Angel Sefer's Blog, page 24

Review of The Dolan Girls by S. R. Mallery - A beautiful, heartwarming and, at the same time, heartbreaking western romance

 A beautiful, heartwarming and, at the same time, heartbreaking western romance, December 25, 2015By AngelVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: The Dolan Girls (Kindle Edition)A beautiful, heartwarming and, at the same time, heartbreaking story of Cora Dolan, her sister Minnie, her daughter Ellie, and the love of her life, Thomas Garrett.
I was overwhelmed by the depth of the characters emotions, ranging from loss, fear, and despair to love, devotion, courage, determination, loyalty, hope, and the quality that was most important to Cora: trust.
Cora Dolan and Thomas Garett will stay with me for a long time as a beacon of love and devotion.
The storyline was great, and, I also enjoyed the in-depth descriptions of the Wild West, the customs, traditions, and way of life. The Dolan Girls is an excellent western romance that will touch your heart.
Read my review on Amazon
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Happy & Prosperous New Year!

I wish 2016 is filled with an Abundanceof Love, Happiness, Health, Wealth, Fertility,Prosperity, Peace, Security, Balance, Harmony,and Understanding for Everyone!

Excerpt from Mystery Thriller Romance Lethal Web of Passion - Chapter Two Part One

Read Chapter One Part One here

Read Chapter One Part Two here

Read Chapter One Part Three here


Chapter Two
Part One

Thunderstruck, Jonathan didn’t even blink or say a word when Eleanna bent down and laid a kiss on his cheek. He sat there motionless, watching as she left the pub.When the waiter came by to ask him if he needed anything else, Jonathan jumped. He glanced at his watch. Surprised to find it was already ten o’clock, he paid for the drinks and hurried outside. The rain had stopped, and the sky had cleared up. As tangled thoughts kept his mind spinning, he decided to walk home. The soft night breeze would help him clear his head. Something didn’t seem right about this whole deal, and he wanted to find a way to change Eleanna’s mind about going to Skopelos.About an hour later, when he’d finally made it to his apartment, he still hadn’t reached any conclusions. Hoping that Eleanna would see things more reasonably, he decided to talk to her first thing in the morning.
***
Even though office hours were nine to five, it was only seven thirty when Jonathan stepped off the elevator onto the thirteenth floor. Eleanna was already at the office. He strode to her cubicle, and, seeing her face relaxed and some color back in her cheeks, Jonathan felt optimistic. Everything is going to work out fine, he reassured himself for the hundredth time.“Good morning, Eleanna,” he said cheerfully. “How are you feeling today?”“Good morning, Jonathan.” Eleanna looked up from the pile of files on her desk with a fragile smile. “I’m doing fine, thank you. I wanted, though, to apologize for last night…for getting up and leaving like that. I was under a lot of stress.”“I understand—you don’t have to apologize. I’m only glad that you’re feeling better. I’m sure now that you’ve thought about it more clearly, you can see that there’s no point in you going to Greece.”“Oh, but I am going to Greece! Why can’t you just try to understand? I’m having a hard enough time as it is, and I would appreciate if you didn’t make things any harder for me.”“But Eleanna, I’m only thinking about you. What are you going to do in a foreign place, where you don’t know anybody? That’s crazy!”“Jonathan, please… I have to do this. Don’t you understand? If I don’t, I would never know anything about my father. I’ve been wondering my entire life about what he was like. Maybe over there I’ll get some answers and maybe not. But still, either way I have to try.”Determination was written all over her face, and Jonathan couldn’t do anything else but go along with her. He felt the uncontrollable urge to take her into his arms and protect her from the whole world but fought hard to restrain himself. He had to support her in this decision. She had already made up her mind, and to keep on nagging her would only cause problems in their relationship. And he didn’t want that at all—especially now that she was about to fly out to some foreign island, and God only knew when she was coming back.“Besides,” she continued, “I was right about the letter. It was pretty close, but not my father’s handwriting, after all.”“That makes me even more worried,” Jonathan said, drawing a deep breath. “I don’t want you going over there alone.”“I’ll be fine!” Eleanna stubbornly sprang to her feet.Jonathan watched her until she disappeared around the corner toward Henry Mark’s office, before walking back to his.
***
A few minutes later, Eleanna walked out of her boss’s office feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Even though he seemed fond of her, she was worried about how he was going to react to her leaving on such short notice for an undefined period of time. However, Mr. Marks didn’t refuse the leave of absence she requested. Even though, like Jonathan, he pointed out that the inheritance could be handled without Eleanna having to fly to Greece when he saw how strongly she felt about it, he gave his consent. She also apologized for leaving the office so abruptly the day before. Eleanna was relieved to have this part over with. She liked her job and didn’t want to cause any problems. But going to Greece was something that she absolutely had to do.Reaching her cubicle, she sank into her chair and let out a deep breath. Her thoughts flew to Jonathan. He was always so sweet and tentative to her, and Eleanna felt guilty about the way she’d behaved. She had been selfish and didn’t think for a moment how he’d felt about her going to Greece. She was no fool; she knew the way he felt about her. And she was very fond of him too. But she saw him more as a friend than anything else—there was no sparkle, no fire there. Well, these things only happen in the movies, she reprimanded herself. But no matter what, she didn’t want to rush things between them. Friendship was all she could offer him right now, and this was all she wanted from him too.Traveling to Greece was something that had always been in the back of her mind. Deep down inside, she always knew that there’d come a time when she’d have to go to Greece and face whatever fate had in store for her there.“What’s wrong with me?” she snapped to herself. “Why do I have this feeling that I’m never coming back?”“Did you say something?” Samantha asked, raising her head from a document she was reading.“I was just talking to myself,” Eleanna admitted.Pull yourself together. This whole thing had gotten her all upside down. Then again, it was like something inside her was drawing her to Greece. She’d never been a wanderer—as a matter of fact, she’d never traveled anywhere. Well, my trip from Greece to England doesn’t count since I was only a baby and can’t remember a thing.And now, she was returning to the country she was born in, where she knew nobody and probably already had at least one enemy—the man who wanted to buy her out.

