Friday, August 31, 2018

Musing Mediterranean by Beth Daigle


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Beth Daigle will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A trip to the Mediterranean—who wouldn’t be thrilled? Beth Daigle should be doing back flips as she prepares to escape her humdrum suburban life, but travel anxiety gets the best of her. This is a trip of a lifetime, something to look forward to, yet Beth is dreading it.

The daughter of an Italian mother and Greek father, Beth has always dreamed of visiting Greece and Italy. Her Type A husband, Tony, revels in planning every detail of their two-week vacation. The plan expands to include not only Beth and Tony’s two tween daughters, but Beth’s parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew.

As her family’s excitement mounts, so does Beth’s trepidation. She experiences serious anxiety about the flight itself, plus spending two solid weeks with her extended family.

Despite her worries, Beth manages the eight-hour plane ride to Rome, and the adventure begins.

If you’ve never experienced the beauty of the Mediterranean, or even if you have, Musing Mediterranean will take you there through Beth’s eyes, page by page.

Read an Excerpt

AMALFI COAST

The moment we were all comfortably seated, we were inundated with food, in the best way possible. We didn’t order one thing; it was all brought to us. Whatever the chef was cooking was what was served, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Every plate was also a work of art: each was hand-painted, colorful, and artistic. And before we knew it, music filled the air when the owner’s niece took a microphone and asked all the patrons to join in on a sing-along.

The Italian blond beauty entertained us with her soothing voice, ethnic songs, and gregarious hospitality.

Her rousing renditions of both familiar and unfamiliar songs left us ready to sit back and enjoy the end of our memorable meal. Served family style, it was a meal that included five appetizers, five entrees, homemade wine, pear grappa, and five desserts. It was extravagant, yet unpretentious.

As desserts and limoncello came to the table, so did the owner–chef. Every bite that was served was natural and simply prepared, yet it was the most delicious food I’d ever eaten.

About the Author:
Beth Daigle is a lifelong New Englander residing north of Boston with her husband and daughters. Prior to settling into her role as a writer, Beth was a marketing professional whose favorite part of the job was writing. As a freelancer, Beth has enjoyed contributing to numerous lifestyle and home publications, yet she yearned for something more than a magazine article. Then along came Musing Mediterranean. Beth quickly became immersed in chronicling this travel event and articulating her perceptions of the places she visited, the people she met, the foods she enjoyed and the crazy moments she encountered. The idea that someone who may never travel to Greece, Italy or Turkey could appreciate this experience through Beth’s eyes became a driving force behind the story. Revealing her struggle with travel anxiety helped Beth move forward and embrace, once again, how very wonderful it is to travel the world.

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” St. Augustine.

Beth is a creative soul who finds joy in art, home design, gardening, reading, writing, a good laugh, and an even better television show.

Website: http://www.BethDaigle.com
Blog: http://www.3OlivesandaTwist.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/3olivesandatwist
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/3olivesandatwist
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/olivesnatwist

Available at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1947966073?pf_rd_p=d1f45e03-8b73-4c9a-9beb-4819111bef9a&pf_rd_r=W3MJ4WHBPK1MTJC8KW6Y.

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Thursday, August 30, 2018

Monsterland Reanimated by Michael Okon


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

After Monsterland has imploded, the entire world is thrown into chaos. World leadership is gone, economies have collapsed, and communications are non-existent. Wyatt must go beyond the boundaries of his small town to reestablish contact with the outside world, and alert the government about a traitor-in-chief.

During his journey he discovers a new threat released from the bowels of the defunct theme park.

When an army of relentless mummies, a life-sucking ooze called The Glob, and a hybrid reanimated Behemoth rise from the depths of Monsterland, who will survive?

Read an excerpt:

He knew the werewolves were dead; he had seen it with his own eyes. A figure detached from the shadows. Igor flattened himself against the wall. He watched it move stealthily down the street, stopping when it scavenged a morsel of rotting flesh. It looked up to stare at Igor, its eyes glowing in the darkness.

A coyote? He waved a hand, dismissing it. It had to be a coyote; it was too small to be a wolf, too big to be a dog. The beast twitched its ears, then resumed its meal.

Igor knew the coyote was not a threat, and he continued his mission. His lame foot hit a can, sending a cacophony of sound like an explosion in the deserted park. The beast dropped the bone it was gnawing on, sniffing the area. Its iridescent eyes searched the streets.

It could be a baby wolf, Igor thought, keeping himself as still as possible. He felt it watching him, even from this distance. It was not a threat, yet.

Igor skittered away, hugging the walls of Monsterland, putting as much distance as he could between them. Not an easy feat, considering his distorted hips. He muttered to himself about carrion and the wind. His eyes darted nervously, scouring the hills, not exactly sure what he was looking for. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His heart pounded so loudly he was certain that the creature watching him could hear it too.

His feet stumbling to a halt, he bent over, gasping for air, cursing Vincent and those meddlesome teenagers, as well as the rest of the world.

The beast gave another mournful howl that went right through him. Igor glanced at his empty hands, berating himself for not bringing a weapon. He searched his surroundings for anything to protect himself.

Then he saw it, one of the axes they had on almost every corner. All of them had been pulled from their protective cases. One was lying in a pool of coagulating blood, the blade long gone. He picked up the broken axe handle, turning in a semicircle. He was ready for an attacker.


About the Author:
Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

Website: http://www.michaelokon.com
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Okon/e/B0752THRZV/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
iBooks Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/michael-okon/id1292020808?mt=11
Kobo Link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=Michael Okon&fcsearchfield=Author
Barnes & Nobel Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/monsterland-michael-okon/1126998959?ean=9781614755944
SmashWords Link: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MichaelOkon
Email: mailto:michaelokonbooks@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IAmMichaelOkon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammichaelokon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iammichaelokon
Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/iammichaelokon

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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Single and Looking: Daisy by Belinda Austin


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Belinda Austin will be awarding a $10 or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

AT FIRST, DAISY IGNORES HER CAT'S DATING ADVICE.

