Casey Peeler's Blog, page 40

A Lussuria Review

Synopsis

An emotional erotic heart-wrenching story of lust, love and light

Alexis Evangeline Robertson is young, insecure and daunted with painful memories from her dark, tortured childhood. She has rules, and she has boundaries.

She never lets anyone too close.

Lucca Caruso has the most mesmerising crystal azure blue eyes and a heart of gold. When Lexi meets this Italian God, she doesn’t expect to see him again.

But fate intervenes.

While on vacation at a Villa in Val D’Orcia, near the Chianti hills outside of Florence, she is more than surprised to see Lucca arrive at the very same villa. Lexi begins a journey of self-discovery, helplessly folding, melting and crumbling to the temptation of her heart’s desire.

After the desires of lust …

And the sweetness of love …

Lexi will spread her wings towards the light …

This is the story of one girl’s destiny to find her light from her sinister, dark and harrowing past and the one man who can take her there.

Chelly’s Thoughts

Alexis “Lexi” Robertson has had an unimaginably brutal childhood, and because of that, she doesn’t trust anyone. She vows never to let a stranger break the boundaries and touch her, and there are only a few people that are aware of her past and her scars, but these few people Lexi cares for deeply. Now as an adult, she works as a physiotherapist, lives with her brother, Cameron, her dog, Doris, and her best friend, Hazel, and deals with her past by mentally filing everything away. When Lucca comes into her office to get his back checked out, she immediately feels things towards him she’s never felt before.

Lucca Caruso is an Italian God with a hot body, the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen, and a heart of gold. Unbeknownst to Lexi, he owns Club di Energia where she works, and he is drawn to Lexi right away when he goes into her office. He can’t figure out why she won’t give in to him or answer his questions, but he is determined to find out more about her.

When Lexi goes on a two week holiday with Hazel to Italy for cooking classes, the last person she expects to see is Lucca. Because of her past, she thinks he has to be stalking her and she has a full-blown panic attack in front of everyone. When Lucca takes it upon himself to care for Lexi and she finds herself alone with him, the chemistry is undeniable, but she still won’t break her rules. Can she let go of her past enough to open up to a real relationship? Can Lucca convince her of her beauty, scars and all? Can she trust him with her deepest secrets or will it only push him away?

File under S for sexy times…lots of them! This book was steamy! I can’t help but feel like it moved way too fast in a lot of parts and it was a little unbelievable, but it’s fiction, right? Who doesn’t want a super sweet, attentive, emotional, and HOT Italian god to worship them? I loved how the author was so colorful and descriptive, and I couldn’t help but feel for the characters. I’m looking forward to more from Lexi and Lucca!

Excerpt

“Do you trust me?” he asks.

I can’t believe we are having this conversation.

“It’s complicated”.

“That’s not what I asked, and you know it, just answer the question Lexi do you trust me?” He demands.

I pause then tell him the only thing I can, I tell him the truth…

“I don’t trust anybody” then look down at my hands. I have said too much and offended him.

“I am sorry Lucca, I don’t mean to hurt you, it’s the truth, and you said you wanted to know what’s on my mind”. I feel the need to justify my answer. Lifting my chin up, he stares into my eyes, contemplating what I have told him.

“Are you upset with me?” I ask pitifully.

“No I ‘m not upset, now we are getting somewhere if you are telling me the truth, the trust thing is something we will just have to work on” he says with compassion.

“Do you still think of me as a stranger?” he asks.

“Kind of” I say shyly,

“Kind of…? Well we will just have to do something about that and become more intimately acquainted” he grins with that sexy dimple smile before claiming my mouth showing me just how he intends to get to know me better,

Sweet Jesus… his expert tongue assaults mines with lustful passion, carnal hunger and intense seduction.

Fuck File P for Panties will be dropping just directly…

About the Author

SJ Molloy, first time British Author of ‘The Luminara Series’ was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a young child, her family moved and raised her in Lanarkshire, Scotland where she currently resides with her husband, two daughters and her energetic, hyperactive loving gun dog who is utterly spoiled.

SJ is a qualified Fitness Instructor and Health & Fitness Motivator of various fitness styles and disciplines. Music and dance aerobics have always been a pleasure and passion for her. SJ will sporadically make up dance style routines at any hour of the day when a move comes to her or piece of music moves or inspires her. Currently not teaching classes she is focusing her time into nurturing her yearning passion for creative writing, exchanging one visualisation for another.

As a child, SJ loved to write in journals and make up short stories and has a flare for all things creative. With an overactive imagination at times, SJ adores to make notes, visualise scenes and settings to create characterisations.

While on holiday with her family one summer reading book after book, she had a flash of inspiration and has had various ideas whirling around in her mind ever since. It was not until she pulled back on teaching classes that she found the courage, time and insight into actually bringing these ideas to life.

In February 2013 she decided to bring that imagination to light by beginning her writing journey with ‘Lussuria’ the first instalment in ‘The Luminara Series’ available from late October 2013.

Being a self-confessed book junkie, she loves nothing better than to get lost in an emotional and moving book. A true romantic at heart, her guilty pleasure is reading heart-warming, passionate stories and falling in love with her favourite fictional characters.

With five books already mapped out in ‘The Luminara Series’, SJ’s busy creative mind has already planned two more fictitious novels, both stand-alone romance books and very different in their own right.

When she is not writing or reading, spending time with family and friends or exercising and walking her dog, SJ loves all things practical and creative. Dancing, music, cooking, travelling, good food and wine and painting are her favourite past times along with laughter, lots and lots of laughter.

