R.E. Hargrave's Blog, page 268

RELEASE TOUR: The Lady and Mr. Jones by Alyssa Alexander #GIVEAWAY

THE LADY AND MR. JONESA Spy in the Ton series, Book 4
by Alyssa Alexander

She can never be his…

Born in the rookeries, the hard life is something Jones is all too familiar with. Saved as a young boy, he was trained to be a spy, one of the best--elite, in fact. He now spends his days serving His Majesty in espionage, hunting rogue spies. His latest assignment, though, has him tracking a fellow spy…

Cat Ashdown is a baroness. Nothing is more important than protecting five hundred years of heritage. She knows every detail of every estate that commands the largest income in Britain— yet her father placed her inheritance in trust to her uncle who is forcing her to marry a man she has no desire for. The baroness’s battle against law and convention leads her to Jones and results that are surprising … and possibly unwanted.


“Are we finished under the desk? I would like to stand, please. My legs are aching.”

There was a dry humor to her words, and he wondered if she were amused by their situation.

Certainly the two of them hiding beneath a desk, one after the other in order to avoid discovery, would be comical to witness.

“It’s probably safe.” Etiquette warred with protection in his mind, as he debated allowing her to leave the cubbyhole in advance as a lady should, or leaving before to ensure her safety.

She did not wait for his direction. She solved the dilemma by shifting to her hands and knees amid the swish of linen.

“This is so odd,” the baroness muttered as she crawled from beneath the desk. Her nightshift caught beneath her knees and she wrestled to free the fabric. He was treated to the most delightful pulling and stretching of thin linen over her bottom. “It’s also embarrassing,” she finished.

“I’m finding the view enjoyable.” The words fell from his lips before he could stop them. It was the most ungentlemanly comment he could make. Surely she would see, with a single statement, that he was nothing but a boy from the streets.

“I beg your pardon?” On her hands and knees, the baroness turned to look over her shoulder at him. She narrowed her eyes, but did not move. That lovely bottom stayed in front of him. Taunting him.

“My apologies, my lady.”

She scooted out from beneath the desk, movements quick and sharp.

“My words were inexcusable.” He did not look anywhere but into her eyes as he crawled from beneath the desk, refusing to allow his gaze to stray to any other part of her anatomy. He hoped it would put her at ease and make him feel less like a clod.

“It was.” But she did not sound panicked or prudish, only drew in a long breath and let it out again. “You should not say such things.”

“No, my lady.” But time mattered, so he unfolded himself to his full standing height, leaving her sitting on the study floor and looking up at him. She hesitated, then began to struggle to her feet.

“Please, allow me.” He spoke softly, holding out a hand and hoping she would not be so disappointed by his lack of finesse as to refuse his offer of assistance.

She stared at his hand with an expression he could not read. He looked down, expecting to see something frightening or strange attached to him, but he saw only his hand, gloveless to ease his search. It was not smooth or elegant as a man of her station’s would be, but wide, with blunt fingers and calluses.

Still, she set her hand in his and let him assist her to stand. Soft and smooth skin moved against his hand with none of the roughness marking his own flesh.

He wondered if she could feel his base birth through his very skin.





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The Smuggler Wore Silk
"He went looking for a traitor. He found a wife."

A thrilling, seductive adventure from award-winning author Alyssa Alexander…

After he is betrayed by one of his own, British spy Julian Travers, Earl of Langford, refuses to retire without a fight, vowing to find the traitor. But when the trail leads to his childhood home, Julian is forced to return to a place he swore he’d never see again, and meet a woman who may be his quarry—in more ways than one.

Though she may appear a poor young woman dependant on charity, Grace Hannah’s private life is far more interesting. By night, she finds friendship and freedom as a member of a smuggling ring. But when the handsome Julian arrives, she finds her façade slipping, and she is soon compromised, as well as intrigued.

As she and Julian continue the hunt, Grace finds herself falling in love with the man behind the spy. Yet Julian’s past holds a dark secret. And when he must make a choice between love and espionage, that secret may tear them apart.

In Bed with a Spy
Revenge has never been so seductive. 

When her husband is killed at Waterloo, Lilias Fairchild takes up his cavalry sword and boldly storms the front, earning herself the nickname Angel of Vengeance. But there is another angel on the battlefield who is just as single-minded, and just as ruthless…

Alastair Whitmore, the Marquess of Angelstone, is a British spy. Code name: Angel. Still haunted by a first love felled by assassins, his mission draws him to Waterloo, where he is captivated by a beautiful and mysterious woman fighting amongst the men—a woman who becomes his most intoxicating memory of war.

Passion has never been so dangerous. 

Two years later, Lilias and Angelstone lock eyes in a crowded ballroom and the memory returns in an exhilarating rush. The history they share, and hide from the world, is as impossible to ignore as the heat of their attraction. But it’s that very connection that spells doom for their scandalous affair. When someone from the shadows of their past proves a dire threat to their lives, passion might not be enough to save them.

A Dance with Seduction
She was the only code he couldn't break...

