Aubrey Wynne's Blog, page 34
September 14, 2022
The Ack Ack Girl by Chris Karlsen with excerpt and giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Chris Karlsen will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.Love and War
A country under attack and the story of one woman’s fight to protect England and her heart.
1941. The German war machine has crushed all of Europe-only England holds fast. To force a surrender, the German Luftwaffe bombs cities and villages the length of the country. As the battle rages, Britain is in desperate need to put more pilots in the air.
To free up more men a new unit is formed: The Ack Ack Girls. These special teams of courageous women will now fight in the anti-aircraft stations. Determined to be part of the effort, Ava Armstrong, volunteers for one of the special teams.
Her unit just happens to be located near an RAF airfield teaming with pilots. Sparks fly, and not just from artillery, when Ava crosses paths with Chris Fairfield, a handsome and cocky pilot stationed there. But nothing is easy in time of war, not even love.
Read an Excerpt
“I guess you’re anxious to join your mates again.”
“I’m anxious to get in the air again. I do miss my friends, terribly. We’ve flown together since ’39. We were in the thick of what the politicians and press called the Battle of Britain. Unfortunately, they’re not sending me to my old squadron.”
A sad, resigned expression crept into his eyes, similar to her mother’s when she spoke of what the war did to Ava’s father.
“We didn’t bother to label the attacks,” Chris continued. “To us, they were constant dogfights from hell. I lost friends. Squadrons are a tight circle. We know how each other thinks, how the pilot on your right or left will react. That’s devilishly important when you’ve got Gerries swarming all around you. Folks made heroes of us, which we never gave credence. To us, we did the job we were supposed to do.”
“Let us have our heroes, Chris. We need them, especially now. It may have been just awful dogfights to you but it meant the world to us on the ground.”
The pain of losing his friends left his face. “You’re kind. Thank you.”
“Where are they sending you?”
“I’m reassigned to the twenty-ninth squadron at Hawkinge.”
It wouldn’t hurt to let him know she was from the area. Maybe, if she had more than a day’s leave down the road and went home, he might invite her for tea. It appeared he wasn’t the wanker she thought. “Really? I’m from Canterbury.”
“Canterbury. We’re practically neighbors. I’m from down the road, Ashford. How have we missed each other all these years?” He winked and the dimple in his chin deepened.
About the Author:
I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books. My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream.
I’m currently working on the Bloodstone Series, which is historical suspense with romantic elements. I’m also writing a world war two romance series, The Love and War series.
My past series include my historical/time travel romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters.
Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and two wild and crazy rescue dogs.
Website
buy links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
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September 13, 2022
The Proposal Laughbox by Julia Kent
The Proposal Laughbox
Julia Kent
(Laughbox Boxed Sets, #2)
Publication date: September 13th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
The Proposal Laughbox contains THREE full-length novels and TWO novellas – ONE ALL NEW! – from New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Julia Kent’s series.
Who doesn’t love a funny, heartwarming proposal? Diamond engagement rings, flowers, candy, romantic dinners — it’s all in here in rom com style.
Julia Kent’s madcap style, that is.
Future brides swallow engagement rings, paparazzi crash tender moments when billionaires pop the question, mistaken identity causes mayhem, small-town lumberjacks ask their girfriends for their hands in marriage, and rock stars make grand gestures on New Year’s Eve.
Laugh, swoon, blush and let your imagination heat up as you read across varying series, different heat levels, but all connected by love.
This boxed set includes:
Shopping for a Billionaire’s Fiancee
Random Acts of New Year
Shopping for a CEO’s Fiancee (A USA Today bestseller)
Random Acts of Yes
and an ALL NEW novella, Love You Fiancee, featuring Kell and Rachel from Love You Right, as Kell pops the question during the I Will Always Love You festival in his hometown of “Love You,” Maine – where every day is Valentine’s Day.
Sink into five fun books that leave you with all the feels, loads of laughs, and strange looks from people around you as you read, giggle, and fall in love.
Note: each of these books can be read as a standalone, but they are part of larger series. All of my Laughbox boxed sets are designed to give readers a taste of my books, centered on a specific concept (in this case, proposals and engagements). Full disclosure for readers.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
From Love You Fiancee
His lemur was limp.
And it was all his fault.
His and his alone.
That’s what Kell got for ordering a lemur costume online instead of finding a store and trying one on, or having one made to order. Two-day shipping was the biggest selling point, and though he’d bought the most expensive option, there hadn’t exactly been a plethora of choices.
Of all the bungles: He’d planned his marriage proposal down to the last detail, but forgot about the lemur costume until it was almost too late.
Leo the Limp Lemur would have to do.
Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.
From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men’s room toilet (and he isn’t a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).
She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.
