Showing posts with label Romance Novel Month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romance Novel Month. Show all posts

Monday, February 27, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Sage & Sweetgrass by LoRee Peery


Diagnosed with a chronic, debilitating illness, Lanae Petersen vows to pursue life to its fullest. When she discovers mysterious love letters hidden within an antique desk, she begins a quest to discover who the young lovers were. Little does she realize that in trying to bring closure to their lives, hers will be turned upside-down.


After the death of his wife, cowboy Sage Diamond wants to be left alone on his acreage in peace and anonymity. When Lanae approaches him with letters to a family member, she not only threatens to expose his family secrets, but also stirs something inside him that he neither expects, nor welcomes. Sage fights his attraction, determined not to fall for a woman whose health is so fragile. Can Sage trust God's guiding hand, or will his fear of losing another love crush his chance for a future with Lanae?

Excerpt!

I am alive...
Somewhere out there, is someone waiting to share my life?


“Somewhere out there,” Lanae Petersen sang. “That’s the snippet I wrote when I journaled this morning.” Her sing-song statement elicited a wide grin from her sister, Geneva Carson.

“I’m thankful you found that journal writing such a help while you were sick,” Geneva commented.

The little catch phrases or quotes Lanae had latched onto after she found out hepatitis C was the cause of her sickness, were the only things that got her through some days.

And reading the Bible, of course.

Lanae glanced at the art-glass design of the sun catcher hanging in the window, a gift from Rainn Harris, Geneva’s fiancé. She compared the pattern with the appliqué cross Geneva was now anchoring onto the background fabric of her current wall quilt.

“I suspect your latest project isn’t meant as a shop item but as a gift for Rainn.”

“You got it.” Geneva lifted her brows to see above the rim of her glasses. “I can’t get over how different you are from a couple months ago. Look at you now, pouring over those singles ads.”

“I’m alive. Praise God.” Lanae slapped the newspaper against her lap and waved her open arms toward the ceiling.

Geneva shook her head, an indulgent smile spreading across her face.

“But for God’s grace, I could still be caught up in that nightmare illness. I used to wonder if I would ever feel alive or die too sick to enjoy the life I have,” Lanae said. She dropped her arms and picked up the paper. Running her finger down a bolded column, she read out loud, “‘Men Seeking.’ I feel all crocheted out and full of the energy I didn’t have while I was sick. We may have opened Frivolities, but a lot of it I don’t remember. I feel like I slept through it.”

Geneva shared a look that took them back to girlhood.

Thank you, Lord, for the comfort I’ve found in words. And thank You for my sister. Lanae turned back to her newspaper reading. “This guy wants nice legs. I have those...Mmmm, here’s a cowboy.”

“Do any say if they’re Christian?” Geneva asked around the needle between her lips as she measured a length of thread.

“Not yet. Here’s an SWM, Single White Male, looking for smarts. Ohhkaaay. I might give this one an answer. He’s a ranch owner.” Mourning what could have been, Lanae rubbed a spot of newspaper dust off the soft dark leather of her recliner. A life lived out on her own ranch. “Then again, been there, done that, with my rancher.” But he died before the culmination of their life together. Lanae contemplated the word “dream,” sighed over the memory of her deceased husband, and formed a sad smile. The Lord’s timing had no explanation.

Their shop, Frivolities, was the widowed sisters’ joint business venture. When she’d seen the ad in their hometown paper listing a downtown building for sale in Platteville, she jumped at the chance to move back to where she’d been born. Geneva called Lanae in response to the same ad. Certainly seemed like God’s prompting.

“Remember, it was an ad that helped bring Frivolities into existence,” Lanae emphasized. “Look, this one says he’ll treat you like a lady. Oh boy. A Western lover—books and movies.”

“Gotta be a touch of country there.”

Lanae loved wide open spaces. She had tried to keep her husband Keith’s dream ranch alive after his death. It had slammed into her one day, the sad realization that she no longer had the resources to stick with the ranch. How she missed the expanse. “‘I’m your dream come true if you love nature and horses.’ This sounds good.” Lanae glanced at her sister. “He says he likes gospel music.”

Geneva laid the colorful fabric in her lap and gave Lanae a look as sharp as the needle she used to accent the appliquéd edges. “You aren’t really going to jump on this bandwagon by answering one of those ads, are you?”

“Thinking about it. It’s better than taking a chance on one of those dot-com sites, to my way of thinking.” Lanae continued to skim the column. “Oh joy. This guy wants a woman to believe in him...and finally, it says he believes in Jesus. Can’t buy it, though. He also lists his astrological sign.”

“There you go. Satan believes in Jesus, too.”

Lanae sighed. Jesus held her future the same as He’d been with her all her life.

“And speaking of ads...” she brushed her fingers to the side.

“Find someone interesting?”

“Across the page here is a little something that would fit in the shop. Listen to this. ‘Oak dressing table. Needs refinishing. Solid. Original glass pulls on fancy drawers. Make offer.’” She raised a brow and met her sister’s glance. “Looks like a Lincoln phone number.”

“Want to check it out in the morning? Beth will be working in the shop for Moselle. If you have a cheesecake ready tonight, you’d be free to drive down to Lincoln in the morning.”

“Think I’ll give them a call later,” Lanae said as she once again buried her nose in the paper.

Besides the gifts, antiques, and frivolities the shop sold, they had an espresso machine and Lanae’s baked goods. Customers came in and experienced…no, savored, their offerings. It was a God-thing, how the idea for the crazy items—Moselle’s handcrafts, Geneva’s quilts and specialty coffees, and Lanae’s crochet and cheesecakes—had come to them at the same time when they’d each seen the building advertised. With the long state of Nebraska between them, each sister had recognized the opportunity to use her skills for profit.

She considered the Frivolities women. At the moment, her niece Moselle—the third party in the Frivolities venture—was on her honeymoon, or she’d be working on a craft designed from old items right along with them. Mondays, when the shop was closed, weren’t always for leisure. It was their practice to meet as part of their business plan and to work on their contributions to keep Frivolities stocked with goodies.

“They must bold these ads with large print so oldies like me can read ‘em.”

“Yeah, right. You think we’re old in our fifties? Aren’t you the one who told me we’re only as old as we think we are?”

The sisters shared a look that covered a myriad of unspoken thoughts.

“You could find yourself a man. After all, I found my Rainn. That way your guy could do the reading when your eyes go.” Geneva’s teasing held a dreamy quality.

“If my eyes go, I’ll blame it on all that crocheting I did instead of sleeping when I was sick.” Lanae flipped the page to see how many more columns the ads covered. None. The singles were confined to one page.

She studied her sister. Geneva looked so pretty in love. She could almost pass for her daughter, Moselle.

“I agree. You got yourself one in a million with your Rainn, my dear Geneva. Like the Elvis quote I read the other day that says we’re meant to do something worth remembering. You’ve sure done that with that sweet man of yours.” Lanae drummed her fingers on the paper in her lap. “I believe I am ready to seek my own man, to do my own something-worth-remembering.”

“Wait a minute, here.” Geneva set her elbow against her hip bone, needle pointed in the air, and gave Lanae a get-real look. “You were married to a Vietnam vet. You held onto the ranch over twenty years after Keith died. I’d call that doing something worth remembering.”