Daisy will turn 40 in eleven months and has never married. Her family figures Daisy is a loser because she is still in college trying to avoid paying off her student loans which have amassed over 22 years of a miseducation. And all Daisy has is a cat to keep her company. To make the crises worse, her cat begins talking to Daisy, when she is sober! The mess of Daisy's life is even kookier because the cat is cursing and smoking now and drinking more alcoholic beverages. Mm, there must be a connection to all this flowing alcohol, which may explain the bubbly in Daisy's brain. Her sisters and mother insist on setting Daisy up on six blind dates and all the men are named after liquor.

A heartwarming, LOL book that will make you smile.

Read an Excerpt:

Alrighty then, Daisy would dive into the swamp of blind dating, feet first. She would trust her sisters to hunt down the right man for her, men vetted by referrals, five blind dates. From the lucky candidates, she would choose which man was right for her.

Daisy leaned back against the sofa with her eyes closed. The experience would be like The Bachelorette television show, starring her.

Daisy could see herself arriving in a white stretch limo wearing movie-star sunglasses.

She waves her hand at the crowds lined with encouraging posters.

WE LOVE YOU DAISY!

GO, GIRL!

DAISY NUMBER ONE!

She climbs out of the limo, wearing a white fur coat and walking as if she owns the world.

Two yummy tuxedo-dressed men swing open the doors for her.

She smiles with sparkling-diamond teeth as each doorman kisses a hand.

There stand five hunky handsome men, each with a rose twirling in his hand.

She spins to the camera, showing a flash of panty and making the men swoon.

“Hi, I’m Daisy, and I’m your newest Bachelorette.”

Daisy winks at the camera. “You’re in for some steamy hot tub moments this season so don’t change the channel. I may seem like a lunatic talking to my cat, but I’m not crazy. Trust me.”

She drops the fur coat exposing the strait jacket she’s wearing until Shakespeare stuck his rear in her face, tail up. “Scratch my butt, won’t you Daisy? There’s a good girl; I can’t reach that spot.”

About the Author:
Belinda Austin writes Women's Fiction, Romanic Comedy, Humor, Psychological Thrillers and Suspense. She has a degree in Applied Mathematics and once worked as a Software Engineer. She was born in the Los Angeles Area and is an award-winning author. She is a Zumbaholic.

Belinda, also, writes Science Fiction and Fantasy under the name of B. Austin. She writes Historical Fiction under the name of Belinda Vasquez Garcia, along with Middle Grade Fiction.

She has occasionally dreamt or her cat, Shakespeare, talking to her in English. She once had a cat named Whiskey who used to sit like a human in a chair for half an hour or more with an empty beer can on his head, which proves that life often emulates fiction.

Buy Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Single-Looking-Daisy-Secret-Sisters-ebook/dp/B07DBB89FM/ref=sr_1_1 The book is now available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40217389-single-and-looking-daisy
Website: http://www.authorBelinda.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBelindaAustin
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MagicProse
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baustinbooks/

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Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Tail of the Dragon by Connie di Marco


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Connie di Marco will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never thought murder would be part of her practice, but now, Julia’s former boss and current client has asked for help. He has serious problems at his law firm. Three people have received death threats and the only common denominator between them is a case long settled -- the infamous Bank of San Francisco fire. Julia’s convinced a woman is behind the threats, perhaps even the widow of the man who died in that same fire, but no one wants to believe that astrology could provide a clue. Before Julia can help her client, two lawyers are dead and her own life is threatened. Can she unmask the killer before he (or she) takes another life?

Read an Excerpt:

I settled into the office chair and flicked on the computer. Samantha, at the Chronicle, had sent forty-three AskZodia emails. I heaved a sigh. So many people asking for advice. I separated out the letters that asked no particular question and then separated the emails into male and female groups.

A few of the emails were quite intriguing. One woman wrote to ask about the dynamic between her brother, now deceased, and her mother. Her mother blamed herself for her son’s death and was torturing herself with guilt. I could tell by the brother’s chart, strong Uranus and Mars aspects, that there was absolutely nothing her mother could have done to control her son. The mother had done the best she could and needed to let go.

I clicked on another.

Dear Zodia ~

I’ve been happily married for twelve years. My wife is a wonderful woman and a loving wife and mother. For the past few months I’ve found myself attracted to another woman. I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help myself. It’s become an obsession and I don’t know what to do. I’ve never cheated on my wife but I find myself thinking about it all the time. I think this other woman is also attracted to me, but I’m not sure. I’m so confused, I don’t know what’s happening to me and I don’t know what to do.

~ Confused

Dear Confused ~

I’ll be very direct. It’s really not a choice between one woman or another. You are yearning. You are seeking an aspect of your own ‘anima’ or female self. Neptune is currently opposing your natal Venus and you, believe me, are most likely projecting all sorts of qualities on to this other person, most of which you would ultimately discover are not real.

We experience great yearnings with Neptune transits and tend to believe that the answer is ‘somewhere else.’ Under transits of Neptune, especially, it is not possible to see things clearly. You and your wife are quite compatible astrologically. It would be a shame to destroy your marriage for what may be no more than a passing wraith.

I recommend seeking professional help to discover what you are missing in your life and your love life. Often, the ‘other’ that you are attracted to turns out to be much like the person you are currently with. There is an excellent book on this very subject: ‘Love Triangles’ by Julia Bonatti, published by Stargazer Press. This might be a start in helping you sort out your feelings.

~ Zodia

Samantha would get a kick out of this response. Me, anonymously, plugging my own book, but I really did think it would be a help to this man.

About the Author:
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink featuring San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti. The Tail of the Dragon, third in the series, will be released on August 8, 2018.

Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the national bestselling Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime. You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of MWA, Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

http://www.conniedimarco.com
https://www.facebook.com/zodiacmysteries/
http://www.Twitter.com/askzodia

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Zodiac-Mystery-Connie-Marco/dp/0738751065/
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tail-of-the-dragon-connie-di-marco/1127149243
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738751061
Mysterious Galaxy: https://www.mystgalaxy.com/book/9780738751061

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Monday, August 27, 2018

Another Five Minutes by Destiny Booze


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Destiny Booze will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Loving him is easy.

Fearing him is necessary.

Trusting him could be a deadly mistake.

Born deaf and living with an anxiety disorder, Brooke Hartley manages life in five-minute intervals. It’s all she can do to get out of bed each morning. She’s hidden inside her sister’s apartment for over a year.

Everything changes when Brooke’s sister goes missing. Her fragile world crashes. She is desperate to find her, and she’ll need help.

Haunted by a past he needs to forget, Scott Derrico keeps to himself until his gallery manager, Autumn Hartley, suddenly disappears. He is forced out of his isolation to help a woman that needs him with a terrifying intensity.

Scott tries to deny his attraction to Brooke. He doesn’t want to get emotionally involved but he craves her like nothing else. And, for her, he is a dark and sexy diversion to overcome her fear.

With a genuinely flawed and relatable heroine and a mysterious and protective hero, you won’t want this love story to end. You’ll beg…for another five minutes…


Read an Excerpt:

Brooke watched as Scott poured a double shot of liquor and drained it. He faced her long enough for her to see him say, “I’m sorry. It looks like we’ll have to wait to go see Zack.”

When he turned back to pour another, Brooke put her laptop down, hurried to him, and covered the glass with her hand, shaking her head back and forth. She worried about him. The cops would be back to talk to him, and she didn’t want him to be drunk when they did.

She took his hand away from the glass and traced, S.O.B.E.R.

He gave her a humorless grin. “Do you really think you want me sober right now?”

It wasn’t so much his words as the look in his green eyes that scared her, and she backed away from him.

He advanced. “If you don’t want me to drink, you’re going to have to give me something else to do.”

Gulping, she retreated further, and her back bumped the wall behind her. In the next instant he was standing right in front of her. Grasping her face between his hands, he tilted her head up and kissed her.

Brooke spread her arms wide in surprise, and he came closer, trapping her to the wall. She had no time to object, and she didn’t want to. He kissed her hard, the anger she sensed earlier radiating out of him. It should have scared her, but it didn’t. She wanted more.

About the Author:
Destiny Booze is an interesting name, true? Destiny’s mom found her first name in a romance book. Her last name was a gift from the man she loves.

She writes novels with intense conflicts, ongoing suspense, romance, and happy endings. She grew up at a campground where she spent her summers working long hours mowing, cleaning bathrooms, lifeguarding, and leading activities.

Destiny resides in Botetourt County, Virginia where she strives to be the best wife, mother, and writer that she can be. Her family is always priority number one. Other things of great importance to her are friends and her readers!

Follow Destiny on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter @destinybooze, or her website www.destinybooze.com. Go to her website and sign up for her mailing list for updates on book releases and book giveaways.

https://www.amazon.com/Destiny-Booze/e/B002BMHNNW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Destiny-Booze/152893818389

Buy the book at https://www.amazon.com/Another-Five-Minutes-Destiny-Booze-ebook/dp/B07FLJ949F/

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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

The Perception Game by Cadence Vonn


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cadence Vonn will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When it comes to sex, school teacher Camille Weatherby considers herself an exhibitionist. She refuses to allow anyone to control her life, and relationships are out of the question. Any affairs are one-night stands, and the only thing that matters is the pleasure she garners from the thrill of possibly being caught. But an encounter with a hot stranger at a costume party leaves her disregarding that rule.

Millionaire bad boy Garrett Gerard craves control, especially in the bedroom, and money buys what he enjoys. His indiscretions have caught up with him, and his father presents an ultimatum--straighten up or lose the chance to be president of the family business. Camille tests his willpower, and he can't resist showing her what it's like to be with a dominating lover.

When their fling is discovered, Camille and Garrett are forced to fake an engagement to save their jobs. But the more they’re thrown together, the more sparks fly.

Read an Excerpt

Garrett’s large frame had her caged in between his arms. The meaning of his look triggered spasms of desire between her legs. He lowered close to her face, near her eyes, and she closed them. His warm lips placed soft kisses against her eyelids.

Lingering.

Branding.

Claiming.

He moved lower and teased her mouth with a swish of his tongue and then a searing, deep kiss that drove the heat from her lips out over her body until she burned from his touch. When he released them she panted as he continued his descent.

About the Author:
Cadence has been involved in the arts since she could pick up a crayon. She has a BFA in photography and silversmithing. If you get a glimpse of her notebooks you’ll discover she’s an accomplished doodler. She channels her daydreams into sizzling hot romances. Now she is living her dream with her husband on Whidbey Island with a view of Puget Sound outside her door.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CadenceVonn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015062562531

Buy links:

https://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/6049-the-perception-game.html
https://www.amazon.com/Perception-Game-Games-People-Play-ebook/dp/B07FFD87HT/ref=sr_1_2

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Monday, August 20, 2018

The Half Breed by Bobbi Smith


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Bobbi Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Today I’m going to share five things you’d probably never guess about me!

1. I had a career in retail before I started writing. I went to a teacher’s college for two years. My sister was already teaching grade school, but when a kid showed up in her class with a gun, I changed majors. :-) I got a business degree and worked for a major department store chain for several years. I was the first female department manager in a hardlines department. :-) Looking back, I’m very glad I got that business degree because it really helped me career-wise. You can write a good book, but you also have to sell it. I have so much fun doing author tours. It’s great to get out and meet the booksellers and the readers.

