#Bookreview – Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Jacquie Biggar


I’m thrilled with this wonderful review from Robbie Cheadle! Thank you, so much 🙂

What Amazon says

Take two stubborn fools, mix a touch of fate, stir in some desire, and you have the recipe for aCrazy Little Thing Called Love.

Sophia Shaughnessy left her beloved home in order to prove once and for all she was more than a pretty face to her family and ex-boyfriend, Tony. But, it backfired. When her grandmother needed her most, she wasn’t there.

Tony Morrison had been in love with the youngest Shaughnessy for almost as long as he’d been employed at her family’s ranch. Trouble was, he had secrets. Things he couldn’t tell anyone, especially the beautiful Sophia. So, he’d let her go.

But now she’d returned, bringing the winds of change to the Texas ranch, and Tony wasn’t sure he could protect her from the fallout.

My review

This is a delightful romance between a young woman, Sophia, the daughter of a ranching…

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Jacquie Biggar4 Comments

#NewRelease- HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE by @aladyinfrance #RegencyRomance #OneClick


HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE by Jennie Goutet is out now! Be sure to order your copy of this sweet Regency romance today!

Title: His Disinclined Bride

Author: Jennie Goutet

Genre: Regency Romance

About His Disinclined Bride:

Theirs is not a love match. She’ll make sure of it. 

Kitty Stokes never imagined she’d be so weak as to sacrifice herself on the altar of family obligations, but when the only alternative to marriage with Lord Hayworth is to play nursemaid to her brother’s children, Kitty reluctantly agrees. On her wedding day, she’s certain she has made a grave error, but it’s too late to back out. 

Phineas Hayworth refrained from setting eyes on his new bride before their wedding day—the price he forced himself to pay for being so mercenary as to wed the sister of a wealthy merchant in a bid to save his estate from ruins. Her beauty, therefore, comes as a shock, as does her icy treatment, which he feels he deserves. He swears an oath he will not approach her for an heir unless the invitation comes from her. 

As Phineas sets out to put his estate in order and present his new wife to Society, he finds her more enchanting than he could have hoped for, even in a love match. Kitty continues to hold him at arm’s length, although he suspects her feelings for him run just as deep. As Phineas’s love and desire for his wife grows, the oath he swore her begins to suffocate. It soon becomes clear that while he’d once been prepared to settle for a loveless marriage, he will not abide an unrequited love. 

His Disinclined Bride is a sweet/clean regency romance stand-alone novel, book seven in the Seasons of Change series. ♥ 

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Order Your Copy Today!

Exclusive Excerpt:

Phineas saw his soon-to-be wife for the first time when Stokes stepped to the side, and one look was enough to strike him straight through the gut. He swallowed convulsively as if that could clear the heartbeat he could suddenly hear in his ears. His palms started to sweat in his gloves as his eyes followed her to the pew. She had looked regal enough when she walked in, shrouded in a brown cloak—her coloring harmonious with the wood pews and pulpit of the vast church, and her hair catching the light that shone through the stained glass windows and left pretty-colored patterns on the stone floor. But when she removed her cloak and faced him arrayed in an ivory and green dress, her skin radiant, her brown eyes warm, and her hair a mix of red and gold, Phineas’s breath left him. He had expected to make do with whatever wife this agreement brought him. He had not expected to contract an alliance with a woman who would be the envy of every man in the ton. She was incomparable. Miss Stokes met his gaze, her look shrouding any feelings, and her eyes flitted away. She did not smile.

About Jennie Goutet:

Jennie Goutet is an American-born Anglophile, who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside Paris. Her imagination resides in Regency England, where her historical romances are set. Jennie is also author of the award-winning memoir, Stars Upside Down, and the modern romances, A Sweetheart in Paris and A Noble Affair.A Christian, a cook, and an inveterate klutz, Jennie writes about faith, food, and life—even the clumsy moments—on herblog, aladyinfrance.com. You can learn more about Jennie and her books on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.

Connect with Jennie:

Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Jennie’s Blog | Reader Group | Sweet Regency Romance Fans

Jacquie Biggar10 Comments

An Ode to A Friend- #FictioninaFlash #WritingCommunity


Photo by Marc Schaefer on Unsplash

It’s Week #22 of Suzanne Burke’s Fiction in a Flash Challenge

Write up to 750 words on the photo prompt. Go where your muse leads you. Check out some of the fabulous entries and join in here

An Ode to A Friend

It’s strange how empty my world is without you.

I realize now how much I took our relationship for granted. You were always there when I needed you. Offering comfort when I was miserable and laughter when I was down.

I don’t know what I’ll do now- I’m lost.

Alone.

Nothing can fill the void you’ve left behind.

I think back on our life together, all the things we’ve seen and places we’ve been. It won’t be the same without you.

Goodbye, old friend. You were faithful right up until the end.

With a final caress, I cover you up and place you in your final resting place- the same box your replacement arrived in.

Hello, I am your new Kindle. I can’t wait for our journey to begin.

Jacquie Biggar35 Comments

#SundayStills- It’s a Bird’s Life


This week’s Sunday Stills Challenge- birds that visit your yard

Terri Webster Schrandt has a wonderful blog where she posts a weekly photography challenge. Check it out here

My Iphone doesn’t do these birds justice, but I thought I’d share some of my favorite bird pics, anyway. Some are taken from the beach about two miles from home- that counts as backyard, doesn’t it?

Young eagles flying above our yard. I grabbed up my cat before she became lunch!
A hawk stopping for a look-see
hummingbird in flight
Practicing yoga
Mallard and sandpiper
A pelican?
Seagulls standing guard

It’s chilly here on the west coast, this morning. How is it where you live?

Jacquie Biggar13 Comments

Sunday Lines: Sunday, October 25


Lines of encouragement shared by the Word by Word​ ladies ❤

Word by Word

Here are a few encouraging #SundayLines provided by our #WordbyWord authors with the theme WHEN THE ROAD GETS BUMPY.

Interested in learning more? Click on the pictures below to gain more insight into each author.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”― Edmund Burke

Pat Amsden

“Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.” ~ Hafez

Jacquie Biggar

“I see your pain and it is difficult and it is hard, but it was made just for you and I also see that your courage is greater than your fear.” ~ Glennon Doyle

Kathryn Jane

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.

Marsha West

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” ~ Hannah Moore

Sharon Wray

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Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

#ThriftyThursday- The Lady Said No #Mystery #Reading


The Lady Said No is on Sale– 0.99!

#Free in #KindleUnlimited!

The Lady Said No

Timeline: 1953

Location: Lexington and Bourbonville Kentucky

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

And Now on Audio Book!– http://a.co/23uX6b8

Start your #Free Trial Today! https://www.audible.com/pd/B074VFB534/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-094041&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_094041_rh_us

And check out my other #audiobooks here: https://www.audible.com/author/Jacquie-Biggar/B00MSIJQBG

The Race is on to find a Killer in the heart of Kentucky horse country

Detective Augustus Grant is faced with his most baffling case to date. Well-respected race horse breeder, John Jorgenson, is murdered in his den days before the Kentucky Derby and the list of suspects is growing.

Complicating matters, Gus’ ex-girlfriend is the last person to have seen the victim alive.

Rebecca Hayes owes the Jorgenson family her loyalty. They gave her a new life after a disastrous affair leaves her alone and pregnant.

With all the evidence pointing in Becky’s direction, will Gus do his duty?

