E.G. Manetti's Blog, page 25

Indie Spotlight on Romance: Halloween Classics

With Halloween only days away, I'm drawn to the classics; Vampires, Werewolves and things that go bump in the night. In other words, paranormal romance (PNR).

RITA nominated Marie Johnston handles both werewolves and vampires, with a few demons and witches thrown in for good measure.

The Sigma Menace series features werewolves being hunted by an evil quasi-government group. All can be read as standalones, but I recommend reading in order.

After being ditched only weeks before her wedding, Cassie Stockwell wasn’t out looking for a hookup. Then the devastatingly handsome bartender she’d been trying not to obsess over for months offered to give her a ride home. What could one night hurt?

When his future was almost taken away after one impulsive decision, wolf-shifter Jace Miller waited patiently for months before making a move on the woman he knew to be his destined mate. But will one night of passion keep his little human by his side once she learns of his world and the danger it brings to her doorstep?
Freebie links
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

In the New Vampire Disorder demons are coming. And who better to fight the underworld than vampires?

As if overthrowing the vampire government and implementing a new council to make vampires, shifters, and hybrids play nice wasn’t enough, Demetrius Devereux finds a bigger problem to deal with in an innocent, stubborn, and privileged beauty.

Callista Augustus is the over-protected daughter of a once-powerful vampire leader. Discovering her desperate father has tapped into a well of pure evil, Calli swallows her sense of betrayal and turns him in. She almost regrets it when she meets the infamous and arrogant Demetrius. Forcing herself to work with the male who ruined her family, Calli's only concern is saving her father.

When Demetrius gets past the infuriating personality of the righteous female, he realizes Calli's the one in great danger. He gives her his help out of duty, until it becomes clear that if he loses her, he loses everything.
US$2.99 links
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

In the Pale Moonlight novels, shifters are desperate to remain hidden but rivalries and greed threaten to expose them all.

Porter Denlan’s home is in turmoil, his pack lives in fear of their cruel leader, but he knows one female whose birthright can govern them without question. Unfortunately, his nemesis is also searching for her—and it isn’t to bring her back to the home she was taken from.

Raised as a human, Maggie Miller wishes she could connect with her species. But when a sexy carpenter comes into her work making outrageous claims about her destiny, she blows him off—despite her intense attraction toward the rugged male. Hours after she watched his admirable backside walk out, three brutes attack her. Unable to stay away from her, Porter jumps to her aid; they barely escape.

On the run, they learn what Maggie’s birthright truly is—and how it could tear them apart.
US$2.99 Links
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

*** Prices reflect time of posting ***

Chalice Bearer Sneak Peek 5

Chalice Bearer is into its editing cycle, so this will be the last sneak peek before the January 2020 release. Based on popular demand, a glimpse into what Rebecca is up to.

****

Rebecca opens the panel by her desk and checks her appearance in the mirror. The intricate twist has not released a single lock of platinum hair.

Oyster gray linen blended with turquoise silk. The suit fits her to perfection.

Ice blue watered silk top with a demure V-neck. Elegant and enticing.

Blade metal pumps with silver heels. A bit daring but within protégé decorum.

Plain gold posts in her ears. Beyond dull, but she was appalled when Lilian informed her that she could never again use the aquamarine studs of her apprenticeship lest it diminishes her current status. They were a gift from Seigneur Trevelyan and a symbol that he values her. The first and only she has ever received from one who did not wish to bed her.

Twisting to double check her appearance, she is satisfied with the understated elegance that will please her mentor. Her mentor who has yet to ask about the estrangement between monsignor and Lilian.

Mayhap she can have the aquamarines made into drops. Rebecca turns for the door.


Read more

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 RONE Finalists - Mystery

The last round of RONE Finalists for 2019 feature mystery and romance. Shipboard sabotage, wine country corporate espionage, getaway weddings, and mysterious slayings in 1951 Los Angeles; these four finalists deliver.

Stowaway

Her identity is hidden … He’s determined to uncover it

Charleston, South Carolina shipping heiress, MIRANDA MERRICK, discovers one of her family’s cargo ships, the Elle Merrick, has suffered multiple attacks by a saboteur. The devious actions have put the company at risk for bankruptcy. Miranda refuses to sit idly and wait for years of hard work to be destroyed. She boards the Elle in hopes of gaining help from her uncle, the ship’s captain, only to discover a stranger at the helm. A man much younger than her uncle, and someone she believes has no business being there.

