Giveaways – Page 10 – Books-n-Kisses

May 6, 2015May 6, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: One Foot In The Grape by Carlene O’Neil

Guest Post

by Carlene O’Neil

Hi, I’m Penny Lively, owner of Joyeux Winery. Joyeux is a smaller winery in comparison to several of our neighbors, but enjoys a great reputation. As it happens, I’ve also managed to gain a reputation for my knack for finding bodies. I don’t know if knack is the right word…Connor would call it a gift, but the statement would be said under his breath and likely dripping with sarcasm. Connor’s my winery manager. My manager and nothing more. Yup, nothing more. He’s the best manager on the central California coast and I’m lucky to have him in that capacity, which is why I’ve stifled any urges I might have for him in any other capacity…

Where was I? Right. So after a long career as an investigative photojournalist, I came home to the winery I’d inherited. I’d been worried small town life would be too slow. Instead, I’ve been back less than a year and so far I’ve managed to find more bodies than I did in an entire career investigating situations where one might reasonably expect to find bodies. The local police can’t decide what to do with me, but it’s not like I’m asking for this. Although, I have to admit, once I’m involved I’m not about to walk away. Either the police manage to get it wrong, or someone I care about is a suspect and asks for my help. The first time it happened, my neighbor, Antonia Martinelli, thought someone was sabotaging her winery. She didn’t want to go to the police because she thought one of her children might be involved. Simple, right? Nobody mentioned murder. They never really do.

Between running the winery and running just ahead of whatever mess I’m no doubt in, I stay pretty busy. Connor does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the winery, so I have free time on my hands. I spend most of it with my camera, a holdover from my last profession. My focus is on the landscape now, and this is a part of the country where it’s easy to find inspiration. The winery is beautiful, vineyards stretched across rolling hills in tones of bronze and umber, and just a short drive from Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach and the fabulous town of Cypress Cove.

That’s another thing; murder just shouldn’t happen somewhere so beautiful. The mean streets of Los Angeles? Sure. The underbelly of Chicago? Who’s surprised? Nobody. Here, when you find a body set against such beauty, it seems so much more shocking, vicious, and wrong. There’s a Latin saying, “It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one’s present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other reason.” After what I’ve just been through I would include finding a body in your neighbor’s crusher. Just saying.

About the Author:

Carlene O’Neil grew up in the heart of Northern California Wine Country and is accredited by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. A former television writer, she currently makes her home outside Los Angeles, where she can be found sailing in the Santa Monica Bay or doing research for her next novel.

Clearly, any novel set in wine country requires extensive research. One Foot in the Grape is her debut novel, coming out in spring 2015 from Berkley Prime Crime. Visit her online at Facebook, Twitter and Google+

In California wine country, the town of Cypress Cove may seem peaceful. But someone’s about to pop their cork…

After losing her job as a photojournalist, Penny Lively is trying to get her life back in focus. Inheriting the family winery from her late aunt may be the fresh start she needs. Thankfully she’s got her niece Hayley and her handsome winery manager Connor to help. But the person in need of more urgent assistance is Antonia Martinelli, the owner of the neighboring winery, who has her own barrel full of problems. Someone’s spoiling her wine, and with the upcoming Autumn Festival, she needs Penny’s nose for clues to sniff out the culprit.

But Penny’s search for answers sours after the body of a staff member is found in a grape crusher. Since Hayley was the last to see him alive, she’s the prime suspect in the case. Now Penny must hurry to find the real killer before Hayley withers on the vine…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of One Foot in the Grape

Review (4.5 Stars): One Foot in the Grape was a delightful and engaging mystery that will entertain mystery and wine lovers alike. Penny just lost her job as a photojournalist and has come home to her aunt’s winery to start anew. She learns that someone is sabotaging a neighboring winery and their owner has asked Penny for her help in finding the culprit. What she finds is a dead body and her good friend, Hayley, being blamed for this terrible crime. Penny must now find a killer before it is too late and the killer adds another victim to their list.

I loved One Foot in the Grape because the heroine was fun, spunky and easy to connect with. Penny just wanted to pick up the pieces of her life and the last thing she wanted was to be dragged into helping Antonia find out who has been sabotaging her wine barrels. I thought it was extremely fascinating learning about the wine making business and the secondary characters were just as charming as Penny. This was a well-written and fast paced mystery and I’m excited that this is the first book in the series and hope that there will be many more to come in the future. An absolute delight!

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of One Foot in the Grape. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by May 18th, please leave me a comment below:

May 5, 2015May 4, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Carry Me Home by Lia Riley

Love doesn’t have to be perfect to be true…
Years ago, Tanner Green loved Sunny Letman. She was meant to be his first kiss, first love, first everything. Then their world spun upside-down and out of control. Free-spirited Sunny doesn’t do commitment. Sure, guys are great for a night or a week, but she always leaves first. That is, until professional skateboarder and town golden boy, Tanner Green, unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Despite their broken history, a fragile and undeniably electric connection still holds them together. Now Tanner has to convince Sunny that even though love isn’t always perfect, it’s worth sticking around for. .

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Tanner is in the shower when I let myself inside. There’s a wooden rocking chair in the corner. I walk over, sit and close my eyes. He’s naked, soapy, skin flushed from the hot spray. I could join him. He wants me. The space between my legs throbs to the beat of my heart. What’s set in motion between us isn’t going to stop.

I rock, straighten my backbone and focus my attentions. Imagine each breath spiraling through the open door, to the sky, leaving the atmosphere. A quiet prayer. Please. Please don’t let me fuck this up. My hands grip the rocking chair sides hard, hands that ache to touch his wet skin.

The water turns off and he’s out, rubbing a towel over his body.

I’m going for it, can’t help myself.

I tried my best to be my own island.

Turns out my best isn’t nearly good enough.

The door opens and he stands, backlit in a tight white t-shirt and pair of low slung jeans. His mop of hair is wet, slicked back from his striking face.

“Good, you’re back,” he says. “I didn’t like you out there alone.”

“I was fine, nothing scary outside.”

He frowns, catching my double meaning. “I decided to sleep in the back of my car.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“I don’t mind.”

Of course he doesn’t. He’d sleep on bare concrete if he thought it would be easier for me.