Vivienne La Fleur is one of London’s most sought after opera dancers and one of England’s best weapons: the spy known as the Flower. When a French agent pressures her to change allegiance by abducting her sister, Vivienne is forced to seek the help of the only man in London who doesn’t want her.

Maximilian Westwood, retired code breaker, doesn't like surprises or mysteries and the Flower is both. When she sneaks into his study in the middle of the night with a coded message, he’s ready to push her out whatever window she arrived through. Except Maximilian is unable to turn away a woman in trouble. Determined to rescue Vivienne’s sister, they engage in a game of cat and mouse with French spies that requires all of Vivienne’s training and Maximilian’s abilities. Bound together by secrecy, they discover there is more between them than politics and hidden codes, but love has no place among the secrets of espionage...



Despite being a native Michigander, Alyssa Alexander is pretty certain she belongs somewhere sunny. And tropical. Where drinks are served with little paper umbrellas. But until she moves to those white sandy beaches, she survives the cold Michigan winters by penning romance novels that always include a bit of adventure. She lives with her own set of heroes, aka an ever-patient husband who doesn’t mind using a laundry basket for a closet, and a small boy who wears a knight in a shining armor costume for such tasks as scrubbing potatoes.

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COVER REVEAL: The Holiday Package by Leigh Lennon #GIVEAWAY

THE HOLIDAY PACKAGEA Jake Davis Novella: Part 1
by Leigh LennonGenre: Naughty Holiday Romance Novella


Ten days in the Cayman Islands should put a smile on my face but it becomes the reminder of what I lost. It didn't take long for me to come face to face with the sassiest and hardest of women, who may be able to make me forget all I left behind. In that moment, I realize I want her!

This vacation is about moving on, getting past what I can’t have. The saucy little ginger flaunting her perfect curvy body in her next to nothing bikinis can be the distraction I need to forget it all. Her fire and brimstone attitude is one reason I am in constant arousal. When she proposes a holiday affair, will I be able to say good-bye in the end? Will my heart allow this, even when my mind keeps on saying this is a hell of a risk?



Leaning back in her chair; Sasha takes her swimsuit cover off; smirking my way as she lifts her sunglasses to look at me.

“Listen, Jake. I hope you don’t find this too forward and this was the very last thing I had in mind when I came here. But I need fun this holiday season and you look like you could be a hell of a lot of fun. And if I’m not mistaken, you look like you could relax and let loose too.”

Fucking hell, was she about to say what I think was about to come out of her mouth. I’m not a man whore but this woman is something else, in a good way. I only smile at her next words.

“So, by your smile, let’s have some fun together. Ten days here in the Cayman Islands, that is all I can give you. Are you willing to see where tonight can lead and if it leads to your bed,” she wiggles her eye brows at me, “Or mine, are you okay with that? I mean, I sense you've had a constant hard on since I arrived here. I gave you shit for coming to my rescue at the airport but it did mean more than I can say.” She pauses, taking another sip of her beer, “I can be a hard ass. I’m soft, when you get to know me. By the way; you; Mr. Davis, do something to me.” She leans in, giving me a small kiss on my lips then walks to the guest villa, leaving me both hard and breathless.





Publication date is December 8, 2017
Leigh Lennon is mother, veteran and a wife of a cancer survivor. Originally with a degree in education, she started writing as an outlet that has led a deep passion as she wrote twelve books. Now ready to publish all of them, she lugs her computer with her as she crafts her next story. She can be found drinking coffee or wine, depending on the time of the day.

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The Last Breath
Loss is not foreign to Julia Barnett. To the outside world she is the epitome of the perfect mom. That is, until the doors of her impeccable life are closed and reality hits her square in the face. Once the leading lady in her own epic love story, she can only look back at what used to be. With an absent husband, an intrusive father, a troubled child, and an ex-fiancé that is still tied to her life, it’s no wonder Julia is grasping for air in her chaotic world.

The bruises that Julia lives with are invisible to those closest to her. She lost so much early in life, more than most could survive. Now, she grapples with resentment towards her husband because of all the empty promises he’s made. In the midst of this turmoil, test results reveal an illness she is not sure she will survive.

For Julia, it is not her life that may be cut short that consumes her, but how her family will endure without her there. As everyone rallies around Julia while she fights like hell to live, she learns that family, along with love, comes in many shapes and sizes. It is her family that gives her the strength to fight the biggest battle of her life; one she doesn’t want to lose.



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BIRTHDAY BASH: Romance! #GIVEAWAY #SeasonOfSeduction #JacquieBiggar #SultryNights #GraceHarper #REHargrave #JenniferTheriot #ZoeMullins

The company was created from the passion and desire of its owner, Tami Adams, because of her experiences as an author. From her struggles to have her books viewed and appreciated she knew there had to be another way.

Three years later Tami no longer writes but is determined to show the world the magic that lies within the pages of all books.

The following authors are helping Magic of Books to celebrate its birthday. Enjoy.

