E.G. Manetti's Blog, page 26

Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 RONE Finalists - Contemporary Steamy

Contemporary Romance is all about the feels. From billionaires to bikers, and CPAs to ballerinas; the romance generates the drama. Some of the most popular versions including opposites attract and second chance romance. The 2019 RONE Finalists in the Contemporary Steamy category deliver all that with a nice dose of heat.

Going Down on One Knee

Number-crunching Velma Johnson's perfectly planned life is right on course.

That's a lie. Sure, she's got the lucrative job. She's got the posh apartment. But her sister nabbed Velma's Mr. Right. There has to be a man out there for Velma. Hopefully, one who's hunky, wears pressed suits, and has a diversified financial portfolio. He'll be exactly like, well... her sister's new fiancé.

Badass biker Brek Montgomery blazes a trail across the country, managing Dimefront, one of the biggest rock bands of his generation. With the band on hiatus, Brek rolls into Denver to pay a quick visit to his family and friends. But when Brek's sister suddenly gets put on bed rest, she convinces Brek to take over her wedding planning business for the duration of her pregnancy.

Staying in Denver and dealing with bridezillas was not what Brek had in mind when he passed through town, but there is one particular maid-of-honor who might make his stay worthwhile.

Velma finds herself strangely attracted to the man planning her sister's wedding.

Problem is, he ticks none of the boxes on her well-crafted list. Brek is rough around the edges, he cusses, and doesn't even have a 401(k). But trying something crazy might get her out of the rut of her dating life--so long as she lays down boundaries up front and sticks to her plan...

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Masquerade

Hunting a murderer is hot work, in more ways than one.

Lindsey Califaro, second in command at Elite Marketing, is suspicious when her boss is killed in a one car accident. She’s had a funny feeling about things around the agency for a while and now her spidey senses are going haywire. Something is wrong and she’s determined to find out what.

John Martino, highly sought after forensic accountant, is sent by Arroyo to dig into Elite’s books and see if there is an answer there. He expects problems but what he doesn’t expect is to find a super smart hot female who pushes all his buttons and sends his sex drive into overload.

As the two dig into Elite’s books and Craig’s private life, they uncover a sordid trail of sex trafficking and drugs so extensive it shocks them. As they draw closer to the real head of the operation the heat between them rises in temperature and their feelings for each other explode.

As they work to blow open the criminal enterprise, their relationship intensifies and John knows he must do everything to protect Lindsey from a master criminal.

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Sexy Bad Boss

James Frost is all work and no play. He’s made billions as the CEO of Frost, Inc. He can broker a deal between two pissed off Irishmen and the devil, and still walk away with a smile and not a wrinkle in his Armani suit. As his assistant, I’m faced with his dashing presence every day.

Can you blame a gal for having a crush?

So when he asks me to help him find his perfect woman, I throw myself at him. Only James Frost would never mix business with pleasure. He’s never looked at me in that way. I’m so mortified, I quit on the spot.

But a freak accident leaves him with a few broken bones and amnesia, and me with a dilemma. I’m playing nursemaid, at his beck and call, until my two weeks’ notice is up. And that raise I never thought I would get from him might be on the table after all. But how far am I willing to go before my pride demands I cut bait and move back home to London?

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A Season to Dance

Olivia James and Zach Ryder were high school sweethearts, but at age eighteen, she left small-town Georgia for the bright lights and satin pointe shoes of Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. Seventeen years later, Olivia’s come home for her mother’s funeral, nursing an injury that could likely end her meteoric dance career. Being back home stirs up old heartache, and seeing Zach again is not on her to-do list. Her best bet is get in, get out—a week at most. Then she’ll return to Chicago to rehabilitate her injury and salvage her career. But best laid plans often go astray . . .

