• Home
  • Book Review
  • Contest
  • Blog Tour
  • Sneak Peek
  • About

Romantic Reads and Such

~ Book Blogger & Reviewer

Romantic Reads and Such

Category Archives: Contest

McNaught-E November

01 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Double Standards, Foster Saga, Judith McNaught, Miracles, Night Whispers, Once and Always, Paradise, Paradise Series, Perfect, Remember When, Sequels Series, Someone to Watch Over Me, Something Wonderful, Tender Triumph, Until You, Westmoreland Dynasty Saga, Whitney My Love

There was a point in time, not too long ago, that I binged on everything from Judith McNaught that I could get my hands on.  I went from one to another and even have gone back again … she’s got such a magical touch and I’m so pleased to share this news from her publisher.

(And now I’m gonna have to drag out my copies of these books because I’m dying to read them yet again!!)

*****

We are excited to share with you that the fourteen Judith McNaught titles listed below are available for the first time in E-Book today, November 1st! If you previously read any of these amazing titles, revisiting them in E-Book is not “All for Naught,” as each E-Book will contain original, new content (a letter) from Judith McNaught.

To celebrate this abundance of new material from Judith McNaught, we kick off McNaught-E November today with an excerpt for Whitney, My Love ($2.99 special price November 1st – December 4th, 2016). Please check back on McNaught-E Mondays (every Monday in November) to enjoy additional excerpts for the other thirteen E-Books.

Judith McNaught Historical Romances:

Let New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught who “is in a class by herself” (USA TODAY) sweep you off your feet and into another time with her sensual, passionate, and spellbinding historical romance classics, featuring her “unique magic” (RT Book Reviews)!

SEQUELS SERIES

cover-onceandalwaysOnce and Always

9781501145520

$7.99

Victoria Seaton, a blithe and fiercely independent orphan, leaves her home in America to travel across the vast Atlantic to claim her long-lost inheritance: a labyrinthine English estate named Wakefield. There she encounters her distant cousin, the notorious, proud, and mysterious Lord Jason Fielding. Drawn to his magnetic charisma, Victoria can’t help but suspect that like her, he harbors a dark and painful past. Neither Victoria or Jason are able to resist one another’s charm but, in a moment of blinding anguish, Victoria discovers the shocking truth that lays at the heart of their love—a love she had dreamed would triumph.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Once-and-Always/Judith-McNaught/9781501145520

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145520?at=10lrBC&ct=onceandalways_9781501145520_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZXSNET?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZXSNET&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145520

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Once_and_Always?id=FBwmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=onceandalways_9781501145520_sscom

cover-somethingwonderfulSomething Wonderful

9781501145544

$7.99

“Judith McNaught not only spins dreams but makes them come true” (RT Book Reviews) in this sensual and moving tale of a tempestuous marriage facing its ultimate test. Alexandra Lawrence, an innocent country girl, and Jordan Townsende, the rich and powerful Duke of Hawthorne, have always had a stormy relationship. But when she is swept into the endlessly fascinating world of London society, free-spirited Alexandra becomes ensnared in a tangled web of jealousy, revenge, and overwhelming passion. But behind her husband’s cold, haughty mask, there lives a tender, vital, sensual man…the man Alexandra married. Now, she will fight for his very life and the rapturous bond they alone can share.

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Something-Wonderful/Judith-McNaught/9781501145544

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145544?at=10lrBC&ct=somethingwonderful_9781501145544_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX09O44?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LX09O44&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145544

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Something_Wonderful?id=7xsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=somethingwonderful_9781501145544_sscom

cover-almostheavenAlmost Heaven

9781501145698

$7.99

Elizabeth Cameron, the Countess of Havenhurst, possesses a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast. A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, Ian’s interest in Elizabeth may not be all that it seems. His voyage to her heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge.  As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London’s drawing rooms to the awe-inspiring Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart? “Well-developed main characters with a compelling mutual attraction give strength and charm to this romance set in nineteenth-century Great Britain” (Publishers Weekly).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Almost-Heaven/Judith-McNaught/9781501145698

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145698?at=10lrBC&ct=almostheaven_9781501145698_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0WYDYS?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0WYDYS&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145698

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Almost_Heaven?id=XhwmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=almostheaven_9781501145698_sscom

WESTMORELAND DYNASTY SAGA

cover-whitneymyloveWhitney, My Love

9781501145438

$2.99 (Offer Valid November 1st – December 4th, 2016)

CHAPTER 1 EXCERPT Below!

A saucy spitfire who has grown into a ravishing young woman, Whitney Stone returns from her triumphant time in Paris society to England. She plans on marrying her childhood sweetheart, only to discover she has been bargained away by her bankrupt father to the arrogant and alluring Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore. Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot—will not—relinquish her dream of perfect love. Rich with emotion, brimming with laughter and tears, Whitney, My Love is “the ultimate love story, one you can dream about forever” (RT Book Reviews).

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Whitney-My-Love/Judith-McNaught/9781501145438

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145438?at=10lrBC&ct=whitneymylove_9781501145438_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXC17WY?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LXC17WY&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145438

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Whitney_My_Love?id=WxsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=whitneymylove_9781501145438_sscom

cover-akingdomofdreamsA Kingdom of Dreams

9781501145483

$7.99

Abducted from her convent school, headstrong Scottish beauty Jennifer Merrick does not easily surrender to Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore. Known as “The Wolf,” his very name strikes terror in the hearts of his enemies. But proud Jennifer will have nothing to do with the fierce English warrior who holds her captive, no matter what he threatens. Boldly she challenges his will—until the night he takes her in his powerful embrace, awakening in her an irresistible hunger. Suddenly Jennifer finds herself ensnared in a bewildering and seductive web of pride, passion, and overwhelming love. This beloved tale about two defiant hearts clashing in a furious battle of wills in the glorious age of chivalry “will stay in your heart forever and be a classic on your shelves” (RT Book Reviews, Top Pick).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Kingdom-of-Dreams/Judith-McNaught/9781501145483

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145483?at=10lrBC&ct=kingdomofdreams_9781501145483_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYMXHMQ?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LYMXHMQ&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145483

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_A_Kingdom_of_Dreams?id=4zMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=kingdomofdreams_9781501145483_sscom

cover-untilyouUntil You

9781501145490

$7.99

In this unforgettable romantic adventure, a teacher of wealthy young ladies finds her life changed forever when she travels from the wilds of America to elegant London. Sheridan Bromleigh is hired to accompany one of her students, heiress Charise Lancaster, to England to meet her fiancé. But when her charge elopes with a stranger, Sheridan wonders how she will ever explain it to Charise’s intended, Lord Burleton. Standing on the pier, Stephen Westmoreland, the Earl of Langford, assumes the young woman coming toward him is Charise Lancaster and reluctantly informs her of his inadvertent role in a fatal accident involving Lord Burleton the night before. And just as the young woman is about to speak, she steps into the path of a cargo net loaded with crates. Sheridan awakens in Westmoreland’s mansion with no memory of who she is; the only hint of her past is the puzzling fact that everyone calls her Miss Lancaster. All she truly knows is that she is falling in love with a handsome English earl, and that the life unfolding before her seems full of wondrous possibilities.

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Until-You/Judith-McNaught/9781501145490

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145490?at=10lrBC&ct=untilyou_9781501145490_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1KAHIH?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M1KAHIH&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145490

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Until_You?id=yhsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=untilyou_9781501145490_sscom

cover-miraclesMiracles (in A Holiday of Love)

9781501145711

$1.99

Now available for the first time ever as an e-novella, New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught’s short historical romance Miracles—which ties up ends left open in the Westmoreland Dynasty Saga—is available for the first time ever as a standalone e-novella. In Regency London, world-weary lord Nicki du Ville receives an outrageous proposal from Julianna Skeffington, who is Sheridan Bromleigh’s charge from Until You.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Miracles/Judith-Mcnaught/The-Westmorelands/9781501145711

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145711?at=10lrBC&ct=miracles_9781501145711_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZA7LUR?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZA7LUR&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145711

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_Mcnaught_Miracles?id=PB0mDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=miracles_9781501145711_sscom

Judith McNaught Contemporary Romances:

Discover the sensual and sweeping power of love in New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught’s contemporary romances that will make “you laugh, cry, and fall in love again” (RT Book Reviews)!

STAND-ALONES

cover-tendertriumphTender Triumph

9781501145421

$7.99

On Friday, a sensuous stranger enters Katie’s life. By Sunday, her life is irrevocably changed forever.

Katie Connelly submerges her painful past in a promising career, an elegant apartment, and men she can keep at a distance. Yet something vital is missing from her life—until she meets proud, rugged Ramon Galverra. With his charm and his passionate nature, Ramon gives her a love she had never known. Still she is afraid to surrender her heart to this strong, willful, secretive man—a man from a different world, a man with a bold, uncertain future. Will Katie’s relationship with Ramon survive once the thrill of their simmering passion subsides?

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Tender-Triumph/Judith-McNaught/9781501145421

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145421?at=10lrBC&ct=tendertriumph_9781501145421_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0L420Q?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0L420Q&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145421

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Tender_Triumph?id=ERsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=tendertriumph_9781501145421_sscom

cover-doublestandardsDouble Standards

9781501145704

$7.99

In the exclusive, glittering world of business superstars, Nick Sinclair is a legend. The ruggedly handsome president of Global Industries handles his business the way he handles his women—with charm, daring, and ruthless self-control. A man used to the very best, Nick hires Lauren Danner and assumes the proud beauty will soon be another easy conquest. But Lauren’s flashing wit and rare spirit dazzles him and slowly, against his will, he’s intrigued, challenged, and in love. Yet he doesn’t know that Lauren is living a lie and, trapped in a web of deceit, she fights her growing love for Nick. Her secret could destroy his fragile trust and the promise of life with the most compelling man she has ever met.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Double-Standards/Judith-McNaught/9781501145704

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145704?at=10lrBC&ct=doublestandards_9781501145704_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXC11YV?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LXC11YV&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145704

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Double_Standards?id=CTQjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=doublestandards_9781501145704_sscom

FOSTER SAGA

cover-rememberwhenRemember When

9781439140802

$7.99

When multinational tycoon Cole Harrison approaches her on a moonlit balcony at the White Orchid Charity Ball, Diana Foster has no idea how life-changing the night ahead will be. The most lavish social event of the Houston season had brought out Texas aristocracy in glittering array but Diana only agreed to attend to save face after reading about her fiancé leaving her for an Italian heiress in a sleazy gossip magazine. Her Beautiful Living magazine is her family’s success story, and Diana knows that as a single, childless, and suddenly unengaged woman, she is not living up to its lucrative image of upscale domestic tranquility. But when she spots the pride of Dallas billionaires, Cole Harrison, closing in on her with two crystal flutes and a bottle of champagne, she has no idea that he has ulterior motives for seducing her tonight. And he certainly has no idea that a match made in what he considers logic’s heaven might be headed straight for an unexpected, once-in-a-lifetime love. “Judith McNaught once again works her unique magic in this charming, sparkling romance” (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Remember-When/Judith-McNaught/9781439140802

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140802?at=10lrBC&ct=rememberwhen_9781439140802_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0L4H1H?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M0L4H1H&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140802

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Remember_When?id=dDMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=rememberwhen_9781439140802_sscom

PARADISE SERIES

cover-paradiseParadise

9781439138793

$7.99

“Judith McNaught comes close to an Edith Wharton edge” (The Chicago Tribune) in this stylish and fast-paced classic. Ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell is poised to move in on the legendary department store empire owned by Chicago’s renowned Bancroft family. In the glare of the media spotlight, it’s a stunning takeover that overshadows the electric chemistry between Matt, once a scruffy kid from steel town Indiana, and cool, sophisticated Meredith Bancroft. Their brief, ill-fated marriage sparked with thrilling sensuality but ended with a bitter betrayal. Now, locked in a battle that should be all business, dangerous temptations, and bittersweet memories are stirring their hearts. Will they risk everything for a passion too bold to be denied?