Or follow his heart?

International link: http://books2read.com/The-LadySaidNo

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1581ZC/

TBR List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41560041-the-lady-said-no

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-lady-said-no-augustus-grant-mysteries-by-jacquie-biggar

The hero is a bumbling police investigator. (Think shades of Columbo :))
Growing up, I always wondered what it was that led Columbo to catch his man. When I started this mystery novel, he came to mind and so Detective Augustus Grant was born.
This story is set around the multi-million dollar horse racing industry. When a well-known breeder is found dead just days before the big race, Gus is brought in to investigate.
Is it suicide, or something much more devious?

What Readers are Saying

“The Lady Said No is an addictive mystery filled with cagy characters with the backdrop of the greatest horse race known to man.”

“I thought I knew who the killer was, and was really only partially right, shocking me until the end when it was revealed.”

“Detective Augustus “Gus” Grant seems like an uncomplicated man with clumsy ways, but in reality he’s… well, I’ll let you discover just how perfect he is.”

“Can murder be wonderful? LOL Yes, if the author writes an entertaining story and creates an interesting cast of characters.”

“The high-stakes world of horse racing and Southern fortunes lead to murder, blackmail. gambling and danger. The plot is well-crafted to create suspense and mystery.“

“This book was a delightful romp through a “Columbo-style Mystery” in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby.”

Excerpt

That was interesting. He’d heard rumors around town that the Jorgensons were in financial straits, but he’d put it down to jealousy and human nature. Obviously, there was more to the story than he’d figured.

Maybe even enough for murder?

Gus finished the soup and thanked the young cook before making his way into the main part of the house. Fine hardwood floors and the dark wainscoting lined the walls. Everything was polished to within an inch of its life and glistened from top to bottom. How could anyone feel comfortable in a place like this? Bet the Jorgensons never kicked their feet up onto the coffee table to relax, or left their rooms in robes in search of a midnight snack. This was the type of house that demanded decorum.

As if to prove his verdict, a man came into view at the end of the hall. He was directing the coroner, Nancy Huggins, to a room with a police guard, disapproval radiating from his immaculate frame. He wore a suit nicer than Gus’ funeral attire, all three pieces starched and pressed to perfection. A wrinkle wouldn’t dare latch itself to those clothes.

Gus looked down at his own rumpled shirt and skewed tie and shrugged.

Nancy caught his eye and raised her brow. “Augustus. What brings you to the back of beyond?”

The manservant turned, and a chill crawled down Gus’ back. The guy had the deadest, black eyes he’d ever seen.

“I’m…ah, here to investigate the Jorgenson case. The Brass called and requested me for this one.”

“Hmm, must be important then. I heard you received a medal from the President.”

Gus squirmed.

He hadn’t done anything to deserve a medal. It was pure luck that he figured out the plot to kidnap the President’s daughter, and was able to catch the perps before they got away with the deed.

“Why were you in the back of the house, sir? That area is reserved for the servants.” The manservant folded his arms and waited for an answer. Gus felt like a misbehaving child all over again.

“I, ah… came in from the pool, after talking to Mrs. Jorgenson. She gave me permission to question the staff as I see fit.” He met the man’s coal dark gaze. “And you are?”

Gus didn’t think it was possible for the broom handle to climb any further up the man’s butt.

“That’s Ernest. He takes a while to warm up to strangers,” a lilting voice drifted down from the upper reaches of the home.

Gus froze. His heart battered the walls of his chest. There was a ringing in his ears. The chicken soup threatened to revolt.

“Hello, Augustus.”

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

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#Bookreview – Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Jacquie Biggar


What Amazon says Take two stubborn fools, mix a touch of fate, stir in some desire, and you have the recipe for a?Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Sophia Shaughnessy left her beloved home in order to prove once and for all she was more than a pretty face to her family and ex-boyfriend, Tony. But,…

Jacquie Biggar22 Comments

#BookReview- Mid-October #reads @Jacqui_Nelson Jacqui Murray @DWallacePeach @WordDreams


Photo by Thought Catalog on Pexels.com

Mid-October Book Reviews from Three Fabulous Writers!

Generally, I like to give separate posts for book reviews, but I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately (your fault!), that I decided to post three of them today.

Ready?

Here we go!

Tap the covers to go to the retail site.

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Against All Odds by Jacqui Murray

First up, is a spellbinding tale set in the time of early man. Jacqui Murray is a marvel at creating a prehistoric world that readers can easily relate to.

This is the third book in her acclaimed Crossroads Trilogy and we get to learn what happens when favorite characters such as Xhosa and Pan-do reach the land of their dreams.

Xhosa is faced with new challenges as former bandmates arrive, testing her leadership, and enemies from the past threaten their peace.

The author’s meticulous attention to detail shines in these stories. The research alone must have taken months!

While Against the Odds can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the series in order to gain a better understanding of these complex characters.

Survival, relationships, formidable foes, this series has it all!

About the Author

Biography

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, and a contributor to NEA Today. You can find her resources at Structured Learning. Read Jacqui’s tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days here on Amazon Kindle. Also, read her new series, Man vs. Nature, starting with Born in a Treacherous Time–also on Kindle.

A Bride for Heddwyn by Jacqui Nelson

A Bride for Heddwyn is the second book in Jacqui Nelson’s Songbird Junction series set in 1878 Colorado.

It is the story of three young women bound together by an orphanage upbringing and a love of music, and three brothers who will do anything to protect the women they love.

Oriole knows how dangerous it can be for a single woman, she and her sisters have been under the thumb of a controlling man for too long. When he is caught and jailed, she decides it’s time to chase down her missing sibling. But the man who calls himself their uncle escapes prison and is determined to force them back into a sideshow- entertainment to earn him his fortune.

Heddwyn has been fascinated by the quiet Oriole from the first time they met (and kissed). His awkwardness makes it hard for him to communicate his feelings, but when danger erupts, threatening Oriole and her sisters, Heddwyn gets the chance to prove his devotion.

I love Jacqui’s ability to create characters that warm the heart!

About the Author

Biography

Fall in love with a new Old West… where the men are steadfast & the women are adventurous. You’ll find Wild West scouts, spies, cardsharps, wilderness guides, and trick-riding superstars in my stories. Those are my heroines. Wait till you meet my heroes! My love for historical romance adventures with grit and passion came from watching Western movies while growing up on a cattle farm in northern Canada. I’ve been nominated for over 20 awards and won the RWA® Golden Heart® & the Laramie® — but my best reward is hearing from readers who have enjoyed my stories.

Liars and Thieves by D. Wallace Peach

Liars and Thieves is book 1 in the Unraveling the Veil fantasy series.

Three outcasts, thrust into an alliance by fate, by oaths, and the churning gears of calamity, must learn the truth. For they hold the future of their world in their hands.

What do a changeling, an elf, and a goblin have in common? A rather unlikely union.

Alue (elf), Talin (changeling), and Naj (goblin) find themselves thrust together in a desperate search to find who, or what, is causing the rift between their cultures and the murder and disappearances of their people.

For centuries, the three races have lived next to each other and trade resources, following the dictates set by their elders. But when a mineshaft, built by elves, caves in and men go missing, accusations begin to fly.

Why is the mine heading into goblin territory? What do the changelings know? Why do the elves cut wood not belonging to them, endangering changeling lives. Why do goblins control the Savan crystals needed for survival?

