Aubrey Wynne's Blog, page 32
October 19, 2022
The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch by Julia Brewer Daily
For Fans of Yellowstone & Outlander! Welcome to the book tour for Julia Brewer Daily’s upcoming novel, The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch: A Modern Ranch with an ancient secret!
The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch
Expected Publication Date: November 1st, 2022
Genre: Modern Western/ Family Saga
Emma Rosales is the heiress to the largest ranch in Texas-The Thorn. All of the responsibilities of managing a million acres now fall into her fifth-generation hands.
A task Emma could handle with her eyes closed… if The Thorn was any ordinary property.
The Thorn is home to many things. Clear, cloudless skies. Miles of desert scrub and craggy mountains. A quiet disrupted only by whispers of the wind. And an ancient web of secrets that won’t let Emma out alive without a fight.
The Fifth Daughter of Thorn Ranch is a family saga as large as the state of Texas.
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About the Author
Julia Brewer Daily is a Texan with a southern accent. She holds a B.S. in English and a M.S. degree in Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.
She has been a Communications adjunct professor at Belhaven University, Jackson, Mississippi, and Public Relations Director of the Mississippi Department of Education and Millsaps College, a liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi.
She was the founding director of the Greater Belhaven Market, a producers’ only market in a historic neighborhood in Jackson, and even shadowed Martha Stewart.
As the executive director of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi (three hundred artisans from nineteen states) which operates the Mississippi Craft Center, she wrote their stories to introduce them to the public.
Daily is an adopted child from a maternity home hospital in New Orleans. She searched and found her birth mother and through a DNA test, her birth father’s family, as well. A lifelong southerner, she now resides on a ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas, with her husband Emmerson and Labrador Retrievers, Memphis Belle and Texas Star.
Julia Brewer Daily | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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October 18, 2022
We Do What We Must by Richard Robbins
Welcome to the tour for We Do What We Must, a gritty novel based on true events!
We Do What We Must
Publication Date: October 3rd, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Mafia (Based on True Events)
An immigrant Sicilian family triumphs over The Mafia in turn of the century New Orleans, just not in the way they’d planned.
This fictionalized tale recounts the story of the true life Giacona family, who emigrated from Sicily to New Orleans in the 1890s. They came to the US to escape the influence of The Mafia, only to be confronted by the same challenges in the New World.
Pietro and Corrado, father and son, do what they must to defend their family and business from the dreaded Black Hand, as well as powerful organized crime families. They proceed the only way they know how, through bravery, guile, and tough choices. Although committed to living as ‘Honest Italians,’ their choices lead them down a perilous path.
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Excerpt
Chapter 1 – New Orleans, 1908
Every detail had to be perfect, as if their lives depended upon it. On this night, it just might.
Corrado picked up the pieces of the final place setting, one by one, careful not to scratch the delicate surfaces of the fine silver-plated utensils, the ones brought out for just the most special occasions. He made sure to hold each piece with thumb and forefinger, by their necks, just the way he preferred.
“Here you go, Papa.” He handed the last one to his father, who did not look up from his task.
Corrado watched as his father, Pietro, laid each utensil carefully into place, in perfect formal order, straightening each one after the setting was complete. Always set from left to right, neatly centered, on perfectly folded white linen napkins. He stood by as patiently as he could, until he could wait no more. “Okay, Papa, it looks good to me.”
When his father failed to reply, he called out, more urgently, “Papa, do you hear me, it’s fine.”
Pietro turned his large, melon shaped head, even larger appearing due to his oversized mustache and shock of unkempt salt and pepper hair. “It is not enough to be good, it must be perfect. We all make choices, and some choose to be good, and others to be perfect. It was my choosing to be perfect that created this business, made it thrive, and bought us this fine home. And I will not choose anything but perfection, especially on this day, which may be the most important day of our lives.”
Corrado suppressed a soft smile. The familiarity of his father’s words momentarily distracted him from thoughts of the evening’s negotiations, thoughts he played over and again while he tossed in bed at night. Distracted him from the fear and excitement, from the anticipation and uncertainty. From the magnitude of his plan, and the possibility of its failure.
He brought himself back into the moment, and addressed his father. “Papa, you speak of choices, and of making good choices.” He paused and twirled the edges of his thin, jet black mustache with his fingers. “But Papa, what if there are no good choices?” Pietro stopped what he was doing and looked directly into Corrado’s eyes. “There are times when there are no good choices. That’s what happened to me in Palermo, and I made the most of it. Sometimes you don’t get to do what you’d like to do, or what you ought to do. Sometimes you do what you must.”
Corrado paused, signaling respect for his father’s words, then replied in his most considered tone. “Yes, Papa, I know, and we’re grateful for your courage and achievements. Now can you check on the Stigghiola while I go down to the cellar and bring up a case of wine.”
The corner of Pietro’s eyes crinkled as his face pulled itself into a broad smile. “Yes, son, that is indeed a good choice.”
