mileage made her nervous. “If the tip is really big, I’ll share, but I’m not interested in anything else.”
“You should be. You’re not getting any younger.” Carolyn tossed her coffee cup in the overflowing trash and went back to work.
Twenty-five isn’t old.
Mandy glanced at the man seated at table nine. His lean profile and square jaw were classically handsome.
If I were in the market for a man, this one would do just fine.
Plucking a sweating water pitcher from the tray, she made her way through the scattered tables to a two-seater by the window. As she picked up his glass to fill it, she smiled at him and said, “Hi, I’m Mandy, and I’ll be your server this evening. Would you like anything to drink besides water?”
His lips curled into a grin, revealing the straight white teeth of a Hollywood smile, a smile that went all the way to his sea-green eyes. The wrap-around sunglasses perched on his sun-blond hair gave him a casual elegance belied by the Rolex on his tan wrist.
Her heart beat a little faster.
Good thing I’m a professional.
She put the water glass down without spilling a drop. “We have an excellent wine list if you’d like to see it.”
“How do you know I’m a wine connoisseur and not a Bud man?” he challenged.
She gestured to his pressed short-sleeve shirt. “A Bud man wouldn’t be caught dead in that.”
He laughed. “You’re right about that!”
Heat rose in her cheeks. “I’ll get you that list.” She brought the water pitcher back to its tray, hoping her face cooled on the way.
Moments later she was back with the thick, imitation-leather-bound book. “I don’t know if you realize this, but you’re at the edge of one of the oldest wine regions in California. We have a nice selection of local beverages on our menu. The Santa Cruz Mountains appellation is particularly known for Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, although there are a few outstanding Cabernet vineyards, too.”
She snapped her mouth shut, wishing she could cut down on her ability to over-share.
“Glad to see your enthusiasm for your job.” He gestured to the purple streak in her hair.
“Neat color.”
“Thank you. I’ll return in a few minutes.”
She checked in with her other diners, all the while trying to squash her awareness of the masculine vibe emanating from table nine.
He was exactly the type of man she wanted to avoid—too handsome, self-important, and probably involved in a career that would expose him to women who had no care for the feelings of wives. The same type of man her father had been.
Not the kind she wanted at all. Her ideal was a man with a nine-to-five job, who coached Little League in the summers—a man who’d be true to her and to their family.
The memory of her mother’s tears as she told Mandy of her father’s final infidelity pained her. How could men be so unfeeling? This table nine guy was probably the same as every other man with money and power. Thought he could do anything he wanted.
By the time she got back to the table, she’d worked herself into a solid anger. How dare some Southern California snob come into her restaurant and sit at her table?
“What can I get you?”
Her indignation must have seeped into her voice, because he frowned before answering.
There goes my tip.
“I’ll have the Ridge Cabernet,” he said.
Might as well get dinner started, so he’d finish and leave, and she could begin again.
“Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes to decide?”
“Have I done something to offend you?” he asked.
“No. The specials are—” She rattled them off, then waited a few seconds, tapping her pen against the bill folder. “Well?”
She internally winced at the snippy tone in her voice. He didn’t deserve this—he seemed like a nice-enough guy. Once again, she was letting her anger over her past control her present.
He set down the menu and held out his hand. “We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot here, although for the life of me, I don’t understand why. I’m James Lubbock.”
Automatically, she shook his hand, and electricity raced up and down her spine. He had the strong grip of a man in charge. For a moment she wasn’t sure she’d be able to breathe again.
This was so not good.
She jerked her hand back. “What can I get you, James?”
“Was it the hair?”
“What?”
“Was it the remark I made about your hair that got you so mad?”
“No. No. It has nothing to do with you.” Her behavior shamed her. “What brings you to Costanoa?” She made an effort to add warmth to her voice.
He grinned at her. His damn teeth sparkled so much she expected a flash, like she’d seen in commercials for whitening strips.
“I’m an assistant locations manager. I’m working for a company filming a movie up toward Davenport,” he said.
Yep. She’d been right. He was a Hollywood guy. Just like dear old dad. “Oh.” She warred with her returning displeasure.
