Spotlight: Excerpt from One Night in Paris by N.D. Jackson

 

When a not-quite-jilted bride turns her would-be honeymoon into a solo adventure, the last thing she expects is to fall for Paris or the broodingly handsome artist who shows her its secrets. As midnight kisses blur into something deeper, she must choose between the life she left behind and the future she never saw coming. One Night in Paris by N.D. Jackson is a heart-mending, spicy travel romance where art, passion, and second chances collide in the world’s most romantic city.
 

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It started as one night in Paris.
It ended with forever on the line.
Not quite a jilted bride,
I still find myself on a first-class flight to Paris—solo.
What was supposed to be a honeymoon has become my Great Parisian Adventure: art, food, and falling in love with the city.
Then I met Lucien.
Tall. Dark. French. Irresistibly artsy.
He taught me how to see the city through his eyes.
Its sounds, its colors, its passion.
And somehow, somewhere between croissants, art galleries, and midnight kisses,
Paris stopped being just a place… and started to feel like him.
But he’s a world away from my real life.
And I came here to move on, not fall in love.
Still, you can’t have a Great Parisian Adventure without a touch of romance.
Even if it can't last.
One Night in Paris is a jilted bride, friends to lovers, travel romance with a happy ending, steamy open-door scenes and a whole lotta Paris. Features a scorching hot Parisian with sensitive eyes, a gentle soul and hot touch.
 

 
Excerpt
Copyright 2025, N.D. Jackson
 
It was that magical hour where the whole world seemed perfect. Friends catching up after a long day at work. Lovers greeting each other with soft kisses and heated looks. Even families gathered with a bottle of table wine over rapid fire French.
It’s perfect.
I walked along the boulevards until I found a little bar with a blue neon light that read beaux rêves. Sweet Dreams. It was exactly what I needed so I turned down the cobblestone alleyway and tugged on the heavy black door. I stepped inside and instantly the tension left my body. Soft jazz played inside the dimly lit bar. Booths covered in deep blue leather lined the walls on either side of the door while a few tables with two and four chairs dotted the middle space before the long mahogany bar took up the rest of the space. The dark wood and dark leather should’ve made the place seem heavy but it wasn’t. There was a lightness to it that called to me so I settled at the bar. Or maybe it was just that it seemed less pathetic to sit alone at the bar.
“Que voulez-vous boire?” The voice was masculine, deep and smooth. Heavenly.
My gaze drifted from the specials on the chalkboard above to the owner of the voice, which was my first mistake. His face was even more beautiful than his musical voice. With his brown hair that looked just a little bit mussed and big mossy green eyes, he was a work of art. His olive toned skin gave him an exotic appeal that I shouldn’t have noticed but it was impossible not to. “Oh, um, right. Je voudrais, a, um bourbon?” That was horrible, from the accent to the words, and I felt my skin warm with embarrassment. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said with a short laugh. “You ordered it just right. Either that or you asked me if you would like a bourbon.” His face split into an amused grin that drew my gaze to full, pink lips.
I sat taller and looked him right in those mesmerizing green eyes. “Je vourdrais un bourbon.”
He gave a short nod, lips still smiling. “Coming right up.”
I ordered my first drink en français and the bartender understood, which was one for the win column. I got this.
He returned and set a glass in front of me half-full of brown liquid. “Autre chose?”
I ran the catalog of French words I knew in my brain and nodded, because I definitely needed something to go with the booze. “Yes. Je prendrai le plateau de fromages et de pâtés.”
He bit back another smile. “One cheese and pâté board coming right up.”
My brows dipped this time at his smile. He was handsome, sure, but he was also a little bit devilish. “Are you doing that on purpose?” He was messing with me. Right?
He turned back, thick dark brows shot up. “Quoi?”
“That!” I pointed at him. “You keeping responding in a different language.” I heard rumors about the French but I hoped it wasn’t true. “Is this a mess with the dumb American thing?”
His smile slipped. “Bien sûr que non.” He shook his head, seeming appalled at my accusation. “I am just letting you know that I understand. Would you prefer that I clap each time you speak properly?”
I took a long sip of my drink, finishing off half easily and then folded my arms before I aimed a really good glare at him. “Non. Non, je ne le ferais pas!” I definitely would not like that.
“I didn’t think so. Another bourbon?” His accent in both French and English was incredible. It was like a sultry grownup lullaby that effectively vanquished all of my annoyance.
“Yes please. Another bourbon would be great.”
He watched me for a long time, so long I began to squirm. At first I wondered if I still had paint on my face or in my hair but then I remembered the hot shower and high end French beauty products and I knew it wasn’t that. “I have something perfect for you, if you are bold enough to let me choose for you?”
Bold enough. I recognized the challenge for what it was and I tilted my chin high in the air. “Absolument.”
“Now it is you messing with me.” He grinned as he poured, but I noted a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Here you go. Tell me what you think.”
I accepted the crystal glass, noting the artistry of the cut geometric pieces before I wrapped my hand around it took a sip. “Oh my god!” I didn’t spit it out, thankfully, but my eyes bugged out and I choked on it. “That is…strong,” I finished and then frowned at the glass. “But good. What is it?”
“French rye. American’s always think bourbon is French but it is from your homeland. This,” he pointed to my glass, “is the best of French alcohol.”
It wasn’t bad but it was incredibly strong. I leaned closer and looked left and then right. “Would it be terribly rude or uncouth to ask for it on the rocks?”
He laughed but this time it wasn’t at me, and goodness it went all the way up to those incredible eyes. “Whatever the lady wants.”
I stared at him blatantly because he really was beautiful, but it wasn’t attraction. I mean he was attractive but it was more than that, he was beautiful in that way that made my fingers tingle with the urge to paint him. To sketch him. Anyway I could celebrate his beauty through my art I wanted to.
Badly.
Now.
 