Corrado turned and headed down the steep stairs, taking them two at a time, to the large dusty cellar where they stored their wares. He turned on the electric light, took a moment to admire the brilliant tungsten bulbs they’d just installed, and strolled down the aisles of dusty crates, some covered with fancy labels all in Italian, some with the simple markings of homemade raisin wine, looking for the perfect case. It must be expensive looking, he thought, but not so expensive as to arouse suspicions. And high enough in alcohol content to achieve its intended effect.
Finally, he settled on a case of Valpolicella. Perfect. Dark, red, and rich tasting. And the highest alcohol content of all the wines. He hoisted a full case onto his broad shoulder, closed his eyes to let the dust settle around him, headed up the stairs, and placed the case next to the dining room table. “Papa, I put the wine in the dining room.” He took a moment to catch his breath. “They’ll be here soon, is everything ready?”
“There’s just one thing left,” Pietro replied from the kitchen, then set down the ladle he’d been using to stir the stew, walked into the living room, and opened the doors of the large wooden armoire across from the fireplace. He looked inside for a moment, leaning over and fumbling with some items, moving them from one side to the other, then reached down and picked up something with his right hand, and turned and headed silently back towards the kitchen.
As he passed, Corrado noticed the long, wooden handle of their Winchester repeating rifle in his father’s right hand. Pietro continued into the kitchen, placed the rifle carefully behind the half-opened door, and turned back towards his son.
“There. Now everything is perfect indeed.”
Available on Amazon
About the Author
Amazon Best Selling Author Richard Robbins’ novels explore important moral questions such as the price of fame, the nature of loss and redemption, and the meaning of life, through the lens of family dynamics. He lives with his wife in New Orleans and New York City, near their adult children, and his work is infused with the flavor of those vibrant and unique cities.
Richard was named Louisiana Independent Author of the Year for 2020, and his works have won numerous awards, including Feathered Quill Book Awards and Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. Richard Robbins
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October 17, 2022
Queen of Hearts by Whitney Dineen
Queen of Hearts
Whitney Dineen
(Seven Brides for Seven Mothers, #6)
Publication date: October 14th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
* All books in this series read as standalones.
Queen Charlotte of Malquar has a talent. She’s already helped two of her children find mates, and now she’s convinced her daughter’s new secretary would be a perfect partner for her remaining single son.
Agnes Dupuis has a plan. She’s going to work for the royal family for a couple of years before opening her own upscale employment agency. When she starts her job with Princess Aubrey, she knows everything is on track. After a short time, she gets transferred to the crown prince’s staff, and she couldn’t be more ecstatic.
At thirty-five, Prince Andrew knows it’s past time for him to find a bride. Unfortunately, it’s a nearly impossible task. While he would like to marry for love, it doesn’t look like that will be an option. His future wife will be queen one day and she must have all the necessary skill sets to thrive in that role.
Sparks fly when Agnes and Drew start to work together. Drew fights his attraction for his new secretary as hard as he can. Meanwhile, Agnes doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong. She can’t seem to do anything to make the prince happy.
Will Queen Charlotte be responsible for another match? Or are Agnes and Drew destined to forever butt heads.
Find out in the deliciously fun sixth installment of the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Series
—
EXCERPT:
Sir, I have the update you requested on McMillian.” In the month that I’ve been Prince Andrew’s secretary, I can count on one hand the number of times he’s looked at me when I’m speaking. Currently, I’m attempting to communicate with his back.
Waving his hand in the air in what I can only construe as a dismissive manner, he says, “Leave it on my desk and I’ll read it later.”
“It’s not a written update.” Try as I might, I can’t keep the edge from my voice. While the rest of the royal family treat me kindly, Andrew has never been so inclined. He acts like I’m his own personal robot who doesn’t require basic courtesy.
He continues to face the window, allowing me the opportunity to study him. He’s taller than most at three inches over six feet, with proud broad shoulders, and short dark hair so thick a bird could nest in it—there’s something about my new boss’s appearance that brings to mind Disney’s Prince Charming. It was Cinderella who had the bird fetish, right?
“Then put it in writing and leave it on my desk.” The sharpness of his tone snatches me from the precipice of the illusion that Andrew might have Charming’s personality. No, nothing charming here.
“Yes, sir.” I shift on my heels as I start to feel a blister forming. These infernal stilettos. I could wear sporting shoes to work for all Prince Andrew would ever notice. “Will that be all, sir?”
He abruptly turns around and glares at me, his penetrating brown eyes practically nailing me to the floor. “No, that’s not all. Will McMillian be coming back to work soon?”
“Um … well … I wouldn’t think so. He’s still in San Francisco receiving treatments for his Parkinson’s disease.”
The prince grunts loudly. “Has his replacement been found yet?”
Is this guy a moron? “I’m his replacement, sir. I thought you knew that.” My spine straightens, making me very close to his own height with my new shoes.
“I was under the impression you were a temp.” His eyebrow cocks in such a supercilious manner, it’s all I can do not to punch him.
