Blog Tour: Sweet Christmas Romances 2017 anthology

Author: Sharon Kreve

Christmas is around the corner and all Evie Holmes wants is a nice, sincere, honest guy to spend the holidays with. Andrew Summerfield seems like the perfect boyfriend until Evie discovers he is only after her bakery, and beautiful, turn of the century home. When she ends their relationship, he stubbornly refuses to take no for an answer.

When her friend suggests Evie adopt a pet, she finds herself wanting to adopt a dog and a sexy veterinarian.

Nick Tucker has a killer smile, a heart of gold and loves her Chocolate Kiss cookies. Can a Saint Bernard named Brewster and a passionate veterinarian bring the holiday spirit back into Evie’s life in time for Christmas?

Author: Jennifer Conner

This holiday season, Analeigh’s put everything into a Christmas wedding where her cupcakes are taking center stage. Analeigh quit her job and went back to school to follow her dreams and her passion.

In a second, Analeigh’s worst case scenario happens when she’s involved in a hit-and-run.

Her cupcake trays become road kill and her dreams fade.

But, when a cute tow truck driver, Danny, comes to her rescue maybe the worst day of her life can be resurrected. Anything can happen… it’s Christmas.

Author: Angela Ford

Nicholas Reed arrives in the small town of Troy to acquire the Delbert farm for his investors. He hadn’t expected his competition to be a beautiful, confident woman. His heart takes control over his business-minded mission. Christine Spencer is the owner of the coffee shop ‘Sugar N’ Spice’. She serves the best sugar and spice, and everything nice.

Chrissy’s heart melts the first time she meets Nick. Then she discovers he’s the man that can destroy her dream to own the Delbert farm. His plan to bring in his investors for a viewing of the property would cancel her annual Christmas dance at the farm. He proposes a deal for her to date him for a week and he’ll stall his investors. Can Nick convince her those first sparks they felt, are real? Nothing like a little spice added to the holidays, unless someone ends up on the naughty list.

Author: Tammy Tate

After being attacked in the parking lot of her San Antonio apartment complex, Amy fears all men. One day she stumbles upon Sawyer Creek. Using all her savings, she buys a small house and café and her Chicken Dorito Casserole becomes an all-time favorite among the community. After four years, the nightmares have stopped, but the panic attacks haven’t.

Christmas is four weeks off when the Sheriff calls saying a shovel hit the backdoor of her café, setting off the alarm. Vowing to never be a victim twice, she arms herself with the shovel only to learn that he’s been shot.

Can she help him despite her fear of men?

Author: Laura Strickland

Margie’s mom taught her to bake, and to believe in Christmas magic. She also promised this would be the year Margie found love. When Margie draws the name of her office crush, Trent in the Secret Santa Pool, she decides to make it happen by baking him a batch of her irresistible Magic Christmas bars. But it’s Bryan, the new guy in the office, who falls under her spell.

Bryan doesn’t need any encouragement when it comes to Margie. From his first day on the job, he’s been captivated by her sweet nature and beautiful smile. Bryan can tell Margie only has eyes for Trent, but he recognizes Trent for what he is, a charming user likely to break Margie’s heart. Before that happens, he must make Margie see she’s closer to her Christmas miracle than she ever dreamed.:

My thoughts:

  If you are in the mood for some sweet and quick romances, then this collection just might od the trick. All five of the stories are quick holiday novellas with really cute love at first sight romances in them.  I enjoyed all five.  But if I had to pick my favorite, it would be Christmas Chocolate Kisses; with Amy's Christmas Casserole coming in a close second.  My only complaint is that I wish the stories were longer.  I would love to get to know the characters more and be able to savor the romance. I will warn you though, don't read it on an empty stomach or you will be hunting down cupcakes and sweet treats to binge on.

Buy Links:

Amazon   KOBO Apple iTunes  Playster   SCRIBD   Inktera

All five authors will be giving away a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card

Entry-Form

About the authors

Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.  Sharon is a multi-published author of contemporary romance. She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other’s arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.