Message from Tami:

The last three years have been an incredible journey. I've made so many friends who began as bloggers, readers, and authors. I have been privileged to present and showcase new and old books from seasoned and new authors. I've learned so much I didn't even realize I should know prior to getting into this business. And after three years I can honestly say I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still making friends. I love and appreciate all of you who have supported my little slice of heaven. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

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ROMANCE

Romance in traditional literary terms is a narration of the extraordinary exploits of heroes, often in exotic or mysterious settings. The term romance has also been used for stories of mysterious adventures, not necessarily of heroes. These adventure romances usually are set in distant places.

Please enjoy these books that focus on romance and all the sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter.

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Season of Seduction by Multiple AuthorsRomance. Winter/Christmas theme (multi genre romance (contemporary and PNR))
Ring in the holidays this year with this collection of steamy to sexy scintillating reads from today's hottest bestselling authors. Whether you’re looking for a romance by the warm glow of the fireplace or a passionate romp on a bear skin rug, there is something for all readers, for every taste, desire, and whim.

Come and join us, won’t you? This is sure to be a Season... of Seduction.

Silver Bells by Jacquie Biggar
Contemporary Holiday Romance

Will a Christmas wish give a lonely author a family?

Mystery writer, Joel Carpenter, has no time for romance. He has a deadline to meet, and too many skeletons in his closet to trust the slightly spinny artist renting his house.

Christy Taylor has her hands full dealing with an ailing business and a diabetic daughter, she doesn't need the temptation that is her landlord, Joel Carpenter.

Can a Christmas wish bring two stubborn souls together and give a little girl the gift she wants most?

Sultry Nights by Multiple Authors
Contemporary Romance

Love, passion, romance and desire… No matter what your preference, this set of 22 hot and sexy reads has just what you need. From surprise love affairs to bad boys that we can’t help but fall for, and couples that were meant to be, this compilation from Romance Collections is sure to please your every single need.

Sunshine & Lightning by Grace Harper
Romance

The six stories are set in the fictional town of Jackson's Bay that only comes alive once a year. Ipris Magazine has its gala ball at the Imperial Estate on top of the cliffs, and this year they are celebrating 140 years of publication.

The town is basking in an usually long heat wave. Clothes are coming off, and inhibitions are being lost. We follow twenty-two people throughout the week leading up to the party. Secrets, revelations, ambitions and desires will come to the forefront. Will the men and women overcome inhibitions, stigma and blackmailers by the time they attend the Gala celebrations that will have over a thousand people in attendance?

Sunshine and Lightning is the first of six books.

Karl Spencer walked out on Rebecca Patterson ten years ago and has regretted it ever since. There wasn’t a week that passed by that he didn’t regret running away from her that night. Karl spent a lot of time hating himself for not fighting for their relationship.

Rebecca used her broken heart to fuel her determination to achieve her career goal, Editor-in-Chief of Ipris Magazine. She ignores that she had never had a relationship last more than three months. An enforced week off lands her in Jackson’s Bay at the same time as Karl Spencer.

No matter what, Karl is determined to find out if she still feels anything for him.

Will Karl win Rebecca back?

Unchained Melody by R.E. Hargrave
Military Romance (contemporary)

Marshall Chandler is a true American who grew up wanting nothing more than to serve his country to the best of his ability, by becoming a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. On the eve of his first assignment, he meets the woman that will haunt his dreams and change his life.

A single night to connect, but a decade to realize it... when one man is torn between the love of his country and what might have been the love of his life, how does he stay sane? How does he cope? And will he ever get a second chance at love?

Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways.

(Available in Kindle Unlimited and on Audio via Amazon, Audible, & iTunes)

Unwrapping Noel by Jennifer Theriot
Romance / Short Story

**2017 Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Winner: Fiction/Short Story-Novella**

Noel Calabrese hates the holidays as much as she hates her life. Overweight, insecure and heartbroken, she retreats into a world of misery.

While in the Silicon Valley on a business trip, she meets Leon Hallas. Could he be her ticket to happiness? Can she learn to trust men again? Are second chances at happiness even remotely possible?

Unwrap this steamy little contemporary romance, complete with a palindrome about second chances, discovering self-worth and watch as the sexy silver fox falls for the full figured beauty just in time for the holidays. Is Leon Hallas Mr. Right and will he and Noel find their happy ever after?

This short story contains adult language and situations, and is intended for readers over the age of 18.

Winning Cait by Zoë Mullins
Romance (Contemporary Romance)

After more than a decade, Cait has returned home to St. Augustin and the Dom she left behind. A pampered sub, now widowed, Cait has adjusted to making decisions for herself for the first time in years. With some help from her friends, she's begun a new life.

Then Jackson walks into her studio it's as if their years apart never happened - as if she hadn't left him for his best friend. He never stopped loving her and he's not going to give up this time. He's determined to win her back, not only as his sub but as his wife.

(Reader Advisory: Grab a glass of wine, and put the kids to bed. This story has one hot Dom and a sub willing to make up for lost time. Graphic sexual language and scenes are to be expected.)

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RELEASE BLITZ: What He Needs by E.M. Denning

WHAT HE NEEDSDesires Book 1by E.M. DenningPublisher: Paper Gold Publishing
Genre: M/M romance with a twist of kink


A Disillusioned Dom

A Devastated Sub

When Craig walks into the first kink club he’s been in for months, the last thing he expects to see is his former Dom, Tim, wearing a collar. If learning his ex is a switch isn’t shocking enough, Craig quickly finds himself on the wrong side of his ex's Dom. When the reunion turns ugly, another Dom swoops in and saves the day, and Craig is too shaken to argue when the sweet Dom steps in and takes care of him.

