A New Sexy Short from Nancy Fraser - TRUST ME

Nancy Fraser's hot new release, TRUST ME, book 2 in the Lusty Liaisons series, released on July 20, 2020. I love the premise of this series - a dating service for fixing people up with their sexual matches. If they find a life partner, that's simply a bonus! Book 1 in the series is TOUCH ME, and both short, erotic romances are offered for the enticing price of .99 cents. Welcome Nancy!

Blurb:

Will this mis-matched couple discover they have more in common than just a single night of steaming-hot sex?

Tax consultant Katherine Weller isn't ready for a relationship after a divorce that left her empty. But when her best friend suggests she set up a sex-only date through Lusty Liaisons, a unique and exclusive dating service, she's uncertain but intrigued.

Maybe a hot romp with a sexy, younger man is exactly what she needs to take that confident first step into her new life as a single woman.

Excerpt:

Monday came and went. Tuesday...nothing. By Wednesday, Katherine wanted nothing more than to bury herself beneath a mound of blankets and stay there until her death. Or her eightieth birthday, whichever came first. By then, she’d be over the embarrassment of not being chosen for a night of uncomplicated, albeit hot, sex.

Lillie’s daily request for a progress report wasn’t helping matters.

Katherine’s cell dinged—a sure sign Lillie was sending her another message of encouragement. After pouring herself a second glass of Cakebread Chardonnay, Katherine picked up her phone, ran her fingertips across the lock screen, and stabbed the blinking icon.

You have a request.

Katherine double checked the sender’s name. Lusty Liaisons.

Damn! Hands shaking, she opened the email.

You’ve made a sexy match!

A request for contact was received from Aaron Blake. Mr. Blake is offering a fun-filled night at the Hudson Inn, Somerville, for this coming Saturday beginning at eight in the evening. If you decide to accept, please respond to this email. We will make the arrangements and confirm within twenty-four hours.

Click the link below to read Aaron’s profile.

She re-read the email twice before finally clicking on the profile link.

Aaron Blake, age thirty-two. Six-foot-two, two-hundred ten pounds. Occupation: government contractor. Sexual preferences: almost anything goes, although not into bondage.

Her gaze shot back to the top of the profile as it had at least a dozen times. Aaron Blake’s  photo stared back at her. His crooked smile taunted her, as if daring her to ignore him. A thin scar ran from the corner of his right eye and down the side of his face, yet it wasn’t disfiguring in the least. If anything, it drew her attention to his deep-set, brown eyes and long lashes. His dark hair was peppered with a touch of gray. A hint of stubble shadowed his square jaw.

All-in-all, he was gorgeous. And no doubt able to get any woman he wanted. What could he possibly want with a woman ten years his senior?

Before she could lose her nerve, she pressed the reply key, checked the box that said “accept,” and hit the send button.

Buy Links:

Amazon/Kindle | B&N/Nook | Apple/iBooks

Jigsaw Puzzle:

https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=221bb8dd5e10

Author Bio:

NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for three publishers and has recently dipped her toe into the self-publishing market. She has published over thirty books in full-length, novella, and short format.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five energetic grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Author Links:

Website: www.nancyfraser.ca 
Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor  @nfraserauthor 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser 
BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Nancy%20Fraser 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA/

Newsletter Sign-Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD

#NewRelease from Jeny Heckman: THE WARRIOR'S PROGENY

Jeny Heckman's new book, THE WARRIOR'S PROGENY, part of the Heaven and Earth series, just released yesterday. Congratulations Jeny! Welcome to Journeys with Jana. I wish you all the best with your new release!

Hi Jana, I’d like to first say thank you to you and all your readers for taking some time out of your busy day to spend with me. 

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m the author of the paranormal/fantasy romance series, Heaven and Earth. My first book in the series, The Sea Archer, won, “Best in Category: Paranormal” for the Chanticleer International Book Awards in 2018. The Warrior’s Progeny is book two of the series. The series is about the Greek gods and their modern-day descendants, kind of a Percy Jackson meets Nora Roberts.

I was thinking about a blog topic for today, and given our Covid-19 plight, I kept coming back to freedom. Everyone keeps asking what are you going to do when things return to normal…whatever that is. 

The first ten years of my life, I grew up in Bellingham, Washington (in the 1970’s). Back then it was a pretty small town, Western Washington University wasn’t even a university yet. You went out to play and didn’t come back unless it was time for lunch, dinner or bed-time. Seriously, outdoors, playing in the woods, building forts, riding bikes (which was the most expensive thing a child could possess). We walked on the train tracks to go to a tiny grocery store where we’d spend our entire allowance on candy, and eat it all on the way home. I’d spend hours designing lego’s, and creating future house plans with them, we all watched the same shows, and you had to wait each week for them to come on, creating that delicious anticipation. It was innocence personified.