Email: sharon.kleve@gmail.com

Blog: http://authorsharonkleve.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sharonrkleve

Facebook Timeline: https://www.facebook.com/#!/sharonkleve

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonKleve

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/btSoS1

Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+SharonKleveAuthor/posts

Jennifer Conner is a best-selling Northwest author who has seventy short stories, books, and audiobooks. She writes in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, and Erotica.  She has hit Amazon’s top fifty authors ranking and her books have been #1 in sales.  Her novel Shot in the Dark was a finalist in the Emerald City Opener, Cleveland, and Toronto RWA contests.

Jennifer is an Associate Publisher for the indie e-book publisher, Books to Go Now who resides in the Seattle area. They pride themselves in helping new authors get their foot in the door with well-edited manuscripts, professional covers, and platforms uploads.

Please email her at jenniferconnerwriter@gmail.com

Website:  http://jenniferconnerbooks.com/

Email: jenniferconnerwriter@gmail.com

Publisher: Bookstogonow@gmail.com www.bookstogonow.com

BLOG:  http://jenniferconnerwriter.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.conner2

For Updates about new releases as well as exclusive promotions, visit Jennifer’s website and sign up for the VIP mailing list. http://www.jenniferconnerbooks.com/

Angela Ford originates from Nova Scotia…Canada’s Ocean Playground!  Her love of the ocean and sunsets are always in her heart and give her inspiration. Her love for words keeps her turning the page. She is never without a book, whether she’s reading or writing. Her dedication to volunteer and involvement with cyber safety seminars gave her an Award of Distinction and sparked the idea for her first book Closure - Best Selling Action/Adventure/Crime/Suspense. Ms. Ford continued her FBI series with Forbidden and Obsessed. Now available in a boxed set – Cyber Crime Series. In between mysteries, Ms. Ford writes short contemporary romance...sometimes with a dash of suspense! 

Visit her website Romantic Escapes at http://www.angelafordauthor.com to connect with her on social media. She loves to hear from her readers – they keep her smiling!

Tammy Tate was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida but has lived most of her adult life in Texas. Her passion to write began in high school. It follows her everywhere she goes...creating a world where anything is possible. She's been married to the same wonderful man for over thirty years. Her secret to a long marriage? It's easy when you marry your best friend. In her world, Friday night is still date night.

Before she became a full-time author, she was an Executive Secretary, a Computer Consultant/Technician, and a Communications Officer (Police Dispatcher). She doesn't mind a challenge which has allowed her to race a late-model in a women's powder puff race, run barrels and poles in a play-day rodeo and drive an 18-wheeler. Somewhere in between, she and her husband raised three wonderful children. When she's not breathing life into her characters or jotting down ideas for a new book, she is most likely spending quality time with her husband or curled up with a good book.

Since she believes reading is the next best thing to writing, she enjoys romance, fantasy, science fiction and thrillers. In December of 2013, she signed her first book contract with a traditional publisher. Her books have made Amazon's Best Seller list.

Email me: authortammytate@aol.com
Like my author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tammytateauthor
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/authortammytate
Check out my blog: http://authortammytate.blogspot.com
Publisher: http://bookstogonow.com

Award-winning author Laura Strickland, born and raised in Western New York, has pursued lifelong interests in lore, legend, magic and music, all reflected in her writing. Although she enjoys travel, she’s usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario, with her husband and her "fur" child, a rescue dog. Author of numerous Historical and Contemporary Romances, she is the creator of the Buffalo Steampunk Adventure series set in her native city. Margie’s Magic Christmas Bars is her second title with Books To Go Now.

Forgetting Jack Cooper: The Stuntman Edition by Erin McCarthy

Author: Erin McCarthy
Publisher: Self
Date of publication: October 2017

If there’s one thing Toni Salvatore knows how to do, it’s make people laugh. Having embarked on a life of comedy back in college playing pranks with current Hollywood star Jack Cooper, she’s now a YouTuber with her own passionate following. Too bad her newest joke—a fake on-set kiss with Jack—results in an epic case of mistaken identity…and with Toni getting flattened by Jack’s stunt man and body double. What’s a girl to do but make the best of a bad situation?

