Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Much Ado About a Widow by Jenna Jaxon


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon 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.

Lady Georgina Kirkpatrick defied her family, jilted her fiancé, and married the man she loved. But when her husband died at Waterloo, she was delivered right back into her father’s power . . .

Victory is sweet—but England’s triumph was Georgie’s rout. Now that she’s widowed, the loathsome marriage her father first arranged has simply been renegotiated. With neither money nor rights, and nowhere to flee, all she can do is cherish her last weeks of freedom. . . . Until a band of ruffians overtake her carriage and kidnap her. When she escapes in seaside Brighton and encounters her brother’s rather wild friend, Lord St. Just—whom she suspects aspires to be a pirate—she’s prepared to entertain more of his adventurous suggestions than usual . . .

St. Just knows his mind and his duty, and he loves a challenge. Helping a fair lady make her farewells to hoodlums suits his talents well. Within the hour he has Georgie, her lady’s maid—and her little dog too—sailing for his castle in Cornwall. Meanwhile, the lady’s entire family, her kidnappers, and her scheming intended are in pursuit. But as he and the indomitable Georgie grow closer, he begins to suspect that together they will prove a match for them all . . .

Read an Excerpt

St. Just’s long silence suddenly struck her. He’d asked her a question ages ago. What was it? “Oh, no, my lord. I have never in my life seen such an awe-inspiring sight.”

A sharp gust of wind made her stagger into her companion’s side. The jolt was like a lightning strike, sizzling through her veins from her hair—which might indeed be standing on end—to her curling toes. She could do nothing but cling to him as the ship dipped and a splash of spray cascaded over the bow rail, spattering them with cold seawater. “Let’s get you back to the safety of the mast. The wind’s picked up rather quickly, which means the waves will likely do the same. We wouldn’t want you drenched and catching a chill.” He grinned and reversed their course. “Not when you’ve just begun to enjoy sailing.”

“Of course.” Swiftly, she stepped away from him and moved toward the towering timber in the center of the ship “Come, Lulu.”

The ship dipped violently forward, and a giant wave of water cascaded over the bow.

Georgie shrieked and grabbed St. Just’s arms again.

“I’ve got you.” He grabbed her about the waist, his strong arms anchoring her to his rock-hard chest, and she relaxed against him.

Frantic barking drew her attention to Lulu, drenched by the huge wave.

“Oh, Lulu! Come here.” Georgie bent down and beckoned to the dog.

The ship pitched forward again. Georgie lost her footing on the slippery planks and tumbled to the deck.

“Careful, my lady.” With St. Just’s help, she staggered to her feet, righting herself just as Lulu slid forward and disappeared over the side into the merciless waters of the Channel.

About the Author:
Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can't stop.

Links:

Blog: http://www.jennajaxon.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jaxon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jenna_Jaxon
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/passionistimeless

Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Much-about-Widow-Widows-Club-ebook/dp/B07Q6VM63Q/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

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On Ice by Trisha Harley McCarthy


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

Zoe Simmons receives a text on her wedding day. Her fiancé called off the wedding. No explanation and he is soon traded to another hockey team, the Detroit Steels. She is devastated and has an emotional breakdown. After a few months she returns to her lonely life. Numb and withdrawn, she throws herself into her work as an assistant to general manager of the NHL team The San Jose Otters. Fast forward three years, The Otters are contenders for the Stanley Cup that include a shocking trade, Killian "Ki" Connery. The man who left her at the altar in humiliation and shame. Another blow comes when her father, Jed Simmons, negotiated the trade of her former fiancé without telling her. How will she be able to endure being around the man her heart yearns for but her mind rebels against? Not to mention the scandal that is about to break opening up her private life to further scrutiny by the media?

Killian "Ki" Connery

The woman he loves jilted him at the altar and he is banished to Detroit to play for The Steels. The former star and captain of The Otters is crushed by the betrayal of his love he's never gotten over. He survives through sheer will power and playing hockey while fighting the underlying demons plaguing him. Jesse Ward comes into his life and they become America's Sweethearts of the media. Little does Ki know the part Jesse played in his breakup with his true love Zoe.

This story will keep you on your toes with an intense love story, challenges, betrayal and overcoming the odds that love conquers all.

Another great angsty book by Trisha Harley McCarthy, author of the acclaimed Granite Bay Series.

Read an Excerpt

Ki smiled and closed the distance between us. The heat from his body sent shivers up my spine. He reached out and tucked a wayward piece of hair behind my ear. My knees went weak, and the lack of pouncing prowess was probably the only thing that kept me from throwing myself at him. I was sure he had lots of eager puck bunnies at his beck and call. All he had to do, was crook his finger, and they would come running. My gaze landed on his sensual lips, curved into a hint of a smile. I wondered what they would feel like against mine. He pulled back and the spell was broken.

“Would you consider going out with me sometime?” he asked.

Who—wha— ? I nodded mutely, shocked by the turn of events.

“Is that a yes, Zoe?” My name rolled off his tongue like fine wine—smooth and heady. Fire shot through my veins. Before I could stop myself, my mind was drifting in and out of fantasies involving me and that tongue of his.

“Yes, Ki, I’ll go out with you.” I blinked rapidly.

He pecked my cheek. “I’ll be in touch.”