In an effort to discover the culprit and save her family’s company, Miranda stows away on the ship - keeping her identity a secret while conducting her own investigation. Making matters more complicated, she finds herself attracted to the new captain, who could very well be the enemy. After all, until she can uncover the truth, everyone is suspect.

Captain NOAH SHEPPARD is hoping to merge his small, cargo shipping line, Clayton Company, with the multinational conglomerate, Merrick Shipping. Upon discovering one of Merrick’s ships has been deliberately and systematically sabotaged by a crew member, he agrees to captain the targeted vessel in hopes of discovering the identity of the saboteur. Once caught and brought to justice, both companies will then be able to close the deal and complete the merger.

Two days into the voyage, Noah discovers a stowaway, and assumes she’s either the saboteur or in league with him. But what Noah didn’t bargain for is having to deal with the mysterious, gorgeous, redhead, who wreaks havoc - not only to his patience, but to his heart.

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Wine Thief

What happens when a corporate spy clashes with a woman he can’t help but fall for?

Chloe Dorsey places her belongings in storage, puts Southern California in her rearview mirror, and heads to her sister’s home in Northern California for a fresh start. As one of the newly hired wine educators at the Napa Valley Point Resort and Winery, Chloe’s knowledge of wine is as limited as her income.

Anthony “Tony” Mahoney has one objective—to locate the Mother Vine, the source of the rare and award-winning wine that can only be found at the Napa Valley Point Resort and Winery. His talent for stealing secrets is tested when he makes an unlikely alliance with the one woman who could destroy all his plans.

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Handbags & Homicide

Kaley Kalua is ecstatic when her best friend announces that she’s getting married and bringing the pre-wedding celebration to Aloha Lagoon! As the maid of honor, Kaley can't wait to see her bride-to-be bestie, Emma—that is, until Emma shows up on the island with a few unwelcome faces in her wedding party, including Kaley’s cheating ex-husband, Bryan, one of his former mistresses, and his new girlfriend! To make matters worse, Kaley’s current relationship with the resort's hot lifeguard is on the rocks, and herbrand new handbag goes missing after a wild night celebrating Emma’s bachelorette party.

But things go from bad to downright deadly when Bryan’s girlfriend is found the next day, dead and buried in a shallow grave on the resort beach—along with Kaley’s missing bag! The police seem convinced that Kaley is involved in the woman’s untimely death. In order to prove her innocence and save Emma’s wedding weekend, Kaley must do a little investigating of her own. Did her arrogant ex-husband kill his own girlfriend? Or did the jealous other woman commit the crime? The deeper Kaley digs in her pursuit of the truth, the more secrets and lies she uncovers. It soon becomes clear that someone doesn’t want Kaley to air their dirty laundry. If she isn’t careful, she may not live to see her friend walk down the aisle.

US$4.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Thrill Girl

June, 1951...It's a tense summer in the City of Angels. A killer is on the loose. She's blonde, she's beautiful, and she murders bad guys. On three different occasions, she thwarted a mugging in progress, saving the innocent, dispatching the guilty, and fading away like a whisper in the rain. She never waits around for thanks. Apparently she doesn't want any.

Who is this woman?

Jack Curran, star reporter, is determined to find out. He's a good citizen. A war hero. A journalist who wants to write fiction, which he plans to once he files an exclusive on Thrill Girl's identity. When Thrill Girl strikes a fourth time, adding two more to her body count while saving a pretty shop girl, his investigation leads him to socialite Alana Maxwell. She's blonde. She's beautiful.

Does she murder bad guys?

Despite his publisher's warning to beware her very connected and powerful step-brother, Jack goes to ask her, face to face. But Alana Maxwell doesn't care that a newspaperman is tracking her like a hound with a snout full of fox. She has only one thing on her mind, saving her younger brother's life. It's something she'll do anything to accomplish. Anything. Including taking illicit drugs, living with blackouts and hallucinations, and putting herself in the hands of a mysterious doctor she has no good reason to trust.

Before Jack can nail down Alana's connection to Thrill Girl, LA is rocked by an even more lurid crime. A bum is ripped to pieces near the Griffith Park Zoo. The coroner says the bite marks have traces of human and animal saliva. The cops go crazy. Jack's newspaper proclaims a monster's in town. The good citizens of LA lock their doors and windows and clamor for answers.

