UNDER THE HARVEST MOON by the Bluestocking Belles and Friends

Rue Allyn joins me today to talk about UNDER THE HARVEST MOON, an anthology of nine novellas set during the Regency era. Rue will tell us about the novellas and the Bluestocking Belles who wrote them. Welcome Rue!

Five Important Things about Under the Harvest Moon

Hi Jana, thank you for having me on your blog today. I have a ‘five things’ list to present to your followers. The list is all about the novella collection, Under the Harvest Moon by the Bluestocking Belles with Friends

1. Let start with an explanation of what type of book Under the Harvest Moon is. Under the Harvest Moon is a collection of interlocking novellas by nine of the best authors in the business of writing romance novels. Why do I say ‘interlocking’? Because all of the stories take place in the same general setting, and characters in one story may have interactions with characters in other stories. We do have a central theme—soldiers returning from war—but the romance tropes represented are completely up to each author, and with nine of us you get quite a variety of tropes.

2. I wrote the third novella in the collection, A Harvest Blessing. What the description doesn’t tell you is that Thom first met his pseudo-fiancée during the siege of Badajoz when they each managed to save the other’s life. Of course, the war separated them, but Thom encountered her a second time on the docks in Dover. He’d hired the last carriage available, and she was dickering with the coachman to try to get a ride. Thom being the hero he is, offers to take her in the coach to her destination, which is a bit out of his way but not much. He even decides to ride up with the coachman to preserve the proprieties. So this story is very much about second chances. In love and with family, as Thom’s father did not want him to go to war, and their parting was contentious.

3. I think it important you understand who wrote Under the Harvest Moon. Many of the authors names are recognizable as rather famous and respected romance authors, for example: Collette Cameron, Cerise Deland, and Mary Lancaster among others. Some of us, like myself, are not so well known. However, it isn’t the individual authors that I think are so important. What is important is The Bluestocking Belles. There are eight of us. This time, one of us was not able to participate in writing the collection. As a group we make a lot of decisions about the collection before we invite our ‘With Friends.’ It is only fair and reasonable to have a rough story outline and a definite production timeline to present to guest authors, who may or may not have time to fit writing a novella for the collection into their busy lives. So before we even put our fingers on the keyboard to produce our personal novellas, we do a great deal of planning, discussing and deciding. All of that effort pays off with the production of best-selling award-winning collections. 

Under the Harvest Moon is our tenth collection, although I joined the group in 2018 and have only been able to participate in five collections. While I have some biases, The Bluestocking Belles collections are head and shoulders above most novella collections out there. Very few do interlocking stories as we do. Very few have all authors whose writing is of a very high caliber, regardless of how well known we are. And yes, while the quality of some stories is a bit better than others, every author contributes engaging well researched novellas. That’s the other thing about The Bluestocking Belles, we write historical romance almost exclusively in the Regency Era of England. Last and most important, we love our readers. If you would like to learn more about us join our FB group The Belles Brigade. We hold a virtual ‘brunch’ every Saturday at 1:00 PM NYT. The brunch is open to the public, so you can get an idea of how we interact with readers without joining a group or anything. We’d love to have you join in the conversation

4. For Under the Harvest Moon, much of our research focused on soldiers returning from war, since that was a unifying theme. Aside from the physical wounds inflicted on men in battle, a great deal of research has been done and continues to be done on the mental wounds war inflicts. PTSD is very real (and not solely a problem for military men and women). However, few people tend to think that PTSD and its sister conditions existed before WW1. Even then ‘shell shock’ was considered a temporary problem from which a soldier could recover. War has never been the glorious, wonderful thing that it was once made out to be. Touting the glory of war is nothing more than a recruiting tactic. As a veteran (I never saw combat), I can say that each and every volunteer soldier, sailor, marine, airman, etc. regardless of the era in which he or she fought—each and every one of them is a hero. The Bluestocking Belles share some of my regard for service men and women, so when one of us suggested returning soldiers as a unifying element in each story, we were all on board immediately.

5. Last, as a group we’ve got a pretty good sense of humor. When it came to having a blog, we couldn’t help ourselves. We created The Teatime Tattler, where twice a week, we post scandalous gossip about our stories and the stories of other authors. You might want to check that out too.

Buy Link: https://bluestockingbelles.net/belles-joint-projects/under-the-harvest-moon/

Blurb, Under the Harvest Moon: 

As the village of Reabridge in Cheshire prepares for the first Harvest Festival following Waterloo, families are overjoyed to welcome back their loved ones from the war.