About N.D. Jackson

Wanderer. Lover of books. Romance author. Vegan. Those are just some of the things used to describe me! When I’m not spinning tales of small town and contemporary romance, I love to travel, cook, and watch/listen to true crime, history & strange documentaries and podcasts. I’m a native Chicagoan currently living in Europe who has been in love with books for as long as I can remember. My first book, Conflict of Interest, was published in 2014, and I’ve been writing books ever since! I’m a full-time writer and part-time author, traveler, vegan blogger, and obsessive fan of Dawson’s Creek.

 
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Review: Into the Storm by Christina Sol

Author: Christina Sol
Publication Date: December 2025 

She's looking to start fresh, free from any entanglements. He's not relationship material and is content living a quiet life. When their paths collide, the chemistry between them can't be denied. But danger swirls around them...
 
For hairstylist Freya Hansen, relocating to Hudson Island gives her the chance to shed her old life and start over. When her newfound peace is shattered, she struggles to pick up the pieces, until a mysterious stranger steps in. A history of failed relationships has left her questioning her own judgement, no matter how intriguing she finds him. 
 
Xander Bonetti has left his wild ways behind him and is more than happy to focus on his work--leading Hudson Security's personal security division. But when he spies the petite hairdresser after an incident at the Pacific View Resort, his protective instincts kick into high gear. And when a threat from her past brings trouble to her doorstep, even while knowing his heart could be on the line, he'll do anything to protect her.
 
As the heat between Xander and Freya grows, so does the danger that looms around them. Not only must they unravel decades-old clues to end the unseen threat targeting Freya, but they must also let go of their fears and secrets or they'll lose their chance at a once in a lifetime love.


Amazon Worldwide: http://bit.ly/4ql5UMy     
 Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4ojp2t7  

My thoughts:

   

Into the Storm is the second book in the Hudson security Series.  This one is Xander and Freya's story.  I swear, this series gets better and better.  I know it's only the second book, but I love these characters and this series.  I loved this one.  Xander and Freya have the sweetest chemistry.  I loved watching them fall for each other.  It was adorable how they both had insecurities and how that played into their courtship.  It wasn't annoying, it was actually endearing.  I also loved how Xander's friends and colleagues had his back and encouraged him.  The mystery definitely came out of nowhere.  I was completely wrong as to what who was threatening Freya.  I won't spoil any more.  I just highly recommend you pick this up.

About the author:

Award-winning author Christina Sol writes what she loves to read - romance filled with heart, heat, and suspense.
When Christina's not writing, reading, or knitting, she's watching football or fueling her washi, sticker & planner obsession.
Christina lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.
 
Connect with Christina
Website | www.christinasol.com   
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8192185.Christina_Sol    
Amazon | https://bit.ly/3E5M2cw    
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/christinasol.author      
Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/christinasol.author/    
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Spotlight: Excerpt from The Library of Fates by Margot Harrison

 

By Margot Harrison
On Sale: December 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781525804311
Graydon House Hardcover 
Price: $30.00

When its librarian keeper mysteriously dies, two former classmates must race to locate a rare book from their college years that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your past—but someone is intent on protecting what’s hidden inside.

It can write the story of your future... and hide the secrets of your past
The Library of Fates was designed to show you who you are—and who you could become. Its rarest book, The Book of Dark Nights, holds a secret: when you write an intimate confession on its pages, you'll receive a prediction for your future, penned in your own handwriting.