Come back next Friday to find out what happens next...

If you can't wait, the book is available at:

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Review of The Dead Game by Susanne Leist - an action-packed, heart-stopping thriller blended with supernatural elements

 An action-packed, heart-stopping thriller blended with supernatural elements, December 17, 2015By AngelVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: The Dead Game (Kindle Edition)If you like action-packed, heart-stopping thrillers blended with supernatural elements, then, this is the book for you. The author’s vivid imagination and her captivating way of narrating this unique story kept me reading way into the night—of course, with the lights on and ready to flee in case someone or…something jumped out of the pages like those creatures in the book, jumping out of the walls at End House.
I liked Linda Bennett, the heroine, and I’m in love with Todd, the hero. He has almost replaced Ian Somerhalder from The Vampire Diaries in my heart.
And what can I say about the ending? Wow!
I think this book would make a great movie.
Read my Review on Amazon

Read an Excerpt

The Book is available here:

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What a beautiful Christmas Present!

My dear friends,
I'm so excited to announce that Dark Shadows of the Past—the fourth Mystery/Thriller Romance Novel in the popular Greek Isles Series was voted as one of the READ FREELY TOP 50 BOOKS 2015.Thank you all for your love and support, and I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Best Wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

My dear friends,

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season and a New Year filled with an abundance of Love, Happiness, Health, Wealth, Fertility, Prosperity, Peace, Security, Balance, Harmony, and Understanding!