About the Author:
Trisha Harley McCarthy is a certified Life Coach and prolific romance author specializing in fantasy, paranormal and contemporary genres. Loving history, Trisha was captivated by being introduced to historical romance then became enamored with contemporary romance novels. Coming across fan-fiction and falling in love with the concept, Trisha began writing stories about characters in her favorite movie, Bridget Jones's Diary. After receiving several positive reviews, she caught the writing bug and published her first standalone novel, Just As He Is, A Romance in 2012 followed by the Astral Realm Series, Written Among the Stars and sequel Beneath the stars released in 2014. In 2015, release of Dimensions, a paranormal romance novel featuring other world encounters takes the readers on a fantastic journey of ordinary collides with extraordinary. Also, in a new direction, Trisha also wrote Indescribably Blue. a fictional account based on Elvis Presley's death hoax conspiracy. On a personal note, Trisha resides in Independence, Oregon with her husband Michael and their rescued chocolate lab, Elle. In her spare time, Trisha loves spending time on social media, travelling and reading her favorite authors! Visit her Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/trishaharleymccarthy
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Trisha-Harley-McCarthy/e/B00L6QYR7Y
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6607613.Trisha_Harley_McCarthy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Authorthmccarth

On sale for only $0.99! Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hockey-Romance-Trisha-Harley-McCarthy-ebook/dp/B081XDPTH6/ref=sr_1_1
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-ice-a-hockey-romance-trisha-harley-mccarthy/1135541480 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/on-ice-a-hockey-romance

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Friday, December 20, 2019

Stormwatch: Wind Chill by Rita Herron


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. Please click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

STORMWATCH series blurb:

Winter storm Holly is the worst in eighty years bringing high winds, subzero temperatures and snowfall better measured in feet than in inches. The weather paralyzes everything in its path, but in this storm, weather isn’t the only threat. A new installment of STORMWATCH releases each Thursday starting December 5 through January 9. Each thrilling full length novel is a standalone story with no cliffhangers. Don’t miss a single one from half a dozen of the genre's bestselling storytellers!

December 5 - Frozen Ground by Debra Webb
December 12 - Deep Freeze by Vicki Hinze
December 19 - Wind Chill by Rita Herron
December 26 - Black Ice by Regan Black
January 2 - Snow Brides by Peggy Webb
January 9 - Snow Blind by Cindy Gerard

Stormwatch series page at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YZB1FZR

Freezing temperatures can kill…
A serial killer the press has dubbed the Christmas killer is taking lives…and he’s not finished yet.

All Special Agent Gia Franklin’s sister Carly wanted was for Gia to come home for Christmas.

But Gia avoids the holidays, using her job as an excuse to stay away. For weeks, she’s been tracking The Christmas Killer, a cold-hearted monster who strangles his victims and poses them with one of the Twelve Days of Christmas ornaments. With nine women dead, and only four days until Christmas, she must stop him before he kills again.

Then he makes the case personal by kidnapping Carly, and Gia must go home.

Aware she may be walking into a trap, she teams up with sexy, local Sheriff Murphy Malone to stop the madness, and save the holiday for her sister and the town.

But the clock is ticking.

And the CK has his own holiday plans – ornaments eleven and twelve belong to the Franklin sisters, and he won’t stop until they’re dead…

Read an Excerpt

His blood heated with admiration and…anger. Special Agent Gia Franklin had just challenged him.

A chuckle rumbled from deep in his gut. She wanted to make this personal.

Hell, he’d considered making it personal before. Now he would. He’d make it very personal.

He snagged his phone and accessed the airlines’ flight schedules. He’d planned to stay in the sunny South for the last three kills.

Now things would change, and he would up the ante. He’d skip a few states and take Gia back home. Then he’d throw her off her game.

“Nebraska, here I come,” he muttered as he booked the next flight out.

Adrenaline surged through him, and he picked up another red scarf and brushed it across his cheek.

By tonight, he’d be in Tinley with Gia’s sister.

About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. Although she wanted to be a writer then and actually scrawled her first novel at age twelve, she didn't think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a kindergarten teacher instead. Ten years ago, she traded her classroom storytelling and puppets for a computer and now writes so she doesn't have to get a real job.

Having sold over fifty books to date, she enjoys spinning spine-tingling romantic suspense tales filled with murder, mayhem, and spicy romance as well as sexy romantic comedies. Rita Herron currently writes romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and she's writing dark, gritty romantic suspense thrillers for Amazon Montlake.

If you want to know more about Rita or have a question for her about her books, or writing in general, email Rita and she'll be happy to answer your question.

Rita Herron online

Website: https://ritaherron.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/ritaherron
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorritaherron/

Exclusively on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YLY99DP

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

Salvaging Love by Sara Ohlin


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Animals aren’t the only thing that need rescuing when a sexy veterinarian encounters a hot-headed attorney…

Perfectly content saving animals at her clinic in a charming but run-down neighborhood, veterinarian Ellie Blevins slams into new landlord, Jackson Kincaid, who plans to turn her beloved block of buildings into condos.

Intrigued by Ellie, hot-shot defense attorney Jackson gives her one month to convince him not to put his gentrification plans into progress. Attraction soon sizzles between them, but when Jackson makes his desires known, Ellie’s vulnerable heart doesn’t know what to think.

She wants to trust the sinfully handsome Jackson, just as he wants to gain her trust, but finding their way to love isn’t easy when her traumatic past and his criminal clients could sabotage their relationship for good.

Can the enchanting veterinarian and the brooding attorney fight the demons from the past…and build a new future?

Read an Excerpt

“Jackson?”

“I want to be the only one who gets that soft, intimate ‘Hey’ from you.”

What? “I’m confused,” she said quietly.

“I’m not,” he said. “I like the way you look, your gorgeous skin, that cute break in your nose, although I doubt I’d like the way you broke it.”

No, he absolutely would not, she thought, sucking in a breath.

“I like the way you talk to your dogs, the way when you say ‘Hi’ to people you make every single one of them feel special. I fucking love the way your hazel eyes get darker when you’re fighting with me, the confusion in your face when I catch you off guard. You’ve got a fucking fantastic body, and that’s only from seeing you in your scrubs and your sexy yoga pants and I bet I’d like what’s hidden underneath. I like the way your soft voice hits me, the way you smile at everything, except when you’re pissed, which I might like even more. I don’t want the month to learn why a bunch of buildings are worth saving, I want to spend the month getting to know you. Still confused?”