Jack is determined to provide them. He hears a rumor about something called a der Katzenjunge. Translation? A European myth about men with the mutant ability to temporarily transmogrify into a savage, feline-like creature. What the hell would a crackpot story like that have to do with Thrill Girl, he wonders?

Quite a lot, actually.

US$4.99 or KU
AMAZON

*** Prices reflect time of posting ***

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 RONE Finalists - Paranormal Long

Demons, angels, vampires, werewolves and all that goes bump in the night. The 2019 RONE Paranormal Long finalists have it all.

Heart of Ice

Discover Alice. Private Investigator of the Supernatural.
Even the coldest hearts can burn...

After closing a big case for the Vampire Court, mage private investigator Alice Worth is relieved to be back solving magical mysteries with her ghost sidekick Malcolm and spending quality time with sexy alpha werewolf Sean. Her latest case puts her on the trail of a burglary ring targeting wealthy collectors of magical objects. Meanwhile, Alice’s grandfather, crime lord Moses Murphy, fights a local boss for control of the city. Soon a new danger emerges: Moses’s new lieutenant is someone Alice knows and this is one family reunion she wants to avoid at all costs.

When Sean is injured as a result of her investigation, Alice faces the wrath of his pack and finds herself in a carefully laid trap. To save the city from Moses and his lieutenant, she risks capture by her grandfather and unimaginable torture at his hands. To save Sean, she risks losing everything she's fought so hard to gain. But Alice has never backed down from anything in her life and she’s not about to start now...

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Debriefing the Dead

The only thing Hyacinth wants is her life back. Literally. She and her sister were murdered by Demons, leaving her young nephew, Geordi, to his father’s family in the brutal Sicilian Mob. Then Archangel Michael offers her a deal: recapture a powerful rock the Demons stole, and she can live long enough to find Geordi a safe home. Refuse, and she’ll continue up (or down) to the Afterlife.

So, slightly more alive than dead, she heads for Turkey and the Demons, taking Geordi, her mysterious neighbor Jason, and a sexy dead guy only she can see with her. But the hardest part won’t be battling Demons, meeting Satan, or dodging Middle Eastern customs—it will be later, when Geordi is settled, and Michael rips her away again. How can she abandon her nephew? Or can she outwit the Angel of Death himself, and stay with Geordi forever?

US$5.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Werewolves Only

A psychic detective.
An alpha wolf.
A forbidden love that could tear the pack apart.

Detective Macey Carpenter has been on the trail of a vicious attacker for weeks. The evidence keeps disappearing, and it seems she'll never solve the case. Finding love is the least of her worries, but she can't deny her attraction to a mysterious man who knows more about the crimes than he should.

A man who may be more than he seems...

When Luke falls head over tail for the feisty human detective, supernatural secrets aren't the only things at stake.

He has to mate with another werewolf or he'll sacrifice his position as alpha. But as heat builds between the pair, he discovers Macey has a few secrets of her own.

She may hold the key to ridding New Orleans of its demons...

But his feelings for her will tear his pack apart.

If you like sexy shifters and fated mates, you'll love this thrilling paranormal romance.

US$2.99 or KU
AMAZON

Winter Magic (The Thorne Witches)

Feeling hurt and more than a little betrayed, Winter "Winnie" Thorne decides it would be best for her new lover to forget their relationship ever happened. In an impulsive move, she casts a spell and wipes his memory clean. The recollection of their time together is now hers alone.

Every time Zane Carlyle sets eyes on Winnie Thorne's enchanting face, déjà vu strikes. It's as if their first date has already happened and their first kiss has already rocked his world. He can't seem to shake the feeling there's something he should remember. After Zane gains his magical abilities, his suppressed memories return along with a burning anger at being tricked. Zane decides turn-about is fair play.

When Winnie needs help recovering a charmed amulet, Zane offers his assistance, knowing it is the perfect opportunity to exact retribution for Winnie's deception. This time, she'll be the one who is played for a fool. But what starts out as a game of revenge turns dangerous when an old enemy resurfaces. Can Zane and Winnie put their differences aside to fight this deadly opponent, or will old wounds and animosity be their downfall?

