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Romantic Reads and Such

Category Archives: Sneak Peek

Spotlight – Sisters Like Us

02 Tuesday Jan 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Sisters Like Us, Susan Mallery

I hope everyone had a great holiday and that you are excited to see what great things 2018 has in store!  I’m happy to get back at it and super thrilled that I get to kick off things with the latest for the always awesome Susan Mallery – she’s been one of my favorite authors for a while now and it never fails to make me smile when I see that she had a new book coming out 🙂

*****

Sisters Like Us

by Susan Mallery

Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: MIRA (January 23, 2018)

Blurb:

The grass is always greener on your sister’s side of the fence…

Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can’t afford and a teenage daughter who’s pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she’s scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper’s fresh-baked cookies.

Spending half her life in school hasn’t prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge—motherhood. She didn’t inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey’s husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad…assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she’s already six months pregnant.

Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything—their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex’s weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today’s fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery’s trademark warmth and humor.

“Fresh and engaging… There’s a generational subtext that mirrors reality and the complexities of adult relationships…filled with promise of a new serial that’s worth following.” -Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Mallery enthralls [and] thoroughly involves readers in the lives of her characters as they face realistic, believable problems and search for their own happy endings.” -Publishers Weekly

Goodreads | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter One

There wasn’t a holiday on the calendar that Harper Szymanski couldn’t celebrate, cook for, decorate, decoupage, create a greeting card about or wrap in raffia. There were the biggies: birthdays, New Years, Fourth of July. But also the lesser celebrated: American Diabetes Association Alert Day, Auntie’s Day, National Massage Therapy Awareness Week. Why weren’t there greeting cards to honor that? Didn’t everyone need a good massage?

Despite a skill set that made Martha Stewart look like a slacker, Harper had never figured out a way to monetize her gift for setting a table to commemorate anything. She’d tried catering about ten years ago, but had quickly discovered that her need to overbuy and overdeliver had meant losing money on every single job. Which left her in the awkward position of trying to make a living the hard way—with two semesters of community college and sixteen years of being a stay-at-home mom.

Retail jobs and the pay that went with them hadn’t been close to enough to support herself and her daughter postdivorce. Three online aptitude tests had left her even more confused—while getting her degree in biochemistry and going on to medical school sounded great, it wasn’t actually a practical solution for an over-forty single mom with no money in the bank. Then an article in the local paper had provided an interesting and almost-viable idea. Harper had become a virtual assistant.

If there was one thing she knew it was how to take care of the details. You didn’t get good at a basket weave Fourth of July cake without paying attention. One year after filing her business permit, Harper had five main clients, nearly a dozen more who used her services intermittently and almost enough income to pay her bills. She also had her mother living in the apartment over the garage, an ex-husband dating a gorgeous blonde who was—wait for it—exactly fourteen years younger than Harper because they shared a birthday—a sixteen-year-old daughter who had stopped speaking to her and a client who was desperately unclear on the concept of virtual in the world of virtual assistants.

“You don’t have to drop off your bills every month,” Harper said as she set out coffee, a plate of chocolate chip scones that she’d gotten up at five-thirty that morning to bake fresh, a bowl of sugar-glazed almonds and sliced pears.

“And miss this?” Lucas Wheeler asked, pouring himself a mug of coffee. “If you’re trying to convince me coming by isn’t a good idea, then stop feeding me.”

He was right, of course. There was an easy, logical solution. Stop taking care of people and they would go away. Or at least be around less often. There was just one problem—when someone stopped by your home, you were supposed to take care of them.

“I can’t help it,” she admitted, wishing it weren’t the truth. “It’s a disease. I’m a people pleaser. I blame my mother.”

“I’d blame her, too, if I were you.”

She supposed she could take offense at Lucas’s words, but he was only stating the obvious.

In some ways Harper felt as if she was part of the wrong generation. According to celebrity magazines, fifty was the new twenty-five, which meant almost forty-two should be the new what? Eleven? Everyone else her age seemed so young and carefree, with modern attitudes and a far better grasp of what was in style and popular.

Harper was just now getting around to listening to the soundtrack from Hamilton and her idea of fashionable had a lot more to do with how she dressed her dining room table than herself. She was like a 1950s throwback, which might sound charming but in real life kind of sucked. On the bright side, it really was her mother’s fault.

“Speaking of your mother, where is she?” Lucas asked.

“At the senior center, preparing Easter baskets for the homeless.” Because that was what women were supposed to do. Take care of people—not have actual careers that could support them and their families.

“I, on the other hand, will be paying your bills, designing T-shirts for Misty, working on the layout of a sales brochure and making bunny butt cookies for my daughter.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “You do realize that bunny butt is just a polite way of saying rabbit ass.”

Harper laughed. “Yes, but they’re an Easter tradition. Becca loves them. Her father is dropping her off tomorrow afternoon and I want the cookies waiting.”

Because maybe if there were bunny butt cookies, her daughter would smile and talk to her the way she used to. In actual sentences that shared bits of her life.

“You sorry you didn’t go?” Lucas asked.

“To the memorial? Yes.” She thought for a second, then added, “No. I mean I would have liked to pay my respects and all, but Great-Aunt Cheryl is gone, so it’s not like she would miss me showing up.”

The drive from Mischief Bay to Grass Valley would take practically the whole day. Harper couldn’t imagine anything more horrible than being trapped in a car with her ex, his girlfriend and her daughter. Okay, the Becca part would be great, but the other two?

The worst of it was that while Great-Aunt Cheryl was actually Terence’s relative, Harper had been the one who had stayed in touch, right up until her death two months ago.

“Terence is forty-four. What is he thinking, dating a twenty-eight-year-old?” She glared at Lucas. “Never mind. You’re the wrong person to be having this particular conversation with.”

Because while her client was a handsome, single, fifty-year-old man, he also dated women in their twenties. In his case, their early twenties.

“What is wrong with you?” she demanded. “Is it all men or just you and my ex? Oh, dear God, the one thing you have in common with Terence is me. Did I do something to make you all date twenty-somethings?”

*****

Author Info:

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month, January of 1992. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

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Book Review – Flowers in Winter

29 Friday Dec 2017

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

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Book Review, Flowers in Winter, Hart of Rock and Roll series, Mary J. Williams

This is the first in this series that I’ve read but it won’t be the last.  Flowers in Winter is the perfect way to finish out 2017 on a happy note!

*****

Flowers in Winter

Hart of Rock and Roll Book 5

by Mary J. Williams

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

A HART OF ROCK AND ROLL HOLIDAY ROMANCE

Tula Carson knows what her future holds. A good life. A secure life. Safe. Steady. Boring.

She has no one to blame but herself. She chose the path she’s on. But, she wants something more. Something different. Now. Before it’s too late.

Fleet Sherman is a Rock God. And he isn’t afraid to enjoy the perks. Money. Fame. Beautiful women. As far as he’s concerned, his life is perfect. Until he meets smart, funny, talented, frustrating Tula Carson. The one woman he can’t resist. The only woman he can’t have.

On the surface, Tula and Fleet seem worlds apart. She grew up loved. He just wants to forget his childhood. She’s led a sheltered life. He’s experienced everything life had to offer. Yet, from their first meeting, they clicked.

Tula has a chance to fulfill her dreams. But the first step is always the hardest. Will she jump, or play it safe?

Fleet doesn’t believe he deserves a woman as good and sweet as Tula. For her sake, he has to let her go.

A love of music brought them together. Will their pasts tear them apart? Do they need a Christmas miracle? Or will they realize love is the greatest gift of all.

Grab this standalone book today.

Goodreads * Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

Tula’s heartbeat stuttered. Before she raced ahead, she had to make certain they were headed down the same road.

“You said you wanted me too much. What does too much mean?”

“I don’t want to hurt you. I sure as hell know I’m not good enough for you. I don’t take what isn’t freely offered. But make no mistake, I’m no saint. If you want me? Say. The. Words.”

The Irish in Fleet’s voice whispered across Tula’s skin like a warm summer’s breeze. He left the rest up to her. If she wanted the heated promise in his eyes, she had to be the one to jump.

Tula had come so far. She’d be a fool to turn back now. She didn’t hesitate. She said the words.

“I want you, Fleet Sherman.” Confident and a bit cocky, Tula tipped her head to one side. “Now, what are you going to do about it?”

*****

Review:

Tula is girl-next-door perfect but she’s reached a point where her life just isn’t making her happy.  So she enters the contest but never expects to win.  And when she does she freaks out!  It means coming clean to her family about how she no longer wants the future she’s been working towards and that just isn’t something she’s brave enough to do.