Stunned was more like it. He liked her in her yoga pants? Her nose that was so far from model perfect she could not even go there?

“Ellie? Are you still confused?”

“No?” she squeaked out, but it was definitely a question, because, hell yes, she was still confused. Was he high? Or blind? Maybe both?

He laughed. “We’ll get there. How was the rest of your day?”

About the Author:
Puget Sound based writer, Sara Ohlin is a mom, wannabe photographer, obsessive reader, ridiculous foodie, and the author of the contemporary romance novels, Handling the Rancher, Salvaging Love and the upcoming contemporary romance Seducing the Dragonfly.

She has over fifteen years of creative non-fiction and memoir writing experience, and you can find her essays at Anderbo.com, Feminine Collective, Mothers Always Write, Her View from Home, and in anthologies such as Are We Feeling Better Yet? Women Speak about Healthcare in America, Take Care: Tales, Tips, & Love from Women Caregivers, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Although she’s the author of many essays about life, grief, motherhood and the connections we make through delicious food and shared meals, Sara loves creating imaginary worlds with tight-knit communities in her romance novels. She credits her mother, Mary, Nora Roberts and Rosamunde Pilcher for her love of romance.

If she’s not reading or writing, you will most likely find her in the kitchen creating scrumptious meals with her two kids and amazing husband, or perhaps cooking up her next love story.

She once met a person who both “didn’t read books” and wasn’t “that into food” and it nearly broke her heart. You can learn more on her website.

Website: https://saraohlin.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraOhlin222
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/saraohlin222
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saraohlinwriter/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/saraohlin/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sara-ohlin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19491440.Sara_Ohlin

Buy Links

Totally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/book/salvaging-love
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Salvaging-Love-Rescue-Me-Book-ebook/dp/B07YV7QCY7/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/salvaging-love-sara-ohlin/1133989420?ean=9781913186852
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/salvaging-love
iBook: https://books.apple.com/us/book/salvaging-love/id1485236324
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sara_Ohlin_Salvaging_Love?id=GL60DwAAQBAJ

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Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Tears We Never Cried by Ryshia Kennie


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

A mother’s tragic diagnosis.
A daughter’s life on hold.
An ending and a new beginning ...

Cassandra McDowall’s mother has been forgetful for a while, but she never anticipated rapid-onset Alzheimer’s to come out of nowhere and shake their world to its very core.

As Cassie puts her already-lackluster life on hold, her mom’s indomitable will and spirit of adventure prove to be a handful.

And as her mother fades, the two embark on one last adventure—a journey that reveals secrets on the brink of being lost, the joy of foreign sunsets, and love where she hadn’t thought it possible.

Read an Excerpt

The door shut and I turned around to face Russ.

“The pizza is on the table.” He stopped. “What’s wrong?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he came over and put his hands on my shoulder. “You can’t do this nonstop. It’s taking a toll. Maybe I could take you out—there’s a show you’d love...”

“Russ,” I said cutting him off. I would’ve liked nothing better, but that wasn’t going to happen. “I’d love to, but I can’t. I have to be here for Mom.”

He frowned.

“You’re not alone, Cassie. I’ll be there for you every step of the way if you’ll let me.”

“Russ, I can’t ...”

He hauled me against his chest and kissed me. His lips were soft and then hard, hot with passion. Feeling his strength, his heart beat against mine, my breasts rocking against his chest and it was all too much. I wanted him. And nowhere in my life was there room to have him.

When he let me go I just stood there—shell-shocked, my heart pounding in a good way.

“And not just as friends,” he finished. “I want you in my life, Cass.”

“You can’t think of me like that, Russ.” I shook my head. “Like what?”

“In a romantic situation. It’s never going to happen.” And as final as that statement was I knew by the look on Russ’s face and how I felt when I looked at him, that neither of us believed it.

About the Author:
The winner of her city’s writing award, Ryshia Kennie’s novels have taken her characters from the depression era prairies in her first book “From the Dust” to a across the globe and back again. There’s never a lack of places to set a story as the too long prairie winters occasionally find her with travel journal in hand seeking adventure on foreign shores. While facing off a Monitor Lizard before breakfast or running through the Kasbah chased by an enraged Water Carrier aren’t normal travel experiences and might never find a place in one of her stories, they do make great travel stories. When not collecting odd memories from around the world, she’s writing mainly romantic suspense and women’s fiction.

Website: http://www.ryshiakennie.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryshiakennie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie

Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tears-we-Never-Cried-ebook/dp/B081HWTVF3/ref=sr_1_6

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Friday, December 13, 2019

Gods of Merlin by Priya Ardis


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Priya Ardis will offer a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn winner, and an autographed copy of the book to a second randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

GREAT GREEK GODS. THEY ARE COMING.

Foster kid and occasional shoplifter Eowlyn Patience just wants to fit into her Boston high school. When the Sword In The Stone falls out of the sky like a meteor into the middle of London’s Trafalgar Square, everything changes. Then, an enigmatic golden-eyed man arranges for her to attend a school for the gifted in England, and the irritatingly perfect Matt Emrys from science class turns out to be Merlin—the Merlin, King Arthur’s greatest wizard.

Frozen in a cave for fifteen hundred years, Merlin has woken to find the next Arthur. Eowlyn Patience’s mysterious admittance to Avalon Preparatory was not something he foresaw…a disturbing aberration when his most powerful gift happens to be visions of the future.

The race to find the rightful heir rages between deadly gargoyles, wizards, and Regulars, but figuring out the troubled Eowlyn might be by-the-book Merlin’s hardest job yet. She’s altogether the wrong girl. Torn between what is right and what saves lives, will Eowlyn do what it takes to win—even if it means sacrificing Merlin to a god?
Read an Excerpt

A gorgeous underwear-model of a man in a black suit cleaned his sword with a tissue. He threw the bloodied rag on top of the half-man, half-beast. I tensed as he reached inside his coat pocket, but he only took out a clipboard and black sunglasses. He put the sunglasses on. “Eowlyn Patience?”