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Paradise/Judith-McNaught/9781439138793

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439138793?at=10lrBC&ct=paradise_9781439138793_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9UM?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9UM&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439138793

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Paradise?id=TzMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=paradise_9781439138793_sscom

cover-perfectPerfect

9781439140710

$7.99

A rootless foster child, Julie Mathison has blossomed under the love showered upon her by her adoptive family. Now a lovely and vivacious young woman, she is a respected teacher in her small Texas town and is determined to give back all the kindness she has received, believing that nothing can ever shatter the perfect life she has fashioned. Zachary Benedict is an actor whose Academy Award-winning career was shattered when he was wrongly convicted of murdering his wife. After the tall, ruggedly handsome Zack escapes from a Texas prison, he abducts Julie and forces her to drive him to his Colorado mountain hideout. She’s outraged, cautious, and unable to ignore the instincts that whispers of his innocence. He’s cynical, wary, and increasingly attracted to her. Desire is about to capture them both in its fierce embrace but the journey to trust, true commitment, and proving Zack’s innocence is just beginning.“A mixture of virtue and passion that is almost—ahem—perfect” (Kirkus Reviews) this is a captivating tale that fans will adore.

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Perfect/Judith-McNaught/9781439140710

IBOOKSTORE (ebook): http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140710?at=10lrBC&ct=perfect_9781439140710_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9UL?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9UL&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook): http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140710

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook): https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Perfect?id=KjMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=perfect_9781439140710_sscom

cover-nightwhispersNight Whispers

9781439140833

$7.99

In this “exciting tale of loyalty, love, and danger” (Publishers Weekly), Sloan Reynolds, a small-town Florida policewoman, knows that her modest upbringing is a long way from the social whirl of Palm Beach, the world inhabited by her father and her sister, Paris. Total strangers to Sloan, they have never tried to contact her—until a sudden invitation arrives, to meet them and indulge in the Palm Beach social season. Reluctant to accept the long-overdue familial gesture, Sloan is convinced to visit when an FBI colleague informs her that her father and his associates are suspected of fraud, conspiracy, and murder. The only catch is she must hide her true profession from her family. Sloan is on top of her game until she meets Noah Maitland, a multinational corporate player and one of the FBI’s prime suspects. She finds herself powerfully attracted to him, against her deepest instincts. When a shocking murder shatters the seductive facade of the wealth and glamour surrounding her, Sloan must maneuver through a maze of deceit and passion in this superb and enthralling tale of breathtaking suspense.

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Night-Whispers/Judith-McNaught/9781439140833

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781439140833?at=10lrBC&ct=nightwhispers_9781439140833_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook):  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZXSLVK?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01LZXSLVK&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):   http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781439140833

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Night_Whispers?id=mTMjDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=nightwhispers_9781439140833_sscom

cover-someonetowatchovermeSomeone to Watch Over Me

9781501145445

$7.99

Leigh Kendall is relishing her stellar Broadway acting career in her marriage to Logan Manning, scion of an old New York family, when her husband finds the perfect mountain property for their dream house. But while driving upstate on a winter’s night, Leigh is run off the road in the midst of a blinding blizzard. When she awakes in the local hospital, seriously injured, the police inform her that her husband has mysteriously disappeared, and Leigh becomes the focus of their suspicions. The more she discovers about her husband and his business affairs, the less she realizes she knew about Logan Manning. Now, Leigh is heading deeper and deeper into unknown territory—where friends and enemies are impossible to distinguish, and the truth becomes the most terrifying weapon of all in this thrilling tale filled with unrelenting suspense, unforgettable characters, and powerful traces of greed, ambition, and desire.

S&S:  http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Someone-to-Watch-Over-Me/Judith-McNaught/9781501145445

IBOOKSTORE (ebook):  http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501145445?at=10lrBC&ct=someonetowatchoverme_9781501145445_sscom&uo=8

KINDLE (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M18K9K4?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01M18K9K4&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK (ebook):  http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501145445

GOOGLE PLAY (ebook):  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Judith_McNaught_Someone_to_Watch_Over_Me?id=pRsmDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=someonetowatchoverme_9781501145445_sscom

*****

Excerpt:

Whitney My Love

1

As their elegant travelling chaise rocked and swayed along the rutted country road, Lady Anne Gilbert leaned her cheek against her husband’s shoulder and heaved a long, impatient sigh. “Another whole hour until we arrive, and already the suspense is positively gnawing at me. I keep wondering what Whitney will be like now that she’s grown up.”

She lapsed into silence and gazed absently out the coach window at the lush, rolling English countryside covered with wild pink Foxglove and yellow Buttercups, trying to envision the niece she hadn’t seen in almost eleven years.

“She’ll be pretty, just as her mother was. And she’ll have her mother’s smile, her gentleness, her sweet disposition . . .”

Lord Edward Gilbert cast a skeptical glance at his wife. “Sweet disposition?” he echoed in amused disbelief. “That isn’t what her father said in his letter.”

As a diplomat attached to the British Consulate in Paris, Lord Gilbert was a master of hints, evasions, innuendoes, and intrigues. But in his personal life, he preferred the refreshing alternative of blunt truth. “Allow me to refresh your memory,” he said, groping in his pockets and retrieving the letter from Whitney’s father. He perched his spectacles upon his nose, and ignoring his wife’s grimace, he began to read:

“ ‘Whitney’s manners are an outrage, her conduct is reprehensible. She is a willful hoyden who is the despair of everyone she knows and an embarrassment to me. I implore you to take her back to Paris with you, in the hope that you may have more success with the stubborn chit than I have had.’ ”

Edward chuckled. “Show me where it says she’s ‘sweet-tempered.’ ”

His wife shot him a peevish glance. “Martin Stone is a cold, unfeeling man who wouldn’t recognize gentleness and goodness if Whitney were made of nothing else! Only think of the way he shouted at her and sent her to her room right after my sister’s funeral.”

Edward recognized the mutinous set of his wife’s chin and put his arm around her shoulders in a gesture of conciliation. “I’m no fonder of the man than you are, but you must admit that, just having lost his young wife to an early grave, to have his daughter accuse him, in front of fifty people, of locking her mama in a box so she couldn’t escape had to be rather disconcerting.”

“But Whitney was scarcely five years old!” Anne protested heatedly.

“Agreed. But Martin was grieving. Besides, as I recall, it was not for that offense she was banished to her room. It was later, when everyone had gathered in the drawing room—when she stamped her foot and threatened to report us all to God if we didn’t release her mama at once.”

Anne smiled. “What spirit she had, Edward. I thought for a moment her little freckles were going to pop right off her nose. Admit it—she was marvelous, and you thought so too!”

“Well, yes,” Edward agreed sheepishly. “I rather thought she was.”

*  *  *

As the Gilbert chaise bore inexorably down on the Stone estate, a small knot of young people were waiting on the south lawn, impatiently looking toward the stable one hundred yards away. A petite blonde smoothed her pink ruffled skirts and sighed in a way that displayed a very fetching dimple. “Whatever do you suppose Whitney is planning to do?” she inquired of the handsome light-haired man beside her.

Glancing down into Elizabeth Ashton’s wide blue eyes, Paul Sevarin smiled a smile that Whitney would have forfeited both her feet to see focused on herself. “Try to be patient, Elizabeth,” he said.

“I’m sure none of us have the faintest idea what she is up to, Elizabeth,” Margaret Merryton said tartly. “But you can be perfectly certain it will be something foolish and outrageous.”

“Margaret, we’re all Whitney’s guests today,” Paul chided.

“I don’t know why you should defend her, Paul,” Margaret argued spitefully. “Whitney is creating a horrid scandal chasing after you, and you know it!”

“Margaret!” Paul snapped. “I said that was enough.” Drawing a long, irritated breath, Paul Sevarin frowned darkly at his gleaming boots. Whitney had been making a spectacle of herself chasing after him, and damned near everyone for fifteen miles was talking about it.

At first he had been mildly amused to find himself the object of a fifteen-year-old’s languishing looks and adoring smiles, but lately Whitney had begun pursuing him with the determination and tactical brilliance of a female Napoleon Bonaparte.

If he rode off the grounds of his estate, he could almost depend on meeting her en route to his destination. It was as if she had some lookout point from which she watched his every move, and Paul no longer found her childish infatuation with him either harmless or amusing.

Three weeks ago, she had followed him to a local inn. While he was pleasantly contemplating accepting the innkeeper’s daughter’s whispered invitation to meet her later in the hayloft, he’d glanced up and seen a familiar pair of bright green eyes peeping at him through the window.

Slamming his tankard of ale on the table, he’d marched outside, grabbed Whitney by the elbow, and unceremoniously deposited her on her horse, tersely reminding her that her father would be searching for her if she wasn’t home by nightfall.

He’d stalked back inside and ordered another tankard, but when the innkeeper’s daughter brushed her breasts suggestively against his arm while refilling his ale and Paul had a sudden vision of himself lying entangled with her voluptuous naked body, a pair of green eyes peered in through yet another window. He’d tossed enough coins on the planked wooden table to mollify the startled girl’s wounded sensibilities and left—only to encounter Miss Stone again on his way home.

He was beginning to feel like a hunted man whose every move was under surveillance, and his temper was strained to the breaking point. And yet, Paul thought irritably, here he was standing in the April sun, trying for some obscure reason to protect Whitney from the criticism she richly deserved.

A pretty girl, several years younger than the others in the group, glanced at Paul. “I think I’ll go and see what’s keeping Whitney,” said Emily Williams. She hurried across the lawn and along the whitewashed fence adjoining the stable. Shoving open the big double doors, Emily looked down the wide gloomy corridor lined with stalls on both sides. “Where is Miss Whitney?” she asked the stableboy who was currying a sorrel gelding.

“In there, Miss.” Even in the muted light, Emily saw his face suffuse with color as he nodded toward a door adjacent to the tack room.

With a puzzled glance at the flushing stableboy, Emily tapped lightly on the designated door and stepped inside, then froze at the sight that greeted her: Whitney Allison Stone’s long legs were encased in coarse brown britches that clung startlingly to her slender hips and were held in place at her narrow waist with a length of rope. Above the riding britches she wore a thin chemise.

“You surely aren’t going out there dressed like that?” Emily gasped.

Whitney fired an amused glance over her shoulder at her scandalized friend. “Of course not. I’m going to wear a shirt, too.”

“B-but why?” Emily persisted desperately.

“Because I don’t think it would be very proper to appear in my chemise, silly,” Whitney cheerfully replied, snatching the stableboy’s clean shirt off a peg and plunging her arms into the sleeves.

“P-proper? Proper?” Emily sputtered. “It’s completely improper for you to be wearing men’s britches, and you know it!”

“True. But I can’t very well ride that horse without a saddle and risk having my skirts blow up around my neck, now can I?” Whitney breezily argued while she twisted her long unruly hair into a knot and pinned it at her nape.

“Ride without a saddle? You can’t mean you’re going to ride astride—your father will disown you if you do that again.”

“I am not going to ride astride. Although,” Whitney giggled, “I can’t understand why men are allowed to straddle a horse, while we—who are supposed to be the weaker sex—must hang off the side, praying for our lives.”

Emily refused to be diverted. “Then what are you going to do?”

“I never realized what an inquisitive young lady you are, Miss Williams,” Whitney teased. “But to answer your question, I am going to ride standing on the horse’s back. I saw it done at the fair, and I’ve been practicing ever since. Then, when Paul sees how well I do, he’ll—”

“He’ll think you have lost your mind, Whitney Stone! He’ll think that you haven’t a grain of sense or propriety, and that you’re only trying something else to gain his attention.” Seeing the stubborn set of her friend’s chin, Emily switched her tactics. “Whitney, please—think of your father. What will he say if he finds out?”