Round and round the blame flies, escalating toward an unavoidable war between the races- unless three misfits can save them all.

I am a huge fan of this writer’s work. She is unparalleled when it comes to vivid scene descriptions.

Here are a couple of my favorite lines:

Alue and her wardens rode into Ka Varine as the trees blushed like shy maidens beneath the eyes of twilight.

Liars and Thieves by D. Wallace Peach

The mechanical clock in the center of Ka Radiff tolled the early hours of morning, the sky a black blanket of wool with the promise of dawn embroidered across the hem.

Liars and Thieves by D. Wallace Peach

D. Wallace Peach has written an unputdownable fantasy series- I’m already starting the next book, Allies and Spies!

About the Author

Biography

D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked. Diana lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two dogs, bats, owls, and the occasional family of coyotes.

For book descriptions, excerpts, maps, and behind the scenes info, please visit http://dwallacepeachbooks.com.

For her blog on all things writing, please visit http://mythsofthemirror.com.

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

Jacquie Biggar39 Comments

New Release- A Mother for Christmas by @JackieWeger #Romance #Reading #eNovAaw


A Mother for Christmas

by Jackie Weger

Book Description:

Decker Davenport is on a deadline. He has thirty days — Christmas Eve, to be exact — to remodel a St. Augustine Victorian house or the owner will put it back on the market. Not a good time for Decker’s decorator to take off on a honeymoon, leaving him with Annalise Owens, a stand-in with a malaise he isn’t privy to.

But as he watches Annalise work miracles on the house and his daughter, he realizes the two of them have bonded in some ethereal way, as if they’ve always known each other.As Christmas Eve approaches, Decker still sees the curious malaise in Annalise’s eyes. A haunting that even his kiss can’t take away. What secret does the new woman in his house possess? And will learning Annalise’s secret bring him and his daughter joy, or tear their world apart? 

  

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Vendor Links: 
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KSMH156
B&N:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-mother-for-christmas-jackie-weger/1137854653?ean=2940162703495
iBooks:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-mother-for-christmas/id1534904173
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-mother-for-christmasPlay:https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=llsBEAAAQBAJ&PAffiliateID=1011l7KIS

About the Author

Biography

Jackie Weger has been writing romance novels off and on for thirty years. For many a year she traveled our good earth by foot, boat, bus, train, plane or pickup–but today she only gets as far as Walmart.

Visit Jackie: http://jackieweger.com/blog where you can sign up to follow her blog or snag her newsletter.

Jacquie Biggar15 Comments

#NewRelease- Deadly Past by @KatieReus #RomSuspense #amreading


USA Today bestselling author Katie Reus is taking you back to Verona Bay with DEADLY PAST. If you love all things romantic suspense and thrillers, this is one you don’t want to miss!

About DEADLY PAST

She lost everything once…

Autumn Perez was just twenty-two when she witnessed a brutal murder and gave up her entire life to put the killer behind bars. A decade later, witness protection has her settled in picturesque Verona Bay, teaching art at the local high school. It’s a quiet life…until she’s caught up in another harrowing event and she worries that the US Marshals will try to move her again. But Autumn is done running—she’s built a life, has friends. And now she’s pregnant after an intense one-night stand with her sexy neighbor.

This time she’s not running…

Lincoln Jordan has been biding his time with Autumn, his talented, gorgeous neighbor. The attraction between them is undeniable, and after their one incredible night together he wants more. But she’s determined to keep him at arm’s length. When it becomes clear that someone wants her dead, he steps up to protect her. He needs to earn her trust, and fast. Because the enemy is closer than they ever imagined.

Add DEADLY PAST to your TBR!

Get your copy of DEADLY PAST! Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

About KATIE REUS

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog | Instagram

Jacquie Biggar14 Comments

Dear Santa: A Christmas Wish by the Authors’ Billboard #HolidayRomance #mgtab @mimisgang1


Dear Santa: A Christmas Wish
A Holiday Romance Anthology
Presented by Authors’ Billboard
The Authors’ Billboard’s 2020 fabulous Christmas Box Collection, DEAR SANTA, is filled with 18 brand new stories about characters who have special wishes to ask the big guy during this season.
Most of us have had experiences when something we’ve desperately wanted is so close that Santa seems the perfect person to ask for the miracle.
When one believes, it’s amazing the conflicts that are overcome and the surprises that can follow.
You’ll be amazed by each of these fantastic holiday books full of Christmas cheer and thrilling romance we’ve written for your entertainment.
Mimi Barbour – Alone at Christmas: Being alone is Tara’s worst nightmare, especially during the holidays. Her wish comes true when she finds Mr. Right injured and stranded, but will they survive the dangerous storm?
Rebecca York – Christmas Miracle 1935: Can he trust her enough to help free her father from jail?
Patricia Rosemoor – Marrying Molly: Dear Santa, Please let me meet a McKenna man who will help me end Sheelin O’Keefe’s horrible curse on both our families. Molly Kavanaugh
Susanne Matthews – What Dottie Wants: All Ronnie wants is to give Dottie a great Christmas, but not being able to find the doll she wants may make that impossible.
Traci Hall – Christmas Kiss: Can a teenage crush become forever love?
Angela Stevens – Dear Sinterklaas: Dan had his heart stolen by a girl on summer vacation, now it’s Christmas time, and with a little bit of magic from Sinterklaas, he hopes to make his Christmas wish come true.
Melinda Colt – Saving Maddie: The only reason demons exist is because angels do, too.
Stacy Eaton – Finding Love with Dear Santa: All Faith wants is to get her life back on track.
Stephanie Queen – He Has Santa: A second chance hockey romance.
Josie Riviera – A Chocolate Box Christmas Wish: He’s been all over the world. She’s a home-town girl. Can a holiday wish bridge the gap?
Mona Risk – Dalia’s Christmas Wish: Will the doctor make the right decision between an angry fiancée and a medical emergency?
Rachelle Ayala – Toy Soldier Christmas: Can a toy soldier make her wish come true?
Dani Haviland – A Plate of Christmas Cookies: Is it too much to ask for a second miracle?
Taylor Lee – Please Christmas: Be Done: When his 7 year old son ran away looking for Santa… and all his teenage daughter wants for Christmas is for it to be done….the district attorney concedes not only did he lose his wife to cancer, but he was in danger of losing his children.
Susan Jean Ricci – Cruising for Mr. Right: Can a widow discover second chance romance aboard a Christmas cruise and make the right choice between two adoring men?
Alyssa Bailey – Christmas Wishes and You: Beth’s Christmas Wish of a Second Chance at Love could happen if only she would be willing to risk her heart… again.
Nancy Radke – Zsuzsa’s Christmas Wish: She asks Santa for a strong man to help corral a mule that won’t stay home, and is given a rancher who plans to corral her.
Carmen DeSousa – Chicago Hope: Aspiring journalist Maura Hall dreams of changing the world, but she’ll settle for Chicago.
**Only .99 cents!!**
Get a FREE compilation of the “FIRST CHAPTERS” from the Dear Santa anthology!
Book Bites 13 – Dear Santa
Also, swing by the Authors’ Billboard for a monthly giveaway with
a $40 Amazon gift card and more!
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Christmassy Bath & Body Gift Set

Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

Pledge of Allegiance by Timarie #Thriller #Suspense @InkslingerPR


Today we have the blog tour for Timarie’s new romantic thriller, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE! Check it out and be sure to order your copy today!