US$4.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Bewitching the Beast

Ethan Lockwood hates what he’s become—a slave to a parasitic monster whose victims’ names pepper the obituaries. He’s possessed by The Beast, a dragon who feeds off human spiritual energy. After a year of fighting The Beast’s demands, Ethan is losing the battle. The creature is taking over his mind, body, and soul. When he spies Tess, he can relate to her weary look and the sadness in her eyes, but her aura shines like a beacon, attracting The Beast. Ethan is forced to drain her energy, but for a split second, she subdues the creature inside him, compelling the spirit to slumber. How? Can she somehow free him from The Beast? Ethan chases after her. He can’t afford to let Tess die.

Since her fiancé’s death, Tess Edwards struggles to find new meaning in life. She doesn’t expect that new meaning to involve a sexy photographer who says he’s possessed by an energy-stealing beast. He claims she’s in danger and that he’s the only one who can save her. Great. He’s a nut job—cute, but delusional. She doesn’t believe in dragon spirits and magic, not until she finds her grandmother’s Book of Shadows. She’s descended from witches, and the book warns her of her fate. Although the beast inside Ethan needs her alive, he isn’t the only one of his kind. There’s another, and he wants Tess dead.

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

*** prices reflect time of posting ***

Chalice Bearer Sneak Peek 4

Chalice Bearer remains on track for its January 2020 release. Until then, a little snippet.

Sevenday 9, Day 3

With their duty executed, Lilian follows Monsignor into a windowed alcove where they can observe without being approached. Sipping wine, mentor and protégé review the exuberant throng in the now overflowing reception chambers. “May I be permitted to know how it was designed that Monsignor Hercules would have Monsignor Persia so well positioned?”

“Hercules’ task was to have the most conservative monsignor he could locate engaged with the Governor when we arrived. That it was Persia was Luck of the First. I am aware that she and Lady Tobi insulted you in Jonathan’s Museum.”

What says he?

READ MORE

NFReads interview with EG

Lovely interview about the Twelve Systems Chronicles and indie publishing.



https://www.nfreads.com/interview-wit...

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 Rone Finalists - Historical: 17th Century to Regency

Rogues and noblemen, heroines in peril, ballrooms and castles: the 2019 RONE finalists in in Historical Romance: 17th Century through Regency have it all.

A December with a Duke: A Regency Romance

He’s entirely the wrong sort of man. That’s what makes him so utterly right.

After a horrific marriage, widow Everleigh Chatterton is cynical and leery of men. She rarely ventures into society, and when she must, she barely speaks to them. As a favor to a friend, she reluctantly agrees to attend a Christmas house-party. Unfortunately, Griffin, Duke of Sheffield is also in attendance. Even though Everleigh has previously snubbed him, she can’t deny her attraction to the confident, darkly handsome duke.

For almost a year, Griffin has searched for the perfect duchess to help care for the orphan he’s taken on. He sets his sights on the exquisite, but unapproachable Everleigh Chatterton after her sweet interactions with the child impress him. He is convinced he can thaw her icy exterior and free the warm, passionate woman lurking behind the arctic facade. Only, as Griffin pursues her, it’s his heart that’s transformed.

Though this book can easily be read as a stand-alone, most readers prefer to read the series in order.

US$3.79 or KU
AMAZON

The Devil in the Duke: A Revelry’s Tempest Novel

A man accustomed to hiding secrets.
His dark silver eyes are haunted, and for good reason. Logan Lipinstein lost his wife years ago in the war and has been a living shell of a man ever since, attempting to atone for past sins. Until one fateful day, when she walks past him carrying a basket of bread.

A woman with a lost past.
Sienna Ponstance lives in the comfort of her grandmother's estate, having long ago put herself on the shelf as a spinster. She has her charcoals, the village that she loves, and peaceful days—even if something has always been missing from her life. Until the day her tranquility is shattered when a strange man accosts her as she is walking home from the village.

Love reunited.
His wife—dead for ten years—walked along the path in front of Logan. Scarcely believing his eyes, he approaches her and is quickly rewarded with a rebuff that includes the point of a knife. Sienna has no memory of him, thinking him only a ruffian.

Now he just has to convince her that he actually is her husband. And that their boundless love can conquer anything—including a past that threatens them at every turn.

US$4.99 or KU
AMAZON

One Moment In Time

One moment in time may be enough, if it lasts forever…

When the man Lady Roselyn Ann Winslow has loved since she was a young girl begins to court her, Roselyn thinks all her dreams have come true… until the dream turns into a nightmare.