Whitney hesitated, feeling the force of her father’s unwaveringly cold stare as if it were this minute focused upon her. She drew a long breath, then expelled it slowly as she glanced out the small window at the group waiting on the lawn. Wearily, she said, “Father will say that, as usual, I have disappointed him, that I am a disgrace to him and to my mother’s memory, that he is happy she didn’t live to see what I have become. Then he will spend half an hour telling me what a perfect lady Elizabeth Ashton is, and that I ought to be like her.”

“Well, if you really wanted to impress Paul, you could try . . .”

Whitney clenched her hands in frustration. “I have tried to be like Elizabeth. I wear those disgusting ruffled dresses that make me feel like a pastel mountain, I’ve practiced going for hours without saying a word, and I’ve fluttered my eyelashes until my eyelids go limp.”

Emily bit her lip to hide her smile at Whitney’s unflattering description of Elizabeth Ashton’s demure mannerisms, then she sighed. “I’ll go and tell the others that you’ll be right out.”

Gasps of outrage and derisive sniggers greeted Whitney’s appearance on the lawn when she led the horse toward the spectators. “She’ll fall off,” one of the girls predicted, “if God doesn’t strike her dead first for wearing those britches.”

Ignoring the impulse to snap out a biting retort, Whitney raised her head in a gesture of haughty disdain, then stole a look at Paul. His handsome face was taut with disapproval as his gaze moved from her bare feet, up her trousered legs, to her face. Inwardly, Whitney faltered at his obvious displeasure, but she swung resolutely onto the back of the waiting horse.

The gelding moved into its practiced canter, and Whitney worked herself upward, first crouching with arms outstretched for balance, then slowly easing herself into a standing position. Around and around they went and, although Whitney was in constant terror of falling off and looking like a fool, she managed to appear competent and graceful.

As she completed the fourth circle, she let her eyes slant to the faces passing on her left, registering their looks of shock and derision, while she searched for the only face that mattered. Paul was partially in the tree’s shadow, and Elizabeth Ashton was clinging to his arm, but as Whitney passed, she saw the slow, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and triumph unfurled like a banner in her heart. By the time she came around again, Paul was grinning broadly at her. Whitney’s spirits soared, and suddenly all the weeks of practice, the sore muscles and bruises, seemed worthwhile.

*  *  *

At the window of the second floor drawing room overlooking the south lawn, Martin Stone stared down at his performing daughter. Behind him, the butler announced that Lord and Lady Gilbert had arrived. Too enraged at his daughter to speak, Martin greeted his sister-in-law and her husband with a clenched jaw and curt nod.

“How—how nice to see you again after so many years, Martin,” Lady Anne lied graciously. When he remained icily silent, she said, “Where is Whitney? We’re so anxious to see her.”

Martin finally recovered his voice. “See her?” he snapped savagely. “Madam, you have only to look out this window.”

Bewildered, Anne did as he said. Below on the lawn there stood a group of young people watching a slender boy balancing beautifully on a cantering horse. “What a clever young man,” she said, smiling.

Her simple remark seemed to drive Martin Stone from frozen rage to frenzied action as he swung on his heel and marched toward the door. “If you wish to meet your niece, come with me. Or, I can spare you the humiliation, and bring her here to you.”

With an exasperated look at Martin’s back, Anne tucked her hand in her husband’s arm and together they followed Martin downstairs and outside.

As they approached the group of young people, Anne heard murmurings and laughter, and she was vaguely aware that there was something malicious in the tone, but she was too busy scanning the young ladies’ faces, looking for Whitney, to pay much heed to the fleeting impression. She mentally discarded two blondes and a redhead, quizzically studied a petite, blue-eyed brunette, then glanced helplessly at the young man beside her. “Pardon me, I am Lady Gilbert, Whitney’s aunt. Could you tell me where she is?”

Paul Sevarin grinned at her, half in sympathy and half in amusement. “Your niece is on the horse, Lady Gilbert,” he said.

“On the—” Lord Gilbert choked.

From her delicate perch atop the horse, Whitney’s eyes followed her father’s progress as he bore down on her with long, rapid strides. “Please don’t make a scene, Father,” she implored when he was within earshot.

“I make a scene?” he roared furiously. Snatching the halter, he brought the cantering horse around so sharply that he jerked it from beneath her. Whitney hit the ground on her feet, lost her balance, and ended up half-sprawling. As she scampered up, her father caught her arm in a ruthless grip and hauled her over toward the spectators. “This—this thing,” he said, thrusting her forward toward her aunt and uncle, “I am mortified to tell you is your niece.”

Whitney heard the smattering of giggles as the group quickly disbanded, and she felt her face grow hot with shame. “How do you do, Aunt Gilbert? Uncle Gilbert?” With one eye on Paul’s broad-shouldered, retreating form, Whitney reached mechanically for her nonexistent skirt, realized it was missing, and executed a comical curtsy without it. She saw the frown on her aunt’s face and put her chin up defensively. “You may be sure that for the week you are here, I shall endeavor not to make a freak of myself again, Aunt.”

“For the week that we are here?” her aunt gasped, but Whitney was preoccupied watching Paul help Elizabeth into his curricle and didn’t notice the surprise in her aunt’s voice.

“Good-bye, Paul,” she called, waving madly. He turned and raised his arm in silent farewell.

Laughter drifted back as the curricles bowled down the drive, carrying their occupants off to a picnic or some other gay and wonderful activity, to which Whitney was never invited because she was too young.

Following Whitney toward the house, Anne was a mass of conflicting emotions. She was embarrassed for Whitney, furious with Martin Stone for humiliating the girl in front of the other young people, somewhat dazed by the sight of her own niece cavorting on the back of a horse, wearing men’s britches . . . and utterly astonished to discover that Whitney, whose mother had been only passably pretty, showed promise of becoming a genuine beauty.

She was too thin right now, but even in disgrace Whitney’s shoulders were straight, her walk naturally graceful and faintly provocative. Anne smiled to herself at the gently rounded hips displayed to almost immoral advantage by the coarse brown trousers, the slender waist that would require no subterfuge to make it appear smaller, eyes that seemed to change from sea-green to deep jade beneath their fringe of long, sooty lashes. And that hair—piles and piles of rich mahogany brown! All it needed was a good trimming and brushing until it shone; Anne’s fingers positively itched to go to work on it. Mentally she was already styling it in ways to highlight Whitney’s striking eyes and high cheekbones. Off her face, Anne decided, piled at the crown with tendrils at the ears, or pulled straight back off the forehead to fall in gentle waves down her back.

As soon as they entered the house, Whitney mumbled an excuse and fled to her room where she flopped dejectedly into a chair and morosely contemplated the humiliating scene Paul had just witnessed, with her father jerking her ignominiously off her horse and then shouting at her. No doubt her aunt and uncle were as horrified and revolted by her behavior as her father had been, and her cheeks burned with shame just thinking of how they must despise her already.

“Whitney?” Emily whispered, creeping into the bedroom and cautiously closing the door behind her. “I came up the back way. Is your father angry?”

“Cross as crabs,” Whitney confirmed, staring down at her trousered legs. “I suppose I ruined everything today, didn’t I? Everyone was laughing at me, and Paul heard them. Now that Elizabeth is seventeen, he’s bound to offer for her before he ever has a chance to realize that he loves me.”

“You?” Emily repeated dazedly. “Whitney Stone, Paul avoids you like the plague, and well you know it! And who could blame him, after the mishaps you’ve treated him to in the last year?”

“There haven’t been so many as all that,” Whitney protested, but she squirmed in her chair.

“No? What about that trick you played on him on All Soul’s—darting out in front of his carriage, shrieking like a banshee, and pretending to be a ghost, terrifying his horses.”

Whitney flushed. “He wasn’t so very angry. And it isn’t as if the carriage was destroyed. It only broke a shaft when it overturned.”

“And Paul’s leg,” Emily pointed out.

“But that mended perfectly,” Whitney persisted, her mind already leaping from past debacles to future possibilities. She surged to her feet and began to pace slowly back and forth. “There has to be a way—but short of abducting him, I—” A mischievous smile lit up her dust-streaked face as she swung around so quickly that Emily pressed back into her chair. “Emily, one thing is infinitely clear: Paul does not yet know that he cares for me. Correct?”

“He doesn’t care a snap for you is more like it,” Emily replied warily.

“Therefore, it would be safe to say that he is unlikely to offer for me without some sort of added incentive. Correct?”

“You couldn’t make him offer for you at the point of a gun, and you know it. Besides, you aren’t old enough to be betrothed, even if—”

“Under what circumstances,” Whitney interrupted triumphantly, “is a gentleman obliged to offer for a lady?”

“I can’t think of any. Except of course, if he has compromised her—absolutely not! Whitney, whatever you’re planning now, I won’t help.”

Sighing, Whitney flopped back into her chair, stretching her legs out in front of her. An irreverent giggle escaped her as she considered the sheer audacity of her last idea. “If only I could have pulled it off . . . you know, loosened the wheel on Paul’s carriage so that it would fall off later, and then asked him to drive me somewhere. Then, by the time we walked back, or help arrived, it would be late at night, and he would have to offer for me.” Oblivious to Emily’s scandalized expression, Whitney continued, “Just think what a wonderful turnabout that would have been on a tired old theme: Young Lady abducts Gentleman and ruins hisreputation so that she is forced to marry him to set things aright! What a novel that could have made,” she added, rather impressed with her own ingenuity.

“I’m leaving,” Emily said. She marched to the door, then she hesitated and turned back to Whitney. “Your aunt and uncle saw everything. What are you going to say to them about those trousers and the horse?”

Whitney’s face clouded. “I’m not going to say anything, it wouldn’t help—but for the rest of the time they are here, I’m going to be the most demure, refined, delicate female you’ve ever seen.” She saw Emily’s dubious look and added, “Also I intend to stay out of sight except at mealtimes. I think I’ll be able to act like Elizabeth for three hours a day.”

*  *  *

Whitney kept her promise. At dinner that night, after her uncle’s hair-raising tale of their life in Beirut where he was attached to the British Consulate, she murmured only, “How very informative, Uncle,” even though she was positively burning to ply him with questions. At the end of her aunt’s description of Paris and the thrill of its gay social life, Whitney murmured, “How very informative, Aunt.” The moment the meal was finished, she excused herself and vanished.

After three days, Whitney’s efforts to be either demure or absent had, in fact, been so successful that Anne was beginning to wonder whether she had only imagined the spark of fire she’d glimpsed the day of their arrival, or if the girl had some aversion to Edward and herself.

On the fourth day, when Whitney breakfasted before the rest of the household was up, and then vanished, Anne set out to discover the truth. She searched the house, but Whitney was not indoors. She was not in the garden, nor had she taken a horse from the stable, Anne was informed by a groom. Squinting into the sunlight, Anne looked around her, trying to imagine where a fifteen-year-old would go to spend all day.

Off on the crest of a hill overlooking the estate, she spied a patch of bright yellow. “There you are!” she breathed, opening her parasol and striking out across the lawn.

Whitney didn’t see her aunt coming until it was too late to escape. Wishing she had found a better place to hide, she tried to think of some innocuous subject on which she could converse without appearing ignorant. Clothes? Personally, she knew nothing of fashions and cared even less; she looked hopeless no matter what she wore. After all, what could clothes do to improve the looks of a female who had cat’s eyes, mud-colored hair, and freckles on the bridge of her nose? Besides that, she was too tall, too thin, and if the good Lord intended for her ever to have a bosom, it was very late in making its appearance.

Weak-kneed, her chest heaving with each labored breath, Anne topped the steep rise and collapsed unceremoniously onto the blanket beside Whitney. “I-I thought I’d take . . . a nice stroll,” Anne lied. When she caught her breath, she noticed the leather-bound book lying face down on the blanket and, seizing on books as a topic of conversation, she said, “Is that a romantic novel?”