“Guess you’re right. Not to mention creating Frivolities with you. Now that I’m feeling alive again, it might be nice to seriously search for a man of my own. To warm my winter nights, you know...someone to share it all with.”

“Have to admit, those strong arms of Rainn’s help me feel tucked in safe and warm every night.”

“That sounds interesting. You mean he moved in when I moved out of your house?” Lanae snorted.

“Not funny. Rainn and I say good night even if it’s by phone. And if he’s at the scene of a fire, I have Mia to attend to. So I’m not alone.”

“That girl. Remember how she spelled out her name and pronounced it ‘M-E-ah,’ so we’d all get it right?” They shared reminiscent smiles.

Mia’s mother, Rainn’s sister, was a single mom who died of drug-related, mysterious circumstances in Fort Worth, Texas. Rainn’s parents wanted no part of caring for a child with special needs; so Rainn became custodial caregiver of his six-year-old niece, a special child with autism.

Lanae shook her head and shot another smile at Geneva. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the vast changes in their family over the last few months.

First, her niece, Moselle, had reunited with her high school love, Eric, and married him seventy-two hours ago, the day after Thanksgiving.

Second, Geneva had blossomed every day because of the attention Rainn Harris, Eric’s firefighter buddy, paid her. He’d rescued her from a tree, where she’d climbed after a stray cat. The family still made jokes about it, how she’d fallen into his arms when he rescued her.

Third, Lanae had overcome hep C. “You and I got used to sleeping single in a double bed, Sis. Now I’m going to try with all my might to see if that’s really God’s plan for the rest of my life.”

“You may very well have a point. He spared you from a terminal illness.” The smile accompanying Geneva’s words brought the blessing home. “But don’t get too carried away with your own plan instead of waiting on the Lord.”

Lanae shot up a silent prayer of thankfulness for her healthy liver and went back to reading the ads out loud. “Here’s one. ‘Integrity and full of heart.’ Meaning, no heart disease, I’ll wager.” She emitted a throaty, scoffing sound. “Oooh, this one sounds like me. ‘Country boy at heart, but caught in town.’”

“If that doesn’t sound like you, I’ll eat my needle,” Geneva mumbled around that sharp object.

“Don’t laugh, or you just might,” Lanae said. Then she laughed loud enough for both of them.

This particular Monday morning’s working session and business meeting had fizzled. Wedding and holiday still filled the atmosphere, so Geneva and Lanae had made short business of their shop-talk duties. They now attended to the creative side of their joint venture, working on individual quilted fabric and crochet items.

Well, Lanae had attempted to work. She’d eventually set aside her crochet hook and picked up the newspaper.

The women closest to Lanae, sister and niece, faced the future with their respective firefighters. The men had their softer sides. Eric sold insurance and built birdhouses for fun. Rainn was a stained glass artist and would soon start teaching at community college.

Dare Lanae follow through with her planned man hunt?

Lord willing.

She had been content with her life. She hadn’t faced the loneliness, or missed having a man around, until she witnessed what love did for the two women she loved.

She missed the poignancy of love, how much brighter and happier life could be when shared with the right person. But she was a different person now, living in a different time and place. Maybe God had a new plan for her. But if this was it, she would be happy as long as she followed God’s will.

Lanae glanced out the sliding glass door and followed the trail of a dancing cottonwood leaf as it drifted to the ground. “But you know, sis, I really do miss it at times. The ranch. Those open miles where the sun causes a gal to crinkle and wrinkle. The meadowlarks and bugs and wind in my hair.”

“What hair?”

“Very funny.”

The memory of hair loss sobered Lanae. Her Hep C meds hadn’t caused her to lose hers like some cancer treatments did, but her hair sure had thinned. She’d decided to keep her hair short.

Joy and peace now flushed her soul.

She ran her fingertips over the leather chair that offered comfort every time the deep cushions welcomed her. Family and friends had taken up a collection for the recliner, and a grand gift it was. She’d been so overwhelmed with their outpouring of love.

But was the love of God, family, and friends enough for fulfilling relationships? Or was she meant to find a special someone to spend the rest of her days with?

Lanae’s gaze traced the blocks in the quilt Geneva had made, which now graced the wall. Arranged in varied blocks of crosses, surrounding one huge cross in front of a blazing gold light, the teal and mauve colors never failed to warm her heart. The thick quilt had warded off the chill on her legs, originally serving the purpose of lap blanket.

Should she be looking for someone? Or should she leave it to God to bring that special someone to her?

Or, should she, like the biblical Paul, be content with what she had?

Lanae played with the strap of the denim bag Moselle had designed. The tote was created from a pair of old jeans. Lanae tucked away her balls of yarn and current crochet project into the bag.

“I would imagine Moselle and Eric are having a great time about now.” Geneva spoke on a wistful sigh as though wishing she was on her own honeymoon.

The sisters exchanged understanding smiles. Lanae’s turned into laughter then higher pitched giggles as Geneva’s color rose to a deep blush.

Lanae set her tote on a nearby shelf and straightened her journal and daily devotional on the cabinet top. She folded the newspaper in her lap and took in her immediate surroundings.

Eric, her new nephew by marriage, had built the cabinet next to her recliner. Handcrafted in golden oak, the cabinet itself consisted of two shelves and a routed edged top.

The stained-glass sun catcher caught her eye again and she said a prayer of thankfulness for Rainn, her soon-to-be brother-in-law. Sections of amber and pink glass in the shape of a rose formed the backdrop for the amber cross.

Humbled anew at their gifts of love, she realized yet again how blessed she was to have so many loved ones in her life.

Yet, no special man filled the role of lover.

Lanae slapped her knee with the folded paper and smoothed out the dents. “Onward and upward.”

She opened the pages and renewed her perusal of the ads. “‘Are you the one for me? Can we be friends first?’”

“A young guy wants an older woman?” Geneva quipped.

“In your dreams,” they chorused, caught the other’s eye, and giggled.

“Your dream came true,” Lanae sassed.

“Lucky me.”

“No such thing as luck,” they joined voices again; same slight nuance in tone, same inflection, same identical timing.

The sisters shared familial comfort and continued with their individual tasks.

Reviews!

5 stars –

"I absolutely loved this one. It kept me riveted to my kindle from the get go. The third in the Frivolities series, LoRee Peery has woven an amazing tale of love the second time around. Lanae is determined to live life to the full and has thrown herself into the shop she owns with her sister and niece, yet she yearns for the love they’ve found, the kind she used to know with her husband before his death. Answer an ad in the paper and buying a vanity unit from cowboy Sage offers her that. Or does it?

Sage is still mourning his wife, several years after her death. Living in the past to protect his family from the sordid truth, he doesn’t want Lanae’s interference in raking over the coals of the skeletons in the closet.

Woven into this is the love story of the letters. Lives torn apart by a series of actions beyond anyone’s control.

With it’s amazing characters, setting so real I could see it unfold in my head like a movie, this one has definitely gone back into my TBR pile. A heart-warming story of love, loss and hope you don’t want to miss."

PURCHASE AT PELICAN BOOK GROUP!

