C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 149
March 14, 2016
Tell Again Tuesday The Harvey Girls
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
A bit of American history I bet you’ve not heard before.
The Harvey Girls
February 19, 2016 by Becky Lower
If you’re a fan of American historical romances, you’ve read your share of stories about women headed west on wagon trains. However, most women on the wagon trains were married, at least when they pulled out of St. Joseph. Single women were discouraged from joining the trains, since they didn’t have the manpower needed to keep track of the animals, hunt for food, and protect themselves from marauding Indians. It wasn’t until the advent of rail transportation that women began . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
https://historyimagined.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/the-harvey-girls/
March 13, 2016
Please Vote TRR Readers’ Choice Awards
Please Vote
Son of the Moonless Night
Urban Fantasy
TRR Readers’ Choice Awards
We are asking for your support and help today.
Our book, Son of the Moonless Night by C.D. Hersh, is competing in the TRR Readers’ Choice Awards – Summer 2016 – the Nomination Round in the Urban Fantasy category.
In the Nomination Round, Son of the Moonless Night has to garner at least 50 nominations between March 14 and March 31 in order to qualify for the next and final round.
If you would be so kind to help us to the next round you can nominate our book via this link: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=17876
This site will take you directly to our book and you can vote from there.
You may also go to the general page to nominate other books: http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php
You will have to scroll way down the list to the Urban Fantasy Category to find Son of the Moonless Night to vote.
Thanks for your support.
March 10, 2016
Friday Features Storm Slave by M. Garnet
Talks with
M. Garnet
Author of
Storm Slave
Today we turn our blog over to M. Garnet to learn about her book and where the idea came from as well as why she writes.
The STORM SLAVE by M. Garnet pits one man against many worlds full of greedy governments wanting what is buried within the mountains that peek up within the oceans of the storm planet. His strength from his two fathers is all that can save this world as he looks for help from a freed slave, an Assassin and the special tools left within the caves of the planet.
In the STORM SLAVE story, the storm planet is one of my favorite inventions and a place that I go back to in my stories. It came to me from Frank Herbert’s book DUNE or better still, the movie that showed the planet they left to go to the desert planet.
I decided it had to be challenging and exciting to be the animal that crawled from the stormy ocean to take shelter in a cave and eventually achieve intelligence. Wouldn’t they be stronger and braver than those that developed on most worlds?
So that one snip-it might tell a little bit about how I get my ideas. I get my ideas from everywhere and everything.
I once wrote a mystery story about detectives and one greedy killer and a beautiful Wiccan that had a fat black cat, all because my fat black cat decided she wanted a special treat. My cat thinks she is royalty.
When I am writing, I try to get in at least 1000 words a day, but when things are moving smoothly, it will be more. I have to admit I am not one of those organized authors that build an outline and find a title and get the names. I am the type of writer that just creates. If you look at my website you will see that I also paint and for me, writing a story is like painting. It starts with the blank canvas, and I pretty much know what I want to end up with, so I just need to add the words to get there. I have a strong idea about my characters and I often have to flesh them out as I tell the story. For me the story is as important as the characters, it must be interesting and move the reader to want to know what will happen next.
I open a narrow page next to my story page called NOTES and as I am writing the story I put down the names of each character and a description. I add additional notes that I will need to build the story or will need to refer to later in my story to make sure I keep my details correct.
As for being correct, I don’t hesitate to research and use whatever is available. Maps from today and maps from ancient centuries are now available. I have the minds of many friends and family to draw from and don’t hesitate. A family member of the armed forces can give details on weapons. A friend who was in China will know what mountains produce the best tea. Someone from Argentina knows if the herders wear spurs. In Florida, I have seen the flights take off at night and in early morning, sigh, and it makes me think of a future far away.
Why do I write? I can’t think of anything else that I would rather do.
Bio
I’ve run businesses and traveled extensive, but what I love the most is writing. Taking all my years of experience and from my many friends and fellow workers, I can add a lot of details to make a story better by drawing on my personal knowledge or asking those friends for information.