But excitement quickly turns to mystery when mere weeks before the festival, an orphaned child turns up in the town—a toddler born near Toulouse to an English mother who left clues that tie her to Reabridge.

With two prominent families feuding for generations and the central event of the Harvest Moon festival looming, tensions rise, and secrets begin to surface.

Moonlight Wishes and Midnight Kisses by Collette Cameron

A scarred veteran with no future, Courtland Marlow-Westbrook wants to be left alone. Scottish heiress Avery Levingtone never stopped loving him and is determined to win his love again. Will these former sweethearts find happiness together, or will the wounds of the past keep them apart?

The Morning Light by Caroline Warfield

Adam Wagner is meant to save lives, not take them. He is haunted by Waterloo. The horror of it keeps him from those he loves. Meg Barlow doesn’t understand how Adam could turn his back on her so thoroughly, but she isn’t about to let him get away with it.

A Harvest Blessing by Rue Allen

All the battles are over, or are they? When Captain Thom Owen is forced into a false engagement, he must escort his pseudo-fiancée home to meet his father. Can an English vicar’s son and a French Comte’s daughter find love despite their differences?

Coming Home by Mary Lancaster

Old memories, new love

Home from Waterloo, Captain David Buckley contemplates settling down near his home town of Reabridge—only it is full of painful memories. The mysterious Lady Lorna falls literally into his arms, and he begins to understand the true meaning of love and home.

Under the Champagne Moon by Alina K Field

Fleur Hardouin’s heart longs for Captain Gareth Ardleigh, but she needs an advantageous marriage.

Gareth has promised to find Fleur—on behalf of another man.

Now he must choose between honoring a promise and trying to win the hand of the woman he loves.

A Quiet Heart by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

Widowed at Waterloo, where she also nursed the wounded, Veronica Petersham promised a dying man to bring his effects to a family in Reabridge. She falls ill just short of her goal, in the milking shed of kind and stoic Martin Bromelton.

Perhaps there is hope for the future after all and the opportunity to find love once more.

A Love Beyond Time by Sherry Ewing

Eight years ago, Hannah Pownall had her heart broken by a young lord.

Captain Brandon Worthington returns to the town of Reabridge to recover from the war and finds the girl he once loved still unwed. Can love at first sight be reborn after heartbreak, proving a second chance is all you need?

The Widow’s Harvest Hope by Cerise DeLand

The new Earl Barlow returns home from Waterloo, intending to live by his own rules. The woman he loved and lost years ago visits for the Harvest festival—and he plans to offer Vicky Wright what they both want. Can a lady who has lived by the rules throw them all away to seize her last chance for happiness?

Love In Its Season by Jude Knight

The Battle of Waterloo lost Jack Wrath the use of one arm and ended his career in the cavalry. He has no place to go and nothing to offer. Gwen Hughes has a business to run and no time for romance. Under the harvest moon, two people who believe romance has passed them finally reach their season for love.

Buy Link: https://bluestockingbelles.net/belles-joint-projects/under-the-harvest-moon/

Enter My Goodreads Giveaway!

 I've got 50 Kindle copies of CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE to giveaway in my Goodreads Giveaway. Hurry! Contest ends October 14, 2023.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Christmas at Solace Lake

by Jana Richards

Giveaway ends October 14, 2023.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Kayelle Allen and How Clothes Make Her Character

I'm very happy to have Kayelle Allen on my blog today. She's talking about her character Pietas and how what he wears, or doesn't wear, shows his character. Welcome Kayelle! 

Clothes Make the Character 

I'm Kayelle Allen, and I'm excited that Jana invited me to share a bit about my Bringer of Chaos series with you. I write SciFi Romance, SciFi, and Space Opera. My books feature misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. I live in a huge, rambling stone castle guarded by dragons. Okay, the castle part is fiction. So are the dragons. Unless you think the dragons in my books as real, in which case, then—yeah. The dragon part is totally true.

I have a new book coming out September 22, 2023, set in the same overall universe as my Bringer of Chaos books. The Thieves' Guild Academy series is currently three books, and the new one is a bundle of the three plus a copy of the Thieves' Guild Handbook. You can pick it up online via this Universal Buy Link - https://books2read.com/tga-bundle1

What do the clothes tell us about the character?