“No, Aunt,” Whitney demurely uttered, carefully placing her hand over the title of the book to conceal it from her aunt’s eyes.

“I’m told most young ladies adore romantic novels,” Anne tried again.

“Yes, Aunt,” Whitney agreed politely.

“I read one once but I didn’t like it,” Anne remarked, her mind groping for some other topic that might draw Whitney into conversation. “I cannot abide a heroine who is too perfect, nor one who is forever swooning.”

Whitney was so astonished to discover that she wasn’t the only female in all of England who didn’t devour the insipid things, that she instantly forgot her resolution to speak only in monosyllables. “And when the heroines aren’t swooning,” she added, her entire face lighting up with laughter, “they are lying about with hartshorn bottles up their nostrils, moping and pining away for some faint-hearted gentleman who hasn’t the gumption to offer for them, or else has already offered for some other, unworthy female. I could never just lie there doing nothing, knowing the man I loved was falling in love with a horrid person.” Whitney darted a glance at her aunt to see if she was shocked, but her aunt was regarding her with an unexplainable smile lurking at the corners of her eyes. “Aunt Anne, could you actually care for a man who dropped to his knees and said, ‘Oh, Clarabel, your lips are the petals of a red rose and your eyes are two stars from the heavens’?” With a derisive snort, Whitney finished, “That is where I would have leapt for the hartshorn!”

“And so would I,” Anne said, laughing. “What do you read then, if not atrocious romantic novels?” She pried the book from beneath Whitney’s flattened hand and stared at the gold-embossed title. “The Iliad?” she asked in astonished disbelief. The breeze ruffled the pages, and Anne’s amazed gaze ricocheted from the print to Whitney’s tense face. “But this is in Greek! Surely you don’t read Greek?”

Whitney nodded, her face flushed with mortification. Now her aunt would think her a bluestocking—another black mark against her. “Also Latin, Italian, French, and even some German,” she confessed.

“Good God,” Anne breathed. “How did you ever learn all that?”

“Despite what Father thinks, Aunt Anne, I am only foolish, not stupid, and I plagued him to death until he allowed me tutors in languages and history.” Whitney fell silent, remembering how she’d once believed that if

she applied herself to her studies, if she could become more like a son, her father might love her.

“You sound ashamed of your accomplishments, when you should be proud.”

Whitney gazed out at her home, nestled in the valley below. “I’m sure you know everyone thinks it’s a waste of time to educate a female in these things. And anyway, I haven’t a feminine accomplishment to my name. I can’t sew a stitch that doesn’t look as if it were done blindfolded, and when I sing, the dogs down at the stable begin to howl. Mr. Twittsworthy, our local music instructor, told my father that my playing of the pianoforte gives him hives. I can’t do a thing that girls ought to do, and what’s more, I particularly detest doing them.”

Whitney knew her aunt would now take her in complete dislike, just as everyone else always did, but it was better this way because at least she could stop dreading the inevitable. She looked at Lady Anne, her green eyes wide and vulnerable. “I’m certain Papa has told you all about me. I’m a terrible disappointment to him. He wants me to be dainty and demure and quiet, like Elizabeth Ashton. I try to be, but I can’t seem to do it.”

Anne’s heart melted for the lovely, spirited, bewildered child her sister had borne. Laying her hand against Whitney’s cheek, she said tenderly, “Your father wants a daughter who is like a cameo—delicate, pale, and easily shaped. Instead, he has a daughter who is a diamond, full of sparkle and life, and he doesn’t know what to do with her. Instead of appreciating the value and rarity of his jewel—instead of polishing her a bit and then letting her shine—he persists in trying to shape her into a common cameo.”

Whitney was more inclined to think of herself as a chunk of coal, but rather than disillusion her aunt, she kept silent. After her aunt left, Whitney picked up her book, but soon her mind wandered from the printed page to dreamy thoughts of Paul.

That night when she came down to the dining room, the atmosphere in the room was strangely charged, and no one noticed her sauntering toward the table. “When do you plan to tell her she’s coming back to France with us, Martin?” her uncle demanded angrily. “Or is it your intention to wait until the day we leave and then just toss the child into the coach with us?”

The world tilted crazily, and for one horrible moment, Whitney thought she was going to be sick. She stopped, trying to steady her shaking limbs, and swallowed back the aching lump in her throat. “Am I going somewhere, Father?” she asked, trying to sound calm and indifferent.

They all turned and stared, and her father’s face tightened into lines of impatience and annoyance. “To France,” he replied abruptly. “To live with your aunt and uncle, who are going to try to make a lady out of you.”

Carefully avoiding meeting anyone’s eyes, lest she break down then and there, Whitney slid into her chair at the table. “Have you informed my aunt and uncle of the risk they are taking?” she asked, concentrating all her strength on preventing her father from seeing what he had just done to her heart. She looked coldly at her aunt and uncle’s guilty, embarrassed faces. “Father may have neglected to mention you’re risking disgrace by welcoming me into your home. As he will tell you, I’ve a hideous disposition, I’m rag-mannered, and I haven’t a trace of polite conversation.”

Her aunt was watching her with naked pity, but her father’s expression was stony. “Oh Papa,” she whispered brokenly, “do you really despise me this much? Do you hate me so much that you have to send me out of your sight?” Her eyes swimming with unshed tears, Whitney stood up. “If you . . . will excuse me . . . I’m not very hungry this evening.”

“How could you!” Anne cried when she left, rising from her own chair and glaring furiously at Martin Stone. “You are the most heartless, unfeeling—it will be a pleasure to remove that child from your clutches. How she has survived this long is a testimony to her strength. I’m sure I could never have done so well.”

“You refine too much upon her words, Madam,” Martin said icily. “I assure you that what has her looking so distraught is not the prospect of being parted from me. I have merely put a premature end to her plans to continue making a fool of herself over Paul Sevarin.”

*****

judithmcnaught-authorphotoAuthor Info:

Judith McNaught is the New York Times bestselling author who first soared to stardom with her stunning bestseller Whitney, My Love, and went on to win the hearts of millions of readers with Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Paradise, Perfect, Until You,Remember When, Someone to Watch Over Me, the #1 bestseller Night Whispers, and other novels. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print. She lives in Houston. Please visit her at JudithMcNaught.com and on Facebook at AuthorJudithMcNaught.

*****

Promo Code Giveaway:

For McNaught-E Cyber Monday (11/28) we will announce the winner(s) of 14 promo codes, one promo code for each title. Enter to win today! You can enter on all blogs on the tour listed below, but you can only win once.

Leave a comment and winners will be drawn at the end of the month!

*****

Blog Tour:

*****Harlequin Junkie: Spotlight Q&A with Judith McNaught!

A Midlife Wife

Agents of Romance

Alpha Heroes

Always Reviewing

Art, Books & Coffee

Black ‘N Gold Girl’s Book Spot

Books and Boys Book Blog

Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

Celticlady’s Reviews

Dark Faerie Tales

Dear Author

Dew On The Kudzu

Dirty Girl Romance

Feeding My Addiction Book Reviews

KT Book Reviews

Live to Read

Mrs. Leif’s Two Fangs About It

Poof Books

Romancing the Readers

Romantic Reads and Such

Stephanie’s Book Reports

Temppatt

The Book Enthusiast

The Qwillery

The Romance Reviews

Treat Yourself With Books

Undeniably Book Nerdy

Wrapped Up In Reading

WTF Are You Reading?

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Book Review – Tempting Tristan

27 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Harborside Nights series, Melissa Foster, Tempting Tristan

OH MY!  Tempting indeed!

*****

tristan_finalTempting Tristan

Harborside Nights Series #3

by Melissa Foster

Releasing October 19, 2016

EverAfter Romance

Blurb:

Fresh off the heels of yet another bad relationship, Tristan Brewer is taking a break from men to try and figure out where he keeps going wrong. He knows his biggest fault—he leads with his heart, not his head—and that’s never going to change. But after several introspective weeks, he’s beginning to get a handle on things. That is, until badass heartthrob Alex Wells walks into his bar…

Alex has spent eight years in the Army, months in a hospital bed, and far too long hiding his sexual identity. He’s guilt-ridden, damaged, pissed off, and up for a Silver Star—for the incident that nearly cost him his life, and kept him from his grandmother’s funeral. But all he wants to do is forget his stint with the institution that allows but doesn’t necessarily accept, and live the life he’s always dreamed of.

The chemistry between Tristan and Alex ignites from the moment they meet, and the more time they spend together the hotter the flames become. But the closer Tristan gets, the more Alex’s walls go up, and when the two walk onto a military base, Tristan finds out Alex’s physical scars aren’t the ones that run the deepest.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24779486-tempting-tristan

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer.”

Tristan shrugs. “Have at it.”

“Why were you taking a break? I get that your ex was a prick, but is there more to it?”

He looks down the street, across the street, and then his hand cruises through his hair as it has so often that I’ve already come to expect it when he’s nervous.

“Ian was a prick, but the rest is going to make me sound like a pussy,” he admits.

“I’ve only known you a day, and I already know nothing can make you sound like a pussy.”

He meets my gaze, and his jaw tightens. He lifts his chin and I recognize the struggle between feeling proud and worrying about looking weak. I fight that battle on a daily basis.

“I give away my heart too easily, and I end up getting hurt.”

His eyes never leave mine, and that trust, that confidence, is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

“I was right. Nothing can make you sound like a pussy.” I slide my hand to the hard ridge of his jaw and lean in closer. “I’ve never given my heart away. That makes you braver than me.”

*****

tristan_teaser2

Review:

I’ve seen a lot of Melissa Foster’s books floating around but for some reason not only have I never read one I’ve not even featured one on this site before.  Even better, I have another one I’m reviewing in November – so I went from none to two in about a month  🙂  She’s very popular (and very good) and has done quite a few tours so I have NO idea how I’ve missed her up to this point.  But I have to say I’m glad I finally wised up!

Not having read any of Foster’s books I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the characters are very well done.  Tristan may be a little more overtly emotional than Alex but both of them feel deeply and they also each have their own issues they have to overcome.  Wearing his heart on his sleeve has left Tristan a little battered.  While spending almost a decade in the military, hiding his sexuality, has left scars both inside and out for Alex.  But together they find ways to heal and move forward, growing individually and as a couple.

Some aren’t going to like the insta-love thing, but I think that Foster handles it well and, even though it is fast, it progresses in a believable manner.  They spend a lot of time together and have a connection thru Alex’s grandmother that helps bind them even more.  They are good at filling in the spaces the other needs – propping each other up and providing support when it is needed.  It’s an equal thing between them, as each of them have moments of weakness and strength.

I have to admit that I was a little amused by some of the interactions between Tristan and Alex.  One of them mentions a “sword” and it got me snickering but then I realized that while I don’t know that many gay men (and those I do aren’t all that vocally demonstrative) I do know guy’s guys and I can see them doing something similar.  You have to be OK with a little blue talk and off-kilter humor but as Foster brings you closer to the guys it just works for their relationship.

You also have to be good with some very steamy m/m bedroom sequences (and anywhere else they find themselves in the mood).  You should know what you are getting by the description, plus the insta-love is usually first based on insta-attraction, but just know that Foster doesn’t pull any punches.  Tempting Tristan is hot and sexy and emotional.

Wonderful characters.  A story with angst and growth but not a whole lot of drama.  Easy-to-read writing.  All of it adds up to quite an enjoyable read.  And I can’t wait to see if Foster’s next book in my TBR pile is as good  🙂

(Even though this is part of a series it can easily stand on its own.)

*****

mel-author-photo-headshot400Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, perfect beach reads, and always family oriented.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Win a Print Copy of TEMPTING TRISTAN

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81143/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

blogtour_tristan

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Promise Trail

27 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Promise Trail, Redemption Mountain series, Shirleen Davies

We’ve seen Shirleen Davies before and she’s quite the master at western romances.  And this once looks like it could be a doozie!