For Eleanor, whose childhood was defined by a senseless tragedy, the library offers a world where everything makes sense. She’s spent most of her life there as an apprentice to the brilliant librarian, showing other people how to find the meaning of their lives in stories.

But when her mentor dies in a freak accident and The Book of Dark Nights goes missing—along with the secrets written inside—Eleanor is pulled out of the library and into a quest to locate it with the last person she expects: the librarian’s estranged son, Daniel, who Eleanor once loved.

Together, as they hunt down clues from Harvard to Paris, Eleanor and Daniel grow closer again, regaining each other’s trust. But little do they know that they’re entangled in a much larger web. Someone else wants the book, and they'll go to dark lengths to get it...
 
Buy Links:
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BookShop.org 
 
Excerpt:

Now

September 26, 2019, 1:15 p.m.

The Library of Fates lived tucked under the mansarded roof of a tall, charcoal- gray building in Harvard Yard. To a casual visitor, it was like any other library, lined with shelves for hours of pleasantly aimless browsing. But every student knew that if you came to the Library of Fates and asked for a book to guide you safely through turbulent times, the librarian would go straight to the shelf and put a book in your hands. And that book would change your life.

Eleanor Dennet was that librarian now, but the knowledge felt hollow. Her predecessor, Odile Vernet— her mentor, her guiding star, her best friend— had died suddenly three days ago, and she could barely process it.

Her throat still raw from crying, her brain still woozy from too much vodka, she stepped over the threshold of the library that had been her refuge for most of the past twenty-four years. On the surface, everything seemed the same: the dark oak paneling and moss- green area rugs and accents; the pearly glow that came through the recessed skylight; the sweet, faintly musty smell. The custodian had opened the curtains and blinds of the nine bay windows on each long side of the room. Sunlight bathed the books in a greenish haze and washed over the varnished seminar table and armchairs. The mural on the ceiling evoked the magic of stories.

But something felt different here. Something was wrong. 

Then Eleanor saw him.

From his seat in a green brocade armchair angled toward the window, he didn’t seem to have noticed her entrance. Barely daring to breathe, she took in black hair sprinkled with gray on the headrest and long lashes outlined on his cheek as he gazed down at a sheaf of papers in his hand.

Daniel Vernet, Odile’s son.

The last time they’d seen each other, in 1995, they’d been standing here in the library. Eleanor’s view of Daniel had been clouded by tears, but she would never forget his dark eyes gazing back as if she were a stranger. The bland way he’d smiled, as if she meant nothing to him after everything they’d been through.

And here were more damned tears, rising and choking her. She would have to face Daniel eventually, to give condolences and make arrangements for his mother’s memorial. But not yet. She wasn’t ready for that. She darted to the window bay farthest from his chair, silent on the thick carpet, and slipped behind the floor-length curtain.

Daniel sighed heavily. The papers crackled. Frozen in place, Eleanor watched through a gap as he stood up. He didn’t look his age, the lines of his chin and cheekbones still firm.

A sharp click- clack of heels sounded on the stairs behind them. “Ready, Daniel?” asked a slightly accented voice that Eleanor recognized as Liliana, Odile’s housekeeper and close friend.

Daniel nodded, but his gaze was still on the papers. “What the hell is this?” he asked. “What the hell?”

As the older woman put a soothing hand on Daniel’s shoulder, Eleanor saw his body heave. Was he grieving his mother, then? Their relationship had never been smooth. Though Odile visited her son in Europe on occasion, it had taken her death to bring him back to the States for the first time in decades.

Liliana gave Daniel a hug and led him toward the door. “Everything will work out. You’ll see. We don’t want to be late for our appointment.”

“I’m just so confused!” Eleanor heard him still exclaiming as their feet thudded down the stairs.

She emerged from behind the curtain and stood very still, waiting for the tension to dissipate and the atmosphere to settle. Listening for a faint but steady thrum on the edge of her awareness, a rumble that was neither pipes nor heating. Like Odile, Eleanor was attuned to the library’s vibrations, inaudible to most people.

But now, standing dead center in the library, straining her senses in the stillness, she detected no reassuring thrum. Nothing. As if the library were an immense machine that had stopped running.

Panic gripped her. It can’t be.

She hurried to the oak door at the far end of the room and unlocked it with trembling fingers. Here in the librarian’s small office, The Book of Dark Nights was kept, secure in a safe, its pages alive with the power of the secrets trapped inside, for the library drew its power from the Book. As long as the Book remained there, the library would function.

On top of the safe, she found a sticky note in Odile’s strong cursive:

A place of pages,

A subterranean secret,

Where love is shared.

One book brought you together.

 Start from there.

Eleanor stared at it for a dazed second. Odile often left literary quotes on sticky notes, but this didn’t seem like the style of poetry she would read— or write, if Odile had been a poet.