2. I love New York City! New York is a wonderful place. The first time I went was for a Romantic Times conference back in the eighties. I am still amazed that so many people can live so close together and get along. I didn’t know anyone at the conference and I’d never flown before, so looking back, that was pretty daring of me, but it was definitely worth it.

3. I’ve been with my agent for over 30 years now. Thank heaven for Evan (Marshall)! (I didn’t know I was a poet, too. :-)) I don’t know if I would be as successful as I am fortunate to be if it hadn’t been for him. So, to all you aspiring writers out there, be sure to find an agent you can work with, one who will listen to you, and one who will guide you in the right direction.

4. I’m sure you can guess this one—I love the Wild West. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and I love setting my stories there. From the desert near Phoenix to the snowy mountains in Wyoming, it’s amazing. The Superstition Mountains in Arizona have inspired several of my books. I was a huge Bonanza fan growing up, and one of my biggest thrills was getting to tour the Ponderosa out near Reno. And Texas is wonderful!

5. My favorite books growing up were Box Car Children series. I’m so glad to see that it’s still popular with young readers. As for the book that inspired my writing career, that was The Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. It was one of the first historical romances to be published, and I stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish it. (I had a toddler at the time, so I was a little tired the following day!) Currently, I love reading Julie Garwood and Suzanne Brockman. They write some awesome stories with great heroes!

SECRET FIRES

In the midst of the vast, windswept Texas plains stands a ranch wrested from the wilderness with blood, sweat and tears. It is the shining legacy of Thomas McBride to his five living heirs. But along with the fertile acres and herds of cattle, each will inherit a history of scandal, lies and hidden desire that threatens to burn out of control.

THE HALF-BREED

Chase knows he has no legitimate claim to the Circle M. After all, his father made it painfully clear he wants nothing to do with his bastard son or the Comanche girl he once took to his bed. But Chase has his own reasons for answering Tom McBride's deathbed summons. He has a job to do as a Texas Ranger, and a woman to protect—a woman whose sweet innocence gives him new faith that love born in the darkest night can face the dawn of all his tomorrows.

Read an Excerpt:

Chase was ready for trouble and trouble was exactly what he got when he snared the would-be horse thief around the waist. The thief put up a fierce struggle, but only when Chase heard the scream did he realize he was dealing with a woman!

“Hold still!” he commanded.

Fighting with all her strength, it took Faith a moment to realize he’d spoken English. Only when she was slammed back against the solid, hard-muscled width of his chest and held pinned there, did she become aware that this was no ordinary renegade.

“Damn it woman! I said hold still!” Chase ground out, wondering how this golden-haired wildcat of a woman had ended up in his camp trying to steal his horse in the middle of the night.

He looked down at her as she finally stilled in his arms. Only now did he notice that her blouse was torn and her pale flesh was bared to his gaze. She was filthy and there were bruises evident upon her flesh. They were a silent testimony to abuse she’d suffered. He wondered who she was and what had happened to bring her to him.


About the Author:
After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.

Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists.

When she's not working on her novels, she is frequently a guest speaker for writer's groups. Bobbi is mother of two sons and resides in St. Charles, Missouri with her husband and three dogs.

You can follow Bobbi on Facebook in the group Bobbi Smith Books (https://www.facebook.com/groups/45814589415/about/).

Bobbi has been awarded the prestigious “Storyteller of the Year” Award from Romantic Times Magazine (New York) and has attained positions on the New York Times Best Seller List, the USA Today Best Seller List, the Walden’s Best Seller List, B. Dalton’s List, and the Wal-Mart and K-Mart Best Seller Lists.

The foreign rights to Ms. Smith’s books have been sold to China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Russia and Sweden. Smith’s current publisher is Amazon. Bobbi has written two faith-based contemporary novels - Haven (https://bobbismithbooks.com/product/haven) and Miracles (https://bobbismithbooks.com/product/miracles) - using the pseudonym of Julie Marshall. (https://bobbismithbooks.com/author/who-is-julie-marshall)

Copyright © 2018 Bobbi Smith.

https://bobbismithbooks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/45814589415/about/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13375.Bobbi_Smith

https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Fires-Spell-historical-romance-ebook/dp/B001FOPV72/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

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Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Shadows and Silk Series by Sofie Darkling



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Sofie Darling will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

5 Things You’d Probably Never Guess About Me


1. I’ll be running my 10th marathon in Toronto in October. A good friend, who lives in another state, and I meet in a different city every year to run a marathon together. This year marks our first international race. Although, I don’t think I can claim what I do out there is “racing.” We’ll call it “faster than a walk” and leave it at that. :)

2. I lived in the Philippines from 1997 to 1998. Mr. Darling accepted a year-long expat job there, and off we went. We had the best time exploring Manila, the islands, and the cuisine. I still crave cheddar cheese ice cream. It has to be tried to be believed, but, trust me, it’s absolutely scrumptious.

3. I’ve been inside the factory where iPhones are made. In the mid-aughts, I had the opportunity to travel to China and visit the massive, and infamous, factory where iPhones and other devices are manufactured. The experience was both fascinating and sobering. Our cheap technology can exact a high price from those who make it.

4. I’ve ventured into the very lava tube that inspired Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. In April, Mr. Darling and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary by visiting Iceland. While there, we followed Verne’s 150-year-old footsteps down 35 meters into the Vatnshellir Cave, located in the middle of an old lava field that runs into the sea. It was easy to see how the area got his creative juices flowing.

5. I love rap music. In the same year, I was introduced to both the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. I was 10, and they blew my mind and made me smile. I’m a music omnivore, but I always return to rap. It can be a difficult genre to navigate, especially for women, but at its very best, it’s gorgeous and raw and true, which is the best any artform can deliver. It’s poetry that happens to have a good beat.