Links

www.sjmolloy.com

Please note, website is work in progress, still being worked on just now but all live

www.sjmolloy.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Authorsjmolloy/1419001364992793

https://twitter.com/AUTHORSJMOLLOY

www.pinterest.com/authorsjmolloy

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sj-molloy/80/280/536

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/sjmolloy

http://sjmolloy.tumblr.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23883969-sj-molloy

http://www.wattpad.com/user/sjmolloy

www.sjmolloy.booklikes.com

email – author@sjmolloy.com

email – info@sjmolloy.com

email – authorsjmolloy@gmail.com

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Published on November 28, 2013 13:06

No Turning Back @AuthorCasey is one buck!

Buy Links:

Paperback at Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4437503

Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Back-Full-Circle-Volume/dp/149238898X/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1380498528&sr=8-1&keywords=no+turning+back+casey+peeler+paperback

Currently $1 on sites below!

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FG9V5JU

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/no-turning-back-22

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/361994

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-turning-back-casey-peeler-casey-peeler/1116994826?ean=2940148589204

iBook:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/no-turning-back/id721953579?mt=11

Synopsis:

After getting involved with Dylan, the bad boy of the Dixon High Swim team, Charley decides to stay close to home for college. It’s just safer that way. Later, she realizes it’s a mistake, just like dating Dylan. She decides to put the past behind her and leave the small hick town of Grassy Pond. There is only one problem; she makes this decision three weeks before the fall semester begins.

Charley packs up her Honda and heads to Southern College. On the morning she’s about to leave, Cash walks back into her life. He has been her best friend since they were four and is the only one who knows the REAL Charley. She leaves her farm in Grassy Pond with all kinds of “what if” questions.

Charley decides to live her college career to the fullest. She finds a great group of friends, joins the swim team, and meets a guy named Joe. He’s got eyes that make ya wanna melt!

At college, she encounters a new problem. Charley has been away from home for only forty-eight hours before she breaks the two promises she made to herself. Will she be able to overcome her past? Find new love? What will happen with Cash now that he is back in her life? Will she find what she is wanting in Jackalope Joe? How will her first semester of college end? Joe, Cash, or alone?

Excerpt:

Hey, Char, while Cash ain’t in here. Where the hell am I staying tonight? I mean, I don’t want to intrude on y’all.”

“Piper, you can stay in there because you know as well as I do nothing is going to happen.” She looks at me like whatever.

About that time Cash opens the truck door and climbs in. We make our way to campus, up the stoop, and into Kluft. I am exhausted and need a shower to recoup before Hank’s tonight. As we reach the top step, I can hear Caroline, Tori, Georgia, Jenny, Anna, and Cassie in hall. They are singing to “Thrift Shop”blaring over the radio and dancing like fools in the hallway.

Cash glances at me, “Oh lawd, what have I got myself into?” I just shrug my shoulders and pull him down the hall. All the girls take their turn putting moves on him, and of course, Anna has something to say. “Hey, Cowboy, I ain’t ever rode a cowboy before.” With a wink Cash answers back, “Sorry, Sweetheart, but I ain’t a cowboy. I’m a homegrown country boy that only has eyes for one little lady,” as he stares into my blue eyes.

Chance to win a Charley College Care Package! Signed Paperback, Cash $ necklace, Squirrel Charm, Fun Dip, Choice Cherry Gold and More! Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Info:

Casey Peeler grew up and still lives in North Carolina with her husband and daughter. Her first passion is teaching students with special needs. Over the years, she found her way to relax was in a good book.

After reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston her senior year of high school and multiple Nicholas Sparks’ novels, she found a hidden love and appreciation for reading.

Casey is an avid reader, blogger (Hardcover Therapy,) and now author. No Turning Back (Full Circle #1) is her debut novel releasing September 30th. Finding Charley (Full Circle #2) will release spring 2014.

Her goal is to one day be an author who is recognized nationwide like Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover, Tiffany King, and Amanda Bennett.

When Casey isn’t reading, you can find her listening to country music, spending the day at the lake, being a wife and dance mom, and spending time with friends and family.

Her perfect day consists of water, sand between her toes, a cold beverage, and a great book!

Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/caseypeelerauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AuthorCasey

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7106874.Casey_Peeler

Website: http://authorcaseypeeler.weebly.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/authorcasey/no-turning-back-sneak-peaks/

Add No Turning Back (Full Circle #1) to your TRB on Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/user/show/16117017-casey-peeler

Add Finding Charley (Full Circle #2) to your TBR on Goodreads:

www.goodreads.com/book/show/18596891-finding-charley ‎

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Published on November 27, 2013 13:27

Rock Chick’s by Kristen Ashley <3

Synopsis

Indy Savage, cop’s daughter, rock chick and used bookstore owner, has been in love with Lee Nightingale, once bad boy, now the man behind Nightingale Investigations, since she was five years old. No matter what ingenious schemes Indy used to capture his attention, Lee never showed an interest and Indy finally gave up. Now Indy’s employee, Rosie, has lost a bag of diamonds and bad guys are shooting at him. When Indy gets involved, Lee is forced to help. Complicting matters, Lee has decided he’s interested, Indy’s decided she’s not. But she can’t seem to keep Lee out of her life when she’s repeatedly stun gunned, kidnapped and there are car bombs exploding (not to mention she’s finding dead bodies).

Indy’s best bet is to solve the mystery of the diamonds before Lee. Lee’s challenge is to keep Indy alive and, at the same time, win back her heart.

Chelly’s Thoughts

5 Stars

So after hearing everyone rave about Kristen Ashley and meeting a few of her self-proclaimed “Rock Chicks”, I finally decided it was time to give her a shot…and I was not disappointed! Seriously, what have I been waiting for?!?