Excerpt from Mystery Thriller Romance Lethal Web of Passion - Chapter One Part Three

Read Chapter One Part One here



Chapter One

Part Three

Eleanna watched him through half-closed eyelashes. She knew exactly what was going through his mind. He was worried about her—worried about something happening to her and even more…worried about losing her. But that’s a joke, she thought, wanting to laugh at the irony of the situation. He never had her, so how could he lose her?Don’t be so cruel, she reprimanded herself. He has nothing to do with the nightmare that’s torn my family apart and haunted my life ever since.She took a sip of her wine and let her eyes wander around the cramped pub. A fake blonde in a provocative dress sat across from them, staring avidly at Jonathan. Eleanna almost smiled. He was a good-looking guy, all right—tall, well built, with blond hair, amazing blue eyes, and he was always immaculately dressed. However, Eleanna never felt anything more than friendship for him. And she’d made that crystal clear, right from the start. Besides, her life was all tangled up, and the last thing she needed was to get emotionally involved with someone.“Eleanna…” His voice drew her from her thoughts.She stared back at him. He was probably expecting an answer—but an answer to what? She hadn’t even heard the question. Her mind was miles away, on that mystifying island and the answers it had in store for her, or at least she hoped it did.All of a sudden, her mother’s trembling voice on her deathbed echoed in Eleanna’s head: “Stay away from Greece! You have to promise me that no matter what, you’ll never step foot there, and especially on Corfu.” Eleanna was shaken to the core to find out that she had a twin sister who died at birth and that Marios—the father she had worshiped and cried over all those years—wasn’t her biological father. Her mother had also revealed who her biological father was and his relationship to the ruthless Contessa, who was responsible for all the hardships their family had to endure.A shiver ran down Eleanna’s spine, and she took a quick sip of her wine to wet her dry mouth. I’m sorry, Mom, but I have to go. I have to find out. I can’t spend the rest of my life hiding. She wondered about Skopelos. Was this beautiful island in the Aegean Sea—so far away from Corfu—a dangerous territory for her, as well?“Are you okay?”“Yes,” Eleanna lied. She wasn’t okay at all. She was scared to death but at the same time, determined to do everything in her power to get some answers. And there was something more—something she wouldn’t even admit to herself. But it was there, lingering in the back of her mind…revenge!“I still don’t think that you need to go there,” Jonathan said. “Things seem pretty simple.”Simple? That’s a major understatement! She laughed inwardly.“You can accept the inheritance, and then sell to Ioannou without having to leave London.”He doesn’t know anything; he thinks it’s just the inheritance. But how could he know? How could he know the terrible truth that her mother had confided to her at her deathbed? How could he know the deadly secrets that had been buried for so many years on Corfu—her parents’ birthplace?“I can get in touch with the attorney,” Jonathan went on, drawing her from her thoughts.“There’s also something else,” Eleanna interrupted. “There’s this letter…”“What letter?”“The letter that my father left for me,” she continued, skeptically. “It was a warm letter, apologizing for the years that we’d spent apart and telling me how much my mother and I meant to him. And that he wished he could make it up somehow. I don’t know…”“What is it, Eleanna? What’s wrong?” Jonathan held his breath as a warning bell went off inside his head.“You see, that letter wasn’t from my father. It couldn’t have been. He would never write such a letter; he wasn’t the warm, caring type. Besides, if it were from him, he would have mentioned Mike. But he didn’t. It was someone else who wrote that letter…and I want to find out why,” she added, unable to hold back. The letter had puzzled her right from the moment the attorney had presented it to her.“What are you talking about?” Jonathan asked, knitting his brows. “It sounds like something a father would write after all those years to his daughter.”“No. You should have read the birthday card he sent me once. It was as if a business associate had sent the card.” Her voice broke down. “So cold, so impersonal. But what did I expect, anyway? He’d been gone for years and never cared how my mother and I were doing…” her voice trailed off. “I’m telling you that this letter wasn’t from him.” She gave him a sad look. Oh, how she wished it was. But it wasn’t. She was sure about that.“Eleanna, this is crazy,” Jonathan said. “Who else could have written to you?”“That’s what I intend to find out,” she replied. “I still have that birthday card. I’ll go home and compare the handwriting, but I’m pretty sure already that it wasn’t him who wrote this letter.”“I wonder why? Why would someone do something like that?”“I think I know,” Eleanna replied. “In the letter, my father talks about his partner. He advises me to sell to Ioannou and let him take care of everything so that I don’t have to go through any hassle.”“You mean that you think it was this man, Ioannou, who wrote the letter?”“Either he or someone working for him. You see now why I have to find out what’s going on? Furthermore, the attorney wasn’t very specific about how my father died. All he said was that he drowned, and when I asked for details, he said he didn’t know anything else. A lot of things are going through my mind, and I just can’t rest until I find out.”“But Eleanna, even if there is something wrong, it has nothing to do with you. Why get involved in God knows what? You had no communication with your father for years. How do you know what kind of man he was and what he could have been involved in?”“You’re right, Jonathan, but he was still my father. I have to find out. I’ve been walking around all day, ever since I left the attorney’s office, and I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. I won’t be able to rest until I know.”
***
Jonathan stared at her pale face and beautiful hazel eyes, which had now turned a shade darker. He felt his heart thundering in his chest. He wished he could reach over and take her into his arms. “I’m coming with you.” The words just slipped out of his mouth.“No, Jonathan! This is something that I have to do alone. Besides, you can’t leave your job for that long. They need you here. You can’t just get up and go.”Jonathan didn’t insist. He knew she was right, even though he didn’t want to admit it.“I have to go,” Eleanna said suddenly and sprang to her feet. “I have a million things to do before I leave.”“When are you planning on leaving?” Jonathan asked, just to say something. He was determined to do everything in his power to prevent her from going.“I’m leaving this Saturday. The attorney is having someone make the arrangements,” Eleanna replied, leaving Jonathan speechless as Saturday was only four days away.
Come back next Friday to find out what happens next...