“I started out that way, but I was informed last week that I was doing such a good job I was being made a permanent member of your staff.” Put that in your pipe …
“Who told you that?” he demands angrily. Instead of letting me answer that the Master of Household himself told me, Andrew continues, “As far as I’m concerned, you are not permanent.”
How in the world am I supposed to respond to that? The whole point of me working in the royal household is to make a strong enough connection to open my own employment agency. Once I do that, I’ll be able to supply staff to the palace. The only way that’s going to happen is to impress my current boss. The same man who appears to hate me.
So, while I want to take my shoe off and smack Andrew over the head with the sharp pointed heel, I force myself to ask, “Is there something you’d like me to do that I’m not currently doing?”
His glare darkens as he takes a step forward. I stand rooted to the floor, unable to look away. “You’re a woman.”
“How astute of you.” Yes, my response is snotty, but I’ve had just about enough of being treated like a disposable entity by this patronizing man.
“Excuse me?” Another step.
“Prince Andrew, my being a woman in no way hinders my ability to perform my duties with precision. In fact, I would argue that my being a woman makes me more efficient.”
“How do you figure that?” How in the world did I have a crush on this arrogant beast throughout my entire adolescence? I don’t care how gorgeous he is, the prince is not a nice man. Let me rephrase that. He’s not nice to me. He seems to love everyone else.
“Women are much better multi-taskers than men.” I raise one finger in the air to start ticking off my points. Another finger goes up. “We’re very attuned to details …” More join in. “We’re empathetic, nurturing, and are able to see more than what is required of us.” If I don’t stop talking now, I may truly be out of a job.
“And you’re saying these qualities are inherent to your sex? That men do not possess them?” If he walks any closer to me, he’ll be standing behind me.
I force my gaze up to meet his. “That’s what I’m saying.”
“Prove it.”
I reach up and pick an invisible piece of fluff from his collar. “Your shirt is starting to fray.” I turn my gaze back to his in a challenging manner. “Your valet is a man, is he not?”
“You know he is.”
“If your valet were a woman, you would be wearing an impeccable shirt with no sign of wear.” That may or may not be an accurate statement as I’ve made up the sorry condition of his apparel. It appears that women can also be liars when it suits them.
“Are you now applying for the job of my valet?” I know he’s being facetious, but I can’t help the stirring I feel at the thought of what that job would entail. Assisting Andrew in the bath or shower if needed, helping him to go from a naked state to a clothed one, undressing him for bed at night … It’s getting hot in here.
“I don’t want Finnley’s job. I’m merely saying that women are more detail oriented. That’s all.”
“I leave my bedchamber at eight o’clock every morning.”
“How lovely for you.” I mean, seriously, what else am I going to say?
“You will now meet me there at seven forty-five and inspect my clothing for any imperfections before I start my day.”
“But I don’t come to work until nine.” Surely, he doesn’t expect me to get here early to make sure another member of his staff is doing his job.
“You now arrive at seven thirty so that you can get to my rooms by seven forty-five.” He leans down so menacingly, if he were a tiger, I’d be afraid for my life. “That is, if you want to keep your position. If you’re unable to do so, I’ll gladly hire a man to replace you.”
So that’s his game. He’s actively looking for a way to get rid of me. If the success of my future agency wasn’t on the line, I’d turn around and walk out of his office without a backward glance. Unfortunately, that action will not aid my plans. “Would you like me to bring your coffee up with me?” I mean, hell, if I’m moonlighting as his valet’s helper, maybe he wants me to take on some kitchen duties.
“I think I can trust the kitchen to deliver my coffee.” He cocks his head to the side, before adding, “Unless you care to complain about them, as well.”
I shake my head vigorously, hoping to activate some good sense. I really don’t need to get into any more trouble. I look at my watch and see that it’s nearing five. “If I’m expected back here so early, I’ll head out now.”
“I’m afraid I’ll still need you here until six o’clock every day.”
Being that I’ve never seen him past our four o’clock meeting since the day I started working for him, I’m certain this is a lie. Which of course can only mean one thing.
Prince Andrew has just declared war on me.
Author Bio:
Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.
Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.
Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017
Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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Forever Bound by Jessica Dall – read an excerpt and enter the giveaway
Forever Bound
Jessica Dall
Published by: Entangled: Amara
Publication date: October 17th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel
From the minute Bridget Marshall began renovating the old Irish Castle she bought outside the Village of Shansally, Ireland (pop. 119) she’d been on the verge of being labeled another “Silly American.” But after years of managing other people’s hotels, she’s ready to run one herself. And nothing will get in her way, not even her grumpy next-door neighbor, Liam O’Flannagain.
Soon, though, the dream Bridget’s been waiting for is becoming a living nightmare. The renovations, not to mention the budget, are out of control, and someone—or something—is determined to get her out of the castle. And if that wasn’t enough, whenever she’s with Liam, the castle’s ancient past seems to come roaring to life, sweeping them along in a story they’re apparently destined to relive.
If she is to uncover the castle’s secrets, Bridget will need Liam’s help to figure out exactly how they’re connected…before the tragic past repeats itself.