A little dumbstruck, I nodded at the beautiful killer with blood on his face.

“Pretty name.” He smiled wistfully. “I once knew an Eowlyn.”

The comment knocked me out of my trance. “No one has ever heard of the name Eowlyn.”

He shrugged. “Surprise. Now, you have met me.”

I put my hands on my hips. “What do you want?”

He gave me an amused smile. “I will be your driver today. Don’t forget to grab your bags. We should leave now before you have any more visitors.”

I pointed to the corpse on the floor. “I am not going anywhere with you, serial killer.”

“Is that so? Let me be clear—I just saved your life. More hunters will be coming.” Black-Suit tucked a pencil behind his ear and the clipboard under his elbow. He stepped to the side and pointed at an idling black luxury sedan. “I’ll be waiting in the car. For when you change your mind.”

About the Author:
Priya Ardis loves books of all kinds--but especially the ones which make your nose leak and let your chai go cold. Her novels come from a childhood of playing too much She-Ra and watching too much Spock. Her bestselling series, My Boyfriend Merlin, about Merlin going to high school is a YA contemporary fantasy and romance for those like road trips, wizards, Greek gods, and gender-bent quests.

Talk to me!

Website: http://www.priyaardis.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/priyaardis
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/priyaardis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/priyaardis
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/priyaardis
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/priyaardis
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/priyaardis
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/priyaardis

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Thursday, December 12, 2019

The Wrong Kind by Austin S. Camacho



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

Welcome to It's Raining Books! Why do you write in your genre? What draws you to it?

First, I am a lifelong mystery fan. I love solving the puzzles, but I’ve learned it’s even more fun to build the puzzles, drop the clues and challenge readers to figure it out. Beyond that, mysteries are about human motivations and I enjoy exploring those motives.

What research is required?

Much of my research is to establish the location of events. I need to set my stories in a solid, three dimensional world. Beyond that I research murder methods (I’ve come frighteningly familiar with firearms and poisons) and police operations so I can represent them correctly. Mystery readers are very knowledgeable in those areas and they will let you know if you get it wrong.

Name one thing you learned from your hero/heroine.

I've learned that solving a mystery is a metaphor for life. In both cases you can’t wait for perfect conditions. You have to start where you are, use what you've got, and do what you can.

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

It’s almost impossible for me to create without music playing, and I do best with a random mix of performers and genres. I do my best with lots of classic rock mixed with R&B, dance and the occasional classical piece thrown in.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I am absolutely a plotter. A typical outline for a novel is ten or 12 pages, the entire series of events. I have to know where I’m going before I begin. Then I can write a scene and just move to the next one. Of course, things change as characters develop, so the outline can be seen as a living document.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

On my desk: a big mug of coffee, a large cylinder full of pens and another of pencils. In the corner sits a chair that nobody ever sits on. On that wall, a display sword on a plaque (a gift from my lovely wife Dee) and a framed print honoring soldiers lost in Desert Storm from an original painting by a past love.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

My next novel is an action thriller called The Hetman Contract, featuring a new character, a African-American female assassin named Skye.

Do you have a question for our readers?

You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you don’t really know how good a book is until you’ve read it. So, what is it that makes you decide to pick up a novel and read it? What’s the most important factor?

A distraught woman hires private investigator Hannibal Jones to track down her daughter who has run away, trying to escape the homeless shelter life her mother has come to accept. When Hannibal finds Connie Blanco she is entwined in a gang war and somehow connected to a murder. The corpse is barely cold before a second murder follows and Hannibal finds himself entangled in a complex plot revolving around stolen drugs…but who is the mastermind of this twisted scheme?

Read an Excerpt

Hannibal stepped inside and closed the door behind himself. A quick scan showed Sands to be a good housekeeper for a bachelor. There was a place for everything. The blinds were set to let the maximum amount of sunlight into the front room. Small knickknacks and figurines stood on display on bookcases and the end tables bracketing the leather sofa. A scattering of tiny roses made the wallpaper seem feminine, but the framed paintings of Civil War combat scenes counterbalanced that. The neatness was almost jarring under the circumstances. The only thing out of place in the front room was Quentin himself. He lay spread eagled on the hardwood floor. And with no carpet to absorb liquid, the pool of blood beneath him had spread quite a distance.

Lying face up, Quentin looked more startled than pained. Hannibal stepped as close to the body as he could without touching the blood pool. There was no need to check for a pulse. The pencil-sized hole just above his left eyebrow was pretty definitive. Hannibal knew the picture would not be nearly as neat on the other side, and he had no desire to see it. Powder burns and stippling on the man’s forehead told Hannibal that this shooting was done up close. Despite Quentin’s final facial expression, he had to have seen it coming.

So, what was your crime, Hannibal silently asked the corpse. Did you get too close to Connie for some other man’s comfort?

About the Author:
Austin S. Camacho is the author of seven novels about Washington DC-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five in the Stark and O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the detective novel, Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies including Dying in a Winter Wonderland – an Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top Ten Bestseller for 2008. He is featured in the Edgar nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. Camacho is also editorial director for Intrigue Publishing, a Maryland small press.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austin.camacho.author/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Kind-Hannibal-Jones-Mystery/dp/1940758971/

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Monday, December 9, 2019

The Invisibles by Rachel Dacus


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rachel Dacus will be awarding a $40 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.

Sisters Saffron and Elinor inherit a cottage on the Italian coast from their father, along with its resident ghost and a secret manuscript. Their rivalry explodes through a struggle for control of the inheritance.