I now live in Florida and have the time to spend hours on my computers, letting my muse cut loose and fill the pages. With over forty books published and four of them as independents that I put out there by myself, I never tire of filling the pages with my tales.
I write Mystery, Romance and my favorite Scifi, all with a touch of love and happy ever after, but around a full story.
Blurb
The freed slave looked around in awe inside the city cave buried within the mountain, protected from the storms behind her on the wave-tossed ocean.
Walking toward her was the one man who held not only her future but the future of this planet in his hand. He alone knew the secrets to protect them all from the war that was approaching this one world, from a group of many greedy worlds.
Excerpt
Quill turned to the Assassin. “My fathers left me weapons. They told me one day I would need those weapons. Those amazing minds that no longer think like our normal beings forgot to tell me where they hid the weapons.” Quill looked over at the storm out on the ocean. “I think I can figure out how to use them, but I must find them. Can you help?”
The Assassin also looked out at the ocean. “There is a gemstone in the upper reaches of this cavern. I thought it was a strange place to store such a valuable small item. Perhaps I should go up and retrieve it.”
Quill would have laughed at anyone else saying such a ridiculous statement. From this tall, dark-skinned male with the long white hair braid, he could do nothing but smile in acceptance.
“I think, my fighting teacher, I would greatly appreciate it if you were to do just that. I will wait here and get relaxation from the storm.”
A nod of his head and Bogdan was again among the beams. This was not a quick job. The gem he remembered and puzzled about was high. It was buried up in the deepest crack of the final split of rock that was the last untouched portion of the top section of the cavern.
The cross beams stopped below its location, and he used his strong body to inch upward. His back was on one rock wall, and his legs pushed on the other as the crack narrowed to the point that held the green gem. The thought hit the Assassin that the gem was exactly like the green glitter of the Heir’s eyes.
Struggling upward, discarding his clothes to give him more room and traction, he ignored the deep scratches into his back as he inched higher. One last thrust with a knee and his long arm, at last, could reach the gem.
It burned, harsh and deep. He pulled back in confusion. Bogdan hesitated then yanked off his last bit of clothing, his cloth covering his groin.
Quill turned to find his guard once again caught by surprise as the dark Assassin dropped among them. For the first time since the explosions had begun, Quill smiled. Holding out a hand with a cloth wrapped item, was the entirely nude Master Assassin.
Quill took the offering from the hand but had to add a low-voiced comment. “As usual my friend, you came through as promised. But I see why the females in my city whisper about your sexual powers. Perhaps you would like to retire to treat your wounds and get dressed.”
With the dignity only a trained assassin could do when surrounded by dozens of soldiers and weapons while totally naked, Bogdan nodded.
Amazon buy link:
M. Garnet, Author
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Email: mgarnet2@yahoo.com
Website: www.mgarnet.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@MGarnet_Author
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/muriel.yantiss
March 8, 2016
Wednesday Special Spotlight Unforgettable Lover
Focuses on
Unforgettable Lover
Blurb:
The Betram ritual, when the full moon occurs on the summer solstice, is a sexual rite—and a requirement—for all unbonded Stiyaha of age. The irresistible urge to mate drives their inner beasts. Some succumb and transform, while others hide behind masks. None can escape the compelling need.
For Leonna, Betram offers one night of freedom from a destiny she doesn’t want. Eager to participate, she’s drawn to a formidable male whose tenderness burrows into her soul. Despite discovering she’s below his status, she is caught up in their passionate frenzy, and loses her heart to a male she can never have.
Though reluctant, as an unbonded male, Prince Nicholai must participate in the Betram ritual. Because he fears harming anyone he gets close to, he dons his mask and vows to stay in human form. What he doesn’t expect is the intensity of his hunger for a certain honeyed female hidden behind a disguise. As much as he longs to forget her, he can’t, for she’s unforgettable.