Chance Ashton takes everything seriously—he’s had to, because of his past. Then he mistakenly drops the hilarious and hot Toni to the ground in what he thought was an action scene, and he’s so intrigued he lets her kiss him after all. The results? More explosive than anything he’s experienced filming movies. When Toni seems to be interested in more than a fast laugh, he knows better than to believe her…and yet…

For the first time in her life, Toni’s pratfalled herself into what could just be a real romance. But can she convince the sexy stunt man she’s capable of more than just a joke?

This novella is a part of a series of novellas that feature Jack Cooper.  He is an actor who is set to play a man who seeks redemption in his next movie. In order to research for the role, his publicist decides he should go on a "redemption tour" and apologize to people he has wronged in the past.  Along the way, he helps people find a little love.  This is Toni's story.

I thought this was a cute story,  A mistaken identity tale is always fun,  Toni and Chance were cute together.  Their attraction was intense and pretty hot.  Really, my only complaint is that it was too short.  I would have loved to explore this couple a bit more.  It's kind of a HFN ending, so that was a bit unsatisfying.  I would have also loved to see how Toni's YouTube schtick was going to change after they were together.  I'm not sure I would love to have my significant other running up and kissing random guys.  At any rate, it's a quick fun read.  I want to seek out the others to see how Jack fairs in his own love life.

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Author: Kate Moore
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Date of publication: May 2017

The incredible true story of the women who fought America's Undark danger.

The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.

Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive - until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.

But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.

Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives... 

I'll start right off and say that this book is really hard to read.  Not intellectually, but emotionally.  If you haven't heard of the radium girls, I urge you to read up on them or read this book.  They are an important part of history.  What those women went through changed so much about how safe we are in the workplace today.  They are truly heroes who fought for what was right.  Because of what they went through, we have OSHA, better labor laws and safer industrial working conditions.  Society owes them a real debt

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book.  I was expecting a dry account much like you would get on Wikipedia.  Instead, the author brought these women to life.  It became more than just a moment in history for me.  I felt like I got to know these women.  It became their story.  Using interviews, letters and diary entries, Ms Moore was able to tell the story in their own words.  I highly recommend this book.  It's one that shouldn't be missed.

Release Blitz Tour: Excerpt of DIGNITY by Jay Crownover

 

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jay Crownover returns with the second title in her romantic suspense series, The Breaking Point, DIGNITY. Check out the excerpt below and grab your copy today!

Author: Jay Crownover
Date of publication: October 2017

Looks can be deceiving.

I knew that most people took one look at the ink and the impossibly big and strong body it covered and decided I was a brawler…a bruiser…a beast. However, I was hardwired to be a thinker, not a fighter.

I should have chosen to use my brain and talents to be one of the good guys, a hero, a man with dignity and worth.

I turned my back on dignity and sold my soul to the highest bidder, deciding to dance with the devil, instead.

I couldn’t figure out how to help myself, so there was zero chance I knew how to save someone else.

That someone else was Noe Lee. She was the unkempt, unruly thief who was just as smart as I was and twice as street savvy. She was annoyingly adorable beneath the dirt and grime, and she was in trouble. In way over her head, I told myself it wasn’t my job to keep her from drowning. In the Point, it was sink or swim, and I wasn’t the designated lifeguard on duty.

I shut the door in her face, but now she’s gone…vanished…disappeared without a trace. It took less than a second for me to realize that I wanted her back.

When a woman comes along that melts all the frozen, hard things you’re made of; you’ll do anything you have to, to bring her home.

What you see is not always what you get…and with a man like me, what you get is more than anyone ever bargained for.

 DIGNITY is now available! Grab your copy today!

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Audible

   Add to your Goodreads

           


Enjoy this excerpt:

I was dragging ass when I took the stairs up to Booker’s unit. Typically, I could run up the three flights and not even get winded, but I was running on fumes and the last traces of adrenaline. My brain was fuzzy, and my normally sharp thoughts felt scattered and unruly. The past and the present were at war in my mind, and the battle for which one made me feel worse was raging.