Title: Pledge of Allegiance

Author: Timarie

Genre: Romantic Suspense

About Pledge of Allegiance:

April 15, 2013, Patriots Day. The city of Boston, and all of the nation, was rocked by a terrorist attack at the historical Boston Marathon finish line. Countless people are affected by this tragedy, including Michael Farino and Ireland “Ilee” Murphy. Neither one of them could have predicted that the act of saving Ilee’s life would lead Michael on a journey of personal discovery, while a decades old war between their rival Boston crime families threatens their happiness and their lives. Michael and Ilee will have to pledge their allegiances to either their families or each other, but it is not that simple. Passion, secrets, betrayal and a very complicated past are working against Michael and Ilee. Nothing is ever as it seems… Nothing!

The finish line is just their beginning….

Order Your Copy Today:

Amazon | Nook | AppleBooks

Excerpt

I take the seat my father gestured to when I first walked in next to Uncle Enzo. My father begins talking to no one in particular. “I know this has been a fucked-up week for all of us, none more so than Mikey. Thank God, everyone is OK, and we’re now looking ahead.” I am irritated that he’s so short-sighted that what he really means is thank God everyone he cares about is OK, because there are hundreds of people who are still far from OK. “Damian told me about our friend on the Hill and how he wants to take up winter sports with us,” my father says as he holds his finger to the side of his nose mimicking cocaine. He’s referring to Capini. I nod my head. “He also told me that my brilliant son had the idea that should we give him access to winter sports training; having that piece of information could prove to be beneficial, especially since we are going to need his help securing the Seaport District location.”

My stomach drops. Fuck! This is going to be all-out war with Murphy. How the fuck will that go over with Ilee? I know she says she hates her father, and on some level she probably does, but it’s still her father. He’s the only parent she has left, and if our families start going at it how can we possibly make this work? I have to try again to reason with my father. Maybe my uncle can help me get through to him since he is my father’s most trusted adviser.

“Zio, please tell him this is a horrible idea. The dock is not worth the risk to all of our other business dealings or our soldiers if we get into another war.”

Uncle Enzo thinks for a minute and shifts in his chair to look at me. “Michael, at first I agreed with you, but then after looking over what we would be up against with Murphy’s crew, I started to see things differently. They don’t have the soldiers they used to have. Most are dead or in jail. They have maybe 20 people, where we have over a hundred. I don’t think even that fucking harp is stupid enough to wage war with the odds so heavily in our favor.”

I look at my uncle and then my father. “If we were down to 20 soldiers would we ever back down if Murphy and his boys tried to open up a liquor store on Commercial Street or Atlantic Ave.? Fuck no, we wouldn’t. We would never give up an inch to that piece of shit. Murphy is a sick fuck who gets off on things like this. He’ll go balls to the wall to get us out of there. It isn’t worth it in the long run.”

My father sits back and brings his index finger to his lips. “Mikey, you make a lot of good points, but you’re also soft when it comes to the street game. That’s my fault. I want you to bring our good name into the business world legitimately, and you have.” He leans forward on his desk, pinning me with his eyes. “Stay in that world, son. Let us handle the dirty work. There are pieces already in motion.”

I sigh, “So then why tell me anything about it if I’m too soft for you.” I emphasize the word soft.

“Watch yourself or you’ll get a slap,” my father threatens, but I know it’s all talk. I don’t think my father ever put his hands on me in a serious way. “We need you to work with Capini to get this deal done. There’s going to be a lot of red tape, and since we’re helping his activity calendar fill up this winter he should be more than happy to help.” I give a disgusted nod. “Damian will arrange the other thing with our friend and use you to let him know all about the winter activities.” Fuck, no. “No way, Dad. I want zero involvement in that. I handle the business, remember?”

About Timarie:

Timarie was born and raised in East Boston, Massachusetts. To this very day, Timarie still only live a few miles outside of downtown Boston. Since her early teens, Timarie has been a singer/song writer. After university, she continued to work in music, while simultaneously developing her business acumen in the private sector. It wasn’t until shortly after the terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon finish line, that Timarie’s creative vision for this literary series came into focus.

Timarie continues to work in music, as well as being an active writer. In addition to the books in The Finish Line Series, Timarie has also authored three other books awaiting publication at the time of this printing. It is her hope to show the world that Boston is not just the birthplace of America, but also one of the most diverse, intriguing and culturally rich places in the country. As she always says, “Boston is always a supporting character in all of my books.”

Nothing is more important to Timarie than her family and friends, which includes her beloved Maine Coon, Princess. Timarie is also a fierce advocate for racial, gender and LGBTQ+ equality. She promotes independent thinking and social positivity.

Connect with Timarie:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter

Jacquie Biggar1 Comment

#NewRelease- This Christmas by Laurie Winter #HolidayRomance #TCPrism @LaurieW_Author


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

This Christmas (The North Star Series #1)

By Laurie Winter

Contemporary Romantic Suspense Paperback & ebook,

240 Pages October 20, 2020

‘A beautiful story of loss and new love, set in a snow-capped mountain ski resort town.’

Celia Batista waited a long time for all three of her sons to be together for Christmas. But after one of her identical twins disappears without a trace, Celia must rely on Police Captain Luke Veldkamp for help. Despite Luke’s accusations that her other twin son is involved with organized crime, she falls for the handsome, Stetson wearing cop.

Luke Veldkamp is facing his first Christmas after the loss of his wife, working nonstop to avoid the holidays and his grief. His daughter, who’d moved home to care for her mom before her passing, pushes him to face his pain. Luke pushes back, telling her to return to college and regain her own life. If his own strife isn’t enough, the mission to locate the missing son of his beautiful neighbor grows more personal than any other case.

While Luke and Celia fight to keep their families from falling apart, they find comfort and strength in one another. And when love blooms between their children, Luke and Celia’s own relationship takes root and grows. But Celia is used to living on her own terms, and loving a man who has isolated his heart is a risk too great. Now, Luke must either confront his emotions or face a life without the woman he’s come to love.

(Affiliate link included.) Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

As Luke came to the staircase, the glow of colored lights from the family room caught his attention. His body tensed as if preparing for a collision against a stone wall.

After closing his eyes, he reopened them and took a deep breath. Their Christmas tree was set up in the corner, filled with lights and family ornaments. Three stockings hung off the fireplace mantel. Grief and anger scorched his insides. Why had Kenna decorated for Christmas after he’d asked her to leave everything packed away? His late wife’s stocking, snuggled between Kenna’s and his own, ripped at his heart. I can’t breathe. The bright and cheery room blurred his vision. Christmas was no longer welcome in his house. How could he celebrate when his world had been crushed?

Kenna approached from behind and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I know you said no decorations this year, but the thought of letting Mom’s Christmas stuff sit in boxes in the basement made me sad.”

Luke clenched his jaw and pressed closed his lips. He didn’t trust his mood. Kenna missed her mom. How could he be angry at her for that?

She stepped into the room to peer at him with bright blue eyes—ones so much like his own. “Dad, you’ve gone pale. What’s wrong?”

He inhaled deeply in an attempt to remain calm, but his hands continued to tremble. “Pack all this up and put it back in the basement where it belongs. I can’t see this every day.”

Kenna’s face fell, and her shoulders slumped. “I spent all morning putting up decorations…for us. I bought all the ingredients to make Mom’s special Christmas meal. And I thought this year, you can help me make Christmas cookies for the nursing home like Mom and I used to do every Christmas Eve.”

