A Sexy Saturday with FLAWLESS

It's great to be here at My Sexy Saturday again! I'm especially glad to be here today because it gives me a chance to show off the beautiful new cover for FLAWLESS, my previously published World War Two romantic suspense novella. Here it is!

Many thanks to my publishers at The Wild Rose Press for creating this wonderful new cover. The girl on the cover is exactly how I imagined my heroine Madeleine would look. FLAWLESS is available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and other e-book retailers. You can find another excerpt, reviews, and a complete list of buy links at my website at www.janarichards.com Here's the blurb for FLAWLESS:

France, 1942. The world is at war. The Nazis have stolen the infamous blue diamond, Le Coeur Bleu, intending to barter it for weapons that will destroy the Allies. Jewel thief Hunter Smith is given a choice; help the French Resistance steal back the diamond and avenge the death of his best friend, or stay locked up in an English prison. He chooses revenge.

Resistance fighter Madeleine Bertrand’s husband died when he was betrayed by Hunter Smith. How can she now pretend to be married to the arrogant American? How can she betray Jean Philippe’s memory by her passionate response to Hunter’s kisses? Neither is prepared for the maelstrom of attraction that erupts between them. To survive they must uncover the mysteries of the past and conquer the dangers of the present. But first Madeleine must decide if her loyalties lie with her dead husband and the Resistance or with the greatest love of her life.

In this seven paragraph snippet, Hunter has just been dropped into France. Madeleine is his contact in the French Resistance. His cover is to be a gardener at the Chateau where the Nazis have made their headquarters. He has no idea why she takes an instant dislike to him:

“What exactly do you know about being a gardener?”  She picked up her pace, and Hunter had to lengthen his stride to keep up with her.

“What’s to know? I stick a shovel into the ground and spread manure. It’s just a cover. I’m here for Le Coeur Bleu, not the roses.”

Madeleine threw up her hands. “Ah, yes, Le Coeur Bleu. That’s all you’re really interested in, isn’t it?”

“Of course I’m interested in it. Getting it away from the Germans is the whole reason I’m here.”

“You mean stealing it.”

What was her problem? “Yes, I mean stealing it. You don’t think the Nazis are going to hand it over if I say ‘pretty please,’ do you?”

Madeleine stopped suddenly and spun to face him. The sky had lightened just enough for him to see the fury in her eyes. “You’re nothing but a common thief. I know all about you, Monsieur Smith. I know you were imprisoned for jewel theft in London. I know the only reason you got out was because Monsieur Campbell needed you to steal this jewel. You think it is better to steal Le Coeur Bleu than to rot in jail. Do you think this is a lark, a game we play here, Monsieur Smith? I can assure you, you will soon regret coming to France.”

I hope you enjoyed my snippet. I invite you to come back here tomorrow. To celebrate my new cover, I'm holding a contest and giving away two digital copies of FLAWLESS. See you then!

A New Excerpt from FIRST AND AGAIN #MFRWhooks

Happy Wednesday! I'm glad to be back at Book Hooks with a brand new excerpt from my October 2013 release from Carina Press, FIRST AND AGAIN. Here's the blurb:

Bridget Grant is back in Paradise. Paradise, North Dakota, that is.

She’s swallowed her pride and moved back to her hometown with her daughter after her divorce and the loss of her catering company. Now she’s trying to navigate the strained relationships she’d left behind – including her first love, Jack Davison.

Jack never forgot Bridget, or the day she left town – and him. When Bridget caters a lunch at Jack’s tourist ranch, old flames reignite. They have more in common than ever – Jack’s also a single parent. Though they both try to keep things casual, Bridget, Jack and their girls are starting to look a lot like a family.

But Bridget’s only planning to stay in Paradise until she’s saved enough to relaunch her business. Jack’s invested too much in his ranch to leave. And with their daughters involved both have a lot more at stake than heartbreak. How can they risk falling in love?

Jack loves his daughter very much, but he can't help wondering what might have been:

Jack firmly held Leslie’s hand as he opened the barn door and let each of the horses out of its stall. The horses somehow sensed that Leslie was different and were especially gentle with her, but even so, he was careful not to let her get too close.