From a very young age, I thought and made up stories. I read books and listened to them on my record player, I loved art and being creative with whatever I could get my hands on at the time. That kind of simplistic life is lost today but I do have to tell you since April, we’ve been forced to return there, albeit in small measure but a return nonetheless. After all, there’s only so much Netflix you can watch before you start pulling your hair out! It’s been really fun playing games, having family dinners, spending uninterrupted time together, where the pressures of the world are outside your little bubble.

As we begin to go out and explore our surroundings and get to know life outside the four walls of our homes again, I hope you can keep that wonderful sense of connection with those you’ve been quarantined with. Returning to work or finding work, re-establishing friendships, and moving on, yet also remembering we were able to function more simplistically then we used to.

Living in Washington state, I have seen my share of things I never thought I’d see in my lifetime, and find myself yearning for the lighter days of life. I like to live there in my stories, a way to escape and have an adventure, before returning to reality and the demands of daily life. I hope you enjoy my stories too! I also wish you all health and well-being, romance and adventure. One of my favorite quotes is from the movie, Hope Floats, and it goes something like this: 

Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most. Remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up and it will.

Thank you so much, I truly appreciate you taking the time out to join me today!

Blurb, The Warrior's Progeny:

If love dies, can it be reborn…only stronger?

Colton Stone is a newly traded tight end whose reputation is as battered as his football helmet. When he receives a vacation invitation from his new teammates, he accepts. There he collides with Dr. Lillian Morgan, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, and doesn't know what to think. 

A widow with two children, Lilly is looking forward to her friends' wedding. When she meets Colton Stone, his arrogant attitude only makes her long for the love she took for granted. Lilly struggles between letting go of her perfect past for an uncertain future. 

Strange events occur, out of the realm of normal consciousness. When black energy touches their world Colt and Lilly become the pawns of the immortal Greek gods. Is the love developing between them natural, or part of a larger prophecy?

Excerpt:

Lilly looked down at the football, lying prone and guilty in the sand, as realization hit her. 

“Oh my God, Que! Are you okay?” 

She examined Que’s head and neck checking for injuries, with rapid authority. A small goose egg already formed just above her right temple. A tiny cut opened in her eyebrow, from her broken sunglasses now laying in the sand, causing a small bead of blood to well up. 

Used to the recklessness of her son and his friends regarding the sport, Lilly turned, gearing up for an impressive tongue lashing to teenagers. 

“What in the hell...” she bellowed, turning around and smacking her face into the sweaty muscular chest of a massive redhead. Refusing to let the fourteen-inch height difference and the hundred and sixty pounds of additional weight intimidate her, Lilly balled her small fists on her hips, shifted her gaze up, and narrowed her eyes. 

“What in the hell is the matter with you? You’re on a crowded beach with a bunch of young children and families. You’re a grown-ass man. Can’t you catch a football?” When he stared down at her in fascinated disbelief, she continued. “There is a wide-open park just over there,” she said, stabbing her finger in the general vicinity. “Maybe you and your little friends”— she looked over at all the massive men in his group, but continued undaunted—“should go over there and pull your heads out of your asses.”

Buy Links:
Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/3dEdzzL

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warriors-progeny-jeny-heckman/1137148709?ean=2940162896401

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-warriors-progeny/id1517325582

Author Bio: 

Award-winning author, Jeny Heckman, was born in Bellingham, Washington, and was the youngest of two daughters. She met her husband, Jeff, in August 1992, and eloped three months later, at Magen’s Bay, on St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

She wrote her first book, The Catch, in a few short months but took several years before she gained the courage to self-publish it at her son’s urging, and her love for writing began.

In 2018, Jeny knew her next project would be a series that showed adults could have adventures in the paranormal-fantasy genre too. So, she created the Heaven & Earth series, a story of doomed Greek gods and their only salvation, their modern-day descendants. Her first book of the series, the Sea Archer, was immediately picked up by the New York publishing house, the Wild Rose Press, and won, “Best in Category” from the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards.

In the year 2020, Jeny released, Dancing Through Tears, a short story from the anthology, Australia Burns: Volume Two, highlighting the Route 91 massacre from the perspective of one family at the concert, and at Mandalay Bay. She also intends to release, the Warrior’s Progeny, and Dee’s Cornucopia, in 2020, continuing the Heaven & Earth Series. 