LoRee Peery writes Christian romance, where characters learn through spiritual struggles how to come to terms with the Lord’s will. She is a country girl who attempts to see God’s presence every day. That glimpse often comes as a gift from nature. LoRee is most relaxed in the outdoors.

Visit LoRee online at:


https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery

http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/ 

Friday, February 24, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Forget Me Not by Karen Cogan


School secretary, Miranda Wilkins is thrilled when a handsome gym coach walks into her life. Paul is everything she wants in a man except for one problem. A tragedy in his past has caused him to lose trust in a loving God.

As she attempts to persuade Paul that God was not uncaring when his brother died, she faces problems of her own. Her mother is becoming gradually incapacitated mentally and physically by a mysterious illness and her father and sister are suffering from the strain.

Nonetheless, her relationship with Paul blossoms into love and they plan to spend their lives together. Unfortunately, her mother’s diagnosis throws those plans into chaos.

Excerpt!

CHAPTER ONE


Miranda stuffed the last memo into a teacher’s drawer. Then, with a glance to make sure she was alone, she slammed it closed, venting her irritation. In a few minutes the bell would ring. Streams of children would pour in the doors. And she would be forced to put her problem aside and deal with their needs as they clustered at the counter.

She moved to her desk to make sure the morning announcements were in order and noticed two pages had come unstapled. A two-second task turned into a session of exasperation as the stapler jammed.

“Don’t cross me today,” she threatened, prying the staple with her fingernail. She whacked the stapler across her desk after her first approach succeeded only in breaking her nail. She examined the unsuccessful result until a male voice broke the silence.

“I hate those things when they don’t work.”

She spun around. She had been too involved in her efforts to see him walk in. She surveyed the tall, Swede who stood at the counter, impressed by the good natured face and most intense blue eyes she had ever seen. She felt her cheeks flush at the knowledge that her fit of temper had been observed.
He smiled and a small cleft appeared in his chin. In the split second before she found her voice, she noticed how his sturdy build made him look like the outdoors type.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you standing there. May I help you?" she asked.

He nodded. “I’m Paul Green. I’m here to see Mrs. Walters. I believe she’s expecting me. “

Miranda buzzed the principal.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Green is here to see you.”

“Send him in,” came the cheerful reply.

Miranda nodded toward the oak door that led to the principal’s office. “She can see you now.”

She caught a scent of his aftershave as she showed him inside. As she closed the door behind him, her curiosity flamed. She was ashamed to find herself lingering near the door, hoping to make out words from the murmur of voices.

Reluctantly, she forced herself back to her task of unjamming the balky stapler, all the while wondering what had brought Mr. Green into the office this morning. He was probably a parent. The thought of him belonging to another woman made her feel oddly disturbed. For the few seconds their eyes had met, she had wanted to keep looking forever, to take in every detail of his well-structured face. Though she didn't pride herself on a memory for faces, she remembered Paul Green's deep blue eyes, his short-cropped blond-hair, the cleft in his chin, and his slightly mischievous grin. Why were the good ones always off-limits to her?

Hearing him chuckle, she wondered if he were discussing his child with Mrs. Walters and if the child had those same blue eyes. What would it be like to have his child with Mrs. Walters and if the child had those same blue eyes. A child who reminded you of a handsome husband. She gave the stapler a disgusted bang on her desk, wondering if she’d ever find out. While she contemplated these thoughts, the door opened and Paul walked out with the principal. Though she was determined to ignore his charm, Miranda felt her pulse quicken.

Reviews!

"Really enjoyed this novel. One of the best written "Christian Romance" novels I have read recently, with well-developed, interesting characters. It was not at all preachy. The Christian element flowed seamlessly into the story. I am sure other readers will enjoy "Forget Me Not" too!"

--Sandy, Amazon reviewer

"I found this book to be absolutely wonderful. Not only was it quite immersing, it was spectacularly told with excellent points. Well thought-out characters, coherent plot line - plus, everyone loves a bit of romance!

Make sure to read it!"

--Cathy P., Amazon reviewer

PURCHASE AT AMAZON!


A native of Houston, TX, Karen spent her early years enjoying life along the Gulf Coast. After high school, she attended Texas A&M as well as the University of Houston where she obtained a B.S. in early childhood education. She has written numerous articles and stories, books for children and novels for adults. She particularly enjoys writing contemporary and historical romance.

She now lives in the Southwest with her family and assorted pets. Please visit her website at www.karencogan.com  and view her books on http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=karen+cogan.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Forged in Fire by Trish McCallan



Beth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions until she dreams a sexy stranger is gunned down during the brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. When events in her dream start coming true, she heads to the flight’s departure gate. To her shock, she recognizes the man she’d watched die the night before.

Lieutenant Commander Zane Winters comes from a bloodline of elite warriors with psychic abilities. When Zane and two of his platoon buddies arrive at Sea-Tac Airport, he has a vision of his teammates’ corpses. Then she arrives—a leggy blonde who sets off a different kind of alarm.

As Beth teams up with Zane, they discover the hijacking is the first step in a secret cartel’s deadly global agenda and that key personnel within the FBI are compromised. To survive the forces mobilizing against them, Beth will need to open herself to a psychic connection with the sexy SEAL who claims to be her soul mate.


Reviews!

"Forged in fire is a exquisite work of the written word! From the first sentence of the brief prologue the reader is pulled in and taken on an amazing journey. Filled with intrigue and suspense, Forged in Fire blends the amazing ability of real life Navy SEAL's with a bit of unexpected paranormal flair. . . .There is gun fighting action, unbelievable danger, amazing romance and a cliff hanging ending! An amazing book you will not want to put down! You know I'll be waiting for the next installment in McCallan's The Forged Series."

--Annette Nishimoto/ Gothic Mom's Book Reviews

"I loved this book! McCallan's writing is fast-pace and exciting..."

--Niina/ For The Love of Reading

"I loved every minute I spent reading this book!"

--Meghan O'Connor, Amazon Review

PURCHASE AT AMAZON!

Trish McCallan has been writing for as long as she can remember.

In grade school she wrote children’s stories, illustrated them with crayons and bound the sheets together with pencil-punched holes and red yarn. She used to sell these masterpieces at her lemonade stand for a nickel a book. Surprisingly, people actually bought them. Like, all of them. Every night she’d write a new batch for her basket.

As she got older her interest shifted to boys and horses. The focus of her literary masterpieces followed this shift. Her first full length novel was written in seventh grade and featured a girl, a horse and a boy. At the end of the book the teenage heroine rode off into the sunset . . . with the horse.

These days she sticks to romantic suspense with hot alpha heroes and roller-coaster plots. Since she is a fan of all things bizarre, paranormal elements always find a way into her fiction. Her current release, Forged in Fire, was the result of a Black Dagger Brotherhood reading binge, a cold, a bottle of NyQuil and a vivid dream.

You can find Trish at www.trishmccallan.com.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Lost in Lone Creek by Mary Manners



Carson Merrill loves only one thing more than Lone Creek Ranch—high school sweetheart Jessica Tate. He has plans to marry her, until one fateful night a devastating accident nearly kills her brother, James, and claims the use of his legs. Jessica flees to Nashville, blaming Carson for her brother’s paralysis. She avoids him—and James—for more than a year.