Luckily, Fleet isn’t the type to take no for an answer.  He comes busting in to Tula’s life with all of his charm and take-no-prisoners attitude.  Too bad for him she’s willing to give as good as she gets.  But they quickly realize that they have a connection and even though Fleet doesn’t think he’s relationship material … Tula may have him thinking otherwise 🙂

Williams delivers an absolutely awesome holiday romance!  Honestly, I just wish it was longer because these two together are a blast.  I’ll definitely be looking to see what this author delivers next.

*****

Author Info:

I love books, I always have and always will. Writing is an extension of that and though it has taken me a while to get here, I now can officially call myself a published author.

I grew up on a ranch in Eastern Washington, so I wanted to set my books on the Columbia River in Washington state. Harper Falls is completely fictitious, but I think anyone from the area will know right where it would be if it did exist.

My hobbies are gardening, reading, baking(fattening desserts are my favorite), exercise(I don’t love it, but it is necessary due to the desserts), and animals. I had a dog but when he died I couldn’t bring myself to replace him. That is why I wrote Edgar, the dog into “If I Loved You”, I consider him my surrogate puppy until I can get a real one.

I love to get feedback on my books so I hope everyone will feel free to leave a question or visit my website(it is a work in progress, but I’m getting there).

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

5 ebook copies of the first book in the series, Flowers on the Wall.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9507/

*****

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Spotlight – Renegade Cowboy

21 Thursday Dec 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Renegade Cowboy, Rocky Mountain Riders series, Sara Richardson

We’ve seen the Cortez boys before and now it’s time to get to know Levi!

*****

Renegade Cowboy

Rocky Mountain Riders series

by Sara Richardson

Blurb: 

Cassidy Greer knows that cowboys are nothing but trouble. But when her childhood crush comes riding into town, she starts to have second thoughts. Levi’s a world-class bull rider now, and more handsome than ever. It’s a good thing she’s headed out of town soon or she just might be tempted….

As a famous rodeo star, Levi Cortez could have his pick of any woman on the circuit. But when he reconnects with Cassidy, sweet memories come rushing back. Levi knows Cass doesn’t want to get roped into a relationship. Not with a cowboy. The only question is, can he convince her he’s more than just a renegade cowboy before the summer’s over?

Amazon: https://goo.gl/Bm8h4j

Barnes & Noble: https://goo.gl/i4ru8x

Kobo: https://goo.gl/gwdvbn

iBooks:https://goo.gl/Lhxkiv

~

Purchase HOMETOWN COWBOY (Rocky Mountain Riders, #1) 

Amazon: http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyAMZ

B&N:  http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyBN

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyKOBO

iBooks:  http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyIBOOKS

GooglePlay:  http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyGOOGLEPLAY

BAM:  http://bit.ly/HometownCowboyBAM

 

Purchase COMEBACK COWBOY (Rocky Mountain Riders, #2) 

Amazon: http://bit.ly/ComebackCowboyAMZ

B&N: http://bit.ly/ComebackCowboyBN

iBooks: http://bit.ly/ComebackCowboyIBOOKS

Kobo: http://bit.ly/ComebackCowboyKOBO 

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/ComebackCowboyGP

*****

Excerpt:

Gazing into her eyes, Levi stepped back and pulled his T-shirt up and over his head and then dropped it on the ground.

She did her best not to react, but her eyes widened and her lips parted. He was exquisite. Lean muscle, chiseled detail, broad chest and pecs. The sight was even better than the pictures that were plastered everywhere online. “I thought they’d airbrushed you.”

His head tilted. “Say what?”

“Those pictures they’re always posting on the Internet. Of you without…um…your…um…shirt,” she stammered, suddenly embarrassed to admit she’d been gawking at him for the past six years. Though with that body of his, it was kind of hard not to.

“You thought they Photoshopped me?” he repeated in mock disbelief.

“Well, yeah.” She thought they did that to everyone. She eyed his chest again. Apparently they didn’t have to with Levi Cortez.

He inched closer, the look on his face almost predatory. “You looked at pictures of me online?”

“Darla forced me to.” Staring at hot men online was one of her friend’s favorite pastimes. Of course, she’d looked him up on her own a few times too. Only to see his stats on the circuit, of course. Not that he should be privy to that information.

“Did you like what you saw?” he asked in a husky voice.

One of her shoulders lifted in a pathetically weak shrug. “Kind of.”

He inched closer. “Do you like what you see now?”

Her gaze trailed down his body. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand brushed his chest and worked its way down his abs. “Mmm- hmmm.”

“Want to see more?” He kicked off his boots, and his hands went to his silver belt buckle.

Whoa. She blinked hard. Wait a minute. Was he stripping? She shook herself awake. “We can’t go skinny- dipping!” She backed away from him, nearly tripping over the chair in the process.

He unclasped his belt. “Why not?”

“Well…” Staring at his chest, she struggled to come up with one logical reason. Rational thought, rational thought…there had to be one in there somewhere. “What if someone else shows up?” Like Dev? “It’s indecent exposure.”

Levi laughed. “It’s private property. No one will show up. Lucas and Naomi hardly ever leave the house anymore, and Lance and Jessa are in Denver for the night.” He pulled her into his arms. “So it’s just you and me, baby.”

*****

Author Info:

Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After five years in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons. Her first contemporary romance, No Better Man, was released by Grand Central forever 2015.

Website: www.sararichardson.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sararichardsonbooks

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SaraR_Books

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarar_books/

*****

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Book Review – Unexpected Christmas

18 Monday Dec 2017

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

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Book Review, Nell Iris, Unexpected Christmas

Who’s looking for a sweet fast read (with a little emotional bite) this holiday season?

*****

Unexpected Christmas

by Nell Iris

Length: 13,527 words

Publisher: JMS Books

Blurb:

Daniel Erickson stormed out of his family celebration after choking on turkey served with a side of bigotry. Utterly miserable, he reluctantly lets himself be charmed by the hulk of a man and gets into the stranger’s car … hoping he won’t be axed before the night is through.

Axel Wilson — Ax for short, unfortunately — is a sweetheart. Really. He may be badass-looking but his heart melts into goo at the mere mention of his four-year-old niece. Surely he isn’t dangerous?

Thrown together by family drama, the two men spend the evening getting to know each other. Axel is nothing like Daniel expected. But it doesn’t matter that he loves poetry, is gentle and patient — and hot! — Daniel is absolutely not falling in love at first sight. There’s no such thing.

Right?

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS

*****

Excerpt:

A few minutes later, a vehicle approached from behind. Reacting instinctively, I turned around and waved my arms, hoping the big truck would stop and have mercy on my freezing ass.

I let out a giddy yelp as it slowed down, but it got stuck in my throat when the driver rolled down the window.

He was huge and couldn’t hold his head upright without banging it on the ceiling. Big steel gauges adorned both his ears — at least an inch and a half wide — and his hair was black and so closely cropped it resembled a five o’clock shadow more than an actual haircut.

“You need a ride?” he asked and his voice was deeper than the Mariana Trench, perfectly matching his frightening appearance. Black tattoos crept up his neck and snaked down his hands below his sleeves. His shoulders were wide, his muscles strained the sleeves of his thick black jacket, and his cheeks were hollow. I was one second from shitting myself.

“I’m not riding with a serial killer!” The words slipped out of my mouth and I groaned. I couldn’t have kept my mouth shut for five fucking seconds to avoid being chopped up and thrown to the wolves?

He threw his head back and let out a thunderous laugh.

“What’s so goddamned funny?” I glared at him, but he didn’t seem to care.

“I’m no serial killer.”

“And I’m just supposed to take your fucking word for it?” I raised an eyebrow. I knew I was being combative and taking out my frustration on this stranger, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“You could call my ma for references.”

“Ha ha. Very funny.” With a deep sigh, I resigned to my fate and started walking again. No way was I getting into a car with that mammoth of a man.

“Where you goin’?” he called after me. When I didn’t bother to answer, he eased off the break and let his truck crawl after me.

I swirled around. “Stop following me, you creep,” I hissed.

He let go of the steering wheel with one hand and held it up as if he surrendered. “Look, man. It’s freezin’. You’re wet and miserable. Get in the truck and lemme take you wherever you’re goin’.” His deep voice was surprisingly gentle. Non-threatening, as if he’d come to expect reactions like mine.