Jeny lives in Washington State with her husband of over twenty-eight years.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://jenyheckman.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heckman.jeny
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenyheckman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenyheckman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeny-heckman/
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenyheckman17
GoodReads: https://bit.ly/3fd8RJA
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jeny-heckman
YouTube: https://bit.ly/30vNfUI
Newsletter Sign-up: http://eepurl.com/dDTPI9
Warrior’s Progeny Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy5nbMGQoCg

#NewRelease from Barbara Burke: COUNTERFEIT VISCOUNTESS

Barbara Burke joins me today for a look at the secondary characters in her new release COUNTERFEIT VISCOUNTESS. Is there anything more beautiful then a Regency romance book cover? I don't think so. Welcome Barbara!

Secondary characters are a menace! That sounds harsh, doesn’t it? But it’s true. You go along planning out a story with a perfectly lovely hero and heroine and then when you start actually writing it those so-and-sos who were just there to provide a little background colour start developing all kinds of endearing characteristics and demanding centre stage. It’s extremely frustrating and more than a little bit cheeky.

Actually in my newest novel, Counterfeit Viscountess, I’ve mostly been able to keep them under control. First of all, there’s my hero’s older sister, Eleanor, a widow quite in the habit of bossing poor Christopher around. Fortunately, he doesn’t mind, but I was surprised at how opinionated Eleanor turned out to be. 

Then there’s her son, Michael, whose shenanigans are indirectly responsible for the predicament Christopher and my heroine, Caroline, find themselves in. He wasn’t necessarily going to appear in the story at all and yet somehow he ended up saving the day – or at least that’s what he’ll tell you he did. 

Both of them may have a story of their own someday. Michael has to grow up a bit, but Eleanor could do with a little romance in her life as soon as possible. 

Finally, there’s Mrs. Winthrop. She was supposed to be quite a cranky old busybody, but she ended up quite delightful, at least in my opinion. Thank heavens she isn’t pestering me for a book of her own though. I’m not sure I could take it. And her puerile granddaughters would be horrified. Hmmm, it might almost be worth it just for that reason. They’re both very annoying young women.

Of course it’s not only the characters themselves who start demanding a starring role. When my daughter read my WWII romance, Not2Nite, she told me the story was fine, but I really ought to write one about Charlotte. Charlotte, a fairly minor character, was an aviatrix delivering planes to various air force bases across England and my heroine, Molly’s, cousin and flatmate. I shrugged if off until one of my very first reviews on Amazon said something along the line of ‘I want to read a story about Charlotte!’. I’m still mulling that one over. Charlotte, with her red lipstick and penchant for dancing the night away, is pretty cool. I just need to invent a hero worthy of her insouciance.

Actually, I guess I shouldn’t complain about them. Some of my favourite people are minor characters. They add depth to a story and convey information that’s often crucial for moving the plot along. Maybe I’m just worried about what kinds of monstrous secondary characters would appear in their stories if I ever let them take centre stage. I may lose control completely. It almost doesn’t bear thinking of. But what do I know? I’m just the author.

Blurb:

What happens when they both start wanting a real marriage?

Practical Caroline Saxon must travel to London for the season, when all she really wants is to stay in Ireland and breed horses. But a carriage accident leaves her unchaperoned at a posting inn.

Dashing Christopher Hawking just wants a bed for the night. He didn't expect to find it occupied by a beautiful woman or to be caught sneaking out of her room. In the light of day, a London-bound member of the ton finds them together. 

Attraction flares between the two in spite of themselves. But how will they save Caroline's reputation and calm the storm of the ton's gossip?

Excerpt:

When they were alone again and the tea distributed, Christopher and Caroline did their best to explain to Eleanor the events of the morning and the evening before.

Eleanor listened without interruption, contenting herself with the occasional raised eyebrow as her only commentary on the convoluted tale. When they had finished she turned to Christopher and remarked, "I must say, it seems quite foolish to have allowed Annabelle Winthrop of all people to discover you. She's a complete pea goose and she won't take kindly to Miss Saxon's appearance on the scene. She's been setting her cap at you forever."

"I didn't exactly do it on purpose," Christopher was stung to reply.

"On purpose or not, it's got you into a great deal of difficulty which could have been avoided if you had taken more care."

Recognizing the signs of temper on Christopher’s face, Caroline interjected quickly. "Indeed, Lord Saxon did everything he could. If not for his quick thinking, we would have already come to ruin. You really cannot blame him for the presence of Miss Winthrop in the same inn where we were staying."

"Nonsense, I can blame him for anything I wish. I've been doing it since he was a baby and very handy it's been as well. It's one of the only advantages of having a younger sibling."