*****

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

 Promise Trail

Book Six, Redemption Mountain

Historical Western Romance Series

Blurb:

“The Redemption Mountain series is as good as historical romance gets—vivid settings, memorable characters, love, and lots at stake. Shirleen Davies knows how to bring the old west to life. You feel as if you’ve traveled, with the characters, to the frontier. I hope there will be more to come!” Book Review

Bull Mason has built a life far away from his service in the Union Army and the ravages of the Civil War. He’s achieved his dreams—loyal friends, work he enjoys, a home of his own, and a promise from the woman he loves to become his wife.

Lydia Rinehart can’t believe how much her life has changed. Escaping captivity from a Crow village, she finds refuge and a home at the sprawling Redemption’s Edge ranch…and love in the arms of Bull Mason, the ranch foreman. For the first time since her parents’ death, she feels cherished and safe.

In an instant their dreams are crushed…

Bull is resolute in his determination to track down and rescue Lydia’s brother, kidnapped during the celebration of their friend’s wedding. He’s made a promise—one he intends to keep. Picking the best men, they are ready to ride, until he’s given an ultimatum.

 Choices can seldom be undone…

As their journey continues, the trackers become the prey, finding their freedom and lives threatened.

And promises broken can rarely be reclaimed…

Can Bull and Lydia trust each other again and find their way to back to the dreams they once shared?

Promise Trail is book six in the Redemption Mountain historical western romance series.  It is a full length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

*****

Excerpt:

Bull wanted to rage at the world, shout that Lydia was his and no other man had the right to her. Watching her disappear into the tent with White Buffalo was too much to bear.

When he started to push from the ground, a hand clamped across his mouth before strong hands pulled him away from the ledge, wrestling him back to the ground. Luke and Travis worked to control what could be a deadly situation if Bull acted on his emotions.

As he struggled to gain freedom from their hold on his arms, Tat and Johnny dropped to their knees, each grabbing one of his legs, holding him still.

“We will get her back.” Luke stared at his close friend, his gaze unwavering as hate poured from Bull’s face. “Going in there now will only get us all killed, and Lydia will still be with White Buffalo.”

Bull shook his head, his body convulsing as he tried to wrench away from their grasp.

“Dammit, Bull. You have to get control. Besides, we have something White Buffalo doesn’t.” A small grin pulled up the corners of Luke’s mouth when Bull’s eyes went wide. “Now, if you’re ready to listen, we’ll let go.”

Bull cursed, stopping his attempts to break free. The others backed away when he stood, not knowing what to expect from a man who’d always been slow to anger and reticent to use his fists. He turned to Luke, a look on his face none of them had ever seen before.

“You tell me what we have that will change any of this.” The look in his eyes was hostile, yet pleading. He needed to hear a solution, something that would take away the pain seizing his heart.

“There’s nothing that will change what we just saw, but we do have a way to get her back.” Luke watched Bull’s eyes narrow. “Unless you won’t take her back after what you saw.”

“Hell yes, I want her back. I don’t care what he does to her. She’ll always be mine.”

*****

Image and video hosting by TinyPicAuthor Info:

Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance.

She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Email | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Tsu 

*****

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Sweetly, Deeply, Absolutely

26 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Kira Archer, Sweet Love series, Sweetly Deeply Absolutely

When this one came across my desk, I knew it was going to be added to my TBR pile.  Such a cute cover and a majorly yummy description, I’m seriously, wonderfully, definitely looking forward to crackin’ it open.

*****

sweetlydeeplyabsolutely_cover-1Sweetly, Deeply, Absolutely

Sweet Love #3

by Kira Archer

Releasing October 17, 2016

Entangled Lovestruck

Blurb:

Hello, Mr. Right…for Now.

With a month off from culinary school, Jenny Boyd has some serious party plans. Especially when the hottest guy in the club literally lands in her lap.  He’s 6’2” of cocky, sexy, man-candy, and just as commitment-phobic as she is.

She’s definitely off limits…

Graphic designer Jared Crew is shocked when his best friend’s sister-in-law doesn’t remember him right away. Luckily, she is more than willing to let him jog her memory, no complications required.

It’s all fun and games…until the condom breaks.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31950613-sweetly-deeply-absolutely?ac=1&from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/174156-sweet-love

Buy Links:      Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google

*****

Excerpt:

Gretchen snorted and looked back at His Royal Gorgeousness. “What is he doing?”

“Juggling?”

Jenny watched, mouth open, as Man-Candy juggled three limes in the air while bending backward, tilting his head enough so that the laughing female bartender could pour a shot directly into his mouth. The crowd gathered around him cheered and he popped back up, still juggling.

“Lime!” he shouted.

The bartender tossed a lime slice into the air and he tried to snatch it with his mouth. And missed. To the disappointment of his groupies.

“Again!” he said.

The bartender grabbed another slice, aimed it carefully, and tossed it in an arc. He staggered backward, keeping the limes in his hands going while he focused on the one falling through the air.

“Incoming,” Gretchen said, getting out of the way of certain disaster as he stumbled toward them, his attention intent on the lime slice.

He caught it in his mouth right as the back of his foot connected with their bench. His limes went flying. And so did he. His butt hit the floor. And his head landed face-up squarely in Jenny’s lap.

She yelped and pressed back against the bench. Little good that did her. She couldn’t really go anywhere with him half-laying on her. Didn’t really want to, if she was honest. He was even hotter closer up. Who was she to turn away a gorgeous man who introduced himself with his face in her lap? That would be rude.

He glanced up, opened his mouth, and smiled, the lime slice wedged firmly between his teeth. His friends cheered again and he held the lime up like a trophy. Then he turned his attention to Jenny.

“Hey, there.” He beamed up at her like she was his new best friend. “Sorry about that. I’m usually a bit more graceful with the party tricks.” He slid off her lap and stood, before holding out a hand to help her up.

“Not a problem,” she said. She glanced at the lime he’d dropped on the table. “That was impressive.”

“Thank you.” He looked her up and down and she shivered as if he’d run his hands over her body. And then she returned the favor, biting her lip as she feasted on the incredible specimen of manhood before her.

He gave her a slow, sensual grin that had her sucking in her breath.

“Interested?” he asked.

Nice line. Short, sexy, and to the point. She approved .“Very. You?”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. Maybe he wasn’t used to women who didn’t play hard to get. Judging by the sudden heat in his eyes, he didn’t mind at all.

“Extremely,” he said. “My place?”

She shook her head. “Dance floor.”

He playfully pouted and it was all she could do to keep from sucking his bottom lip into her mouth.

She laughed. “Sorry. Only dancing tonight.” For now. “Still interested?”

“Definitely,” he said.

He walked backward, keeping his gaze glued to hers while he made his way out to the floor. The crowd parted for him like he was Moses parting the Red Sea.

Jenny took a deep breath to try and calm her frantically pounding heart and leaned over to Gretchen, while still keeping her focus on him.

“Don’t wait up for me.”

Gretchen laughed. “Sorry. If things look like they are getting out of hand, I’m going to come drag you away. If you don’t come home tonight, Rick is going to have a total shit fit. He’ll have half the Hoboken PD out looking for you.”

Jenny’s sigh was full of fondness mixed in with exasperation. She loved Rick, but having a big brother who was a cop took the protective thing to a whole new level.

“You’ve got a point. I’ll try and rein it in, but you might seriously have to come pull me off the dance floor.”

“You really think your self control is that bad?”

“I know it is.” Jenny set her drink down. “He’s hot and I’m bothered and that’s a recipe for disaster. Well, it’s actually a recipe for some insanely hot sex. But I guess having my big brother come kick down the door would sort of put a damper on the mood. And Rick was very specific about me making it back home tonight. Ugh. Fine. I’ll try and keep it in my pants, if I must.”

“You must,” Gretchen said with a wink, heading off to do a little dancing of her own.

*****

kiraAuthor Info:

Kira Archer resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kiddos, and far too many animals in the house. She tends to laugh at inappropriate moments, break all the rules she gives her kids (but only when they aren’t looking), and would rather be reading a book than doing almost anything else. She has odd, eclectic tastes in just about everything and often lets her imagination run away with her. She loves her romances a little playful, a lot sexy, and always with a happily ever after.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Win a ‘Hoots n’ Paris’ Prize Pack

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81151/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

sweetlydeeplyabsolutely_banner

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Once Upon a Royal Christmas

25 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Once Upon a Royal Christmas, Robin Bielman

I’m a huge fan of Robin Bielman’s work.  Her stories have humor and heart and this time it looks like she’s bringing us a cheeky Prince and a sassy heroine to keep up with him.

*****

one-upon-a-royal-christmas-coverOnce Upon a Royal Christmas

by Robin Bielman

Publication Date: October 20, 2016

Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Holiday

Blurb:

Colliding with a prince while walking four dogs isn’t how Rowan Palotay pictured meeting royalty, but then lately her life hasn’t gone according to plan. With one teensy tiny mistake, her job as a news reporter took a turn for the worse and now she’s lucky to have a small pet column in the local newspaper. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and magic, but she feels like she’s forever stuck on the naughty list.

Prince Theodore Chenery is in Marietta shortly after the death of his mother to meet his grandparents for the first time. When an accidental run-in—literally—with Rowan leads to an unexpected friendship, he finds himself enchanted with the outspoken, feisty country girl. She’s unlike anyone he’s ever met and her special brand of kindness and honesty make it harder and harder to keep temptation away.

Giving into the passion and deep-rooted emotions between them, Theo and Rowan discover what matters most. But when their relationship makes worldwide news, Theo must decide whether or not to follow his heart or his royal duty.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2dO12el

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2egPymS

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2e16lsu

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2egPymV

B&N: http://bit.ly/2dXdgqc

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2dfrbXj

iBooks: http://apple.co/2dUg0SX

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2eEWQ4y

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2e13AY4

once-upon-a-royal-christmas-teaser-2

*****

Excerpt:

            Quickly, and without thinking, Theo sat down behind her, cradling her between his thighs and wrapping his arms around her waist. They both needed to get down the hill and this seemed like the best solution.

Her breath hitched, her body tensed.

“I thought we could do this last sled run as a team,” he said quietly. “But if you’d rather—”

“It’s okay.” She relaxed against him. “This is good.”

Having her in his lap felt better than good. Even with a bulky jacket on, she was soft. Her hair smelled like citrus shampoo. And she fit.

“Here we go.” He shoved them off. They gathered speed quickly and Rowan’s sounds of glee made him smile inside and out as the wind rushed their faces.

They started to slow, the slope evening out. Theo shifted slightly and the heel of his boot got stuck in the snow for a second. They spun out of control, pitched to the side, and crash landed. Their bodies tangled, rolled as one, and came to a stop with him on top of her.

Worried he was crushing her, he quickly pushed up onto his elbows. Her eyes were closed and her long, black lashes almost reached the tops of her pink cheeks. Snow clung to her hair. He gulped. She was beautiful. “Sorry about that. Are you okay?”

He was acutely aware of her chest rising and falling as she tortured him with silence for several seconds before finally opening her baby blues and saying, “That. Was. Epic.” Then she broke into a fit of laughter.

And God, it made her even more beautiful. She wasn’t irritated or flustered by their crash, but tickled by it. He stared down at her, enjoying her sound and the crinkles in the corners of her eyes. His body covered hers, making contact in so many good places, making him hungry for more. He hadn’t meant to like Rowan as much as he did, but she was great, and every interaction elevated his attraction to her.

Any affection had to be buried, though. He had a life waiting for him back home.

            The thought bothered him more than he cared to admit.

            How could it not when she stopped laughing and any pretense of this being a simple friendship vanished? The way she looked up at him, with desire and playfulness, was one hell of an aphrodisiac. He imagined she saw the same expression mirrored back at her.

He slid one hand in her hair to cradle the back of her head. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek. He’d never wanted to kiss someone so badly. At the moment, he didn’t care about the consequences. If he didn’t get to make her lips sore, suck her tongue into his mouth, and find out what she tasted like, he’d regret it.