She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter / Amazon
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September 12, 2022
THE WILD ROSE AND THE SEA RAVEN by Jennifer Ivy Walker
The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven
by Jennifer Ivy Walker
GENRE: Paranormal fantasy medieval romance
BLURB:
In this dark fairy tale adaptation of a medieval French legend, Issylte must flee the wicked queen, finding shelter with a fairy witch who teaches her the verdant magic of the forest. Fate leads her to the otherworldly realm of the Lady of the Lake and the Elves of Avalon, where she must choose between her life as a healer or fight to save her ravaged kingdom. Tristan of Lyonesse is a Knight of the Round Table who must overcome the horrors of his past and defend his king or lose everything. When he becomes a warrior of the Tribe of Dana, a gift of Druidic magic might hold the key he seeks. Haunted and hunted. Entwined by fate. Can their passion and power prevail?
Excerpt Two:
“I don’t know if she even exists, Lancelot, but I want a woman who makes me feel alive! I want her kisses to arouse my passion, her heart to sing to mine. I want a muse to inspire my song, a lady to whom I would pledge my sword—and my life.” Tristan shook his head and sighed. “Is such a love even possible?”
The First Knight of Camelot responded with a sad smile. “It is indeed possible, Tristan.” Lancelot turned his pensive gaze to the vast expanse of sea. “In French, we call such a love l’amour fou—a passion so intense… it can drive you mad.”
Lancelot glanced back at Tristan, a forlorn smile reaching his intense blue eyes. “When you find such a woman, Tristan, the love she gives you fills every empty hollow in your soul. She completes you; she invigorates you; she thrills you. And, when you consummate such a love, the exquisite blend of the spiritual and physical realm will satisfy you more than the finest wine or the greatest victory in battle. The love she gives you with her body will transport you to the stars, and you will never experience a greater joy.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales and fantasies about Druids, wizards and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. She fell in love with French in junior high school, continuing her study of the language throughout college, eventually becoming a high school teacher and college professor of French.
As a high school teacher, she took her students every year to the annual French competition, where they performed a play she had written, “Yseult la Belle et Tristan la Bête”–an imaginative blend of the medieval French legend of “Tristan et Yseult” and the fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast”, enhanced with fantasy elements of a Celtic fairy and a wicked witch.
Her debut novel, “The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven”–the first of a trilogy– is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy. It is a retelling of the medieval French romance of “Tristan et Yseult”, interwoven with Arthurian myth, dark fairy tales from the enchanted Forest of Brocéliande, and otherworldy elements such as Avalonian Elves, Druids, forest fairies and magic.
Explore her realm of Medieval French Fantasy. She hopes her novels will enchant you.
Website: https://jenniferivywalker.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferIvyWalker
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferivywalkerauthor/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B0B91R2MJZ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wild-rose-and-the-sea-raven-jennifer-ivy-walker/1141977954
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Crippled Jack by Boston Teran
We’re celebrating the release of Boston Teran’s revisionist western novel, Crippled Jack. Read on for more info and a sneak peek!
Crippled Jack
Publication Date: September 5th, 2022
Genre: Revisionist Western/ Historical Fiction
CRIPPLED JACK is a revisionist western set against a landmark era in American folklore. Those were the years of poverty, homelessness and hatred between the classes.
In that time when bloodthirsty violence ruled the day a boy was bound and gagged and left to die in the desert. He was not yet nine and suffered what they called the palsy. There was a note pinned to his chest – It’s up to God now.
But the boy did not die. Fate and history merged in his will to live. He was found by a horseman who was at war with the profiteers of the day, the Czars of business, the masters of corporate avarice. He was known as – The Coffin Maker.
He became the star on the boy’s horizon. The boy would grow to become an expert marksman known as Crippled Jack. He will come of age during the labor wars that were consuming the West. His friends will be enemies of the state. He will come to love a woman who has escaped the orphan trains and is a reporter covering the bloodshed sweeping the nation.
Together they will usher in a new America. An America that has every intention of turning the country upside down, so that it may stand right side up. CRIPPLED JACK transforms the classic American western into a scathing and violent protest novel. A war for social justice, for equality, and for hope – a war we’re still fighting today.
Add to Goodreads
Chapter One
What tortures await the lives of men? What degree of exile from goodness makes up their souls?
The boy was near about eight, maybe nine years old. His hands and feet had been bound up with heavy rope. His mouth lashed tight with cot- ton strips so he could not cry out.