The last thing he wanted to do was relive Christmas memories—a painful waste of time.

About the Author

Laurie Winter’s head has always been full of stories. Then a dream gave her the inspiration to put her thought into written words, sharing a part of her heart and soul. Now, she creates authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog. Please connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Bookbub.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a Loqi Reusable Shopping Bag with birds design, Soy Wax Candle – Snowflake and a $25 Amazon gift card (US only)

Ends October 28, 2020

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Jacquie Biggar7 Comments

#BookReviews! @JacqBiggar @howellwave @marciameara


Jan Sikes shares a few of her recent reads- including my Perfectly Imperfect! Thank you, Jan 🙂

Writing and Music

It’s been a while since I’ve taken the time to post some book reviews, so I want to share these three recent books I’ve read.

The books and reviews are listed in random order.

THE BLURB:

James Wainwright picks up a hitchhiker and discovers two things 1. The woman he picks up is his childhood sweetheart, only Seventeen years older. 2. He is no longer of this world.

James began a road trip alone in his 1956 Oldsmobile. He stops for a hitchhiker only to discover she is his childhood sweetheart, Sam, who disappeared seventeen years before. James learns from Sam falling asleep miles back caused him to perish in a one-car accident. He also comes to understand that Sam was taken and murdered all those years ago, and now she has come back to help him find his eternal home.

The pair visit a number of times and places…

View original post 938 more words

Jacquie Biggar11 Comments

#NewRelease- Magical Whispers by Balroop Singh #Poetry #Reading @BalroopShado


I’m thrilled to share Balroop’s new release with you today. Her poetry is beautiful, lyrical, and speaks to our souls.

Magical Whispers by Balroop Singh

Book Blurb:

I wait for whispers; they regale my muse. Whispers that can be heard by our heart, whispers that ride on the breeze to dispel darkness and ignite hope. I’m sure you would hear them through these poems if you read slowly.

‘Magical Whispers’ would transport you to an island of serenity; beseech you to tread softly on the velvety carpet of nature to feel the ethereal beauty around you. The jigsaw of life would melt and merge as you dive into the warmth of words.

In this book, my poems focus on whispers of Mother Nature, whispers that are subtle but speak louder than words and breathe a quiet message.

Each day reminds us

It’s the symphony of surroundings

That whisper life into us.

Book Information:

Title: Magical Whispers

Author: Balroop Singh

Genre: Poetry

Available at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KJQ6K5D


US UK DE FR ES IT NL JP BR CA MX AU IN

Tread Softly Here
 
 
Tread softly here!
The velvety carpet of Mother Nature
Is waiting to welcome those
Who value her exquisite art.
 
Wind whispers to leaves:
“Fall gently, don’t ruin the spread
Mingle in its violet hues
To enhance the ethereal beauty.”
 
Squirrels watch spellbound
Slowly they descend from branches
Savoring the magic of serenity
Hearing the song of spring.
 
What an enchanting feast
For butterflies and bees
Who dance with delight,
To get intoxicated in the sunlight.
 
© Balroop Singh

            Meet the Author:

Balroop Singh, a former teacher and an educator always had a passion for writing.  She is a poet, a creative non-fiction writer, a relaxed blogger and a doting grandma. She writes about people, emotions and relationships. Her poetry highlights the fact that happiness is not a destination but a chasm to bury agony, anguish, grief, distress and move on! No sea of solitude is so deep that it can drown us. Sometimes aspirations are trampled upon, the boulders of exploitation and discrimination may block your path but those who tread on undeterred are always successful.

When turbulences hit, when shadows of life darken, when they come like unseen robbers, with muffled exterior, when they threaten to shatter your dreams, it is better to break free rather than get sucked by the vortex of emotions.

A self-published author, she is the poet of Sublime Shadows of Life and Emerging From Shadows, both widely acclaimed poetry books. She has also written When Success Eludes, Emotional Truths Of Relationships Read FREE with Kindle Unlimited and Allow Yourself to be a Better Person.

Balroop Singh has always lived through her heart. She is a great nature lover; she loves to watch birds flying home. The sunsets allure her with their varied hues that they lend to the sky. She can spend endless hours listening to the rustling leaves and the sound of waterfalls. The moonlight streaming through her garden, the flowers, the meadows, the butterflies cast a spell on her. She lives in San Ramon, California.

You can visit her blog at: http://balroop2013.wordpress.com

Connecting links:

https://twitter.com/BalroopShado

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Emotional-Shadows/151387075057971

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340810.Balroop_Singh

Jacquie Biggar31 Comments

#BookReview- The Nine by D.L. Cross #SciFi #Suspense @StaciTroilo


He can’t trust his allies, won’t trust his enemies. Now he fears that he shouldn’t trust even himself.

Landon Thorne is convinced the key to defeating the Astrals is in the vault — a repository of ancient artifacts, origins unknown, covered with undeciphered glyphs. He’s also convinced he’s the one person on the planet who can translate the markings.

But strange, frightening things happen every time he gets close to the relics.

His allies decide it’s not safe to let him near the vault, so they force him to take a new mission. He’s captured by the Nine — the nefarious organization he’s been running from.

Their leader makes him an offer he can’t refuse — study the Dropa Stones for the answers they seek. Or else. To do that, he needs a cipher. And there’s only one place he can get it.

Getting in will be difficult. Getting out may prove impossible.

The Nine is a taut, fast-paced Indiana Jones meets Falling Skies style thriller that spans the globe and digs deep into humanity’s past, unearthing mysterious artifacts and clues to aliens’ motives for invading our world. It is the third book in the Astral Conspiracy Series, set in the world of Platt and Truant’s groundbreaking Invasion Universe – the original series with over 1000 5-star reviews.

Attribution- Amazon.com

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

About the Author

Biography

D.L. Cross has loved science fiction ever since she was a young girl and fell for Major Don West on television’s Lost in Space. To this day, she still quotes the show, though her favorite lines were spoken by the robot and the antagonist. Parallel universes or alternate realities, aliens or dinosaurs, superpowers or super viruses, time travel or AI… no sci-fi theme is off limits and all of them fascinate her. D.L. Cross also writes other genre fiction under the name Staci Troilo, and you can find more information about all her identities and all her work at her website: https://stacitroilo.com.

Photo by Nick Bondarev on Pexels.com

My Review of The Nine by D.L. Cross

The action ramps up in the third instalment to the Astral Conspiracy series!

Landon Thorne is sure the secret to ridding earth of the astrals lies within an intricately detailed box he found that he calls the vault. It’s filled with ancient artifacts covered in indecipherable glyphs. The only way to find out what they say is to get the research other professors in the field have gathered. The issue? Man-eating reptars roam the land between him and the libraries containing the information.

The reptar skittered to his side of the truck, then raised its foreleg. It was going to stab through the glass and skewer him.

Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 213). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.

Reverie, Ford, Draven, and a cast of solid secondary characters lead us on a race across the country in search of a way to stop the astrals before they decimate earth.

The woman with nine lives, Nadia Adler is back as crazy as ever, but I found myself rooting for her as she tries to outwit the man who abducts her.

There are human power players at work who are almost as dangerous as the aliens!

The sarcasm and interactions among the characters make this an unputdownable read. This is from Reverie as she questions one of these group’s stories:

“But I took World History. I don’t remember Astrals being mentioned between dinosaurs and disco. Pretty sure that little detail would have sunk in.”