Alan noticed the boy the minute he walked into his club. It was hard not to. He was beautiful, sad, and fully clothed. Once the boy is in Alan’s arms he knows he doesn’t want to let him go, maybe ever. He worries that even though his hardcore Dom days are behind him, his experience will scare Craig and he’ll lose the chance to have something real with him.

Their relationship quickly heats up, but Craig can’t stop wondering if an inexperienced sub will be enough for a seasoned Dom in the long run.



Alan had never seen a sight more beautiful than Craig. When he rolled the boy over and started massaging his chest he was completely pliant under his touch. Alan’s cock was rock solid almost to the point of being painful.

Being trapped in his trousers didn’t make things any easier. From the moment he first touched Craig and the boy whimpered and then relaxed, Alan wanted him. He wanted him relaxed, and happy, and begging. Then Alan rolled him over and Craig’s breathing became shallow and needy. His beautiful cock was rock solid and it was all he could do to ignore it. This wasn’t supposed to be about that. This was supposed to be a simple massage, something to relax Craig and help him float for a while and hopefully forget about that bastard Tim.

Then Craig whimpered again.

“Please, Sir. Please. Please.” Craig’s voice was thick with need and his eyebrows started to draw together. The poor boy was aching for release. Alan ran his hands down Craig’s torso. He loved the way Craig’s muscles seemed to chase his touch.

“Please, Sir. Please. I need…I need…”

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E. M. Denning is a writer from British Columbia. She loves her family and her animals and anything cute and fuzzy. She was born a hopeless romantic and when she’s not writing romance, she’s probably reading it. She loves love.



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L@@K at ME! Poppies for Christmas by Stacy Renee Keywell #YA #Romance

POPPIES FOR CHRISTMAS by Stacy Renée KeywellGenre: YA Romance
A celebration of love without labels. It’s easy to be brave with you by my side!

Popular DJ Dexx finds himself positively smitten by the precociously pristine Poppy Paris. Too bad she’s already taken by an older boy, Declan Davies, a beautiful model with a thriving career, and a perfect family. By a dreamful stroke of chance, Dexx finds himself invited to spend Christmas at the Davies home by a gorgeous girl, granting him the opportunity to pursue the precious Poppy. But in his quest to win her over, he unlocks a world of imperfection and insecurity, where people are picked on for their disabilities, speech, appearance, and eccentricities. For Poppy and her friends, love trumps labels, and everyone deserves a brave friend to stand by their side. What gifts will Dexx discover this Christmas? Will he ultimately find true love, or will he discover something even greater?

You are invited to read a powerful story about living with autism, but not letting it define you, about being bullied, but carrying on with determination and grit, and about having dreams, but not giving up in the face of adversity. Come celebrate something beautiful with Poppies for Christmas.


The Science of Baking

I read somewhere once that cooking is an art. It takes imagination and flare. But baking? Baking is a science. It takes exactitude and precision. It requires patience. It requires dedication. It requires love. A whole lot of love. And well…that’s what I’ve got…love…love for a girl, a special one, one who deserves dedication. So what do I choose to prove my love? I choose baking.

Chapter One

Lenn

Deep inside my tote, my hand grazed against my faithful sketchbook before I removed it. The metal spirals comforted my fingers as I dragged them across the row of sharp-edged rings. Firmly gripping the book, I flipped it open to a blank page near the middle. I smoothed out the slightly texturized, eggshell white page. I bent down and buried my nose in the crease, inhaling the faint lead pencil scent. It calmed me, readying me to add another chapter to my visual saga.

Spreading my tools around me, hard and soft pencils, a ruler, several firm erasers, and a small metal sharpener, I steadied my hand and cleared my mind, inviting in only the most blissful images of my fantasy. With a soft lead pencil, I constructed an oval blank for the face. Art classes definitely assisted in perfecting the technique, but dedication and talent trumped instruction.

I used the ruler to estimate the proper dimensions. I added eyes, a nose, some crazy-hot lips, all his beautiful features. I gave him expressive brows. I sketched his glossy dark brown hair, shaggy bangs flopping over to the side, covering his ear, exposing that sarcastic, twisted grin on his lips, the same way he looked when he joked around with his friends in the corner of the library during study hall.

A trusty eraser mopped up all of the stray, miscellaneous marks. I blew away a couple gummy shreds before I shaded in his taut jawline. I wiped up the last scattered pieces left behind on the page before I started on adding myself to the portrait. Duplicating the process, I gave myself a hipper, manga-esque look, allowing for a more whimsical likeness of myself.

Poppy and Kit sat at the same long, wooden table, on the opposite side of me. Kit swiped through the pages on her tablet, desperately trying to find the right page number, since she had neglected to tap the bookmark before closing out her chapter the previous night. Nervous oohs and aahs escaped her lips. Poppy, sitting with her legs crossed, jiggled her feet beneath her chair, shaking the table, creating a rattling earthquake under my artwork.