Lady Roselyn is everything Edmond Worthington, 9th Duke of Hartford, could ask for in a wife and he is delighted to find she returns his love... until he loses her, not once but twice.

From England’s ballrooms, to Berwyck Castle and a tropical island that is anything but paradise, Edmond and Roselyn face ruthless enemies who will do anything to tear them apart. Can they recover their one moment in time?

US$3.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

The Daring Miss Darcy

When a lady discovers that even the most unworthy deserve a second chance at love.

Miss Estelle Darcy is running from her past. Everyone believes she drowned in a shipwreck off the French coast, and many times she wished she had. The smugglers who rescued her are not the sort of men one crosses. Still, London is a vast city with plenty of unsuitable places where a lady might hide.

Lord Trevane’s pledge to find Miss Darcy has him in a quandary. The only woman ever to haunt his dreams is dead. The only woman Vane ever loved perished eight years ago on The Torrens. Moreover, how does one look for a ghost? And why would he want to when he’s convinced the lady abandoned him and eloped with her lover? Besides, he has his own problems. Renowned for being the most dangerous lord of the ton, ladies are scheming to bed him. Jealous men are plotting to drive a blade through his cold heart. And he has plans to wreak vengeance on the scoundrel responsible for ruining his sister.

But when Fate intervenes and throws them together again, Estelle and Vane must address the mistakes of the past. Neither can risk acknowledging the love they once shared. Damaged by their experiences, both believe it’s too late for second chances. So, how will they fare when the wolves come knocking? How will they fare when passion burns and their need for each other proves too tempting to resist?

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Only You

The series centers on the Duke of Rutland, a widower, and his four strong-willed offspring. The Duke has formidable enemies determined to destroy his family.

The third installment involves the eldest son of the Duke of Rutland, Nicholas. He has an important—if unwanted—destiny: to marry a wealthy, aristocratic woman who will provide him sons and increase the family’s prosperity. But the plan changes unexpectedly when Nicholas wakes up captive aboard a Portuguese slaver.

Lady Alexandra Sutherland’s fortunes have changed, too. She began life as the daughter of a baron, but when Alexandra was three years old, her nanny rescued her from the murderous designs of the baron’s new wife. As a young woman, Alexandra returns to her family’s estate seeking answers—only to be caught and sold to the slavers by her stepmother.

Nicholas and Alexandra become allies aboard the ship, but Nicholas distrusts Alexandra’s wild account of her life. Then, a hurricane strikes. Barely surviving, the pair reaches a deserted island, where Nicholas must face his growing desire for Alexandra—and discover the truth about her past.

US$4.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Prices are accurate at time of posting.

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 Rone Finalists - Fantasy

Faeries, Vampires, Magicians, Witches, Warlocks and things that go bump in the night. Magic and romance in alternate worlds. All can be found in the 2019 RONE Finalists - Fantasy.

Queen of the Night Guild

Her life burned to ashes. Her city under siege. She will sacrifice everything she has for bloody vengeance.

Ilanna has lost everything: her friends, her home, her family, her dreams of freedom. All that remains is a burning desire to find the bastards who burned down her city and tried to kill her.

But a traitor hides among the ranks of the Night Guild, poisoning her friends and allies with lies. Amidst cutthroats and thieves, even the truth can be twisted and turned into a weapon of betrayal.

Cast out and hunted by her former comrades, Ilanna has no choice but to turn to old enemies to save not only her life, but her Guild and city in the process.

Queen of the Night Guild is the breathtaking, heart-stopping conclusion to the Queen of Thieves epic fantasy series.

US$4.99 or KU
AMAZON

Trial of a Warrior

A warrior sentenced to die.

On trial for breaking a supreme Fae law, Fenian Warrior, Liam MacGregor has no regrets. He is prepared to accept his sentence—even if it means his death. However, freedom comes in an unexpected manner, and brings with it certain dangers as he travels through the Veil of Ages.

A princess honor-bound to remain hidden.

Princess Abela might be a priestess and the daughter of royalty, but that doesn't prevent her from doing the unimaginable. She sacrifices duty and honor to set free the man who captured her heart so many years ago. No matter the severity of his crimes, she cannot let Liam die.

A rescue that will bring about a war and divide a kingdom!