The fond smile she bestowed on her brother precluded any sting Caroline, less used to the ways of siblings, might have imagined such a comment implied, as did Christopher’s bland acceptance of her outrageous assertion. Though she had watched, and frequently envied, the comfortable, if often fractious, interaction between the brothers and sisters she’d played with as a child, she clearly had much to learn about family relationships when adulthood was achieved.

“However, I suppose there’s nothing we can do about it now,” Eleanor conceded, magnanimously. “But mind, Christopher, I’ll expect you to take a great deal more care the next time you break into a respectable woman’s bedroom.”

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Viscountess-Barbara-Burke/dp/1509231129

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/counterfeit-viscountess/9781509231133-item.html?ikwsec=Books&ikwidx=3#algoliaQueryId=d1d2efaccdde2da6eee0e21206244c86

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/counterfeit-viscountess-barbara-burke/1136955014?ean=9781509231126

Author Bio:

Barbara Burke’s peripatetic life means she’s lived everywhere from a suburban house in a small town to a funky apartment in a big city, and from an architecturally designed estate deep in the forest to a cedar shack on the edge of the ocean. Everywhere she’s gone she’s been accompanied by her husband, her animals and her books. For the last ten years she’s worked as a freelance journalist and has won several awards. She was a fan of Jane Austen long before that lady was discovered by revisionists and zombie lovers and thinks Georgette Heyer was one of the great writers of the twentieth century. She lives by the philosophy that one should never turn down the opportunity to get on a plane no matter where it’s going, but deep down inside wishes she could travel everywhere by train. Ironically she now lives on an island that doesn’t have any trains at all.

Social Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Barbara-Burke

https://barbaraburkeauthor.wordpress.com/

authorbarbaraburke@gmail.com

New Release from Mona Sedrak: GRAVITY

Fellow Wild Rose Press author Mona Sedrak joins me today to talk about her new release, GRAVITY. Mona describes this book as women's fiction as well as sweet romance. Read on to learn more about Mona's newest!

What is GRAVITY about, Mona?

Gravity is a heart-warming story of two individuals from remarkably differing backgrounds that are inexplicably drawn to one another, forming a strong friendship and falling in love–– despite the odds against them. The story depicts the beautiful Middle Eastern culture I was raised in and its many traditions as well as some of its challenges. Readers will identify with this story, no matter their background because it speaks to and awakens the human heart. 

Gravity is about tolerance, acceptance, understanding, and forgiveness. Finally, it is a story of love and hope. When I started writing Gravity several years ago, I couldn’t have predicted how relevant it would be today. At the end of the day, I want readers to understand that although we may be different, as members of the human race, our similarities out-weigh our differences and love is the universal language that binds us.  

What inspired this story?

I was born in Cairo, Egypt and immigrated to the US as a child. Still, I was brought up in a very traditional home. I had a strong family unit and a loving family, but I always felt torn. I was neither fully Egyptian nor American. There are many misconceptions about the Middle Eastern culture, and I wanted to write a story that shed light on many aspects of that beautiful culture from a fictional point of view. I am a romantic at heart, and thus, I couched what I wanted readers to know in a beautiful, heart-warming story with many twists and turns.

Blurb:

Gravity: A force pulling together people and hearts. 

After being shunned by her Middle Eastern family, medical assistant Leila Solomon struggles to build a life for herself and her child. Landscape photographer Aiden Stone built a career seeing what others miss, and the second he meets Leila, he is drawn to her unassuming beauty and fragile strength.

Leila cannot defy the gravitational forces pulling her toward Aiden and to the family who cast her out. To build a future with Aiden, she must face the past but is she strong enough to resist being pulled back into the family fold?

Excerpt:

Aiden stopped pacing. His brain once conjured an image of the perfect family––his family. He first pictured them as he sat on the beach with Leila, asking for her forgiveness after he stood her up. He searched his memory banks, recalling the image. His breath hitched as his brain hiccupped and the picture focused with such clarity his hands shook, and the crystal tumbler slipped from his fingers, shattering on the deck and spraying scotch across the wood.

Leila stood on the beach laughing with her gorgeous midnight curls flowing down her back, holding their boy’s hand. AJ’s green eyes danced as he grinned. With his free hand he grasped his little sister’s tiny palm––her wispy blonde hair tousled by the wind. Aiden closed the circle, holding Leila’s hand in one of his and Mia’s in the other. Each member of his family was unique. They didn’t resemble each other, but that fact didn’t matter because their hearts were in sync. The ties that bind were invisible yet strong as steel.