—
SNEAK PEEK:
I tried not to let myself get entirely swept away in the fantasy as we moved around the staircase to reach the ballroom at the back of the castle. “I know there’s going to be some—or, well, a lot—of bad news once we get started. Karen said it’s been a good decade since anyone’s lived here, but I’m hoping most of the neglect can be taken care of with the changes I already have planned. Like most of the plumbing is going to need to be torn out anyway to add bathrooms to the bedrooms upstairs.”
“It’s a good job we’ll be going down to the studs in most the rooms, aye.” He scribbled something in the little notepad he’d pulled out as we talked. “When you don’t use pipes for this long, you’ll have leaks. We’ll also have to be on the watch for mold, of course. And lead. I expect we’ll have a fair share of lead paint to remove, age this place is.”
Leaks, mold, lead… I tried to laugh the rising stress off.
“And then we’ll have to start talking exorcists. I’m sure there must be a poltergeist or two.”
“Haven’t heard of any poltergeists,” Cormac said, tone matter-of-fact as he stopped to poke at another damp spot on the wall with his foot before going back to scribbling. “Folk do like talking ’bout the curse, though.”
I paused. “Curse?”
He flashed me another warm smile, one that actually reminded me a bit of my granddad’s. “I don’t put much stock in all that, myself, but people like spinning that yarn after the brutal string of luck this place’s had. You know, the Sloane family had her built after the buildings around the old Norman keep burnt. They had it ’til they were chased out around independence. Originally English, you see. Ever since, the castle’s spent more time empty than lived in. Chris Carlson, last owner of this place, only had her a year before the financial crisis. Sunk all his money into real estate during the Celtic Tiger, so wasn’t a good time for him.”
I hummed, preferring not to think about the housing collapse when I’d just sunk most of my own money into property.
“Some say the Sloanes cursed the place ’fore leaving.”
Not caring to stew on that either, I pushed the doors to the ballroom open. The same breathless feeling I’d had at the edge of the property swept through me again. With the way the backyard sloped away from the house, it looked like we could have jumped from the back door into the lake. The wall of floor-to-ceiling windows said whoever had designed the house had wanted to bring the the lake inside as much as I did. With a couple dozen white-draped tables and ambient lighting, I could have the most romantic restaurant in the county. That was certain.
Cormac was looking at me expectantly, and I realized I’d entirely missed whatever he’d just said.
“Sorry, what?”
He laughed lightly. “Don’t you let any of that worry you, lass. If you care for those tales, most the ghosts ’round here are supposed to be completely harmless. The Bean an Locha stays out there, even.” He motioned toward the windows.
Author Bio:
Jessica Dall finished her first novel at the age of fifteen and has been hooked on writing ever since. In the past few years, she has published a mix of fantasy and historical fiction novels, along with a number of short stories that have appeared in both magazines and anthologies.
In college, Jessica interned at a publishing house, where her “writing hobby” slowly turned into a variety of writing careers, including creative writing teacher and, her current job, content editor for a small press.
When not busy editing or writing, Jessica enjoys crafting and piano, and spending time with her friends and family. She can most often be found at her home in Maryland with a notebook, her much-loved, sometimes-neglected husband, and toddler.
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October 14, 2022
Here With You by Kelly Collins
Here With You
Kelly Collins
(Willow Bay, #2)
Publication date: October 13th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A swoon-worthy family drama filled with heartbreak, happiness, and a happily ever after…
Emmaline Brown had been in love once, but when Miles McClintock cracked open his family’s secrets, he ruined a lot of lives and crushed Emmaline’s dreams. With Miles no longer an acceptable suitor in her family’s eyes, she chose the life she was born and raised for—to run The Brown Resort. As part-owner and operator of Willow Bay’s largest luxury property, she’d been delivering happily ever after to the hundreds who flocked there each summer. She thought she was content to live her life alone, but that all changed when Miles McClintock came back to town.
Paramedic Miles McClintock left Willow Bay decades ago in disgrace. One honest decision lost him everything, including his family’s honor and the love of his life, Emmaline Brown. Luck had never been on his side until the day he was summoned home by his ill mother. One stop at the Five and Dime would change his life. An opportunity to run the resort next door puts him exactly where he wants to be—straight in the path of Emmaline Brown. She had once loved him when he was a wealthy rancher’s heir, but could she fall in love with the poor man he was pretending to be?
He feels abandoned. She feels betrayed. Can their love for one another douse the burning rage that keeps them apart?
—
EXCERPT:
“I thought you were getting the mail?”
She couldn’t think around him. “I must have gotten a brain injury from the dog attack.”
Miles laughed. “Ollie is like me. He’s a lover, not a fighter. Do you remember all those nights, Emmaline?”
She remembered them all right, and just the mention of Miles being a lover made her entire body vibrate with need. Damn memory cells. She marched to the mailbox, and when she opened it and found it empty, she stomped back toward him.
“Don’t get comfortable because you’re not staying.”
“You’re not the boss. I work for Brie and Carter. They said you’d be difficult.”