“I get it.” He backs toward the door. “Tonight’s been extreme. You want space. I’ll go–”

“Stop.” I’m in the darkest corner, in this rocking chair throne, the Queen of the Shadows. There’s a great mystery at work. How can my heart be chained to this guy and still feel free?

A bead of water drops from his thick hair and falls to his shoulder. Then another. Tiny wet patches appear on his shirt each time one makes impact. The way he watches me, his gaze writes a secret poem on my skin. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he says.“Say you’re not interested and nothing will happen.”

I want to curl in a ball. Instead, I stand up.

“Sunny,” he whispers, and it’s hard to know if he intends my name as a question or an answer. Funny, the way it sounds like both.

My lids flutter closed of their own volition as he closes the distance. He’s tall enough that when he bends, his face buries into the top of my head. He inhales as if I’m a secret flower. I wish I only ever bloomed for him. A stupid notion. This moment would be perfect if it wasn’t us. If we were other people.

I hook my fingers into his belt loops and do an uncharacteristic fumble, aim too high and brush his stomach instead. His abdominal muscles flex and there’s my cue to explore. I can’t help but inch under the cotton, trace the thick muscles that make up his defined V-line. My nails gently cut to the top of his jeans. His groan vibrates into my skull.

He’s slipping, less careful with every ragged breath. His skin heats under my fingertips. There’s no choice. There’s never been with him.

I rock into him, hard, and his mouth explodes on mine like a wet, hot grenade. He bites my lower lip and even though I’m scared, I’m not scared of him anymore.

About the Author:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c’mon, who doesn’t love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 5, 2015May 4, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Flourless To Stop Him by Nancy J. Parra

Q& A with Toni Holmes

From the Baker’s Treat Gluten-Free Mystery Series

What new thing would you try? Barrel racing

What would make you say no? Bull riding

What do you get too much of? Family opinions

And not enough? Sleep

What fear have you conquered? Fitting in

Not quite yet? Failure

What are you getting better at? Baking Gluten-free

What are you getting worse at? Dating

What would you pay good money for? A new mixer

What wouldn’t you take even if it were free? An apartment in Chicago

Do you have a career highlight? Opening my gluten free bakery, Baker’s Treat

And low point? Struggling to catch the guy who is framing my brother Tim.

What are you endlessly curious about? How to make food gluten free.

And zero interest in? Cow tipping

What do you empathize with? Innocent people accused of a crime they didn’t commit

What do you have no sympathy for? Killers

What is worth the wait? Love

What do you have no patience for? People who dismiss food allergies

What’s always cool? Birthday cake – gluten free, of course

What’s never cool? Dismissing someone for needing a special diet

About the Author:

Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco is the author of 19 published novels which include three mystery series: The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), The Candy Coated Mysteries (Kensington), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime). Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world. Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and writes for the Killer Character Blog on the 8th of every month. Nancy loves to hear from readers. Find her at www.nancyjparra.com

Website/Twitter/Facebook

It’s never a good time for a crisis. Toni’s busy whipping up gluten-free holiday treats when a murder forces her to put baking on the back burner. A dead man has been found in the bathtub of a local inn—in a room registered to her brother, Tim.

With her sibling now a prime suspect in a mysterious homicide, Toni is determined to find out who set him up. But she’s about to get some unwanted assistance from former investigative journalist Grandma Ruth, who won’t let anything slow her progress in running down a killer…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Flourless To Stop Him

Review (4 Stars): Toni is preparing for the holiday season and trying to figure out what to give everyone when she is pulled into another murder investigation, this time involving her brother, Tim. A dead body is found in the bathroom of the Red Tile Inn, in a room that just happened to be registered to her brother. Now she must find a killer and clear her brother’s name before she becomes the next victim.

Such a cute and charming series. I love cozy mysteries that involve food especially if the heroine runs a yummy bakery that has treats that make my mouth water while I’m reading about it. Toni is a very sweet character and I like the way that she learns from her past mistakes in murder investigations and does her best not to try and repeat them. I love that Toni has a sexy romantic interest in this mystery and I can’t wait to see where the relationship goes from here. Delicious cozy mystery that will have this reader coming back for more.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Flourless To Stop Him. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by May 16th, please leave me a comment below:

May 4, 2015May 3, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Some Like It Witchy by Heather Blake

Becoming More Familiar

By Darcy Merriweather from Heather Blake’s Wishcraft mysteries

Have you ever heard of familiars? You’d think that I would have brushed up on all my witchcraft terminology when I found out I was a witch and then moved to the Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, where there’s a witch on every corner.

But I’d never heard of a familiar, didn’t know what they were, and had never seen one until one was quite literally underfoot. If you’re as clueless as I was, here’s the definition from dictionary.com (don’t you love that website?)

Familiar: an animal, as a cat, that embodies a supernatural spirit and aids a witch in performing magic.

Since I’ve been in the village, I’ve come across a couple of familiars: Pepe (a mouse who works at Bewitching Boutique) and Archie (a Macaw who works for the Craft’s secret Elder). But I know there are more, maybe even one under my own roof. Could it be Missy, our dog? Tilda, our cat?

I’ve begun questioning every critter I come across but so far no one’s talking. I guess time will reveal who’s who and what’s what around here.

Until then, I’m hoping Pepe and Archie will help me solve the murder that recently occurred in the village—and help me to brush up on all things witchcraft. Can’t hurt to ask them, right?

About the Author:

Heather Blake (aka Heather Webber) is the author of more than twenty novels and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She’s a total homebody who loves to be close to her family, read, watch reality TV (especially cooking competition shows), drink too much coffee, crochet, bake (mostly cookies), and occasionally leave the house to travel to the beautiful mountains in the northeast. Heather grew up in a suburb of Boston, but currently she lives in the Cincinnati area with her family and is hard at work on her next book.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

The Enchanted Village is abuzz when the old Tavistock house finally goes up for sale. Darcy’s friend Curecrafter Cherise Goodwin is hoping she will have the winning bid on the home, but Darcy can’t shake the feeling that something bad is about to happen—and her magical instincts are usually right.