Then she knelt beside the safe to type in the code. Fumbling in her urgency, she had to enter it twice before the light turned green and she could swing the door open. Eleanor closed her eyes and said a silent prayer: Please let it be here.

The Book had been stolen only once, and the results had been disastrous. Eleanor tried not to think about them as she reached into the safe for the cracked calfskin of the Book’s binding, bracing herself to feel the usual tingle as her fingers made contact. Needing to experience that uncanny suggestion that the Book was alive. To know that it was only Daniel’s presence that had made the library feel wrong.

But there was nothing.

She knew people saw her as Odile’s mousy, adoring acolyte, hidden away in the library like a relic herself. A perennial student who had never even finished her PhD. A wan spinster, a living history display. Here in the library was the one place Eleanor mattered. In these books is your future, Odile had told her long ago. In these books are all the tools you need to live your life to the fullest. But all that depended on the magic.

And as she ran shaky fingers from corner to corner of the steel compartment, she found only shadows and a fine, powdery dust that came off on her fingertips.

The Book of Dark Nights was gone.

Excerpted from THE LIBRARY OF FATES by Margot Harrison, Copyright © 2025 by Margot Harrison. Published by Graydon House, an imprint of HarperCollins.

 
About the Author: 

Photo credit:
Daria Bishop

MARGOT HARRISON  is the author of The Midnight Club and The Library of Fates. She is also the author of four young adult novels, including an Indies Introduce Pick, Junior Library Guild Selections, and Vermont Book Award Finalists. She grew up in New York and now lives in Vermont.

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Review Tour: Cowboys of Devil's Ditch by Vanessa Vale

 
Cowboys of Devil's Ditch by Vanessa Vale is live!
 
The West just got Wilder! Meet the cowboys of Devil’s Ditch, Montana, one steamy, instalove story at a time.

This paperback volume includes Trig, Colt and Bray.

TRIG:
I’m a rodeo champ. I live for the eight second rush astride an angry bull. But now I live for her. The One I save from a Montana blizzard.
Stranded together, I make her mine.
When danger arrives on my front porch, I protect what’s mine.
But how do I protect the woman I love if I don’t know who she really is?

COLT:
She’s The One. The one who got away.
After a steamy encounter at the rodeo, I thought I’d never see her again. I’ve been given a second chance when I discover she’s the new doctor in town. I do everything I can to make her mine, but she resists. It makes no sense, until I learn the truth of her past. I won’t let her escape again, even if I have to handcuff her to my bed.

BRAY:
I’ve known her for years… but it’s time to make her mine. My little sister’s best friend needs my help, to be her fake boyfriend.
Fake? Nothing’s fake with her. She feels it, too, but can’t understand why I finally want her after all this time. I’d take the time to prove it, but someone’s out to hurt her. That means she’s mine now whether she likes it or not.

These short reads are MF with a guaranteed spicy HEA. While they are standalone, it’s best to read them in order.

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4nOactc  
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/47RNomH

My thoughts: 

This volume of  Cowboys of Devil's Ditch contains the first three novellas in the series. Each one features a member of the large Wilder family who meet their loves and fall instantly.  They are all insta-love, very quick romances with happy endings.  They all also contain very spicy content.  

While I enjoyed each couple, my favorite out of the three was Bray's story.  Bray and Katie have known each other for a long time so I felt like their story was less insta-lovey.  It was more like Bray finally saw what was right in front of him all along.  If you are a fan of insta love stories with alpha males who take care of their women, I highly recommend this series.

About the author:

I'm Vanessa Vale and I'm a USA Today bestseller of over 95 small town and cowboy romances. I live in the American West where I'm always finding inspiration for my next story.
 
Connect with Vanessa
Website | https://vanessavaleauthor.com/   
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9835889.Vanessa_Vale   
Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/stores/Vanessa-Vale/author/B00PGB3AXC    
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/vanessavaleauthor     
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Bookbub |  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vanessa-vale        
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Release Blitz: Excerpt from One Night in Paris by N.D. Jackson

 

When a not-quite-jilted bride turns her would-be honeymoon into a solo adventure, the last thing she expects is to fall for Paris or the broodingly handsome artist who shows her its secrets. As midnight kisses blur into something deeper, she must choose between the life she left behind and the future she never saw coming. One Night in Paris by N.D. Jackson is a heart-mending, spicy travel romance where art, passion, and second chances collide in the world’s most romantic city.
 