Three Lessons in Seduction

Lord Nicholas Asquith needs his wife. Too bad he broke her heart ten years ago.

Can he resist a second chance at the love he lost?

When Mariana catches the eye of the man at the center of an assassination plot, Nick puts aside their painful past and enlists her to obtain information by any means necessary, even if it means seducing the enemy agent.

Even if the thought makes his blood boil.

Only by keeping his distance from Mariana these last ten years was he able to pretend indifference to her. With every moment spent with her, he feels his tightly held control slipping...

Can she trust the spy who broke her heart?

Mariana spent the last decade forgetting Nick. Now she has the chance to best him at his own game, an opportunity she can’t resist, even as her view of him begins to shift. Increasingly, she wants nothing more than to seduce her own husband . . .

It’s only a matter of time before mad passion ignites, a passion never convincingly extinguished. A passion that insists on surrendering to the yearning of the flesh and, quite possibly, of the heart.

Tempted by the Viscount

London, April 1825

Lord Jakob Radclyffe left his past behind in the Far East. Or so he thinks until a ruthless thief surfaces in London, threatening to ruin his daughter’s reputation. With the clock ticking, Jake needs the scandalous Lady Olivia Montfort’s connections in the art world to protect his daughter’s future.

Olivia, too, has a past she’d like to escape. By purchasing her very own Mayfair townhouse, she’ll be able to start a new life independent from all men. There’s one problem: she needs a powerful man’s name to do so. The Viscount St. Alban is the perfect name.

A bargain is struck.

What Olivia doesn’t anticipate is the temptation of the viscount. The undeniable spark of awareness that races between them subverts her vow to leave love behind. Soon, she has no choice but to rid her system of Jake by surrendering to her craving for a single scorching encounter.

But is once enough? Sometimes once only stokes the flame of desire higher and hotter. And sometimes once is all the heart needs to risk all and follow a mad passion wherever it may lead.


Read an Excerpt from Tempted by a Viscount

An image of tonight’s hostess came to mind. Of her surface . . . Her eyes fluttering shut, lashes dark against her pale skin, parted lips reaching up, up, up . . . And her depths . . . The quality that made him want to forget his place, his purpose, himself, and dip his head and claim those lips until they were satisfied, sated. As if a mere kiss could accomplish satisfaction and satiety between them.

A soft swish of skirts whispered behind him, and a voice sounded in his ear. “Does it disappoint? Disappointment can leave one feeling decidedly unfulfilled.”

Jake looked right, and the room fell away. There she stood, throwing that word at him again. Disappointment. The idea that he’d disappointed her had gnawed at him since yesterday. And now she was throwing another word into the mix. Unfulfilled.

While he had no desire to leave this woman disappointed, he certainly didn’t want to leave her unfulfilled. In fact, under a different set of circumstances for their acquaintance, he wouldn’t walk away from this woman until she was thoroughly . . . exhaustively . . . fulfilled, satisfied, sated . . .


About the Author:
Sofie spent much of her twenties raising two boys and reading every book she could get her hands on. Once she realized that she was no longer satisfied with simply reading the books she loved, that she must write them, too, she decided to finish her degree and embark on a writing career. Mr. Darling and the boys gave her their wholehearted blessing.

When she’s not writing heroes who make her swoon, she runs a marathon in a different state every year, visits crumbling medieval castles whenever she gets a chance, and enjoys a slightly codependent relationship with her beagle, Bosco.

WEBSITE: http://www.sofiedarling.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sofiedarlingauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sofie_darling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiedarlingluv/

BUY LINKS: Three Lessons in Seduction: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Lessons-Seduction-Sofie-Darling-ebook/dp/B074WGWGMK/
Tempted by he Viscount: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CHP5ZSD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Scourge by Charley Pearson


We welcome Charley Pearson who is celebrating today's release of Scourge.

Five Things You Might Not Guess About Charley Pearson


Ooh, evil request. I love it. Okay, let’s see.

1) On my first day of first grade, they let us out for recess in the morning. They hadn’t explained the concept, so I presumed it was lunchtime. Being a loner, I didn’t pay much attention to the other kids playing, and walked home. But my mom was out shopping. So I wandered around in circles in the front yard singing the theme song to TV’s Wyatt Earp at the top of my lungs until someone showed up and explained I should still be in school. To this day, my brother and sister think it’s hilarious. And no, I do not remember the words to that song.

2) In junior high (a.k.a. middle school, nowadays) I once ran for student council. We all had to give short speeches to the student body in a vain attempt to garner votes. I made the mistake of thinking this was about competence and willingness to serve, so I threw out such irrelevancies as my grades. Never occurred to me it was about popularity, and nerds hadn’t a prayer. Darn good thing I didn’t win—I’d have had no clue how to fit in.

3) During college I participated in the second march on Washington, D.C., to protest the Vietnam War and the draft. After the government responded to the pressure, got us out, and ended the draft, I responded in turn by volunteering for the Navy and spending thirty-some years working for them. Gotta support a system that allows me to protest when I like. Who knows? I may be the only Vietnam protester who admitted to once trying marijuana on his security clearance forms, vacationed for three weeks in the Soviet Union at the height of detente, and then spent a career with the military.

4) When my daughters were taking ballet, the studio roped some of us dads into being ushers. Then working backstage building sets. Then donning tuxedos and serving as mobile scenery during Nutcracker performances. Then helping the senior girls learn some basic partnering steps. So eventually, five us dared and out-dared each other enough to start taking ballet ourselves. For several years. Until we got to the intermediate level, anyway. So yes, I learned ballet, and we all lost weight and got in way better shape. And it was fun. So there.