Jessica returns to Lone Creek as one of the top producing land developers in the area, and she has one goal—to banish Carson forever from her memory while taking what he still loves—Lone Creek Ranch. But God has other plans—to draw the two together in a development project that will satisfy both their desires, and help them to reclaim the love they once shared.

Excerpt!

The low rumble of a black SUV drew Carson Merrill’s attention from the paddock and the horses waiting to be fed. He lifted his gaze to the horizon where a tempest of dust swirled against an expanse of cloudless blue sky. A gleam of metal caught the sunlight, and Carson’s gaze narrowed. He dropped the hay bale from his shoulder and shielded his eyes, hoping the glint wasn’t what he thought it was.


He swallowed an oath and brushed soiled palms against the thighs of his faded jeans before adjusting the brim of his hat. The words he muttered carried on the warm spring breeze.

“What’s she doing here?”

The oversized SUV with polished chrome wheels screamed wealth and privilege as it turned off the main road and wound down the long gravel drive toward the entrance to Lone Creek Ranch.

Carson’s gut clenched when the truck eased to a stop and the driver’s door swung open. Music spilled from the cab to mar the morning calm. Navy spike-heeled pumps peeked first, followed by long, shapely legs clad in a snug pencil skirt. Blonde hair bobbed in a sassy blunt cut as Jessica Tate unfolded herself from the driver’s seat.

She found her footing and turned with a flourish to face Carson. Her smile exposed straight, white teeth that Carson knew had once been encased by an arsenal of metal braces. He’d gotten his upper lip pinched in them—more than once.

Jessica propped designer sunglasses on her head to gaze at him with eyes the blue-gray color of a restless ocean wave. “My, but it’s a positively gorgeous morning. Wouldn’t you agree, Carson?”

“Depends.” He cleared the bile from his throat, tapped the toe of one scuffed boot, and turned to work the hay loose from its bindings as the horses inched in for a better look at Jessica. He couldn’t blame them. She was more than…appealing. “What brings you here after so much time…after more than a year?”

She frowned, her lips pursing into the perfect little pout, and smoothed a speck of lint from her linen blazer. “Well, that’s certainly not the greeting I’d hoped for.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” Carson loped toward the paddock fence, putting a healthy distance between them. The subtle scent of her perfume danced on the breeze. The hint of vanilla was familiar, but the rest of her…the hair, the clothes, was different…more polished. Her nails were manicured, her fingers adorned with gold—all except her ring finger. Mirrored sunglasses held perfectly highlighted hair in place, tucked back behind ears dripping with diamond studs. Carson frowned, remembering long, sun-bronzed tresses that once tumbled over her shoulders to kiss her waist; faded jeans that hugged endless, toned legs in all the right places. “But I’m sure you’re used to it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jessica asked as he swung a leg over the paddock fence.

Carson paused, resting on a fence post. “Didn’t you share that sentiment a while back, when you pelted me with a grooming brush in the barn? If I remember correctly, after nearly blinding me with a shot to the eye, you made it very clear that I’m an expert at disappointing.” He rubbed his face, reliving the sting.

“Carson—”

“What do you want, Jessica?” He swung his other leg over the fence and hopped down, then laughed as she gaped at the boundary between them. “Why have you come back here—to Lone Creek?”

She struggled to keep her balance in the ridiculous pumps as she marched to the paddock gate, threw open the latch, and slipped through to follow him. She smoothed fingers through her hair and tugged the skirt back into place.

“You’d better close that.” Carson nodded toward the open gate, pulling his gaze from her legs. “Troublemaker will run if you give him the chance.”

“Troublemaker?” Jessica took a huge step back when the stallion nudged and snorted.

Carson laughed as her blue eyes widened and she gave a little yelp. “Relax. He won’t hurt you.”

“I know. He just startled me.” She frowned, but turned to latch the gate. Then she stroked Troublemaker’s flank and smiled when he whinnied for more. “You always were bossy, Carson.”

“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” Carson removed his hat, swiped his forearm across his brow. The sun warmed things up to a slow swelter, yet Jessica stood by the gate, stroking his prize horse, cool and unruffled in the form-fitting suit.

Troublemaker…the traitor.

Carson cleared his throat and drew his gaze away from the curve of her waist, the creamy skin that peaked from the jacket’s collar. “I asked you a question, Jess. What do you want?”

“I want Lone Creek Ranch, Carson.” She struggled to keep up with him as the heels of her pumps snagged pasture grass. “I want the land it sits on.”

“What?” He choked, sputtered, and swung around so fast he nearly collided with her. Vanilla mingled with spring hay and dank cow manure. “Why?”

“I’m in the business of land development now, Carson, and this area is untapped.” She swept a hand across the horizon framing an endless emerald pasture back-dropped by smoke-hazed mountains. In the distance, water danced beneath sunlight as it raced along a generous creek. “Lone Creek Ranch is prime land.”

“No.” He held up a hand to stave off any further discussion. “Forget it. My answer is no.”

“Oh, for goodness sakes, Carson.” She rushed after him, her fingertips grazing his shoulder. Her touch scalded, and he shrugged off the sensation and quickened his pace, his long strides attacking the ground. “You can’t manage it alone. You need—”

“Don’t tell me what I need, Jess.” His voice was a low, dangerous growl as he entered the cool shade of the barn. “Lone Creek Ranch belongs to me now…and my brothers.” It had for nearly a year, since his mom passed on. Dad had been gone much longer.

Jessica waved her hand with a flourish as she struggled to keep up with him. “Funny, but I don’t see your brothers here. How long has it been, Carson, since they’ve been home to help carry the load?”

“You’re one to talk.” Carson’s eyes burned as he stared her down. “You left me, and you left James when he needed you most. Neither of us has seen you around here for over a year. Where did you run to, Jess?”

“This isn’t about my brother.” Her chin came up, and she tossed her hair back as her gaze challenged. “Besides, you’d know where I’ve been if you bothered to call.”

“You said you didn’t want me to. Was that just a line, Jess? Was I supposed to read your mind and know you really meant something else?”

“Of course not.” She sighed and tugged the collar of her jacket. “Look, Carson, I’m not here to rehash the past. I want Lone Creek Ranch. I’m prepared to make you a very generous offer.”

“I’m not interested in your offer, or anything else from you.” Carson’s blood boiled. He wondered if she could see smoke pouring from his ears. He clenched his fists at his sides. “Get off my land.”

“Carson, wait!” Her voice raised a notch as she crossed her arms. “Be reasonable, please.”

“I like that, listening to you beg.” He speared her with his gaze. “But this conversation’s over, Jessica. You’d better slip back into your shiny SUV and drive your self-centered, snooty little attitude back to town.”

“Me…self-centered—and—and—snooty?”

“You heard me.” Carson pointed toward the road. “Leave, before I say something I’m sure to regret.”

She readjusted the sunglasses propped on her head and waited a heartbeat, two, before taking a step forward and jabbing a finger into his chest. “Haven’t you already done that, Carson?”

“Have I? Are you sure about that, Jess?” He turned his back to her and stomped past freshly-mucked stalls, fists clenched again. He wove his way to the cramped office in the back left corner of the barn and slammed through the door. A gelding palomino, Lucky Lou, lifted his head and whinnied in protest from the stall across the aisle. And Sunshine, due to foal any day, paced restlessly in the largest stall, her belly round and swollen.