Sure enough, while Darcy and Cherise are looking at the property, they discover real estate agent Raina Gallagher stone-cold dead on the floor. Clutched in her hand is a gemstone amulet and, on the wall above her, a large red A. While Raina had no shortage of enemies, there’s also a dark legend about the house itself. To track down the killer, Darcy must unlock the secrets of both the deceased and the estate—and she’ll need to act fast, because revenge is a deal that never closes.…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Some Like It Witchy

Review (4.5 Stars): Some Like It Witchy is a magically entertaining addition to an already charming cozy series. Darcy and her friend, Cherise, are visiting the old Tavistock house that Cherise intends to buy, when they discover the body of the real estate agent upstairs in the master bedroom. Darcy finds herself in the middle of another mystery with a killer that will do anything to prevent their identity from being discovered.

This is one of my favorite series and I love the Enchanted Village and all its inhabitants. Darcy and Nick’s relationship is progressing nicely and I’m looking forward to seeing what is up for them next. I loved the mystery involving the old house and the secrets that everyone believed the old owner was hiding from the rest of the village. I was so involved with this mystery that by the time we reached the end, I was blindsided by the identity of the killer. Never saw that coming at all. Ms. Blake has done a great job with this series and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Some Like It Witchy. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by May 15th, please leave me a comment below:

May 4, 2015May 3, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh

In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…
Jason’s been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister, he can’t just say no.
Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.
A relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not sure he’s ready for.

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

tessa
I threw the game. Despite my daughter wanting me to win—for girls everywhere, she said—I couldn’t. I feigned exhaustion, letting my body slump to the ground. Because my blood was boiling, my body on fire as I pressed against Jason’s body during a stupid game of Twister, and I couldn’t take it anymore. If Haley hadn’t been in the room, I would’ve pulled Jason down on top of me and let him strip me down right there on that stupid plastic mat.
In reality, I had a four-year-old to attend to instead of doing everything I wanted to. In the thirty minutes since putting Haley to bed, my urgency has faded, leaving behind only a subtle hum under my skin, but it’s there. This vibration of need when Jason is around that I never bothered to notice before. Or that I willingly ignored, which is probably more the case.

Despite that, despite wanting him, I’m in the bathroom under the guise of freshening up, even though I showered just a couple hours ago. I’m stalling, and I don’t know why. Haley’s asleep, Jason’s in the living room, presumably waiting for me, and I’m hiding in the bathroom.

Several minutes go by before a soft knock sounds at the door, sending me jumping nearly a foot in the air.

“Yeah . . .” I try to say, except my voice comes out all scratchy and breathless, so I clear my throat and try again. “Yeah?”

“Do you want me to just go home, Tess?”

“What?” I whip the door open, eyes wide and frantic, because that is absolutely not what I want. Not even a little bit. Leaning his shoulder against the doorjamb, Jason’s eyes snap to mine as soon as the layer of wood isn’t separating us anymore, and in that split second when our eyes meet, the heat between us cracks and sizzles just like it did while we were playing the game.

Just like it’s been doing anytime we’re within twenty feet of each other. Shaking my head, I say, “No. I don’t want you to go home.”

His eyebrows lift up on his forehead, his expression one that clearly says he thinks I’m full of it. “You sure?Because you’ve been hiding in here for ten minutes.”

I open my mouth to argue with him about the hiding bit, but there’s no use. Instead, I simply nod and swallow, not sure I can find the words to tell him exactly what’s going on with me.

Mostly because I don’t even know myself.

It’s not like I’m a virgin, and even though it has been a while, I’ve never gotten like this with any of my previous partners.

Never had this overwhelming nervousness, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. No idea why there’s this swarm of bees buzzing around in my stomach. Why I’m all breathless with anticipation and anxiety.

But then Jason steps forward, right into my space, one hand coming up and cupping the back of my neck while the other goes to my hip, his thumb slipping under the material of my shirt to graze the skin above my waistband, and I know exactly why there’s a tornado in my belly.

“Last chance,” he murmurs, his breath washing over my lips, and I don’t think I could tell him to stop even if I wanted to.
But I don’t. I don’t want to, so I shake my head, and finally—finally—he closes the distance between us and puts his lips to mine.

The kiss is tentative at first, a question, and even though he gave me an out just a moment ago, I love that he’s not pushing it.

When I don’t pull away, don’t do anything but grip the front of his shirt in my fists and pull him closer to me, he takes that as an answer and swipes his tongue across my lips. On a moan, I open to him, desperate to taste him again in a way I didn’t allow myself to think about before now.

Jason’s grip on me tightens, his thumb rubbing in circles against the pulse point at my neck, and I know he can feel my heart flying. It’s nearly pounding right out of my rib cage. His other hand curls around my hip, pulling me closer to him, flush with him, and I can’t stop from gasping into his mouth. He’s against me, all of him, strong and solid and hard, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted this until this very moment.

He’s already good at reading my cues, because no more have I thought it than we’re walking, fumbling down the hallway and into my bedroom. The door isn’t even closed before I start tugging up his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. With a grunt and a curse, he reaches back and yanks his shirt over his head before his lips are back on mine, his tongue sliding against my own, and I can hardly breathe I want this so badly.

In the dozen-plus years of his being in my life, I’ve seen him without a shirt on too many times to count, but I’ve never felt his bare skin. Not like this. He’s sinewy and muscular, the body of a runner, all tall and lanky, the muscles in his abdomen defined but not obscene, his biceps cut but not bulky. I run my hands over every part of him I can reach, sliding from his chest to his stomach, following the trail of hair down then hooking into the waistband of his jeans, and I want those off, too.

“Jesus, Tess,” he groans into my mouth, and the roughness of it washes over me like a warm rain, comforting me in a way I didn’t realize I needed. He wants this. Me. Desperately. It’s reassuring to know I’m not in this on my own.

His lips brush across my cheek, his teeth nipping at my chin, his tongue licking a line up the column of my neck, and I think I might die right here. I might actually die, because my heart feels like the pounding hooves of a thousand horses, and I can’t seem to get my clothes off fast enough.