I made my way through the quiet loft listening for any sound that would indicate Noe was up and moving around. When I got closer to the bedroom, I heard the shower running and swear words chasing the steam out of the open door. It was going to be painful for a while when the water sluiced over her wounds. The thought had me squeezing my eyes closed and clenching my hands into fists. Just because tough things didn’t break didn’t mean they couldn’t be damaged, dented, and scratched. The fact Noe was currently suffering so much wear and tear because of me scraped across my skin and dug into my belly like sharp knives.

I was turning to walk out of the room so she could finish in peace when the running water went silent and her swearing ramped up a notch. I heard her banging around in the bathroom and then she yelled, “Booker, I need a towel! I’m dripping all over your floor.”

I opened my mouth to tell her Booker was gone and that I would go find her one. I didn’t need her poking through his stuff and running across a submachine gun or a rocket launcher. My brain was ping-ponging between annoyance that she’d called for Booker instead of me and the unrelenting image of her, naked, wet, and dripping onto the tile. I wasn’t a guy prone to fantasy, but damn if I didn’t get all kinds of caught up in the thought of her pretty olive skin glistening with moisture from head to toe. I needed to get away from her. I needed space so I could find a way to wrap armor back around all the soft parts of me she exposed.

I was shaking my head to marshal my thoughts back in order when I heard her swear again. Suddenly, like I conjured her out of a dream, Noe was standing in the pocket doorway of the bathroom wearing nothing more than a scowl of irritation and shimmery, shiny water droplets. Her midnight-colored eyebrows shot up to her hairline, and a bright pink flush stained the top of her chest and crawled up her neck into her face. She didn’t lift her hands to cover herself. She stood as still as I was, not moving at all under my furious and hungry gaze.

I wanted to be polite and look away. I told myself it was rude to stare and that the last thing she needed was some guy she barely knew gawking at her like she was a priceless work of art on a museum wall. I berated myself for this invasion of privacy but none of the lecturing or preaching did any good. The only way I could have torn my eyes off that petite frame, with it’s perfectly perky breasts and slightly rounded hips, was if someone slapped them out of my head. I couldn’t blink. I was scared to breathe. I felt like if I moved at all she would bolt like a startled deer, and I needed another second, another minute, another hour, to memorize every single part of her.

She was small, but all the parts added up to perfection. Seeing her like this, stripped bare with nothing to hide behind, I couldn’t believe I’d ever been stupid enough think she was a boy. Everything about her was delicate, feminine, and soft. The hollow of her neck, the elegant curve of her shoulders, the flare of her hips and the fullness of her ass. Her legs weren’t long, but they were toned and shapely. She was the very definition of good things coming in small packages and all I wanted to do was wrap her up and put her on a shelf that was too high and too hard to reach for anyone but me.

Choking on possession and a surge of lust unlike anything I’d ever felt, I belatedly turned my back on her and muttered thickly, “I used all the towels in there last night when I cleaned you up. I’ll go find where Booker keeps the extras.”

She moved. I felt it. The current that ran between us pulsed and throbbed with something hot. I heard her bare feet on the carpet and it took every ounce of willpower I possessed to keep my feet planted and my back turned. She was naked in a room with a very big bed and I was a man who never had such a visceral reaction to anyone…ever. If I had a switch, Noe Lee was the only person who had ever come along and flipped it. I was the actual definition of turned on when I had been off for most of my life.

   

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About Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, the Point Series, the Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.        

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Little Monsters by Kara Thomas

Author: Kara Thomas
Publisher: Delacourte
Date of publication: July 2017

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone. 

I loved Darkest Corners, so I was excited to read Little Monsters.  While I didn't love it as much, it was still a fairly good mystery.  The story is told through Kacey's point of view.  She has recently come to live with her father and his family.  They are essentially strangers.  Trying to fit in, she makes friends with Bailey and Jade.  All seems to be going well until Bailey leaves a party and is never seen alive again.   As I said, I thought this was a fairly good mystery.  The ending was a bit surprising.  One thing that helped make the book more intriguing was the little snippets from Bailey's diary.  It helped me get a better insight into the missing girl.   