Carson kicked the door shut. A moment passed, when all he heard was the rush of blood through his ears and Lucky Lou’s nervous grunts. Then sharp heels tapped against concrete, and he drew a deep breath as Jessica strode toward the door. He bit back an onslaught of ugly words when she gave the splintered wood a light rap.

“I’ll go, Carson,” she called, her voice muffled through the wood. “But I’ll be back.”

He counted to ten, his hands fisted so hard his knuckles whitened. Then he blew out a heated breath, slumped into the battered leather desk chair, and tossed his hat onto the scuffed metal file cabinet, doing his best to ignore Jessica. An ivory square of paper fluttered as she slipped a business card beneath the door. He recognized her flourish of handwriting in the number she’d scrawled across the back.

It had a lot of zeroes—more than he’d seen in a long time.

“Here’s my offer.” Her voice carried a smooth molasses drawl. “Call me when you cool off and come to your senses.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” Carson covered the card with the toe of his boot and ground it into the soiled tile. “The earth will freeze over before I let you get your hands on Lone Creek Ranch.”

PURCHASE AT PELICAN GROUP!

Mary lives in the beautiful foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband, Tim, and their teen-aged daughter, Danni. Also with Mary are Lucky and Gus - the two cherished cats rescued from local animal shelters.

Mary is a member of the Romance Writers of America and Smoky Mountain Romance Writers.

During the school year, she teaches middle-schoolers English and algebra. When she has free time, she loves to garden, take long walks with her husband, and read romance novels in a hammock beneath century-old shade trees.

You'll find her website at www.marymannersromance.com.

Mary will present the workshop, Beyond the Bodice...Lacing Together Faith and Romance at the 2012 Romantic Times Booklovers and also has author pages at the following locations. Do come by and spend some time with her there!
THE WORDSMITH JOURNAL

THE BOOK AND TRAILER SHOWCASE

Tessa's Teacakes, White Rose Publishing

Lone Creek Ranch Series, debuting 1/6/2012

Buried Treasures, 2011 CAPA Award Nominee

Tender Mercies, finalist, 2011 Inspirational Readers Choice Award

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Romance Novel Month: The Covering by Dana Pratola


What do a Christian woman and a faithless bike builder have in common? The devil, of course.

Excerpt!

Tessa whirled away from him toward the door.

His hand was on her arm in a second. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked. The sudden awareness of how slim her arm was in his grasp caused him to loosen his hold.

“I won’t stand here and argue with you,” she told him.

“Then let’s not argue.”

Slowly, he pulled her closer, watching the pulse jump in her neck. She didn’t resist when he lowered his mouth to hers.

Gunnar could have sworn her bones liquefied as she melted against him, into him. This was risky. It should stop. She was like a drug, the feel of her an addiction, and he feared if he didn’t break it off now, there would be no going back. He drank in a few more seconds before levering her away.

His own ragged breathing drowned out the sound of hers, but her mouth opened and closed, evidence that she too struggled to form a coherent sentence. Desire snapped in the air between them, and he turned away before it could draw him back.

What was he thinking, kissing her that way? He wasn’t—that was the problem. He hadn’t recognized how close he was to flashpoint and had allowed emotion to rule. Normally the emotion was anger. It was familiar, safe, he knew how to direct it, what to expect in retaliation.

But this…altogether different. In the short time he’d known Tessa, she had infiltrated his core needs, forcing him to reevaluate his objectives, making him realize he still wanted things he’d long ago dismissed as impossible: a home, children, stability. Consequently, he feared things he hadn’t before: isolation, failure, dependence. It was too much, too soon.

He hadn’t lied to her mother, he hardly knew her. Yet she had already influenced him in ways he couldn’t express. What would happen over time, six months maybe, when he became more attached and unable to let her go?

When Tessa finally realized who and what he was?

“We can’t do this,” he told her, looking back. Tessa stood frozen, catching her breath. “I won’t get us into a situation we’ll regret.”

“But…”

“You’re not ready for this.” The light of battle sparked to life in her eyes,
dissipating the haze of longing. “Neither am I.”

“Because I’m a virgin,” she said, disgusted.

“Yes.” He snapped the word out, but hearing the harshness of it, softened his tone. It wasn’t her fault he wanted her. Nor was he pushing her away because of her inexperience—at least not in the way she thought.

“You’re innocent and I’m not. In any sense of the word.”

Tessa crossed her arms. “So it’s your plan to keep turning me on and off like a light switch until when? Until you’re bored or decide to move back to your house?”

“I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You want me.”

It was a simple statement. He couldn’t have said why it sounded like a threat. “I do. But it’s not going to happen.”

Reviews!

"Ms. Dana Pratola has presented us with a book dissimilar to any other I've read. Her plot was solid. Her descriptions were graphically expressed and emotionally expressed. The powerful intensity of this book was almost unprecedented. The storyline was gripping. The in-depth look at someone facing life and death was fascinating to read. I haven't read anything to date that explored the act of praying God's care around another in quite this way."

--The Romance Studio

"As always , I love the stories that come out from the White Rose Publishing House , they are so inspiring , sweet, suspenseful and romantic at times. Though every now and again, they publish an OMG story and THE COVERING by Dana Pratola is one of those books that everyone should read."

--Paula Phillips - The Phantom Paragrapher

"The Covering is a well written look into the lives of characters that are down-to-earth, engaging and 'living' with real-life ups and downs. From the first page to the last, I savored every moment reading this book, I absolutely LOVED it! It touched my heart, and gave me a new perspective on life. This author is gifted, and I look forward to reading many more of her books!"

--Author, Wendy Davy

PURCHASE AT:

Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Covering-Dana-Pratola/dp/1611161010/

Pelican Book Group: http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php

Barnes and Noble.com http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-covering-dana-pratola/1104473665?ean=9781611161014&itm=4

Dana is a 40-something mother of 3 and wife of 25 years. She lives and works in her home state of New Jersey, where winters are tough but living someplace that doesn’t have Autumn would be tougher. Her favorite non-writing past time is walking in the woods with her husband, Rob.

Dana writes Christian Romance. Not the kind with women buttoned to the neck and men daring no more than to hold their hand after a long courtship, but the contemporary kind. She doesn’t write explicit sex scenes but her characters have real desires, struggles and choices to make. A lot of the time they make the wrong ones. No subject is prohibited but good always triumphs.

Visit Dana online at http://www.danapratola.webs.com/.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Hearts Key by Marianne Evans



A Chorus of faith, sung in the key of second chances.

Once the effervescent leader of the pack, Amy Maxwell’s marriage should have been perfect. Instead, she escaped with nothing but the clothes on her back and her daughter, Pyper.

Once the shy teen, Tyler Brock has evolved into a powerhouse in Christian music, and when he returns to Woodland for a benefit concert, Amy can’t believe he is as faithful and tender as ever. He even manages to touch the heart of a doubtful Pyper.

But, Amy can’t escape her own self-doubt, and she questions the wisdom of her heart when it comes to the charismatic musician who is so different now, yet so much the same.

Can the key to their hearts unlock a lifetime of love?