India “Indy” Savage is a bad ass rock chick who owns a used bookstore, is a cop’s daughter, attends concerts regularly, and has the best group of friend’s anyone could ask for. She has been in love with Lee Nightingale, her BFF’s big brother, since she was 5, but after literally throwing herself at him time and time again, and being thoroughly embarrassed when he turned her down, she finally decided it was time to move on. For 10 years now she’s been avoiding him.

Liam “Lee” Nightingale is the 6’2″ deliciously yummy epitome of BAD BOY. He’s always been able to get anything he wanted just by using “The Smile” and was rumored to be able to get a girl pregnant by just looking at her. He was always bad news growing up, but after joining the military then opening Nightingale Investigations, he went from bad boy to bad ass. He had his reasons for avoiding Indy most of his life, but now those reasons are no longer valid and he’s ready for her…but is it too late?

After Rosie, Indy’s barista, finds himself in some serious trouble involving millions of dollars in diamonds and drags Indy down with him, Lee is there to help, along with her dad’s police force and some other questionable friends of Lee’s. Is Indy willing to come through with the payment Lee expects for his time? Can she handle the craziness of Lee’s life, or will her stubbornness get her killed?

I’m not sure what I expected out of this book, but what I got was a steamy, hilarious, fast-paced story involving drugs, diamonds, kidnappings, shootings, cops, drag queens, dead bodies, and car bombs with a lot of mystery and sexual frustration thrown in for good measure. I absolutely love Kristen Ashley’s writing style and vocabulary, and the characters were all awesome in their own ways (especially Tex and Indy’s fabulously gay neighbors)! I will definitely be reading more from her ASAP!

www.kristenashley.net/menu/titles/rock_chick_series.html‎

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Published on November 25, 2013 23:47

It’s all about the moon, luck, chaos and a titan! Adore Me by Jillian Dodd

Casey’s Thoughts

Adore Me by Jillian Dodd picks up where Love Me ends. I’ve said before that The

Keatyn Chronicles is like your favorite weekly TV show on the WB except you don’t get the sneak peak for the next episode. Keatyn is about to take a break from Eastbrooke, her friends, family, and life. That is until God of The Hotties shows up to crash that party along with Peyton. This is a novella, but honestly, this book shows a side of Keaytn that I have been waiting on. Of course, there are several surprises on break. There is one in particular that doesn’t only make Keatyn

happy, but Peyton as well.

Adore Me is about building a foundation, independence, truth, faith, believing, love,

mistakes, luck, the moon, marking things off the list, a Titan,taking things slow, love at first sight, not giving up, and making wishes.

Who is moon boy? That question will be in your face the entire novella, and boy is it! This novella will have you swooning over Aiden, wondering if he is moon boy, and you will ask

yourself about fate! Aiden stole my Adore Me is live on Nov. 22, 2013.

Add Adore Me to

your TBR List on Goodreads

Follow @JillianDodd
Like Jillian Dodd on Facebook

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Published on November 23, 2013 08:55

Grey’s Anatomy has nothing on Beautifully Awake!

Beautifully Awake Amazon Goodreads Smashwords

Title: Beautifully Awake
Author: Riley Mackenzie
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 2, 2013
Hosted By: Love Between the Sheets

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18459833-beautifully-awake

Where to Buy

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Beautifully-Awake-ebook/dp/B00FJ29QHM

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beautifully-Awake-ebook/dp/B00FJ29QHM

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/beautifully-awake

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beautifully-awake-riley-mackenzie-nook-kobo-ibooks-riley-mackenzie/1117006262

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/beautifully-awake/id723262802?mt=11

Synopsis

Diagnosis: Sleep-running

Treatment: Truth

Prognosis: Beautifully Awake

Lili Porter hates the rain. Bad things happen in the rain. As a small town social worker dedicated to protecting children, she is forced to start over to escape her rural disaster. Determined to follow her father’s advice—head up and chin high—Lili finds herself in a new city, taking on a new system, this time healthcare. In doing so, she gets something she never expected, an intimate behind-the-scenes look at life in the hospital.

Lili learns that a surgeon’s hands have the power to heal more than physical wounds. And a prescription for truth can cure three years of sleep running and leave you beautifully awake.

Casey’s Thought’s

As host of the Beautifully Awake Cover Reveal, I couldn’t wait to go on tour! Needless to say this debut novel is fan-freakin’-tastic!

When I began to read Beautifully Awake my first thought’s ran to one of my favorite Thursday night shows, Grey’s Anatomy. Seriously, I mean hot doctors, nurses, and even a call room! I soon began to realize that Grey’s Anatomy has nothing on Beautifully Awake. We all know that there is nothing better than a good book!

Lili is a character that has had it hard. She now enjoys her morning mojo from a street vendor before high tailing it in peep toes to work at the hospital. She gets wind that the new neurosurgeon is a total ass, and there is no way that his looks can compensate for his rudeness. That is until, she realizes that he does have bedside manner, a warm heart, and feelings for her that will make your mama blush!

Lili has to face her fears and return home to testify in a case. What she doesn’t realize is that it looks like she is now on trial and they have aired her dirty laundry once more. This time it is in front of Chase. The look on his face is one she believes is disappointment, but in actuality, he is trying to hold himself together.

Chase has a past as well, and we know this from his best friend, but Ash won’t tell his story. In fact, he let’s Lili and Chase work things out on their own. What they realize is that in the mist of the rain, storm, sleet, and hail, you can find yourself beautifully awake if the one is beside you.

Beautifully Awake will have you routing for the small town girl trying to make it for herself, crying for the past she has to face once again, and a yearning for a love that will make everyones fire roar!