About the Author:

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with writing. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Tessa Ever After

Review (4.0 Stars): Tessa and Jason were absolutely adorable together. She had always looked to Jason to help her when things went wrong in her life and he would always be there, no matter what it was. It is so hard to find a guy that you can depend in life and they were both so afraid of taking that next step from friendship to romance because they had known each other for so long. She needed someone like Jason because he was everything; the bad boy, the best friend and the person that she could depend on in life. For Jason, Tessa was the one, the one woman that he could see forever with and could help him build a life that he wanted, not what his family kept pushing him to do.

Ms. Walsh did a wonderful job creating these characters that you can instantly relate to and now I want to read more about Tessa’s brother, Cade. Tessa Ever After was a sweet, coming of age romance that shows that friendship can lead to the best love story imaginable.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 29, 2015April 28, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Match Made on Main Street by Olivia Miles

Anna Madison has faithfully avoided her old flame for six years, even though their Main Street restaurants are only a few blocks apart. The sting of his rejection was enough to make her swear off dating for good, but when her successful restaurant is damaged in a fire, she’s left to the mercy of the one man she’s spent years proving she doesn’t need…and convincing herself she doesn’t want. Mark Hastings can’t say he’s happy being alone, but at least his heart is safe. Burnt out from running the Briar Creek diner, he’s ready for a change. He tells himself he’s just being neighborly by letting Anna use his kitchen, but being by her side again stirs up temptations he might not be able to resist a second time around.

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Mark leaned in, catching a whiff of her sweet scent as he did. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to capture the single sense. When he looked up, Anna was staring at him, her gaze hooded. He could lean in, just another inch, remember what it felt like to kiss her mouth, to feel her soft curves pressed against him.
He pulled himself back in the stool instead. He was here to find her friendship again. Nothing more. “The bookstore’s doing fine now; I see people in there all the time. It’s never looked so great.”
Anna sighed through a small smile. “It does, yes. But…that’s not what has me worried. I took out a loan to match Grace’s investment. She’s covering rent and the bookstore renovation; I’m covering well…everything else. For now. It was all going to be fine. More than fine. And then–”
“The fire.”
She nodded. “The fire.”
“How bad is it?”
She met his stare. “Bad.”
He let out a low whistle. It was exactly the kind of situation that made Hastings to appealing. The place was paid up; they owned it outright. A new venture, of any kind, could never offer the same security. One day it could be booming, the next…
“Does Grace know?”
“No,” said quickly, “and I don’t intend to tell her.”
He leaned into his elbow. “So what’s your plan, then?”
She looked at him quizzically. “I intend to win this contest!”
He burst out laughing, hearing his own foolish desires in her preposterous statement. Until now, winning had been a vague notion, not something he was banking on, but hearing her say it aloud, a desire to not only compete but to win, made him suddenly believe it was possible. That anything was possible.
“I do intend to win!” Anna cried, but even she couldn’t stop from laughing. The sound rolled through the room and pulled at his heart, filling holes he didn’t even know were there.
He didn’t realize he’d stopped laughing until she did. The air went still, punctured only by the sound of his heart beating in his chest, and he knew he couldn’t hold back any longer. Without thinking, or daring to consider the consequences,he leaned into her and her eyes flashed with surprise, her lashes fluttering quickly as he slid off his stool and closed the distance between them.
A gasp of surprise escaped her throat as he brought his lips to hers and his hands came around her waist, pulling her close to his chest until he felt her body relax on each kiss. He sensed her hesitation, but he couldn’t pull back, not when her lips were on his, her sweet taste filling his senses. She parted her mouth, and he pulled her closer, feeling the soft swell of her breasts against his chest. His groin pooled with warmth as her thighs rubbed against his. He pressed his palms deeper into her back, and lower, resisting the urge to explore her hips, knowing if he did he wouldn’t be able to stop. And he should stop–he should. But…he couldn’t.
He kissed her, as if for the first time, tasting the forbidden fruit, knowing it was wrong, wrong, wrong, even thought it felt so damn right. He tore his lips from hers, letting his mouth roam her neck, burying himself into her hair, that coconut-scented hair, and breathed into her ear, wondering if she would run, if she’d push him back, tell him to go.
He pulled back, watching the way her eyes searched his. He should say something, explain himself, but there was nothing to say.
Anna’s cheeks were dotted with pink as she picked up a knife and pulled the vegetables from the basket. His gaze lingered her on a few moments more, watching the way she expertly chopped and diced, the way they’d been instructed in school, fingers tucked.
“Anna.” His voice was low and husky.
He should tell her it was a mistake, that it couldn’t happen again. That he wanted to be friends, to make her understand once and for all that it was all they ever should have been.
“We should get to work,” she said abruptly, and he hated the slight quiver in her voice. “We still have a lot do and we leave for Cedar Valley tomorrow afternoon.”
They’d be at the lodge for two nights; he’d have time to talk to her then. For now, she was right. It was time to get to work, put all personal matters aside, and focus on winning this contest. And getting what they wanted at long last.

About the Author:

Having grown up in New England, Olivia Miles attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec before settling in Chicago where she lives with her husband, their daughter, and two ridiculously pampered pups. When she is not chasing after her little ones, she is hard at work creating feisty heroines and alpha heroes with a heart. A city girl with a fondness for small town charm, Olivia enjoys highlighting both ways of life in her stories.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of A Match Made on Main Street

Review (4.5 Stars): I liked Anna when I first met her in Grace’s story, Mistletoe on Mainstreet. She was smart, attractive and loyal with a snarky sense of humor that always felt as though she had been through her own share of heartbreak. In A Match Made on Main Street, we finally learn Anna’s story and her experience with a certain male which has lead to her to have such a low opinion on men. Mark Hastings was the one man who broke Anna’s heart and when a fire destroys her restaurant forcing her to work out of Mark’s restaurant to pay off her debt, sparks fly between these two characters. These two had this intense chemistry and you could tell that they really cared about one another. Mark was the perfect match for Anna but he had to redeem himself to her after everything that happened in the past. She was afraid to trust him after everything that happened but true love always seems to find a way to prevail. I loved this delightful, charming romance and I’m hoping that Jane gets her happy ending next in this series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 28, 2015April 27, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Wild Heat by Lucy Monroe

Sometimes old flames are the hottest of all . . .