He leaned forward. “Do you think I could get my wine now?”
“Sure.” She fled the table and made a beeline for the polished redwood bar.
Author Info
Casey Dawes writes and quilts on the Clark Fork River in Missoula, Montana where she spends far too much time watching wildlife from her “woman cave.” She shares her peaceful abode with a husband she adores and two cats who think they own the joint.
In her previous “lives” she’s been a medical records secretary, stagehand, college professor, junior high teacher on an Indian Reservation, Montessori teacher in Brooklyn, temp in businesses in New York City, a database guru for several fortune 500 companies, business and life coach. She’s lived in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York City, Pennsylvania and California. With these varied careers, four step-children and two boys of her own, she has plenty to write about!
Connect with Casey:
Website/Blog: www.stories-about-love.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Casey.Stories.About.Love
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyDawesAutho
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/caseydawes/boards/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/caseydawes
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110992009813387113000/posts
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wisewomanshining/
Fresh Fiction: freshfiction.com/author.php?id=34713
May 5, 2014
Romance and Mental Illness
May is National Mental Health Month.
As someone who grew up with relatives with mental illness, I’ve been aware of the pain that goes along with many of the diseases we can’t see. A person who has a gushing, bleeding wound gets more sympathy than someone with a gushing mental wound, but the pain is just as bad.
Untreated mental illness prevents people from coping with their day to day lives. It also affects the people around them, but often the person with the illness finds it hard to see that. In my latest novel, California Thyme, the heroine has a mother who was hospitalized for bi-polar disease. The diagnosis came late, and Mandy remembers “her parents screaming followed by broken plates, jewelry flushed down the toilet, and slamming doors.”
As time goes on, Mandy is concerned about her own mental health. Unfortunately, mental health still carries a stigma, so much so that our returning veterans have trouble asking for help when they come home with the trauma of war stuck on replay in their minds. When Mandy asks her mother about her illness, Lola denies it:
“I know this is difficult, but I have to ask you a few questions…about…about your illness.”
“How’s your love life, darling? You know, a good man can make you feel so much better about yourself.”
“Lola. Please. Stop and listen to me. How did you know there was something wrong with you?”
“Darling. There’s nothing wrong with me. I…um…” Her voice faltered. “I simply had a hard time dealing with your father’s infidelity. Trust me. If there was anything wrong with me, I would have taken care of it years ago. That’s why I keep warning you to stay away from those Hollywood men, Amanda. They will only cause you trouble.”
“But you were hospitalized. You’re taking medication.”
“I went a little crazy after your father left. That’s all. The pills. The pills make life a little easier. I could give them up tomorrow. There’s nothing wrong with me.” Lola’s voice brightened again. “In fact, I may do that soon. I’ve met the most marvelous man. He owns lots of car dealerships and he’s filthy rich. He’s thinking of investing in a play.”
Fiction has provided me an avenue to deal with some of the issues I grew up with. There are many books out there that deal with mental illness as part of the story. Sometimes reading these stories can help people sort through their feelings about the disease and open them up for potential treatment. If you want to learn more about recognizing symptoms and what to do about them, check out the Mental Health America site.
What are some of the books you’ve read that discuss mental illness?
April 28, 2014
Romance and Family
Our wedding day in 2003
Many “romance” novels go well beyond the relationship between a man and a woman. Particularly with series, the romance is built around a family.
Sherryl Woods has many series that involve family. Her latest series, a reissue of a previous series, involves the Devaney brothers, short novellas about several brothers who find love. A new series I’m working on involves a family of ranchers in Montana–four brothers and a sister. Family dynamics make for an interesting conflict.
One of the members of the Montana Romance Writers mentioned once that someone told her that almost every book she wrote had a “secret baby,” a baby that the mother knew about, but the father didn’t.
In an age when divorce is more prevalent than most of us, including divorcees, would like. The result? Many women–and men– who have children. Brad Paisley did a great song about what the ideal would look like if a man respected a single mom and took her out on a date–He Didn’t Have to Be.