In their quest to secure a treaty to forestall Liam's death sentence, they must fight their desires for one another, as well as the Fenian Warriors sent to capture them.

US.99c Amazon/US$5.99 others
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Wicked Darkness

A sister's ultimate sacrifice…

Leana blames herself for destroying her sisters' lives and for the death of their beloved mother. But one night, Leana finds a way to save her sisters. She disguises herself as a mortal woman, hiding from the world of magic and her greatest enemy, Queen Snowdrop, the queen of the Unseelies.

A warrior's troubled soul…

Kendrick is a broken man, dependent on ale to make the sorrow left behind by the loss of his wife bearable. He's vowed to never love again until his friend convinces Kendrick to hire a housemaid from the local tavern to take care of his home and children. Can he resist the desire the beautiful redheaded tavern maid has awakened?

Two broken hearts become whole…

Leana's heart is cold as ice, at least that's what she believes. Until Kendrick resurrects the passion Leana thought was long gone. What is it about the battered warrior that stirs her feelings? Will one kiss spark hope between Kendrick and Leana, or will they surrender to fear, denying their love, the very thing that could save the people they treasure most?

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

A Weapon of Magical Destruction

Sage Cynwrig knows her way around a pair of twenty-sided dice, and has forgotten more spells than you'll ever know. But when her mother is killed by a weapon of magical destruction, fantasy merges into a strange new reality. Her birthmark morphs into the Tree of Life, her boss goes full troll (warts and all), vampires start hitting on her, and shadowhunters stalk her in the darkness.

Had Sage been warned about her special lineage, before her mother's murder, she might have agreed to join the Anonymous Supernatural Security and Elimination Taskforce (A.S.S.E.T). When agent Grey Maddox shows up to recruit Sage - filling her head with stories of an ancient race of people chosen by the gods and uniquely gifted to withstand the forces of magic - she dismisses him as a fraud.
The truth about Sage's lineage comes crashing down around her when a supernatural pick-up artist tries to kill her. Bearing the mark of the Tree of Life makes Sage special while also putting a target on her head.

With the weapon still at large, and strange faerie-like creatures popping up all around her, figuring out who to trust is priority number one. Only then can Sage find the key to neutralizing the weapon before its power is unleashed again.

US$3.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Misfortune of Time

In 11th century Ireland, Étaín must hide her pagan magic from her pious Christian priest husband, Airtre. She wants to escape his physical abuse, but she must stay to protect their grandson, Maelan. Over many lifetimes, she has learned how to endure her own pain, but Maelan is young and vulnerable.

When Airtre's paranoia and jealousy spiral out of control, Étaín has no choice but to escape in the night with little more than the clothing on her back, leaving a trusted friend to protect Maelan.

This is not the first lifetime Étaín has fled, and she knows how to survive. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she must make decisions that may result in disaster for her, her grandson, and everyone she loves.

US$4.99
AMAZON * NOOK * APPLE * KOBO

Prices are accurate at time of posting.

Chalice Bearer Sneak Peek 3

Lilian and Estella meet for the first time.

Seven-day 6, Day 1

I am the sum of my ancestors. Inside the Mercio mansion, a servitor leads Lilian through the opulent residence to the southwest corner of the second storey and an elegant salon decorated in blues and gold. By the tall windows, a table is set for a meal, Lady Estella reclining in a lounge next to it.

I am the foundation of my family. It has been years since Lilian has viewed Lady Estella in aught but a visual. Monsignor’s spouse is exquisite, the muted, yellow dress accents her pale beauty and brings out the blue of her eyes. As she closes with the lounging figure, Lilian’s awe turns to concern. Slenderness is revealed as fragility, Lady Estella’s porcelain skin stretched thin across the perfect cheekbones. Her blue eyes sparkle as she gestures to the beautifully stitched chair intended for her companion. “Well come.”

Perched on the chair, Lilian waits for Lady Estella to speak or signal the meal is to begin.

Picking up her fork, Lady Estella says, “I knew your mother, Helena, once upon a time. We were at the conservatory together. Did she ever mention it?”

Lady Estella knew Maman?

Read More

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 RONE Finalists - Historical Scottish

There is something about a man in a kilt . . .