Zach has never really recovered from Olivia’s departure, even though he always knew she was destined for fame, while he was destined for small-town life. Now Olivia’s back and he’s determined to protect his heart. But when he learns she’s staying in town longer than originally planned, Zach knows they are going to have to face the past to move on. He’s just not prepared for the beautiful woman she’s become or the effect she still has on his heart.

Small towns being what they are, Zach and Olivia are constantly thrown into one another's paths, and it soon becomes apparent they still love each other. Will they give in to their rekindled desire and seize a second chance at happiness?

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Just for You

Starving artist Meg Kahele needs cash and fast, thanks to poor life choices involving an unscrupulous man. She convinces her best friend’s brother-in-law to hire her as his secretary. When she realizes his love life is as much of a disaster as his desktop, she offers to serve as his matchmaker as well.

Irresponsible playboy Hayden Morrison grows up fast when he is forced to carry his family’s future on his shoulders as the CEO of Morrison and Sons. He doesn't mind his new secretary finding him a suitable match. But he’s not interested in any of the women Meg finds. He wants Meg herself.

Despite having virtually nothing in common, heat rises between Meg and Hayden. But while Hayden chases, Meg runs. He has to convince her she’s the woman meant just for him.

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Sworn to Forget

By all appearances, Nicki Reading is a star. PR director at a major music label, Nicki is sharp, successful, independent, and confidently calls the shots. She dates whom she wants, when she wants, with no strings attached. But beneath that shine, loneliness flickers. Events from her past prove love leads only to pain. Commitment is not an option.

Until Dex Hanover, a classy, principled, and prosperous CPA, enters the picture. Undeterred by his unhappy childhood, he has an amazing capacity to be both caring and generous, giving his free time as a mentor for a child from the projects. Dex wears his paternal yearnings on his sleeve, and he is at a point in his life where commitment is the only option.

Despite their opposing views, Nicki and Dex ignite each other. But will events from their pasts ruin their challenging relationship and prevent them from experiencing everlasting love?

US$4.61 - $5.99
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Prices reflect time of posting

Chalice Bearer Sneak Peek 2

Progress continues on the next volume in the Twelve Systems Chronicles. For those waiting impatiently, a small peek into the story. Note that this snippet has not been reviewed by my editor. All typos and errors are my own.

***
Seven-day 7, Day 4

Lilian raises the short metal dart in the manner Chrys demonstrated. Releasing her breath, she lets it fly at the rotating wheel of fish-shaped targets. With a disappointing thump, it misses the targets and hits the wall. “Chrys, this dart fishing is a great deal more difficult than you make it appear.”

Chuckling, he moves to stand behind her and assist in adjusting her throw.

This day. “I am glad I amuse.”

“Peace,” he says, wrapping his hand over her fingers. “I cannot help it. It is so rare to see you less than competent at something." Setting his other hand on her shoulder gives it
a mild shake. “Hold it more loosely, relax your shoulder. Good. Ease back a little and remember to aim slightly ahead of the target.


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Indie Spotlight: RONE Finalists - Historical Ancient to 16th Century

This year's finalists in InD'tale RONE category: Historical Ancient - 16th Century are all set in the middle ages featuring knights, ladies, and royal courts.

A Wolfe Among Dragons: Sons of de Wolfe

The sons of William de Wolfe (The Wolfe) are immortal, so they say. Men who are known as ShadowWolfe... DarkWolfe... Nighthawk... are as legendary as their father. The eldest four sons - Scott, Troy, Patrick, and James have always run in a pack. They are all to each other, in both brotherhood and in strength. But in 1282 A.D., James de Wolfe, the endearing and gentle brother, is killed in Wales as the Welsh rebel against Henry III.

... or was he?

Tales of a Welsh warrior known as Blaidd Cryf, or Blayth the Strong, are making way to English ears along the Welsh Marches. It's 1286 A.D., and a Welsh warrior who can somehow read the minds of the English armies is rising to power among the last princes of Wales. With Blayth leading the Welsh armies, the English are being handed defeat after defeat. No one knows who Blayth is, or where he's come from, but the English warlords are coming to realize that they will lose Wales once and for all if Blayth and his brilliant tactics aren't stopped.