She gasped. “I’m not.” Standing in front of him, she pulled her shoulders back and hoped whatever height she gained would intimidate him enough to leave. Instead, he stayed there with a smug grin on his face. She needed a new tactic, and her southern sass came out. “Bless your little ole heart. You must have forgotten how things run around here.”
He leaned in close until his lips were near her ear. “I know how you think things run, but your life is about to change, sweetheart.”
“We’ll see about that.” Spinning around, she headed toward her house to get her keys and purse. She hadn’t intended to go anywhere, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She needed reinforcements, so she texted 911 to her besties, the Fireflies, and told them to meet her at the diner. When she returned to her car, she dialed Brie, hoping to talk some sense into her.
Brie answered. “He’s staying, Aunt Em, so don’t try to change that. Besides, you promised you would help.”
She did but under duress. When she offered to help, she wasn’t expecting Miles McClintock to arrive. “He’s not helping.”
“Have you given him a chance?”
Author Bio:
Like FREEBIES? Join the VIP readers at http://bit.ly/KellyCollinsFreeBook for members-only exclusives!
~ Tip: Just hit “FOLLOW” for notifications about deals & new releases! ~
International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.
Kelly has sold more than a quarter of a million books worldwide, and in 2021 she was awarded a Readers’ Favorite Award Gold Medal in the Contemporary Romance category for A Tablespoon of Temptation.
You can learn more about Kelly at www.authorkellycollins.com.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon
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October 13, 2022
Trick or Treat Book Bonanza Giveaway
Trick or Treat! ‘Tis the month to celebrate all things paranormal, supernatural, suspenseful and mystical. If you’re like me, you’ll want to accept this very special invitation to join the festivities at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s 4th annual Trick or Treat Book Bonanza. 39 authors share what they’d dress up as for Halloween as well as 49 books featured plus a chance to win one of the following:
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon (US) gift card.
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Saving Grace ,will be featured on October 14. Wait until you read what my Halloween costume would be. You won’t want to miss it.
Bookmark this event and tell your friends:
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/trick-or-treat-book-bonanza
Like this:Like Loading...The Christmas Letters by Jenny Hale with a giveaway
The Christmas Letters
Jenny Hale
Publication date: October 11th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Romance
Sometimes, it takes losing everything to find what it is we really need. From the USA Today bestselling author of Coming Home for Christmas, with over one million copies of her books sold, comes a heartwarming holiday story that’s perfect for fans of Sheila Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Jill Shalvis.
Elizabeth Holloway abandons her New York party at The Plaza, her sparkling world crashing down around her when her boyfriend of seven years drops the bomb that he’s leaving her—at Christmas. She suddenly finds herself seven hundred miles from her home in the city, trudging through the snow, back at her childhood farm in the Great Smoky Mountains in an attempt to piece her life back together.
However, she isn’t expecting to meet visitor Paul Dawson with his dazzlingly blue eyes and warm smile, chipping away at her resolve to focus on figuring out who she is and what she really wants in life.
When her mother is informed that they don’t actually own the farm that’s been in their family for generations, the news makes absolutely no sense to either of them. Nan had married Elizabeth’s grandfather at that house, and they’d lived out their years there.
But a stack of letters from Elizabeth’s grandmother will change everything she thought she knew about her family and cause a divide between her and Paul that she never saw coming.
Under the glitter of Christmas trees and bundles of mistletoe, Elizabeth uncovers more than she’d ever thought possible. Will the Christmas letters strip her of everything she holds dear? Or will they be the biggest gift of the season?
A heartwarming holiday escape that will have you rushing to your loved ones this Christmas. If you enjoyed the Christmas movies based on Jenny’s books and are looking for more feel-good, small-town romance, look no further!
—
EXCERPT:
“I’m so sorry, Mama, I can’t talk right now,” Elizabeth Holloway said gently, the phone pressed to her diamond-studded ear, as snow fell like feathers against the glittering buildings of the New York City skyline. “I’ll call you back first thing tomorrow, I promise.”
“Liz,” her mother, Loretta, breathed anxiously down the line in that southern accent that used to sing Elizabeth to sleep at night.
If Elizabeth closed her eyes, she could almost hear her mother’s melody over the chirping of the crickets out back of Nan’s old farmhouse in Mason’s Ridge, Tennessee, the rustling of the trees in the apple orchard, and the squeak of the screened door as Mama stepped through it onto the front porch. While they’d lived just down the road, Nan’s little farmhouse tucked away in the hills had been where both of them had spent most of their time.
Having been so intent on getting out of her hometown, it had taken Elizabeth years to realize how much she missed those sounds.
Growing up, Elizabeth had wanted to get a degree in social work and then go into the Peace Corps, leaving everything behind to learn and work in faraway places. She’d been constrained by her small town and had never really felt like she’d belonged with the people in it. They were all invested in their land and their place within the community, yet she’d wanted to spread her wings. However, she’d only managed to accomplish one of her goals: she’d left that little town, and everyone in it, over a decade ago.