He was lying just off the Chihuahua Trail where it fed south from San Antonio toward Helena. He had been placed on the most degraded soil, by the remains of a rotted wagon and the sanded-down bones of an ox. A page from the Bible had been torn loose and pinned to his ragged and filthy shirt. And in a fine handwriting was written this:
— It’s up to God now —
…
For days the boy survived on his muffled cries and desperation to stay alive as he caterpillared along, his arms tied behind his back, a thing to behold, crawling inch by inch over rock and gray brown and scrub brush that scored the flesh. Threading down through gullies, his skin blistered, courtesy of the hideous Texas sun. He used his jaw and shoulders and the bottom of his bare bound feet to edge toward a road that grew farther and farther out of reach, until there was no more of him to struggle with.
He lay there alone, awaiting death, in all that unmerciful emptiness with one thought—Why did God hate me so much?
Available on Amazon
About the Author
For a generation now, the internationally award-winning author Boston Teran has been writing about America and the moral territory of its soul. Many of his novels are translated into foreign languages, and he has been named alongside great American writers, including Hemingway and Larry McMurtry, filmmakers John Ford and Sam Peckinpah, as well as renowned painters and artists for his far reaching vision of time, place and humanity.
His cult novel, GOD IS A BULLET, was adapted to film in 2021 by Nick Cassavetes, and has been compared to such seminal works as Joan Didion’s THE WHITE ALBUM and John Ford’s THE SEARCHERS. NEVER COUNT OUT THE DEAD has been called a modern equivalent of Macbeth. THE CREED OF VIOLENCE is currently in film development with Universal Studios. His DEFIANT AMERICANS SERIES have been praised for confronting an America mired in hatred and human corruption, injustice, racism and inequality, and his characters’ quest for moral order and redemption.
The author has won countless awards, including The American Fiction Award for “Adventure: Historical,” the GRAND PRIX CALIBRE 38, the Stephen Crane Literary Award for “First Fiction,” the Fiction Lovers Association of Japan Award for “Best Novel,” the Benjamin Franklin Award in the LGBTQ+ category, and the John Creasey Award for “Best Novel” by the British Crime Writers Association. Boston Teran
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September 8, 2022
A Hate Like This by Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers – an excerpt and gift card giveaway
A Hate Like This
Melanie Summers & Whitney Dineen
(A Gamble on Love Mom-Com, #2)
Publication date: September 8th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Single mother Moira Bishop hates when her family interferes in her love life. If life as a young widow isn’t hard enough, just add three boys, a slew of unruly pets, and ownership of Gamble Alaska’s only diner. The last thing she needs is a man to look after too.
Entertainment lawyer to the stars Ethan Caplan hates his clients. There’s only so much coddling and placating a man can do in a lifetime. He’s finally decided he’s had enough, so he escapes to the tiny no-horse town of Gamble to work on the novel he’s always wanted to write.
Positive that Alaska will be distraction-free, Ethan’s sure he can pen a bestselling legal novel. That is until he lays his eyes on Moira Bishop. Suddenly he finds himself having five meals a day at the diner, just so he can talk to her for a few minutes.
When Moira’s son wins tickets to the Galaxy Studio Theme Park in L.A., Ethan jumps at the chance to play host to the family. He’s sure he can win her over by showing her how glamorous life could be with him. With the help of his friends, he plans the date to end all dates, hoping one incredible night will change her mind about giving love a second chance.
Will Moira open her heart to Ethan? Will Ethan do what it takes to prove that he can be the man Moira and her boys need in their lives? Will little Colton be tall enough to ride the Galactic Mindbender?
Find out in the deliciously fun second installment in the Gamble on Love Momcom series.
—
EXCERPT:
Moira Bishop is something of a conundrum. On the surface she looks like a go-getting live wire, but beneath that façade she appears to be experiencing her own struggles. Being a parent has never been a driving force in my life, so I don’t spend much time imagining what it’s like. Yet I can certainly see that being a single parent to three boys is an exhausting endeavor. Add her job at the diner, and she probably doesn’t have a minute for herself.
Moira goes over to a youngish couple sitting at a table on the other side of the dining room. The woman openly scowls at her before demanding a coffee refill. I wonder if they had some sort of argument before I got here. Or maybe the woman is just a horrible person. She has a hard look about her. I pull my phone out of my pocket and open the notes tab—I might be staring at the villain in my novel. I hurry and type out a description of her.
A few minutes later, Moira sets my meal in front of me. “I brought hash browns and bacon to help fuel your day. But only three eggs, so you won’t get weighed down.” Her eyes sparkle with humor.
“You realize the amount of food on this plate could feed a family of six in Beverly Hills.”
She giggles loudly. “I doubt most families in Beverly Hills would eat much of what we serve here.”
“Priorities are definitely a bit skewed there. So are portion sizes.”
“Remind me never to move to Beverly Hills,” she says sardonically.
“You can see why it was imperative I got away,” I tell her. “I’ve been slowly starving for years.”