In the quaint little town of Cailkirn, Alaska, it’s impossible to keep a secret, especially one as juicy as the unexpected return of Kitty Grant. Tack MacKinnon remembers her wild red curls and even wilder spirit-and still feels the sting from when she shattered his heart in college. But there’s a pain in Kitty’s gorgeous eyes that guts him to the core and Tack is determined to do whatever it takes to see the woman he still loves smile again-even if it means taking on her demons as his own.

After fleeing an abusive ex-husband, Kitty decides that the best way to heal her broken heart is to come back home. But she gets a whole new shock when she sees how undeniably sexy Tack has become. More handsome, more muscular, more charming-more everything-he’s impossible to resist. Before she knows it, they’re reigniting sparks that could set the whole state of Alaska on fire. Yet trust doesn’t come easy to Kitty anymore, and as things heat up between her and Tack, she can’t help but wonder if one of them is going to get burned . . .

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

An almost frenzied need to bring her back to the present washed over him. His instincts were telling him the best way to accomplish that, but his brain insisted it was a bad, bad idea.

Fighting the urge to act on his instincts, Tack cleaned up the detritus of lunch. It only took a couple of minutes to put everything back in his pack. But in that short time, Kitty didn’t just maintain her distant silence, but she drew further away from him.

And she couldn’t afford to do that.

He couldn’t say how he knew that, he just did.

Tack’s certainty growing that she’d checked out mentally in a way that was dangerous for her emotions, he put his pack aside and scooted closer to Kitty. She didn’t seem to notice.

“Wildcat?” he prompted, his voice as gentle as he could make it. “You okay in there?”

“Of course.” The words were right, but the vacant tone was anything but.

He slid his hand under her hair, cupping her neck, giving physical contact to draw her back to him and now. She didn’t react to the touch at all and that scared him.

“Damn it, Caitlin Elizabeth Grant, look at me.”

Her brows furrowed. “Don’t.”

“What?” he asked in a tone as gentle as he’d spoken sternly before. Come on, wildcat, tell me not to yell at you.

Her silence changed, as if she was searching for words. “Call me Caitlin.” She frowned. “I don’t like it.”

“I thought you wanted me to.” She’d said so, hadn’t she?

“No.”

“Why not? Why don’t you like it?”

She shrugged.

And that was it. He was done playing nice, his own misgivings not nearly as powerful as his need to stop whatever was going on inside Kitty’s mind.

With careful, but inexorable pressure, he turned her head so she faced him. Her pupils were dilated like they’d been yesterday, her complexion waxy, but her lips were pink and parted invitingly.

Her breathing changed just a little bit and he took that as a victory.

“I’m going to kiss you, wildcat. Are you up for it?”

About the Author:

A USA Today Bestseller, most of Lucy Monroe’s titles have spent multiple weeks on national bestsellers lists, including Neilson Bookscan (in both North America and the UK), Amazon & B&N.com. She is ranked as a top selling contemporary romance author on Amazon.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Wild Heat

Review (4.5 Stars): Such a great romance and I love Alaskan men! Kitty Grant has returned home to pick up the pieces of her life after ending an abusive marriage and there is no other safe place then being with those you love. Tack Mackinnon grew up with Kitty and was heartbroken when she chose another man while they were both attending USC together. Now, that she is home for good, Tack finally has a chance to see if they have a second opportunity to find their happy ever after together.

I loved seeing Kitty and Tack together as a couple. He had loved Kitty for so long and was devastated when she decided to marry someone else and cut all ties with him. By returning home to find herself, Tack pretended that seeing Kitty wouldn’t affect him the way that it used to but it was hard to deny what was in his heart. Kitty has always cared for Tack but her abusive ex-husband wouldn’t let her have any connection to her old life or her handsome childhood friend. She tried desperately to get back to her old self when she got home but it took her a while to trust anyone including Tack. I loved the interaction between these two because even though it seemed playful on the surface, you could tell that these two characters had deep feelings for each other and only time would heal their hearts. Their chemistry together was amazing and I wanted so desperately for them to finally find their way back to each other after all this time apart.

Wild Heat was a deliciously sexy Alaskan romance that makes me want to go find a guy like Tack right away. This is the first book in Ms. Monroe’s new series, The Northern Fire and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this delightful series. Ms. Monroe is an author to watch and I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 27, 2015April 26, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Sugar on Top by Marina Adair

She’s sassy and sweet

The last thing Glory Mann wants is to become chairman of the Miss Peach Pageant in Sugar, Georgia. Spending months hearing nothing but the clinking of pearls and judgment? No thank you! But when Glory is forced to take the rap for a scandal she didn’t commit, the judge sentences her to head the committee. Even worse, her co-chairman is rugged, ripped . . . and barely knows she’s alive.

He’s ready and willing
Single dad Cal McGraw can’t take any more drama in his life. After a difficult divorce, his little girl became a boy-crazy teenager and his hands are full. The last thing he needs is to spend his down time with the town bad girl. Glory is pure trouble-tempting and tantalizing trouble. But he can’t deny the strong chemistry between them-or how her touch turns him inside out. Now as squabbles threaten to blow up the contest and the town of Sugar itself, Cal must risk everything on the sexy wild card to get a second chance at love . . .