“Rowan,” he whispered.

            She reached up and brushed the hair off his forehead. “Yes, Theo.”

once-upon-a-royal-christmas-teaser-3

*****

Robin Bielman (1)Author Info:

When not attached to her laptop, USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Bielman can almost always be found with her nose in a book. A California girl, the beach is her favorite place for fun and inspiration. Her fondness for swoon-worthy heroes who flirt and stumble upon the girl they can’t live without jumpstarts all of her story ideas.

She is a 2014 RITA Finalist, loves to frequent coffee shops, and plays a mean game of sock tug of war with her cute, but often naughty dog, Harry. She cherishes her family and friends and loves to connect with readers. Get the scoop on Robin, her books, and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile

*****

Giveaway:

once-upon-a-royal-christmas-giveaway-graphic

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a354931/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

once-upon-a-royal-christmas-tour-banner

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – To Love and To Cherish

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Lauren Layne, The Wedding Belles series, To Love and To Cherish

We’ve seen this series before but I have to say I think I’m most anxious for this one … it just squeezes my heart for some reason and I’m so looking forward to seeing these two figure things out.

*****

cover-toloveandtocherishTo Love and To Cherish

The Wedding Belles #3

by Lauren Layne

Releasing October 18, 2016

Pocket Books

Blurb:

Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, a contemporary and witty romance series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

Alexis Morgan has spent the past six years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.

Logan has lusted after Alexis since the day he walked into the tiny Harlem apartment that used to double as her office. But the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable…until now. Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally clear that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect time to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets—and beneath the pinstripes and glasses lies a hot-blooded heartthrob. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan’s out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever…

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28552677-to-love-and-to-cherish

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/165203-the-wedding-belles

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

cherish_teaser_07

*****

Excerpt:

“Hello.”

The sexy British accented startled Alexis out of her thoughts, and she glanced up, both alarmed and intrigued to find that the face that awaited her was every bit as appealing as the voice.

The man was about her age—early, maybe midtwenties—and ridiculously cute. His hair was dark and maybe just a touch too long, as though he intended to get a haircut but kept forgetting. The eyes were brown and friendly, accented by trendy black-framed glasses.

The chunky cable-knit sweater with elbow patches—for real—bordered on dorky, but then, Alexis had always had a soft spot for dorky. He had a bit of the Clark Kent thing going on, which had always been far more her type than the overrated Superman.

“Hi,” she replied quickly, realizing that she’d been staring.

His smile grew wider as he extended a hand. “Logan Harris.”

Darn. Even the name was good.

“Alexis,” she said.

“Does that come with a last name?” he teased, lowering himself to the vacant barstool beside her.

“Not to strange men,” she retorted.

“I could buy you a drink. Get rid of the ‘strange’ part.”

Alexis’s smile slipped as she remembered that romance, even flirting, wasn’t part of her plan. She’d learned the hard way that she could have one or the other—her own business or a boyfriend—not both. And even if she wanted the latter, the latter didn’t want her back.

“No thanks; I’m fine,” she said, letting the slightest amount of chill enter her voice. The ice-princess treatment, Roxanne called it.

Logan shrugged, undeterred. “All right then. May I borrow your menu?”

She nodded, and he picked it up, perusing it for several moments and paying her no attention.

It was both a relief and also a bit of an insult, if she was being entirely honest, to be given up on so easily.

Alexis tried to turn her attention back to her laptop but watched out of the corner of her eye as he finally shut the menu, waiting patiently to catch the bartender’s eye.

“Hi there,” he said, when the bartender ambled back over. “I’d like a Stella, and a maybe bite to eat?”

Alexis didn’t miss the once-over that the bartender gave Logan before the curvy redhead leaned over the bar, displaying perky boobs as she clicked her pen and pulled a notepad out of her back pocket.

“Shoot,” the bartender said flirtatiously, looking a good deal friendlier than she had when she’d spoken to Alexis.

Not that Alexis blamed her. A cute Brit could do that to a girl.

“All right then,” Logan said. “I’d like the burger, medium, with Swiss. Fish and chips, extra tartar, and . . . how’s your chicken club?”

The bartender blinked. “It’s good. But you want all that?”

“I do. Thank you.”

“Suit yourself,” she said, scribbling Logan’s order on the pad.

“Hungry?” Alexis couldn’t resist asking after the bartender moved away.

Logan gave a sheepish smile. “I’m a recovering student. I sometimes get so wrapped up in my day that I forget to eat.”

“A recovering student. What does that mean?”

He turned slightly toward her. “Someone’s showing plenty of interest in a strange man.”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry if I was rude before. I’m just not really in the market for . . . you know.”

He gave her an easy smile. “Everyone’s in the market for a friend, Alexis.”

She opened her mouth and then shut it as she realized he was right. She could use a friend. She’d spent her entire life in Boston and knew almost nobody in New York. This guy seemed nice and nonthreatening enough—what would be the harm in a little conversation over dinner? It had been too long since she’d had somebody to share a meal with.

Logan seemed to know the moment she capitulated, because he turned more fully toward her. “A recovering student, Alexis, is a recent graduate. One who hasn’t quite absorbed that there will be no more finals, no more requisite all-nighters, and no more dorm sex.”

Alexis laughed. “Undergrad, then?”

He gave her a wry look. “How young do I look, darling? MBA from Columbia. Just finished up end of last year.”

She felt a little stab of relief that he wasn’t twenty-two.

He leaned toward her slightly. “Twenty-five next month, just in case you were wondering. As a friend.”

She tried to hide her smile and failed. “Columbia, huh? You’re a long way from home.”

“Noticed that, did ya?” He winked. “I came out here for undergrad, also Columbia. Always figured I’d go back to London and maybe someday I will, but . . .” He shrugged. “Seems I have stuff to do here first.”

“Such as?” She took a sip of her wine, dismayed to see that it was half-empty.

“Well, this will probably shock you, given my vast amount of brawn, but I’m an accountant. Or at least I will be, once I get my business up and running.”

Alexis was impressed. “Your own business?”

Most twentysomethings, even those with an entrepreneurial bent, opted to get a few years of work under their belts for someone else before branching out on their own.

He nodded. “I’m working out of my flat for now, but I’m hoping to lease some office space soon, get some legitimacy. If nothing else to get my father off my back.”

“He’s not a fan of your plan?” Alexis asked.

Logan’s shoulder lifted, and for the first time he seemed a little sad. “Both parents have had it in their head that I’d come home. Run the family business in London.”

“Which is . . . ?”

He spun his beer glass idly. “Financial consulting firm. My father’s the CEO, Mum’s the COO.”

“Wow, that’s . . .”

“Scary?” Logan supplied.

“I was going to say impressive. That they work together—without killing each other, I mean.”

“They’re in love. It’s atrocious,” he said with a wink. “What about your folks?”

Alexis laughed. “Not in love. They divorced when I was in high school. Dad’s remarried and happy now, I think. Mom not so much.”

“And you?” he said. “Are you happy, Alexis?”

She pursed her lips, surprised and yet not entirely unsettled by the personal question. “It’s been a while since anyone asked me that. Since I even thought about it, really.”

“Think it out. I’ll wait,” he said with a wink.

She didn’t have to think that long. “I’m almost happy.”

“You sound quite confident on that.”

She shrugged. “Let’s just say that I need a few things to fall into place in my professional life, but once that happens . . . yeah. I’ll be happy.”

She’d make sure of it.

cherish_teaser_09

*****

Lauren_LayneAuthor Info:

Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart–cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian.

In 2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan, and never looked back.

In her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

For a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official website!

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

cherish_teaser_10

*****

Giveaway:

Two Print Sets of TO HAVE AND TO HOLD and FOR BETTER OR WORSE

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81144/

cherish_teaser_11

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

vt-toloveandcherish-llayne_final

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Book Review – The Shepherd’s Daughter

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Dry Bayou Brides series, Lynn WInchester, The Shepherd's Daughter

If you are looking for something sweet, clean and short, this is DEFINITELY the book for you!

*****

cover-tsdThe Shepherd’s Daughter

Dry Bayou Brides Book One

by Lynn Winchester

Genre: Sweet Western Romance

Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing

Date of Publication: September 27th, 2016

ASIN: B01LVYT90X

Number of pages: 97

Word Count: approx. 26k

Cover Artist: Dar Albert

Blurb:

“Welcome to Dry Bayou, Texas, where Southern Charm meets the Wild West…”

From author Jackson d’Lynne writing as Lynn Winchester, a sweet and romantic western sure to warm your heart!

Ray MacAdams and Billy Ducharme have been best friends since her family moved to his ranch fourteen years ago to start a new sheep ranching operation.

Through thick and thin, good and bad, fire and rain, their friendship has only gotten stronger—so strong that nothing could possibly break their bond, a bond that for Ray has suddenly changed from simply friends to something deeper… Something that makes her dream of days and nights beside the man she loves, something that makes her wish she were more than just the shepherd’s daughter.

Then Billy’s mail order bride arrives.

Rebecca DuCastille is everything Ray is not: refined, well-mannered, and pretty as a porcelain tea cup. How can Ray possibly compete for Billy’s heart when his new bride is everything he could want in a proper wife?

Can the shepherd’s daughter convince her childhood friend that their love for one another goes beyond friendship, or will Billy marry the pretty interloper and leave Ray out to pasture?

Publisher Note: This is a ‘sweet’/’clean’ romance.

Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

So this was the new head shepherd his pa had hired? Billy didn’t know much about it other than what he’d overheard between his parents at night while he was supposed to be reading The Word before bed. He couldn’t help it. He liked sneaking down the stairs to listen to his parents talk when they thought no one was listening. Something about the love between them made Billy want to stick close.

From what he’d heard and could understand of their conversations, his pa wanted to expand the ranch into sheep and wool but didn’t know how to do it. He’d sent advertisements back east to the big cities, looking for a man who knew the industry and could come live on their ranch to manage the lambing and shearing and rotating—moving the herd from one parcel of land to another without losing a single one.

Apparently, these newcomers were the ones his pa had picked for the job. Billy didn’t know, quite yet, what he thought of the whole thing.

Not that it really mattered. Billy was set on growing up to be the best horse breeder in the state. He didn’t care much for smelly old sheep. He’d stick to the stable and barn, and leave Mr. MacAdams and Mr. Pallo to their sheep.

Billy’s pa turned to him and motioned for him to come forward. Billy complied with only a little warmth rising in his cheeks.

“Mr. MacAdams, this is my son, Willem.”

Pa patted Billy on his shoulders and squeezed one just enough to make him clear his throat and say, “Good afternoon, sir. Nice to meet you.” Just as his mother had taught him.

Mr. MacAdams grinned down at him. “What a polite young man ye are. Nice to me ye.”

Billy’s mother stepped forward. “Good afternoon. Welcome to Dry Bayou Ranch. I’m Linda Ducharme and we’re very pleased to have you here.”

His mother’s voice was soft, friendly, and cultured. She was a fine lady, much too fine for all the dust now coating her skirts. Pa said he’d found her in a catalog and she’d moved west to marry him. He said he was a lucky man, especially since she hadn’t turned tail and run at the first sight of the shack he’d lived in back then.

Mr. MacAdams turned around and helped the woman from the wagon. She strutted toward the porch, put out her hand, and smiled. Pa took it and shook it, a little less vigorously than he did the man’s.

“I’m Moira MacAdams—,” she called into the back of the wagon. “Get down here, bairn, and say hello.”

Billy didn’t know what to make of the bundle of rags and wild, frizzy, red hair that appeared. He stood, staring at the little girl who seemed more hair than girl. She looked a few years younger than his seven years, but he thought maybe her size threw him off. Her small face was covered with freckles, her brown eyes were filled with curiosity and something else he couldn’t name.

She bounced from foot-to-foot, then stuck out her hand. He blinked down at it, surprised and a little uncertain what to do.