Excerpt!

The after-concert crowd ebbed and flowed around Tyler like a tide. He stood comfortably amidst it all, his arm looped around his mom’s waist, his father nearby as well. Back home again.


If only it were that easy.

Amy took a deep breath. It was time to move forward, and act like the friend she had always been. She made progress toward approaching Tyler, watching as he shook hands with members of his crew and received enthusiastic hugs of support. Then in came Rebecca. He saw her immediately and grinned while she made a dash for his ready embrace. She gave a happy shout as he lifted her up, and spun her in a full circle.

“You were great,” she enthused, her voice touched by the cadence of the south. “Honestly, what a show!”

“Inspired, wasn’t it, Becs? It feels so good to be home!”

Rebecca pecked both his cheeks and smiled into his eyes. Amy’s heart sank. His dynamic backup singer then greeted others around them and dissolved into the crowd of tour staffers. Amy winced, battling off turmoil, self-doubt, and inadequacy.

It was a battle she lost.

In that instant, her mature, straightforward intentions vaporized. Hiking up her purse and camera strap, Amy kept a tight hold on them both as she turned to leave. She took a few steps toward the exit. She’d beg off tomorrow’s dinner, and bid this entire, world-rocking episode farewell. In the morning, everything would be back to normal. In the morning, she could—

“Seriously?”

Amy froze at the sound of the smooth and deep voice that carried with it just a touch of the South. She closed her eyes, and she trembled. Bad.

“You were seriously gonna leave without sayin’ hello to me?”

She couldn’t pull in a proper breath. Her heart skittered wildly. Red-hot heat crawled up the skin of her neck and ignited her cheeks, melting and burning in one fell swoop.

Bravely she turned around, her lips pressed tight, though she fought through it all to offer a tentative smile. “Hey, Tyler.”

It was the best she could manage. His eyes were unspeakably gentle and tender. His attitude of warmth so typical of the Tyler she had known, once upon a life. Amy welcomed that fact, and at the same time, she was swept away by just looking at him.

“Hey, Amy,” he greeted softly. His smile bloomed when he took her hands. A beat later, he drew her in for a long, tight hug that left her aching. He felt so hard, and strong. So wonderful. A lump formed fast in her throat—a bit of mourning, she supposed, for all she missed.

“I, ah, didn’t want to interfere or anything.” As soon as the words crossed her lips, she realized how lame they sounded.

Tyler kissed her cheek, and Amy went a bit dizzy. A bit weak at the knees. “You couldn’t interfere if you wanted to.” He leaned back and drew a fingertip against her chin; he looked deep look into her eyes. “I’ve missed you.”

Reviews!

"Hearts Key" by Marianne Evans is the superbly written conclusion to her inspirational romance series, Woodland. Once again, Ms. Evans created characters whose story kept me glued to the pages, while also tackling the difficult subject of recovering from spousal abuse and self doubt. Ms. Evans shines the light on the principle that while God allows us to make mistakes; he also gives us second chances.
~ Maria, Night Owl Reviews ~ Nigh Owl Reviews Top Pick

Hearts Key took my heart on a roller-coaster ride that didn't stop until the last pages of the book. Seriously. You had no idea how this couple, who were meant to be together, would find a way! I love her books, and can't wait for what's next. Her stories evoke a powerful response. She writes with a level of heart and Christian substance that puts me in mind of Karen Kingsbury.
~ Rochelle Sanders, Reader via Amazon.com

Ms. Evans creates real life characters that have real life problems. I love the way the story unfolds and the characters come to life as we follow Tyler and Amy’s relationship. With a wonderful storyteller telling this story, my eyes were glued to the book.
~ Joy H ~ Readers Favorite Book Reviews ~ Five Stars

PURCHASE AT:

Pelican Book Group

Hearts Key - Amazon.com



Marianne Evans is an award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories she creates. Her acclaimed novella, Hearts Crossing led to the creation of the four-book Woodland Series. Next, Evans tackles the topic of a loving marriage in turmoil in her Christian fiction debut, Devotion coming in November, 2012 from Harbourlight Books. Also in 2012, Evans kicks off her second Christian romance series with White Rose Publishing. Search & Rescue will be book one of the Sales Place series, which revolves around the folks who frequent a cozy and historic riverfront diner in downtown Detroit. A lifelong resident of Michigan, Evans is very active in a number of RWA chapters as well as ACFW and the Michigan Literary Network.

Connect with Marianne at:
www.marianneevans.com  
www.marianneevans.blogspot.com  
Facebook Reader Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marianne-Evans/308711716744
Twitter Handle: @marmo212

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Mercies in Disguise by JoAnn Carter


Abigail Madison, a gentle quiet spirit, has always dreamed of a life away from her mother’s controlling ways. Even more than that, she’s dreamed of finding someone with whom she could share her life with. However, her shyness is often taken as aloofness and no marital prospects were anywhere to be found. What was to become of her hopes?

Stanley Fisher, the Steamboat pilot of the Ticonderoga, was drafted and fought in World War I. The experiences he lived though on the battlefield left him wounded -- but not in a way that the naked eye could see. Yet, when he meets Abigail, he yearns for a love like his best friend and Captain of the Ti, Philip found in Ellie. However, with his recurring nightmares from war, what does he have to offer to this special woman?


Excerpt!

Abigail's dark hair hung to her shoulders, framing her fair face in shiny curls and her green eyes sparkled when he asked if he could take her bag. A slight blush colored her high cheekbones. He was in trouble – deep trouble. She was every bit as beautiful in person as she was in the photograph Ellie had given him earlier today when she asked him to pick up her friend at the train station. Like a magnet, the picture had held him captive. And now that he saw her in person... he gulped. Not only was she, as his fellow bell bottoms would say, a doll, but even though she was very quiet, the longer they talked he noticed how her beautiful eyes seemed to hold a sort of tempered peace or perhaps it was contentment, which he found completely unattainable.


Never before had he been so enamored, nor had he ever had as much reason to keep far away from that allure. He needed to stay strong. The serenity in her eyes would vanish if she knew the sorrow buried within his heart and how it affected him. Granted, his war wounds didn't leave any scars on the outside, but they were too numerous to count on the inside.

Lord, help me overcome the past.

He took a deep breath and stepped back, widening the space between them. If he could just turn off his thoughts and stop dwelling on his recurring nightmares, he'd be great.

Time.

He was sure that's all it would take…time to put his experiences behind him. Meanwhile, he had God, work, friends, and most importantly, the determination to make it through – somehow, someway -- without being a total killjoy and dragging a beautiful woman into the mess of his life.

Abigail finished the letter, tucked it into her handbag, and gazed trustingly into his eyes. "Will you please take me to the steamboat now?"

Stanley nodded and offered her his elbow. "I'd love to." To fill the time and keep his mind off her tiny hand warming not only his arm, but also a place in his heart, he asked, "Have you been on board the Ti before?"

Abigail nodded. "A time or two. My family and I once resided here in Vermont."

"Ah, so that's where you know Ellie from."

"Yes. We've been best friends since grade school."