It started as one night in Paris.
It ended with forever on the line.
Not quite a jilted bride,
I still find myself on a first-class flight to Paris—solo.
What was supposed to be a honeymoon has become my Great Parisian Adventure: afrt, food, and falling in love with the city.
Then I met Lucien.
Tall. Dark. French. Irresistibly artsy.
He taught me how to see the city through his eyes.
Its sounds, its colors, its passion.
And somehow, somewhere between croissants, art galleries, and midnight kisses,
Paris stopped being just a place… and started to feel like him.
But he’s a world away from my real life.
And I came here to move on, not fall in love.
Still, you can’t have a Great Parisian Adventure without a touch of romance.
Even if it can't last.
One Night in Paris is a jilted bride, friends to lovers, travel romance with a happy ending, steamy open-door scenes and a whole lotta Paris. Features a scorching hot Parisian with sensitive eyes, a gentle soul and hot touch.
 
Add to Goodreads Here!
 
Buy Now or Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
 
Excerpt
Copyright 2025, N.D. Jackson
 
For the first time in my life, words failed me so I did the only thing that seemed appropriate in the moment, I pressed my lips to hers and let the moment carry me.
A soft whimper escaped Emerald’s lips when our mouths touched at the exact same time her hands landed on my chest, the warmth of her touch penetrated every layer of my skin.
It was an odd sensation, kissing a woman who wasn’t Eve. Who didn’t taste the way Eve did. Emerald’s curls were a stark contrast to her silky straight locks. Everything about the kiss was surreal because I never thought I would kiss another pair of lips but here I was, savoring a pair that were thicker and softer than I was accustomed to. She tasted of cherries instead of peach lip balm.
Emerald’s lips weren’t submissive, she dove right into the kiss as if she wanted it the way I wanted it. Her hands curled into the fabric of the thin t-shirt I slept in, fisting it as if she wanted to make sure I didn’t break the kiss.
As if I could.
Not even ten thousand hours could have dragged our lips apart. Her kiss was more intoxicating than the best French wine, her touch was hotter than the hottest Parisian sun. Every second that our lips were fused together was another second I grew addicted to her touch and her taste. Emerald kissed the way she seemed to do everything, with an immense passion that was impossible to ignore. Her lips moved against mine with a drugging intensity that made my head spin. Her tongue danced with mine so effortlessly as if we’d been kissing for years, diving deep as if she was hungry for every inch of me.
The soft moans she made were enough to unravel the steely resolve that had settled deep in my bones the moment the doctor’s told me my wife, my son, my entire world was gone. The hesitation was gone, vanishing on the breeze that tore through the apartment, replaced by pent up passion that shocked me with its ferocity.
The way I wanted her didn’t just shock me, it scared me. Who was this woman to make me want her this way? Why did she affect me this way when no other woman had? I had been the picture of the faithful, grieving husband since the day I lost her and now it was all gone. Obliterated in one, heartfelt act.
An eternity passed before one of us—Emerald—pulled back, gasping and wide-eyed. Her lips were pink and swollen as they curved up into a slow smile. “That was…wow. One hell of a kiss.”
Her words relaxed me and pulled me out of my head a way nothing else could have in that moment. “It was pretty wow wasn’t it?”
She nodded, a short shock of laughter exploded from her lips. “Yeah,” she sighed. “It was.” Her gaze went from my eyes back to my lips, and then her breath hitched as if she was fighting the urge to kiss me again.
 
 
About N.D. Jackson
Wanderer. Lover of books. Romance author. Vegan. Those are just some of the things used to describe me! When I’m not spinning tales of small town and contemporary romance, I love to travel, cook, and watch/listen to true crime, history & strange documentaries and podcasts. I’m a native Chicagoan currently living in Europe who has been in love with books for as long as I can remember. My first book, Conflict of Interest, was published in 2014, and I’ve been writing books ever since! I’m a full-time writer and part-time author, traveler, vegan blogger, and obsessive fan of Dawson’s Creek.
 
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Release Blitz: Excerpt from Versions of You by Cecelia Mecca

 

 
When a bolt of lightning drags bookstore owner Lena Harper into the pages of a centuries-old chronicle, she’s thrust into a love triangle that spans worlds and lifetimes: a devoted medieval knight, a seductive immortal, and the best friend she left behind. As her heart becomes entangled with all three men, Lena uncovers a truth that binds their fates—and hers—in ways she never imagined. Caught between fantasy and reality, she must choose the world she belongs to and the love worth stepping out of her stories for. Readers who enjoy steamy genre-bending romances will want to sink their teeth into Versions of You by Cecelia Mecca, a fated mates, second-chance, forbidden romance.
 