Excerpt

He was already dressed for the OR in his scrubs, looking … amazing. The beat beneath my chest started again and my mouth watered, as I not so subtly roamed his body with my hungry eyes. All I wanted was to feel his body against mine, get lost in where I ended and he began. It was all I’d ever want. Forever. I finally got what he meant every time he said mine. He was mine.

“See something you like?” He smirked.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Baby, if you don’t stop looking at me like that I’m never gonna get out of here.”

“Truth. Sounds perfect to me.” Now I smirked.

“Ahh fuck, you’re killing me. You know scrubs don’t hide a hard-on very well.”

I laughed. He had a point there.

Leaning down, he kissed my nose. “Text you in a bit, see how your day is going…”

“K.”

So was this my life? I sunk back into the fluffy pillows and sighed. I wanted this to be my morning every morning.

About the Authors

Yep. That’s an “s.” There are two of us!

We’re East coast girls separated by Long Island Sound who met in Physician Assistant School and have been besties ever since. We can safely say that thirteen miles of water does not get in the way because we talk or text, no exaggeration, at least 150 times a day. No, really, we do—about everything and nothing. Shockingly, we never (we mean never) run out of things to say. Umm, ever. We definitely laugh A LOT and we’re a tad sarcastic. And if we’re being totally honest, one or two people might have, on occasion, used our names and ‘dramatic’ in the same sentence. But it’s hard to trust the sources since they married us.

It only took twelve years, two husbands, five kids, two dogs, and a two-week vacation in Cape Cod later to decide the romance world needed a splash of medicine. Write what you know.

So you can easily find us at 4 o’clock on Bank Street beach with a glass of cold Prosecco brainstorming. And guaranteed if we bump into you, literally, it’s only because our iPhones are glued to our hands (totally out of our control) either writing or editing our next novel (and yes, it is possible to do from your iPhone, we mastered it … damn those straight quotations).

When we are not working on our book or reading the latest angsty romance on our kindles, you basically name it and we have it going on. Soccer, lacrosse, golf, swimming, dance, gymnastics, football, chess, baseball, basketball, skiing, ice skating, school, homework, and more school.

Oh yeah, did we forget to mention our careers in medicine?

Needless to say, we realized fast that something had to go, so we opted for sleep. It’s completely overrated (yet so AMAZING) and delirium makes everything funnier. Good thing we share a brain and can pretty much complete each other’s sentences (definitely weird, we know), otherwise it might have taken us two years to write Beautifully Awake rather than one.

So that’s our story, who we are … just add AUTHORS to the list!

Connect with the Authors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Riley-Mackenzie-Authors/444308589010453

Website: http://www.rileymackenzie.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorsrileymac

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7256754.Riley_Mackenzie

Giveaway

Grand Prize: Kindle Paperwhite

(5) Signed Paperbacks of Beautifully Awake (US Only)

(5) $5 Starbuck’s Gift Cards

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Published on November 21, 2013 22:18

Cover Reveal: Forever and Almost Always

Synopsis

What do you do when the one person you have always wanted, you can almost never have?

We found each other by chance and it was perfect, easy and everything I could have asked for. Our love was one for the books. When he moved next door, my entire world flipped upside down and inside out, but it was the best feeling I had ever experienced. Until the time came to choose between him and my family. I was young and in love, but in the end, I chose my family. I’ve regretted that decision since the day I made it. Now fate has given me a second chance with the one person I knew I was always supposed to be with. But this time so much more was standing in our way.

Can I choose him over the life I’ve come to know?

Will he be able to forgive me and give us a second chance? I

s true love really enough to conquer everything standing in our way?

Sometimes the hardest decisions in life, are the most liberating, I just hope that this time I made the right one.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Excerpt

My lust for her had turned to desire within seconds, and I couldn’t stand the thought of not feeling her soft skin underneath my hands. I pulled her through the living room and down the hallway by her wrist and didn’t loosen my grip until we were standing in front of my bedroom door. I pressed my hard body against hers, forcing her body to stay unmoving between me and the hard wood door. My hand slowly moved from the soft skin on her exposed thigh, to the warmth of her lower back. Her skin felt like a live wire of electricity flowing beneath my touch. I needed her. I wanted her in way that I had never thought possible. Her lips parted and I could feel her warm breath glide across my face. I dipped my head and lightly pressed my lips to her neck. The small moan that escaped her mouth was my undoing, and there was no more holding back. I was going to make her mine.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Meet Amanda

Facebook ♥ Website ♥ Twitter ♥ Goodreads

Amanda currently lives in Utah with her many men (her husband, two little boys, and two dogs). She is an avid San Francisco 49ers and Dexter fan. In high school she developed a love for writing and storytelling, and in the past couple years has made it her passion as she just released her ninth book.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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Published on November 20, 2013 09:44

Regret Not a Moment by Nicole McGehee

Buy Regret Not a Moment on Amazon
Synopsis

The year is 1930. Beautiful, witty

Devon is the daughter of a prominent Virginia family. Many men have

fallen under her spell, but none has captured her heart, until she

meets New York tycoon John Alexander. Their future seems assured:

they will marry, raise a family, turn their country estate into the

best Thoroughbred farm in the nation. But what Devon cannot foresee

are the conflicts that will drive away her husband or the tragedy

that will devastate their marriage. Be transported from lush

Virginia hunt country to sophisticated New York and the embassies

of Paris. Travel from the Hollywood glamour of Hearst castle in its

heyday to the turmoil of war-torn Cairo, and the enclaves of

aristocratic England. Devon’s tale takes you through the decades

from peaceful pre-war America to the danger of World War II, and

the racial unrest of the South of the 1950s and’60s. Enjoy the

thrill of Thoroughbred racing with one of the first women to break

into the male-dominated sport and one of the first African-American

men to become renowned as a world-class trainer. Best-selling

author Jennifer Blake called this book, “as warm and spirited as

its heroine, as gracious as its Southern background, a tale rich

with insight into the enduring nature of love and desire. I enjoyed

it immensely.” Iris Rainer Dart, author of Beaches (made into a

classic movie starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey) called

Regret not a Moment, “A bewitching book! You will never forget the

captivating Devon Richmond…”

Chelly’s Thoughts

Regret Not A Moment is not my typical read and it took

me a while to really get into it, but I have to say I did enjoy it.