Excerpt:
As they raced through the trees, Nicholai caught glimpses of her fine figure. A dark short sleeved shirt fitted her body, accentuating her firm breasts. Long, elegant legs couldn’t hide beneath the short skirt that accentuated her hips. Black gloves covered her hands, extending mid-way up her forearms. Each time he spotted her, he learned more about the female he pursued. She intrigued him, and he intensified the hunt.
He closed the distance in a matter of moments. The excitement of the chase and the thrill of the catch were like a drug in his system. He craved more.
As he took her down, he expected softness and curves. Instead, her delicate skin covered a muscular build that took him by surprise. His beast responded, eager to couple with this strong, virile female. At the last moment he spun, using his own body to cushion their fall.
Ahhhh. Her cry rang in his ears and burrowed down into his soul. A sense of masculine pride and possessiveness filled his chest, a need so raw he couldn’t deny its power over him. A thin veil of red blurred his vision, the power of the full moon on the summer solstice taking its toll on his psyche.
The spongy earth, covered in moss and small bits of grass, provided the perfect blanket of softness. Cradling her in his arms as he lay on his back, he gazed upon her masked face for the first time.
Vibrant blue eyes encased with long lashes stared back at him through the holes in her disguise. High cheekbones, flushed from her exertion, were visible beneath the edge of her mask. Although her nose was hidden behind the tip of the material, ruby red lips provided enough details to spark his imagination.
Book links:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A2JDJM4/
http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01A2JDJM4/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A2JDJM4/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1071655075
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/unforgettable-lover-worlds-of-lemuria-earth-colony
Author bio:
After finishing a rewarding career in finance and accounting, it was time for Rosalie Redd to put away the spreadsheets and take out the word processor. She writes Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance inspired by classics from the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres layered with a good, hot dose of romance.
Her debut novel, Untouchable Lover, won or was a finalist in several contests sponsored by local chapters of Romance Writers of America.
She lives in Oregon, where rain is just another excuse to keep writing. When not at her computer, you can find her at Jazzercise, waterfall collecting in the Pacific Northwest, or relaxing with her husband and their pesky cat, Snookums.
Author links
Website Facebook Goodreads Pinterest Author Page
March 7, 2016
Tell Again Tuesday Accounting 101 for Authors Collecting and Filing Sales Tax
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Okay a topic not of great interest but something you should think about.
Accounting 101 for Authors – Collecting and Filing Sales Tax
So you’ve attended a book fair, festival, or conference, or you’ve hosted a release party or book signing. and you’ve sold some books. First off, congratulations on the sales! Second off, now comes the fun part—paying state sales tax.
Before you even arrived at the book event, it’s your responsibility to know the state/county sales tax laws in the state where the event is held. Each county in each state will have a different sales tax percentage rate. Once you’ve figured out the amount of sales tax you will owe for each book sold, it’s up to you . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
http://longvalleypress.com/2016/02/24/accounting-101-for-authors-collecting-and-filing-sales-tax/
March 3, 2016
Friday Feature Trapped Alison Aimes
Talks with
Alison Aimes
Author of
Trapped
Alison Aimes joins us today to share a little background on her new book Trapped. We are happy to have her here and hope you enjoy her post as much as we do.
Hi Catherine and Donald. Thank you so much for hosting me.
A lot of people have asked me where I got the idea for Trapped. I know it sounds cliché, but the idea came to me in a dream. I woke up with images of a hostile prison planet and a trapped woman floating around in my brain. (If there are any Freudian or Jungian theorists reading this, I’m fine, I promise. J) From those images, the story just took off and the ‘what if’s’ kept coming. What if a woman crashed on a hostile planet? What if that planet was filled with ruthless criminals? What if her only hope for survival was one of the convicts, a hardened man with a questionable past? What would she be willing to do to save herself? What would he be prepared to take? The answers ended up being action-packed and scorching hot and so much fun to write. Thank goodness for dreams!