As she walks back to the counter, I look down at my plate and dig in with gusto. While I stuff my face, I watch as Moira zips around refilling cups and dropping off bills. By the time I’ve eaten every bite, I’m so full I’m wishing I’d ordered a bowl of Special K. .
Moira returns to my table. Staring at my empty plate, she says, “Oh, dear, what would the good folks from Beverly Hills say?”
“They’d either get busy planning an intervention or they’d pool their resources and find me a surgeon to perform an emergency gastric bypass.” I look around the now-empty diner before indicating the seat across from me. “Care to join me?”
“Sure.” She sits down into the booth across from me and groans. “Oh, that’s nice.” Her trainer-clad feet suddenly appear on the bench next to me. “It’s still early, but my dogs are already barking. What’s up?”
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
Author links
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
—
Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally – then she’ll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for ‘K’ Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn’t require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she’s not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken ‘from above’. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something–more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.
Author links
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
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September 7, 2022
Out of the Ashes by Samantha Grosser – with a giveaway
Out of the Ashes
Samantha Grosser
Publication date: August 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Historical
Amid the ruins of the Second World War, an illegal and tentative relationship begins.
England 1944. As Allied forces battle their way through Europe, German prisoners of war are sent to camps all over England. In a sleepy Somerset village, Clare is still grieving for her husband when the first prisoners arrive.
As the men start working on the farm, it isn’t long before she finds herself face to face with the enemy who made her a widow. Hating them all, she avoids them as best as she can. But when one of them saves a young child’s life, she is forced to reconsider. As an unexpected and illicit connection develops between them, her loyalties are stretched to the limit.
Their secret doesn’t last. Shunned by family and friends for illegal fraternisation with the enemy, Clare risks losing all she has. Then long-held secrets are brought to light and she must make an impossible choice.
In a world that has changed beyond recognition, can they find a way to build a future together, or will their happiness be destroyed by the burdens of the past?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
She sat at the table, numb. She should have sweet tea, she thought, remembering it was supposed to be good for shock, but she was unable to bring herself to make the effort and the stove remained blank and unlit. She waited, expecting the numbness to pass and the pain of the grief to take over, but there was nothing. Her body felt as though it belonged to someone else, and her thoughts drifted, hazy and unformed. What was wrong with her? She had heard of other women collapsing with such news, weeping and hysterical. Why did she feel so empty?
She laid the telegram on the table and straightened it out against the tablecloth, letting her eyes wander over the brief impersonal notice again, Walter’s death contained within it. How could so few words hold such momentous news? A letter would follow, it said. But really, what more was there to say? She would never hear her husband’s voice again, nor hold him in her arms. Their son no longer had a father.
She let out a breath, unaware she had been holding it, and feeling began at last to creep through her veins, a hollow in her guts. She placed her hand on top of the telegram, covering the words. She had always known, she thought. Right from the beginning when he told her he was going she had known, and she had spent all her tears and anger then in bitter fights and cruel words she had regretted ever since. Now she would never have a chance to make up for saying them.
The memory of the last time she saw him flickered through her thoughts – the sadness in his eyes as he turned to walk away from her along the platform with the kitbag on his shoulder, a stranger in his uniform. She had watched him mount the carriage steps, squeezed his hand a final time, until with a hiss of steam and a whistle he was gone. She had known even then they would not meet again.
A dog’s bark outside in the yard roused her from her thoughts and she lifted her head towards the noise. The clock on the mantelpiece struck the half-hour. Soon Eric would be home and she would have to tell him that his father was dead. She shuddered at the thought of it and sighed, tracing the words on the telegram with her fingertips as though she might feel Walter’s presence within them – his warmth, his kindness, his laughter. The hollow inside her began to fill with pain, and her vision blurred with sudden tears. She pressed her hand against the sheet of paper under her palm. She would have to tell Walter’s mother too, she remembered then, and his sister and her husband, everyone else in the village. She would have to say it aloud.
Walter is dead.
She wrapped her thoughts around the words and tried to roll them on her tongue, but her mouth refused to form the sounds. Her breath began to catch in her chest and as she wiped at her face where the tears had started to fall, she cast a glance towards the door. She wasn’t sure if she could face it. It was the thought that she must say the words to others that finally broke her defences. Lowering her face into her hands, she began to weep at last.
Author Bio:
Samantha Grosser is a very British author who doesn’t function without tea. Having spent many years teaching English in Asia and Australia, she has now made her home on the sunny beaches of Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, teenaged son, and a very small dog called Livvy.
She is the author of Another Time and Place, The Officer’s Affair, The King James Men, and the historical fantasy series Web of Witches. When she isn’t writing or reading, (which isn’t often) you can find her either doing yoga, going for long walks, or watching old movies.