It is set in 1930 in Fauquier County, Virginia, a time when

it wasn’t socially acceptable for women to be independent, and when

African Americans were supposed to be employees and nothing

more.

Devon Richmond isn’t your typical rich girl.

At 25, her parents fear she will never marry and she is very

aware of the whispers about her from all of her married friends,

but she doesn’t care what everyone else thinks. Devon wants

to be truly happy in her life. If she is going to give up her

independence, she’s going to do it for love, not because she’s

getting “old”, but after several proposals she still hasn’t met the

one. Until she meets John…

John Alexander

is a businessman from New York and is the type of guy who stands

out in a crowd. Now in his 30s, he’s been in love before but

it never worked out, and he has no desire to get married – he’s

seen how dull all of his friend’s wives became after marriage.

When he meets Devon at a dinner party, he is immediately

drawn in by both her looks and her attitude, and he knows that

won’t be the case with her.

After marrying, John buys the

run-down Willowbrook farm that was once famous for horse racing and

breeding. Devon, being a lover of horses, wants a hand in

running the operation but it is unheard of for women to be involved

in business. She is quick to prove others wrong and soon

becomes a valuable asset, and she also helps Jeremiah, a young

black trainer, become one of the best jockeys in the country.

Before long, Willowbrook is known as one of the best

thoroughbred farms in the nation, and the only farm led by a woman

and an African-American trainer.

Regret Not A

Moment is, at the core, a story of love and changing the norm of

acceptance, but it is also full of infidelity, tragedy, prejudice,

women’s rights, and acceptance. It was very interesting to me

to see how everything changed throughout the years, starting from

the 1930s and going through the war times and racial issues of the

1950s and 1960s. A LOT happens in this story, so much more

than I can describe without giving anything away, and sometimes I

found it a little hard to keep up with. It started out a

little slow and the language took a little getting used to, but I’m

glad I stuck with it, and I was happy in the end. If you want

to be transported back in time and see what it was like to schmooze

with the rich and famous of years past, give Nicole McGehee a

shot!

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Excerpt

LIGHT spilled

festively from the long windows of the Magrath mansion. The sight

made Devon’s heart beat a little faster as the tires of her

parents’ Cadillac crunched on the circular drive. Parties always

filled her with anticipation, and the Magraths’ parties were among

the most sparkling.

Built to resemble

a French chateau, the lavish three-story Magrath home was a

departure from the Georgian-style and antebellum structures that

sprinkled the Virginia countryside. The architecture, a romantic

fantasy of Helena Magrath’s Francophile grandfather, was

complemented by a houseful of valuable antiques gathered over the

course of seventy years.

As Devon

entered the richly gilded Louis XIV-style salon, an arm through one

of each parent’s, she searched the room for their hostess. All the

faces she saw were familiar and she smiled at those closest to her.

Then a circle of young people parted, and in their midst Devon saw

a stranger.

Her scan of the room

stopped at once and her gaze fixed on him. He was one of those rare

people who, for no clearly definable reason, immediately drew the

eye. He didn’t blend into the crowd, he stood above it. His

charisma was due to something beyond good looks; something beyond

self-confidence. It was a combination of eloquent gesture,

carriage, expression — a magnetism that absorbed the attention.

Though John Alexander was completely unaware of Devon, she found

her eyes locked on his profile.

He

looked no older than many of her friends, but he moved with utter

self-assurance. He was no taller than the other men in the room,

but his manner of carrying himself made him appear more powerful.

He had the look of an athlete, with wide shoulders tapering down to

a narrow waist. He gave the impression that he was extremely

capable — no … indomitable. His face was all male angularity,

with a strong, almost stubborn jaw. His nose was slightly larger

than average and had a small hook in it, which gave his face a

keen, somewhat hard look. To Devon, the men standing beside him

looked callow in comparison.

The

Richmonds’ hostess, Rosalind Magrath, spotted her guests and moved

toward them. As she greeted the new arrivals, she looked over her

shoulder to see what was so enthralling Devon. The young woman

looked hypnotized. When Rosalind saw the direction of Devon’s gaze,

she smiled to herself. Giving Laurel Richmond a knowing look, Mrs.

Magrath led the family across the vast room to meet the guest from

New York.

Alexander turned as Devon

and her parents approached. And he faltered in midsentence. Devon

was looking directly at him in a way that made them seem alone in

the room, and she was one of the most stunning women he had ever

seen. He was incapable of looking away. It wasn’t just her beauty —

she had about her an attitude of daring that fascinated him. And

she moved with the kind of self-confidence usually found only in

women at least ten years older.

Devon

was unaware of moving through the crowd; unaware even of breathing.

Unaware of anything but his eyes. And now she stood before him,

staring up into those extraordinary eyes. Rimmed with long, dark

lashes, they were so deep blue as to be almost navy. They were an

arrestingly beautiful touch in a face that was otherwise

rugged.

“Ah, our guest of honor,” Mrs.

Magrath said, pretending not to notice the strange little island of

silence amid the room’s conversational hum. “Mr. Alexander, I would

like to present you to our neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Richmond from

Evergreen — and this is their daughter Devon. As I mentioned, she

is to be your dinner partner this evening.”