It takes special people to make a blended family. Not only do they have to deal with their spouses, but with children from a previous relationship. And, the thing that’s sometimes mentioned, but not often enough, dealing with ex’s. How do you do create a relationship based on anger, and sometimes hate, that doesn’t damage the children everyone loves? It takes strong people to make that work. If you’re in a step- relationship, it takes more courage–and patience–than most people will ever know.
What women know…and love…the fullness of life. We are in love with men, our children, and the elders who go before us.
That is what a romance novel is all about.
April 22, 2014
Release Blast: The Right Side of Mr. Wrong, Contemporary Romance
THE RIGHT SIDE OF MR. WRONG
Contemporary Romance
By: Jane Linfoot
Published March 6, 2014
Blurb
When determined singleton Shea Summers is persuaded to become the “wife” of the Lord of Edgerton Manor, the last thing she wants to do is play house with a stranger.
Brooding playboy Brando Marshall, is far from happy when Shea turns up at his sprawling estate with production crew in tow. Surely she’s just another woman after his wallet? And if she’s looking for Mr Right, she’s definitely hitting on the wrong guy. Then again, after catching an unscheduled glimpse of her knickers, perhaps Brando needs to teach this “gold-digger” a lesson!
She’s seizing the moment, he’s breaking the rules, and when bad boys can be so much fun, who can resist getting on the right side of Mr. Wrong…
Buy Links
Amazon
| iTunes | Barnes & Noble
Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/02/now-booking-review-tour-for-right-side.html
My Thoughts
It took me a little bit to get into this book, partially because of the English idioms and partially because it was explicitly sexual from the beginning. (Lot’s of talk about breasts and knickers.) From the get go, the writing was good, so I kept plowing through and then I found I really, really liked the characters.
There are some zany actions in this book. The hero, Brando, has a habit of jumping off buildings to relieve stress. The heroine, Shea (rhymes with all kinds of things), is work-obsessed. Two people who would never find themselves together, and the story works.
A few lines I wish I’d written. “The words he’d flung hit the table and splintered up at her.” “Achingly scooped neckline.” Beautifully written!
Fun read. I recommend!
Author Info
I write fun, flirty fiction, with feisty heroines and a bit of an edge. Writing romance is cool, because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of gumboots, and you’ll notice this weakness for shoes comes through in my book covers! I live in a mountain kingdom in Derbyshire, England, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos – happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things french. When I’m not on Facebook, and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking, or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.
Connect with Jane: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Website
April 21, 2014
Inspiration for WIP
Out of the Fields: My Journey from Farmworker Boy to Pediatrician by Ramon Resa MDMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was virtually introduced to Dr. Ramon Resa by Susan Samuels Drake, author of Fields of Courage: Remembering Cesar Chavez & the People Whose Labor Feeds Us, who worked with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers from the time of its inception in 1962. I'm in the middle of writing the fifth book in the California Romance series, and I was looking for inspiration for a Latino hero.
In Dr. Resa I found it, although I'm told his wife finds this more than a little amusing. But Out of the Fields, his autobiography shows a man of quiet courage and determination who overcomes all types of obstacles (including himself) to achieve his dream.
If you want to truly understand the lives of farm workers in California and read a poignant, but uplifting story, I highly recommend this book.
View all my reviews
April 14, 2014
Montana Meanderings: Lochsa Lodge
Okay. Technically, Lochsa Lodge is in Idaho. But to get there, we did spend a significant chunk of time driving in Montana, so it qualifies as a meandering.
We live relatively close to Lolo Pass. For those of you not immersed in Lewis and Clark minutia, Lolo Pass is the byway those explorers used to get over the Bitterroot Mountains from our beautiful state of Montana to Idaho, which is also beautiful in its own right.
Today was a picture perfect Montana spring day, the kind I wish I could share with all of my readers. I try to give you a glimpse in the next book to be released, Love on Willow Creek, but I can never quite capture the iridescent blue sky pierced by snow-capped mountains.
As we traveled up the highway from Lolo, Montana, spring announced its presence. The rushing streams on both sides of the mountain pass were littered with snow-capped rocks toward the peak, and decorated with red limbs of bushes ready to burst out in leaves. Dear grazed in nearby meadows.