You can find out more at samgrosserbooks.com
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Pinterest
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September 6, 2022
Monica by Delaney Diamond with a giftcard giveaway
Monica
Delaney Diamond
(Family Ties, #2)
Publication date: August 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A second chance at love for a wealthy socialite and her bad boy ex.
After having her heart broken nine years ago, Monica Connor has no interest in marriage. She’s busy living her best life and building a following as a social media influencer. When a wealthy businessman contracts her to promote the opening of his new lounge, she’s excited for her most lucrative deal yet. Then she learns she has to work with someone else on the project—Andre Campos, her first love—the owner’s future son-in-law.
Andre is engaged to marry the daughter of the man who gave him a chance when no one else would, but seeing Monica causes old feelings to resurface and calls his plans into question. Being with Monica means losing everything he’s worked hard over the years to attain. But he can’t stop thinking about her, and pretty soon they surrender to the fiery passion that neither can deny.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play
—
EXCERPT:
His breathing temporarily halted. He recognized her right away, despite cutting off all her hair and leaving a short buzz cut. He’d know those pretty chestnut eyes and high cheekbones anywhere. Large hoops almost touching her shoulders adorned her ears, but smaller earrings also climbed up the shell of her right ear.
She stood at one end of the long wood table, chatting with Stanley, the company’s attorney, and another woman, whom he assumed was her attorney. Her face glowed with health and vitality, hands animated as she talked. Red lipstick brightened her full lips and popped against her russet-brown skin.
She wasn’t born into money but wore it well. Tall with slender curves poured into a red and white pants suit, he wasn’t surprised she became an influencer. Monica Connor was the epitome of an “it” girl. Popular, with an engaging personality, she’d been a trendsetter back in college. He used to call her Sunshine because she had a glow about her and brightened his day with her appearance.
His gaze dipped to the skin revealed by the plunging neckline of the red jacket she wore as a shirt.
No bra.
His mouth went dry, and he licked his lips to counteract the parched, desert-like sensation when he assessed the halfway open top.
Her gaze shifted, and their eyes met across the glass table. The smile on her face faltered before disappearing altogether, and he experienced the strangest sensation—as if the walls were closing in. She stared at him, and lips he’d known well—once upon a time—parted in shock.
“Andre.” She whispered his name, and his scalp tingled under the sound of her voice. She flashed a brief grin, hands going to her hips. “Wow, it’s been forever. It’s good to see you.”
Liar. The way-too-high octave of her voice signaled fake excitement.
He didn’t smile back, unable to truly engage in the scene because never in fifty million years had he expected Monica Connor to be standing in the building where he worked.
He swallowed the tightness in his throat. “Good to see you too.”
Author Bio:
Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sensual and passionate romance novels. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, join her mailing list. And enjoy free stories on her website at delaneydiamond.com.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
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September 5, 2022
The Girl from Saint Petersburg by Joyana Peters with an excerpt and a giveaway
Welcome the the book tour for Joyana Peters’ latest historical fiction novel, The Girl from Saint Petersburg. The prequel to award-winning novel, The Girl in the Triangle. Read on for more info and a fantastic giveaway!
The Girl From Saint Petersburg (An Industrial Historical Fiction Series Book 1)
Publication Date: July 25th, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
Sacrifice, Starvation and Survival.
What will she do to stay alive? Russia, 1905: Thirteen-year-old Ruth dreams of growing up to marry the boy next door and living peacefully ever after. But when he and her father are forced to flee to America after the Bloody Sunday Massacre, Ruth and the other female members of the family are left behind amid the violence and chaos of revolutionary Russia. Overcoming violence and hunger with a strength she never knew she possessed, Ruth resolves to do what it takes to keep her mother and sister alive—whether it be work, beg or steal.
Then she lands herself in a predicament that threatens to put her own neck in a noose. This time she may not be able to keep them all safe, at least not without sacrificing their love for her and all that makes life worth living.
In this prequel to the award-winning novel, The Girl in the Triangle, author, Joyana Peters, portrays a tight-knit family fighting to endure at a precarious and crucial time in Jewish history. Join the countless readers who can’t get enough of Ruth and her story.
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Excerpt
Ruth woke to banging on the front door. Half-asleep, she blinked against the morning light. Ester shifted on the pillow next to her. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know, Bird.” Ruth patted her head. “Stay here. I’ll find out.”
Ruth tiptoed out of the bedroom and toward the front door. Her mother was crouched on the floor and peering over the window sill. Her eyes were puffy and red.
“What are you doing?”
“Shh!” Momme tugged Ruth down beside her. “Don’t let them see you.”
“Don’t let who see us? Where’s Tatty? Why were you crying?” Ruth glanced around.
Momme clenched Ruth’s wrist. “I need you to listen. They’ll break in soon. And they will interrogate and hurt me. You need to be brave.”