“I’m really not a bad guy.” He stuck out his lower lip in a pout that would have made a five-year-old girl green with envy and I had to bite my lip to stop a smile from erupting.

“Really?” I tried to hang on to my mistrust, but he made it hard. His appearance screamed RUN AND HIDE, but there was something soft in his eyes that told a different story.

He shot me a crooked smile. “It was worth a try. It works on my niece every time.”

The fucker knew all the right words to say to disarm me. “And how old is she?”

“Four.”

I huffed out a reluctant chuckle. “Well, you know how it is. Everyone always says how they couldn’t believe their neighbor was a serial killer because he seemed like such a nice guy.”

His eyes grew big and round. “You’re sayin’ you don’t trust my niece as a character witness?” He sounded as I’d just delivered the biggest insult of his life, but the amused glint in his eyes told me it was all for show.

“Can you blame me?”

“I guess not.” He sighed and grew serious. “Please. I couldn’t live with myself if I left you here to freeze to death.”

My body screamed at me to take him up on his offer. The ice pellets were relentless and I was soaked and gloomy and was starting to feel like maybe being ax murdered wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to me right now.

The openness in his posture and honesty in his eyes had me on the verge of caving. “You promise you won’t kill me?” I sounded like a scared little kid even to my own ears.

*****

Review:

I love the fact that while Daniel is out in the cold because of an argument with his bigoted uncle he quickly realizes that we are all guilty of judging a book by its cover after he meets Ax.  He assumes that big, muscled, tattooed guy has to be dangerous, but he quickly realizes that he’s more teddy bear than grizzly.  The interactions between them are humorous and fun and quickly turn into something a little more.  It’s a novella so things have to happen fast but Iris does a wonderful job of making the timing and flow feel natural.

I really wish there had been the opportunity for this to be a full-length story instead of a novella because I loved these two together so much … except I think to make it any longer Iris would have had to include some kind of conflict and that wouldn’t have fit with what we were given here.  So I guess I should just be happy with what I got.  And I am ecstatic with what I got 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Nell Iris is a romantic at heart who believes everyone deserves a happy ending. She’s a bona fide bookworm (learned to read long before she started school), wouldn’t dream of going anywhere without something to read (not even the ladies room), loves music (and singing along but let’s face it, she’s not Celine Dion), and is a real Star Trek nerd (Make it so). She loves words, poetry, wine, and Sudoku, and absolutely adores elephants!

Nell believes passionately in equality for all regardless of race, gender or sexuality, and wants to make the world a better, less hateful, place.

Nell is a 40-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, where she spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her life long dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love.

Nell Iris writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angsty, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Website

*****

Giveaway:

Backlist Ebook From Nell Iris

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43285/

*****

December 16

Stories That Make You Smile  https://authoraddisonalbright.com

abibliophobia anonymous book reviews  abibliophobiaanonymous.blogspot.com

The Blogger Girls  thebloggergirls.com

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews  http://wickedfaeriesreviews.blogspot.com

Hoards Jumble  http://dtorini.wordpress.com

Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author  http://www.valerieullmer.com

Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings  https://mirrigold.com/

Padme’s Library  https://padmeslibrary.blogspot.com/

The Way She Reads  http://helenasheat.blogspot.ie/

Sarandipity Book Reviews  https://sarandipitybookreviews.wordpress.com

My Fiction Nook  http://myfictionnook.com

My Book Filled Life  http://mybookfilledlife.blogspot.com

December 17

MJ’s Book Blog and Reviews  https://mjbookblogandreviews.blogspot.com/

Unquietly Me  http://unquietlyme.wordpress.com

Dog-Eared Daydreams  http://www.dogeareddaydreams.com

Boy Meets Boy Reviews  Boymeetsboyreviews.blogspot.com

MM Good Book Reviews  http://mmgoodbookreviews.com/

Louise Lyons  http://www.louiselyonsauthor.com

December 18

Zipper Rippers  http://zipperrippers.blogspot.co.uk/

Reading In Sarah’s Corner  http://readinginsarahscorner.blogspot.com

A Book Lover’s Dream Book Blog  http://abookloversdreambookblog.com

Bayou Book Junkie  http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com

Bonkers about books  http://felinewyvern.blogspot.co.uk

Becca the Bibliophile  Https://beccathebibliophile.com

Nicole’s Book Musings  http://nicolesbookmusings.blogspot.com/

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words  http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords.com

Book Lovers 4Ever  http://www.bl4ebookblog.com/

Urban Smoothie Read  http://www.urbansmoothie.com/

Romantic Reads and Such  https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

Wicked Reads  http://www.wickedreads.org

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Book Review – Back Home at Firefly Lake

15 Friday Dec 2017

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

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Back Home at Firefly Lake, Book Review, Firefly Lake series, Jen Gilroy

We’ve seen this series before with Summer on Firefly Lake and I’m super glad I signed up to read this one.  It’s got all the heartwarming, small-town goodness that you could ask for!

*****

Back Home at Firefly Lake

Firefly Lake #3

by Jen Gilroy

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Publisher: Forever – Grand Central Publishing

Series: Firefly Lake

Print ISBN: 9781455569618

Digital ISBN: 9781455566938

Blurb:

She has a million reasons to leave. Can he give her the one she needs to stay?

Cat McGuire’s return to Firefly Lake is turning into much more than she bargained for. Sure, she missed the crisp pine-scented air and the comfort of having her family around her. But being home makes her feel less like the successful single mom she is–and more like the awkward teen who never fit in. It doesn’t help that hockey-pro Luc Simard is back in town, too. Luc was her childhood crush, the hometown hero who never noticed her, and yet somehow he still makes her heart skip a beat.

Luc’s homecoming has been bittersweet. He’s lost his wife and his career, but there’s no better place to start over than Firefly Lake. Coaching the local kids’ hockey team makes him feel alive again, and he thinks his life is complete–until Cat arrives. The shy girl he always wanted to protect is now the gorgeous woman who’s stealing his heart and making him believe in second chances. But how can he convince Cat that Firefly Lake is where she truly belongs?

Praise for Back Home at Firefly Lake:

“When these two broken souls come together, magic happens.” – Publishers Weekly

“Back Home at Firefly Lake is a charming small-town, second-chance story. With well-written and relatable characters, readers both new and old to the series will enjoy it.” – Harlequin Junkie

Now an Amazon Best Book of the Month!

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

 

*****

Excerpt:

Luc’s heart squeezed. [Cat] was embarrassed to ask her family for help, like he’d have been embarrassed asking his. Except, that would never be an issue because he had more money than he could spend in one lifetime. Money to finance the creamery expansion his dad had talked about for years, and to send his folks on that cruise they’d hankered after but could never afford because of the cost of raising four kids and putting most of them through college. Money for everything except what mattered most—taking care of his wife and their child like he’d planned.

“Pay for the hockey registration when your grant comes through.” He tried to smile. “I know you’re good for it.”

“Thanks.” Cat’s voice cracked and she took one hand away from her bag to rub it across her face. “Hockey means everything to Amy. I want her to be able to play, but she’s growing so fast right now.”

“Hockey’s an expensive sport.” He slid an arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. The same kind of friendly squeeze he’d given her all those times back in high school when she’d saved his butt in chemistry. Before today, however, his fingers had never tingled when he’d touched Cat. His body had never heated, either.

Cat started and pulled away at the same instant he did. “Hockey can be a dangerous sport too, and now Amy will be playing with boys. She hasn’t played with boys since she was seven. She could get hurt.

Like he had, hurt so bad it had ended his career. “Amy’s playing minor hockey. At her age, there is a rule about no body checking.” He tried to make his tone reassuring. “I promise I’ll keep a close eye on her.” It was his job as her coach, and he’d do the same for any kid. It had nothing to do with the strange and unexpected attraction he all of a sudden had for this woman he’d known his whole life, who he’d never really looked at until today.

A woman who wasn’t Maggie. Luc’s stomach clenched in a tangled lump of guilt and grief, tied tight with a slippery ribbon of disloyalty. Maggie was never coming back, but that didn’t mean Luc could forget her. Or that he wanted to.

Copyright © Back Home at Firefly Lake 2017 by Jen Gilroy

*****

Review:

There’s just something about small town romances that I love.  That feeling of community and family, with people that feel so real you just want to move there so you can be friends.  It’s that thing that made Gilmore Girls so darn appealing – and Gilroy captures it beautifully.  Her characters just come alive and you can’t help but feel for all of their ups and downs (and sometimes even more downs).