 

Lena Harper sells love stories in her bookstore. She never expected to fall into one.
When lightning strikes her small-town bookshop, pulling Lena into the pages of a centuries-old chronicle, she finds herself torn between a noble knight, a dark immortal, and her steadfast best friend.
In medieval England, Sir Rowan offers devotion and protection.
In Stone Haven, immortal Riven awakens Lena’s darker cravings.
And back home in Kitchi Falls waits Nolan, the best friend she’s never truly seen.
Three men. Three worlds. One impossible truth … they’re all connected to her in ways she never imagined.
As the boundaries blur between story and reality, Lena must step out of her books and risk everything for the love waiting right in front of her.
 
Add to Goodreads Here!

Buy Now From Your Favorite Retailers!

 
 
Excerpt
Copyright 2025, Cecelia Mecca
 
Rain tapped softly against the windows of Kitchi Falls Books, the steady rhythm syncing with the thrum of my pulse as I turned another page. Was there anything better than the smell of old paper on a rainy afternoon? Maybe one thing: reading a romance that made you feel something again. Something real. Something messy.
“Let me guess,” Nolan said as he set a mug beside me, steam curling upward like a beckoning hand. “You skipped lunch. Again.”
I looked up at him—my best friend, my constant, the boy who used to trade PB&J halves with me in third grade and had somehow turned into a man with forearms I pretended not to notice.
“It’s barely noon,” I protested.
“It’s two-thirty,” he countered, one brow raised.
Okay, so time slipped when I read. Sue me.
“I’m just saying,” he continued, leaning on the counter beside me, “it wouldn’t kill you to occasionally consume food that isn’t flavored with printer ink.”
I smiled, unable to help it. Nolan’s teasing never felt like criticism. It felt like care. Like home.
He nudged the book in my hands. “Good?”
“Great,” I said. “The kind of read that makes the world feel bigger.”
That earned me a quiet look—one of those soft, unreadable ones Nolan gave when he wanted to say more but didn’t.
Before I could ask what was behind it, the bell over the door chimed.
A man stepped inside, rain clinging to his shoulders like it worshiped him. Tall. Dark hair. Sharp jaw. Eyes so blue they looked unreal under the shop lights. He shouldn’t have fit in Kitchi Falls—our little lake town was cozy sweaters and maple donuts, not… whatever he was.
He scanned the shelves like he was searching for something he’d lost a lifetime ago.
“Need help finding anything?” Nolan asked, but the stranger’s gaze was fixed on me.
On my book.
“The Healer’s Curse,” he said, voice low, a strange familiarity threading through it. “You enjoy stories like that?”
I blinked. “Stories like what?”
“Ones where fate pulls two people together long before they understand why.”
A shiver traced my neck.
Nolan stepped closer—not protective exactly, but present, his body blocking half the stranger’s view. “Can we help you with something?”
“Yes,” the man said simply. “Her.”
“Me?” I echoed.
The stranger nodded once. “Your name is Lena, yes?”
My breath stalled. I didn’t know him. Had never seen him in town. Yet he said my name like he’d said it before. Like he’d whispered it into the dark.
“Do I… know you?” I asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “But you will.”
Okay. Cryptic much?
Nolan angled himself between us. “Maybe you should try that line somewhere else.”
The stranger didn’t even flinch. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I came to return something.”
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, leather-bound book. Old. Worn. The kind of artifact historians drooled over.
I hesitated but took it. The cover was embossed with a symbol I recognized instantly—a crescent moon surrounded by three intertwined circles. I’d seen it in the medieval romance series I’d been reading. In the margins of my dad’s genealogy notes. Even in last night’s dream—
My heartbeat tripped.
“How did you get this?” I whispered.
His gaze softened. “That’s a much longer story than you’re ready for.”
And just like that, the lights flickered overhead. Once. Twice. Like the whole world held its breath.
“Lena?” Nolan’s voice pulled me back.
I forced a smile. “It’s fine. Really.”
But it wasn’t. Something inside me shifted the moment the book touched my hands, as if a door I hadn’t known existed had swung open.
The stranger gave a barely-there bow. “We will see each other again.”
Then he stepped back into the rain, leaving the scent of storm air and something ancient behind.
Nolan shut the door a little too hard. “What the hell was that?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly, but the truth pulsed beneath my skin like a second heartbeat.
I wasn’t sure whether I felt terrified.
Or awakened.
 

 
About the Cecelia Mecca

Cecelia Mecca is a former 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant turned full-time romance author. Armed with a PhD in Language & Literacy, an enduring love of chai lattes, and a newly minted Italian passport she uses to visit Sicily as often as possible, she writes across three romance genres under the Mecca Romance umbrella: • Cissy Mecca – steamy small-town romance • C.L. Mecca – romantasy & paranormal romance • Cecelia Mecca – medieval & Scottish historical romance If you love emotionally charged, flirt-filled love stories where strong women fall hard but never lose themselves, you’ve found your next favorite author. Cecelia’s heroines are bold, her heroes bring the heat, and every story is an escape—whether to a small town beside a vineyard or to the intrigue-filled Anglo-Scottish border of the 13th century. Cecelia lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two teens. When she’s not writing, she’s planning her next girls’ trip or Disney vacation, sipping wine, or chatting with readers. From castles to coffee shops, your escape awaits.
 