5) Come on, do I really have to do five? Mumble. Well, I’m a cancer survivor, prostate cancer being sort of the male equivalent of breast cancer except either less deadly or more treatable. ’Twould be even better if more men were willing to talk about it and get regular PSA screening. Anyway, it’s not slowed me down. I’ve taken up tennis after a few decades of playing only once a year, and improved so much I’ve gone from atrocious to terrible to bad to the point where I’m now only extremely dubious. Woo-hoo!

Finally, I am a very private person who would never actually reveal deep dark secrets like these to the general pub...er...wait.... Hey, how do you block and delete stuff, again?

Fine, I’m stuck with these responses. Hope they fulfill your request, because there’s absolutely nothing else about me that’s the least bit embarrassing. Really. Promise. (You believe me, don’t you?)

Financially independent, biochemistry genius Stacy Romani grows up off the grid, while her Roma family takes advantage of her knowledge for their own gain.

Watching his family farm struggle, and traumatized by mass slaughter, Aatos Pires wants to heal animals but gets seduced by industry and goes to work for a big pharmaceutical company.

When Aatos’ co-worker Trinity creates a deadly doomsday virus, it puts the world population in jeopardy as it spreads exponentially. . .with no cure in sight.

Stacy and Aatos work alone to find a cure, as the CDC and FBI close in. Will they find a way to stop the plague or will it be the end of the world?

About the Author:
Charley Pearson started in chemistry and biology, then moved on to bioengineering, so the Navy threw in some extra training and made him a nuclear engineer. This actually made sense when his major task turned out to be overseeing chemical and radiological environmental remediation at Navy facilities after the end of the Cold War, releasing them for unrestricted future use. Now he writes fiction.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WNCAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharleyPearson
Website: http://charleypearson.com/

FIERY SEAS BOOKSTORE: https://www.fieryseaspublishing.com/product-page/scourge
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GCP736M/
BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scourge-charley-pearson/1129276320?ean=2940161934647
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/gr/en/ebook/scourge-12

Monday, August 13, 2018

Jinx by Ernest Lancaster


A special welcome to Ernest Lancaster who is visiting with us to celebrate the recent release of The Jinx.

FIVE THINGS YOU’D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME
By Ernest Lancaster


1. When my dad whistled, the birds envied him. And he could build anything he put his mind to. I can’t carry a tune of any stripe, and heaven help us if I pull out hammer-and-nail. The handiest device in my toolbox is my checkbook.

2. When I was a rookie cop in the early ’70s, on the midnight shift it wasn’t unusual to see Elvis cruising Memphis’ deserted streets in his big, black Stutz Bearcat. He would wave, and a gorgeous babe always rode at his side. Often, I dreamed of trading partners with him.

3. I once experimented with cooking eggs by adding a spicy rub to the mix. They were an awful, brown failure. DON’T BARBECUE EGGS!

4. My best friend and I invented a Frisbee © game that kept us entertained for thirty years until we got too old to sprint, dive and tumble, not to mention throw them at maximum velocity. We called it Ambush. Utilizing two Frisbees © of different weight and size, the object was to better the other by one of two means: First, float one high and then zing the second, so they arrived simultaneously. The closer one came to hitting the other in the hand with the zinger, only to have it pop out of his grasp, the greater the satisfaction. Second, nest the two Frisbees © and throw them as one until they separate in the air, making the opponent catch two hurtling discs. The double-throw could be glided softly, on-the-run, bounced off the ground or tossed straight up, only to come careening down. I’ve not seen the Frisbees © we used, a 165-gram model and a 141-gram, on the market for a long time. Since we usually played on Sunday mornings, my granddaughter called us Frisbyterians.

5. Cops are pranksters on par with athletes. Except we seek relief from life-and-death stress. I once “stole” a prize at a literary conference. At Killer Nashville after the awards ceremony, a winner of one of the categories sat proudly at the bar drinking with his trophy to his back. As the winner prattled on about who-knows-what, I took the opportunity of his indifference to slip up behind him, purloin the big cup, and set it on the bar beside me. When he recovered from the shock of his prize-gone-missing, it didn’t take long to spot it. He rushed over with great indignation and snatched it back. Some people don’t take jokes well, but I was quite proud to “win” such a prestigious award for a few minutes.

Disaster strikes and innocents die as police sniper Rick Munro is plagued by a first-call jinx. As his career takes off, he must overcome his rookie mistakes, and keep his team members safe.

When Munro returns to TACT as a newly promoted lieutenant, the jinx torments him still. He must contend with team members’ rival agendas around every turn. Munro finds himself in a battle he can’t escape as corruption and death unfold around him.

Who can he trust? Will Munro break the streak or will it destroy everything he believes in?


About the Author:
Ernest Lancaster retired from the Memphis Police Department as a captain after serving as a cop for thirty-three years.

In the early seventies Lancaster spent two years walking a night beat in downtown Memphis, when The Peabody and Beale Street lay boarded up and crumbling and the center city became a dystopian ghost town after dark. He patrolled in ward cars, trooped for three days through a sea of pilgrims to Elvis’s funeral, edited the Memphis Police Association’s newspaper and acted as the association’s vice-president. For twenty-six years he held positions on the TACT Squad.

Lancaster now resides with his wife and Yorkie in the Smoky Mountains, where they love to hike and camp.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ernest.lancaster.98
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErnestLancast
Website: https://ernestlancaster.com/

https://www.fieryseaspublishing.com/product-page/the-jinx
https://www.amazon.com/Jinx-Memphis-M-Book-ebook/dp/B07FJXQNWF/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-jinx-ernest-lancaster/1129081621?ean=2940162142195
https://www.kobo.com/gr/en/ebook/the-jinx-10

Monday, August 6, 2018

A Match for the Marquess by Lillian Marek


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Lillian Marek will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Decisions, decisions…

Should Lady Anne Milhaven marry the wealthy and handsome young marquess, or should she resign herself to living out her life in poverty and disgrace, exiled from the world she was born to?