Luc is back after losing both his hockey career and his wife.  He’s going through the motions of getting back on his feet but he’s not really opening himself up for anything that could hurt him that much again.  Then he meets Cat … and she definitely brings all his feelings back alive.  He’s a man, though, and has to have a few “really?” moments but he’s carrying around a lot and so it’s to be expected.

Cat has come home but she’s not here to stay.  She’s got a temporary work assignment and thinks it best to get her daughter out of the city for a while.  And being near family is just what they both need.  But what she never thought she needed was Luc – having him nearby again puts all kinds of tempting thoughts into her head.  She just needs to come to terms with her own past first.

While I really like Cat and Luc, there were moments when I really didn’t get her daughter.  I can see what Gilroy was going for (and she is a hormonal preteen) but she’s all over the place and comes off as a petulant toddler more than once (… although that could be the teenager coming out too 🙂 ).  Usually the kid is a highlight in the book but here she just rubbed me wrong as often as I liked her.

But I definitely couldn’t have asked for more with the adults!  There is a lot of drama between the two of them but they also bring the feels.  Both of them are at a crossroads in their lives – they didn’t plan on being where they are and they need to figure out where they really want to go from here.  They’ve both had things in the past that they need to work on but if they do it right then they might find themselves in a place much better than they imagined.

If you love feel-good sweetness in your romances, Gilroy definitely delivers – lots of emotion, realistic, and just plain enjoyable.

(Although it is part of a series, it can easily stand on its own.)

*****

Other Books in the Firefly Lake Series:

The Cottage at Firefly Lake

Some mistakes can never be fixed and some secrets never forgiven … but some loves can never be forgotten.

Charlotte Gibbs wants nothing more than to put the past behind her, once and for all. Yet now that she’s back at Firefly Lake to sell her mother’s cottage, the overwhelming flood of memories reminds her of what she’s been missing. Sun-drenched days. Late-night kisses that still shake her to the core. The gentle breeze off the lake, the scent of pine in the air, and the promise of Sean’s touch on her skin…True, she got her dream job traveling the world. But at what cost?

Sean Carmichael still doesn’t know why Charlie disappeared that summer, but after eighteen years, a divorce, and a teenage son he loves more than anything in the world, he’s still not over her. All this time and her body still fits against his like a glove. She walked away once when he needed her the most. How can he convince her to stay now?

Praise for The Cottage at Firefly Lake:

“Gilroy’s debut contemporary is packed with potent emotions…[the] protagonists tug at the heartstrings from the beginning of the story and don’t let go. Long on charm, this story invites readers to come in and stay a while.” – Publishers Weekly

“Memories, regrets and second chances are front and center in Gilroy’s fantastic debut.” – RT Book Reviews

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

Summer on Firefly Lake

Sometimes love is better the second time around.

Mia Gibbs spent her marriage putting her husband’s needs before her own. And now, after a painful divorce, she’s building a new life for herself and her two daughters back home at Firefly Lake. The last thing she needs is a man to complicate things. But former bad boy turned friend Nick McGuire—and the one kiss they’ve shared—has turned everything upside down.

Attorney Nick McGuire wasn’t meant to be a family man. His career has always been his focus, and after taking time out to help his mother, he’s ready to get back to the city…until Mia and her daughters arrive at Firefly Lake. Mia is beautiful and intriguing, and it doesn’t take long to realize being “just friends” will never be enough. As the summer nights turn colder, Nick will have to choose between the life he’s always wanted…and the woman he can’t live without.

Praise for SUMMER ON FIREFLY LAKE

“Has charm to spare… The delightful supporting cast and expertly plotted story add depth and richness to this tale, leaving readers eager for another visit to Firefly Lake.”—Publishers Weekly

“4 stars! Gilroy’s second Firefly Lake novel encapsulates the quaint, busybody small-town feel and the slippery slope of friends becoming lovers quite well… Engaging…[a] fast-paced page turner.”—RT Book Reviews

Add to your “Want to Read” shelf:  Goodreads

Available at:  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes

*****

Author Info:

Jen Gilroy lives in a small town in eastern Ontario, Canada where her Irish ancestors settled in the nineteenth century. She’s worked in higher education and international marketing but, after spending too much time in airports and away from her family, traded the 9-5 to write romantic women’s fiction to bring readers’ hearts home.

Jen likes ice cream, diners, vintage style and all things country. Her husband is her real-life romance hero, and her teen daughter teaches her to cherish the blessings in the everyday.

The Cottage at Firefly Lake, the first book in her Firefly Lake series, was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award in 2015. It was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award 2017.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

*****

Giveaway:

Jen is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of Back Home at Firefly Lake. Five (5) runner-up winners will receive a paperback copy of their choice from the Firefly Lake series! This giveaway is open internationally.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29455/

*****

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Spotlight – Seasonal Shenanigans

13 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A Grease Monkey Christmas, A Tradition Worth Continuing, All I want for Christmas Is You, Annika Steele, Ava Bari, Blizzard, Cailin Briste, Caitlyn Lynch, Christmas is Coming, Dana Kenzi, Eight Secret Nights, I Fell Through Starlight For You, Jennie Kew, Keira Fox, Kittens for Christmas, Let It Snow, Liv Honeywell, Maya Bailey, Missing You For Christmas, Moxie Rivers, New Beginnings, Nikola Christain, Santa Claus is Coming, Seasonal Shenanigans, Shoshana David, Suzi Frewin, The Promise of Love, Tricia Ramey, Under The Mistletoe

Who wants something a little steamy to warm up with this December?!?  These 14 stories are bound to put you in a jolly good mood.

Warning: there’s a heat advisory in effect so make sure you proceed with caution 😉

*****

Let It Snow – Nikola Christain

Jovie has always avoided the Christmas season. But when she has to spend the holidays in a ski lodge, she meets someone who may inspire her to embrace the season. Or at least the part about meeting under the mistletoe.

Eight Secret Nights – Shoshana David

Someone’s been leaving Hanukkah presents on Mara’s doorstep.  Sweet presents.  Thoughtful presents.  She wonders who her secret admirer is.  Hopefully it’s the cute guy who moved in next door and not the creep from 7A.

A Tradition Worth Continuing – Tricia Ramey

It’s Christmas Eve, and Beth Murphy is finally able to relax.  Now’s the time to enjoy a little downtime with her husband James before the chaos of their descending families the next day. But it’s the gift she has for her husband that will make this Christmas the most memorable one yet.

Kittens For Christmas – Caitlyn Lynch

Regina Brooks thinks finding a box of abandoned kittens on Christmas Eve is a disaster in the making. Fortunately, her hunky neighbor Ric is eager to help her out — in any way he can!

Missing You For Christmas – Moxie Rivers

When Allison’s husband, Jake, can’t get leave, it’ll be her first Christmas without him since they were married. But Allison isn’t the type of person to let that stop her, but with the help of her coworkers, and just maybe a little Christmas magic, it will still be a Merry Christmas.

A Grease Monkey Christmas – Cailin Briste

Fate arranges the chance meeting of two strangers in need of a little kindness on Christmas Eve. Celebrity Davon Weider, with his navy-blue eyes and muscular physique, can fill the starring role in any woman’s fantasy. But Jasline, a spaceport mech, is more impressed by his five jump speed records.

Santa Claus is Coming – Jennie Kew

I don’t dress up as Santa for just anyone, you know? Holly Granville isn’t just anyone. When a massive storm hits our Christmas photo shoot and we’re trapped inside a tiny hut — cold, wet, angry, and naked — our friendship irrevocably changes. But will it be for better, or worse?

The Promise Of Love – Maya Bailey

The year is 1819. He sees a man across a room and it is like seeing himself dressed in a British soldier’s uniform. How could it be that another man bears his face? He had loved her once; she had betrayed that love. Now he must find answers. If only he could do that without laying eyes on her again.

Underneath The Mistletoe – Ava Bari

Police officer Nic Zanetti just wanted to spent a quiet holiday alone with his TV. Then he’s called to find a runaway little girl. When he meets her widowed mother, this Christmas will be one they never forget.

Blizzard – Suzi Frewin

Simon and Fallon find themselves marooned together, fearing for their lives against the Zengwee, an alien species which has dominated Earth for its resources. Neither want the complication of falling in love, but fate and Christmas have other plans.

All I Want for Christmas … is You – Annika Steele

On Christmas Eve, Dr. Victoria Long is determined to take her relationship with Detective Devon King to the next level, maybe even the forever kind. But will their relationship survive when Devon discovers she’s a suspect in a series of thefts?