I shot a glare in her direction. “Would you please stop? The both of you! You are driving me crazy, and ruining my picture.”

Poppy and Kit stopped suddenly. They looked at each other, wide-eyed and innocent, two does in the midst of a meadow. Unaware! Clueless! Oblivious!

“I can’t think when you moan that way,” I snapped, addressing Kit. She squirmed underneath her oversized flannel shirt and baggy jeans.

“And, you,” I turned to Poppy. “You are going to smudge my drawing with all of that wild motion going on underneath the table. Can it!”

Their jaws dropped. They both stared at me, wordless.

“Please.” I hugged my journal protectively. Softening my voice, I turned to Poppy and asked her again. “Please?”

“Sorry,” they announced in simulcast, sighing, shrugging their shoulders, lost together in the great woods of their minds.

They looked back down at their own musings. I continued to draw.

In this picture, the two of us relaxed together on a chaise lounge, him with his large, bulbous headphones, and me with my skull and crossbones ear buds. Our eyes drifted in the opposite direction, lids almost closed, in a sleepy trance. My arm draped across his chest until our fingers entwined, intimately. We zoned out to his simpatico beats.



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Born with the passion for storytelling, Stacy Renée Keywell spends time stargazing, daydreaming, and creating adventures for her family to conquer. Being an educator for over twenty years, Stacy enjoys studying and sharing her knowledge of culture, philosophy, language, and the humanities. She loves the human spirit, appreciates profound humor, and dreams about the mysteries of the spiritual unknown. Besides following her whimsical dreams, Stacy’s hobbies include singing off tune, dancing oddly yet awesomely, reading as much as possible, and traveling around the globe with gusto. Stacy lives a life of fabulous clichés. Stacy works hard at telling bad joke, and making up amazing new words in hopes that they will one day find their way into the dictionary. She strives to love without labels with her nonprofit movement Project Love Without Labels, which tackles social stigmas and takes on bullying. She vows to bravely stand by the sides of those who need her, especially her two daughters. Stacy, her husband, and her children, live in Michigan in a quaint house in the woods.

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RELEASE TOUR: Frozen Heart by Ella Medler #TimeTravel #Fantasy

FROZEN HEARTCalidora series, the prequel
by Ella MedlerGenre: Time-Travel Fantasy


Quiet and listless, the glass heart sat hidden under layers of unremarkable clutter, its secret safe. The human hands had touched it often through the strata of debris, but until now, had never uncovered it fully.

At last, the yellow duster cut through the grime, and the heart began to shift. It would most likely have frozen over again, up on its high shelf, if the cat’s careless pouncing hadn’t made if fall into a box full of tinsel.

This is how the history of time and place began to change — with the story of the frozen heart.



“I would love to travel in time with you, Mal.”

His answering grin almost turned her knees to jelly, he was that handsome.

“First, you must make sure you don’t lose track of me. I can’t even imagine the trouble you’d get into without me there to guide you.”

Khira hooked the ribbon over her head. If she let go, the glass heart would dangle right over hers, she realized. “Is this okay?” she asked. Mal nodded. “Wait! Do I need anything? Boots? A coat? Cash?”

Mal smiled again. “It won’t matter. I can make you fit in anywhere.” He touched his hand to the wall of glass. “Give me your hand.”

Khira placed the tips of her fingers over his hand. A helix of light burst forth from the heart. It grew and pulsed around her until it became a vortex of colors, twisting and winding around each other like ribbons in a tornado, with her at the center of it all.

She clasped the heart closer to her chest as she felt her body lifting into the air. Just before she started spinning, her window crashed open and a shaggy, furry shape, somewhat reminiscent of Dodo the cat, leapt into the funnel and landed on her shoulder. Khira screamed when the creature’s claws sank into the skin on her back, but she didn’t dare let go of the heart in her hands. The whirlpool of color and motion intensified, and then exploded in a shower of stars.

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SHATTERED HEART is another Calidora story. This book is only available in The Bells of Winter boxset.

SHATTERED HEART


The frozen heart with its vicious curse slices its way through time to a plague-hit London. Dodo, guardian of Calidora, ruler of time, has a momentous decision to make—save himself or sacrifice his life to save humanity.

THE BELLS OF WINTERThe Bells are ringing for the turn of the year, so grab a hot toddy, a warm blanket, and this collection of beautiful stories to warm up your heart and soul. These are all clean, family-friendly, inspiring reads in many genres, great for entertaining anyone from lovers of fantasy to the more serious mystery reader.

Add this collection to your kindle now. And while you're at it, gift it to grandma, too.

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Ella Medler is a U.K. author and editor. She writes fiction in many genres in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven, and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.

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BIRTHDAY BASH: Fantasy! #GIVEAWAY #MichelleMurray #MackenzieFlohr #SorchiaDuBois

The company was created from the passion and desire of its owner, Tami Adams, because of her experiences as an author. From her struggles to have her books viewed and appreciated she knew there had to be another way.

Three years later Tami no longer writes but is determined to show the world the magic that lies within the pages of all books.