No one seems to realize that Blayth (the phoenetic pronunciation for Blaidd, meaning wolf in Welsh) may be the most deadly warrior Wales - and England - has ever seen.

Bhrodi de Shera, the hereditary King of Anglesey and husband to Penelope de Wolfe de Shera, youngest daughter of William de Wolfe, has no real grasp of who Blayth the Strong really is. An icon for his people, Bhrodi has been instrumental in helping the Welsh and English peacefully co-exist, and he very much wants all of Wales to know peace with England, but with Blayth leading a resurgence of rebellion along the border, Bhrodi seeks to meet with Blyth to discover who this man is and what he truly wants - a fractured Wales? Or is he determined to unit Wales under his rule?

When Blayth finally appears at Bhrodi's stronghold of Rhydillian Castle, his identity is shrouded in mystery. It is said that the English, if they discover him, will execute him without question, so Blayth is well protected by his contingent of teulu. But when Penelope catches of a glimpse of the man who has single-handedly caused a resurgence of Welsh rebellion, she can hardly believe her eyes.

Lazarus has indeed arisen - and her brother, James, is back from the dead.

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Seductive Secrets

Lady Willow Douglas holds the power of persuasion and can charm men with her appearance as well as her words. But when her skill doesn't work on Sir Conrad Lochwood, he becomes a thorn in her side. The autumn festival is about to start, and all the eligible, rich, single noblemen are arriving. She has decided to find a husband, but unfortunately her father has other plans. He's hired Sir Conrad to keep her away from all the men until his return.

When a visiting earl's prize ruby is stolen, Willow steps in without hesitation to use her skills to figure out which of the guests is the thief. But with Sir Conrad constantly looking over her shoulder and dragging her away from everyone, she finds it difficult to accomplish anything. She is a member of the queen's secret group of strong women and feels the need to find and return the ruby to help the earl out of a terrible predicament that involves the king.

Can a strong woman who is determined to catch a thief accomplish her task before a dashing knight steals her heart away?

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Overruled by Fate

A tale of an enduring love, powerful enough to survive time and circumstance. Two souls destined to be halves of a whole, but fated to be kept apart. And yet a love such as this is not content to blindly accept the bonds of fate...

Nathaniel can hardly recall a time he hasn't adored Madeline. For Madeline, he truly is her knight in shining armour. Alas, one stolen night is all they are granted before Madeline is given in marriage to the wealthy and titled, Earl of Marbourne, who is fast friends with the king. A whirlwind of intrigue and contrivance follows Madeline as she joins the court and catches the eye of the king, while cruel fate conspires to keep Madeline and Nathaniel apart despite their desperate love.

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Indie Spotlight: 2019 RONE Finalists - Paranormal Short

Paranormal romance is designed for those who enjoy elements of magic and the supernatural. It can be as close to reality as heightened physic ability or as adventurous as shape-shifters and dragons. The 2019 RONE finalists for paranormal short fiction cover the range of options.

Inception

Can a lion tame a dragon?

When immortal warrior Aaron's twin is killed, he's on the verge of destroying himself, only to be saved by the sight of a feisty dragon-shifter who is his fated mate.

Hope's dragon recognizes Aaron as her mate. Yet, she must deny him; for dragon shifters can only mate with their own kind. If she were to accept the mating bond with Aaron, she risks killing him.

Thrown together in a fight to save their two races from the deadly Elysians, a powerful warrior race stronger than any shifter or immortal, Aaron and Hope must defeat this new threat.But can they also find the way to each other's soul?

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Eye of the Eagle

One soars like an eagle. One strikes like a thunderbird. But for both hearts, revenge can be deadly when it's nourished.