Christmas is Coming – Liv Honeywell

It’s almost Christmas, and Abby decides to decorate the tree, despite Will, her Dom, telling her to wait. But when she drops his toolbox and all the parts scatter like confetti, she’s left wondering if she’ll be able to sit down by *next* Christmas. What will happen when Will gets home?

New Beginnings – Dana Kenzi

When Erika’s Winter Solstice ritual doesn’t go as planned, it joins her list of worries, right next to her struggles to run her newly acquired business. Then her handsome neighbor, David, drops by to offer her some company. What starts off as a venting session between two frustrated adults leads to a cathartic and pleasurable encounter.

I Fell Through Starlight For You – Keira Fox

It’s the earliest hours of Christmas and Lucille is thinking of closing up her bistro when an enchanting figure comes through her door seeking aid for his injuries.

*****

Excerpts:

From Kittens For Christmas by Caitlyn Lynch

Ric looked at Reggie sitting there on the floor next to him, a pair of fools caring for some orphaned kittens early in the morning on Christmas Day, and he wondered if she’d slap his face if he kissed her. She’d fallen asleep on his shoulder mid-sentence earlier, and snuggled up to him with the cutest little sound of protest when he tried to carefully shift her off. In the end he’d just leaned his head back on the couch and dropped off to sleep himself.

Reggie’s brown eyes sparkled as she laughed, and impulsively Ric reached out a hand and touched one of hers, resting lax on her knee.

“Hey. I’m glad I met you coming in tonight. Last night, I mean, it’s morning now…”

Ugh, that was so not smooth. Why does my brain always fail me when I’m talking to an attractive woman?

Reggie was smiling at him, though. “I’m glad, too,” she said softly, and her slight, fine-boned hand turned under his so their fingers interlaced.

Ric’s brain stalled out and failed him completely. He just stared at her hand under his, at least until Reggie let out a soft, husky little laugh. His eyes snapped up to her face – which was suddenly a lot closer.

This is actually happening. He was suddenly as nervous as a teenage boy with his first crush, palms sweating, hands shaking.

Reggie’s lips were soft against his, a light, tentative touch before she pulled back, looking at him with wide eyes.

She can’t be nervous. She’s gorgeous, she could have any guy she wanted. That look of nervous worry, of concern that he might not be into her, absolutely killed him. No way could he let her have that impression, even for one second. So he leaned closer and brought up his free hand to cup her cheek, fingers sliding into her thick ringlets, feeling their springy texture.

“God damn, but you’re beautiful,” he murmured before bringing their mouths back together. He felt her lips curve up in a pleased smile, right before they parted, welcoming in his tongue as he probed lightly.

Ric felt Reggie’s soft sigh all through his body; the little moan she let out as he explored her mouth had his cock hardening in his pants. Her fingers tightened around his before she moved, going to her knees beside him and putting her free arm around him, pulling their bodies flush against each other.

It was Ric’s turn to make a noise, a low hungry groan in his throat as Reggie’s breasts pressed against his chest. Leaning back against the couch, he pulled her with him and she straddled his thighs, settling her groin against his.

“Reggie,” his voice came out a husky rasp as she pulled away from the kiss and ducked down to nip and lick at his neck, finding that sensitive spot in the hollow of his collarbone which made him shudder, hips jerking up involuntarily. “What are we doing?”

“Well,” she paused to swirl her tongue in the hollow of his throat, “right now we’re making out, and since our charges are full of milk and sound asleep, I think we should take advantage of the temporary quiet to go ahead and fuck.”

His eyes, half-lidded with pleasure, flew wide open. “Well,” he said after recovering his composure, “that’s direct.”

Reggie chuckled and leaned back to look him in the eye. “I’m not one to talk around a situation. You’re hot, I’m horny, it’s Christmas, let’s have fun.”

“I think you’ve got it the wrong way round.”

Her brows furrowed adorably, a small line appearing between them.

“You’re hot and I’m horny. But the floor’s too hard and the couch is too small, so how about we take this to the bedroom?”

~

From Santa Claus Is Coming by Jennie Kew:

“Please tell me that was the last one.”

Holly grins. “That was the last one.”

“Oh, thank God.” I push myself up and out of the driftwood throne I’ve occupied for the better part of the day and stretch the kinks out of my back and shoulders.

Everything hurts.

My back is stiff from sitting for too long, and my thighs hurt from having an endless line-up of kids — and the occasional adult — sit on them all day. My cheeks ache from smiling waaay too much, my ass is so numb I’m not entirely sure it’s still attached to my body, and don’t even get me started on my balls….

Fuck me.

What a day.

When my best friend’s sister invited me to spend the day with her at Melbourne’s iconic Brighton Beach — you know the one, with the long line of brightly painted bathing huts that wedding photographers clamour over — I jumped at the opportunity. Spend the day with the woman I’ve lusted after for years while she parades around in one of those skimpy bikinis she’s so fond of?

Fuck yeah!

And sure, maybe I could catch a few waves while we’re there, show off my very grown-up, non-brotherly physique to the woman who once told me a. she’d never date one of her brother’s mates, and b. she’d never, ever be interested in someone so much younger than her.

Like a ten year age difference made her old or something.

Women!

Anyway, I rock up, surfboard in hand, and what does she do? Hands me a beach bum Santa costume consisting of little more than a pair of boardshorts and a Santa hat, shoves me in front of a camera and starts charging people money to let their precious little darlings crawl all over me and tell me their Christmas wishes. Which, okay — crushed ball-sack aside — was actually pretty cool, especially the kid who wanted total world domination so he could end bullying everywhere. I didn’t have the heart to point out the flaw in his plan, and judging by the look on his dad’s face, neither did he.

“You did a good job today, Chris,” Holly says as she packs away her camera equipment, then laughs. “I can’t wait to show Mikey that shot of the granny in your lap.”

I slip my Santa hat off my head and shove it in my pocket. “I’ll have you know her name was Phillipa, she’s only seventy-five years old, and she said I reminded her of her late husband.”

“She licked your face.”

“She wanted to know if I tasted like him, too,” I say with a grin. “I’d reckon the saucy old dame did it to win a bet, actually. I saw her and her friend exchange a tenner after she collected her photo. And you know Mike hates it when you call him Mikey, right?”

“Of course. Why do you think I do it?” she says with a wink that makes my breath stall in my chest and my legs go weak at the knees. “Seriously, though. Thanks for today. I know I blindsided you with it.”

“You know, you could have just told me what you wanted me for,” I say as I step down from the dais and discreetly adjust my aching package. “It is for charity. And you know us firemen. We love any excuse to take our shirts off.”

She looks up at me from under long, blonde lashes. “After the calendar shoot fiasco I wasn’t sure how willing you’d be to help me.”

Ah, yes. The calendar fiasco. I snort a laugh and shake my head. “I run into burning buildings for a living, Hols. On purpose. Did you really think a little dog shit would keep me away?”

Holly laughs, the full-bodied sound bursting from within her and shaking her deliciously plump figure with the force of it.

Good God, I want to eat her all up.

Starting right between her—

“It was more than a little dog shit. That poor pup had the worst diarrhoea I’ve ever seen. You were covered in it. I have photos. I was thinking of blowing one up and giving it to your mum for Christmas.”

Cocking an eyebrow at her obvious glee, I fold my arms over my chest and grin. “You just love humiliating me, don’t you?”

“Call it a hobby,” she says with a shrug, her pretty mouth curved in a smile of honest good humour. A smile that has my cock twitching with interest as I imagine how those sweet lips would feel wrapped around its rock hard length.

Fuck.

The last thing I need right now is a hard-on. I’m almost thankful for the sudden wind that whips past us, stinging my legs with flying sand.

~

From Underneath The Mistletoe by Ava Bari

The officer who’d found her daughter was still there, and Amelia had yet to even acknowledge him. She rubbed her eyes and kept Grace at her hip as she looked up at the taller man… and instantly regretted choosing her most unflattering nightgown to wear to bed.

“Mrs. Eliot, I’m Officer Zanetti,” he said, offering a hand. She tried to ignore how strong his grip was. His hand was huge and completely engulfed hers.

“Thank you so much for finding my daughter, Officer,” Amelia said. “I really can’t thank you enough.”

“It’s all in a day’s work, Ma’am,” he said, his smile bringing her back to her teenage years when she’d fawned over boy band members and actors.