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

“Shut off the tractor and put your hands in the air.” The command came through the speaker attached to the top of the sheriff’s car, which was right next to the flashing red and blue lights.
Squinting against the rain, Glory stared in panic at the speed trap up ahead. A floodlight clicked on, blinding her and causing her foot to slip off the clutch. The engine sputtered to a stop.
Determined to see this through, Glory cranked the engine and spun the tires, kicking up loose gravel and a few cow pies. She hadn’t come all this way, spending thirty minutes on the muddy back roads in the middle of the night to right someone else’s wrong, just to get caught now.
“Come on now, Ms. Hattie. Step on off that tractor so we can all get out of the rain.”
Ms. Hattie?
Ms. Hattie was the town busybody and one of Glory’s grandma’s oldest and dearest friends. Which explained how the Prowler ended up in her grandma’s garage.
The roadblock of wet and irritated officers obviously had no idea who was driving the tractor. If they had, Glory was certain that their boss would have her butt tossed in jail before she could say, “Morning, Sheriff.”
Plus she was pretty sure the smug-looking guy in the department-issued hat, weighing in at two hundred pounds of bad attitude, was Sheriff Jackson Duncan.
“Look, I promise my grandma won’t press charges.” Yup. Sheriff Duncan. The entitled drawl was a dead giveaway. And if he thought Ms. Kitty wouldn’t press charges, he was insane. “Heck, Ms. Hattie, as long as the Prowler is back in the bay before she wakes up, she doesn’t even have to know
it went missing and we can all go home and back to our respective business.”
“Do I have your word on that, Sheriff?” The second Glory opened her mouth, Jackson realized Hattie McGraw wasn’t behind the wheel because he went from leaning against the grill of his cruiser to reaching for his gun. She also knew that only ten feet and some plywood separated her from a mug shot—a mug shot that was not going to happen. She had enough mascara under her eyes to pass for a linebacker and enough emotion built up that, after one too many double shifts slinging beer and a lifetime of double standards, getting arrested would fill out her already unflattering résumé.
Jackson silently made his way toward the tractor, boots clacking against the slick concrete, cuffs jangling in his hand. Knowing nothing good could come from that, she rested her hand on the gear shift and asked, “I’m guessing by the pissy look on your face that your generous offer is no longer on the table.”
“Sorry to say, but you’d guess right,” he said, not sorryat all.
Jackson Duncan had been sheriff of Sugar County for the past four years, and he’d hated Glory for at least twice that amount of time. He was uptight, by the book, and still blamed her for his older brother leaving town. Not that he had ever bothered to listen to her side of the story. No one really had. But everyone knew that he would love nothing more than to parade Glory around town in cuffs and prove that she was a menace to Sugar’s properly polite society.
“Even if I told you that I wasn’t stealing Ms. Kitty’s tractor? That I was trying to return it?”
“Even then. Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
And wasn’t that just great, because in this county possession might constitute only nine-tenths, but being the girl who cost Sugar High their beloved football coach and the state championships all in the same year surely made up the other one-tenth. Which meant the odds of her getting out of this mess with a friendly warning were a big fat zero.
There was no way she was letting him take her in. Not dressed in flannel and fertilizer. And sure as hell not when she had a Pediatric Health Theory midterm in six hours. It had taken her the better part of a decade, juggling part-time classes and full-time bar tending, to get to where she was, and she wasn’t about to let one mistake screw up everything. Not again.
“Sorry then, Sheriff.”
Grabbing the edges of her rain slicker, she flipped it up to cover her face and gunned it. The tractor roared as she threw it in second. The gear kicked in, causing the Prowler to pick up in volume and speed—surprising speed for a machine that looked like a giant peach and was built when she’d been in preschool.
“Aw, hell,” Jackson said, racing back to the cruiser. “Let ’em go, boys.”
Heading straight for the road, she vowed that she would drive right through that speed trap, over the metal spikes and all, if she had to. Her grandma was counting on her, and the entry to the Prowler’s parking bay was only a few yards past the sheriff’s patrol car. She could slip in, park the vehicle, and hightail it out of there.
She hit fourth gear right as the Prowler’s wheels cruised over the first set of shredders—tires unscathed. Only before she reached that second strip, Jackson stepped in front of the tractor.
“Dang it, Jackson,” she screamed over the roar of the tractor’s engine. “Move your overentitled, stubborn ass out of my way or I’ll run it down!”
“And miss busting yours for grand theft auto and assaulting a police officer?” he yelled back, smiling as though he’d just won box seats at the Georgia Dome. “No, ma’am.”
Glory looked from side to side, weighing her options. Had she been thinking with her head instead of her heart, she would be warm and snug in her bed, not facing jail time in little more than a pink slicker and ducky galoshes. Instead she was trying to solve a feud that had been brewing since Glory turned seventeen and made the biggest mistake of her life.
Before Glory could react, she crossed the second trap and the back two tires exploded simultaneously. The tractor jerked forward and she didn’t know what was thumping louder, her heart or the deflated tires struggling to roll over the blacktop.
The Prowler decelerated and slowly crawled toward Jackson,who stepped out of the way right as the tractor made its final stop—giving the cruiser a big smacker to the front bumper. The Prowler must have been made of steel because a loud crunch broke through the night’s air, followed by an awful sizzle and finally steam, which drifted up from under the hood and into the inky sky.
“I guess I can add destruction of city property to the charges,” Jackson said with a smile.
“Damnit, Jackson.” Glory picked up a stray cow pie,which had landed in the back of the tractor during her off roading excursion, and threw it on the ground. It shattered,splattering right up his department-issued boots and onto his pant legs. “I’m just trying to return it.”
“And I’m just doing my job,” he said as he approached the vehicle and hoisted his smug self up. “Now, do you need me to read you your rights? Or would you like to say them with me?”
And right then Glory understood that no matter how hard she tried to atone for her past, she was never going to be free of it.

About the Author:

Marina Adair is a lifelong fan of romance novels. Along with the Sugar series, she is also the author of the St. Helena Vineyard series and the upcoming Shelter Cove series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter. As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter at @MarinaEAdair or visit her at www.MarinaAdair.com.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Sugar On Top

Review (4.75 Stars): I always have a special place in my heart for characters that are in the medical field and Sugar on Top was the perfect romance for me. Glory was just one of those characters that had a wonderful heart but got a bad reputation for something that happened when she was a teenager. She spent so many years trying to change everyone’s opinion of her and is working towards her nursing degree to help head a teen volunteer program for the pediatric center. By trying to help others, she lands herself in trouble and worries that everything that she had worked so hard for will be over in a blink of an eye.

Cal McGraw has always been attracted to Glory and finds himself the one person that can help her get out of her current situation. By spending more time with one another, the physical attraction between them intensifies and they soon find that they have a second chance at forever. They just have to reach out and take it. Cal was the perfect guy for her and Glory needed someone that would believe in her and support her no matter what. I loved Cal and I wished that there were more guys out there like him in the world.