In the Bringer of Chaos series, when the immortal king, Pietas, prepares for battle, he performs the Ritual of Strength. In 2018, I was fortunate enough to work with the cosplayer, Nik Nitsvetov, to create scenes of the ritual. The resulting photo shoot provided some of the most-used images on my site and in my marketing. A subsequent shoot provided a set with armor, and the third gave me a performance with a handmade halberd (a pike fitted with an ax head).

Nik's natural hair color is quite dark, but when he dons a platinum wig, he's a dead ringer for my immortal king. I have a set of wallpaper images of him as Pietas and change them depending on what I need for inspiration at the moment. The one I'm using now has a rather cryptic expression. It's hard to tell if he's about to smile, or going to tell me to stop looking at him and go write more of his story.

Since Jana asked me to talk about a character's clothes, I thought I'd start with what's different or special about them.

They say clothes make the man. Sometimes, it's what you aren't wearing that tells the story.

In Origin of Pietas, Pietas wears only a pair of loose white pants and a mask to reveal his power. How can a mask reveal anything? You'll see in the excerpt below.

Excerpt from Origin of Pietas:

After exiting the bathing pool, Pietas brushed off the water and wrung out his hair. From a tray holding half a dozen clasps, he chose a silver dragon studded with six turquoise stones, twisted his wet hair and fastened it up, out of the way.

He dried his face, gathered a brush and black face paint. Leaning in close to a freestanding mirror, he outlined a bandit's mask from beneath his eyes to over his dark eyebrows and filled it with black.

He'd worn the mask in battle ever since defeating the First Division, a human special-ops group formed to fight Ultras. It came about because Pietas had slain an enemy and blood had splashed across his eyes. Thinking the blood belonged to Pietas, the Ultra troops had rallied to him and slaughtered the humans. The blood dried almost black.

Stories of how their "bandit king" had conquered the First Division filled the night. The name stuck. To his troops, he was First Conqueror, War Leader of the Ultras.

Pietas turned his head side to side, surveying the effect.

His body would reject foreign matter on his skin. The Ultra metabolism protected from every perceived attack, even harmless face paint. He closed his eyes and sprayed sealant over the mask to delay its disappearance by a few hours.

Satisfied with his looks, Pietas pulled on a pair of loose white lounging pants. With a deep, cleansing breath, he opened the door. Damp, shirtless, barefoot, he padded into the adjacent room.

Watch the Ritual of Strength

Treat yourself to a live performance by Nik Nitsvetov. Be sure to listen with the sound on. The words are on the screen, but the unique music and voice add a wonderful layer of richness to each scene. Voiceover actor Zack Black.

https://youtu.be/GLoKzpp8_mY

Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos

Exiled on a planet with no one but Six, the human who guarded him, the immortal king Pietas faces the ordeal of survival. Imprisonment transformed him from superman to a man who cannot even feed himself. He must surrender his pride and accept help.

If the human deserts him, Pietas will die, permanently. This human is the perfect foil for Pietas, who's a seething mess of ego, angst, and self-loathing, angry at the universe in general and humans in particular.

Pietas might need Six, but that doesn't mean he'll humiliate himself by admitting weakness.

But saving his people means depending upon the one thing Pietas swears does not exist—the honor of a human...

Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/origin-pietas

Meet Kayelle Allen

From her comfy, ergonomic office chair Kayelle Allen forges the very fabric of the Ever-Expanding Empire using only the tips of her fingers and her powerful imagination. Her passion is to create both commissioned and original art, employ extensive worldbuilding with inventive behind-the-scenes peeks, and write tightly woven tales with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them.

Enter the Empire at ReamStories.com/KayelleAllen, claim your immortality, and discover a whole new universe of stories. Visit the Homeworld KayelleAllen.com/Immortality

Short Story for Breast Cancer Awareness Month by Cara Bertoia

Fellow Wild Rose Press author Cara Bertoia has written a special short story, THE PERFECT BREASTS, for breast cancer awareness month. All proceeds received will go to cancer research. Pre-order your copy of this 47 page short story now and receive it on release day, September 29, 2023. Congratulations Cara and best of luck!

Blurb:

Hannah Clein will always remember the day she went to a department store with her mother to buy her first bra as her last best day, “B.C.” before the cancer. She considered herself an ordinary child who loved challah bread, reading, and her family – often in that order.

With a normal life in the rear-view mirror, we follow Hannah over three decades, as she navigates the tricky transition from girlhood to womanhood. All her life, she just wants to belong. Be normal.

In a tale that explores a women’s complicated relationships with her body, and the love of her life, we learn the psyche is a funny thing. What are the perfect breasts? And how does the loss of a loved one affect those left behind?