She thanked him several more times as the other cops left and Grace began to yawn and lean heavily on her mother. Deciding to save all punishments until tomorrow, Amelia hoisted Grace into her arms. “I think I’d better get her to bed now.”

Officer Zanetti nodded. “Yeah you should.” He leaned over, catching Grace’s attention. She was half-asleep but awake enough to listen when he spoke. “Stay in bed this time, okay? Remember what we said.”

“Uh huh.” She took the letter out of her pocket and then, for whatever reason, handed it to the officer. “You promise Santa will read it?”

“If he doesn’t, I will read it to him myself,” he swore, as serious as if he had his hand on the Bible.

“Okay, but don’t open it until you see him,” Grace said. She nestled into the thick cottony fabric of Amelia’s nightgown and was asleep in seconds. Amelia gave Officer Zanetti a questioning look.

“Ah yeah…” He rubbed his neck. “I might have told her I work for Santa Claus to get her to come with me.”

Amelia chuckled. Her heart had yet to slow down all the way, but there was something hilarious about this tough guy cop getting embarrassed. “You’re a Christmas elf?”

“A bodyguard, thank you,” he said, affronted.

“That would’ve been my next guess.” He certainly looked the part, as the unhelpful part of Amelia’s brain was quick to point out.

They stood in awkward silence for a time until Grace shifted in Amelia’s arms, reminding her they probably shouldn’t stand outside in freezing cold weather. Officer Zanetti seemed to realize this at the same time. He coughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Okay, looks like everything is good here. I’ll let you two get some sleep.”

“Would you like some coffee before you go?” Amelia asked. “I feel like I owe you for finding my daughter.”

“Just keep her safe in bed tonight, Ma’am,” he said, walking back to his car. “Have a Merry Christmas.”

“You too,” Amelia called out, but he’d already started his engine, and she had no idea if he heard her.

*****

Author Info:

The saying goes that “it’s always the quiet ones,” and that is certainly true of Nikola Christain, the sexy personality lurking within a shy, regular woman. When she isn’t living her “normal”, quiet life, she is exploring, experiencing, reading, and writing about it all.

Follow her on goodreads, facebook, tumblr, and through her Amazon author page.

~

A native New Yorker, Shoshana David loves celebrating her Jewish heritage in her writing. A bit of a late bloomer, she didn’t catch the writing bug until college. This is her first published work.

~

Tricia Ramey, born in Alberta, Canada, enjoys reading and writing a variety of fiction. Married for sixteen years and counting to the love of her life, she uses her vast imagination and life experience to create rich and detailed scenarios for all her works.

Find her on her Amazon Author’s Page or on Tumblr.

~

USA Today bestseller Caitlyn Lynch is an Australian author and happily married mother of two. She has a number of published works available on Amazon.

You can also find her at caitlynlynch.com, on Goodreads or Bookbub, or on her Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, Instagram or Tumblr social media accounts.

Add your name to her mailing list to find out about new works, be invited to read exclusive advanced reader copies, and more!

~

Moxie Rivers is an American writer of erotic fiction of all persuasions, living on the Mid-Atlantic coast with her wife and three fat, happy cats. When not writing, she can be found at her crafting table making jewelry or digging in the dirt in her garden. You can find her on Facebook or on Tumblr.

~

Cailin Briste writes science fiction romance. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, the RWA Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter, and the RWA Passionate Ink Chapter. She’s writing the third novel in her Sons of Tallav series and the second novel in her A Thief in Love Suspense Romance series.

You can connect with Cailin on her website, her blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, Pinterest, Goodreads, Bookbub and Amazon. Join her street team or subscribe to her newsletter for lots more!

~

Jennie Kew is the author of The Q Collection, a series of quick and quirky erotic romances, as well as the upcoming Bennett’s Bastards series.

You can stalk Jennie on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, follow her on Amazon and Goodreads, or sign up for her newsletter and get first dibs on new releases, cover reveals and more.

~

Maya Bailey grew up in India but now resides in Utah with her husband. As a marketing communications professional she has lived and worked all over the world. An eternal optimist, she adores happily-ever-afters and the craft or writing. Regency Romance is her favourite genre.

You can find Maya at her website, on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and Pinterest.

~

Ava Bari is a New York born Midwesterner with a passion for writing, reading, and reading when she’s supposed to be writing. Find her on Tumblr and Twitter.

~

If the book you just can’t put down is an exciting tale of intrigue with lots of villains, twists, and an awesome romance, then you’ll love Suzi Frewin’s books. As a lifetime reader of romance, she likes more action than promise, so that’s the way she writes. Enjoy.

You can find Suzi on her website or on Twitter.

~

Annika began writing at the age of eight, but abandoned her stories in college. A ridiculous number of years later, she stumbled across fanfic, put fingers to keyboard, and hasn’t stopped writing since.

Sign up for her mailing list here, check out her website, or follow her on Tumblr or Facebook.

~

Liv Honeywell is a BDSM erotic romance writer, and when not writing about delicious, hot male dominants and the female subs who love them, she’s usually doing something craft-like, reading, or baking and attempting to satisfy the demands of His High and Mighty Dominance (the cat!).

You can follow her on her blog, on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub or her Amazon page.

Or sign up to her newsletter for freebies, fun, and book news!

~

Dana Kenzi has been writing fiction for over ten years. Currently, she indulges in her deepest and darkest fantasies to write erotica in her spare time. When she’s not glued to the keyboard, she’s eating, traveling, binge watching TV shows on Netflix, or impulse buying on Amazon.

~

Find Dana on her website, Twitter, or Facebook, or sign up to her mailing list to receive the latest information about new releases!

~

Keira always used to joke that she’d end up writing Mills & Boon novels if her career in art didn’t work out. She’s still making art and baking the sweet things that she so often likes to write about, but she decided that she’d like to do the other thing too. She lives and works in a tumbledown cottage in the back of a garden right near the ocean in Western Australia.

Find her on Tumblr.

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a Kindle Fire!

https://promosimple.com/ps/c6a0

*****

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Book Review – Follow the Snowflakes

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

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

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Angelina Kerner, Book Review, Follow the Snowflakes

Who loves sappy Christmas romances?!?!?  (I do, I do!!)

*****

Follow the Snowflakes: A Christmas Novella

by Angelina Kerner

Date Published: December 15, 2017

Genre: Chick-lit, contemporary romance

Publisher: KDP Select

Blurb:

At 28, it’s bad to be single. After four years of relationship struggles, Cat is ready to try anything.

That’s when her friend tells her about her class’ Dear Santa letters. One little boy asked for a new mommy, and she suggests Cat meets the kid’s dad, just to see where things go. Cat figures it can’t hurt…until she meets a stranger in the midst of a car accident. The man is handsome with a sad look in his eyes. He still wears a wedding band and she’s not sure his heart’s available, even if he makes her heart race. But, maybe he’s a widower? Cat wonders if she should resign herself to being an old maid, or whether she could possibly be the answer to a little boy’s Christmas wish, unless there’s a third option – a future with the stranger.

add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36555250-follow-the-snowflakes-a-christmas-novella

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07733X13J?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/follow-the-snowflakes

Book Trailer Link: https://youtu.be/9I9tcpMrg4s

*****

Excerpt:

Sunday

December 17th, 2017

Dear Diary,

When I eventually return to read my entries in my old age, I’ll always remember just how miserable I was in December of 2017. I should have had a diary when I was a teen; then it would have been funny to re-read what I went through back then. When I was in high school, I didn’t have many friends. In fact, my mother introduced me to a girl on the day of orientation. Here’s the story:

Mom parked her car, and we got out. She began looking for all the gathered students outside of the gymnasium. I knew no one at the high school and Mom knew that too. It was mainly because I finished middle school in a different district and at that moment, I was not happy about the move. I gazed at the students and my Mom. She had that glint in her eyes that said a plan was forming and I could do nothing to stop it. After a minute, she motioned me to follow her and I did, just like the good girl that I was. We walked up to two girls. One had long brown hair and was wearing a loose shirt and long skirt, while the other had short blonde hair, glasses and wore a tiger t-shirt with jeans. Mom told them how it would be nice for them to take little old me into their friendship. They said ‘sure,’ and she just left me there.

You see Diary? Now those are memories. Memories of dating an engaged guy at 28, is not as good as that one, huh?

If you’re wondering, I couldn’t really make friends with the long skirt. She and I were too different. She was very opinionated, and I couldn’t hold a conversation without being confused. The glasses girl and I stayed friends until the first year of college. We grew apart after she moved away. I did hear from her once. She congratulated me on my degree. It was random. She sounded happy, and she met her life partner. I was happy for her, but that conversation didn’t rekindle the friendship that lasted for five years.