Saffron has a genius for creative living, but ever since her judgmental older sister interfered in her love life, Saffron and Elinor haven’t spoken. When death brings them together at their father’s funeral in Rome, the battle re-ignites. It continues as they travel up the Italian coast to take possession of their cottage. Both secretly wish to mend fences, but they have opposite views about the best way to live.

Saffron has always sensed the “Invisibles”, people lingering after their demise. When the spirit who lives in the house predicts one sister might die, she takes it seriously, but can’t convince her practical-minded sister.

As they prepare the house for sale, Italy infuses its magic in food, festivals, and local love interests -- until a shocking night changes everything for the sisters and their friends.

A tale of sisterhood and the supernatural, perfect for fans of Mary Ellen Taylor and Barbara O'Neal.

PRAISE FOR THE INVISIBLES

Author Dacus does a superb job bringing the village of Lerici to life, from the smells of the sea to the pungency of the local olive oil, and showing how the Italian way of life changes both women. An enjoyable, romantic read. -- Suanne Schafer, author of HUNTING THE DEVIL

Read an Excerpt

Michael pulled her down the street. They turned right at the bottom of the hill and onto the beach promenade. Walking alongside the water, today full of white curlicues, Saffron looked up at the green hills. In the clear light, they looked fresh-minted.

The pressure of his hand intensified. “The hidden beach is wild and perfect, he said. “Like you."

Dazzled by this compliment, she walked along, more aware of Michael’s hand than of the wide swath of beach, dotted with beach chairs. The benches were nearly empty, the wind driving everyone indoors.

“Just a bit farther,” he said, tugging her along.

Their speed throbbed in Saffron’s pulse. The hidden cove, they both knew, was a pretext and a preamble—a pre-amble. Excitement tightened her throat, making her breath catch as she trotted beside him. He was so tall and his hand never loosened its grip.

She was going to have an adventure in Italy. His hand kept her locked into it, any doubt falling away.

They came to a sign: “Beach Behind Castle.” A few more signs directed them to a marble arch over a tunnel beneath the building. They darted into the darkness holding hands, the path level, though impossible to see under- foot. They came out at a small, brilliantly white beach. The surf seemed higher now, pounding the shore steadily with dark, frilled swells. “Do people swim here? I mean, when it’s not so windy?”

“They do. No one’s here yet, but by afternoon I bet the beach will be full. People who know the secret of this place love it.”

They took off their shoes and walked closer to the surf. Saffron scooped up a shell and put it in her pocket. “A souvenir.” Of more than the beach.

On the way back, Michael stopped at a corner and pointed up a steep cobblestone street. “My little castle’s up there. I bring home all the goddesses I meet. Would you care to visit?”

The rash compliment went to her head like a quickly quaffed glass of champagne. “Sure.” This was it. The real adventure, not the hidden beach.

“Come, my Artemis,” he said.

They climbed a short distance and turned down an even narrower alley. He stopped at a turquoise wooden door with a lintel low enough that he had to duck his head entering.

“The gate to my modest tower.”

Saffron paused long enough to wonder if she was stepping into another mess with someone she hardly knew. But if she stopped now, she’d never find out what it was like to be a goddess.

When they were inside the doorway, he hesitated, but didn’t kiss her. What would his lips feel like? Instead, he led her up narrow stairs that turned on a landing with a small window. She glimpsed the hills, and then they went up the last few steps.


About the Author:
Rachel Dacus is the author of The Invisibles, a novel of sisterhood with a touch of the supernatural. “An enjoyable, romantic read.” The Renaissance Club is a time travel love story featuring the great 17th century Italian sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini, who meets and falls for his superfan from future time. “Enchanting, rich and romantic.” Dacus has written four poetry collections: Arabesque, Gods of Water and Air (poetry, prose, and drama), Earth Lessons and Femme au Chapeau. She lives in Northern California with her husband and Silky Terrier. When not writing, she raises funds for good causes.

Website: http://www.racheldacus.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.dacus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rachel_Dacus
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rdacus/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/987726.Rachel_Dacus

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Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Christmas With You by Nan Reinhardt



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Nan Reinhardt will be awarding a set of six handmade wine charms and a $10 Starbucks gift card (US ONLY) to 5 randomly drawn winners via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

She’s loved him all her life… but will he be there when she needs him the most?

Disheartened and adrift after being written out of a hit TV show, actor Aidan Flaherty returns to his family’s historic winery, where he’s invested some of the fortune he’s made. As the holidays approach, Aidan becomes intrigued with the old showboat that’s dry-docked just east of town… and even more intrigued with the daughter of his former mentor, who now owns it. He decides to buy the boat and restore it to its former glory.

Single mom Holly Santos is back in River’s Edge after her divorce and she is over men in general and actors in particular. If she could only get rid of her father’s old showboat, a source of fascination for her son, Mateo. She never expects her old crush to walk into her tea shop or the fireworks that happen every time they’re in the same room. Can Aidan convince her that he is determined to restore their shared heritage on the showboat and that he’s home to stay?

Read an Excerpt

“Are you done?” He choked out, also not moving back.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, decide, because I’m going to kiss you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m pretty sure I am.” Aidan took a step closer, pressing her against the railing with his body and set his hands on the rail on either side of her.

Her eyes closed and he felt her trembling. Or he was. He couldn’t tell anymore. He was confused and aching. He lifted his hands and took one step back. “Leave, Holly, because I really, really want to kiss you, but I can’t if you’re not all in.”

Holly eyed him with suspicion. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be all in with you, Aidan Flaherty.” With that she reached up and put one small hand behind his head, tugging his face down to hers. Her lips touched his, gently at first, just a whisper of a kiss. When she increased the pressure, the kiss building in urgency, Aidan wasn’t confused anymore. He knew exactly what he wanted.