If you can't wait, the book is available at:

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Review on Paradoxical III: Gods & Galaxies by Victoria Roberts Siczak - An interesting book that explores different theories, religions, mythological and spiritual beliefs, metaphysics, and magic

 A very interesting book that explores different theories, religions, mythological and spiritual beliefs, metaphysics, and magic, December 13, 2015By AngelVerified Purchase(What's this?)This review is from: Paradoxical III: Gods & Galaxies (Kindle Edition)Paradoxical III: Gods & Galaxies is a treasure of different theories, religions, mythological and spiritual beliefs of old civilizations, scientific experiments, metaphysics, and even witchcraft, voodoo, and magic. The Natural Laws of the Universe and fundamental questions about God and the creation of our world and humankind are approached from different perspectives of science and philosophy and are blended into an interesting story with angels, scientists, travelers to other dimensions, and even shapeshifting demons.
Two particular phrases in this book stuck with me:
“The divine essence of the human soul is what sets man above and apart from all other creations”
and
“Human knowledge is a matter of perception.”
I found this last phrase closely related to Einstein’s law of relativity that is also discussed in another part of the book: “Einstein’s law of relativity perceives that nothing is what it is, until you relate it to something. The point of view is determined by what the observer is relating to. The nature, value, or quality of something can only be measured in relation to another object.”
Overall, this was a very interesting read. It’s obvious that the author has conducted extended research in many theories of mystics and theologians.
One more thing I would like to mention is that I loved the photos in the book.
Read my review on Amazon

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Excerpt from Mystery Thriller Romance Lethal Web of Passion - Chapter One Part Two