Should Philip Tremaine, the new Marquess of Penworth, redeem his honor and marry the proud and beautiful earl’s daughter whom he has unintentionally compromised, or should he prove himself as dissolute as his contemptible family?

They are not fools, but marriage is only the beginning. Now can they learn to work together and thwart the vile plots of their scheming relatives?

A Match for the Marquess is the prequel to the Victorian Adventures series.

Read an Excerpt:

Lady Hadlow arrived first. The feline smile she turned on Anne was clearly not intended in friendship.

“My dear child,” she said, “you must be quite overwhelmed with all that is happening. It hardly seems right for such a little innocent to be married off to a man of such wide experience as Penworth. Do feel free to ask if you have any questions about how to please a man.”

Anne started to freeze up so she could allow the comments to slide past without touching her, the technique she had perfected while coping with the Craddocks. Then she realized that she did not have to retreat. Thanks to Penworth, she now had a place of her own, a standing quite as secure as that of Lady Hadlow.

She offered a smile as sincere as Lady Hadlow’s. “Oh thank you so much, Lady Hadlow. Not every older woman is generous enough to offer the fruits of her experience to the next generation. I am sure we could all profit”—here she gestured at her new friends, who were listening avidly to the exchange—“from the lessons of your many years in…society.” She lifted her hand to her breast so that her betrothal ring glittered in the candlelight.

Lady Hadlow had not been expecting any riposte, and since she was staring, mesmerized, at the ring, it took a few moments for the import of Anne’s words to sink in. Her eyes widened, and her fingers curled. “Next generation! Why you little chit…”

About the Author: When she retired after too many years in journalism, Lillian Marek felt a longing for happy endings and stories where the good guys win and the bad guys get their just deserts. Having exhausted her libraryís supply of non-gory mystery stories, she started reading romance novels, especially historical romance. This was so much fun that she thought sheíd like to try her hand at writing one. So she took her computer keyboard in hand, slipped back into the 19th century, and began.

She was right - writing romance novels is as much fun as reading them.

Website: http://www.lillianmarek.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLillianMarek
https://twitter.com/lillianmarek

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Match-Marquess-Manners-Victorian-Adventures-ebook/dp/B07D4QHVFJ/
https://books2read.com/u/4AYwBe

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Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Love. Local. Latebreaking. by H. Laurence Lareau


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. H. Laurence Lareau will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

In a recent radio interview (it’s only 20 minutes or so—listen to it here: http://wvik.org/post/scribble-hector-lareau#stream/0), the hosts and I discussed how satisfying romance is to read and how it will be the centerpiece of The Great American Novel, whenever that manifests itself. Romance is fundamentally about the fulfillment of our deepest human needs, to love, to be loved in return, to find some element of completion that will help each of us become acutalized humans. On the way to reaching that fulfillment, responsibly composed romances confront the mess that even the most meticulously organized life is. As we each must do, the characters confront their own weaknesses and deal with the difficulties of daily life in order to find their ways to the actualization of their romance. Of course, there is a wonderful satisfaction for the reader when heroine and hero are able to confront and conquer all their troubles and find a clear path to one another. The happily ever after ought to be as satisfying for the reader as for the characters. If the characters are vivid enough to root for, the ride into the sunset should feel as good for the romance reader as the team’s biggest win of the season feels for a devoted sports fan. It should show potential realized, hopes fulfilled, effort rewarded, and victory claimed. The adventure that romance offers to most of us is the greatest adventure most of us will ever experience, and having the quest end well in fiction fulfills our own hopes and dreams.

What research is required?

Having spent a brief career working in television news, my research into the setting and background elements just involved updating my technical knowledge. Placing plausible news stories into the plot was a matter of reading headlines from various TV newsrooms to identify the kinds of events that could move the plot forward. Since the series tries diligently to hew to real life, my research and adaption didn’t have to diverge very far from actual events.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

Love. Local. Latebreaking.’s heroine, Karli, taught me that I settle too easily. After the first draft, I thought she was an attractive and special character—a woman I could fall in love with. My beta readers informed me in no uncertain terms that I was wrong and that she was completely insufferable—one even said she wouldn’t mind if Karli fell off a cliff. It took six or seven iterations to give her a pleasant enough personality to pass muster with the beta readers. She became a warmer, kinder woman, and one more likely to expose her vulnerability on the way toward forming an authentic relationship with the hero. As she developed and grew, I realized that the had made great progress toward becoming a woman worthy of Jake (and, of course, me). Initially settling for less than the woman I deserved—a chilly, self-absorbed, micro-manager—was a mistake. She was not capable of authentic intimacy, and that was a fatal flaw in her character. As she and Jake grew together and she became more playful and able to reveal herself more fully, I came to appreciate that she was much more the woman the readers and Jake deserve because she was less broken and inhibited by her family history.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

Since I write alone, I haven’t had a lot of feedback on any quirks—it all seems perfectly normal to me! Visualizing my characters is incredibly important, and I’ve been known to search the interwebs for images that help me to focus on the kinds of people they are. Mary Rose, one of Karli’s ride-or-die friends is a unique woman, and she took some searching before I found her doppelganger. She’s very feminine, but in unusual ways. Her fine arts and graphic arts background shows through her elaborate tattoos and several piercings. Her strongly self-reliant streak comes out in some kind of butch ways, that sort of undercut how powerfully female she is: she tears the sleeves off her company-issue polos, she wears somewhat mannish jeans, she drinks like a dude on a mission. Getting a clear picture of her in my head took quite a bit of searching, comparing, contrasting, and refining. As my search terms became more precise, I found myself clicking through to a number of soft-core sites. Just as I was deciding that things had gone too far, there she was—the exact piercings and tattoos I’d specified, the platinum hair with a streak of color, the alabaster skin. And, shockingly, the Cupid’s arrow-through-a-heart nipple piercings!