The Perfect Breasts mixes family lore with imagination in a compelling tale of loss, longing, and love.

Cara says:

I have published it on Amazon Kindle for breast cancer awareness month, and all the profits will be donated to cancer research. If you are a member of Kindle Unlimited set your calendar for Sept. 29th – when it will be available for reading.

Buy link (Pre-order until September 29, 2023):

The Perfect Breasts - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGMTYBFD

Editorial Reviews of The Perfect Breasts:

Brilliantly written, The Perfect Breasts is a riveting tale that chronicles the lifelong impact that breast cancer has on every aspect of the lives of each member of the Clein family. Author Cara Bertoia has penned a tautly emotional plot driven by love, loss, trust, family ties, and the inner strength one must summon to face adversity created by both human fallibility and fate rather than turning away.

The story moves at a comfortable pace with flawed, but believable characters who drive the plot. Readers find themselves rooting for the protagonists from the beginning to the end of the story. The characters evoke strong emotions in readers right from page one. This reader found herself wanting to hug Hannah on one page and throttle her on the next.

The Perfect Breasts is a book that should be required reading for every woman because it does not soft-soap the emotional effect of a life-threatening disease and forces readers to face a hard truth: The ultimate symbol of femininity and womanhood can either be a source of great strength and pride or when lost, a weapon to destroy one’s faith in life and one’s self. — Susie Black author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series

The Perfect Breasts is a heartfelt story about breast cancer and how it affects all of our lives. Because, yes, almost everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

In this story we follow, Hannah, a Jewish girl through three decades, from the death of her beloved mother from breast cancer to becoming a self-sufficient woman. Cancer itself becomes a character burrowing into Hannah’s psyche. Knowing oneself is difficult enough, but with this added fear, Hannah struggles to find happiness.    

Cara Bertoia handles the issue with sensitivity and compassion. She takes us on Hannah's journey. leaving us with hope and a promise for a good future.  This is a story which should be read by everyone. — Janie Emaus author of Latkes for Santa Claus

From the Author:

When I was a child, I grew up in a very crowded house. I have three sisters. The way I would escape all the mayhem was by reading. From the time I could read I became a voracious reader. By the age of eight I was reading my parents’ novels, whatever books I could find. At night instead of counting sheep I would tell myself Cinderella type stories where I got to be the heroine. But my first real writing class was when I worked in high-tech in Boston. I took a class at Harvard Extension, and the professor read my story aloud to the group. He asked me to read it, but I was too self-conscious, because it was the first story I had ever written. From that day on I was hooked.

Author Bio:

Cara Bertoia grew up in a strait-laced Southern family, but she was always fascinated with casinos. In her twenties on a summer hiatus from teaching in North Carolina, she drove to California and became a dealer at Caesars in Lake Tahoe. She discovered that after teaching high school, handling an unruly gambler was a piece of cake. Her mother highly disapproved of her working in a casino, "a place so bad it has 'sin' in the middle."

Eventually, she succumbed to pressure from the family and returned east to take a hi-tech job in Boston. She also began working on her MFA in writing at Emerson. Her goal was to write the first realistic novel about casino life from the perspective of an experienced table games dealer. She is always amazed that normal and sometimes quite intelligent players become absolutely clueless in the casino. They repeat superstitious nonsense and no amount of logic can change their position, maybe her novel will.

While in Boston she was offered the opportunity to join Princess Cruises as a croupier. Jumping at the chance, she spent the next five years circling the globe. Sometimes life exceeds your dreams. She was awed by the wonders of Venice, the fjords of Norway, and the Northern Lights in St. Petersburg.

Cara returned from ships with a very special souvenir, her Scottish husband Ray. They went to work at the Spa Casino in Palm Springs, and now live in Hollywood, Florida, where she writes about her casino years while wistfully gazing out at the ocean.

She loves to connect with her readers. Please send her a picture with any or her work. She will post those pictures to social media.

Cara's Social Media:

mailto:carabertoia@yahoo.com

TIKTOK

Cara Bertoia’s Blog 

Twitter 

Instagram

Goodreads 

BookBub 

Facebook

Amber Daulton Returns with a Character Interview: TREVOR'S REDEMPTION

I'm welcoming back Amber Daulton with her newest release TREVOR'S REDEMPTION. This time Amber is interviewing her character Shea from the book. Welcome back, Amber!

What’s your name, and who are you in your world?