The following authors are helping Magic of Books to celebrate its birthday. Enjoy.

Message from Tami:

The last three years have been an incredible journey. I've made so many friends who began as bloggers, readers, and authors. I have been privileged to present and showcase new and old books from seasoned and new authors. I've learned so much I didn't even realize I should know prior to getting into this business. And after three years I can honestly say I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still making friends. I love and appreciate all of you who have supported my little slice of heaven. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
FANTASY

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that concentrates on imaginary elements (the fantastic). This can mean magic, the supernatural, alternate worlds, superheroes, monsters, fairies, magical creatures, mythological heroes—essentially, anything that an author can imagine outside of reality. With fantasy, the magical or supernatural elements serve as the foundation of the plot, setting, characterization, or storyline in general.

Please enjoy these books that focus on fantasy and all its sub-genres. The list is available in alphabetically order by title.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter.

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

The Dream Walker, Land of Mystica Series Volume One by Michelle Murray
Fantasy

Enter Mystica with Miranda. Once upon Mystica there were six wizards. Learn the legend of the wizards. Find out how they were trapped. One curious boy finds and releases Midnight one of the dark wizards. Miranda has dreams of another world. She is called by the dream magic to travel to Mystica. Follow her adventures as she tries to find the one Wizard that can defeat Midnight, Lightning. Can she find the stone containing Lightning before Midnight takes over Mystica?

The Rite of Wands by Mackenzie Flohr
YA Fantasy

One boy…one Rite… And a world of deadly secrets that could change the course of history—forever.

And so begins the tale of Mierta McKinnon. When a horrible fate reveals itself during his Rite of Wands ceremony, he must find a way to change not only his destiny but also the land of Iverna’s.

Forbidden from revealing the future he foresees to anyone, he is granted a wand and his magical powers, but still must master the realm of magic in order to save himself and those he loves.

But Mierta is not the only one with secrets…especially when it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones by Sorchia DuBois
Romantic Paranormal Fantasy

Granny’s dying, but Zoraida can save her with a magic crystal of smoky quartz. Too bad the crystal is in Scotland––in a haunted castle––guarded by mind-reading, psychopathic sorcerers.

Getting inside Castle Logan is easy. Getting out––not so much. Before she can snatch the stone, Zoraida stumbles into a family feud, uncovers a wicked ancient curse, and finds herself ensorcelled by not one but two handsome Scottish witches. Up to their necks in family intrigue and smack-dab in the middle of a simmering clan war, Zoraida and her best friend Zhu discover Granny hasn’t told them everything.

Not by a long shot.

✯ ✯ ✯ ✯

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COVER REVEAL: Bob and the Polk-Dot Highway by R. Murphy

BOB AND THE POLKA-DOT HIGHWAYBook 3 of The Bob Booksby R. MurphyGenre: Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Leah Kaye Suttle via Soul Mate Publishing


Poor Roz…once again stuck on the horns of a dilemma. Does she accept the great offer for a job that’s hundreds of miles from Crooked Lake? Or does she pick David, the great guy who grows grapes half a mile from her house? And either way—assuming our crabby woman-of-a-certain-age manages to make a decision—what about her ghost, Bob?

Granted, Bob and Roz have never had a … ummmm… ‘traditional’ relationship but still, martini-loving ghosts don’t toddle along every day of the week. What happens to the wit, the sparkle, the laughter?

So many questions…(sigh).

Join Roz, David—and Bob—as they spend a beautiful, but confusing, summer on Crooked Lake. And oh, by the way, watch out for drips…



Bob, the ghost who turns up at my place on a very regular basis, watched me as I placed the phone quietly on the table, a rare worried look on his face. “Good news, or bad news?” he asked. “It sounded like Tess offered you the job, but you don’t seem particularly happy about it. Should I make martinis to celebrate or to drown our sorrows?”

“Oh, it’s definitely time to cue the martinis,” I responded (more about the martinis later). “We need a party right about now.”

Bob brightened and got busy. While he’s occupied making his lethal cocktails, I’ll take a minute to bring you up to speed. (But as I said, for the full story, you probably want to read the previous books in this trilogy—Bob at the Lake and Bob at The Plaza). As you might guess from the titles, Bob and I have a fairly checkered history.)

The Cliff Notes version of these volumes, though, would be something like: “Roz, a woman of a certain age, struggles valiantly (some might point out, rather crabbily) with the financial havoc wreaked by the Great Recession. To complicate matters, the Universe (Clive?) assigns Bob, a martini-loving ghost associated with the Algonquin Round Table, to ‘help’ me (quotes added here by a thoroughly exasperated author) with two tasks: 1) do something ‘special’ (again, quotes = exasperation) and 2) decide whether to sell my beautiful but isolated and high-maintenance lake house.

The latter challenge seems to have been met—I listed my house about a month ago with Crooked Lake’s Marilyn Monroe-look-alike real estate agent, Penny Mae. (Who, incidentally, is now in hot pursuit of David, my mostly-ex-boyfriend.)