As he watched the horses head out into the pasture, he contrasted Bridget’s daughter with his own. Rebecca was tall and strong with a quick mind and a ready laugh. He had no doubt she was capable of succeeding at anything she set her mind to. Leslie, on the other hand, had a sunny disposition but her health had always been fragile. And he’d had known since her birth that her capabilities were limited.

He cut off that line of thinking. It wasn’t fair to Leslie to compare her to Rebecca.

Still, if she hadn’t been born with Down syndrome, if she was normal…

He took a deep breath and held tightly to her hand. “I’m starved. Let’s go see what Gladys is cooking up for lunch. Are you hungry?”

“Yes!”

“Okay, Sunshine. Let’s go.”

Jack chastised himself all the way back to the house. He knew better. He’d learned a long time ago it did no good to wish for things that could never change.

For more information about FIRST AND AGAIN and my other books, please check out my website at www.janarichards.com  FIRST AND AGAIN can be purchased at Amazon and many other ebook retailers.

Seeing Things on Sneak Peak Sunday

Happy Sunday! Today I'm featuring my romantic suspense SEEING THINGS. Here's a blurb:

When psychic Leah McKenna “sees” the abduction of a small boy, she knows she must help find him, no matter the danger to herself. David Logan, the boy’s uncle, doesn’t believe in psychic phenomenon. He believes Leah knows who kidnapped his nephew, and plans to stick close to her to discover the truth. As they search for Jeremy they uncover truths about themselves and the way they feel about each other. Can Leah convince him her visions, and her love for him, are real before time runs out for all of them?

In this six paragraph snippet, Leah is having a vision of a child being kidnapped:


Oh God, please not another child.

A car stopped at the curb. A man got out and stepped toward the boy, his hand outstretched. The boy shook his head at first and attempted to go around him, but after a few steps, he turned around. He listened with rapt attention. Finally he reached for the man's hand and together they walked to the car.

Leah tried to scream at the boy to run, but no sound would come from her closed throat. Her heart hammered in her chest as she helplessly watched the car pull away with the boy staring out the back window. Then, as suddenly as it appeared the scene vanished.

When Leah's sight cleared, ten pairs of anxious four-year-old eyes stared at her with a mixture of curiosity and fear. She knew only seconds had elapsed, though the vision had seemed to pass in a slow, dreamlike state. She took a deep calming breath, remembering that this was Friday and she was in the Winnipeg Public Library where she worked. Her regular Friday morning story-hour group sat in a semi-circle in front of her. Relief flooded through her when she caught sight of a well-worn copy of Peter Rabbit beside her on the floor, and she remembered they'd been about to read it. She picked up the book with trembling fingers, the familiar feel of it giving her a much-needed sense of normalcy.

"Okay everyone.” She forced a smile, hoping to reassure the children. "When we finish the story it's snack time."

She struggled to keep the panic at bay. Why now, after two years? Why couldn't these visions leave her alone? All she wanted was a normal life like everyone else.

Thanks for reading! For more great snippets, please check out http://sneak-peek-sunday.blogspot.ca/

It's Time to Party!

hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers (#MFRWorg)

JOIN ME & over a dozen other authors as we share excerpts from our contemporary romances. Get ideas for some new books to enjoy this spring. With all heat levels represented, there's something for everyone. Join in on the hourly contests and win prizes. This is a party you do not want to miss and it's going on all day on May 1st.

Confirmed Participating Authors INCLUDE:

Victoria Barbour - Vicki Batman - Paloma Beck - Gemma Brocato - Candy Caine - Lisa Carlisle - Carly Carson - Margie Church - Karen Cino - Wendy Lynn Clark - Margo Bond Collins - Kandie Delley - Emerald - Candace Gold - Lily Harlem - Susan Jaymes - Mona Karel - Patricia Kiyono - Adriana Kraft - Jan Meredith - Siobhan Muir - Martha O'Sullivan - Skylin O'Thomas - Victoria Pinder - Irene Preston - Jana Richards - Christi Williams - Sabrina York

CLICK HERE to Attend!

I'll be sharing excerpts from my small town romance FIRST AND AGAIN at 1 pm CST. I'll also host a contest and give away a copy of this book from Carina Press. I hope you can join the fun!