An idyllic afternoon, a pleasant lunch at the lodge, and a quiet ride home. How did you spend your Sunday?
Iridescent
April 10, 2014
Cover Reveal: Daisy Does It All (Clover Park Series), Contemporary Romance
DAISY DOES IT ALL
Book Two of Clover Park Series
Contemporary Romance
By: Kylie Gilmore
Release Date: May 8, 2014
Blurb
Reality is overrated…
Exhausted single mom Daisy Garner is shocked when her blog about life with Darling Husband and Baby Delight in their charming Victorian home brings a national talk show to her door.
Amazing! Except she made the whole thing up.
Panic! Now she needs to borrow a Victorian house and find a man to play her fake husband on TV.
Travis O’Hare steps up for the role, as long as she’ll marry him for real. He wants their son to have the stable home life Travis never had.
But before the wedding can happen, Travis and Daisy have to get through the interview with a ratings hungry host and a slick producer with ties to Daisy’s troubled past. When a winter storm traps them all, it begs the question: can two people pretending at love finally discover the real thing?
Links
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21843119-daisy-does-it-all
Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/03/now-booking-cover-reveal-for-daisy-does.html
Author Info
[image error]Kylie Gilmore was lucky enough to discover romance novels at a young age as they were strewn all over the house (thanks, Mom!). She writes quirky, tender romance with a solid dose of humor. Her first book in the Clover Park series, The Opposite of Wild, will launch in January 2014 featuring the oldest of three brothers and his lady love. The next two books in the series give each brother his dream girl (eventually).
Kylie lives in New York with her family, two cats, and a nutso dog. When she’s not writing, wrangling kids, or dutifully taking notes at writing conferences, you can find her flexing her muscles all the way to the high cabinet for her secret chocolate stash.
Connect with Kylie: Twitter | Facebook Author Page | Website | Goodreads
April 7, 2014
Release Blast: California Thyme, Contemporary Romance
CALIFORNIA THYME
(California Romance Series)
Contemporary Romance
By: Casey Dawes
Published April 7, 2014
Blurb
Caterer Mandy Parker doesn’t want to turn out like her mother, an aging bi-polar actress desperate for the love. Avoiding anything Hollywood-related is vital for Mandy’s sanity. Her ideal man has a nine-to-five job and coaches Little League—someone true to her and to their family, unlike her philandering Hollywood producer father. But when waitress shifts at Costanoa Grill are cut, she’s forced to find additional work as a movie caterer.
Since the woman he’d loved had married his best friend, movie set location manager James Lubbock has put women far behind advancing in his career. The assistant caterer is attractive, but he’s more focused on figuring out who was sabotaging his set. If he can’t determine the culprit, he’ll lose everything he’s worked for over the last five years.
Sparks fly between Mandy and James, but can they overcome their painful pasts to risk a chance on each other?
Buy Links
Amazon | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
Link to follow tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/02/now-booking-release-day-tasty-book_14.html
Excerpt
Mandy dumped her discontent and walked into the Costanoa Grill for her evening shift. Waitressing in an upscale restaurant in a beach town in the summer was a decent job. One she was lucky to have in this economy.
As she entered the staff room, Carolyn, a fellow waitress, tapped her on the shoulder.
“Good looker just sat down at table nine. He was here last week, too. No wedding band. Jill says he’s a good tipper. Lucky you.”
Mandy smiled. Big tips meant more money in her savings account. Her Subaru was still running, but the high mileage made her nervous. “If the tip is really big, I’ll share, but I’m not interested in anything else.”
“You should be. You’re not getting any younger.” Carolyn tossed her coffee cup in the overflowing trash and went back to work.
Twenty-five isn’t old.
Mandy glanced at the man seated at table nine. His lean profile and square jaw were classically handsome.
If I were in the market for a man, this one would do just fine.
Plucking a sweating water pitcher from the tray, she made her way through the scattered tables to a two-seater by the window. As she picked up his glass to fill it, she smiled at him and said, “Hi, I’m Mandy, and I’ll be your server this evening. Would you like anything to drink besides water?”