Anomaly Defense Director and shapeshifter Bert Blackfeather doesn't need a boss with no experience. So what if she's beautiful or gives him a jolt when she shakes his hand? He never plans to get seriously involved with another woman—not in this lifetime.

Phoebe Wagner, an empath with psychometric abilities and an advocate for the deaf, gets more than she bargained for with Bert. One touch and she relives his IED injuries. So what if he's handsome and hot? She doesn't need to add his secrets to her own. Phoebe's are bad enough.

When his niece goes missing from Hotel LaBelle, Bert goes to Montana to help—and Phoebe insists on going with him. Can these two hard-headed people share their darkest secrets in order to work together? It may be the only way to save an endangered child—and their own hearts when Bert's past rears its ugly head.

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The Haunting of Hillwood Farm

After tragedy strikes, Callie Sinclair is left with a gift she never wanted—the ability to communicate with ghosts. But when a desperate widow begs for her help, she reluctantly agrees to investigate the strange occurrences at Hillwood Farm. She quickly realizes she’s dealing with a dangerous presence beyond anything she’s ever experienced, and something else becomes equally clear—the only other living person in the house, Mrs. Turner’s handsome grandson, thinks she’s a scam artist. While she’d prefer to just ignore him, her heart beats a little faster every time he’s nearby.

Luke Turner doesn’t believe in spirits. He’s moved back to restore the family farm, but living on the property serves a dual purpose—he can watch out for his grandmother. He’s not happy about the sudden appearance of a self-described psychic, or his inexplicable attraction to her. His initial suspicions crumble as evidence points to an actual haunting, but he’s still determined not to fall for Callie—the past has taught him it’s best to avoid relationships.

As Callie is drawn deeper into the mystery, she becomes the target of a vengeful spirit, and Luke can no longer fight his feelings for her. Unable to resist their desire, passion ignites…even as the paranormal activity escalates to a final deadly confrontation.

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Sea Dragon's Hunger

A mother and child on the run. A dark Latino shifter with a secret. And the powerful fae who's after them all...

This BAD Alpha Dad will melt your heart as he races to protect the daughter he never knew he had. A secret baby romance set in Rebecca Rivard’s award-winning Fada Shapeshifters world.

Four years ago, Irish shifter Cassidy O’Byrne fell hard for a sexy Latino from the Rock Run Clan. Nic do Rio was dark, brooding—and irresistible. But Nic was keeping a secret, and in the end he left, unknowingly leaving her expecting their baby.

An orphan herself, Cassidy loves her three-year-old daughter with all her heart. But Nic’s secret makes the little girl invaluable to the fae. When a powerful fae comes for Rianna, Cassidy runs with her to the only man who might be able to save them—Nic.

Nic never expected to see Cassidy again, but now that she's come to him, he'll do anything to keep her and his daughter. He just has to convince Cassidy to give him a second chance—and keep his newfound family safe from the fae...

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Dragonslayer, Dragon Light - Isobelle Cate

A shifter. A slayer. One forbidden love.

Ty Cameron, a.k.a. Perseus of Rhodes, was as bad as any dragonslayer and maybe even more. While sparring with his best friend Saxton Lance, a.k.a. Apollo, he feels the ghost of a sensual kiss on his cheek, a sign that his Omega, the keeper of his soul, is near. Engaging with his Omega pulls him away from Winterborne Keep and through the waters around the English coast. He washes along the shores of Colmthorpe, a town that despises dragons. While gathering the townsfolk to help him search for his Omega, he happens upon a lagoon deep in the forest and sees a woman that has him aching to make her his.

Lia Deveraux had not intended to stay away from her home for a long time. However, that was just what she did when a dragonslayer sank his axes into her. She believes she has met her end until wakes up inside the home of a hermit who nurses her to health. Lia knows she has to make her escape sooner rather than later. But the appeal of living among humans is strong. When she meets a handsome stranger that even her dragon approves of, the pull of being in his arms and falling for him is even stronger.