Cross, D.L.. The Nine (Astral Conspiracy Book 3) (p. 318). Sterling & Stone. Kindle Edition.

While these books can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading them in order, as the storyline is epic!

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

Jacquie Biggar31 Comments

#BookReview- The Thief by J.R. Ward #PNR #Suspense


#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • New enemies rise and desire burns in the latest thrilling novel of the paranormal romance series the Black Dagger Brotherhood. 

Sola Morte, former cat burglar and safecracker, has given up her old life on the wrong side of the law. On the run from a drug lord’s family, she is lying low far from Caldwell, keeping her nose clean and her beloved grandmother safe. Her heart, though, is back up north, with the only man who has ever gotten through her defenses: Assail, son of Assail, who never meant to fall in love—and certainly not with a human woman. But they have no future, and not just because she doesn’t know he is a vampire, but because he is not about to stop dealing arms to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fate, however, has other plans for them. When Assail falls into a coma and lingers on the verge of death, his cousins seek out Sola and beg her to give him a reason to live. The last thing she wants is a return to her past, but how can she leave him to die?

As a lethal new enemy of the vampires shows its face, and the Brotherhood needs Assail back on his feet, Sola finds herself not only a target, but a mission-critical force in a war she doesn’t understand. And when Assail’s truth comes out, will she run from the horror . . . or follow her heart into the arms of the male who loves her more than life itself?

Attribution: Amazon.com

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Biography

J.R. Ward is the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series of vampire books. She is a winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA award for Best Paranormal Romance and is a multiple RITA nominee. A graduate of Smith College, she was a double major in History and Art History with a medieval concentration in both and she still longs at times for a return to those days sitting in dark lecture halls, looking at slides of old triptychs and reliquaries. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she was a corporate attorney, serving for many years as the Chief of Staff of one of Harvard Medical Schools premier teaching sites. Her idea of absolute heaven is a day filled with nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot and the Brothers, of course.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

My Review of The Thief by J.R. Ward

Marisol Morte is on the run from a violent past, her priority to keep her aging grandmother safe. But, when two cousins of the man who’d saved her life- and fell in love with- show up on her doorstep begging that she return to Caldwell and Assail’s deathbed, she is helpless to refuse.

At the same time, the sister of Sola’s ex-lover, a powerful drug runner, comes to Caldwell seeking vengeance against those who murdered her brothers.

The brotherhood is up against a new, and deadly foe. A shadow is killing civilians and turning their souls into savage beasts. Vishous and Jane go through some marital problems, causing both of them to lose focus at a crucial time for the vampires’ future. And then Lassiter drops a bomb no one saw coming!

Favorite Lines

There was a reason for rituals. When you were lost in your own life, they provided a false structure, like paper walls for your house of cards, the illusion that things were predictable and safe sometimes the only thing that got you through.

Ward, J.R.. The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood) (p. 118). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Then again, true love required so much more than the boy-meets-girl stuff—and mutual attraction was the easy part: Life did not sit back politely and not interrupt the conversation between two souls united.

Ward, J.R.. The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood) (p. 231). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

It doesn’t matter how long it takes me to get back to reading the brotherhood, within a few pages I’m hooked. The characters are as unique and unforgettable as their names. J.R. Ward has created a series of good over evil different from most. The heroes have faults that makes the reader invested in their outcomes. Each book reads as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the first one or two in order to gain a perspective on the brotherhood’s dynamics.

Vishous is one of my favorite characters, so I was glad to see him figure prominently in this story and can’t wait to start the next one! I wish I had more reading time 🙂

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub
challenges

#SundayStills- It’s a Bird’s Life


This week’s Sunday Stills Challenge- birds that visit your yard Terri Webster Schrandt has a wonderful blog where she posts a weekly photography challenge. Check it out here My Iphone doesn’t do these birds justice, but I thought I’d share some of my favorite bird pics, anyway. Some are taken from the beach about two… Continue reading →

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Sunday Lines: Sunday, October 25


Originally posted on Word by Word:
Here are a few encouraging #SundayLines provided by our #WordbyWord authors with the theme WHEN THE ROAD GETS BUMPY. Interested in learning more? Click on the pictures below to gain more insight into each author. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to…

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#ThriftyThursday- The Lady Said No #Mystery #Reading


The Lady Said No is on Sale– 0.99! #Free in #KindleUnlimited! The Lady Said No Timeline: 1953 Location: Lexington and Bourbonville Kentucky And Now on Audio Book!– http://a.co/23uX6b8 Start your #Free Trial Today! https://www.audible.com/pd/B074VFB534/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-094041&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_094041_rh_us And check out my other #audiobooks here: https://www.audible.com/author/Jacquie-Biggar/B00MSIJQBG The Race is on to find a Killer in the heart of Kentucky… Continue reading →

Jacquie Biggar10 Comments

#NewRelease- The Gritty Truth by @Melissa_Foster #Romance #Read


Today we have the release week blitz of Melissa Foster’s The Gritty Truth! Check out this gorgeous new romance and be sure to get your copy today!

Title: The Gritty Truth

Author: Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About The Gritty Truth:

A fun, sexy, and emotionally riveting new standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

THE GRITTY TRUTH is the perfect love story for those who enjoy fiercely loyal and insanely sexy alpha heroes, smart, sassy heroines, strong family bonds, bikers, babies, and more!

Recovering drug addict Quincy Gritt has fought his demons. He’s confessed to his crimes and conquered his addictions. He’s finally ready to go after sweet, sexy Roni, the gorgeous brunette who won a date with him in a charity auction five months ago and has been putting him off, and driving him wild, ever since.

Dancer Veronica “Roni” Wescott worked hard to escape the seedy area where she was raised and followed her dreams to Julliard, only to have them shattered in the blink of an eye. She fought hard and regained her footing, but then the rug was pulled out from under her again when the grandmother who raised her passed away, leaving Roni feeling adrift in a world she knows very little about outside of dance. And then there’s Charlie Hunnam–lookalike Quincy Gritt—the man whose late-night texts pulled her through her grief and have been setting her heart aflutter for months.

Quincy pulls out all the stops, determined to prove that their friendship is only the beginning of what’s destined to be so much more. Romantic nights lead to smoldering passion and a deep connection too strong to be denied. But when Quincy’s past comes back to haunt him, can he and Roni accept their new gritty truth, or will Quincy spiral back into the darkness and lose the future he fought so hard to have?

For more Whiskey love stories, check out Melissa’s other Whiskey novels.

TRU BLUE (Truman Gritt)

TRULY MADLY WHISKEY (Bear Whiskey)

DRIVING WHISKEY WILD (Bullet Whiskey)

WICKED WHISKEY LOVE (Bones Whiskey)

MAD ABOUT MOON (Jed Moon)

TAMING MY WHISKEY (Dixie Whiskey)

Don’t miss RIVER OF LOVE (Sam Braden), the first story in which the Whiskeys were introduced! The Whiskeys are perfect beach reads with depth of story, strong family ties, and a wealth of emotions. Small town love stories with happily ever afters guaranteed.

Get Your Copy:

Kindle | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | GPlay | Paperback | Audible

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Excerpt:

Quincy walked into the dance studio a few minutes before Kennedy’s class ended. He slipped past the mothers waiting in the lobby and headed down the hall, following the sound of music to Roni’s classroom.