Now, I am off to work. Yes, I’m working today, although it’s a Sunday. There are branches open on Sundays; I am talking about the ones inside the grocery stores. My friend, Jessica, who’s a manager at one, called me to cover for her today because she has a cold. I couldn’t say no, so I need to go. Oh, and she told me to buy her crew breakfast! At least, we’re only open until 2 pm today.

Cat

PS: Buy those groceries TONIGHT, or you’ll be eating Chinese noodles, and not the take-out ones.

*****

Review:

Cat mentions Hallmark Channel Christmas movies a few times and you get the feel that that was the direction Kerner was going with her story.  It’s fun, lighthearted, and predictable, but still so very enjoyable.

After the latest bad surprise with her latest relationship, Cat is ready to write off men for a while.  Which, of course, means that they come out of the woodwork – her friend has a widower dad that might be a good match and she meets a guy at the scene of an accident.  (Think you can figure out where things go from here?  Yeah, but it is still an adventure.)

A relatively new author, Kerner still has a little growing to do as a writer but she has a ton of promise.  The characters are entertaining, the story flows well, and I found myself looking forward to seeing how it all came together.  All a mark of a good book in my opinion!

*****

Author Info:

ANGELINA KERNER is a self-published author of paranormal and lighthearted romance. She’s the wife of a photographer/physicist, and the mother of a cute little toddler, but she’s also been a dancer, a psychologist, an anthropologist, a geographer, a dreamer, and an adventurer. She does her best writing while being bothered by her cats, taking care of her son, in dressing rooms while waiting for family to try on clothing, and at home in sunny California. Angelina loves to play goddess-dragon matchmaker, transporting readers to a place where young goddesses have lovable flaws, the Fates plan to dethrone, the universe is endless and untamed, and dragons roam free! She also loves to write carefree romance where one can finish reading with a smile.

https://www.facebook.com/AngelinaKernerFiction (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/kernerangelina (Twitter)

https://kernerangelina.live/ (Blog)

https://www.pinterest.ca/angelinakerner/ (Pinterest)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14651070.Angelina_Kerner (Goodreads)

*****

Giveaway:

“I have the sweetest Giveaway for the tour, open worldwide.

Included is a Wine bottle Christmas tree, chocolates, Rudolph hot chocolate with Snowflake marshmallows, a Christmas tree ornament and a signed copy of Seven Hours: Challenge Accepted.

While you read, you can enjoy chocolate!

Angelina XO”

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f22/

*****

Schedule:

Dec. 11th

Reads & Reels (Featured Promo) http://www.readsandreels.com

Book Reviews by Shalini (Excerpt) www.bookreviewsbyshalini.wordpress.com

Darque Dreamer Reads (Review) https://darquedreamerreads.wordpress.com

Gemma’s Book Reviews (Review) http://www.gemmmasbookreviews.wordpress.com

Dec. 12th

Jen Med’s Book Reviews (Review) http://Jenmedsbookreviews.com

Romantic Reads and Such (Review) https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

Loves Books Group (Review) http://www.lovesbooksgroup.blog

Tranquil Dreams (Review) https://klling.wordpress.com

Nesie’s Place (Excerpt) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

Dec. 13th

Book Inspector Blog (Review) https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com

Spunky n’ Sassy (Review) http://spunky-n-sassy.blogspot.com

Endless Reading Blog (Review) http://endlessreading.wordpress.com

Didi Oviatt (Review) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com

Novel Gossip (Review) https://novelgossip.com

Dec. 14th

Books to Get Lost In (Review) http://bookstogetlostin.blogspot.ca

J Bronder Book Reviews (Review) https://jbronderbookreviews.com

Portable Magic (Review) http://portablemagic.net

Bookish Lifestyle (Review) http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com

Book Lover in Florida (Review) http://bookloverfl12.wordpress.com

Dec. 15th

On the Shelf Reviews (Review) https://ontheshelfreviews.wordpress.com

Splashes into Books (Review) http://splashesintobooks.wordpress.com

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Spotlight – Special Delivery

11 Monday Dec 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

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Judi Lynn, Mill Pond series, Special Delivery

Way back when, we saw the cover reveal for the newest Mill Pond book.  I’m happy to say it is finally out and getting some good reviews!

*****

Special Delivery

Mill Pond #6

by Judi Lynn

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

In Mill Pond, Indiana, neighbors always look out for each other. And even though tourists are drawn to the small town’s charms, it’s the locals who fill it with warmth . . .

Traveling nurse Karli Redding doesn’t have many fond memories of her aging grandfather, Axel—or of Mill Pond. But with Axel’s health in decline and Karli on a month’s hiatus between jobs, she volunteers to set him up with the help he needs. The house and her grandfather could both use some TLC. Good thing Keagan Monroe, the very attractive mailman next door, is always ready to lend a hand…

Not a lot slips by a mailman, and Keagan appreciates Karli’s dogged attempts to spruce up the neglected property. Painting, fixing the sagging porch, delivering a constant stream of casseroles from caring neighbors—he’ll help however he can, all while keeping his feelings under wraps. A short-term fling just doesn’t fit into his schedule. But with each passing day, Karli’s bond with the town grows a little deeper. Has fate sent her exactly where she needs to be? Karli’s willing to find out, and the first step is figuring out the perfect route to Keagan’s heart…

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Keagan’s ladder leaned against the roof of the front porch. When he saw her, he called, “The paint’s already dry up here. If you bring me the shutters you painted, I’ll put them up at the two windows.”

She gave him a thumbs-up and almost ran to the barn. He’d asked her, not one of the others, to help him. She hurried to grab a pair of shutters. When she got back, he’d come down for them and jammed a screwdriver and screws in his jeans pocket. Then he scurried up to the porch roof and stood on that to work. Karli squirmed. The porch roof slanted downward and didn’t look safe to her.

“Be careful,” she said.

He gave her a look. “I’ve been balancing on a ladder to paint the peaks all day. I think I’ll survive this.”

She went to get the shutters for the second window and climbed a few rungs to hand them to him. Once he’d finished installing them, he started down. He’d reached the ground when Karli noticed someone’s paint brush lying on the roof. She scrambled up the ladder to reach it and then carefully retraced her steps. Before she reached the bottom, though, two strong hands lifted her and set her on the ground. Keagan’s touch sent heat through her fleece hoodie.

She turned and found herself toe to toe with him. His solid chest was eye level. She looked up at his strong jawline, his lips. She sucked in her breath and tilted her head, staring up into his cobalt-blue eyes. She could smell his scent—clean and manly. His gaze burned with intensity. Her lips parted. One more inch and she’d be pressing against him…

*****

Author Info:

Judi Lynn received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University as an elementary school teacher after attending the IPFW campus.  She taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades for six years before having her two daughters.  She loves gardening, cooking and trying new recipes.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

ecopy of the book

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9501/

*****

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

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Book Review – Mistletoe

07 Thursday Dec 2017

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Emily Mims, Mistletoe, The Smokey Blues series

This is a new author for me but I’ll be seeking out more from her to add to my TBR pile!

*****

Mistletoe

The Smokey Blues, Book 6

by Emily Mims

Genre:  Romance

Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

Date of Publication:  November 20th 2017

ISBN:  978-1-979474-24-5 – print book

ISBN: 978-1-944262-99-0 – eBook

Number of pages:  227

Word Count: 65,450

Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group

Blurb:

Can the holiday season turn make-believe into real passion, love and romance?

Aspiring songwriter Caitlyn Murphy is tired of sister’s hand-me-downs. From toys and bicycles to men, it seemed like everything in Caitlyn’s life first belonged to her late sister. Roped into doing Christmas for motherless nieces, and entering into a pretend romance with their dangerously attractive father, Caitlyn soon finds herself falling in love with the girls, and the enigmatic Tanner Dyson. She resists the temptation and Tanner’s insistence that they make their pretend relationship real. She wants her own family, not the one her sister had first.

Boroughs Publishing     Amazon

*****

Blurb:

“I haven’t dated anybody since I lost your sister.”  Tanner laced his fingers together. “But yes, before I fell in love with Meghan, I mostly dated dancers and other women who worked in the clubs. I guess we’re going to have to work that much harder to make it believable.”

Caitlyn eyed him curiously. “How do we do that?”