Thank you so much for having me here today. Happy reading!
Blurb:
Recently Awarded Top Reader Pick by Night Owl Review….
A tale of unbridled desire, stunning sacrifice, and unwavering love, Trapped is an action-packed, sexy sci-fi romance that takes you to the brink of oblivion on a prison planet where only the strong survive.
Cadet Bella West has one simple objective when she joins the scientific mission to Dragath25, the notorious penal planet housing Earth’s condemned. Earn the credits necessary to save her family from starvation. But when her shuttle crashes and the majority of her crew perish, her simple mission becomes complicated fast. Now, to stay alive she’ll have to depend on one of Dragath’s own. But such protection doesn’t come free.
Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, 673 has become more beast than man after eight grueling years on an unforgiving, hazardous planet of dirt and rock—and even more treacherous inhabitants. He doesn’t look out for anyone but himself and he certainly never grows attached. So when the bold female offers him pleasure in return for protection, he takes the deal without hesitation. He never expects how her touch will alter him. Or the growing realization that saving her may be the key to his own salvation.
But as dangers mount and their ‘simple’ deal unravels will he prove to be her surprise savior or her ultimate downfall? Because caring for someone on Dragath25 may prove the greatest hazard of all.
The first book in the Condemned Series, Trapped has a HEA and can be read as a stand-alone.![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00009]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1457103784i/18320391._SY540_.jpg)
Excerpt:
A splash sounded. Powerful ripples washed against her back like a surging tide. He was coming for her.
She whirled and discovered small bubbles on the surface of the water. An inky cloud of red and brown streamed in all directions followed by foamy white. Then a dark head broke the surface and he was standing before her, waist high in the water, a mud man no more.
Her mouth opened on a tiny o.
Without the dirt, dark, thick hair, shorn close to his scalp, was now visible. Along with olive skin, a wide forehead, low brows, firm lips, and a square jaw. Tiny droplets left his long lashes spikey while rivulets of water tracked over chiseled cheekbones down his sculpted chest and abdomen to a small trail of dark hair that snaked from his belly button to disappear into the water. Scars of various length and width tracked across miles of pure, hard muscle.
My God, mud man was a flesh and blood man—an incredibly masculine one. If she’d met him at the Academy or the barracks on Earth, she would have been unable to stop staring. He was that beautiful.
Then his hand shot out and her daze shattered.
With a hiss, she stumbled back.
One dark eyebrow rose. “Here.”
She looked down to see a small white bar in his hand.
“It’s soap.” His tone was brusque. “The drones dump trash from Earth. Use it.”
“Thank you.” It took all her courage to reach out and take the bar from his hand. “I—I’ve never used it before. The Academy only allows lasers for cleaning. The use of water was banned a long time ago.” She stopped short.
Of course, he knew that. He wasn’t from some distant galaxy. He was from Earth. He just wasn’t welcome there anymore.
His lips flat lined. “I’ve been here a while, but not as long as that.”
Was that a joke? His expression offered no clue.
“Of course.” Hands shaking, she took the soap and rubbed it against her arm. The blood stayed put. She rubbed harder.
She hadn’t expected this…this talking. Or the kindness of a bath—with soap. It was confusing.
“You need the water to make it work.” Rough hands reached out and took the soap, dunking it under the water, making that same foamy circle she’d seen before.
“Turn around.” His voice had gone husky again.
That overworked heart of hers started up double time once again. Her feet remained planted where they were.
He waited for longer than she would have expected before he spoke again, his jaw locked tight. “Anything?” It was a reminder. A reproach. A challenge.
And her last chance to change her mind.
Her eyes sunk shut. I can do this. I need to do this.
She whirled around, bracing for a grab. A strike. But the deliberate slow glide of a calloused fingertip down the bumps of her spine slammed through her with more force than any blow.