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Blog Tour: Review of The Forbidden Heiress by Gledé Browne Kabongo

THE FORBIDDEN HEIRESS

by Gledé Browne Kabongo

November 17 – December 12, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

 

Sabree Warner's biggest mistake wasn't taking the job—it was being born.

Drowning in grief and desperate for work, brilliant cancer researcher Sabree Warner leaps at the chance to join Montague Pharma, one of the world's most powerful pharmaceutical dynasties. Her first assignment seems straightforward: investigate why promising drug compounds were mysteriously abandoned before they could be developed into life-saving medicines.

But someone doesn't want her digging. A car nearly runs her down on a quiet street and speeds away, and her apartment is vandalized. Undeterred, Sabree probes further and uncovers a twisted game of corporate espionage. The abandoned drugs weren't shelved by accident—they were buried to hide a secret that could destroy the Montague empire.

Then Sabree discovers her connection to the powerful Montague family runs deeper—and deadlier—than she could ever imagine. As a vicious succession battle rages, someone has been watching her every move, someone who has already killed to keep the truth about her identity buried. In this world of ambition and ruthless power games, Sabree is fighting for more than answers.

She's fighting to stay alive.

Because in the Montague family, secrets don't stay hidden, they get eliminated.

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: October 22, 2025
Number of Pages: 350
ISBN: 979-8-9913219-6-9
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Goodreads | BookBub

 My thoughts:

At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like The Forbidden Heiress.  It was a little slow to start, but about a quarter of the way in, I got sucked into the mystery.  I ended up reading the last 3/4 in one sitting.  I really liked Sabree.  She was relatable, smart and turned her circumstances into strength.  She is someone you want to root for to succeed.  I did call one of the twists, but the other one was a surprise.  Having lived and worked in the Boston Cambridge area for years, it was fun to see familiar landmarks in the story.  This is a good solid mystery told from multiple perspectives.  I do recommend it. 

Author Bio:

Gledé Browne Kabongo writes twisty, unputdownable psychological thrillers about resilient women navigating dark secrets, deadly lies, and impossible choices. A multiple award-winning indie author, her books resonate best with readers who enjoy thrillers with complex characters, dark secrets, multiple deceptions and betrayals, unforgettable twists, and intellectual and emotional engagement.

Her novels include: A Game of Malice, Our Wicked Lies, Fool Me Twice, Conspiracy of Silence,Fearless Series.

Readers have described Gledé’s work as "unbelievably addictive," "brilliant," "unputdownable," and "haunting and complex."

Gledé has spoken at multiple industry events including the Boston Book Festival, Sisters in Crime (SinC) New England Crime Bake, and the Women in Publishing Summit. She lives outside Boston with her family.

Catch Up With Gledé Browne Kabongo:

www.GledeKabongo.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @GledBrowneKabongo
Instagram - @authorgledekabongo
Facebook - @gledekabongoauthor

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

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Pre-Order Blitz: One Night in Paris by N.D. Jackson

 

When a not-quite-jilted bride turns her would-be honeymoon into a solo adventure, the last thing she expects is to fall for Paris or the broodingly handsome artist who shows her its secrets. As midnight kisses blur into something deeper, she must choose between the life she left behind and the future she never saw coming. Pre-order this heart-mending, spicy travel romance from N.D. Jackson, where art, passion, and second chances collide in the world’s most romantic city.
 

Title: One Night in Paris
Author: N.D. Jackson
Release Date: 12/02/2025
Genres: Romantic Comedy
Page Count: 127 pages
Tropes: Diverse Romance, Jilted Bride, Friends-to-Lovers, Travel Romance, Second Chance Romance, Spicy Romance.
 
Blurb
It started as one night in Paris.
It ended with forever on the line.
Not quite a jilted bride,
I still find myself on a first-class flight to Paris—solo.
What was supposed to be a honeymoon has become my Great Parisian Adventure: art, food, and falling in love with the city.
Then I met Lucien.
Tall. Dark. French. Irresistibly artsy.
He taught me how to see the city through his eyes.
Its sounds, its colors, its passion.
And somehow, somewhere between croissants, art galleries, and midnight kisses,
Paris stopped being just a place… and started to feel like him.
But he’s a world away from my real life.
And I came here to move on, not fall in love.
Still, you can’t have a Great Parisian Adventure without a touch of romance.
Even if it can't last.
One Night in Paris is a jilted bride, friends to lovers, travel romance with a happy ending, steamy open-door scenes and a whole lotta Paris. Features a scorching hot Parisian with sensitive eyes, a gentle soul and hot touch.
 