“Aiden? Are you there? Are you okay?”

As the image receded, Aiden blinked. But before the photo completely dissipated, a strong wind battered their circle, and the smile slid off Leila’s face. Their hands were torn apart, breaking their circle and fissuring their foundation. Blinking again, Aiden focused on the shards of glass surrounding him. He gasped for air.

No matter what either of them did, or how hard they resisted, gravity drew them together. But could the awesome force of gravity be defied?

Where to Find GRAVITY:

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/GRGravity
https://books2read.com/u/meeBBz
bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/gravity-by-mona-sedrak

Author Bio:

Mona Sedrak lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and works as a university administrator and professor. Although she has co-published two academic books, she is now writing mainstream fiction and women's fiction. She is an avid reader and is probably Audible's best customer. 

Writing and reading fiction is her escape from reality.

Mona lives with her husband of 30+ years, a geriatric maltipoo, and an Amazon Parrot named Pretzel. She binge watches too many shows to count and she loves fine brandy.

Website: https://www.monasedrak.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mona-Sedrak/e/B003VGUOZQ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMSedrak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonaSedrakAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4563964.Mona_Sedrak
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormonasedrak/

Jean Grant's Scottish Holiday, the Setting for A HUNDRED LIES

Jean M. Grant's post about visiting Scotland reminds me of my long ago trip there. We spent most of our time in Edinburgh since our friends were living there at the time. And since we had a five month old baby with us, and I came down with a case of strep throat, we didn't get to see as many things as we would have liked. We always wanted to go back to Scotland but so far that hasn't happened. I guess I'll have to travel vicariously through Jean! Welcome Jean, and congratulations on the upcoming release of the third book in your series, A HUNDRED LIES! 

Top 10 Things to See in Scotland

What to see if you visit Scotland? Here is my list of must-sees, which might be biased because of my love for nature and history. I visited most of these places while on a trip to Scotland in a rainy September…

10. The abbeys
9. The isles
8. Lochs
7. Crags and Glens
6. Standing Stones
5. Scottish Folk & Pubs
4. The Lowlands
3. The Highlands
2. Highland Games
1. Castles

Some castles Jean visited on her trip

Jean's trip to Scotland - a figure 8 in 8 days

Now some details…

Abbeys are poetic, serene. We walked among ancient gray and rose ruins at Dryburgh and Melrose. It’s hard to not visit an isle while in Scotland. There are many: Lewis and Harris, Shetlands, or my beloved Uist. We visited Isle of Sky on a dreary day and could not even see the Black Cuillin in the torrential rain. Like isles, lochs, many glacial, are a must-see and hard to miss whether it is the deep blue Loch Ness, expansive Loch Lomond, or the inspiring Loch Awe. High and low crags abound…the Trossachs, Cairngorms, or the five sisters of Kintail are impressive mountains. With crags, come glens (valleys). Glencoe is not one to skip.

Standing stones are one of the few places we couldn’t visit on our trip as most are on the isles. Note to self for next time! Scots are pleasant people and we had a great time chatting with the locals. And yup, there are plenty of the other kind of locals: sheep! The lowlands often get overlooked, but they are green and lush with undulating hills. The Highlands are rich in clan history and natural beauty and oh so many hikes. Up for putting the stone, caber tossing, tug-o-war, music, and dancing…oh yes, and lots of kilts? Get thee to a Highland Game. We visited one in Pitlochry. Castles, last but not least! I visited over a dozen on my trip. My favorites: Eilean Donan (seat to Clan MacCoinneach in my books), Kilchurn (we kayaked to it), Threave (we took a rowboat across a river to it), and Borthwick (we stayed overnight in this 14th century tower house that is haunted). Scotland—be prepared for rain, be prepared for beauty of nature and people.

BLURB:

1322, Scotland

Rosalie Threston's fortune-telling lies have caught up with her. Uprooted yet again, she's on the run from a ruthless English noblewoman. She flees to Scotland and seeks refuge in the arms of a laird's son who happens to be a real Seer.

A bloody past and inevitable future plague Domhnall Montgomerie. He avoids physical contact with others to ease the painful visions. When an accidental touch reveals only delight, he wonders if Rose is the key to silencing the Sight.

Mystical awakening unravels with each kiss. But can Domhnall embrace his gift in time to save her life, even it means exposing her lies?

EXCERPT:

She drew his hand into her palm. Her pulse drummed in her ears. Breathe, Rose. Breathe. His fingers trembled in her hand but neither of them released the look. She tried to convey trust and understanding with her own gentle smile. When he seemed settled, she turned her gaze to his hand. After a pause, she said, “It is as I said. Air is your element.”