“Interrogate you? I don’t understand. Where are Tatty and Jeremiah?”
“Tatty left for America last night, but we can’t tell them that.”
Ruth shivered. Her father gone to America without saying good-bye? “Why? Did Jeremiah go too?”
An odd blankness came over her mother’s eyes. She seemed about to answer when an axe crashed through the door.
“Stay in the bed. Cover yourselves to hide and don’t leave Ester.” Momme pushed Ruth toward the bedroom.
Ruth scrambled to her feet and ran. She looked over her shoulder to see her mother dusting herself off. As the door gave way and the czar’s soldiers invaded the house, her mother’s lips moved in silent prayer.
Ruth found her sister hiding under the covers and held a finger to her lips as she crawled beside her. Ester nodded, suddenly appearing older than her ten years. As the men’s voices rose in the next room, Ruth wrapped her arms around Ester and they lay trembling.
There was a slap followed by a muffled sob. Ester cried out. Ruth clapped her hand over Ester’s mouth, but heavy boots stomped toward them and the covers were soon ripped away.
Two soldiers glared down from either side of the bed. They grabbed the girls with rough hands.
“Ruth!” Ester screamed.
“She’s a child!” Ruth begged. “Please, leave her be.”
The soldiers ignored her and dragged the two girls from the house. The street was in chaos. There were more soldiers, and families shivering in their bed clothes. Why was this happening?
The soldier flung her onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her. She scrambled toward Ester, but a soldier stepped between them.
“Please, don’t hurt us, sir!”
“That depends on your mother. If she tells us what we want to know, we won’t need to.”
Ruth tried to squash her instinct to reach for her sister, and instead forced herself to look for her mother.
And there she was—standing with her chin high, in the middle of four soldiers. Ruth could see a dark splotch on her face. Was it blood? But she remained straight and tall. She wasn’t even crying. Ruth was amazed by her mother’s control. How did she manage to appear so unaffected?
A soldier with a drooping mustache stepped close to Momme.
“Where are they?” he growled.
“I told you, I don’t know,” she replied.
“I don’t believe you.” He cracked her on the back of the head with the butt of his rifle and kicked her in the stomach. “Try again. Where are they?”
Momme crumpled forward, coughing. “I don’t know.”
“This is pointless. Grab the girl.” He gestured toward Ester.
The soldier standing near Ester grabbed her. Ester thrashed in his arms.
“No!” Momme lurched forward. “She doesn’t know anything and neither do I. They never returned home.”
“But they were in the square yesterday?” the droopy mustache soldier asked.
“Yes.”
“What was that? I can’t hear you.” He cupped his ear.
“Yes, they were there,” Momme’s voice rang out louder.
Ruth closed her eyes at Momme’s words. This was about Abraham and Jeremiah and wherever they’d gone yesterday. What trouble had they gotten themselves into?
The soldier leaned into Momme’s face. “And the meetings?”
Momme turned away. He popped her in the forehead with his rifle butt so hard she flew backwards. “Answer me!”
A shriek pierced the air. Ruth saw a man being pulled out of his house. His wife reached for him, but the soldiers held her back. They forced the man to his knees and a soldier held a pistol to the back of his head. A shot rang out. The man slumped forward.
Ruth looked to her mother’s horror-stricken face. Droopy Mustache grabbed Momme by the hair.
“Perhaps––now you see how serious we are, drabke?”
Momme moved her head up and down. “They never came home. They must be among the dead.”
“And the meetings?”
“They attended them,” she croaked. “But if they’re dead, what does it matter?”
He studied Momme. Finally, he turned to the other soldiers.
“Search the house again.”
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About the Author
Growing up in New York, she always loved exploring the city, particularly the Lower East Side. This led to her discovery of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the stories it holds.She currently lives in Northern Virginia where she takes in the sights of DC with her two kids and husband.
Joyana Peters | Facebook | Instagram
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September 2, 2022
Resolved by Nikki Kiley – read an excerpt and enter the giftcard giveaway
Resolved
Nikki Kiley
Publication date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Can a perky optimist and a moody bachelor overcome their differences to discover that opposites make the best matches?
Sarah
I will let nothing get in my way as I navigate my demanding position on the Home Design Network, especially not a grumpy, gorgeous 6’4 man built like a tank. Jeremy Chance may resent that he’s been assigned to be my babysitter—and he voices it, rudely often enough—but as we tackle the job before us I can’t help but feel drawn into his quiet appeal.
Jeremy
Reasons I should never offer home repair help.
1. Everyone takes you and your time for granted
2. The job is never just fifteen minutes
3. The customer is ALWAYS right (especially when they’re WRONG.)
4. And now I’ve been saddled with an ambitious, take no prisoners workaholic who has no clue what she signed up for
But something about Sarah’s Hayes sweet, frazzled determination tugs at my well-buried heartstrings and I can’t stop myself from helping this hardworking charmer succeed.