Now her mother was tending to the aftermath of handling Nan’s will and her grandmother’s belongings all by herself, and she had tons of questions about taxes and the legalities of how to assume ownership of Nan’s property. Elizabeth had been trying to support her with it all as much as she could from New York, but it was proving difficult to do.
“I need your help with this,” Mama said, bringing Elizabeth back to the present. “I’m worried it ain’t gonna wait too long.”
A pinch of guilt took hold of Elizabeth’s chest. She wanted to speak to her mother, but the charity benefit that had kept her in New York instead of back in Mason’s Ridge was starting. Nothing could be done with whatever the issue was at this hour, and she needed to take her seat.
“I wish I could discuss this right now,” Elizabeth said, “but I’m on my way in to the event I told you about.”
Holding the phone, she put one stiletto heel out of the limo and took the bellman’s gloved hand, the man guiding her out of the car outside The Plaza where she planned to have drinks, chat with important people, and, if she was lucky, she’d get to do the waltz on the dance floor—her favorite thing at these events. She raised her bright red ball gown to keep the satin from grazing the snow that had piled up in the gutter, a chill slithering down her limbs. Her mother continued to speak, but Elizabeth struggled to concentrate on her words with all the commotion.
The mammoth building in front of her gleamed like a golden torch, surrounded by dazzling Christmas trees, but Elizabeth barely gave it a thought. Her long-time boyfriend, Richard Oppenheim, was already out of the limo and on the sidewalk, standing opposite her in his tuxedo with a collar that showed off his strong jawline. He ran his hand through his salt-and-pepper hair that had come early for his age, making him look distinguished. Then, spinning a finger in the air impatiently, he indicated that she should wrap up the call before they went inside.
Author Bio:
Jenny Hale is a USA Today, Amazon, and international bestselling author of romantic contemporary fiction. Her books have sold worldwide, have been translated into multiple languages, and adapted for television. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Movie Guide Epiphany Award winner Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses are Hallmark Channel original movies.
She was included in Oprah Magazine’s “19 Dreamy Summer Romances to Whisk You Away” and Southern Living’s “30 Christmas Novels to Start Reading Now.” Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family. Jenny is at work on her next novel, delighted to be bringing even more heartwarming stories to her readers.
When she isn’t writing, or heading up her romantic fiction imprint Harpeth Road, she can be found running around her hometown of Nashville with her husband, two boys, and their labradoodle, taking pictures—her favorite pastime.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Youtube
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October 12, 2022
Closer to Okay by Amy Watson with a giveaway
Welcome to the book tour for Closer to Okay by Amy Watson! Read on for more info and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy and some fantastic book swag!
Closer to Okay
Publication Date: October 11, 2022
Genre: Book Club Fiction/ Modern Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Alcove Press
Weaving culinary delights with an honest, appraising look at how we deal with the world when it becomes too much, Closer to Okay is the comfort food we all need in these, well, crazy times.
Kyle Davies is doing fine. She has her routine, after all, ingrained in her from years of working as a baker: wake up, make breakfast, prep the dough, make lunch, work the dough, make dinner, bake dessert, go to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s a good routine. Comforting. Almost enough to help her forget the scars on her wrist, still healing from when she slit it a few weeks ago; that she lost her job at the bakery when she checked herself in as an inpatient at Hope House; then signed away all decisions about her life, medical care, and wellbeing to Dr. Booth (who may or may not be a hack). So, yeah, Kyle’s doing just fine.
Except that a new item’s been added to her daily to-do list recently: stare out her window at the coffee shop (named, well…The Coffee Shop) across the street, and its hot owner, Jackson. It’s healthy to have eye candy when you’re locked in the psych ward, right? Something low risk to keep yourself distracted. So when Dr. Booth allows Kyle to leave the facility–two hours a day to go wherever she wants–she decides to up the stakes a little more. Why not visit? Why not see what Jackson’s like in person?
Turns out that Jackson’s a jerk with a heart of gold, a deadly combination that Kyle finds herself drawn to more than she should be. (Aren’t we all?) At a time when Dr. Booth delivers near-constant warnings about the dangers of romantic entanglements, Kyle is pulled further and further into Jackson’s orbit. At first, the feeling of being truly taken care of is bliss, like floating on a wave. But at a time when Kyle is barely managing her own problems, she finds herself suddenly thrown into the deep end of someone else’s. Dr. Booth may have been right after all: falling in love may be the thing that sends Kyle into a backslide she might never be able to crawl out of. Is Jackson too much for her to handle? Does love come at the cost of sanity?
Excerpt
I’ve only seen Booth a handful of times so far, but I’ve mostly got him figured out. Flattery will get you everywhere, and compliance with his instructions almost as far. What I haven’t worked out, though, are his intentions. Put in the simplest terms: Is he a good guy or a bad one?
He looks at me over his glasses, breathes a sigh, and reaches over to close my file. “I suppose you’re right. I appreciate that you’re taking ownership of your place in the house, Kyle. You’ll find that your recovery will accelerate once you embrace my program. We can review your progress together at your appointment on Monday.”