The other characters did not lead me anywhere near that far down the rabbit hole.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

For the first installment of the Newsroom Romance series, I organized the process around a heap of index cards containing scene descriptions. The scenes were not in any particular order, and it was a struggle to organize them so they hit the necessary beats of romance structure. Storyboarding comes sort of naturally from my experience in TV news and television production generally, so I had hoped that dropping scenes into the right order would give me the structure of the book. It didn’t, at least not without a lot of fancy footwork as things went along. The characters balked—a LOT—at being shoved from one scene to the next, too, which was frustrating.

Outlining drove Traffick Report, the second book. Because the story arc and character arcs aligned so closely, the outlining worked exceptionally well—the book practically poured out of my fingers and into the keyboard.

The third book, Storm Sirens, is in outlining and gathering a lot of dust as I work on promoting the first two books. That isn’t all bad, though, as the characters keep wandering around in my head and suggesting more painful conflicts, sweeter resolutions, and funnier dialogue. The prospect of having time to fully devote to a big outlining binge is becoming more exciting all the time.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

Kaitlyn, the astonishingly able clerk of court in Judge Patton’s Henry County, Ill. courtroom. She’s very reserved yet utterly competent. She says she isn’t a big reader but should be. Even if she were, though, she wouldn’t read romance novels.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

Yes! Storm Sirens is going to be super-exciting. Mary Rose and Scott will be center stage, after playing supporting roles in the first two books, and they’re going to have a catastrophic falling out that relates to a monumental current social issue. As the title suggests, the weather—and especially Three NewsFirst’s aggressive meteorologist and his search for romance in both the clouds and in a character-to-be-named—will be jostling with those two for attention.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Feedback from readers is incredibly valuable. I want to write books they want to read. So the question I’d put to them is—perhaps it’s more of a request—won’t you please write a review on Amazon that describes what you liked and didn’t like about the book you just read? Potential readers want to hear from you so they can make informed choices, and your author would love to hear from so he can write better books!

Professional passion in the tradition of Julie James, Love. Local. Latebreaking. is a page-turning romance shining a spotlight into television news.

"Heart-tugging relational tension but with a sophistication that raises it above the romance genre." -- Jlaird, verified purchaser

"Mr. Lareau manages humor beautifully--I was able to envision certain scenes/situations/people so clearly that I was chortling into my coffee. I highly recommend this novel as a light-hearted (and sexy) diversion." -- Sarah K. Clark, verified purchaser

"The heroine had a career that she worked hard for and that she didn't give that career up simply because she'd found love" -- A. Geek, verified purchaser

Local TV news reporter Karli Lewis has one goal: escape Iowa's cornfields and podunk local news scene to hit the bright lights of the Chicago's newsrooms. Karli’s career is on the rise, thanks to her talented, dizzingly handsome, yet enigmatic news photographer, Jake Gibson, a dedicated hometown boy who is staying put. Will Karli listen to her heart, or will she choose a dateline over her favorite date? Can she reconcile her unbridled ambition and her longing for the man she could lose forever?

Read an Excerpt:

Jake took the little wallet with the receipt and his credit card sticking out of it from Robert, wrote in a tip, signed, and set it on the table. “Karli, I haven’t said a thing about how you should live your life. I have congratulated you and wished you the best,” he said. “You’re right that I have other ideas, but I have never said anything about how I think you should live your life. If you’re feeling guilty, it’s not because I’ve laid that on you.”

“Oh, so this is all my doing, then, is it?” Karli responded angrily. “If I’m feeling guilty, it’s my own fault, right, and I should feel guilty about that, too, right?”

“That’s not what I said, either.”

“No, of course not,” Karli’s fury rolled on. “You’re just the latest man who wants to control me.”

Jake rose from the table and turned to leave. He went about two steps, paused, turned, and found Karli’s eyes. “No, Karli. I’m not trying to control you. I’m trying to tell you that I love you. And that I love you enough to let you find your own way.”

He began turning to leave, stopped, then reached into his pocket and turned back to Karli. “Here. I guess it’s my turn, now that you’re all finished,” he said, opening the box and handing it to her. He watched her pull out the elaborate platinum charm bracelet with an appreciative gasp.

As she minutely examined each custom-made charm—a covered bridge, a tiny ram with prominent testicles, a miniature microphone, a camera, a little bulletproof vest, a bicycle, a tiny Three NewsFirst logo, and the initials J.G.—he turned and moved silently to leave the restaurant, and Karli.


About the Author:
H. Laurence Lareau fell in love with romances the first time Pride and Prejudice came home from the library with him. Since that high school summer, he has earned an English degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, worked as a television and print journalist, built a career in law, and has remained a Jane Austen junkie through it all.

The Newsroom Romance series draws from his careers, his voracious reading, and his curiosity about the tensions between real life and real love.

Real life now is dramatically different from the real life of Austen’s times—privileged women no longer choose between eligible members of the landed gentry, nor are they imperiled by the sexist mysteries of the entailed fee simple estate in land.

Modern women with the privileges of education rather than birth now embark upon careers that can satisfy many personal and material dreams. Seemingly inevitably, though, careers fall short of the promise that they’ll fulfill women as people.

Strong, modern women have defined Lareau’s professional and personal lives, and strong women fully occupy center stage in their own newsroom romance stories. Their high-profile journalism and legal careers matter deeply to them and to the people they serve.

Then love comes walking in. These book boyfriends don’t have kilts or billions or pirate ships, though. Their career goals meet and often clash with their romantic counterparts, requiring both the men and women to make hard choices about what happily ever after should look like and how to achieve it.

When he isn’t writing, practicing law, or raising children, he’s working on martial arts and music.

Available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/author/hlaurencelareau
Website: http://www.hlaurencelareau.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HLLareau

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