Read Chapter One Part One here


Chapter One
Part Two

Jonathan clenched a tall glass of cold draft beer, staring at the heavy rain whipping the windows of the small pub located near his office. He checked his watch yet another time and drew a deep breath—seven thirty and no sign of Eleanna. Where is she? What happened this morning, after she stormed out of the office without saying a word?The door behind his booth swung open, and he turned abruptly, only to be disappointed by a couple barging inside, soaking wet and laughing. He tipped the bottom of his glass toward the ceiling and waved to the waiter for a refill. The nasty weather and dense darkness outside were a perfect reflection of his emotions right now. Waiting on Eleanna for the last thirty minutes, he was worried sick. Her husky and trembling voice on the phone had shaken him up. She hadn’t explained anything, only asked him to meet her at their favorite pub at seven. Where the hell is she? It wasn’t like her to be late—Eleanna was one of the most punctual people Jonathan knew. Something serious was up, and that something probably had to do with her mysterious past.The waiter brought another glass of beer, and Jonathan sipped it absentmindedly. His thoughts drifted back to when he and Eleanna had first met. They’d known each other for about two years, ever since that cold, rainy morning in December when she’d walked into Bishop, Marks & Sanders to interview for an executive secretary position. The moment the stunning beauty with the golden-brown hair and the amazing hazel eyes stepped off the elevator, all the men in the office dropped what they were doing. And thirty-five-year-old Jonathan Sanders—the youngest partner in the firm—was no exception. He was smitten with her right from the start, and the fact that he could sense something mystifying about her made her more desirable than ever.Eleanna came highly recommended by Peter Haze—a partner in a small but reputable law firm in the outskirts of London. She passed the interview with Henry Marks—one of two senior partners in the firm—with flying colors. Smart, efficient, polite, and punctual, she was excellent at her job. But she was also distant and kept to herself. At first, her attitude could be misinterpreted as arrogant but Jonathan was too smart and too interested to let her go. He wanted to know more about the out-of-reach beauty who haunted his dreams. So, he did the one thing he had promised never to do again, and, of course, would never confess to anyone—he called his brother.Ian Sanders—Jonathan’s brother—was an ex-homicide detective turned private investigator, who was the main reason Jonathan divorced his wife, Michaela… Or rather, Michaela divorced Jonathan four years ago, after only two years of marriage.Jonathan would never forgive Ian, and, above all, he would never forgive himself for having Ian follow Michaela. He’d suspected that his sexy Spanish wife was having an affair when in reality she was taking private lessons to improve her English. After Jonathan had confronted her, no matter how sorry he was and how hard he tried to make up for the misunderstanding, his hot-tempered wife never forgave him for doubting her and filed for a divorce.Ever since, Jonathan had promised never to speak to Ian again. But he broke that promise when he asked him to check up on Eleanna. He was desperately in love with her and, sensing that something wasn’t right, he had Ian investigate her past since she stubbornly refused to talk about it.And what Ian had found out was a heartbreaking story of pain, sorrow, and abandonment. Then again, some things didn’t seem right, and Ian was puzzled—especially by the fact that he couldn’t trace any information on Eleanna’s family. It was as if her parents and one-year-old Eleanna appeared out of nowhere.When Ian informed Jonathan about his findings, Jonathan was puzzled, as well. However, he couldn’t quench his yearning for Eleanna. He’d fought for her affection for months, and finally, he’d managed to become her friend—probably her onlyfriend.Only after Jonathan had come to know her better, did he realize that her arrogant attitude was just a front she put up. Too vulnerable at the time, she’d mastered