Standing to leave, I smooth my apron back down and hustle toward the door. “Thanks, Dr. Booth. See you tomorrow.”
The kitchen is a calamity when I get back. There’s smoke pouring out of the oven. Bruce did turn off the stove and oven like I’d told him to but left everything where it was. The residual heat did a number on the eggs, now a solid brown-on-the-bottom disk that gives off the smell of burning sulfur. The muffins might be edible but are overcooked. I’d normally chuck them straight into the trash, but I have to serve them since Mary and Eddie will be here in five minutes and need breakfast if they’re going to stay on Booth’s schedule. I don’t want everyone getting off-program and being forced to sit through the same talk I just did. We all know how important schedules are here. I’ll make it up to them at dinner, maybe put some extra turkey on the lunch sandwiches.
“Oh my gosh, what is going on in here?” Mary asks, coming into the kitchen.
“Sorry, Mary. Booth called me into his office to talk as soon as I got everything cooking. You know how it goes. His two-minute talk turned into ten and breakfast burned. Bruce was in here tending the food when I left. I don’t know where he went. I can salvage the muffins. I’ll make it up to you guys, I promise.”
“You don’t have to make anything up to me, sweetie. Eddie was making a fuss; I’m sure that’s where Bruce went. How can I help? Can I get the cups and milk?”
“I’ve got this, Mary. Go sit down and enjoy your horrible muffin. You’ve got to clean the bathroom, worst chore in the house. I will not have you doing my work, too.”
She waves me off. “Nonsense. It’s no bother. I’ve spent a lifetime cleaning up after my husband. One little chore is nothing. I’m glad to help. You go get those muffins out of the pan, and I’ll get the drinks.”
She hustles around me to the refrigerator and starts humming. I move over and pop the muffins out onto one of the red plastic trays, stacking them in tiers so they’ll look good, even if they don’t taste it. I put two muffins on a separate plate and carry them all into the dining room.
“What’s up, Special K?” Eddie yells as I walk into the room. He does this every morning, and it always makes me flinch.
“It’s a bad morning, Ed. You get muffins and milk. Sorry. The bacon and eggs got burnt. I’ll make something extra-good for dinner tonight.”
“Well, ain’t that a bitch? You better make something really fucking tasty for dinner, then. I can’t get through my day in this shithole with an empty stomach.”
“Hush, Edward,” Mary says as she comes in behind me with the glasses of milk. “It’s not her fault.”
“How’s it not her fault, huh? It’s her job to cook my food and keep my belly full. How are lousy fucking muffins supposed to keep me satisfied?”
“Eddie,” Nancy warns as she walks into the dining room, stopping his rant. She has a slight accent, maybe something Slavic, that gives her voice more authority, sounds harsher to my ears. Eddie puts on his nice act; Nancy tells Booth everything. “Good morning, Nancy. Great to see you. I’m sure looking forward to these muffins Kyle made this morning.”
Nancy grunts and turns on her heel. She takes the separate plate I made, knowing Joey wouldn’t be down to eat with everyone. With her back to us, she says, “Kyle, Bruce needs the grocery list after breakfast. Drop it off in the security office as soon as it’s done. Eddie, you have an appointment with the doctor in an hour. Mary, you need to do your chores this morning.”
“Sorry again about breakfast, guys. I’m gonna get started on the grocery list. I’ll make a dessert for you tonight. Chocolate cake, maybe.” “It better be fucking good, K. This muffin shit’s for the birds.”
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Amy Watson is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. A wife, a mother to two boys, and a full-time office manager. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, drinking coffee, knitting, and watching football.
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CAUSE FOR ELIMINATION by Marla A. White with an excerpt plus a giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marla A. White will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Reclaiming her life after a devastating riding accident, equestrian Emily Conners’ world shatters again when she discovers her friend and boss laying in a stall with a smashed skull. Now jobless and with a handsome cop underfoot investigating the case, she’s torn between wanting the killer found and keeping her own secrets safe.
Detective Justin Butler always gets his killer, but this victim has a stampede of enemies and few leads to go on. Stonewalled by the tight-knit equestrian world, he looks to Emily for help, but she’s strangely reluctant. Is she hiding something, or is she afraid of their growing attraction?
As the search for the murderer heats up, their hearts become entangled and their lives at risk, forcing Emily and Justin to work together to find the killer before they strike again.
Read an Excerpt
Sitting around the rickety picnic table and talking over old times, she almost forgot for a moment why the detective—Justin, she reminded herself—was there. He sat there, loose limbed and relaxed, interested in their conversation while most non-riders soon got glassy-eyed with boredom. But he wasn’t just chatting, was he? She had to remind herself he was listening for information to help him catch a killer.
“What about you ladies?” he ventured. “Did any of you ever have any problems with Ms. Yates?”
After another fit of laughter, Erin howled, “Like we’d ever ride with Pam. Despite what everyone around here may think, we’re not crazy. Well, not that crazy at least.”
“Hunters are more our speed,” Samantha chimed in. Emily took in her very un-hunter-like, fringed pink half-chaps and raised her eyebrow. “Okay, we don’t fit in with that crowd either,” Samantha admitted. “Which is why we’re here with Ben.”