Trapped is available at http://amzn.to/1Qex8hU
About the Author:
© 2015 | Kristina Sherk Photography | http://www.Kristinasherk.com
Alison Aimes is the award-winning author of the sexy sci-fi romance series the Condemned as well as the sizzling contemporary romance Billionaires’ Revenge series. A sci-fi fanatic with a PhD in Modern History, she’s an all over the map kind of woman whose always had a love for dramatic stories and great books, no matter the era. Now, she’s creating her own stories full of intrigue and passion, but always with a happy-ever-after ending. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two kids, and her dog. When not in front of the computer, she can be found hanging with family and friends, hiking, trying to turn herself into a pretzel through yoga, listening to a fabulous TED talk, or, last but not least, sitting on the couch imagining her characters’ next great adventures. Alison can be found on line at http://www.alisonaimes.com/
Title of book: Trapped: A SciFi Convict Romance
Part of a series: Book One in the Condemned Series
Release date: March 1, 2016
Genre: SciFi Romance/Fantasy Romance
Heat Level: Hot
Trapped is available at http://amzn.to/1Qex8hU
You can connect with Alison Aimes at: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Or come find Alison Aimes at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/alisonaimes
March 1, 2016
Wednesday Special Spotlight Illusions of Death Lauren Linwood
Focuses on
ILLUSIONS OF DEATH
Just a note from Donald about this book. The story draws you in and you keep turning the pages wondering; What’s going to happen next with Karlyn? Is Logan the man for her? Will the killer be caught? If you like mystery, intrigue, and romance then this is a book to get.
Blurb:
Best-selling author Karlyn Campbell is ready for a new start after her recent divorce from a temperamental artist. When she receives word that her father had a stroke, she heads for Walton Springs with mixed feelings. Broderick Campbell wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning literary novels and denounced his daughter’s work as pedestrian and commercial, causing a rift that finally heals on his deathbed. Karlyn chooses to stay in the small Georgia town to write her popular Matt Collins series and decides to try her hand at true crime when Atlanta’s Rainbow Killer, Roy G. Biv, captures her interest.
Detective Logan Warner’s marriage didn’t survive after he lost his twins to a crazed killer who was never caught. He returns to his hometown’s police force and runs for police chief, happy he’s escaped big city crime and corruption. Emotionally dead, his interest in life is renewed when he falls in love with Karlyn and begins to build a new life with her.
But the Rainbow Killer moves beyond Atlanta, leaving a trail of dead bodies painted in bright hues in several towns north of the city. Leaving no trace evidence or DNA and choosing random victims with no apparent rhyme or reason, Roy proves unstoppable. Then he arrives in Walton Springs, threatening the peaceful town with his murder spree. With a serial killer in their back yard, Logan and Karlyn unite with the FBI to find the killer—before he finds them.
Excerpt:
He placed the last of the wet dirt on top of the second grave. Smoothed it with the back of the shovel. Reached for the collection of branches and rocks and leaves that he’d gathered before he began digging. He tossed them haphazardly over his handiwork and stepped back to survey the ground. Perfect. Anyone venturing off the Appalachian Trail this far would have no idea what rested beneath the soil.
If only people knew how much he’d accomplished in his killing time.
His latest specimen gathering consisted of high-end prostitutes. The Chattahoochee National Forest had provided cover for this most recent hunt. Its miles of wilderness proved the ideal disposal area. He’d witnessed the arrival of spring as the area greened up. Watched it blossom into its summer loveliness. Seen the explosion of fall colors come vividly to life as he buried his precious specimens.
But he was at the end of this cycle of murders. He refused to tramp through isolated areas during winter snow. Last night’s kill would be the final in this series.
He chuckled to himself. Plus, the unexpected bonus.
The lone hiker appeared just before dusk settled. He’d already made camp. Set up his tent. The specimen, bound and gagged, waited for him inside. The Rohypnol’s effects had faded. She would know everything that happened from this point on.
Then the kid arrived, sporting a backpack almost bigger than he was. Made himself at home. Admitted he was lost.