Roni stood at the head of the class, gorgeous in a skintight white bodysuit that disappeared beneath the waist of her sheer black skirt and leggings. He’d noticed she didn’t wear glasses when she taught, giving him a side view of her high cheekbones, slender nose, and gorgeous mouth. Kennedy was in the front row, dressed in all pink, her dark hair pinned up in ponytails, and she was giving Roni her full attention. Love stacked up inside Quincy for the sister-turned-niece, whom he’d fought to keep alive in crack houses and on the streets before their mother had overdosed.

“Right hand out to your side. Left hand out to your side,” Roni said, doing the motions as the girls copied her movements. “Cross your arms over your chest, hands up by your shoulders, and sway your upper body, leading with your shoulders.”

She moved with such fluidity and grace, Quincy was mesmerized.

“Let’s try it together now,” Roni said, repeating the movements slowly and patiently, her eyes moving over the girls, a compassionate gaze coming to rest on an adorable redhead leaning against the back wall, her hands tucked behind her. “Okay, ladies, let’s try that three more times on your own.”

As the girls practiced, Roni went to the redhead in the back of the room and crouched beside her as she spoke. The little girl shook her head, frowning. Roni touched her hand, still talking quietly. The girl nodded. Roni pushed to her feet, taking the child’s hand and speaking loudly to the class. “Good job, ladies. Okay, let’s—” Her eyes found Quincy, and she stumbled over her words.

A slow smile crept across his lips, loving her reaction, which was the same every time he picked up Kennedy. He winked as she struggled to regain control. She was so damn cute, smiling nervously for him, then tearing her eyes away with such force, he wondered why she bothered when it would be so much easier to give in to their chemistry.

Roni walked the redhead to the group, then hurried to the front of the class and said, “Excellent class, ladies. Give yourselves a big hand.” The girls cheered and clapped, although the redhead didn’t join in. Roni stole a glance at Quincy.

Hello, sweetheart.

“Don’t forget to get your things from your cubbies,” Roni said, inciting a flurry of activity.

“Uncle Quincy!” Kennedy ran over, her ponytails swinging.

Quincy hoisted her into his arms, and she threw her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. After all he and the kids had been through, being loved by them was one of his greatest blessings. He was lucky to have many greatest blessings in his life, and he’d never take a single one for granted again.

“Hey, jelly bean,” he said, snuggling her. “Mommy got held up at work, so I’m giving you a ride home.”

“Yay!” Kennedy cheered.

As parents filtered into the room to pick up their kids, Roni watched over the children like a mother hen, sneaking peeks at Quincy.

“Did you see me dancing? Awen’t I good?” Kennedy asked.

“You’re the best. Why don’t you get your stuff while I talk with Miss Roni?”

She clung to him like a monkey and said, “I want to come with you.”

He couldn’t exactly charm Roni the way he’d hoped to with a little one in his arms. Time to get creative. He carried her across the room to Roni, who was saying goodbye to one of the other kids. The second she was done, Kennedy said, “Miss Woni, my uncle wants to talk to you!”

A nervous smile played at Roni’s full, kissable lips as she set her hazel eyes on him, causing a squirrelly feeling in his chest, and said, “What can I do for you, Uncle Quincy?”

“Let me take you out tomorrow night.” Come on, baby, just say yes.

Her eyes darted to Kennedy. “I’m sorry, but I have to work.”

“Wednesday, then?”

She lowered her eyes for only a second before they flicked up to his, as though it was hard to look away, and she said, “I have class.”

Time to bring out the big guns. He looked at Kennedy and said, “Jelly bean, help me out here. I want to have a playdate with Miss Roni, and she doesn’t want to play with me.”

Roni’s cheeks flamed. But her widening smile told him to pull out all the stops.

“Uncle Quincy has the best playdates!” Kennedy exclaimed. “He plays for hours. We play dolls and dwess-up. Sometimes we play football, but he has to play on his knees because he’s so big. We play house and we dance, and he even lets me put wibbons in his hair.”

Roni laughed, and he’d give just about anything to hear more of that sweet sound.

“Ribbons?” she asked.

Oh man, maybe Kennedy isn’t helping after all.

Kennedy nodded. “Yes, and if you’re good, he’ll take you to Penny’s ice cweam shop. He loves ice cweam. He always says he can eat it all night long. Right, Uncle Quincy?”

He cocked a grin. Best wing girl ever. “That’s right, kiddo. All night long.”

Roni’s eyes flew open wider, and she snapped her mouth shut.

“You should have a playdate with him, Miss Woni!” Kennedy said excitedly, and wriggled out of Quincy’s arms. “I’m gonna get my stuff!”

“You’re so bad,” Roni whispered, looking around them and laughing softly.

“That used to be true in the not-so-great sense. But I assure you, now I only use my bad side to be very, very good.” He stepped closer, the temperature between them spiking. Roni was tall, five six or seven, he guessed, the perfect height to take her face between his hands and kiss her. She smelled enticingly feminine, but he kept his hands to himself and said, “What’s a guy got to do to get a date with you?”

“I don’t really date, Quincy.” She said his name breathily, as if it lingered on her tongue.

“Neither do I,” he said honestly, and glanced at Kennedy, putting her shoes on by the cubbies. All the other kids were gone. “Maybe it’s time we start. What time do you get off tomorrow?”

“I have a late meeting for an upcoming production.”

“What about Wednesday?”

“Sorry. I’m here until eight. I like you a lot, but…”

“No buts, Roni. You can’t hide behind your phone forever.”

“Yes, I can,” she said with a shimmer of playfulness. “I don’t get flustered when we text. It’s easier when”—she waved at his body—“all this isn’t standing right in front of me.”

“Then maybe I need to up my texting game.”

“No!” she said quickly, laughing.

“Laughing is a good start.” He closed the small gap between them, and her chest brushed against him, desire rising in her eyes. Her breathing hitched, but she didn’t look away. Another good sign. He ran his fingers down her arm, and goose bumps rose beneath his touch. She made a sexy, needy sound, awakening the monster behind his zipper. “One date, Veronica, and I promise to keep my hands to myself.” He leaned in and said, “Unless you ask me not to.”

She opened her mouth to respond, and he cut her off. “Do you really want to make up another excuse? Because your eyes tell me that you feel the incredible, inescapable energy between us just as strongly as I do.”

“Mm-hm.” She pressed her lips together, holding his gaze for a beat before whispering, “I feel it, too.”

“That’s all I need to know.”

Kennedy ran over and grabbed Quincy’s hand. “Can we go now?”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Quincy winked at Roni and said, “Ticktock, beautiful. See you soon.”

About Melissa Foster:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, and the Wild Boys After Dark. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. 

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website. Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

Connect with Melissa:

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Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

The Long Road Home- #Fiction in a Flash #Challenge @amwriting


Suzanne Burke stimulates the imagination with her weekly Fiction in a Flash #Challenges!

You can read the participants entries and join in here

The Long Road Home

The creak of saddle leather and gentle sway of Maggie’s horse lulled her toward a long overdo nap. Two weeks and still no sign of the men she chased. The ruthless bastards had taken everything from her, she wouldn’t stop until they paid for what they’d done.

When she awoke, the sun had dropped behind the distant Texas hills coloring the sky in shades of magenta, burnt orange, and saffron. The air was cooler, whispering an early fall warning and she huddled into her loose-fitting jacket. She’d lost weight on this trek, lost some of her sanity, as well.