“What else do you see?” He leaned in, closer. Sweat, sage, hmmm…male? Was male a scent?

Feeling his eyes upon hers, she continued to scrutinize, drawing light touches over the mounds.

“You’re somewhat content, though you spend hours alone to get away?”

He held a straight face. “Easy enough facts to guess. I’m a watchman. Fortune-tellers are good in their ploy.” She refrained from arguing. He was on the defense. Understandable. Most people were. He was correct after all. She stroked his fingers. Pretended to examine. His hands were ice-cold.

All right, memory. Time to shine. The marketplace fire, something from his youth. Domhnall liked animals. Seemed to not like fire or touch. She chanced the next statement. “Something in your past upsets you.” Again, stone-faced. At least his hand had stopped trembling.

She would throw out statements until one stuck. Had she been incorrect in her eavesdropping? Surely the servants had been gossiping about Domhnall.

He chewed his lip. Held her gaze.

She paused and pushed the candle closer. “To see better.”

He flinched.

Yes. Fire. It bothered him.

PRE-ORDER Book Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08B7QW5F7

B and N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-hundred-lies-jean-m-grant/1137186123?ean=2940162636021

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-hundred-lies-by-jean-m-grant

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54125380-a-hundred-lies

Author Bio:

Jean kayaking to Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe 

Jean’s background is in science and she draws from her interests in history, nature, and her family for inspiration. She writes historical and contemporary romances and women's fiction. She also writes articles for family-oriented travel magazines. When she's not writing or chasing after children, she enjoys tending to her flower gardens, hiking, and doing just about anything in the outdoors.

Social media info:

Website   https://www.jeanmgrant.com/
Twitter   https://twitter.com/JeanGrant05
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/jeanmgrantauthor/
Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16582543.Jean_M_Grant
Bookbub  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jean-m-grant
Amazon Author Page  https://www.amazon.com/Jean-M.-Grant/e/B0728KFXP9/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jeanmgrant/

New Release from Madison Michael - DARE TO HOPE

Dare to Hope

Double Dale Romance Series (Book 1)

By Madison Michael

♥♥GiveAway♥♥

Maddy is offering a few great prizes. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter! You may enter each day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with us on the New Release Tour.

About Dare to Hope: 

She’s Betting on Love and the Stakes are High

The “Crazy Eights,” eight women who have been friends for 30 years, have a powerful connection yet rarely see each other. At a pivotal time in their lives, they create a way to remedy this predicament, an audacious dare contrived to bring them together for weddings – each participant must get married within twelve months. The stakes are high. Win the bet and lose your heart; or lose the bet and perform a personally mortifying task.

In the first of their stories, we meet Eliana, beautiful and brilliant, but starting over, focused on her career, not on some foolhardy dare. Longing for a family but recently divorced and on her own, Eliana sets her sights on a new job, a new home and accepting her single, childless status. Independent and determined, she has no idea that in less than six months she will both win and lose her heart’s desire.

Jeremy Klein, genius engineer and inventor, is also making life changes. He’s sold his startup to a major medical device company, becoming President and CEO, and a billionaire before he is forty. Although he’s gun-shy about the dating game, Jeremy knows it’s time to apply his smarts, sex appeal and new-found success to finding true love.

When Eliana meets Jeremy, they bond quickly. The couple has so much in common and a chemistry that sizzles. Winning Eliana feels like a fantasy come true to Jeremy. Their attraction is immediate and electrifying, and a one-night stand morphs into planning a future. But plans change. On track to wedded bliss, baby and all, Jeremy and Eliana are derailed by accusations that threaten their relationship, Eliana’s career and Jeremy’s future as CEO.

Spies, lies, allegations and misunderstandings abound, threatening to destroy their happiness. That is, until those “Crazy Eights” get involved, scheming and manipulating to win Eliana her happily ever after. Can a group of determined friends help Eliana and Jeremy hold onto love?

In the tradition of The Beguiling Bachelor Series, Madison Michael creates a romance series about independent and sassy women, sexy and successful men, true love, and lasting friendships.

Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance

Buy Links:

• Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/mlWeJW
• Amazon Buy Link https://amzn.to/2USqYwS

An Excerpt from Dare to Hope:

His grin was devastating up close – wide and welcoming, with a hint of naughtiness and the promise of shared pleasures. But it was his eyes, deep coffee brown and fringed with long dark lashes that were his best feature; piercing, intelligent and inquisitive eyes, trained on her.