“We start by spending the rest of this evening together, like we can’t bear to be separated from one another. We sit down tomorrow morning and come up with some concrete plans, both for the girls’ Christmas this year and for some public outings for you and me so it looks like we’re dating. We see how it goes. Do you have time for a short outing with them tomorrow? Something they can tell my mother about if she asks?”

“I can take them somewhere. It might be pretty simple.”

“Simple is fine.” He glanced down the hall. “Let’s get back to the reception and put this whole thing in motion.”

She would help. But she didn’t have to like it. She would make damned sure both her mother and her Aunt Bea knew she didn’t particularly appreciate being shanghaied into a ridiculous subterfuge with Tanner Dyson. She didn’t even like him all that much. And she wasn’t all that close to the girls. How would she know what they wanted or needed to celebrate Christmas?

They returned to the party and made a beeline for the champagne fountain. He filled two flutes and handed one to her, his fingers warm where they brushed against hers. She resisted the urge to down the champagne in one nervous gulp and instead sipped it slowly, determined to ignore the curious looks she and Tanner were getting, especially when he settled his hand at her waist in a casual show of possession. To her surprise, the warmth of his hand felt comfortable, reassuring even.

She looked around to see if the Dysons had seen them together. She couldn’t spot them in the crowd, but she did catch Timberlynn’s eye as her sister gave her an almost imperceptible wink. Her mother or Aunt Bea must have filled Timberlynn in on what was going on. Her sister would probably laugh all the way home tonight. Trish looked at them curiously, especially after Tanner pulled her close for a hug, and leaned over and whispered something to Asher. Suddenly the magnitude of the ruse she and Tanner were trying to pull swept over her. Who else besides the Dysons were they going to try to fool? Just them? Or everybody in Kingsport?

*****

Review:

This is the first in the series I’ve read so I’m not sure how much the previous stories might play into Caitlyn and Tanner’s interactions.  I’m sure they’ve made appearances but I’m not sure how much that should influence reader’s reaction to their love story.  Overall, though, the story does stand alone pretty well.  Mims does a fantastic job of making sure that new readers like me can keep up with anything that might trickle in from those other stories.

There is definitely tension between the two.  Caitlyn has never warmed up to her sister’s husband – he’s all around a little too much for her and she never felt like he was worthy of being her sister’s husband.

I’m an only child so I have a pretty hard time grasping the intricacies of sibling relationships in stories like this.  Caitlyn resents her sister and feels like she’s always played second to her – getting all her hand-me-downs, big and small.  But she also loves her and holds her in very high regard, going so far to think that the man her sister loved wasn’t good enough to marry her.  Logically it makes sense but there’s just so much turbulence there and it bleeds over into her dealings with Tanner.

Who is having enough issues of his own dealing with life after the death of his wife.  It’s not been easy and he’s now feeling pressure from his own (awful) parents, which leads him to falling into a fake relationship with his sister-in-law.  He’s very aware that she’s never really liked him and having to rely on her help is complicated.  Made even more so when he starts seeing her as more than just his wife’s sister.

Mims does well by Caitlyn.  I think she finally gets a chance to put some of her emotional demons to rest and come to terms with her feelings about herself.  It’s hard for her to face certain things after so many years but she does.  I think Tanner does a good job of facing a few of his own issues (although he does have a few fabulous man moments that make you want to smack him a little).  His own childhood and history has given him a few doubts and unfortunately a lack of good communication skills on both their parts just feeds into that, and for Caitlyn as well.  They eventually get things figured out but it takes a bit and some soul-searching for them to get there 🙂

There’s a lot of drama on everyone’s part in Mistletoe and quite a few people need to learn to talk AND listen.  Quite a bit of their troubles could have been avoided with a little better communication but Mims gives us very human characters with very human faults.  (I know I’m AWFUL about communicating some things!)  It makes it real and difficult and, most of all, enjoyable to read.

*****

Author Info:

Author of thirty-four romance novels, Emily Mims combined her writing career with a career in public education until leaving the classroom to write full time. The mother of two sons and six grandsons, she and her husband live in central Texas but frequently visit their grandchildren in Tennessee and Georgia. For relaxation, she plays four musical instruments: the piano, the ukulele, the organ and the dulcimer.

Website: www.emilymims.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/emily.mims.756

Twitter: www.twitter.com/emilymimsauthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mims_emily

*****

Giveaway:

Copies of the first and second books in the Smokey Blues series; Mist and Smoke.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1705/

*****

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

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Spotlight – The Highlander’s Princess Bride

01 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Improper Princesses series, The Highlander's Princess Bride, Vanessa Kelly

I had a chance to read this one and didn’t … I’m definitely kicking myself now!!

*****

The Highlander’s Princess Bride

Improper Princesses Book 3

by Vanessa Kelly

Genre: Historical Romance

Blurb:

In Vanessa Kelly’s enchanting series, three young women descended from royalty overcome their scandalous beginnings to win the hearts of the ton’s most eligible men . . .

The illegitimate daughter of the Prince Regent might be expected to pursue various dubious professions. Actress, perhaps, or artist’s model. Even courtesan. Victoria Knight, however, has become a governess—a respectable choice, until she travels to Scotland to meet her new charges. The younger brothers of Nicholas Kendrick, Earl of Arnprior, aren’t children at all. They’re brawny, wild Highland men. As for the Earl, he’s handsome, guarded, and far too compelling . . . especially for a woman hiding a dark secret.

Nick needs a proper teacher to transform his unmarriageable brothers—and a sensible,
straight-laced wife for himself. Miss Knight seems to fit the bill on both counts. But he soon discovers there is more to Victoria than he thought. It’s not just her notorious origins, or the danger that’s followed her all the way to Scotland. It’s the fiery loyalty beneath that sedate façade. This, the real Victoria, is the woman Nick is starting to desire so desperately. And what an earl wants, he’ll use every seductive means to get . . .

**Easily read as a standalone!**

Add to Goodreads

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*****

Excerpt:

Victoria closed the door and trudged back to bed, so weary she was convinced she might sleep through anything, even hideous bagpipe serenades.

Unfortunately, she was mistaken about that. A short time later, the twins decided to hold a carouse just below her window. After suffering through no fewer than three ribald drinking songs, she leapt out of bed and stormed over to the window. As she struggled to open the old casement, Arnprior erupted from a shadowy doorway and stalked across the courtyard toward his brothers.

The earl was wearing nothing but a kilt, and was in the process of securing it around his waist. With an almost full moon shining down, she got more than an eyeful of broad, muscular shoulders and an exceedingly brawny chest. In the moonlight, he seemed nothing like the civilized aristocrat who’d pulled out her chair at dinner. This man looked like a wild Highlander, ready to go on a rampage.

With a lamentable lack of feminine sensibility, she stared down at him, unable to avert her gaze.

Graeme and Grant quickly took to their heels in self-preservation. Given the ferocity of the earl’s demeanor, she had little doubt the twins would have emerged worse for wear from an encounter with their much-put-upon brother.

Arnprior came to a halt beneath Victoria’s window, staring after his younger half-siblings with obvious frustration. He propped his hands on his hips and glanced up at her window, appearing to meet her gaze.

She was transfixed. Moonlight gleamed over his half-nude body, lovingly highlighting his tall, muscular form and his imposing presence. In the shimmering light, out there in the cold and unforgiving night air, he didn’t seem quite real. Victoria was not a woman prone to excessive imaginings, but she could see Arnprior as a creature from a more primitive time—perhaps a fierce Celtic warrior, or even a pagan god come to claim a virgin sacrifice.

And here you are, gaping down at him like a henwit.

She glanced down at herself, suddenly aware that her nightdress had slipped off her shoulder and her cap had fallen from her head, exposing her tumbled-down hair.

Scrambling backward, she sank down to the chilly floorboards. Victoria pressed a hand to her heart, trying to catch her breath and think rationally. The earl couldn’t have seen her, since it was all-but pitch black in her room and she’d never managed to get the window open. And even in her nightdress she was covered from head to toe, which was a great deal more than she could say for him. Yes, it was his castle and his brothers were acting outrageous, but that was hardly a good excuse for a gentleman to run about half-naked.

No matter how handsome and well built that gentleman might happen to be.

*****

Author Info:

Named by Booklist as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance,” USA Today bestselling author

Vanessa Kelly’s books have been nominated for awards in a number of contests. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Maggie Medallion for historical romance. With a Master’s Degree in English Literature, Vanessa is known for developing vibrant Regency settings, appealing characters, and witty storylines that captivate readers. You can visit her on the web at

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9499/

*****

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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.

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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.

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