They chatted over bottled water and protein bars. The teen spilled that he was traipsing around during Thanksgiving break in hopes of having some majestic, eye-opening experience that would be good enough to write about in his upcoming college admission essay. He was looking for something life-changing that he could write about.
At least the kid wouldn’t be put through the agony of writing that essay. Or being rejected by his top choices and settling for community college and a mundane life.
He returned to the campsite as the rain slacked off to a drizzle. Packed up. He pulled his keys from his pocket. Noticed the rain had stopped. The sky lightened.
And then he saw it. A rainbow in the sky.
Of course. That was it.
Just as God placed the rainbow in the sky as a promise to Noah that He would never flood the earth again, He’d generously gifted him with a new idea.
His next mission would be served as The Rainbow Killer.
Thoughts raced in his head as he planned a new series of murders to commit. The specimens would share nothing in common, making him impossible to catch. But every murder would end in spectacular colors. In hues of the rainbow.
Confidence pulsated through him. This could be his claim to fame. A lasting legacy.
He couldn’t wait to begin.
Buy Link: http://amzn.com/B019Y45TS0
Author Bio:
Lauren Linwood’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. Her romantic suspense novels feature strong heroes and heroines who unite to defeat a clever antagonist and discover a deep, abiding love during their journey.
A native Texan, Lauren is an avid reader, moviegoer, and sports fan who manages stress by alternating yoga with long walks. She plans to start a support group for Fixer Upper addicts—as soon as she finishes her next piece of dark chocolate.
Social Media Links for Lauren:
Website: http://www.laurenlinwood.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurenlinwood
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaurenLinwood
Blog: http://www.embracingromance.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lauren-Linwood/e/B00CSSG8BC
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+LaurenLinwood/about
February 29, 2016
Tell Again Tuesday Tracee Ford
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
A little help to one of our friends.
For the Next Two Weeks…
Posted by Tracee Ford, Author on February 29, 2016
Happy Monday! For the next two weeks I will be sharing teasers on my blog for the upcoming release of Blessing of the Elements.
For the rest of the blog go to:
https://traceeford.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/for-the-next-two-weeks/
February 23, 2016
Wednesday Special Spotlight To Rome With Love Mandi Benet
Focuses on
To Rome With Love
BLURB
When Gaby Conte’s Italian husband, Danieli, abandons her for a young Peruvian waitress at a restaurant they co-own in San Francisco, Gaby seeks refuge in Rome with her best friend Maria. There, she swears off romance for a long while and Italian men forever. That’s until she meets Silvio, who belongs to an old, aristocratic Roman family and lives in a palace alongside the best private art collection in Rome. Silvio, who is the cousin of Maria’s husband, is going through his own divorce. He’s gorgeous, of course, which Gaby doesn’t tell him. And arrogant and condescending, which she does. The last thing Gaby needs is more Italian trouble, but the attraction is instant and powerful, and against the backdrop of one of the world’s most romantic cities, both try—and fail—to resist the chemistry between them. But both Gaby and Silvio have made a rule never to make the mistake of trusting in love again. Will they realize some rules are made just to be broken?
Amazon buy link for To Rome With Love: http://amzn.com/B01AO6MH96
EXCERPT from To Rome With Love
“I have a surprise for you.”
Gaby’s eyebrows slammed together at her best friend Maria’s words. She didn’t like surprises. Maybe because she’d had so many of them, lately. Mostly of the nasty kind. Surprises like her husband Danieli telling her he was divorcing her to marry Angelica, a twenty-four-year-old Peruvian waitress at the San Francisco restaurant he and Gaby co-owned. A woman with the body fat of a Sony Ericsson flip phone, who filled the saltcellars with sugar and routinely dropped trays of expensive wine, but was, miraculously, never too tired for sex. Or at least that’s what Danieli had said.