The story, while fairly short, did drag in places. I also thought the main characters made some incredibly stupid mistakes.  Why do people insist on speaking to the police repeatedly without a lawyer?  Has no one watched a cop show?  Also, why don't people tell the truth up front?  There were a few truths that were held back from the police dragging out the investigation.  That just got a little frustrating as it made the book drag out longer than it needed to be.  That said, I would recommend this one.  It's a fairly mild YA murder mystery.  I look forward to Ms. Thomas's next book.

Blog Tour: Lilac lane by Sherryl Woods

Author: Sherryl Woods

Publisher: Harlequin (Mira)

Date of publication: October 17, 2017

No one writes about friends, family and home better than Sherryl Woods. Told with warmth and humor, Lilac Lane is a brand-new story in her beloved Chesapeake Shores series, one readers all over the world have waited two years to read!

At the heart of Lilac Lane is Keira Malone, who raised her three children alone after her first marriage broke apart, and who, after years of guarding her heart, finally finds love again. But that love is short-lived when her fiancé suffers a fatal heart attack. Grieving and unsure of what’s next, Keira agrees to move from Dublin to Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, to spend time with her daughter, Moira, and her new granddaughter, Kate, as well as to help her son-in-law, Luke, with his Irish pub, O’Briens.

Not wanting to live underfoot, she rents a charming cottage on Lilac Lane, replete with views of the ocean and her neighbor’s thriving garden—not to mention views of the neighbor himself. The neighbor is none other than Bryan Laramie, the brusque and moody chef at the pub, with whom Keira is constantly butting heads. But things get real when Bryan’s long-lost daughter, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a baby, shows up out of the blue. As Bryan and Keira each delve into their pasts, reopening wounds, the rest of the town is gearing up for the Fall Festival Irish Stew cook-off, and making no bones about whose side they’re on. It’s Kitchen Wars meets This is Your Life—a recipe for disaster…or a new take on love?

You won’t want to miss this epic return to Chesapeake Shores, a place we’re betting you’ll want to stay forever.

Lilac Lane is the first book in this series that I have read.  While I think it can ultimately be read as a stand alone, a new reader would benefit from reading at least Moira and Luke's story before this one.  It think it might give more context for Keira's situation. 

I was looking forward to a good romance, but in the end it was just OK for me.  The book kind of dragged and I just wasn't invested in Keira and Bryan's relationship.  For me, it just lacked heat.  What I did find enjoyable were the secondary characters that rounded out the story.  I enjoyed watching them help Keira find a place to belong in Chesapeake Shores.  I think fans of the series will enjoy this addition. 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

]

About Sherryl Woods

With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether in her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. Sherryl is best known for her ability to creating endearing small town communities and families. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition.

Connect with Sherryl

Website |Facebook | Twitter

Review tour for LILAC LANE:

Monday, October 16th: From the Library of Mrs. Gardner blog and Instagram

Monday, October 16th: The Sassy Bookster – spotlight

Tuesday, October 17th: The Sketchy Reader

Tuesday, October 17th: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, October 18th: Stranded in Chaos

Thursday, October 19th: Reading Reality

Thursday, October 19th: Readaholic Zone

Friday, October 20th: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot

Monday, October 23rd: Katy’s Library blog and Instagram

Tuesday, October 24th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Tuesday, October 24th: What is That Book About – spotlight

Wednesday, October 25th: Books and Bindings

Thursday, October 26th: Bookchickdi

Friday, October 27th: View from the Birdhouse

Friday, October 27th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy – spotlight

Monday, October 30th: A Holland Reads

Monday, October 30th: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, November 1st: Novel Gossip

Thursday, November 2nd: Suzy Approved

Saturday, November 4th: Girl Who Reads

Monday, November 6th: Palmer’s Page Turners

Tuesday, November 7th: Bewitched Bookworms

Wednesday, November 8th: Moonlight Rendezvous

Thursday, November 9th: LiteraryJo Reviews blog and Instagram

Friday, November 10th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Monday, November 13th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Tuesday, November 14th: The Romance Dish

Tuesday, November 14th: Blogging with A

Spotlight Tour: Excerpt of Christmas in a Cowboy's Arms Anthology

Author: Leigh Greenwood with Rosanne Bittner, Linda Broday, Margaret Brownley, Anna Schmidt, and Amy Sandas

Pub Date: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

The Beating Heart of Christmas

Whether it’s a lonely spinster finding passion at last…an infamous outlaw-turned-lawman reaffirming the love that keeps him whole…a lost and broken drifter discovering family in unlikely places…a Texas Ranger risking it all for one remarkable woman…two lovers bringing together a family ripped apart by prejudice…or reunited lovers given a second chance to correct past mistakes…a Christmas spent in a cowboy’s arms is full of hope, laughter, and—most of all—love.