“Since Pamela had Ben blacklisted, he’s stuck with us ladies who hack.” The three shared another round of titters.
They may not have realized they’d supplied Ben with a motive to kill Pamela, but Emily did. “Hang on, rumors have blown that way out of proportion. Pamela wasn’t thrilled after Ben dissolved their partnership and took his clients to Middle Ranch, but—”
“Hah! ‘Wasn’t thrilled’ is putting it mildly,” Sandy interrupted. “First chance she got, she had him brought up on abuse charges.”
Samantha added her two cents. “They banned Ben from showing for three years, so naturally, his clients who were serious left him and found another trainer.”
“Funny, no one told me this before now.” Justin’s voice lost its light tone, and the heat of his glare rolled over Emily’s skin.
About the Author:
Marla White is a story analysis instructor at UCLA and writing coach who lives in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Kentucky (go Wildcats!), where she took her first horseback riding lesson. After dabbling in hunters, barrel racing, and weekly trail rides, she fell hopelessly in love with the sport of eventing. She conquered Novice level before taking a break to pursue novel writing but hopes to return to the saddle someday soon. Her first novel, “The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder,” was published in 2021 followed by the first two books in her Keeper Chronicles series. When she’s not writing, she’s out in the garden, hiking, or putting together impossibly difficult puzzles. Buy Links
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October 10, 2022
Read an excerpt from Running Out of Time by Angie Stanton and enter the giveaway
Running Out of Time
Angie Stanton
(Carillon Time Travel Series, #2)
Publication date: October 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel
Time shapes those who travel through it.
Running Out of Time is a love story—spanning across decades—of a young man lost in time who risks everything to save a modern-day girl who is trapped in the past. The wrinkle is that he only travels forward and she back, and their sole means of communication is a buried time capsule.
—
EXCERPT:
I glance at the infuriating girl out in the middle of the lake, and am incredulous to see her standing up in the boat trying to paddle with one oar. What in God’s name is she doing? I mutter a curse. She will be the death of me yet.
I lower my head and row with all my strength hoping to reach her before she topples into the lake. Then the sky opens up and rain pours down in cold, heavy sheets and the air temperature plummets. Within a minute I’m drenched to the bone.
Finally, I’ve caught up to her and glide my boat up towards hers. She’s entirely soaked, her hair flattened to her scalp, and she’s huddled up, her arms wrapped around herself, her legs bunched close, shivering. She could have died out here.
I am so angry, I yell. “Have you gone daft!”
And she has the audacity to grin.
“Clearly, you have.” I clench my jaw ready to wring her neck but first secure her boat to mine. Then I return my attention to the foolish young woman whose cheeks are chafed and red from the cold. “You think you can climb into my boat?”
“Of course. I’m not helpless,” she yells over the downpour.
I raise an arched brow. Rainwater runs down my face and into my mouth. I spew it out. “I believe you’ve just proven otherwise.”
With one hand I grip the sides of the two rowboats and extend my other. “Take my hand.”
Her expression is a combination of relief and something else. Perhaps it’s determination as this girl is no shrinking violet. She reaches out. I grasp her hand firmly. Despite the rain, wind and rocking of the boats, I notice the delicate hold of her long fingers as she stumbles across the boats in a most unladylike fashion.
I guide her to the bench seat across from me. She’s shivering and pale, and gripping her arms for warmth.
“Are you alright?”
“Never better,” she manages, her teeth chattering.
I strain against the oars, pulling stroke after stroke, my muscles aching from the long trek. The girl, whose name I still have not learned, hasn’t stopped watching me. It’s as if she’s studying a lab specimen. She appears tiny and defenseless in her pretty little dress and shoes that are likely now ruined. With my hands gripping the oars, rain runs freely down my face and into my eyes and mouth.
Suddenly, she smiles, and her face lights up despite the rain and the leaden gray of the sky.
“What is so funny?” I snap between pulls.
“I knew you’d have to talk with me eventually, but I never imagined this is how it happens.”
Author Bio:
Angie Stanton is the award winning, best selling author of Don’t Call Me Greta, If Ever, Waking in Time, Rock and a Hard Place, Snapshot, Royally Lost, Dream Chaser, Under the Spotlight, Snowed Over, and Love ‘em or Leave ‘em.
A few of her awards include:
If Ever
★ National Readers’ Choice Award Winner
★ HOLT Medallion Award Winner
★ Write Touch Readers’ Award Winner
Waking in Time:
★ Midwest Book Award Winner
★ National Readers’ Choice Award Finalist
Angie has a Journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin. Her books have been translated in German, French, Spanish, and Bulgarian.
A life-long daydreamer, she’s put her talent to use writing contemporary fiction about life, love, and the adventures that follow. In her spare time, Angie loves to sneaks off to enjoy the best live entertainment on earth, Broadway. She is currently working on her next book and is a contributing writer to BroadwayWorld.com.
For more information on Angie and her books, please visit:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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