As for the ‘special’ task, Bob and I still debate the exact meaning of that assignment. In my mind, that job might be something related to my freelance work as a corporate writer who raises big money for Community Chest. Bob disagrees, hinting that my mission is probably more personal, perhaps pertaining to the unpublished book manuscript I’ve penned regarding our relationship. … The exact nature of this task has always been murky and an ongoing source of frustration.

And I hardly need another source of frustration—my life abounds with the stuff, thank you very much. I’m broke, with an expensive lake house to maintain. Plus, I recently lost one of my two paying freelance clients. And, even though my house survived Crooked Lake’s wicked spring floods, they left their mark, mostly on my psyche. The financial uncertainties caused by all of these challenges caused me to break off my budding relationship with David. I knew I’d have to look far afield to find a decent job, and I didn’t want to take the chance of getting in too deep with land-locked, mutually impoverished David and his vineyards. Not a fun decision, but probably a wise one since it turns out my new job places me squarely in the middle of Ohio…





Bob at the Lake
What would happen if Roz, a crabby woman of a certain age, moved to the wintry shores of a New York lake—and got a ghost? And not just any ghost, mind you. Bob’s a ghost from 1920’s Manhattan, full of quips and over fond of his martinis, who swans around in a silk smoking jacket and makes Roz’s life very . . . well, let’s just say ‘complicated.’

Especially after Roz meets David, the good-looking grape grower who lives up the hill. Join Roz, David—and Bob—as they navigate blizzards, cookie mazes, holiday shopping sprees, and the occasional power outage. (You know, all of those delightful challenges of a good, old-fashioned Northern winter . . .)

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Bob at the Plaza
Bob, our favorite martini-loving ghost, has vanished. Now Roz faces a miserable snowbound Crooked Lake winter alone. Well, almost alone. Thank goodness for David, the practical, kind grape grower who lives up the hill.

What a winter it is! Record-breaking snows followed months later by record-setting rains. Ah, the joys of living on a lake shore when the spring floods arrive.

High water, anyone?

Undeterred by mice, sociopathic relatives, Carnegie Hall disasters, and spring floods, Roz searches for her MIA ghost. In the process she goes toe-to-toe with the hyper-verbal crowd at the Algonquin Round Table. Can Roz best smarty-pants Dorothy Parker in a game of wits? Will Harpo Marx finally speak out and help Bob return to Crooked Lake?

For the answers to these and many other spirited questions, read BOB AT THE PLAZA!

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Roz Murphy is the pseudonym of a long-time Finger Lakes resident who lives with ghosts and doesn’t want to confirm in her neighbors’ minds how nutty she really is. (They already have their suspicions.) After decades of writing in Manhattan and throughout the country, Roz settled on the shores of New York’s Keuka Lake, some of the most beautiful country ever created. She’s an ardent fan of the Finger Lakes wine industry, especially the local dry Rieslings.


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RELEASE TOUR: Heart & Dagger by Holland Rae #GIVEAWAY

HEART & DAGGERThe Ships in the Night series, Book 1
by Holland RaeGenre: Spicy Historical Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press


Lady Charlotte Talbot hasn’t seen Armand Rajaram de Bourbon, her oldest childhood friend and once betrothed, since his family returned to India when she was fifteen. Since then, she has left a groom at the altar, changed her name to Catalina Sol, opened a house for unwed mothers and orphans, and captained a ship, the Liberté, crewed by the best fighters in the Spanish Main. She’s no longer the lady he left behind, not that she’d admit to wishing he’d return.

When Armand’s brother is kidnapped, he breaks his rule of never engaging with pirates. But desperation drives him to the Liberté and a life he thought he’d left far behind. He’d do anything to save Henri, but Armand never expected to find Charlotte here, and now that’s he’s found her, he doesn’t have a clue what to do about it.

Together, they must face kidnapping, pirate captains, blackmail, and themselves. The Liberté may sail thousands of miles from the shores of England, but that might not be far enough to escape the past.

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“Like you, Armand?” she asked him. Her voice had reached an even tone, with no emotion evident, and that was far more terrifying than her angered yelling. Like him. He could have been her husband these years now, had he ever written back, had he not turned himself away from everything London and Paris were to him. He had been a coward and fool.

And yet, the knowledge did not serve to calm his temper in the slightest. Instead, he nearly ground his teeth to dust, as she continued her even speech.

“I have never needed a man to care for me,” she said, her gaze so full of disdain, Armand felt himself growing smaller in the wake of it. “I have never needed anyone to care for me.” This time, when she spoke, there was no denying the sadness that filtered through her words, or the expression in her eyes, and Armand felt his own grief in it, felt his own sadness as it mirrored hers.

“Why are you trying to change me?” she asked him. He knew he needed to back down, knew that if he spoke right at this moment, as this woman stood before him in her britches, then he would regret it forever. He knew all these things, and yet the anger seemed to consume him, anger, fear, sadness.

“It’s about time someone tried.”

He watched her finish dressing and leave without another word, but there was no denying the pain he saw in those beautiful eyes, and he felt all the hurt he had caused her as acutely as if someone had dug a knife into his very own body. Of course he didn’t want to change her, not the glorious laughter that exposed her long stretch of beautiful neck, not the way she treated the world’s misfits, offering them love and joy, so much more than just clothing and food. There was not a single thing in the world he would change about Catalina Sol.