“Go ‘head, take it, it won’t bite,” she chirped. Her voice was like sugar on syrup and he found he didn’t know what to say back. So, he stepped forward and gripped her hand without saying a word.

“Name’s Raychelle, but you can call me Ray, account of the fact that I don’t like Raychelle ‘cause it sounds too uppity.”

Billy couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

He liked her.

He tightened his grip on her hand. “He-hello, Ray, I’m Billy.”

Her smile brightened and he felt the light of it right down into his boots. In that moment, he wondered if smelly old sheep weren’t all that bad.

She must’ve read his thoughts because a glint of excitement filled her eyes and Billy could only blink in awe.

“Billy, do you know how to catch a frog?”

*****

I don’t know why I usually stay away from historical westerns but something about this description just caught my eye and I had to give it a go.  And I am SUPER glad I did.  Even though it is short, it is packed full of fun.

Billy and Ray have been friends practically their whole lives but suddenly they are seeing each other a little bit differently.  Both are struggling because they aren’t quite sure what it means and, not wanting to ruin their friendship, they are keeping it quiet.  While things would likely have worked out eventually, they’ve got to deal with it quickly because Billy’s mail order bride just showed up 🙂

Usually I’m not a fan of a miscommunication and secrets plotline but Winchester does an absolutely fabulous job of making it believable and fluid with the characters.  It’s not annoying at all because you totally can understand where they are coming from and why the do the things they do.  Granted you want them to hurry up and figure it out but that’s just because you like them and want them to be happy.

With moments of levity and a whole heap of sweetness, Winchester brings her readers a fabulous friends to lovers story.

*****

authorAuthor Info:

Lynn Winchester is one of the pseudonyms of a hardworking California-born caffeine addict, now living in the wilds of Northeast Pennsylvania. Lynn has been writing fiction since the 5th grade, and enjoys creating worlds, characters, and stories for her readers.

When Lynn isn’t writing sweet historical romances, she is writing spicy paranormal romance as Jackson D’Lynne, and YA Sci-Fi/Thrillers as DJ Sorber. When is isn’t writing at all, she is running a successful editing business, reading whatever she can get her hands on, raising her four children, making sure her husband is happy, and binge watching shows on Netflix.

Website: http://lynnwinchester.com/

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/LynnWinWesterns

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/LynnWinWesterns

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1483/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

the-shepherds-daughter-banner-851-x-315

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Book Review – Tell Me Again

21 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Michelle Major, Tell Me Again

Let’s end the work week with something that has some teeth from @Barclay_PR and @michelle_major1

*****

tell-me-again-coverTell Me Again

by Michelle Major

Blurb:

As a teenager, Samantha Carlton used a career in modeling to break free from her painful childhood—walking away from her reckless twin sister, an alcoholic mother, and the boy she loved. Yet she never outran the guilt of abandoning her family. When the past shows up on her doorstep in the form of her late sister’s daughter, Sam opens her home and her heart to the girl she never knew existed. But it’s not so easy to face the man she left behind…

Sam had shattered Trevor Kincaid’s heart, and he’d sought comfort in her sister’s arms. But he’d pledged to shield his daughter, Grace, from the drama that followed the Carlton women. Now Grace has tracked down Sam, and Trevor is forced to deal with the one woman he wanted to forget.

History has a way of repeating itself, and the sparks between Sam and Trevor reignite an old flame. But as much as Sam wants a new future, is walking away again easier than risking her heart for a second chance at love?

Find out more at: Amazon

pq1_tma_

*****

Excerpt:

“I need to help you. I need to make it better so we’re even.”

“Even?”

She nodded. “I can’t owe you.”

“You don’t owe me.”

“We have a working relationship I can handle,” she said, dropping the towel to her desk and pressing the ice pack between her fingers. She welcomed the burn of the cold against her fingertips. “Then you go and play the hero.”

He laughed again. “I’m not a hero.”

“That’s not how I remember it,” she murmured, focusing her gaze on his shirt collar when it became too difficult to meet his eyes.

“What sort of working relationship do we have when you pretend I don’t exist any time I’m here without Grace?”

“The kind that doesn’t make me crazy.”

“Is that how you treat a hero?”

She laughed despite herself. “It is when I’m pretending you don’t exist because I want to rip off all your clothes and plaster myself to you every time we’re together.”

He raised one brow. “That doesn’t sound quite right to me.”

Embarrassment washed through her, but Trevor stepped into her space, crowding her, when she would have turned away.

“A better idea would be if we both had our clothes off.” He traced one finger along the skin above the collar of her baggy t-shirt. “What’s fair is fair.”

She bit down on her lip and ignored the sparks of desire that skimmed along every single one of her nerve endings. “It was actually a bad idea. Forget I said anything.”

“Fat chance,” he whispered and brushed his lips across hers.

It only took a second for the kiss to ignite into something hot and hungry. Even though it was the worst idea in the world, Sam lost herself in the feel of him. He tugged her closer, lifting her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his lean hips. He tasted the same as he had years ago, like mint and memories. He was the innocence she’d lost and everything she once longed for.

He kissed her like she was his whole world. It had been forever since she’d felt anything so perfect. His fingers tugged on the hair tie holding her bun in place and then his hands sifted through her hair. His mouth felt like it was everywhere at once–on her lips, her jaw, the sensitive spot just behind her ear that no other man had taken the time to discover.

pq2_tma_

*****

Review:

There are those books that you just fly through … the sassy, happy, easy to read books.  This just isn’t one of those.  And that’s more than OK.

Sam and Trevor have a lot of history, both together and apart.  They are carrying a lot of baggage that needs to be handled before they can even think about moving forward.  But they also have a lot of unresolved feelings and enough chemistry that staying apart isn’t all that easy.  But, unaddressed, that baggage is going to cause them some serious trouble  🙂

Poor Sam, even with all of her beauty and success, has more hangups that a half dozen women put together.  Her childhood was awful and the only bright spots were her twin and her best friend.  Unfortunately her sister wasn’t a very strong person and Bryce’s negative feelings & actions have some long reaching impacts on both Sam and Trevor.  They are still dealing with the fallout, even all these years later.  It’s heartbreaking to see just how much but it’s also so much better when they are able to figure things out.

Not an easy read but a more satisfying one for it, Tell Me Again will have you hitting highs and lows and thanking Major for them every step of the way.

pq3_tma_

*****

major-photoAuthor Info:

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at http://www.michellemajor.com.

Connect with Michelle: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

pq4_tma_

*****

Giveaway:

1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon Giftcard!

3 runner ups will receive a book bundle including Kissing Mr Right and Recipe for Kisses by Michelle Major!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29288/

*****

tellmeagain_badge

Books,Dreams,Life
http://staceyschbeller06. wordpress.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Monday, October 17

The Starred Review
https://starredreview. wordpress.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Monday, October 17

Mary Gramlich (The Reading Reviewer)
marygramlich.blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Monday, October 17

Splashes Into Books
http://splashesintobooks. wordpress.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Monday, October 17

Movies, Shows & Books
http://moviesshowsnbooks. blogspot.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Monday, October 17

I Love Romance
lovestruck677.blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Those Crazy Book Chicks
https://www.facebook.com/ Thosecrazybookchicks
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Romancebookworm’s Reviews
romancebookworm.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Monique Latrece
http://www.mlatrece.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

RoloPoloBookBlog
http://rolopolobookblog.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

OMGReads
http://omgreads.com/blog/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Barbara’s Book Reviews
Http://barbarasbookreviews. blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Just Books
http://rainnes.blogspot.co.uk/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm
http://lynnromanceenthusiast. blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Books,Dreams,Life
http://staceyschneller06. wordpress.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Tuesday, October 18 (release day)

Happy Ever After Romance Book Reviewa
http://gwynplum.com
Review
Wednesday, October 19

It’s All About the Romance
http://jacqbiggar.com/blog
Excerpt/Spotlight
Wednesday, October 19

Lipstick ‘N Lashes Chronicles
http://www. lipsticknlasheschronicles.com/
Review
Thursday, October 20

An Aussie Girls WILD Book Addiction!
http:// anaussiegirlswildbookaddiction .blogspot.com.au
Excerpt/Spotlight
Thursday, October 20

Pretty Sassy Cool

Home


Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Thursday, October 20

Read Between the Lines
http://www.rbtlreviews.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Thursday, October 20

Hines and Bigham Literary Tryst
https://www.hinesandbigham.com
Review
Thursday, October 20

Jen’s Reading Obsession
http://jensreadingobsession. blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Thursday, October 20

Thoughts of a Blonde
http://www.thoughtsofablonde. com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

Story For Dessert.
http://storyxray.blogspot.com/
Review
Friday, October 21

Romantic Reads and Such
http://romanticreadsandsuch. wordpress.com
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

Happily Ever Chapter
https://www.facebook.com/ happilyeverchapter
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

Kimmy Loves to Read
http://kimmyloves2read. blogspot.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

underneath the covers
http:// underneaththecoversblog.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

babbling about books and more
kbgbabbles.com
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

Reviews from the Heart
http://reviewsfromtheheart1. com/
Review
Friday, October 21

Ellesea Loves Reading
http://ellesea.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

MI Bookshelf
http://mibookshelf.blogspot. com
Review
Friday, October 21

What Is That Book About
http://www.whatisthatbookabout.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

EskieMama Reads
http://eskiemamareads. blogspot.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

Reese’s Review
http://reesesreviews.blogspot. com/
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

Becky on Books
http://beckymmoe.com
Excerpt/Spotlight
Friday, October 21

Reading To Unwind
http://readingtounwind. blogspot.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

From the TBR Pile
http://fromthetbrpile. blogspot.com/
Excerpt/Spotlight, Review
Friday, October 21

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Hooked on Love

18 Tuesday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Cotton Creek series, Hooked on Love, Jennie Marts

I love just about everything Entangled sends out and Jennie Marts is showing herself to be one of their stars.  Her newest is pulling in tons of 4+ star reviews and based on this I can see why!

*****

hookedonlove_lovestruck_final_coverHooked on Love

Cotton Creek #2

by Jennie Marts

October 17th, 2016

Entangled Lovestruck

Blurb:

Chicago City Girl Tackles Colorado Mountains with Sexy, Reclusive Guide

Avery Oliver can see the byline now. What better way to jumpstart her journalism career than to head out into the woods with a sexy guide? It’s all very Bear Grylls, but she’ll take it, even if it means ditching her beloved designer suits and handbags.

All Sullivan Reed needs in life is a fly rod and the roar of a river. Playing guide to a hot little reporter can’t end well…until they strike a deal that’s mutually beneficial. She’ll pretend to be his girlfriend to deflect an overly flirtatious neighbor, and he’ll help her with the article. It’s a win-win.

Until it isn’t. By the time a storm strands them in his cabin, Sully’s done pretending. He wants Avery—badly—but she’s a big-city girl looking for adventure, not his simple life. So why does releasing her feel like he’s lost the perfect catch?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32061457-hooked-on-love?ac=1&from_search=true

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/190076-cotton-creek

Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

The distraction of her gorgeous legs almost did him in. Literally.

Sullivan Reed hit the brakes just in time to avoid a collision in front of the general store.

The curvy blonde in the red jacket didn’t even notice, her focus intent, trying to wrench her purse from the passenger seat of her car—a little foreign number with rental tags.

She was wearing some kind of short pants, not quite shorts but not really a skirt. Must be the new fashion—not that he paid attention to fashion. According to his ex, he never noticed anything.

But he noticed this woman—noticed her long legs, her too-high heels, and what the hell was up with that purse? It was practically the size of Wyoming. What could she possibly be carrying in there? He could pack for a three day trip in a grocery sack.

Not that he cared. He didn’t have time to be thinking about how high her heels were or the enormity of her handbag when he had other things to worry about. Bigger fish to fry. So to speak.

He needed to get in, grab his supplies, and get back to the shop. He’d stayed up late last night tying some new flies and wanted to get the new stock put up this afternoon so he could be out on the creek by dusk.