He pulled her into his arms, thrusting his fingers into the soft hair on the back of her head, holding her still for his mouth while she wrapped her arms around his neck. The flicker of desire that had started when she’d walked onto the deck began to burn inside him, and he slid one hand down her spine to her hip. She was so incredibly tiny, he was almost afraid to hold her.

Almost. But when she touched her seeking tongue to the seam of his lips, he opened for her, tasting coffee and butterscotch and some unique flavor that was intoxicatingly Holly.

About the Author:
Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today-bestselling author of romantic fiction for women in their prime. Yeah, women still fall in love and have sex, even after 45! Imagine! She is a wife, a mom, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother. Nan has been a copyeditor and proofreader for over 25 years, and currently works on romantic fiction titles for a variety of clients, including Avon Books, St. Martin’s Press, Kensington Books, and Entangled Publishing, as well as for many indie authors.

Although she loves her life as an editor, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. Her latest series, Four Irish Brothers Winery, includes A Small Town Christmas, Meant to Be, and the newly released, Christmas with You, all from Tule Publishing. Nan is busy at work on Book 4 of the series, as well as brewing a cozy mystery idea.

Visit Nan’s website at www.nanreinhardt.com, where you’ll find links to all her books as well as blogs about writing, being a Baby Boomer, and aging gracefully…mostly. Nan also blogs every sixth Wednesday at Word Wranglers, sharing the spotlight with five other romance authors and is a frequent contributor the RWA Contemporary Romance blog, and she contributes to the Romance University blog where she writes as Editor Nan.

Word Wranglers: http://www.wordwranglers.blogspot.com/
RWA Contemporary Romance blog: http://contemporaryromance.org/2018/03/awesome/
Romance University blog: http://romanceuniversity.org/ru-contributors/
Website: http://www.nanreinhardt.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5758438.Nan_Reinhardt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornanreinhardt
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NanReinhardt
Instagam: https://www.instagram.com/nanreinhardt/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nan-Reinhardt/e/B007OYDC6O?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5&qid=1570744315&sr=8-5

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YNZQCWX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
A Small Town Christmas: https://www.amazon.com/Small-Christmas-Irish-Brothers-Winery-ebook/dp/B07HBZPKDH/
Meant to Be: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S7FW8BR/
Christmas With You: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YNZQCWX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i7

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Monday, December 2, 2019

His Salvation by Michelle King


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be presenting a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Will the woman he left behind a decade ago be His Salvation?

Seth McCullough left behind his high school sweetheart, Krista Chancellor, determined to keep her safe. Running from his own demons, Seth joined the military, hoping for a new start.

Ten years later, after experiencing psychological and physical trauma, Seth takes a trip to Mexico for rest and relaxation. Waking up one morning confused, bloody, and linked to multiple high profile murders, Seth is sure he’s lost what little sanity he has left. Determined to find answers, Seth reaches out to the only person he ever trusted, his old flame, Krista.

Now, Krista and Seth find themselves embroiled in an agenda too terrifying to comprehend. Not sure who to trust, and looking for answers, will the woman he left behind over a decade ago be His Salvation, or his ruin?

PLEASE NOTE: This is the second edition. It has extensive rewrites and has been re-edited.

About the Author: Michelle King lives in the Pacific Northwest with her four quirky and beautiful children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick.

She works as a registered nurse and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards. You can visit Michelle’s website at https://www.authormichelleking.com/

Social links:

https://www.authormichelleking.com/
https://www.facebook.com/michelle.authorpage
https://www.facebook.com/Michelle-King-Author-544448685599147/?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/Michelle_King_1
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004TZ0CUK
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5061809.Michelle_King
https://plus.google.com/u/0/105101655597839729577

Buly Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0815R79LT/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin

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Wednesday, November 27, 2019

When You Close Your Eyes by Roxanne D. Howard



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Roxanne D. Howard will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Dreams are the perfect shelter for fantasies, safe havens to step inside without changing our daily lives. For Lark Braithwaite, all that is about to change. During the last six months, Lark has dreamt of a mysterious Irish lover who knows what she wants and gives her exactly what she needs. In her waking life in busy London, things aren't as ideal as her long-term relationship with her controlling fiancé Charles has hit a dry spell.

When Lark is called home to Oregon for her father's funeral, she comes face to face with the demons from her past, but she never expects to meet her dream lover in the flesh. Niall O'Hagan steps straight out of her fantasies and into her life, and the powerful connection they share rocks her foundation. Although she's dealing with the bitterness of her fiancé's betrayal and his jealousy, Niall soon stirs Lark's awareness of her superficial existence and reawakens her sexuality....and her soul.

FROM PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "Howard (The Longer They Last) explores the concept of fated love in this skillfully woven contemporary erotic romance. Lark Braithwaite, an American in London, is living with her British fiancé, Charles Chase, when she starts dreaming of a sexy mystery man with an Irish brogue. After Lark gets word that her estranged father has died and she returns to her Oregon hometown for the funeral, she meets the dream man in the flesh: he's her parents' widowed lawyer, Niall O'Hagan. Lark quickly falls in love with Niall, struggling to decide whether she should follow her heart or the commitment she's made to her fiancé-a decision that gets easier when Charles shows his true and ugly colors... Explicit sex scenes crackle with heat, and Howard's characters invite readers to come in and get lost on the pages with them as the plot hurtles toward a shocking, but not unbelievable, climax involving Lark's father's past and her future. Erotic romance fans will devour Howard's suspenseful and heart-filled story."

Read an Excerpt

“Thank you.” She closed her eyes and took several large gulps, the cool liquid a balm to her throat.

“My name’s Niall O’Hagan.”

His deep and pleasant voice sounded different, lighter than the sultry bedroom voice she was used to from her dreams.

“I’m the Braithwaites’ attorney.”

Lark paused in midsip and lowered the bottle in her hands. “You—no.” She glanced at him.