Please, God, Eliana prayed quickly, do not let this man be the new sales manager. It would be lamentable if she had to keep him at arm's length. He was the first man Eliana had felt drawn to since Nico. If she was honest with herself, he was the first man she had ever felt this attracted to so immediately. It was enough to make her believe in love at first sight or fate.

"Hi," he stepped closer, ignoring the empty stool beside her to halt just inside her personal space. Usually, Eliana would have reflexively backed up, but she savored his closeness, the power emanating from his presence. Even in this stuffy bar, he smelled good – fresh, like soap and good whiskey. And up close, his eyes were more magical – a hint of gold dancing in their depths.

"Hi," she responded on a breath, letting the single word hang there for a moment before adding "You aren't in sales, are you?"

"Nope." If he thought it was a strange conversation starter, he kept it to himself. "Engineering and design, although I have dabbled in sales. I could be in sales for you," he offered in a voice smooth as brandy, redolent with sexual promise and a hint of curiosity. She laughed at his offer. "Are you in sales?"

"Yes, I am. I was thinking of what a crime it would be if you turned out to be my new boss. I'm meeting him tomorrow."

"Jeremy," he responded, extending his hand to shake hers. "Not in sales. Is your boss named Jeremy?"

"Thankfully, not." Eliana extended her hand, savoring the moment as Jeremy wrapped his long fingers around hers. She noticed there was no wedding band as she admired the strength and length of his fingers, the fine hairs on the back of his hand, and his grip - warm and dry. His skin was soft over fine bone and healthy muscle. Everything about him captivated her. "Eliana."

Jeremy seemed in no hurry to release her hand, but after several beats too long for politeness, Eliana pulled hers from his. "Is this seat taken?" he asked, already sitting down, not thinking twice about it. "Or perhaps that table against the wall? I am anxious to learn why you don't know who you work with, Eliana."

Eliana laughed and watched as Jeremy's breath stopped. His every emotion was transparent, especially the desire flaming in his eyes right now. A passion she reciprocated. Wholeheartedly. She couldn't remember such an instantaneous attraction. But with Jeremy, she felt electricity and lust move through her entire body, just from the touch of his hand and the sound of her name spoken in his rich baritone.

"Eliana," he rolled the word around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. "What a lovely name." Eliana panties dampened. He was just saying words, but their underlying promise was undeniable. She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to be naked with him. And all she knew was his first name.

Eliana nodded toward the table, questioning her sanity. She was sure about what this man wanted, but after only minutes, her body governed her head. Jeremy spoke briefly with the bartender, passed him a fifty like it was a single, and motioned for her to lead the way to the empty table. Before they had settled in their chairs, both had fresh drinks. Earlier, the bartender had responded to her beauty with decent service and half-hearted flirting, but he reacted with alacrity to the big tip.

"So, spill," Jeremy directed, leaning forward on his elbows and putting his mouth dangerously close to hers. Just a few inches, Eliana imagined, and they could be kissing. "I am dying to hear your story. I want to know absolutely everything about you." The way he lingered on the word 'everything' made Eliana wetter still. Oh man, she was in way over her head.

 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~

Meet Madison Michael:

Madison Michael loves to binge news, movies, books, Oreos and romance – reading romance novels, writing romantic stories, watching Rom-Coms over and over. Maddy has spent her self-isolation fretting about the health of her friends and neighbors and catching up on TV programs from ten years ago. Hunkered down with her cat, Gracie, and a Zoom life-line to the world, she is wondering how people date and social distance, how much junk food she can consume in a day and why Gracie only wants to play when Maddy needs to work.

Oh, and Madison is also hard at work on the rest of the Double Dare Romance series. Watch for more of the series in Autumn and Winter, 2020.

Madison’s Social Links:

• Website: http://madisonmichael.net/
• Maddy’s Blog: https://www.madisonmichael.net/maddys-romance-madness/
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/madisonmichaelromance
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/madisonmichael_
• Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/Madison-Michael/e/B01EVUGG6G/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/madisonmichaelromance
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisonmichaelromance/
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/madison-michael

All Caught up on Madison’s Books?

The Beguiling Bachelor Series – 

Four Successful, Sexy Men meet their matches – and how!

• Bewildered – (or get it free by joining Madison’s Insider Group)
• Bedazzled
• Beholden
• Bedeviled
• Besotted

The B&B Billionaire Books – Second Chance at Love stories set in small town America

• Desire & Dessert
• Moonlight & Moet

Standalone Stories – from Sweet Time Travel to Sexy May-September Romance

• Broken Time: A Time Travel Romance
• Studmuffin

(available only when you sign up to be an Insider)

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#MFRWsteam - Excerpt from TO HEAL A HEART

Hello Steam lovers! Today I'm offering an excerpt from my newest release, TO HEAL A HEART. Both Blair and Garrett have wounds to heal and tragedies to overcome. Part of that healing begins in this scene, this first time they make love. Check out another excerpt on my website and make sure to check out other excerpts in the blog hop using the list below. I hope you enjoy this snippet.