The space between John and Devon hummed with

electricity. “Then I am a very lucky man,” he said.

Devon almost never blushed. But now her mother was

surprised to see that her cheeks were distinctly rose colored as

she stared up at the stranger.

“How do

you do, Mr. Alexander,” murmured Devon. She didn’t dare extend her

hand to him. His touch would singe her, she was certain of it. The

sheer physical impact of him left her almost breathless. She felt .

. . naked.

And Alexander felt the heat

in her. It was the kind of seductive heat that more practiced women

tried to exude deliberately, but this young woman did it naturally.

He knew she was innocent. And this combination he found arousing.

His eyes refused to

release

hers. He was thinking what it would be like to make love to her. To

take her and —

“Devon Richmond! Are

you avoiding me again?” A laughing voice broke the spell. The elder

Richmonds drifted away as Devon turned her head to greet Brent

Hartwick, her former beau. Hartwick had recently married the

Magraths’ daughter, thus Rosalind Magrath’s generosity in

partnering Devon with the handsome guest of honor. Hartwick was one

of the few people the Richmonds knew who had taken a large loss in

the crash of 1929. Most of the other wealthy residents of Fauquier

County and bordering Loudon County believed real estate was the

best invest-ment and had scorned the stock-buying craze.

Hartwick was the exception. Born and raised in

Upperville, Virginia, he had gone to live in New York, taking a job

with an investment banking firm. As a gentleman of the 1920s, he

had regarded his job as a pastime, nothing more. Until he became

afflicted with stock-buying fever — and lost a fortune. Many

believed that had been the reason he had stopped waiting for Devon

Richmond to agree to marry him and had instead settled for the

wealthy Helena Magrath.

Helena Magrath

Hartwick quickly came to her husband’s side when she noticed him

talking to Devon. She was conscious of the gossip that surrounded

her husband and Devon, and was particularly jealous of the other

young woman.

“Devon, dear, how lovely

you look!” exclaimed Helena.

Devon was

irritated at Helena’s habit ever since her marriage of

condescendingly addressing unmarried women as “dear,” as though

she, Helena, were much older.

“Helena

. . . dear,” replied Devon, allowing a few seconds to elapse

between the two words.

Helena turned

to Alexander. “Devon is the most eligible young lady in the county.

I promise she’ll keep you amused. Why, you’re lucky we didn’t

invite one of our younger ladies to be your dinner partner. None of

them would be even half as good a conversationalist as

Devon.”

“And yet, a quick wit doesn’t

necessarily come with age, does it, Helena?” asked Devon pointedly,

to the chuckles of John Alexander and Brent Hartwick.

Helena, glaring at her husband, pulled him away,

throwing over her shoulder, “Please enjoy your evening,” in a tone

that implied she meant the opposite.

Devon turned to Alexander. “Was that

wicked?” she asked,

wincing comically

as though she expected to be reprimanded. She was more herself

again — the interruption had given her time to regain her

poise.

“Yes. And well deserved,”

replied Alexander with a smile. “The moment I saw you, I knew you

were a woman to be reckoned with.”

“Well, I …” Devon looked up to find his eyes boring

in to her, wiping all rational thought from her mind. Try to

remember what you were going to say, she commanded herself. “I …

I don’t like being patronized, and I’m afraid Helena does that

sometimes.”

“I’m surprised she dares,”

John said with a droll look. Devon did not seem the type of woman

who would accept such behavior.

Devon

simply smiled, annoyed that she couldn’t think of a witty

rejoinder. She could again feel the turbulence rising in her body.

She had to avoid looking into his eyes. If she could avoid that,

she could remain composed. He must think I’m a tongue-tied ninny,

Devon thought to herself.

But to John,

who did not know her, Devon appeared composed. She would not meet

his eyes, so that brief glimpse into her thoughts that had so

aroused him was gone. And he was sorry for that. He had the sudden

urge to speak to her of the unmistakable electricity between them,

but he suppressed it, falling back on small talk instead.

“Tell me, Miss Richmond, do you like New York?”

He was uttering conventional phrases, but his voice sent goose

bumps through her, as though he were blowing on the back of her

neck.

“Yes . . . yes, in a way.” What

had he asked her? Oh, yes. New York. “We have a place there

actually.” The home to which she so casually referred was a stylish

five-story town house, purchased after the recent sale of the

family’s Italianate villa on Fifth Avenue. Devon’s father, like

many with old wealth, did not enjoy squandering it. He recognized

that the era of Fifth Avenue mansions that occupied entire city

blocks was coming to a close. The fact was, the Depression had

caused many of the wealthy to scale down the wildly lavish

socializing that had characterized the previous decade.

“Do you visit New York often?” John wondered why

he had never met her before.

“Not too

often,” Devon said. As she spoke, she began to feel more in

control. “I like to visit, but there are too many people. Besides,

this is my real home.”

“You don’t feel

isolated here, living miles away from your nearest neighbor?” John

asked.

“Not a bit. I rather like it.

As you can see, we are a close-knit society.”

John found himself wanting to know more about what she

thought, about what she did each day. He wanted to know everything

about her. “Don’t you get bored in the country?”

Devon was growing intrigued with the conversation

itself now. She was amused at the man’s assumptions about life in

Virginia. “Mr. Alexander, I’ve never been bored a day in my life.

The occupation of my mind does not depend on others.”

“No, I can believe that you do very well on your

own.” He wondered if he dared ask the question that sprung to mind.

Would she be insulted? It would be interesting to see her reaction.

“Would it be impertinent of me to ask why someone as beautiful as

you has not married?”

Devon, now

completely unself-conscious, turned to face Alexander squarely.