Sugar On Top is the second book in the Sugar, Georgia series and is a wonderfully romantic tale of second chances. These two characters were absolutely delightful and I can’t wait to read the next book in this sweet series.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 27, 2015April 26, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Lady Sarah’s Sinful Desires by Sophie Barnes

Welcome to Thorncliff Manor, where London’s elite mix, mingle, and may even find their heart’s desire…

There are thousands of things Christopher, Viscount Spencer, would rather do than hunt for a bride, especially since experience has taught him that women are not to be trusted. Then he finds the intriguing Lady Sarah scrambling around in Thorncliff’s conservatory and he is instantly charmed by her passionate nature. But why is she so intent on avoiding him?

Lady Sarah would make the perfect bride for a peer—if not for a tarnished past that she’s hiding from the ton. A stay at Thorncliff Manor was meant to help her plan for her future, not fall in love. Yet Christopher’s kisses are irresistible, his gallantry enticing. When her secret stands to be revealed, will the truth ruin their dreams of happiness?

Amazon/B&N

In a carriage on the way to Thorncliff Manor
1820

“Do you suppose we’ll be arriving soon?” Rachel asked with an edge of impatience. “Before leaving the last posting inn, Mama assured me that it would only be another two hours, but according to my pocket watch it has already been one hundred and twenty- seven minutes. To be exact.”

Christopher gazed across at his younger sister. “I don’t believe Mama has ever visited Thorncliff before,” he said, referring to the Countess of Dun- caster’s large estate, which she had turned into a guesthouse. He and his family would be spending the summer there. “This makes her estimate regarding the duration of this journey exactly that—an estimate.”

Rachel didn’t look pleased. “I wish everyone would appreciate the importance of precision as much as I do.” “Cook does,” Laura said sweetly, directing Christopher’s attention to another sister. He had five in total. “I’m sure she would acknowledge the importance of accuracy. After all, there’s nothing worse than a cake with too much flour in it.”

“Do you have to encourage her?” Fiona asked. As the youngest of the Heartly siblings, she had never developed the sort of patience the rest of the brood possessed.

Christopher frowned, while Rachel’s face beamed with newfound pleasure as she latched onto Laura’s comment. “Life as we know it would be impossible without adhering to mathematical and scientific principles. Buildings would fall to the ground, dough would refuse to rise, your clothing would be ill- fitting . . . why, I could go on forever about the effect a lack of structure would have on us all.”

“Must you?” Fiona asked with an underlying note of dread.

“Why not distract yourself by contemplating the splendor of our destination?” Christopher suggested. As much as he loved Rachel, he had little desire to endure a prolonged lecture on Euclidean geometry or, God forbid, her recent study on the movement of slugs. “I’ve heard that Thorncliff is magnificent. Apparently the third Earl of Duncaster wasted no expense when he expanded it,” Laura said before Rachel could comment. “My friend Lady Harriet visited last year with her family, and she has assured me that the estate can easily amuse us all for the duration of our three-month stay.”

“I’ve no doubt about that,” Fiona said promptly, her eyes lighting, “especially since I’ve every intention of putting my own time there to good use. I mean to find that jewelry box Grandmamma spoke of when we were little.”

Christopher stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you remember? She always said her family in France sent heirlooms to England during the revolution to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. It was all she would have had left of her family after they all perished at the guillotine, but for un- known reasons, the box of heirlooms never arrived. I’m convinced they must be hidden away at Thorn- cliff. Considering Grandpapa’s close friendship with Lord Duncaster, I—”

“Now that you mention it, I do recall her saying something to that effect, but I never really put much weight in it,” Laura said.

“You know how badly Grandmamma suffered the loss of her family. I always believed her talk of the jewelry box was her way of hoping a part of them had been left behind and would eventually come to her.”

“But she specifically mentioned receiving a letter from her sister, the Duchess of Marveille, in France, encouraging her to wait for it—that the duchess had sent it to England and that arrangements had been made for it to be delivered to her.”

“Your memory is certainly to be admired,” Rachel said, “but I think we must accept that the heirlooms never left France, as unfortunate as that is.”

“But in her diary,” Fiona insisted, “Grandmamma wrote of a visit Grandpapa made to Thorncliff shortly before his death. She wrote that she prayed her husband would soon return home with the box.” “And yet she never received it,” Christopher pointed out.

Fiona sighed. “No, she didn’t. Grandpapa set sail for France, perishing with the third Earl of Duncaster when the ship went down.” She sighed, her expression somber, though her eyes remained sharp with determination. “It’s possible the jewelry box is still at Thorncliff, in which case, I’ve every intention of locating it. You can count on that.”

About the Author:

Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parsons. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.
While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion: writing. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Lady Sarah’s Sinful Desires

Review (4.5 Stars): Lady Sarah was such a fun, spunky and entertaining character that was trying to deal with the proposition of marrying an older man to appease her family for her past indiscretions. She was at Thorncliff Manor to meet her future husband when she has a chance encounter with Viscount Spencer that changes everything. Christopher was a delight and I loved the humorous banter between these two characters over the course of this book. Lady Sarah didn’t want Christopher to discover her secret because she was afraid that he would want nothing to do with her. It didn’t matter what her secret was, he wanted her anyways and would stop at nothing to win her heart. Lady Sarah’s Sinful Desires is a very sweet and charming romance where true love can conquer all your past mistakes and lead to an even brighter future. Looking forward to reading the next book in this wonderful series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 23, 2015April 22, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Getting Lucky by Jennifer Seasons

Welcome to Fortune, Colorado—where the air is clean, the men are rugged, and the all the good ones… are bachelors.
Born into the infamous Charlemagne equestrian empire, Shannon has been raised to do whatever it takes for the family business. Even if it means going undercover and digging up dirt on a competitor. It’s easy enough when she believes he’s a bad guy whose success seems too good to be true. In fact, Shannon’s excited to put the aggravatingly sexy Irishman in his place and get back in her father’s good graces. All she needs is to stay focused on the goal … and out of Sean Muldoon’s arms.

From stealing a thoroughbred racehorse from the Irish mob to striking gold in the mountains of Colorado, there’s little Sean hasn’t experienced. But when it comes to resisting his hot new stable manager, he’s out of luck. With the mob hot on his heels, keeping Shannon off their radar is all but impossible, and he’s not about to put her in danger too. Sean wants Shannon, but how can he offer her a future … when he can’t even guarantee tomorrow?