The six authors participating in this anthology are: USA Today bestseller Leigh Greenwood, USA Today bestseller Rosanne Bittner, New York Times bestseller Linda Broday, RITA finalist Anna Schmidt, New York Times bestseller Margaret Brownley, and USA Today bestseller Amy Sandas.

To Buy: https://lindabroday.com/books/anthologies/christmas-in-a-cowboys-arms/

Enjoy these excerpts:

From “Father Christmas” by Leigh Greenwood

           

“If you’re going to shoot me, get on your feet first.  I’d hate to have it known I was killed by a woman so weak she couldn’t stand up.”

“I can stand up,” Mary insisted.  To prove her point, she threw back the covers and started to get to her feet.  Immediately she felt faint.

Joe caught her before she fell.

           

“I never met such a foolish woman in my life.  Stay in that bed, or I’ll tie you down.  You can shoot me when you feel better.  Meantime, you’d better give me this.”  He took the pistol from her slackened grasp.  “Next thing you know, you’ll drop it and put a hole through the chicken pot.  I’m not chasing down another rooster.”

Mary started to laugh.  The whole situation was too absurd.  Nothing like this happened to ordinary people.  She was ordinary, so it shouldn’t be happening to her.

She certainly shouldn’t be experiencing this odd feeling.  It almost felt as if she wanted to cry.  But she didn’t feel sad.  She felt bemused and bewildered.  Her brain was numb.  Here she was, completely helpless, and she had tried to shoot the only human who had come along to help her.

She must be losing her mind.    

From “A Chick-a-Dee Christmas” by Rosanne Bittner

“Sadie Mae!”  Jake screamed her name as he made it around the other side of the small hill.  He couldn’t see or hear her.  All he saw was Tommy curled up on his knees against one of the boulders, a cougar clawing at his shoulder. 

Jesus, where is Sadie Mae!  Jake had to kill the cougar, but the bullet could go right through into Tommy or even into Sadie Mae.  He could kill both of them!

“Grampa!  Grampa!” he heard someone screaming behind him. 

The boys must be watching.  “Don’t shoot!” Jake ordered them. 

It all happened in a matter of perhaps three seconds.  Jake knew he had no choice.  He cocked and raised his 30-30 Winchester.  A six-gun might not do the job … but the risk!  The risk!  The big cat was moving violently over Tommy.  Sadie Mae must be under him!  One of the other kids could be next!  He aimed … and prayed … and fired … cocked the rifle again … fired again.

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Connect with the authors online

Leigh Greenwood

Website: http://www.leigh-greenwood.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59412.Leigh_Greenwood

Rosanne Bittner

Website: http://www.rosannebittner.com/

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

Twitter: @RosanneBittner

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/67759.Rosanne_Bittner

Linda Broday

Website: https://lindabroday.com/

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

Twitter: @LBroday

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1204489.Linda_Broday

Margaret Brownley

Website: http://margaret-brownley.com/

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

Twitter: @margaretbrownly

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163681.Margaret_Brownley

Anna Schmidt

Website: http://www.booksbyanna.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/as_li_sh/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/690598.Anna_Schmidt

Amy Sandas

Website: http://www.amysandas.com/

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Spotlight: Excerpt of Surrendering the Past by Pamela Lynne

In a world of honor and obligation, falling in love can be a dangerous game. Captain Richard Granville has returned to London after serving the Crown in perilous missions fighting Napoleon’s army. Bone weary and distrustful of all around him, the captivating Jane Dawson awakens his long dormant desire for more than a solitary existence. When he learns she is betrothed to his father, the conniving and dangerous Earl of Litchfield, shadows of the past descend upon Richard, bringing along memories of a tortuous childhood and his failure to protect the person he had loved most.