Lia has the gift of insight – she sees other people’s futures but not her own until she meets Ty Cameron. When she finally has the courage to leave the man she has fallen for, someone who knows who she really is betrays her.

How can anything come out of the passion Lia and Ty have for each other when their relationship is doomed from the start?

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Autumn Magic

Autumn Thorne believed she discovered the perfect love. Yet the moment she revealed she was a witch, her relationship went to hell in a handbasket. Nearly a decade later, in an ironic twist of fate, the man who shunned her shows up on her doorstep and asks for her help to develop his own latent powers.

For the better part of nine years, Keaton Carlyle has tried to forget the one woman whose very touch made him burn with uncontrollable desire. Now, left with no choice, he must seek her out to master the magic building within. But the more time Keaton spends with Autumn, the more he realizes his old feelings for her have never truly been extinguished and the flames blaze hotter than ever.

When Autumn sets off on a mission to uncover an ancient artifact crucial to saving her mother, Keaton is hot on her heels, determined to make up for the wrongs of the past and rescue Autumn from the clutches of the madman holding her hostage. Faced with life or death, they must learn to work together. But can Autumn ever again trust the man who so cruelly betrayed her?

Book 2 in a 6 book series.

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Summer Sale: The Cartel& Bright Star combo 99c

Just in time for vacation road trips and plane rides — two volumes for 99c!

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The first two volumes in the in the epic science fiction romance series that blend elements of space opera with the intrigue and suspense of a political thriller.

THE CARTEL: The Apprentice, Volume 1

Raised to wealth and privilege, Lilian’s was left destitute and endangered when her father was convicted of terrible crimes. By law and custom, she should have followed him into death to redeem her corrupt genetics. Desperate to avoid execution for crimes not her own, Lilian accepts an indenture contract with a powerful warrior. For three years he will have total control of her body, will, and intellect.

Lucius Mercio commands one of the most powerful Cartels in the Twelve Systems. As clever and ambitious as he is ruthless, Lucius’ wealth, influence, and power place him among the elite of the warrior caste. It is not enough. Lucius intends to take his Cartel to unimaginable heights with the aid of Lilian’s brilliance. He faces only one obstacle. Lucius must keep Lilian alive.

BRIGHT STAR:The Apprentice, Volume 2

In the second volume in the Twelve Systems Chronicles, Lilian’s enemies are more determined than ever to see her destroyed. A visitor from her past will endanger her future and threaten to destroy Lucius’ slowly developing trust. To survive the next set of challenges Lilian will need to find new reserves of courage, wit, and determination.

When Lucius’ motivations and ambitions are revealed, they are far more extraordinary than Lilian imagined. His rivals are about to increase in number and ferocity as they seek to limit his expanding wealth and power. They will use any means to undermine and destroy his plans including his notorious apprentice. To advance his ambitions, Lucius must be more ruthless and devious than ever before. To succeed, Lucius requires Lilian’s brilliance. To make use of it, he must keep her alive. It is going to prove more difficult than he anticipated.

With characters that jump off the page, love that is forbidden yet unstoppable mixed with top-notch worlds and technology, sci-fi has never looked so good or become so addictive!


~ IND’TALE MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2018

Spotlight on Indie Romance: 2019 Rone Finalists Thriller/Suspense

Romantic suspense and thrillers are for those readers who like heavy plot with their romances. The 2019 InD'Tale RONE finalists in this category do not disappoint.

Thirty-Three Days

Jenny is a lonely university lecturer who's consciousness has traveled back in time to her younger body to try to save the future of the world. A young microbiologist is going to release a genetically modified wheat that will mutate and ultimately destroy all plant life, leaving nothing but barren windswept dust bowls. In the past,

Jenny finds a love that has been missing from her life; the kind that comes just once in a lifetime. But Jenny can only stay in that time period for thirty-three days. Meanwhile, in the future, fearful Jenny will fail, plans are made to send another back in time--an assassin. How can she choose between saving the man she loves or saving the future?