Early summer in the Colorado mountains was like paradise to a fly-fisherman. Plus he needed the time spent fishing tonight to mentally prepare himself for the visitor who was supposed to arrive tomorrow.

Besides, with that long blond hair and tall curvy figure, the woman in the red jacket was totally out of his league.

Not that he had a league, or even wanted to be in a league. He wasn’t even particularly interested in the game right now. He just wanted to be left alone.

Present company excluded. He reached across the seat and patted the neck of his golden retriever, Sadie.

Sadie was the only female in his life now, the only female he trusted, and that was fine with him. She hadn’t left him, didn’t yell at him to make more money, never nagged him to pick up his wet towels off the bathroom floor, and she hardly ever snored. All attributes that he valued.

The dog whined, sitting upright in the seat of his old truck, her gaze intent on the blond woman.

She stood on the sidewalk, oblivious to him and the fact he’d almost run her down, her large round sunglasses perched low on her nose as she looked over them to read the parking meter.

Sully watched her dig into her cavernous bag for change. He was no lip reader, but he was fairly certain she dropped a pretty clear F-bomb before pulling her hands out and throwing them up in disgust, apparently giving up on the effort.

He stepped out of his truck, his gaze captivated by the way her hips swayed and the swish of the breezy fabric of her shorts against her legs as she hurried into Miller’s Mercantile. He slammed the door and stepped up to the curb, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his shorts and jingling his loose change.

After dropping a quarter into his own meter, he paused in front of hers.

It would serve her right to get a ticket. “Just because this town is small doesn’t mean you can just ignore the law,” he grumbled, half to himself, half to the dog who watched him intently, and then he dropped a quarter into her meter.

Pausing, he thought about the size of her purse—she was probably pretty high maintenance and would be in there for a while.

He dropped in a second quarter.

*****

jennie_martsAuthor Info:

USA TODAY Best-selling author Jennie Marts loves to make readers laugh as she weaves stories filled with love, friendship, and intrigue. She writes for Entangled Publishing, and reviewers call her books “laugh out loud funny” and full of great characters that are “endearing and relatable.”

She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.

Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.

Author Links:    Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

a $10.00 Amazon eGift Card, Two (2) gifted ebook copies of Romancing the Ranger, and Three (3) gifted ebook copies of Tucked Away

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81150/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

vt-hookedonlove-jmarts_final

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – A Fool For You

14 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

A Fool For You, Foolproof Love series, Katee Robert

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Katee Robert and you can be sure it won’t be the last.  I think she’s a ton of fun as an author and I always get a little tingle of excitement when I see her name on a book.

*****

a-fool-for-you_coverA Fool for You

Foolproof Love #3

by Katee Robert

Releasing October 3, 2016

Entangled: Brazen

Blurb:

It’s been thirteen years since Hope Moore left Devil’s Falls, land of sexy cowboys and bad memories. Back for the weekend, she has no intention of seeing the man she never got over…or the two of them getting down and dirty. It’s just a belated goodbye, right? No harm, no foul.

Until six weeks later, when her pregnancy test comes back positive…

Daniel Rodriguez hasn’t forgiven himself for how things went down with Hope all those years ago. He knows she’s better off without him, but when she shows up on his doorstep, panicking because she’s pregnant with his baby, he can’t help seeing it as a chance to make up for the past.

Too bad Hope has no intention of going along with his plans.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29796814-a-fool-for-you

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/177444-foolproof-love

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N |  iTunes | Kobo | Entangled

*****

Excerpt:

Hope shook her head. “You’re as much an idiot now as you were then.”

And then she kissed him.

It caught him a little off guard—he hadn’t expected her to be the one to make the first move, especially after the way the scene in the bathroom had gone down—but Daniel wasted no time taking control. He kissed down her neck, sliding his hands beneath her shirt and skating them up to her body to cup her breasts. They filled his palms, familiar and yet not, all at the same time. He cursed. “Gorgeous Darling, the things you do to me.” He nipped her collarbone. “I’m going to taste you, so if you’re going to change your mind, now’s the time to do it.”

Her only response was to shove her yoga pants down to her knees.

He lifted her onto the counter and disentangled her right leg from the pants so he could spread her fully. He stroked her thighs, pausing when his fingers met the scar. It brought up so many conflicting feelings in him. It was his fault that she had the damn thing, but that didn’t mean he thought of her as less, the way she seemed to think. She was as beautiful now as she’d been at eighteen, and more confident despite her injury. Or maybe because of it. He had no idea.

All he knew was that at some point he was going to have to get up close and personal with her healed injury, and he was going to have to tread very, very carefully to avoid burning what was left of the bridge between him and Hope.

“If you apologize, I might actually kick you.”

That snapped him out of it. As much as he wanted Hope, he had an ulterior motive for pushing her now. All getting distracted by her leg was going to do was fuck up his chance of convincing her to stay, in his house and in his bed. He jerked her to the edge of the counter, spreading her thighs wider. “Don’t scream. You’ll upset Ollie.”

And then he did what he’d been fantasizing about ever since he walked out of her life. Daniel dipped his head and gave her center one long lick. She tasted better than he remembered, her body already shaking for him, so he used his thumbs to part her folds and licked her again, reacquainting himself with every inch of her.

“Oh.”

He looked up her body to find her head thrown back and her chest rising and falling with each harsh breath. “Take off your shirt.”

Hope wasted no time obeying, dragging the material over her head and tossing it away. And then there was nothing hiding her body from his gaze. He licked her again, savoring the way she shook. A tattoo curling around the bottom of her ribs caught his eye, but he was too distracted to read it.

He was tired of teasing her. He wanted to feel her orgasm again, to know she was coming apart at the seams because of him. Daniel sucked her clit into his mouth, stroking the sensitive little nub with the flat of his tongue the way she’d always loved. Sure enough, before he had a chance to truly savor her, Hope cried out his name and shuddered, her thighs squeezing his head as she came. He gentled his touches, licks turning to kisses, turning to the slightest brushing of his lips against her. Only when she stopped shaking did he raise his head. “Stay, at least until we figure out what we’re doing.”

*****

kateeAuthor Info:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and they changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Author Links:   Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

$20.00 Amazon eGift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81130/

*****

Click the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

vt-foolforyou-krobert_final

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...
← Older posts
Newer posts →

FTC Disclaimer - see bottom of page for complete statement, but please be aware that in many cases I am provided a book to read. However my opinions are my own & no guarantee of positive review is given by any party.

Recent Posts

  • Review – Ryder
  • Review – Test of Time
  • Review – All for Love
  • Spotlight – Ryder
  • Spotlight – Kace
  • Review – Redeeming Rogue
  • Review – Mr. Trick Play
  • Review – A Puck Between Friends
  • Review – The Wild Card
  • Review – Extra Credit
  • Review – Hell or High Water
  • Review – Hot Axe
  • Review – It Started with a Text
  • Review – Love Pucktually
  • Spotlight – Only for Him
  • Review – Protected from Evil
  • Spotlight – Breaking Strings
  • Review – Wilde Ride
  • Review – Wild Kiss
  • Review – Whiskey, Words and Whispers
  • Review – Whisper Sweet Nothings
  • Review – A Present for Parker
  • Review – Playground Games
  • Review – The Hotshot
  • Review – Accidentally Living With the Captain
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads

Email me

romanticread@gmail.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Romantic Reads and Such on WordPress.com

Facebook

Facebook

Instagram

"Ryder is pretty low angst, with a few moments of trouble getting the two to their happy ending, but it definitely doesn’t scrimp on the heat." Full review at romanticread.com It's James's "characters that are the draw for me – the way the whole group is there for each other, at times supportive and loving and teasing." Full review at romanticread.com "Just like the rest of Aster’s stories, All for Love delivers charm with a dash of steam." Full review at romanticread.com Available Now! RESCUE THE NIGHT by @christinedepetrillo Ryder by @jessicapauthor is now LIVE! Let’s celebrate the release of KACE by @sawyerbennett123! Grab it at your favorite book vendor! Cobie "does a good job of mixing the suspense & action elements with the more emotional ones". Full review at romanticread.com "Low angst with lots of sweetness & feels" - full review at romanticread.com Gray "doesn’t scrimp on the emotions or the steam" - full review at romanticread.com

Goodreads

Archives

  • April 2026 (9)
  • March 2026 (9)
  • February 2026 (9)
  • January 2026 (11)
  • December 2025 (14)
  • November 2025 (12)
  • October 2025 (6)
  • September 2025 (12)
  • August 2025 (15)
  • July 2025 (22)
  • June 2025 (18)
  • May 2025 (10)
  • April 2025 (20)
  • March 2025 (21)
  • February 2025 (13)
  • January 2025 (17)
  • December 2024 (12)
  • November 2024 (14)
  • October 2024 (11)
  • September 2024 (7)
  • August 2024 (11)
  • July 2024 (8)
  • June 2024 (13)
  • May 2024 (13)
  • April 2024 (9)
  • March 2024 (17)
  • February 2024 (9)
  • January 2024 (11)
  • December 2023 (10)
  • November 2023 (15)
  • October 2023 (14)
  • September 2023 (13)
  • August 2023 (15)
  • July 2023 (11)
  • June 2023 (14)
  • May 2023 (12)
  • April 2023 (19)
  • March 2023 (17)
  • February 2023 (4)
  • January 2023 (6)
  • December 2022 (7)
  • November 2022 (11)
  • October 2022 (8)
  • September 2022 (12)
  • August 2022 (14)
  • July 2022 (17)
  • June 2022 (11)
  • May 2022 (16)
  • April 2022 (15)
  • March 2022 (13)
  • February 2022 (7)
  • January 2022 (17)
  • December 2021 (21)
  • November 2021 (12)
  • October 2021 (20)
  • September 2021 (14)
  • August 2021 (10)
  • July 2021 (7)
  • June 2021 (14)
  • May 2021 (23)
  • April 2021 (19)
  • March 2021 (21)
  • February 2021 (11)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (13)
  • November 2020 (13)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (10)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (13)
  • May 2020 (11)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (14)
  • February 2020 (11)
  • January 2020 (10)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (10)
  • October 2019 (12)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (18)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (16)
  • March 2019 (20)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (14)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (18)
  • October 2018 (22)
  • September 2018 (20)
  • August 2018 (17)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (21)
  • March 2018 (20)
  • February 2018 (21)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (21)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (25)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (21)
  • June 2017 (29)
  • May 2017 (29)
  • April 2017 (23)
  • March 2017 (25)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (22)
  • December 2016 (22)
  • November 2016 (27)
  • October 2016 (28)
  • September 2016 (20)
  • August 2016 (23)
  • July 2016 (21)
  • June 2016 (24)
  • May 2016 (26)
  • April 2016 (25)
  • March 2016 (24)
  • February 2016 (39)
  • January 2016 (24)
  • December 2015 (25)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (27)
  • September 2015 (27)
  • August 2015 (36)
  • July 2015 (31)
  • June 2015 (21)
  • May 2015 (24)
  • April 2015 (30)
  • March 2015 (30)
  • February 2015 (26)
  • January 2015 (22)
  • December 2014 (21)
  • November 2014 (32)
  • October 2014 (34)
  • September 2014 (28)
  • August 2014 (34)
  • July 2014 (45)
  • June 2014 (44)
  • May 2014 (44)
  • April 2014 (38)
  • March 2014 (42)
  • February 2014 (38)
  • January 2014 (36)
  • December 2013 (32)
  • November 2013 (35)
  • October 2013 (33)
  • September 2013 (24)
  • August 2013 (19)
  • July 2013 (20)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (19)
  • April 2013 (19)
  • March 2013 (22)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (17)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (11)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FTC Disclaimer

I have received ARCs of books free from NetGalley (and many moons ago from BookTrib.com) to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher, author, or PR company. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affiliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any post.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Join 603 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d