His mouth lifted at the corners as if it dawned on him he was the butt of a joke he wasn’t aware of. “I…what?”

Oh, the irony of dreaming about her father’s lawyer this whole time. Oh, God. She giggled like a madwoman. This was it; she’d officially lost it. She rose and walked to the top step of the porch, put a hand over her face, and plunked down. “I am so messed up.”

An unwanted flash of Gemma’s flirtatious “darlin’” to Charles yesterday surfaced, and tears stung her eyes. She went silent and willed them not to fall. Nice try, but no use.

Niall sat on the step beside her. “I’d offer you a drink, but I quit ten years ago.”

Lark laughed, despite the tears. “An Irish attorney who doesn’t like Guinness is like an Englishman who doesn’t like fish and chips.”

“I know; shameful,” he said with mock contrition. “Don’t hold it against me. I’m doing the world a favor. Trust me. I was a horrible drunk. Are you okay, miss?”

Lark scoffed and gesticulated with her hands to the sky. “It’s Lark. And what a loaded question.” She couldn’t look at him, not after what happened. She clenched the edge of the step on either side of her and stared out at the trees.

“Well, since we’ve already nailed second base, we might as well be open with each other. Forgive me if I’m candid, but it seems you were in the throes of an alleged, eh, intense dream, and you awoke and believed I was him. Is that right?”

Horror dawned on her at what she’d done, and her jaw dropped. “No!” Yes. She glanced at him, and his knowing expression begged to differ.

“I see,” he said, his tone careful but persistent. “Then why did you kiss me like that?”

“I-I don’t have to answer.” She lifted her chin with defiance.

He scooted closer to her. “No, you don’t. But I wish you would.”

About the Author:
Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology and English. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Also, she is an avid Star Wars fan, musical theater nut, and marine biology geek. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Website: http://www.roxannedhoward.com
Newsletter: http://roxannedhoward.com/subscribe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoxanneDHowardAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoxanneDHoward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxanned.howard
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/roxanne-d-howard-2db98b1d-431f-4065-ba0e-6eef7cca7142
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roxanne-D.-Howard/e/B01BURXAVW
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15019190.Roxanne_D_Howard

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/When-You-Close-Your-Eyes-ebook/dp/B07L162YB5/ref=sr_1_1

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Audition by Skye Warren


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Skye Warren will be awarding a $15 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.

Blood and sweat. Bethany Lewis danced her way out of poverty. She’s a world class athlete… with a debt to pay.

Joshua North always gets what he wants. And the mercenary wants Bethany in his bed. He wants her beautiful little body bent to his will.

She doesn’t surrender to his kiss.
He doesn’t back down from a challenge.
It’s going to be a sensual fight… to the death.

Read an Excerpt:

Blinding lights. Aching lungs. Thunderous applause. The final show concludes the same way we rehearsed for months, the same way we performed for weeks. My muscles know the movements better than they understand rest. The prospect of after, of what comes next, makes my breath catch. Even as the primas take their bows, relief echoes around the stage. Vacations are planned. Relief for strained muscles. Everyone needs a break, even professional athletes. I’m the only one onstage dreading it.

We bow and curtesy with practiced grace. The curtain descends to the floor. Almost to the second we break formation—a flock of crows startled from the woods. The more exuberant among us, the young ones, the new ones, the ones using steroids, prance and jete toward the dressing rooms. Most of us limp our way out. One hundred percent of NFL players are injured every season. Professional dancing is the same. We hurl our bodies through the air, forcing massive impact through tired joints night after night. I catch my friend Marlena in my arms. Her face is white with pain.

“Ice,” she says. “Or better yet—tequila.”

I push my shoulder under hers as we exit the stage. “Don’t sell yourself short. You can have both.”

A delicate snort. “Not likely. We have to smile and flirt with the old men with big, fat wallets. And for what? I won’t be here next season. You won’t be, either.”

The reminder clangs inside me like a copper bell. I won’t be coming to the New York City Ballet after the break. We fall into our creaky chairs in the dressing room. “Are you going to miss it?”

“Miss it? Of course I’ll miss it.” Marlena turned twenty-eight last month. It’s comfortably retirement age for a dancer. “When the little children do their terrible pirouettes, when they sneeze and throw up and cry all over my leotard, I’ll think fondly of the beautiful art I left behind. Then I’ll be able to walk home. That won’t happen if I try to dance another season.”

“You’ll make a wonderful teacher. You know you were mine.” She didn’t teach me to dance. It was my first love, before I learned to flip and contort myself. Before I ever leapt from a trapeze bar.

Marlena taught me the ropes of the ballet company when I joined two years ago. Most of them thought I wouldn’t last a week. Some of them didn’t want me to. It’s a rigid world, the hierarchy stacked with graduates of Juilliard or the John Cranko school.

I don’t have a pedigree.

All I have is a body that does what it must, no matter how much it hurts.

Which means changing out of my sweaty leotard into a fresh one. We’re contractually obligated to attend the ball. Like Marlena said, we should smile and flirt with the high society people who attend. Both the male and female dancers have to do it. It’s what convinces the sponsors to write checks that will fund the next season. By the time they’re rehearsing The Nutcracker I’ll be in New Orleans, the place I swore I’d never return.

About the Author: Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat. Website: http://www.skyewarren.com/books/audition/

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Audition-Skye-Warren-ebook/dp/B07VZTRXJ3
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/audition/id1475290521
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/audition-skye-warren/1132969928

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Tuesday, November 26, 2019

A Woman's Persuasion by Jeanette Watts


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jeanette Watts will be awarding a Cameo Necklace to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What would you do for a second chance at a perfect love?

Anne's privileged family forced her to break off her romance with Freddie Wentworth, an Air Force pilot; they didn't approve. Almost eight years later, Freddie is back in her life. Can they rekindle an old flame? Or is there too much hurt and misunderstanding in the way?