“Probably.” Her mouth turned up at the corners in a sly smile. “I

suppose the Magraths have treated you to quite some amount of

speculation on that subject?”

Alexander could not tell whether she was offended. As

he was trying to decide, Devon burst out laughing. “Don’t feel

uncomfortable. Everyone we know speculates on that. The fact of the

matter is, I’ve never fallen in love with anyone. A very simple

answer. Why everyone tries to complicate it is beyond me. I’m not

going to give up my independence for someone I don’t truly love.

And no matter how wonderful the rewards of marriage, one does give

up a measure of independence, doesn’t one? Is that why you, Mr.

Alexander, have never married?”

Now it

was Alexander’s turn to laugh. He was thirty-two years old, and it

was not uncommon for men his age to be unmarried. He was

forward-thinking enough to know that it was unjust that Devon was

questioned because she was unmarried while he could remain a

perfectly respectable, even desirable, bachelor. Yet he was enough

a man of his times to find her unconventional for even raising the

point.

Turning serious, Alexander

considered Devon’s question. He had loved women, even been in love.

When he was nineteen he had wanted to marry a young Frenchwoman he

had met while visiting Italy. Of course his family had been

adamantly opposed to his marrying a Roman Catholic, as hers had

been opposed to her marrying an Episcopalian, and somehow the two

young people had not had the will to fight their families’

disapproval.

John’s second love had

been a young married woman of his own

set. She had told him that her husband was cruel to

her. Captivated as much by his role as savior as he was by the lady

herself, he had willingly begun a passionate affair with her. He

had begged Janine to leave her husband so that he, John, could

marry her. He smiled to think of his naiveté at age twenty-three.

Of course she had refused. Only when her attention began to wander

to another young man of his circle did he realize how stupid he had

been.

Since then, he was rarely

without at least one mistress, but he never again had the desire to

marry. John enjoyed being free to travel, to explore new interests,

to go out when he felt like it. He did not want to answer to

anyone. Furthermore, as more of his friends married, he noticed

that their wives, no matter how exciting before marriage, all

seemed to turn themselves into replicas of one another. They

occupied themselves in the same ways and had the same thoughts and

standards.

“I’m pleased to see that

you’re taking my question seriously, but you needn’t take it too

seriously,” said Devon, breaking into his thoughts.

John laughed. “I’m sorry. I was trying to come up with

an honest answer. Suffice it to say that judging from my friends,

people turn dull when they marry.”

For

a moment Devon forgot her attraction to John. The generalization

annoyed her. “I do not intend to turn dull!” Dull! She thought

about her parents. They were content, but not dull. She thought

about her sister, married to a diplomat and living in Paris. That

wasn’t dull.

“So you do intend to

marry?” John asked, sensing her annoyance and anxious to move the

conversation along.

“If I fall in

love. And I’m certain I will.” Devon felt suddenly shy as she said

the words. Her conversation with this stranger had taken a

surprisingly intimate turn!

“And what

will you do to prevent your marriage from becoming dull?” He asked

the question with real curiosity, all mockery gone from his

voice.

Devon thought the question

presumptuous, and was about to say so, but something in the

seriousness of Alexander’s tone, the studious curiosity in his

eyes, stopped her rebuke. Instead, she mulled over her response,

allowing the silence between them to lengthen.

Finally, she said in a thoughtful tone, “You see, Mr.

Alexander,

you and I disagree on a

fundamental point. You say that the institution of marriage turns

people dull. I disagree. I believe dull people give the institution

a bad name. Maybe they attribute their dullness, their lack of

adventure, to the inhibiting influence of their spouse. People do

what they want to do, Mr. Alexander. When interesting people marry,

and they retain their independent interests even after they are

married, I see no reason why their marriages should not be equally

interesting.”

“Well spoken, Miss

Richmond. It is a point of view well worth considering.”

Praise

for Regret Not a Moment

“A sparkling

story, a luscious setting, a memorable heroine.”

–Janet Dailey, author of The Calder Saga

“You will never forget the captivating Devon

Richmond and her dramatic story. It is a bewitching

book!”

–Iris Rainer Dart, author of

Beaches

“The story is as warm and

spirited as its Southern background – a tale rich with insight into

the enduring nature of love and desire. I enjoyed it

immensely.”

–Jennifer Blake, author

of The Italian Billionaire series

“Passionate romance spanning three continents and

three decades…Readers won’t regret a few hours spent with [this

book].

–Kirkus Reviews

“This light, entertaining novel holds reader

interest until the end…Recommended where Danielle Steel is

popular.”

–Library Journal

“This well-researched novel holds a wealth of

detail which makes characters and scenes come

alive…Fascinating…”

–Romantic

Times

About the Author

Nicole

McGehee was born in South Carolina, but spent most of her adult

life in the Washington, DC, area. She began her career in politics

as a lobbyist and event planner for several medical non-profits.

Later, she worked as a speech writer and legislative aide in the

U.S. House of Representatives. From there, she went to work in the

West Wing of the White House. After leaving the White House, Nicole

started her own publication on business and trade in Latin America

and the Caribbean. She owned the journal for seven years, then sold

it shortly after signing a two-book contract with publishers

Little, Brown and Company (hard cover) and Warner Books

(paperback). Her books have been translated into French, Spanish

and German, and were also published in the United Kingdom and

Canada. In addition, her travel writing has appeared in the

Washington Post, the Denver Post, the Miami Herald, and Honeymoon

magazine. Nicole is co-author of The Insiders’ Guide to Washington,

DC, 3rd edition. In 1997, her first husband, Michael, died in a car

accident. Devastated, Nicole sold their home in Virginia and moved

to ski country in Colorado. Five years later, she met her second

husband, David. They continue to live in Colorado. Nicole has an

Associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New

York and a BA from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

Links

Twitter: @nmcgeheefiction

Website: www.nicolemcgeheefiction.com.