I’m Shea O’Bannon, and I work as a graphics designer at a TV news station. My life is pretty boring with a capital B, but all that changed when Trevor blew back in.

Give us a visual. What do you look like?

I’m average height with mousy blonde hair and blue eyes. I’m fairly pretty, but I don’t compare to my gorgeous friends. That’s not low self-confidence talking, but the truth. 

What time period and location does your story take place?

Denver, Colorado in the present day.

What conflicts are you facing?

Where do I start? Trevor is keeping secrets from me, his ex-lover is harassing me, and my co-worker assaulted me at the station. All my girlfriends are happily paired off with great guys, and though I’m happy for them, I’m jealous too. I’m always the one left out or forgotten, and I’m sick of it.

What did you think the first time you saw Trevor?

Oh, momma! Every thought flew out the window. He was onstage performing his heart out in a singer/songwriter contest. His curly dark hair flowed around his chin as he bobbed his head, strummed a guitar, and poured the most romantic lyrics into the microphone. I fell head over heels right then there. Luckily, my friend, Belle, who was also a contestant in the event, knew him from the local music circuit, so she introduced us.

What is your family like?

My mom and I are super close, but we don’t live close by. Her husband, my stepfather, is a wonderful man, and I’m grateful to have him in my life. I’m an only child, but I think of my best friend, Chanel, as the sister I never had. My birth father was never much around when I was little, and I regret that I’m not close with him.

Do you own your own home or rent?

Rent. Apartments are expensive in Denver, but the cost of houses is worse.

What's the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?

The time I walked in on Trevor kissing another woman. I was devastated, but then I finally learned the truth and realized what I’d walked in on wasn’t at all what it seemed. He never cheated on me, but other guys have in the past. That pain and self-doubt is hard to get over, even when you have a decent man in your life.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and could have fun, what would you do?

Hmm…I’d spend it with Trevor, lounging in bed. We both have crazy work schedules, so if we could have a full twenty-four hours to ourselves, I wouldn’t let him leave my side.

Trevor’s Redemption

Series: Arresting Onyx (book 3.5)

Release Date: August 22nd, 2023

Publisher: Daulton Publishing

Cover Designer: Satin Rose Designs

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: 50k

Heat Rating: 4 Flames

Blurb:

The danger and lies are more than she can handle.

Shea O’Bannon feels like a fifth wheel around her romantically paired-off friends, but there’s too much slime in the dating pool for her to bother with it. Then she sees her two-timing ex, Trevor Madero, serenading the mostly female crowd at a live-music bar. God knows trouble follows him around, but her desire for him rushes back in anyway. After he rescues her from a handsy drunk, temptation takes over.

Determined to prove he never stepped out on Shea, Trevor slides back into her life—and her heart—with forever in mind. Even with the wall he keeps up to protect her, his secret criminal life weighs heavy on his soul and drives a wedge between them.

When the truth comes out and his enemies target them both, they’ll have to fight for their love, or kiss it goodbye.

Excerpt:

Background info: Shea is helping her friend Calista deliver a cake to an anniversary party, and Calista’s patron just happens to be Trevor’s busybody aunt.

Calista rested her hand on Shea’s arm. “I’d like you to meet Shea O’Bannon. She helped with the delivery and can’t stay long either. We have busy mornings ahead of us.”

Whew! Shea could kiss Calista for that white lie.

The creases near Marcie Palmer’s hazel eyes pinched. “I understand, but please have fun while you’re here. And there’s no need for introductions.” She turned and shook Shea’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. O’Bannon. May I call you Shea?”

“Um—sure.”

“Wonderful. Call me Marcie.” She hiked her thumb at her nephew. “Trevor told me you guys dated a while back and might again.”

Calista’s eyes widened as Trevor rubbed his jaw.

“Yes, to both.” Damn, she had a lot of explaining to do once she and Calista were alone in the delivery van.

Marcie clapped. “Just wait until I tell Ivan and my sister. Elenore will be thrilled. She and my daughter are corralling all the little kids in one wing of the ballroom, so you’ll meet them later. And, of course, Trevor’s sisters and their husbands too. They’re around here somewhere.”

Shea breathed harder. How could she get out of this?

“Slow down, Aunt Marcie.” Trevor placed his hand on her arm. “Let’s not overwhelm Shea by dropping her into the middle of our crazy family.”

“We’re not crazy—just tight.” She frowned at him. “Though you have more secrets than most.” She swished her hand and gazed back at Shea. “I swear, the Palmers are open books. Take one look at us, and you know what we’re thinking. But the Madero side of the family has the greatest poker face, Trevor especially. It’s so frustrating.”