Read an Excerpt:

She looked in the mirror at the result of eight years of self-neglect and self-hatred, and she didn't like what she saw. She wished Freddie could have looked at her and seen that she had improved over the years. It didn't even need to be about her physical appearance. If she would have had three Master's Degrees and a PhD to her name, or a Pulitzer Prize, or an Oscar for Best Screenplay, or a byline in The New Yorker, that would have been something. But she had nothing to show for all the intervening years.

She wondered if Freddie had said the words out of spite, calculating that Henry and Louis would repeat them to her, or they were merely said honestly, not thinking that they might get repeated back to her. She could only assume that Freddie expected the hurtful words to reach her ears. Freddie had not forgiven her.

Well, could she blame her? Her feebleness of character, her inability to stand by her loved one in the face of adversity, wasn't something Freddie would respect. Being in a relationship with a soldier in military service took dedication and courage, not weakness and timidity. Anne couldn’t blame her for being hurt, even disgusted. She was not worthy of the love Freddie had offered her.

The eyes that looked back at her in the mirror confirmed what she already knew. She was going to have to change. It was too late with Freddie, but she needed to be a person she could respect. She wanted her self-respect back.

About the Author:
Jeanette Watts was happily writing historical fiction when she got the idea for her first Jane Austen-inspired novel, Jane Austen Lied to Me. Going to a JASNA event to work on selling that book, she attended a lecture that asked, "Why does everyone rewrite Pride and Prejudice so much more than her other novels? Why doesn't anyone rewrite Persuasion?"

So she had to...

Website: http://www.jeanettewatts.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWomansPersuasion
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanetteAWatts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6967936.Jeanette_Watts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanetteamlwatts/

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Monday, November 25, 2019

See Me by L. Simpson


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. L. Simpson will be awarding a $10 Boroughs Bucks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Architect Ethan James's life is a mess. He's juggling being a single dad while fighting his infuriating ex who's trying to get full custody, while at the same time he's barely keeping his head above water in the job of his dreams. When he meets Mia Sullivan at a friend's engagement party, her bright spirit and kind heart shines a light into his life when he needs it most. With so much coming at him from all directions, he relies on Mia’s support but makes the heartbreaking mistake of not cherishing her love. Mia sees the writing on the wall and pulls back before her heart is shattered. Ethan can't lose the woman who makes his life complete, and shows her he is the man she needs him to be.

Read an Excerpt

After looping an arm through mine, she led me a few blocks before we came to an old building with a dodgy-looking doorway. I’d never been here before, but that didn’t mean much. We stayed joined as we walked up some old steps to a new-looking elevator with a security guard waiting in front. He pressed the button and we stepped inside.

“Don’t look worried, Ethan. We aren’t going to a CIA black site.”

I grinned. Eventually, the elevator stopped and we came out onto a rooftop in the CBD, which was bustling with people drinking and eating. It was another reminder at how much of the world I hadn’t explored yet. We walked to the edge and sat at a bar looking down over the busy city streets in the sunset.

“What’s your poison?” she asked.

I stood. “This is my shout. What can I get you?”

“Something white and dry. And can you get a menu? I’m starved.”

“How about I order?”

She nodded. I went to the bar and ordered fries, wings, and sliders, then brought my beer and her wine back. She smiled up at me, unguarded for a moment, giving me those sexy dimples that featured in my fantasies. Then the shutters came down, and what had happened between us hung heavy in the air.

“Mia, I want to apologise for how I was that weekend. I wasn’t meaning to lead you on. I was too drawn to you, having too much fun, and I forgot for a moment how my life actually is. I should’ve held back because I couldn’t do what we might’ve had any justice. I never wanted to hurt you. I was being selfish and I’m sorry.”

She didn’t speak for a long moment, taking a large sip of wine, and I held my breath. “I’m not going to lie, I was hurt. But when I saw you this afternoon, I got it. Complicated is right. Be kind to yourself. It looks like you have enough on your plate.” She gripped my hand and squeezed.

I squeezed it back, needing her to understand how much it meant to me, but knowing my words would come up short.

“But now it’s time to share your burden with me,” she said. “Tell me all about how you of all people ended up with a woman like that.”

I wanted to laugh as she said the word that like it was a bitter taste in her mouth. Instead, I sighed because I hated recounting the story of my life.

About the Author: As a girl growing up in Australia, Laura was lost in the world of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. During high school, volleyball dominated her life. There had to be something positive about being 6’1” with red hair. Representing Australia from a young age she eventually took a scholarship at the University of Iowa. Living in America and being a full time athlete in a college town was an eye-opening experience and lots of fun (from what she can remember). #gohawkeyes

Returning from the States, her career took a different turn as she started working at the Red Cross and completed her Masters of Law in Human Rights. As one of the few non-lawyers in the class, her essays were far more floral than the rest, something that caused the discerning professors to shake their heads. Through working and studying, she realised there are other ways to win hearts and minds.

While she’s spent the last 14 years as an advocate against poverty and homelessness, the desire to change the world through storytelling has only got stronger. She now lives in the Alpine Valleys of North East Victoria, Australia with her husband, daughter, son, two dogs and seven chooks. When she’s not doing the whole mum thing, working at a homelessness agency, renovating her farmhouse, or trying to do laundry bleary-eyed at midnight, she is writing.

Say G’day to Laura:

Website: http://www.lsimpsonauthor.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/l.simpson.romance
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lsimpsonauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lsimpsonauthor
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-simpson-47278971

BUY LINKS:

http://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/see-me
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/see-me-l-simpson/1133838822?ean=9781951055202
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YDL2SV6
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/960078
https://books2read.com/u/b5QBYR
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/see-me-28
https://linkmaker.itunes.apple.com/en-us/details/1481621816

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