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Tormented

Father's Anthony's devotion to God and His Church begins to unravel the moment Rita Wittier steps inside St. Catherine’s Cathedral in San Francisco. He struggles to control his feelings, but two years later, he is a man obsessed.

In an attempt to rediscover the priest he intended to become, Anthony flies back to Delaware to visit Father Timothy. If redemption can be found anywhere, surely it can be found in the church of his childhood and in the soothing Irish brogue of his former mentor.

The months pass, 60 Minutes does a special on Father Anthony and the Shepherd Academy—a school he started for disadvantaged children. He’s become a national hero— nicknamed the Good Shepherd. But he can’t get Rita out of his mind. He wants her more than anything—even God—and can no longer deny it. Six hours after he tell her how he feels, Rita is found dead in her car from an apparent suicide. Or is it murder?

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Fire Setters

THIS IS THE MOST DISTURBING CASE OF CANDICE SHANE’S CAREER.

Good little boys aren’t supposed to play with fire.

While on stakeout to catch the cretin who’s stalking a client, Private Investigator Candice Shane finds a house on fire--at midnight. A little girl’s tricycle in the yard prompts her hasty decision to break in, saving a sleeping woman and her three children.

The husband is out of town. Candice is hired by the grateful woman to clear her husband from police suspicion and to find out who wants them dead.

Fingerprints on the circuit breaker box connects the arson to two neighborhood boys, yet the troubled 12-year-old son mumbles the name Zane as he runs out of his smoke-filled bedroom.

Clearing the husband is easy. Finding Zane, the kid who is seemingly behind the ring of juvenile fire-setters, takes old-fashion, shoe-leather-thinning detective work, and luck.

Staying alive while doing it takes a lot more. Having her ex-boyfriend who’s a cop helps, but even Alex can’t stop the bullets from coming through Candice’s kitchen window. He can’t stop her apartment from burning. And he can’t stop her heart from falling in love with him all over again.

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On His Six

Can broken be beautiful? Ryker McCabe. Former Special Forces. Survived fifteen months in an Afghan prison, tortured within an inch of his life. His scars-and his fears-keep him alone. Disconnected from the world. From his team. From any hope of redemption. Until he meets her.

Wren Kane. Hacker extraordinaire. Desperately searching for her brother. When police find his body in a drug den, she knows there's more to his death than an overdose. He'd promised he was clean. And then, she finds the message he left her.

Wren's prepared to go it alone. Until she runs right into Ryker. He's the biggest, baddest man she's ever seen. And he's willing to risk his life to fulfill her brother's dying wish. But how can she trust him when he won't let her in?

When danger comes for Wren, Ryker jumps into action. No one hurts his little bird. Except maybe him. Because if he can't share his heart, he could lose her forever.

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Falcon's Prey

Heroes aren’t fearless. They just don’t let fear get in the way.

Her life is in danger…

Police officer Lexi Becker is being targeted. When her husband was murdered three years ago, Lexi moved to a small town to get away from the memories, to get away from the pain. But she can’t get away from the gut feeling that a drug lord, known only as The Falcon, was responsible for her husband’s death. As she quietly conducts her own investigation, it becomes clear to Lexi she could be The Falcon’s next victim. Afraid her local police department has been infiltrated by The Falcon, she turns to the only man she can trust for help: her former patrol partner.

But so is her heart.

When ex-cop Marv “Fish” Frisch is assigned bodyguard duty instead of a covert ops assignment, he fears he’s being punished for a failed training mission. The last assignment he expected was Lexi Becker. Now he’s forced to deal with the attraction he felt when they worked together. As they go into hiding, Fish can’t keep his feelings hidden from Lexi. It seems she feels the same, but danger is everywhere. Someone’s bugged her house. An illegal opioid network. People dying. And an even more sinister plan is being put into action…

When Lexi is torn between hiding or coming to the aid of an orphaned child, Lexi leaves Fish’s protection. Now she’s on her own, a prime target for The Falcon…unless she can outsmart him.