He stopped short, eyes still wide upon the doorway through which she had only just left. If he didn’t want to change her, then why had he said so? Why had he said the one thing he knew would hurt her more than all the rest?

Because she had done the same.

She hadn’t even said no, hadn’t even rejected him in a way that stood to break him, but as Armand stood in Catalina’s chamber all alone, he realized he hadn’t proposed out of honor. He hadn’t suddenly developed the sense of responsibility that had forsaken him all those years ago.

He had proposed because he wanted to marry her. The thought was like a knife turning in his belly, and it sent a shard of new pain through his temple.

He had wanted to marry her.

As she had lain in the morning sunshine, her hair spread around her, that delicious glow upon her skin, Armand had believed it his duty to marry Catalina, but it hadn’t been his duty. It hadn’t been his responsibility. It had been his desire.

And then she had laughed, had laughed and thrown his betrayal of their once future in his face, and Armand hadn’t understood why he had been so angry. But he understood now, he knew exactly what had driven him to say the words he knew would bring her to her knees. Because she had brought him to his knees and Armand Rajaram de Bourbon, earl, comte, somewhere in line for an Indian princehood, didn’t like the sensation one bit.





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Holland Rae is an author of several works of erotic and romantic fiction in both the contemporary and historical genres, and enjoys pushing the limits of freedom, feminism, and fun in her stories. She has been an avid writer for many years, and recently moved back to her home state of New Jersey from Boston, after completing her education in journalism and creative writing. In her free time, she loves to travel, and spent several months living in a 14th century castle in the Netherlands. When not exploring the world, she likes dreaming up stories, eating spicy food, driving fast cars, and talking to strangers.

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RELEASE TOUR: dissension by Kristy Centeno

DISSENSIONA Deliverance Novel, Book 2
by Kristy CentenoGenre: NA Paranormal
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing


In an age where humans dominate the world…

And supernatural creatures exist in the cover of darkness…

He must find a place among his rivals or risk losing it all.

Hayden has had his hands tied coping with life outside of the Institutes. He’s come far despite all the bumps along the way. He’s allowed himself to believe he could live a normal life…until a new threat makes its presence known.

In an instant, his entire life is flipped upside down once more. Those he cares for are not safe with or without him. There’s no escaping his past. Or permanent solution to his problems. One way or another he’ll become the target for all those looking to destroy the hybrid who endangers their way of life and challenges everything they’ve ever known.

Now he must decide between kill or be killed, and risk becoming the very monster he’s fought so hard to prove he’s not. Freedom has come with a price, but is he willing to pay the cost?

“Where is Kristina?” Rose elbows her way to the front of the procession, ignoring the quick glares Bray’s werewolves direct at her.

Kristina.

I scan the crowd, accounting for everyone except her. A knot forms in the pit of my stomach. She was here a moment ago. Where did she disappear to? A frightening realization assails me and I do a quick body count of Jovian’s men. Two are missing. Neither here nor among those I mangled in the fight.

Fixated on the spot where I last saw her standing, I dash toward it. My nostrils flair as I breathe in, detecting three distinct scents. One of which belongs to her.

The woods. They took her.

Without a second thought, I race into the woodlands, following the vampires’ scent. My feet heavy, as if they’re made of lead. I fly between trees, moving at record speeds, but even so it’s like I’m not making any progress. As if the world is at a standstill. The more distance I cover the farther away she feels.

She’s gone.

Dismay settles in, filling me with trepidation and lack of confidence. I’ve lost her trail. I read the signs left on the earth. Two sets of footprints now instead of three. She must have not been walking from this point on. Where were they taking her?

Afraid of what I will find at the end of the trail left by the pair who carried her away, I use my preternatural senses to put together a possible scenario. I don’t detect either the vampires or Kristina. No unusual sounds anywhere that can point me to where she is.

Still, I push on. Despite my conscious stating repeatedly that she’s no longer within the vicinity, I trudge on. Injured and weak, I begin to feel the results of the multiple encounters with Jovian and his men. But I don’t care. My body will heal. Kristina, however, will not. If they harm her…




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Deliverance
He’s been locked away his entire life.

He dreams of freedom.

The only way he can accomplish his goals is by breaking free of the chains tying him to a dark past and gloomy existence. But there’s one catch. He’s not human.

And he’s never set foot outside his jail.

Devoted to saving his peers as well as his own life, he sets out to find the one person that can help him achieve his objectives. He knows where she will be and what she will look like, but what he doesn’t anticipate is the fact that he finds himself caring for the girl whose life he’s put at risk, more and more each day.

He has no name.

He has only known hatred and violence before her.

However, she will teach him to have faith in humanity, even if she can’t trust him.

Together they will embark on a journey to bring down a corrupt system responsible for the loss of many innocent lives. But when he finds his feelings compromised, can he still move on knowing that doing so will put an end to the life she once knew? How far is he willing to go to be free?



Kristy Centeno is the author of the Secrets of the Moon saga and Keeper Witches series.

She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.

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