Author’s Note: A steamy, swoony, laugh-out-loud workplace romantic comedy with a grumpy hero determined to save the day and a feisty heroine who is realizing that there’s more to her co-worker than just a man that can get the job done. This is a stand-alone romance with a HEA!
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EXCERPT:
The eighty-five-degree heat combined with the storm that just hit was doing a number on my hair. Tendrils escaped the tight bun as soon as I walked out of arrivals and waited for my Uber driver. Thank God I had the sense to pack in my carry-on an extra set of clothes, toiletries, and black heels. You could never be too careful.
Living with Mom had prepared me for whatever eventuality might come up since she was always one foot out the door from being evicted or dumped. My go bag was always at the ready. I had planned to stop and leave my luggage at the hotel, but those plans were nonexistent now. I was already late—what a first impression.
The drive over to the new satellite office of the Home Design Network was undoubtedly fascinating. Colorful graffiti and street art decorated the buildings we passed. We drove by many repurposed warehouses now used for office space. Rolling my shoulders from the tension built up in the back of my neck when we passed tourists walking around in bikini tops and short shorts. Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about the dress code after all.
My Uber driver, an older Cuban man, was silent during our drive over after we tried to communicate, but my high school Spanish was not cutting it. He must have read the word tourist tattooed across my forehead since he looked at me through the rearview mirror and warned me.
“Ten cuidado de noche. De día no es tan malo.”
“What? Mi español es…rusty? Are you telling me that it’s dangerous here?”
“Dangerous at night.” He said with a thick accent.
I smiled and nodded back at him, because all men saw was a defenseless young woman with victim potential. He hadn’t seen my knife with its removable box cutter blade, nor the Taser I usually had on me and would have if circumstances were different. But all of my self-defense tools were now in New York City in my checked luggage. And that’s if I’m lucky.
He stopped his SUV in front of an old industrial building in the Miami Design District. From what I read in the briefing it was once an old rum distillery, long abandoned, and now a shared office space concept. The open loft space would give us a place for potential clients and the design team to meet, plus a space to house the expensive video equipment and cameras. The painted white brick walls, massive archways, and attractive moldings would lend themselves well to our brand. I could see it already—grapefruit, orange blossom, and thyme, Home Design Network’s signature scents delivered by nanoparticles through air vents in the building. The decor of the front offices would be tasteful and modern. Our newest in-house designers made sure the branding was on point. When you arrived at reception, a wall of oversized screens played our top-rated shows on a constant loop and would greet the visitors to our satellite office.
As I stepped inside the building and rolled my suitcase behind me, the cool air of the building was such a contrast to the outdoor heat and humidity, a gruff voice interrupted my thoughts. “Took you long enough. You’re late.”
I swiveled to face the rude asshole who’d addressed me without even a proper introduction—and I froze in place.
Holy hot dog…
I looked up and up and up. His shaggy blond hair needed a haircut, a scruffy beard that hid a nasty scar from an old accident, a body built like a cover model of a romance novel the ones that show manchest. He was handsome, even with the scowl on his face. As Rebecca’s assistant, I knew who he was. I’d dealt with all the back-end stuff that had to do with the show she produced for Home Design Network. I was cognizant of every detail that had to do with our production and construction crew, and this was the brilliant but grumpy middle brother, Jeremy.
My mom’s first lesson for me was how to charm a man to get them to do whatever I wanted. Tanya Hayes’s problem comprised of once she got them, she couldn’t keep them.
I stuck out my hand, chin up, and full frontal with gritted teeth. I turned on the charm. “Hi, I’m Sarah Hayes. You must be Jeremy. Very sorry you had to wait. My luggage never arrived at Miami International, which caused me to get delayed when I needed to fill out the paperwork.”
He looked at my hand for a few seconds before deigning to shake it. What a complete jerk. His indignation at having to wait for me here was almost palpable.
I took in the open-aired center court area before me, potted tropical plants, an espresso bar for visitors, the common area furniture being a set of long sofas facing each other with padded cushions, and small tables with chairs placed at corners. And to think he’d been waiting all this time, here. What a hardship.
“My, my—this place looks like a real dump, and you’ve been here all this time. You should try being at the airport, where there were nowhere to sit while I waited for my nonexistent luggage. I had to stand for an hour just to put in a complaint about my missing suitcases.” Too late, sarcasm dripped from my every word.
It went over his head, or he didn’t care because he continued as if I just didn’t make him appear inconsiderate and self-absorbed for his comment. “Why didn’t you call? Let Rebecca know, so I didn’t have to wait over two hours. It’s what any considerate person would have done.”