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Shadow of Doubt

Sworn to uphold the law, police officer Kate Dexter believes in doing the right thing. But when she meets an injured, altogether too sexy ATF agent, her entire world is turned upside down.

Jonas Burke is a wanted man. Framed for murder, he needs sanctuary – now. Finding it in the arms of a beautiful, feisty fellow cop isn't exactly his best plan, but he's desperate and wounded, and time is running out for him to prove his innocence. Armed with a little more than a conspiracy theory, Jonas has no choice but to ask for Kate's help.

Kate is torn between her duty to “serve and protect” and her growing desire for this man on the run. With her colleagues in pursuit and Jonas's enemies closing in, she and Jonas will have to work together if they want to survive. But can she really trust him beyond a shadow of doubt?

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Sneak Peek: Chalice Bearer

Seven-day 2, Day 1

This day, I live. Lilian stretches sleep tight limbs, toes curling against the chill tile, even as the barren balcony overlooking the interior courtyard begins to glow with morning light.

There is only this day. Widening her stance, she settles the gold warbelt into place. She has tried sleeping without it but wakes constantly in the night.

I will not fall. Monsignor’s will has not abated. He wishes her to return to his bed, and she wishes she dared. At the thought of monsignor, desire rises. No matter how often she self-pleasures, it does not sate her. Naught compares to the delight of his kiss, the ecstasy of his shaft deep within her, the power of their shared passion. The sense of safety she finds—

Her reverie shatters at insistent chirps from her personal slate. Crevasse swallow it! She is distracted yet again. How long has she stood staring; her thoughts filled with a man she cannot have?

Reaching for the device, she wonders at the early bell. Other than Monsignor, Maman, and Apollo, only a few have the code for her personal device. Pippa? No. It is but two bells past dark of night in Fort Rimon. Dean Joseph? Her heart lifts only to plummet when the source of alert appears.

Adelaide’s Thorn. She has been expecting the black raider to contact her. She thought it would be the sevenday gone, she should have known Tiger Sylvester would wish to toy with her. Refusing the visual request, she taps out a terse reply:

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Indie Spotlight on Romance: 2019 RONE Finalists - Time Travel/Science Fiction

I want to thank everyone who supported Serengeti Valor in the 2019 RONE Finalist voting. I am super excited to have Valor make into the finals.

InD'Tale's RONE (Reward Of Novel Excellence) Awards are among the most well administered fiction awards. There is no fee to enter the competition. To be nominated, a book must receive at least 4 1/2 stars from InD'Tale's professional reviewers. To be a finalist, the novel must also have popular appeal. Winners are selected by a group of volunteer judges who are given their preference in sub-genres; allowing the the novels to be reviewed by those familiar with the tropes and conventions of that category.

The next few installments of Indie Spotlight on Romance will feature the 2019 RONE finalists in those categories that I enjoy, starting with the Finalists for Time Travel/Science Fiction, because, well, Serengeti Valor.

Serengeti Valor

Ruthless, devious, and ambitious, Lucius Mercio has elevated the Serengeti Group to the third wealthiest cartel in the Twelve Systems, cementing his place among the twelve most powerful members of the ruling warrior class. With Lucius’ rise, his enemies increase in both number and subtlety. Few will dare to attack Lucius directly, instead they will move in secret, targeting the most vulnerable aspects of his empire including his disgraced and reviled apprentice, Lilian.

As Lilian begins the third and final year of her trial by ordeal, she is more determined than ever to survive and repay Lucius’ protection and trust with loyalty and diligence. Expecting only the meager assignments reserved for apprentices, Lilian was stunned to receive the conservatorship of a valuable Vistrite Crevasse—an honor reserved for proven and trusted warriors. When a lethal disaster strikes Desperation Mine and Refinery and imperils Lilian’s conservatorship, hidden adversaries seize the opportunity to plot the downfall of Serengeti.