an act to appear cool, self-confident, and inaccessible in order not to get hurt. Eleanna would never talk about her past, but Jonathan knew that her mother had recently passed away, and she had nobody else in the world.Her father had walked out on them when Eleanna was seven and her little brother, Mike, was only two. A year later, Mike disappeared without a trace. Tragedy-stricken, young Eleanna and her heartbroken mother, Violet, had clung together, loving, comforting, and supporting each other in their little two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of London. A few years later, Violet became ill and fought esophageal cancer for years until three years ago she passed away.After Violet’s death, probably unable to bear the familiar surroundings, Eleanna left their apartment and her job and moved to downtown London.Jonathan squeezed his glass. He could feel in his gut that something was wrong, and he was worried sick. He loved Eleanna with all his heart, even though their relationship had never been anything more than friendship. She was sweet and unselfish, and they got along well. She was one of few women whom he could talk to about more than just conventional things. At times, she was quiet and withdrawn, but he’d learned to appreciate those peaceful moments as well. And he always respected the times she wanted to be alone—not that she gave him any choice. Those times that Eleanna would disappear and not answer her phone for hours always puzzled and worried Jonathan, but she would stubbornly refuse to tell him where she was going or what she was doing.“Would you like something else?” The waiter was suddenly standing beside him.“What?” he asked, staring up at the young, skinny server with the red hair and thick glasses.“I said, would you like something else?” The waiter pointed at Jonathan’s empty beer glass.“Yes,” Jonathan replied, his mouth still feeling dry. “Bring me another one.” He watched the waiter turn and walk toward the bar in the back of the small pub.Then he reached into his pocket and grabbed his cell phone. I hope she answers this time, he thought since Eleanna hadn’t answered the previous two times he’d called. The phone kept ringing until it got diverted to the answering service. Damn! He slammed it down on the table.Relax, she’ll be here. He tried to calm the frantic pounding of his heart. But still, he couldn’t erase the lost look on her face when she’d flown by his office that morning. He’d jumped up and followed her to the elevators, but she was already gone.Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice her coming in. Only after she’d sat down across from him, did he realize she was there.“Eleanna! Thank God, you’re here! I was so worried about you.”“Hello, Jonathan. Sorry, I’m late, but it’s this nasty weather. I couldn’t get a cab, and I had to walk for twenty minutes in the rain.”“Are you all right?” Eleanna seemed to be miles away. She hasn’t been home at all. Eleanna was wearing the same light gray suit she had on this morning. He reached over and covered her clenched-together hands with his. A chill shot through his spine when he felt how cold they were.Eleanna was soaked to the bone but didn’t seem to mind. It was obvious that her mind was preoccupied. Where has she been all day?“I’m okay, I guess,” Eleanna replied unconvincingly.The waiter came to the table, so Jonathan had to wait until after Eleanna had ordered a glass of white wine to ask what happened. That’s a change from her usual fruit punch, he thought but kept his mouth shut. When the server finally walked away, he couldn’t hold back any longer.“Eleanna, what happened? What was that all about this morning?”She stared at her hands.Jonathan watched her closely until he couldn’t bear the silence any longer. “Listen, I don’t mean to pry…” he started but was interrupted by the waiter bringing Eleanna’sdrink.“I’m just so worried about you,” he continued after the man was out of earshot. “However, if you don’t want to talk about it, just say so. I won’t like it, but I’ll understand.”Eleanna took a sip of her wine and stared at their reflections in the window. “My father is dead,” she said simply.She spoke so softly that Jonathan wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it.