PURCHASE AT:

Desert Breeze Publishing:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-262/The-Roarin%27-Twenties-Book/Detail.bok

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Roarin-Twenties-Book-Two-ebook/dp/B0078YGORE/

Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-roarin-twenties-book-two-joann-carter/1108820580?ean=2940013940536&itm=3&usri=mercies+in+disguise



JoAnn Carter writes stories that will encourage your faith through inspirational fiction novels and novellas. She resides in Vermont with her wonderful husband and four children.


JoAnn is available for speaking engagements to book clubs, reader groups, library groups, women's ministry events, school events, and church retreats.

For more information about JoAnn and her stories, please visit her webpage @ http://home.comcast.net/~jo.glenncarter/site/

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Sloane Wolf by Margay Leah Justice


For more than a hundred and fifty years, the gray wolf has failed to roam the hills of Massachusetts, leading to the belief that they are extinct. But with a spattering of sightings across the Berkshires, the legend of the gray wolf comes to fruition. The product of that legend, Micah Sloane will go to great lengths to protect his kind from the threat of outsiders, who seek to exploit the legend for their own interests. One thing he didn’t count on, however, was finding his soul mate in the company of such men.

From the first time she predicted a stranger’s imminent death when she was little more than a child, Shiloh Beck knew she was different. Wishing to cultivate her gift, her parents made the fateful decision to enroll her in a private school for paranormally gifted children. Unbeknownst to them, the school was just a front for a research facility simply called the Institute, whose secret board members weaned gifted children from their families to exploit their gifts. Shiloh has spent the better part of her life trying to escape the Institute and reunite with the family she was told had abandoned her.

From their first meeting, Micah and Shiloh share a connection that goes beyond the normal to bond them in a way that love alone cannot. But before they can build a life together, they must deal with the fall-out when the legend of the wolves collides with the men behind the Institute.

Excerpt!

"No hiking trails where you live?"


Another odd expression crossed her face then, and once again, quickly masked. She favored him with an ironic little smile that zinged straight to his heart like Cupid's proverbial arrow. Damn, he was treading on dangerous ground here. If he were smart, he'd put an end to this nonsense and some distance between them. If he were smart.

"No," she murmured, looking ahead once more, "no trails where I live."

"City?"

"Not exactly."

Not exactly? How could you "not exactly" live in the city? Micah shook the question away as he directed his attention, and the conversation, toward her friend, several feet in front of them now. "You know, I've got to wonder why you needed us," he said. "Your friend seems to know where he's going."

"I don't see how," she disagreed, her breath coming in little pants as she negotiated the rugged terrain that steadily rose into the azure sky. "I've never known him to go for the hiking thing, either. This is a first for us both."

"And how long have you known him?"

A telling pause, then, "Most of my life."

"Family friend?"

The question brought her up short. Literally. Stopping in the middle of their makeshift path, she turned to face him, a defiant expression on her face. Fascinating, he thought as he mimicked her actions. His brothers, he absently noted, didn't miss a beat as they strode along in a semi-circle behind Jon, their attention focused upon him and nothing else. And then it was just him—and her, standing beneath the hickories and oaks.

* * * *

Shiloh waited for the others to put some distance between them, watching as they did so, before she turned her attention back to Micah. She was nearly undone by the headiness of standing so close to him. Did the man have any idea of his potency or was she the only one he affected this way?

"Okay, you want to tell me what this is all about?" she demanded, wrapping her arms about her waist in a defensive gesture and to control her wayward longings, a vain attempt.

"What?"

"This." She waved a hand between them in indication of the topic. "The interrogation."

"It wasn't exactly an interrogation," he tried to deny.

The nerve of him!

"Oh?" she challenged. "

Reviews:

"Excellent action scenes, deep points of view from Shiloh (heroine) and Micah (hero), along with subtly sensual tension. Satisfying ending with a number of golden threads to carry us (readers) into the next book of the series.

Definitely entertaining."

--Kay Dee Royal, author of Big Girls Don't Cry Wolf




PURCHASE FROM MUSEITUP PUBLISHING OR AMAZON!

Descended from the same bloodline that spawned the likes of James Russell, Amy and Robert Lowell, Margay Leah Justice was fated to be a writer herself from a young age. But even before she knew that there was a name for what she was doing, she knew one thing: She had a deep and unconditional love for the written word. A love that would challenge her in times of need, abandon her in times of distress, and rediscover her in times of hope. Through her writing, Margay has learned to cope with every curve ball life has thrown her, including the challenges of single parenting, the harsh realities of living in a shelter, coping with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, and the roller coaster ride of dealing with a child who suffers from bipolar disorder. But along the way she has rediscovered the amazing power of words.



Margay currently lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, two cats, and a myriad of characters who vie for her attention and demand that their own stories be told.

Visit the author online at:

The Jane Austen Society Pages: http://textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=1347


http://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/


http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/


http://www.myspace.com/margay1122


http://twitter.com/Margay
http://www.facebook.com/MargayLeahJustice


http://myworld.ebay.com/margay1122

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Stand & Deliver Your Heart by Killarney Sheffield


Mistress Sarah was once a woman of promise, until a greedy relative left her to fend for herself on the cold, hard streets of London. Now she does the only thing she can to survive and care for those she has sworn to protect.

Lord Byron Cobbett has given up on life after the death of his beloved fiancee. On a trip to London to clear his family's name he is involved in a carriage accident.

Sarah gets more than she bargains for when she unwittingly rescues Byron. She must find a way to convince him to keep her secret. Can she allow her self to love him and still keep her promise? Will Byron stand and deliver his heart to the auburn haired bandit and risk his own freedom?


Excerpt:

Another fork of lightning lit up the sky, and she wondered if the weather was an omen of terrible things to come. She tried to keep from stiffening in the cold, flexing her limbs slowly so as not to spook their nervous mounts. Her horse shifted its weight, lowering its head away from the pelting rain.

Sarah listened for any sound indicating an approaching carriage. Where is it? Has the driver turned around and headed back to London because of the storm? Maybe we are wasting our time sitting out here in the rain. Perhaps the lady in question is not coming.

Just when she was about to give up, the mare lifted her head, ears pricked forward.

Sarah listened closely. After a few tense moments the sound of jingling harnesses and the rattle of an approaching coach made itself heard over the wind and rain.

“All right men, here she comes,” she whispered over her shoulder. “Get ready.”

Reviews:

"Killarney Sheffield delivers an entertaining and memorable romance when she throws her characters Mistress Sarah and Lord Byron Cobbett together. She introduces us to London’s squalor, the highwayman’s desperate plight, the thrill of a midnight ride, storms, passion, betrayal, violent death, trust, the King’s business, embezzled monies, prison, corporeal punishment, family intrigue and betrayal… and weaves them into a fast paced journey. Oh, and her heroine is as feisty as she is determined to succeed, and her hero must decide if there is something to live for in life other than his grief. The twists to this plot provide more than just the expected romance traits, giving a deeper level of complexity and drama to a risky relationship. Killarney tells a gripping tale. Mistress Sarah and Lord Byron Cobbett make great characters to bring to life the gritty reality of life on the streets of Regency London and the tightrope tension of living under the scrutiny of the King."

--Dragonmuse

Purchase from MuseItUp Publishing!