Jane Dawson would pay any price to renew her family’s happiness, but is the cost of marrying Lord Litchfield too high? A woman of virtue and honor, she cannot break a promise once given, especially when doing so would ruin those she seeks to protect. But can she ignore the connection she feels to the wild soldier who understands both her duty and her heart?

Follow the men of the Granville family in this suspenseful Regency romance series as they discover that their family legacy is much darker than they realized, and that the future holds treasures they can only grasp by surrendering the past.

“Ah, my son and my nephew. You have finally joined us.” The earl’s voice held a sickening sweetness that made Richard want to run. It was the voice Litchfield always gave when he was up to something vile—the performance before the mask was removed to reveal the evil underneath. Richard began to question his belief that the purpose of the evening was simply to celebrate Wesley’s betrothal, but rather something far more sinister.

Neither man responded but stood as the earl’s icy gaze trailed over his son. “It is good of you to make an appearance, Richard. I did not know if you were alive or dead these last two years.”

Richard’s outward appearance did not change as his father spoke. He retained the cold, emotionless expression he held when he walked through the door. Inside, he was reminding himself that he was no longer a child, and that voice need not send a bolt of fear straight through him. “You seemed to know enough to find me last week.”

“Yes, well, London is my town, is it not? I have many acquaintances here who like to fill me in on all the goings on. I am not fortunate enough to have friends in France or wherever it was you were all this time.” He paused once more to search Richard’s expression. Knowing full well what he was doing, Richard kept his gaze hard and unyielding. “Well, it is of no matter now. Your brother will be happy to see you.”

As the earl’s attention turned to Julian, Richard’s eyes once again wandered to his brother. Wesley seemed to stand straighter than the last time he saw him. As the eldest and heir to the considerable Litchfield estate, Wesley, Viscount Ashly, certainly had reason to be proud. However, it was not pride Richard read in his eyes as Wesley stared into his own, but curiosity mixed with something Richard could not name.

He father’s voice resonated beside him, but Richard barely heard him as the women in Wesley’s company came into focus. He recognized Rachel by the way she smiled sweetly in his direction. The years had been good to her. He remembered her as a slightly mousey, and mouthy, young lady, but the woman standing there was beautiful. He assumed the lack of a husband had kept her young and strong.

He nodded to her and turned his eyes to a smaller woman with many of the same features standing between Rachel and Wesley. She had a grip on his brother’s arm that left no doubt who she was. Kathleen. My future sister. The possessiveness in her expression hardened her otherwise lovely features, and Richard wondered at the cause of the protective stance. A slight look to the left of Wesley gave him his answer.

Captain Richard Granville was not often in the company of women. He had no sisters or any living female relations. He had often thought this was because the Granville men were so large and consuming that there was no room for delicacy, and the women just could not survive among them. There were, of course, the whores who followed the encampments along the battlefields and the occasional female spy who could never be trusted. But having so little experience with ladies in polite society, he was at first surprised and then gratified as a blush crept up this woman’s features as he held her eyes in his own. He heard the cackling laugh once more and watched as her blush intensified and turned into one of shame. She turned away, and Richard immediately missed having her eyes upon him. What was this angel doing in the den of the devil?

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Pamela Lynne grew up in the American South, surrounded by Southern Gothic works by Faulkner, O'Connor and the like. These authors helped shape her evolving mind and continue to influence everything she produces as an adult. It was a Regency-era wit from across the Atlantic, however, who lit a life-long interest in 19th Century England.

Pamela cites Jane Austen as her primary literary influence and she delves into the darker aspects of Regency life in all her novels, most particularly in the upcoming Granville Legacy Series, where she explores the bonds of family and what it costs to break them.

Dearest Friends: A Jane Austen Inspired Novel, Pamela’s debut work, won the Independent Publishers 2016 IPPY Awards Bronze Medal for Romance.

Pamela currently lives in the rolling hills of Tennessee with her husband of more than a decade, three kids, two cats and one very blond dog. She is still a Marianne hoping to grow into Elinor, or Clairee from Steel Magnolias.

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