Images of her too-trusting husband swinging from a rope in the shed, face swollen, purple tongue protruding played a never-ending loop in her head. As did the attack from men they thought were friends. Men who’d dragged her to the floor and had their way with her in front of Sam and Jeff. Her boys.

The reason she couldn’t, wouldn’t, give up.

Grunting from stiff, aching, muscles, Maggie dislodged from the saddle and slid to the ground, her grip on the pommel the only thing holding her upright. Pins and needles in her feet assured her she was alive, as did the hunger gnawing at her belly. Didn’t matter though, nothing mattered except finding her sons and meting out the retribution they deserved.

***

A day and a half later, she came upon the cabin. Rough-hewn slats of gray wood made up the walls, smoke curled in a thin ribbon from the crooked chimney, and moss grew in a thick green blanket draping the eaves. A couple of beaten-down horses, she recognized as theirs, stood silently in a pen next to a dilapidated shed. She hurried to place a hand over the muzzles of her own mounts. They’d approached from downwind, but she didn’t want to take a chance on the animals announcing her arrival before she was ready.

It was dark by the time she had everything in place. The horses were tied in a ravine to the west, close enough to get to if she were injured, but far enough to keep them from panicking when the fireworks started. As she’d expected, Sam and Jeff were brought outside to use the latrine before bed. Her tired eyes feasted on their wiry frames. They looked so small next to the monsters shoving them forward. She ached to break cover and swoop them against her breasts, but reconciled herself to waiting until they were safe.

The moment the boys entered the outhouse and closed the door behind them, she set her plan in motion. Hefting a good-sized stone in her hand, Maggie sent it sailing through the air to smack the ground in the pen, startling the horses who reared up and danced away from the unseen threat. The men ducked, then ran for the nearest cover- the shed.

Next, she lit the fuses on the leftover fireworks Conrad had bought for the family to enjoy on the fourth of July. The sparks snaked across the ground and exploded, sending bright strobes of white, orange and red shrieking into the night sky. Not wasting a second, Maggie streaked across the uneven yard and dropped a heavy board over the door to the shed, sealing it closed.

The men realized they’d been tricked, and shouting obscenities, hammered the door with their fists trying to break free. Knowing she only had seconds before the flimsy structure gave way, Maggie turned to the pile of wood she’d carefully arranged near the wall of the building. A strike of a match and the oil-soaked cloth caught, the fire quickly spreading to the dry kindling. A moment later, the wall caught flame, driving her backward away from the heat and destruction. The shouts became screams, then coughing cries for mercy, echoing the weeping in her soul.

Then silence.

Instead of guilt, Maggie felt joy sweep through her chest, pushing all the hate and pain and anger away. A phoenix rising from the flames.

“Momma, Momma,” Jeff cried, his stubby little legs carrying him to her side, Sam following close behind, his eyes reflecting the funeral pyre in front of them.

Maggie wrapped shaking arms around her kids and pulled them close. “Let’s go home, my loves. Let’s go home.”

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Jacquie Biggar20 Comments

Against my Better Judgement #Mystery #RomCom #AJPrism @BTPolcari


On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Against My Better Judgment

(Mauzzy and Me Mystery, #1) By B.T. Polcari

New Adult Contemporary Mystery,

Romantic Comedy Paperback & ebook,

298 Pages September 16th 2020 by The Wild Rose Press

When freshman year at the University of Alabama draws to a close, Sara Donovan finds herself grappling with the same old question—listen to her head or follow her heart. What she ends up doing is purchasing an Egyptian souvenir funerary mask, and after a mysterious phone call, she’s certain a ring of antiquities smugglers are operating in Tuscaloosa.

With finals never far from her mind and her return to ‘Bama hanging in the balance, she should be studying. Instead she launches her own investigation to prove her mask is indeed a stolen artifact, and not a cheap trinket. When it comes time to snoop, Sara is more than ready, or at least she was until a hot new teaching assistant moves in next door.

Suddenly she learns things are never as they seem. Ever.

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Character Guest Post

Sara Donovan’s Top Ten Things to Take on a Stakeout

Sara Donovan here. Conducting surveillance of possible perps is an important part of an investigation. This is not to be confused with observing the idiosyncrasies and the comings and goings of neighbors. That is just good security. The keys to any successful stakeout are: 1) finding an unobtrusive location to park the car that provides a good visual field of the target’s location; 2) be prepared for long, boring hours of no activity; and 3) take precautions to keep from being made. In this regard, I have put together my list of the top ten things I take on a stakeout to ensure its success, even if the target never shows (that’s why I have #8). 😉

  1. Proper stakeout attire. Loose and comfortable, such as dark-gray dress yoga pants with a black empire-waisted blouse and three-quarter length sleeves. After all, it’s about being stylish in case you’re made.
  • Thermos of coffee. Note to self: be extremely careful when pouring and drinking the liquid goodness so we don’t have another unfortunate accident.
  • Snacks such as granola bars, crackers, and a can of soup with spoon. Note to self: move phone to passenger seat when eating the soup so we don’t have another unfortunate accident.
  • Pepper spray.
  • Floppy hat to shield the face should the target look my way.
  • Dark sunglasses for further shielding of said face.
  • Binoculars.
  • Pride and Prejudice, in case things are slow. Note to self: don’t become too engrossed in Mr. Darcy. Remember why we’re here.
  • Purse complete with OCD Tissue System, patent pending by Sara Donovan; hand sanitizer; and phone charger.
  1. Phone.

Final note to self: Although this does not qualify as something to take on a stakeout, it would be against my better judgment not to do so prior to leaving on a stakeout. Pee.

About the Author

Ever wonder what retired business executives do after they have put in years of effort for society and decide it is time to hang up their hat? Perhaps strolling along the country club’s fairway, or lounging on a 50-foot yacht?

Alas, B. T. Polcari is unlike your typical retired executive. Empty nester and Scarlett Knights alum, Polcari is still learning the meaning of “retired” while feverishly typing away on the next new book idea, smashing the fuzz off the little green tennis ball, or blasting bowling pins for a perfect game. Yes there is a boat, but not one that comes with its own crew; this retiree prefers to bustle along a serene lake in a quaint single seat Sunfish sailboat.

Perhaps the only time BTP can be found in a quiet moment is while enjoying the morning company of two family dachshunds over a newspaper and cup of coffee. B. T. Polcari currently resides in Chattanooga, TN and is thrilled to be fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming a published author.

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Tour Giveaway

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Jacquie Biggar14 Comments

Sunday Lines: Sunday, October 11


Inspiring quotes shared by the ladies on our Word by Word​ #blog.

Word by Word

Here are a few encouraging #SundayLines provided by our #WordbyWord authors with the theme WHEN THE ROAD GETS BUMPY.

Interested in learning more? Click on the pictures below to gain more insight into each author.

Nothing is ever final, and nothing is ever finished. Everything is always a new beginning. I am safe–it’s only change.

Marsha West

 

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Sharon Wray

Sometimes the things we value the most come to us in the most difficult times.

Pat Amsden

Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.

Jacquie Biggar 

“The only meaningful thing we can offer one another is love. Not advice, not questions about our choices, not suggestions for the future, just love.” ~ Glennon Doyle

Kathryn Jane

“She was powerful not because she wasn’t but…

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Jacquie Biggar6 Comments