Oh no, he did not just go there. After everything, I had been through today. I just had it with the impoliteness, and I had reached my tipping point. “Are you freaking kidding me? Rebecca was aware of the delay because of the weather. Since she texted me, I wrote to her about what was happening with my luggage situation. She did not make me aware of the fact that you were waiting or when you were supposed to come. So, if you want to file a complaint look to the one who’s footing the bill.”
He gave me a dumbfounded expression, his jaw clenched. We both knew he would not be complaining to Rebecca. I bet he didn’t see me coming. They never did.
Author Bio:
Nikki Kiley is an aspiring author of Contemporary Romance. Since she was a young girl, she dreamt of writing stories that would entertain and move her readers, like she was and still is, by talented authors.
When not working the day job running a medical office, she spends hours crafting and writing stories about heroes and heroines earning their chance at love. She makes her home in Puerto Rico with her husband, two young adult children, and a gentle giant, the bull mastiff, Kira.
She loves the beach, her Nespresso maker, and cupcakes (S’more in particular).
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September 1, 2022
Red Rain by Lara Bernhardt – read an excerpt and enter the giveaway
Red Rain
Lara Bernhardt
Publication date: August 30th 2022
Genres: Women’s Fiction
A bittersweet story of friendship and overcoming grief from a critically acclaimed author.
Olivia Montag is a professor who doesn’t have all the answers. The devastating loss of a child ended her marriage, and she’s been overlooked for a job promotion one time too many. Not sure what comes next, she leaves it all behind and volunteers to teach English to schoolchildren in India.
Ten thousand miles away, she connects with fellow volunteers and finds purpose in teaching. Until one by one the girls in her classes stop showing up. Then she meets Mukesh, an Indian man with a heart for invention, who may be the only one who can help her students. This is her chance to impact real change, even if that means trusting new friendships and her own instincts.
It turns out, there might be strength in asking for help, and embracing a painful past may clear the way for a brighter future. Sometimes in the darkest storms, you can choose to dance in the rain.
Eat, Pray, Love meets Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in this poignant but uplifting story of finding your purpose.
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EXCERPT:
Olivia Montag questioned her sanity. Anyone she’d shared her plans with had questioned it for months now, some with raised eyebrows, skeptical silence, and shrugs as if to say, “If that’s what you want.” Some had opted for a more straightforward approach and outright bursts of, “Have you lost your mind?” But she’d brushed them all aside, reassuring them—and herself—that she knew what she was doing. She needed this. She’d read Eat, Pray, Love. This was how people found themselves again after their lives fell apart.
Until this moment, she’d remained stubbornly convinced she was right and completely ignored the naysayers. Excitement had buoyed her steps as she’d boarded the plane to leave, Mom giving one last look of concern as she waved goodbye. The thrill of adventure and the certainty she was embarking on a life-empowering trip of a lifetime (and perhaps delirium brought on by lack of sleep) got her through the thirty-six-hour journey, including transfers and layovers, to New Delhi, India.
She’d slept most of several days, enjoying the exotic newness of it all when awake, slowly adjusting her day/night cycle. Watching flocks of green parrots fly overhead as she soaked up tropical sun by the pool of her five-star luxury hotel, she’d breathed deeply and congratulated herself, awash in the knowledge she’d been correct. This was exactly what she’d needed. A fresh start, halfway around the globe, as far from her previous surroundings as she could possibly run.
Now, stepping off the rusted-out, rattletrap bus that brought her from Kochi, Kerala, after a long-delayed, nearly five-hour flight from New Delhi, and clutching her single bag of possessions, she entertained the notion that perhaps she should have listened to the naysayers—at least a little bit.
The crowded bus station, constructed of bare concrete and worn from years of hard use, bustled with people. Most of them appeared to be running hours behind schedule, and the spot she occupied apparently intersected with everyone’s trajectories, judging by the way they all jostled and bumped her.
If her ex-husband could see her now. She could picture the look of disgust and the head shake that had become such a familiar sight the last few years. If she’d done something really stupid, he might also roll his eyes. Yes, this adventure probably would’ve earned an eye roll along with the head shake. And his running commentary about what smart people did and didn’t do. “Smart people don’t just run off to India,” she could hear him say. “Especially with no idea where they’re going or how they’ll get there. That’s just not smart.” The longer she stood there, lost and wondering how long she should stand in the bus station watching more competent people en route to their destinations before seeking help, the more she thought she deserved her ex’s scorn.
Author Bio:
Lara Bernhardt is a Pushcart-nominated writer, editor, and audiobook narrator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Balkan Press and also publishes a literary magazine, Conclave. Twice a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction, she writes supernatural suspense and women’s fiction. You can follow her on all the socials @larawells1 on Twitter and @larabern10 on Facebook, BookBub, and Instagram.
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