Secrets? Poker face? Shea bit her tongue. What was Trevor hiding?

His eyebrows knitted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Do you like babies, Shea?” Marcie piped, her brows winging up.

“What?” She stepped back, ready to flee.

Calista pressed her hand to her mouth and muffled her laughter.

“That’s enough. Don’t embarrass her.” Trevor reddened and scowled at his aunt.

“It’s a legitimate question.” Marcie huffed as though truly perplexed. “Shea is a lovely young woman, and you’ve played the field for too long, Trevor. It’s time you give your mother some grandbabies.”

“Aunt Marcie!”

Add to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/TrevorsRedemptionGoodreads

Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/TrevorsRedemptionBookBub

Download Links:

Universal - https://books.amberdaulton.com/trevorsredemption

Amazon - https://amzn.to/3WKxXqg 

Barnes and Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trevors-redemption-amber-daulton/1143581784?ean=2940160981512 

iTunes - https://books.apple.com/us/book/trevors-redemption/id6449718746 

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/trevor-s-redemption 

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=AjbCEAAAQBAJ 

About the Author:

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats. 

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. 

Find Amber on Social Media:

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton

A Quick Interview with Kate Hill, Author of CALEB

Paranormal Romance Author Kate Hill joins me today for a quick, five question interview.  Kate will also tell us about CALEB, her newest shifter romance. Take it away, Kate! 

Quick 5 

- Movies: romantic comedies, thriller, or horror?  Horror! 

I am a huge horror fan. I watch all kinds of horror from silent classics to the latest releases.

- Bubble baths or steamy showers? 

Steamy showers. I don't like sitting in water.

- Country life or city life? Country!! 

Quiet, beautiful scenery, open spaces!

- E-book, paperback or audiobook? 

All three, depending on my situation at the time. I like ebooks because I have a library with me everywhere I go. I like paperbacks of my favorite books, an I enjoy listening to audiobooks before going to sleep.

- I love pizza with (fill in the blank). 

Spinach and eggplant! I love homemade pizza with these toppings.

Caleb

by Kate Hill

Series: Romantic Moments

Format(s): Ebook

Heat Level: Mild

Pairing(s): M/F

Genre/Themes: Werewolf, Hurt and Comfort, Urban Fantasy

Length: Short Story

Preorder Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Caleb-Romantic-Moments-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0CD9G6XL5

Blurb:

I'm a powerful and respected Alpha, but the wolf Mette covets my leadership. I'm injured when my conniving enemy challenges me.

After losing my pack and nearly my life, I go to lick my wounds in the human world, but my beloved mate Tia knows that a wolf's broken spirit can heal, and there is only one true leader of our pack.

Note: Caleb is a very short werewolf action romance story with a mild heat level, moderate violence, and a HEA. This Romantic Moments story is the perfect length for a lunch break, before bed, or any time you want a quick, romantic read.

Excerpt:

Reaching the village, Tia shouted to the nearest wolf to bring the healer.

Finally we made it to our cabin where I collapsed on our bed. Tia brought a cup of water and lifted my head to help me drink. Gazing at her, I realized how much I loved her and how much of a risk she'd taken by becoming my mate. 

An aggressive howl echoed from the clearing near our cabin. This wasn't just any howl, but one of challenge for leadership of our pack.

Tia's horrified, furious gaze met mine and she whispered, "Mette." Then she snarled through clenched teeth. "The coward!"

I'd only known real fear at one other time in my life—the day Tia and I had been attacked by hunters and she'd been lost. My fear now mingled with regret. I'd promised her a happy life, but we were about to lose it and there was nothing I could do about it.

Drawing a long breath, I painfully pushed myself to a sitting position.

"You don't actually intend to fight him?" Tia demanded.

"I have to."

Author Bio:

Kate Hill is a vegetarian New Englander who loves writing romantic fantasies. When she's not working on her books, Kate enjoys reading, working out, watching horror movies, and researching vampires and Viking history. She runs the Compelling Beasts Blog that is dedicated to antagonists, antiheroes, and paranormal creatures. Kate also writes as Saloni Quinby.

Visit her online at https://www.kate-hill.com. Join her newsletter at https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter.

Social Links:

Website: https://kate-hill.com/

Blog: https://kate-hill.com/blog/

Newsletter: https://kate-hill.com/index.php/newsletter/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kate-Hill/e/B002BLS7OW

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