Surprises like the restaurant’s maître d’ breathlessly confiding to Gaby that Angelica’s sexual exploits had earned her the moniker, “The Lima Lay,” and that said “Lima Lay” could suck a melon through a garden hose. (Gaby hadn’t cried that much since Princess Diana died.)
Maria herself had sprung something of a surprise on her, too, though, thankfully not of the nasty kind. More like the mind-blowing kind. Barely an hour earlier, her friend had picked Gaby up at Rome’s Fiumicino airport and instead of taking her to a nice flat with a nice view, had transported her to a block-long, 16th century Renaissance limestone palace on Via del Corso that popes and princes had called home. It boasted enough sumptuous furnishings, masterpiece art, and priceless antiques to make the White House look like Applebee’s—and made Gaby very nervous she’d spill Chianti everywhere. And let’s not forget the surprise of walking into what turned out to be the ancestral home of Maria’s uber-wealthy new husband, Carlo Pierangeli, through its vast, silent, cloistered courtyard and up a frescoed stone staircase to the piano nobile, only to discover it overlooked the Colosseum. That’s right. That Colosseum.
So, yes, even though Gaby knew the palace might just be the perfect place to heal from the humiliation of her divorce, her head was fairly whirling with all the surprises, and she honestly didn’t think she had the strength for any more. “I don’t like surprises.”
“You’ll like this one.” Maria pulverized basil, pine nuts, and generous helpings of olive oil to make pesto and then started sautéing some small chicken breasts for dinner. Gaby wasn’t hungry, but in Italy it was a crime not to eat, particularly if your hostess was cooking.
Maria fixed her gaze on Gaby, her celadon eyes filled with sympathy. “Carissima amica,” she chided her gently. “You’re almost divorced now and it’s time to meet someone new. And I have just the candidate.”
Gaby set her glass firmly down. “Now, Maria . . .”
Maria lifted her hand like a traffic cop. “I know what you’re going to say, but—”
Just then, there was an insistent rapping on the door of the apartment.
“Scusi.” Maria deposited her glass on the counter and walked to the foyer.
Gaby heard her unlock the door and say, “Caro,” and then a man’s voice speaking rapid Italian. His tone was firm but low and Gaby couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“I’m making pasta. Why don’t you come eat with us?” Maria asked in Italian.
Curious, Gaby opened the elegant paneled doors several inches and poked her head out. In the doorway was a tall man with a swath of silky dark hair that looked as if it had been styled by the fashion gods at L’Uomo Vogue, and a face finely carved by the angels. He looked like a first-century sculpture, lean and sleek, all muscle and sinew, and his fitted lavender shirt set off his bronzed skin and hinted at the kind of muscled biceps and washboard abs to make a woman weep. Only the most supremely confident man could wear lavender. And jeans that snug.
Gaby’s stomach tumbled to her toes. Not too many men caught her attention and it was still always a shock for her when one did. Was this Maria’s surprise? Noticing her suddenly, the man stopped talking and turned toward her, his eyes pinning her in place from twenty feet away. She tried not to stare, but it wasn’t easy. A girl could hang coats from those cheekbones.
Amazon buy link for To Rome With Love: http://amzn.com/B01AO6MH96
Where to find Mandi Benet:
www.facebook.com/mandibenetauthor
Wednesday Special Spotlight To Rome With Love Mandy Benet
Focuses on
To Rome With Love
BLURB
When Gaby Conte’s Italian husband, Danieli, abandons her for a young Peruvian waitress at a restaurant they co-own in San Francisco, Gaby seeks refuge in Rome with her best friend Maria. There, she swears off romance for a long while and Italian men forever. That’s until she meets Silvio, who belongs to an old, aristocratic Roman family and lives in a palace alongside the best private art collection in Rome. Silvio, who is the cousin of Maria’s husband, is going through his own divorce. He’s gorgeous, of course, which Gaby doesn’t tell him. And arrogant and condescending, which she does. The last thing Gaby needs is more Italian trouble, but the attraction is instant and powerful, and against the backdrop of one of the world’s most romantic cities, both try—and fail—to resist the chemistry between them. But both Gaby and Silvio have made a rule never to make the mistake of trusting in love again. Will they realize some rules are made just to be broken?