“An attorney called this morning,” she added.“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, squeezing her hands, not knowing what else to say. She hadn’t heard from her father in all those years, but he was still her father. Besides, they’d never talked about her family before, and he didn’t want to say anything that would reveal that he’d checked up on her. What’s going through her mind?“He named me in his will. Apparently there’s an eight-hundred-acre estate with a hotel and an old mansion on Skopelos that now belongs to me.”“An estate with a hotel?” Jonathan asked, surprised. “On Skopelos? Where on earth is Skopelos?”“It’s a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, a few hours from Athens.”“Did your father live there?”“I have no idea.”Jonathan glanced at her, puzzled.“My father walked out on us when I was very young. I have no idea where he was all those years.” She pulled her hands away from his and stared at him for the first time since she’d walked into the pub.Jonathan swallowed hard, seeing the pain clouding her lovely eyes. “I’m really sorry to hear that.”“I’m the only one mentioned in the will,” she continued. “Which means that he knew about Mike’s disappearance, even though he never got in touch with us.”“Mike? Who’s Mike?” Jonathan hated himself for having to lie to her. But he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he’d had Ian investigate her past. She would never forgive him for not trusting her—just like Michaela never did.“Mike was my little brother,” Eleanna replied, her voice trembling with emotion. “He disappeared when he was only three years old.”“Oh, wow! I’m so sorry, Eleanna… I had no idea.”He watched her as she tried to regain control of herself. But he knew better than to touch her; he could see how upset she was. She tapped her fingers on the table and returned her gaze to the window.“I have to go there,” she said finally.“What? Go where?”“To Skopelos. I have to go,” Eleanna repeated more to herself than to him.“But you can sell everything through an attorney. I can take care of that for you—”“I’m not going to sell,” Eleanna interrupted. “What are you talking about?” Jonathan was seriously worried now. She must have lost her mind. What does she mean she’s not going to sell?“Don’t you understand? I have to find out…” Her words trailed off.“Find out what?” “I have to find out what kind of person my father was and what kept him away from us for so long,” she replied. However, Jonathan had a feeling that this wasn’t what she intended to say at first.“Eleanna, be sensible! You can’t just get up and go. What about your job? What about us?” However, the words died on his lips as he could see that she wasn’t paying any attention to him. She was lost in her thoughts once more.“The attorney informed me that my father had a partner, someone named Stephanos Ioannou, who owns a lot of businesses and properties in Greece. My father had borrowed from him some years back, and after he couldn’t repay the loan, Ioannou acquired a large percentage of the hotel and the estate.”“What do you mean by large?”“Fifty percent.”“Fifty?”“Yes… It seems that he’s willing to buy me out—”“That’s great!” Jonathan cried out. “That’s exactly what I told you, sell and—”“I’m not going to sell,” she insisted stubbornly, “at least, not right away. I have to find out some things first.”“You’re going to fly to some foreign island you know nothing about, just to see where your father lived? Eleanna, be sensible! What about your job?”“I’m going to ask for a couple of months’ leave. I’m sure Mr. Marks won’t have a problem with that since I’ve been such a punctual and dedicated employee, and I’ve never missed a day of work. I’ve never even taken the vacation days that I was eligible for. I’ll explain to him that I have to go to Greece for a while to take care of things.”“Take care of what?” Jonathan could hardly control his agitation. She’d been so stubborn about the whole thing; she had no business going to Greece. Deep down inside, he was afraid of losing her, and he was going to do everything in his power to change her mind. 
***
Come back next Friday to find out what happens next...