Pre-Order on Amazon
 
Add to Goodreads Here!

About N.D. Jackson
Wanderer. Lover of books. Romance author. Vegan. Those are just some of the things used to describe me! When I’m not spinning tales of small town and contemporary romance, I love to travel, cook, and watch/listen to true crime, history & strange documentaries and podcasts. I’m a native Chicagoan currently living in Europe who has been in love with books for as long as I can remember. My first book, Conflict of Interest, was published in 2014, and I’ve been writing books ever since! I’m a full-time writer and part-time author, traveler, vegan blogger, and obsessive fan of Dawson’s Creek.
 
Follow: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | Reader Group | Goodreads | BookBub | Website | Newsletter | Amazon
 

Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt from A Quarterback for Christmas by Linda West

 

Author: Linda West
Publisher: Independent
Publication Date: October 1, 2025
Pages: 177
Genre: Holiday Romance
Formats: Kindle, FREE with Kindle Unlimited
 
He's Buffalo's hometown hero. She's the one who got away. When fate and a little Christmas magic bring them back together, love might just score the biggest comeback of all.

When Buffalo’s hometown quarterback Nash Jordan gets traded back just before Christmas, his career—and his heart—are both on thin ice. A lingering injury threatens his future, until help arrives in the most unexpected form: Eden Landers, the woman he never stopped loving.

Eden’s a talented chef with a hint of magic in her kitchen, and healing others is what she does best. But moving into Nash’s guest house to help him recover stirs up more than old memories. Between snowstorms, laughter, and late-night meals, love begins to simmer again.
Can they trust each other enough for a second chance? Or will fear and fame keep them apart once more?
Heartwarming, wholesome, and full of Christmas cheer, A Quarterback for Christmas is a cozy holiday romance about love, forgiveness, and finding your way home.

My thoughts:

A Quarterback for Christmas is a cute and sweet second chance romance.  When Nash is traded back to the Bills, he ends up in his hometown.  He needs all the luck and help he can get to make a comeback.  Eden is an old flame from high school who he hires to cook for him to bring him back to full health.   I enjoyed watching Nash and Eden realize they still had feeling for each other.  There is a little angst when an ex shows up.  I just wish that it didn't take Nash so long to realize the mistake he made causing Eden heartbreak.  Throughout the story, we are treated to cute perspectives from the cat who thinks he is royalty.  If you are looking for a sweet romance to get you in the Christmas spirit, I recommend this one. 

A Quarterback for Christmas is available at Amazon.
 
BOOK EXCERPT
The rain had just started when Nash Jordan stepped off the practice field, helmet in hand and sweat soaking through his gray workout shirt. His leg ached every time he shifted his weight, a dull reminder of the ACL tear that still hadn’t fully healed. He told himself it was nothing—it had to be nothing—but the tightness in his jaw said otherwise.
“Jordan,” one of the junior trainers called. “Coach wants to see you.”
Nash nodded and headed down the long hallway toward the coach’s office. The walls were lined with framed photos of better days—division titles, playoff wins, smiling faces. For a split second, he imagined one of those photos showing him, wearing the Rams jersey with a championship ring on his finger.
The coach was waiting behind his desk, arms folded and expression unreadable. “How’s the leg?”
“I’ve been better,” Nash admitted with a half shrug. “Probably just a minor flare-up. I’ll be back to full speed real soon.”
The coach took a breath. “You know we believe in you, Nash. You’re one of the best quarterbacks we’ve had come through here.”
Nash gave a small smile. “Thank you, Coach. I appreciate that.”
“That’s why this is hard.” The coach paused. “We just traded you to Buffalo.”
Nash blinked. “Buffalo?”
“They need a backup for Allen. It’s a solid deal—next year’s first and second round picks. You’ll get a fresh start.”
Nash stared at the floor as the words sank in. Buffalo. Snow, cold, his old high school stadium. And him—once a top draft pick—now a backup. “Right,” he said quietly. “Buffalo.”
The coach stood and offered his hand. “You’re going to have a great career, son. I know it.”
– Excerpted from A Quarterback for Christmas by Linda West, Linda West, 2025. Reprinted with permission.
.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda West is a best-selling Amazon author in fiction and non-fiction. She lives in the snowy wonderland of upstate New York with her husband and magical cat. 
Her latest book is the holiday romance, A Quarterback for Christmas. You can visit her website at http://www.morningmayan.com.