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EXCERPT from To Rome With Love
“I have a surprise for you.”
Gaby’s eyebrows slammed together at her best friend Maria’s words. She didn’t like surprises. Maybe because she’d had so many of them, lately. Mostly of the nasty kind. Surprises like her husband Danieli telling her he was divorcing her to marry Angelica, a twenty-four-year-old Peruvian waitress at the San Francisco restaurant he and Gaby co-owned. A woman with the body fat of a Sony Ericsson flip phone, who filled the saltcellars with sugar and routinely dropped trays of expensive wine, but was, miraculously, never too tired for sex. Or at least that’s what Danieli had said.
Surprises like the restaurant’s maître d’ breathlessly confiding to Gaby that Angelica’s sexual exploits had earned her the moniker, “The Lima Lay,” and that said “Lima Lay” could suck a melon through a garden hose. (Gaby hadn’t cried that much since Princess Diana died.)
Maria herself had sprung something of a surprise on her, too, though, thankfully not of the nasty kind. More like the mind-blowing kind. Barely an hour earlier, her friend had picked Gaby up at Rome’s Fiumicino airport and instead of taking her to a nice flat with a nice view, had transported her to a block-long, 16th century Renaissance limestone palace on Via del Corso that popes and princes had called home. It boasted enough sumptuous furnishings, masterpiece art, and priceless antiques to make the White House look like Applebee’s—and made Gaby very nervous she’d spill Chianti everywhere. And let’s not forget the surprise of walking into what turned out to be the ancestral home of Maria’s uber-wealthy new husband, Carlo Pierangeli, through its vast, silent, cloistered courtyard and up a frescoed stone staircase to the piano nobile, only to discover it overlooked the Colosseum. That’s right. That Colosseum.
So, yes, even though Gaby knew the palace might just be the perfect place to heal from the humiliation of her divorce, her head was fairly whirling with all the surprises, and she honestly didn’t think she had the strength for any more. “I don’t like surprises.”
“You’ll like this one.” Maria pulverized basil, pine nuts, and generous helpings of olive oil to make pesto and then started sautéing some small chicken breasts for dinner. Gaby wasn’t hungry, but in Italy it was a crime not to eat, particularly if your hostess was cooking.
Maria fixed her gaze on Gaby, her celadon eyes filled with sympathy. “Carissima amica,” she chided her gently. “You’re almost divorced now and it’s time to meet someone new. And I have just the candidate.”
Gaby set her glass firmly down. “Now, Maria . . .”
Maria lifted her hand like a traffic cop. “I know what you’re going to say, but—”
Just then, there was an insistent rapping on the door of the apartment.
“Scusi.” Maria deposited her glass on the counter and walked to the foyer.
Gaby heard her unlock the door and say, “Caro,” and then a man’s voice speaking rapid Italian. His tone was firm but low and Gaby couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“I’m making pasta. Why don’t you come eat with us?” Maria asked in Italian.
Curious, Gaby opened the elegant paneled doors several inches and poked her head out. In the doorway was a tall man with a swath of silky dark hair that looked as if it had been styled by the fashion gods at L’Uomo Vogue, and a face finely carved by the angels. He looked like a first-century sculpture, lean and sleek, all muscle and sinew, and his fitted lavender shirt set off his bronzed skin and hinted at the kind of muscled biceps and washboard abs to make a woman weep. Only the most supremely confident man could wear lavender. And jeans that snug.
Gaby’s stomach tumbled to her toes. Not too many men caught her attention and it was still always a shock for her when one did. Was this Maria’s surprise? Noticing her suddenly, the man stopped talking and turned toward her, his eyes pinning her in place from twenty feet away. She tried not to stare, but it wasn’t easy. A girl could hang coats from those cheekbones.
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