Rodrick the Bold

A beautiful lass with hair the color of fire and eyes of emerald green would be a dream most men would happily invite. But these dreams, of the lass calling to him, begging for his help, haunt Rodrick the Bold. When the nightmares become too much, he sets off to find the lass who calls to him nightly. Not known for his warm heart nor eloquent way with words, he seeks to rescue her if only to be free of the torment.

Held as the pawn in a plot of treachery and deceit, Muriel MacFarland does not know who to trust or believe. Her once quiet, ordinary life is torn asunder when she is kidnapped and sold. Tormented and abused, she gives up all hope of a rescue by her brother and believes her life is no longer worth living.

Can Muriel put her faith, trust, and life in the hands of the stranger who comes to rescue her? Will Rodrick the Bold's wish for a family of his own come true?

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

The Warrior's Mission

He has no time for love…

Son of one of the legendary Sisters of Danu, Flynn has grown up under the threat of constant attack. When one enemy falls, another rises. He knows that remaining vigilant, silent, and far away from romantic entanglements is the only way to survive. As his king’s top informant, Flynn has no room for anything other than duty. So why does the blonde-haired, blue-eyed village healer continue to catch his eye, and why does he find himself seeking her aid for the smallest of wounds, only to be closer to her? Though the lass avoids him at all costs, it is just as well, for nothing can come of his attraction.

She fears all men…

Maggie has seen too many women in her life suffer at the hands of men. Though a talented healer, being around the warriors of the village terrifies her, making her duties more than difficult… until she meets handsome Flynn Mac Greine. He frightens her, yet something deeper draws her to him. But she knows all too well that even a handsome face can hide a sinister soul. If only she could push past her fears, stop living in the shadows. But no matter what, she must avoid Flynn, even if he is the first man to make her feel something more than fear.

When Flynn is mortally wounded while out on a mission, Maggie is called upon to save his life. Without hesitation, she takes on the task, tending him while he heals in a secluded cottage for weeks… alone. What has she gotten herself into?

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Highland Honor

The final book of the captivating Scottish Historical Wild Thistle Trilogy

Lady Honor MacAllister can heal everything but a broken heart . . .

Lady Honor does not believe in marriage. Her father’s death broke her mother’s spirit and took her from her daughters emotionally well before her own death. When Honor is attacked in the forest, she keeps the event to herself, lest her lairds search for the man and strike him down. As a healer, she’ll do anything it takes not to cause harm. Rumors of attacks in the Highlands forces the lairds to increase guards and security measures. When Bryce Calder is assigned to protect Lady Honor, she fights the burgeoning attraction for the man, knowing she’ll never risk her heart to love.

Warrior Bryce Calder trusts no woman. Women only strive to better themselves through cunning, as his father warned throughout his childhood. When he is asked to escort Lady Honor while she gathers healing herbs, he is vexed. Training the men and protecting the clan are his duties, not following the sharped-tongued lass about the wood. With each passing day, Bryce becomes enchanted by Lady Honor, despite his father’s words, but his unworthiness halts any proclamation of his desire.

An unlikely partnership develops during the frequent trips to the forest and work in the apothecary. The walls each has erected to protect their hearts and their future crumbles. Until a stranger arrives at the keep. Lady Honor’s secret is threatened to be revealed putting in jeopardy the growing romance between the ardent healer and the reluctant warrior-suitor.

US$3.99
AMAZON

Highland Secrets

The Lady Captive:
Being a daughter of one of the Legendary Bastards of the Crown proves to be a blessing as well as a curse for Fia Douglas. Having both English and Scottish blood, she is being fostered in Northumberland per the late English king's wishes. This puts her far from her beloved family and homeland of Scotland.
When war breaks out between England and Scotland, Fia finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alone with a wounded Highland spy in the late queen's secret garden, she ends up being kidnapped by the Scot and brought back to the Highlands where she is now a prisoner in her own land.

The Highland Laird:
Laird Alastair MacPherson is wounded and left for dead after being ambushed on English soil. When he stumbles into a secret garden in the woods to find refuge, he discovers a red-haired beauty whose life he's saved several years earlier. She is inclined to help him so she can pay back the favor. But when his life is threatened once again, he is backed into a corner and has no choice but to use her as a hostage to escape.

Can a rugged Highlander love a lass whose secrets threaten to ruin his one chance at redemption? And will a woman who has fallen in love with her captor, be able to betray him if necessary?

US$3.99 or KU
AMAZON

Prices reflect time of posting.