His lips curled into a grin, revealing the straight white teeth of a Hollywood smile, a smile that went all the way to his sea-green eyes. The wrap-around sunglasses perched on his sun-blond hair gave him a casual elegance belied by the Rolex on his tan wrist.
Her heart beat a little faster.
Good thing I’m a professional.
She put the water glass down without spilling a drop. “We have an excellent wine list if you’d like to see it.”
“How do you know I’m a wine connoisseur and not a Bud man?” he challenged.
She gestured to his pressed short-sleeve shirt. “A Bud man wouldn’t be caught dead in that.”
He laughed. “You’re right about that!”
Heat rose in her cheeks. “I’ll get you that list.” She brought the water pitcher back to its tray, hoping her face cooled on the way.
Moments later she was back with the thick, imitation-leather-bound book. “I don’t know if you realize this, but you’re at the edge of one of the oldest wine regions in California. We have a nice selection of local beverages on our menu. The Santa Cruz Mountains appellation is particularly known for Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, although there are a few outstanding Cabernet vineyards, too.”
She snapped her mouth shut, wishing she could cut down on her ability to over-share.
“Glad to see your enthusiasm for your job.” He gestured to the purple streak in her hair.
“Neat color.”
“Thank you. I’ll return in a few minutes.”
She checked in with her other diners, all the while trying to squash her awareness of the masculine vibe emanating from table nine.
He was exactly the type of man she wanted to avoid—too handsome, self-important, and probably involved in a career that would expose him to women who had no care for the feelings of wives. The same type of man her father had been.
Not the kind she wanted at all. Her ideal was a man with a nine-to-five job, who coached Little League in the summers—a man who’d be true to her and to their family.
The memory of her mother’s tears as she told Mandy of her father’s final infidelity pained her. How could men be so unfeeling? This table nine guy was probably the same as every other man with money and power. Thought he could do anything he wanted.
By the time she got back to the table, she’d worked herself into a solid anger. How dare some Southern California snob come into her restaurant and sit at her table?
“What can I get you?”
Her indignation must have seeped into her voice, because he frowned before answering.
There goes my tip.
“I’ll have the Ridge Cabernet,” he said.
Might as well get dinner started, so he’d finish and leave, and she could begin again.
“Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes to decide?”
“Have I done something to offend you?” he asked.
“No. The specials are—” She rattled them off, then waited a few seconds, tapping her pen against the bill folder. “Well?”
She internally winced at the snippy tone in her voice. He didn’t deserve this—he seemed like a nice-enough guy. Once again, she was letting her anger over her past control her present.
He set down the menu and held out his hand. “We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot here, although for the life of me, I don’t understand why. I’m James Lubbock.”
Automatically, she shook his hand, and electricity raced up and down her spine. He had the strong grip of a man in charge. For a moment she wasn’t sure she’d be able to breathe again.
This was so not good.
She jerked her hand back. “What can I get you, James?”
“Was it the hair?”
“What?”
“Was it the remark I made about your hair that got you so mad?”
“No. No. It has nothing to do with you.” Her behavior shamed her. “What brings you to Costanoa?” She made an effort to add warmth to her voice.
He grinned at her. His damn teeth sparkled so much she expected a flash, like she’d seen in commercials for whitening strips.
“I’m an assistant locations manager. I’m working for a company filming a movie up toward Davenport,” he said.
Yep. She’d been right. He was a Hollywood guy. Just like dear old dad. “Oh.” She warred with her returning displeasure.
He leaned forward. “Do you think I could get my wine now?”
“Sure.” She fled the table and made a beeline for the polished redwood bar.
Author Info
Casey Dawes writes and quilts on the Clark Fork River in Missoula, Montana where she spends far too much time watching wildlife from her “woman cave.” She shares her peaceful abode with a husband she adores and two cats who think they own the joint.
In her previous “lives” she’s been a medical records secretary, stagehand, college professor, junior high teacher on an Indian Reservation, Montessori teacher in Brooklyn, temp in businesses in New York City, a database guru for several fortune 500 companies, business and life coach. She’s lived in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New York City, Pennsylvania and California. With these varied careers, four step-children and two boys of her own, she has plenty to write about!
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