Check out Nicole McGehee’s

other title No More Lonely

Nights

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Published on November 19, 2013 23:46

An Interview with Nicole McGehee

Nicole, Thanks

so much for stopping by Hardcover Therapy today!

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in South Carolina, but spent most of my adult life in

the Washington, DC, area. I began my career in politics as a

lobbyist and event planner for several medical non-profits. Later,

I worked as a speech writer and legislative aide in the U.S. House

of Representatives. From there, I went to work in the West Wing of

the White House. After leaving the White House, I started my own

publication on business and trade in Latin America and the

Caribbean. I owned the journal for seven years, then sold it

shortly after signing a two-book contract with publishers Little,

Brown and Company (hard cover) and Warner Books (paperback). My

books have been translated into French, Spanish and German, and

were also published in the United Kingdom and Canada. In addition,

my travel writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the

Denver Post, the Miami Herald, and

Honeymoon magazine. I’m co-author of

The Insiders’ Guide to Washington, DC, 3rd

edition. In 1997, my first husband, Michael, died in a

car accident. Devastated, I sold our home in Virginia and moved to

ski country in Colorado. Five years later, I met my second husband,

David, a financial adviser. I have an Associate’s degree from the

Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and a BA from

Georgetown University. 2.

What do you do when you are not

writing? When not writing, I read,

exercise, cook and watch cooking and real estate reality shows.

3. Do you

have a day job as well? My only job is writing.

4. When did

you first start writing and when did you finish your first

book? I started writing as a kid. First book was

published in 1992. 5.

How did you choose the genre you write

in? My mom introduced me to romantic classics like

The Count of Monte Cristo and Emile Zola’s

Nana when I was around 10. My nose was

always in a book. Then, on a 7th grade

field trip, I saw Gone With the Wind. I

was hooked on romance! 6.

Do you listen to music while writing?

I must have quiet when writing. Music distracts me.

7. Chips or

chocolate? Chips AND chocolate.

8. Do you ever experience writer’s

block? After my first husband died, I could no longer

write – or even read – fiction for a couple of years.

9. Do you

work with an outline, or just write? I just write for the

most part, but publishers want an outline, so I write one, then

modify it as I see fit. 10.

Is there any particular author or book

that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an

adult? As mentioned Gone With

the Wind was and still is my favorite novel, but my

favorite writer is Edith Wharton, whom I wouldn’t dream of trying

to emulate. 11.

Can you tell us about your challenges in

getting your first book published? My first book took

place in Washington, DC, and I was told at the time, “No one is

interested in novels set in world of politics.” How the worm

has turned! But as that novel was making the rounds – and being

rejected – I wrote my second, which actually received bids from two

publishers. 12.

If you had to go back and do it all over, is

there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you

would change? No. 13.

How do you market your work? What avenues

have you found to work best for your genre? I now market

through social media. 14.

Have you written a book you love that you

have not been able to get published? Yes, see answer 11.

15. Is

anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all

imagination? REGRET NOT A MOMENT is pretty much

imagination. NO MORE LONELY NIGHTS is based on my mother’s

very glamorous life. 16.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to

write and why? Happy endings, of course!

17. How

did you come up with the title? Kicked around possible

titles with my agent, my editor and friends.

18.

What project are you working on

now? I’m working on selling my two e-books and on the

mini-book in my blog. That book is LOVE BOOT CAMP: MAKE

YOUR MAN ADORE YOU WITH TOUGH LOVE.

19. Are there certain characters you

would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to

work with? I’m contemplating a sequel to REGRET NOT A

MOMENT. 20.

What has been the toughest criticism given to

you as an author? What has been the best compliment? Use

the links to go the books’ Amazon pages. You’ll see very detailed

reader raves, as well as good reviews from Library

Journal, Kirkus, and Romantic Times,

but Publisher’s Weekly blasted me for all the

fashion detail in REGRET NOT A MOMENT. 21. Is there

anything that you would like to say to your readers and

fans? Please, Dear Readers, take time to post a customer

review. Getting a good one makes you walk on air. A bad

one is food for thought.

It has been a pleasure to have

you on the blog today! I hope everyone has a little better

insight into the life of Nicole NcGehee!

Buy Regret Not a Moment on Amazon
Synopsis

The year is 1930. Beautiful, witty

Devon is the daughter of a prominent Virginia family. Many men have

fallen under her spell, but none has captured her heart, until she

meets New York tycoon John Alexander. Their future seems assured:

they will marry, raise a family, turn their country estate into the

best Thoroughbred farm in the nation. But what Devon cannot foresee

are the conflicts that will drive away her husband or the tragedy

that will devastate their marriage. Be transported from lush

Virginia hunt country to sophisticated New York and the embassies

of Paris. Travel from the Hollywood glamour of Hearst castle in its

heyday to the turmoil of war-torn Cairo, and the enclaves of

aristocratic England. Devon’s tale takes you through the decades

from peaceful pre-war America to the danger of World War II, and

the racial unrest of the South of the 1950s and’60s. Enjoy the

thrill of Thoroughbred racing with one of the first women to break

into the male-dominated sport and one of the first African-American

men to become renowned as a world-class trainer. Best-selling

author Jennifer Blake called this book, “as warm and spirited as

its heroine, as gracious as its Southern background, a tale rich

with insight into the enduring nature of love and desire. I enjoyed

it immensely.” Iris Rainer Dart, author of Beaches (made into a

classic movie starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey) called

Regret not a Moment, “A bewitching book! You will never forget the

captivating Devon Richmond…”