Blurb:

Garrett Saunders' world changed two years ago on a road in Afghanistan. Back home, he feels like a stranger. As he struggles to find his place in the world, he meets a horse destined for the slaughterhouse and a woman bent on rescuing the strays of the world, including him.

Blair Greyson moves to Masonville to look after her ailing grandfather and give her rescue horses a home. Right away she butts heads with a surly former Marine. Despite a rocky start, they come to an agreement: Blair will board Garrett's rescue horse and he'll help with repairs around her farm.


Garrett finds purpose working with Blair—and falls in love with her. But she's hiding a secret. Can she forgive herself and accept Garrett's love, or will she let guilt and regret continue to rule her life?

Excerpt:

He kissed her, softly, gently, a mere brushing of his lips against hers. Somehow, he understood she had to do this slowly, and she was grateful he was willing to let her set the pace. It had been so long, and she’d been an inexperienced teenager. Her memories of sex were uncomfortable—fumbling hands, hurried, sometimes painful coupling, a swift adjustment of clothing, a quick goodbye. No words of love or even affection, only a release of sexual need. 

This was different. For the first time she would be making love, not merely having sex. 

Blair relaxed into Garrett’s kiss and wound her arms around his neck. Yes, she decided. This is my first time.

He claimed her mouth in a searing kiss that left her breathless, and suddenly Blair no longer wanted to take things slow. She answered his kiss with need of her own, touching her tongue to the seam of his lips and begging entry. Garrett immediately opened to her, devouring her with a hunger that matched her own. Their tongues danced and twisted together, warm flesh sliding over warm flesh. 

Garrett unfastened the hooks at the back of her bra, and it fell to the floor. The feel of her naked breasts against his hard chest with its light dusting of hair sent shivers rippling through her body. Garrett rubbed her upper arms. 

“Cold?” 

She gulped in a breath. Why was it so hard to breathe? “No. Exactly the opposite. You make me burn, Garrett.” 

Instead of laughing the way she thought he might, he cupped her face between his two big hands. 

“Sweet, beautiful Blair.” 

His words brought a lump to her throat and an ache to her heart, especially accompanied as they were by the tenderness in his eyes. No one had ever looked at her that way, like she was something special. Something precious. 

Garrett kissed her once again, then knelt in front of her on his good knee, his leg with the prosthesis at a right angle. Slowly, he unzipped her jeans and pulled them, along with her panties, down her legs to the floor. She stepped out of them and pushed them aside with her bare foot, suddenly aware she was standing in front  of him naked. Vulnerable. But she wasn’t embarrassed. This was Garrett, and the way he looked up at her in wonder, even joy, made her feel beautiful. 

And loved? 

She tossed the thought from her mind, not wanting to go there. This night was about want and need of the physical kind. There was no room for anything else. 

Blair ran her fingers through his hair. She loved the texture of it, thick yet silky and smooth, the curls winding themselves around her fingers. 

“I know women who would kill for hair like yours.” 

He laughed. “There’s nothing special about my hair.” 

Blair only smiled. He was wrong, of course. There was something special about every part of him. He was special. 

She patted his hair to smooth it once more and extended her hand to him. “Come to bed, Garrett.” 

He shook his head, a whisper of a smile playing on his lips. “Not yet.” 

With that, he placed his hands on her ass and drew her forward. Blair’s heart pounded. 

“Garrett, I’ve never—” 

“Shh, sweetheart. Let me love you.” 

His warm breath whispered across her thighs. He parted her sex with his fingers and licked the exposed knot of nerves in a slow, languorous motion. Her knees buckled. She would have collapsed if he hadn’t held her upright. 

“Oh!” Somehow it was the only word she could form. 

He brought her even closer, working her with tongue and fingers, sucking gently until the pleasure was almost too much, on the edge of something wonderful she couldn’t quite reach. 

But then she did. 

Blair orgasmed with a gasp. She clutched at Garrett’s shoulders while spasms wracked her body with waves of pleasure. Dear God, it felt so good. He felt so good. 

She rested her cheek against the top of his head while she caught her breath. She didn’t know it could be like this. Her previous fumbling experiences with sex hadn’t prepared her. The wonder of it brought tears to her eyes.

Buy in Ebook: 

The Wild Rose Press 

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