If you can't wait, the book is available here:
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Excerpt from the intriguing cozy-mystery A Dead Husband by Anna Celeste Burke

Excerpt:
Jessica bolted upright in bed. Not a good thing to do. The light of day pierced like a knife. Her world spun. Her head throbbed, and a wave of nausea flowed through her. The force of her body’s revolt knocked her back onto the pillow. She closed her eyes to shut out the light and waited for the spinning sensation to subside. From somewhere in the depths of stupor she heard the sound that had startled her awake: a loud snort. She struggled to make sense of the fear and confusion while remaining motionless to avoid another assault to her senses. Where the hell was she? Risking a peek, she glimpsed up and recognized the vaulted ceiling and dramatic angles of the room in which she had grown up.For a moment she felt comforted because she was, at least, in her own bed. The plush bed cradled her body, lulling her back toward oblivion. Then it all came rushing in on her, crushing her chest with an anvil of rage and regret.My own bed all right, she thought. In her mother’s house that is, not her adult, married-woman bed now occupied by her feckless, soon-to-be ex-husband, and the blond. Jessica’s breathing quickened; her heart fluttered, and then palpitated wildly. Her heart now beat out a vicious dirge to match the pounding in her head.“Oh no,” she muttered, as she spiraled toward a full blown panic attack. She rolled over and scooted toward the edge of the bed, hoping to dig out the paper bag she kept in the bedside table. She needed to breathe. To regain control of her mind and body that had betrayed her so often.As Jessica reached into the drawer, she heard it again. A snorting sound, but this time much louder. Without thinking she jumped out of bed and stumbled, almost head first, into a luxurious upholstered club chair in the tasteful neutral tones of the Kreiss furnishings her mother adored. The room spun again as Jessica’s knees hit the floor. Her upper body landed on something hard in the chair. She pulled out an empty bottle, Cristal champagne, vintage 2004.A decent year, at least, she thought.A party, there had been a party. She set the bottle on the floor and pulled herself up into the comfort of the bedside chair. Holding her head in both hands she scanned the floor around her feet and spotted two more empty Cristal bottles. That helped explain her current state. Discarded take-out food containers and candy bar wrappers were strewn about as were articles of clothing.The slinky little Dolce & Gabbana dress she had worn last night lay in a twisted heap on the floor not wearable ever again. A couple grand down the drain. It must have come off in a hurry. One red Alexa pump peeped out from beneath the bed, silk stockings nearby, and a pair of men’s jeans. Jessica’s scanning came to a dead stop. She raised her eyes to gaze on higher ground.A scantily-clad man lay sprawled on the far side of her super-sized bed, face down. Something about him was familiar, but in her addled condition she could not make out who he was. Nor could she remember how he, or she, got there. Looking down as quickly as she dared, she noted she was still wearing her Spanx. Jessica let out a little sigh of relief. Things couldn’t have gone too far with the guy in her bed since she was still wearing her Spanx. She struggled to get into the body shaper stone cold sober. If she had done her share polishing off the contents of the bottles in her room she would have needed help.The guy on the bed looked like he could have given her that help. Unless he drank as much Cristal as she had. Jessica squelched a bout of shame as she lingered on his well-muscled body, clad in nothing but a pair of boxers. It felt voyeuristic. Not to mention, that even if her life depended on it, she couldn’t say who he was. Besides, she was still a married woman. She hadn’t signed the divorce papers yet.Why isn’t he moving? Jessica wondered. From where she sat, it didn’t even look like he was breathing. It must have been his snorting that brought her back so abruptly from the edge of insensibility. But he was dead to the world now, not a sound or a twitch in any of the bronzed body parts she could see.Lifting herself from the chair, Jessica leaned over to get a better look at his face. A shock of peroxided blond hair covered much of it. Jessica hiked one knee up onto the bed. Edging closer she reached out to move the hair so she could see his face. She had hardly touched him when he grabbed her hand and smiled at her. Jessica let out a loud whoop and struggled to break free.“Whoa,” he said, still dull with sleep.“Let go!” Jessica barked, pulling away from him. Startled, he let go of her hand and the momentum propelled her back off the bed. As her feet hit the floor she continued moving backwards. She tripped over the discarded Cristal bottle, and landed flat on her butt on the floor, with a loud “ouch!”Her shrieks evoked an even louder male response. Not from the buff, blond man-boy in her bed who couldn’t have been more than 23 or 24—25 tops. The sound came from the floor on the other side of the bed. Another male head popped up and Jessica could not stop another yelp. Her heart started to rev up again.“What the hell, Jessica?” her friend Tommy said. “I’m going to take a Technicolor yawn all over this fine Italian duvet you scored at Between the Sheets last week if you don’t stop screaming. I don’t want to ruin it,” he said caressing the silky cinnamon-colored duvet as though it were alive and needed soothing. He rested his head on the edge of the bed then looked up.“You will have wasted all that revenge shopping, the time, the energy, the focus. You only have so many divorce tantrums in you, you know?”

The Blurb:

“My first day as a sleuth was more Stephanie Plum than Miss Marple.” Jessica Huntington, amateur sleuth with a shopping jones and a black AMEX card, finds out money can’t buy happiness, or save your neck. Her well-planned life in shambles, she’s hiding out near Palm Springs. When her best friend’s husband is murdered, Jessica and her friends are soon stalked by scoundrels in pantyhose, stilettos, Bruno Maglis, and Armani suits. Roger Stone had something that got him killed. What was it and what will they do to get it back?
Even in a desert paradise life is full of surprises, like A DEAD HUSBAND.
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About the Author:

Life is an extravaganza! Figuring out how to hang tough and make the most of the wild ride is the challenge. On my way to Oahu, to join the rock musician and high school drop-out I had married in Tijuana, I was nabbed as a runaway. Eventually the police let me go, but the rock band broke up. Our next stop: Disney World, where we trained to be chefs. More education landed us in academia at The Ohio State University. For decades I researched, wrote, and spoke about a number of gloriously nerdy topics. Retired now, I’m still married to the same, sweet, guy and live with him near Palm Springs, California. I write mysteries set in sunny California! The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series set here in the Coachella Valley and the Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery Series set in California’s Central Coast. Coming Soon: The Misadventures of Betsy Stark, also set in and around Palm Springs.

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Book Links:
Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Series, Books 1-3Love a Foot Above the Ground, Prequel to Jessica Huntington Series Cowabunga Christmas! Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery 1