 




Killarney Sheffield is the mother of five, married 15 yrs to a retired dairy farmer and currently resides in Alberta on a beef farm. When she's not writing she likes showing her thoroughbred stallion (nicknamed Love Monkey), gardening, camping, listening to her iPod and even playing a little Guitar Hero with her kids.

Visit her online at http://author-killarney-sheffield.spruz.com/  and http://www.museituppublishing.com.


Enter for a chance to win an eCopy of Stand & Deliver Your Heart by Killarney Sheffield by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.




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Friday, February 3, 2012

Romance Novel Month: Miss Francie's Folly by Fran Baker


Romance Novel Month continues with Miss Francie's Folly by Fran Baker.


Three years ago Francie Hampton shocked the ton by jilting Sir Thomas Spencer at their bethrothal ball when she discovered that he kept several lightskirts. How dare Sir Thomas now ask to marry her sister! Gentle Mary should not be married to a proud, tyrannical rake. But Francie protested too much against the man who long ago had won her heart...though not her hand.

Excerpt:

"Have you been happy, Francie?"

Her mouth went dry, her pulse began racing wildly. It was as if the past three years had never happened and she was once again his darling Francie. Her head was bent, and she felt his warm breath stirring the wisps of hair on her neck.

"Of course I have," she answered.

The heat of his breath upon her neck increased, and a shiver coursed the length of her spine as his warm lips pressed into the softness of her neck. She let the delight of it overwhelm her for one brief, delicious moment.

"Oh, Francie, Francie," he whispered.

Her eyes closed as his finger lightly traced the line of her delicate cheek beside her defiant, upturned nose. He drew her against him and, as if possessing a will of its own, her head tilted back to meet his kiss.

Reviews:

"Miss Francie's Folly is a wonderful story of misbehavior in a society that stresses correct etiquette. The story is full of emotional scenes and untoward developments everyone who loves Regency romances will enjoy."

Robin Lee @ RomRevToday.blogspot.com

"If you're looking for exquisite Regency romance, look no further than Fran Baker."

 Julianne MacLean, USA Today bestselling author


eBook: http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Francies-Folly-ebook/dp/B004WPW3CW/

Large Print: http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Francies-Folly-Fran-Baker/dp/0984601538/

Fran Baker has written fourteen novels, with another in progress. Her books have appeared on several bestseller lists and have been translated into more than 20 languages. Fran is a member of Novelists, Inc., the Author's Guild, and the Society of Midland Authors. She blogs at http://www.daughterofthegreatdepression.blogspot.com/ and at http://www.romancingtheyarn.blogspot.com/ with other authors who knit. Readers are invited to visit her web site at http://www.franbaker.com/.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Romance Novel Month: The Impetuous Bride by Kelly McClymer


Hard to believe it's February 1st, but here we are. Today kicks off Romance Novel Month at BPM. We ran this special feature last year, and I think it went great. The focus is a tiny bit different this year than last, because being a family friendly site we don't feature anything but sweet or Christian and inspirational romances now.

Starting us off today is Kelly McClymer's book, The Impetuous Bride.


Rosaline Fenster has always been the black sheep of her proper Victorian family. Ros prefers to chart her own path, even if she must dress as a man on occasion to do what must be done. Escaping her life as an English lady by emigrating to America, Ros has found adventure helping runaway slaves find freedom. But now her path west has set her on a collision course with Wagonmaster Rob Lewis. Rob doesn't want anything to disrupt his wagon train's journey west. Not escaped slaves. Not his own daughter. And especially not his late wife's cousin -- a woman who dares to do what she thinks right, and damn the consequences.

Excerpt:

She reconsidered her approach and decided to let him come to her. When he walked into the kitchen with his shirt properly tucked and buttoned, she was ready for him. She had lined up Gwyn’s blackened, soggy biscuits and the plate of flour she’d swept from the floor and table, alongside a mug of strong coffee.

“What’s that? My dinner?” He looked at her as if he suspected she might actually expect him to eat the mess.

She handed him the coffee and dumped the pile of flour into the scraps she’d saved for the chickens. “Did you find anyone to keep Gwyneth until her grandparents can come for her?”

“No.”

Good. But she didn’t let herself smile, knowing that might make him uncooperative. “If you take me to San Francisco, I’ll keep Gwyneth out of trouble for the trip.”

“I’d be a fool to take you.” He said it baldly, unblinking.

“Why?” She didn’t pretend to misunderstand him.

“You’re trouble three ways to Sunday.”

She sighed and dumped out the bowl of biscuit dough she’d been mixing onto the table. “I won’t cause any problems. I’ll take care of myself and Gwyn. She’ll be happy. She’ll have her father. It’s a perfect solution. What else can you do?”

“Find a married woman already in the company to watch her.”

“I forgot your rule about unmarried women.” She took up the rolling pin and dusted it with flour. “Is that the only problem then, that I haven’t got a husband to keep me in line?” She didn’t look at him, just started rolling the dough.

He didn’t like her tone. The only problem. As if it weren’t a big enough problem it itself. “An unmarried woman is just a stick of dynamite waiting to be lit. Men don’t like her. Women don’t like her. That means I don’t like her.”

He expected her to argue, but she seemed to consider what he said. “True enough.” She put down the rolling pin and took the biscuit cutter in hand. “Most unmarried women are trouble. But that’s because they’re looking for a man. I’m not.”

Her reasonable tone took him off guard, but he quickly rallied. He’d seen the way she’d looked at him in the yard. “There’ll be plenty of men ogling you in those bloomer skirts of yours. Or are you planning to wear trousers now?”

“All my clothes are still in the wagon.” She cut out biscuits fiercely and he had a feeling that her inclination would have been to have his hide under her cutter. “So I won’t be wearing any bloomer skirts for awhile.”
She stopped suddenly. “Do you think Gwyneth would mind if I borrowed a few of Caroline’s dresses—just until I can buy new clothes of my own in St. Joe?”

He didn’t know which would be worse—Rosaline Fenster in trousers, or in skirts. “I suppose she’d understand. Even a seven year old knows trousers are no dress for a lady.”

“Well, I’m no lady. I can take care of myself—and that includes dealing with men who find my bloomer skirts a signal that I’d welcome their advances.”

He had a paralyzing flash of images—Miss Fenster with a man backed up against a scrub pine, shooting. And Miss Fenster with a man backed up against a scrub pine, riding him. Either one seemed completely possible. And either one was asking for trouble. “No.”

Reviews:

"In her Once Upon A Wedding series, Ms. McClymer has taken many standard plotlines (in this case, a single woman having to marry to go West) and given them a fresh twist. The unexpected turns combined with endearing characters will certainly garner her satisfied fans."

-- Kathe Robins, RT Reviews

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Kelly McClymer fell in love with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White as a child. Her most prized possession is her copy of The Complete Tales of the Brothers Grimm. These are the stories which gripped our ancestors as they huddled around the fire at night, which taught countless children to persevere through hardship and succeed against the odds. Her favorite fairytale remains "The Six Swans" -- where a young sister must not speak a word for six years in order to save her brothers from their stepmother's evil spell.
...In addition to her historical romance series, Once Upon a Wedding, Kelly also has five YA novels out with Simon & Schuster, including the Salem Witch Tryouts series featuring teen cheerleading witch Pru Stewart.

You can find her at:

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