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Winds of Time

The past is her future, the future, her past, but can she save an innocent man’s life before history repeats itself?
As long as Selena Tillman dreams of her ancestor, Mary, who disappeared without a trace in 1872, she’ll never find peace. As long as she dreams of the half-Native American army scout accused of killing Mary, she’ll never find love. Hoping to end the dreams and learn the truth, Selena goes to Texas where Mary and the scout died and sees more than ghosts. She sees a tornado kill Mary in real time before it jumps to the twenty-first century to pull Selena into its vortex and send her back to the nineteenth century. Selena believes she’s fated to prove Dylan’s innocence and save his life, but Dylan isn’t just the man of her dreams; he’s her destiny.

Fed up with the army, bigotry, and women—especially white women, Captain Dylan Casey dedicates himself to solving the mystery of Mary’s disappearance, proving his innocence, and trying to stop a war between the whites and the Indians. Then Mary’s cousin shows up, claiming a tornado killed Mary. Dylan doesn’t trust Selena, but she’s his only ally in Canyon Creek. Yet despite their common goal, growing mutual attraction, and a Comanche shaman’s prophecy of a white woman who will change his destiny and foretell the fate of the Indian Nation, Dylan refuses to take a chance on another spoiled, white woman—until fate changes his mind.

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The Breaking of Dawn: A Sci-fi Romance Novel

The Rebellion has one final hope...

The Prophecy should've been fulfilled. World peace should've arrived. But decades later, war on Earth wages on and the aliens still threaten Dark Planet. Dawning Hope Smith is the Symbol of the New Republic who will lead the people, destroy the aliens, and unite all mankind.

Or is she?

As Dawn struggles to find her place in the Prophecy, she realizes her destiny is dependent on the one man she can't stand. When pure evil strikes, she'll need him, heart and soul, if she wants to survive… The Breaking of Dawn.

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Serengeti Valor is a 2019 Finalist!

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Indie Spotlight on Romance: Dark SFR

Dark romance is a bit of contradiction in terms. Romance, with its happily-ever-after requirement, does not mix well with dark. Often, dark romance is used to describe less than healthy relationships that include passion and sex. Although, there are those authors who can turn what starts in a dark place into a believable HEA; with characters who may tend to darkness, but are not without redeeming characteristics.

Science Fiction Romance is no exception and for those who like their heroes and heroines with a bit of a bite there are Cynthia Sax's Refuge series and Cara Bristol's Breeder Series.

Can love redeem a monster?

The Refuge is home to some of the most violent beings in the universe. Kralj, its leader, reigns over the remote outpost with terrifying ease, ruthlessly squashing any rumors of rebellion, killing anyone who breaks his rules. Primitive, deadly, powerful, he’s a monster, scarred both on his face and his soul. He has never met a being he couldn’t control.

Until he meets her.

Dita has one mission—to kill the three targets claiming sanctuary within the Refuge. Or so she claims. For the first time in his long lifespan, Kralj isn’t certain of another being’s intentions. The tiny assassin is immune to his powers, her thoughts unreadable. He can’t predict her movements, can’t control her, can’t stop wanting her.

Dita is rare, as unique as he is, and, to keep the residents of the Refuge safe, Kralj will have to kill her. But first, he’ll touch her, taste her, show her how passionate the beast inside him can be.

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To secure his legacy, Commander Dak, a ruling Alpha of planet Parseon, purchases Omra, a breeder slave. He intends to impregnate her, produce a son, and hand her off to his anointed beta partner. As Dak and Omra discover a sexual bliss banned by law, he begins to question the traditions and ways of his people, causing him to jeopardize his command and endanger the life of the woman he has come to love.

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