Amazon/B&N

Humor shimmered in her sister’s hazel eyes as she tipped her head toward the huge Pine Creek Ranch sign that hung suspended from wooden beams arching over the entrance. Her blond hair brushed across her freckled cheeks as she said, “I wouldn’t be so hasty in keeping those girls on the shelf if I were you . . . I saw Sean Muldoon in person.”

“When?”

“During the races in Kentucky this past May with his Triple Crown winner, Something Unexpected. This guy that Dad is sending you to spy on is full-on Irish—with the accent to prove it—and downright sexy. He’s like an Irish Dove bar—you know just by looking at him that he’s dark, smooth, and addictive. He moves with this loose, long-limbed gate and has an easy smile, but there’s something almost dangerous about him just bubbling under the surface. It’s seriously potent.” Colleen fanned herself and grinned. “It’s too bad I’m such a blabbermouth, because I’d dig up the goods on him, all right.”

Shannon remained silent and waited for it. It had to be coming.

“Of course, I’d see if Muldoon was as fast to the finish line as his racehorses are while I was at it, if you know what I mean.” Her sister finished with an overly dramatic eyebrow wiggle and wink.

And there it was. Right on schedule. That’s one of the things she loved most about her only sibling—she was reliable. If there was ever an opening for a crude comment to be slipped in, you could bet she was all over it.

That’s what she said, Shannon thought.

Crap! Damn it, now Colleen had her doing it too. Figured.

“Let’s go through this one last time,” Shannon said briskly. “I’m supposed to find this Sean Muldoon and tell him I’m responding to his ad for the stable manager position and convince him to hire me.” She stared down the long gravel lane beyond the ranch’s entrance as it lazily rounded a bend and disappeared into a sea of aspen, spruce, and pine in the distance.

Into Sean Muldoon’s ranch.

She’d learned from her father that Pine Creek sat on about one hundred acres, though it was hard to tell at the moment from the thick grove of trees that flanked each side of the single-lane road. It looked more like the entrance to a state forest, not a sprawling horse ranch.

But, as Shannon knew better than most, looks were most often deceiving. Nervously swiping her hands down the thighs of her worn denim jeans, she continued reviewing the plan that their father had designed, hoping that repeating everything would help her focus.

Colleen opened her mouth and started to say, “That’s why you should—”

Shannon held her hand up like a crossing guard. “I know, use the ladies. I get it.” She probably could if she wanted to, honestly. They weren’t bad.

A quick glance downward confirmed that claim. Not bad at all. A little on the small side, but so what? What she lacked up top she made up for on the bottom with an ample and curvy derriere.

Depending on the day, that was either a blessing or a curse.

However, given that she was a professional equestrian and spent half her life bouncing around on a horse (with skill and grace, of course), having the extra padding was more often a bonus than not. Her butt was like a car’s suspension system—it absorbed the shock and made the impact of jumping her horse feel like the smooth ride of a Rolls Royce. Not that she was going to upstage big-butted celebrities or anything, but it wouldn’t be a runaway victory if they did compare backsides. Only she had earned hers the cheap and easy way: genetic inheritance.

Colleen cleared her throat. “Dad’s gut is saying that either Muldoon or one of his trainers is doping the Thoroughbreds with steroids before the races.” Her sister’s eyes flickered and unfocused briefly, like she was recalling a memory. “I’ve seen them run. They’ve got rockets for hooves, Shan.”

No wonder all of the company’s clients had bailed on their breeding program over the past few years. Shannon knew they were down to a teeny-tiny trickle, and if she didn’t find a way to reverse that fast, then they were going to go bankrupt and lose the farm. And it was the only thing of material value they had left. Over the years her father had sold off everything else. All the jewels, cars—everything. It hadn’t escaped her notice that the walls of her childhood home were now mostly bare, when priceless Monet originals and the like had once hung there.

Not for the first time, she wondered what had happened to all the family’s money. Where were all their millions disappearing to? It didn’t make sense. Not in the least. But pondering that made Shannon’s stomach go tight and queasy, so she stopped. With effort she grappled with her thoughts and redirected them to the immediate problem at hand.

About the Author:
Jennifer Seasons has been a lifelong writer and reader. She lives with her husband and four children in the mountains of rural New England. An enormous yet lovable dog and the world’s coolest cat keep them company. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family outdoors exploring her beautiful new home state, learning the joys of organic gardening, and—if she’s lucky—relaxing in her hammock under the trees with a really good book.

Goodreads/Twitter/Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 22, 2015April 21, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Broken by Cynthia Eden

The first novel in New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s sizzling LOST series introduces the Last Option Search Team, an elite unit that must protect the only surviving victim of a serial killer.

Ex-SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer is accustomed to the unusual in his job. But when knockout Eve Gray steps into his office, he’s rattled. For the mysterious woman is a dead ringer for the heiress thought to be the latest prey of the serial killer who goes by the name Lady Killer.

When Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital, her past was a blank slate. Then she recognized her own face in the newspaper and vowed to learn the truth. Determined to confront the nightmares hidden in her mind, she never expects to find a partner in Gabe.

As Gabe and Eve work together, their explosive attraction becomes irresistible. Gabe knows that his desire for Eve is growing too strong, bordering on a dangerous obsession, but nothing pulls him away from her. And when another Eve lookalike disappears, Gabe vows to protect Eve at all costs. While Eve may have forgotten the killer in her past, it’s clear he hasn’t forgotten her.

Amazon/B&N

“Do you think I’m a con artist or a victim?”

“I think you’re a woman who has been hurt.” No denying that. “One of my team members, Wade Monroe, is contacting the Montgomery family. We’ll get DNA from them and find out—”

“If I’m Jessica.” There was hope in the words. Enough hope to break his heart.

Gabe nodded.

“When will we know?”

It would take a few days, even with the strings that he could pull. “As soon as possible,” he said, not wanting to give her a specific timetable.

“Thank you.” Then, just like that, she was across the car, giving him a tight hug. “Thank you.”

His arms wrapped around her, an instinctive response. She smelled faintly of flowers, a sweet scent that teased his nose, and her body was soft against his.

She tried to pull away, as if realizing what she’d just done.

For an instant he was tempted to hold her, to keep her close.

She’s a client. Focus.

He let her go, but his body ached.

“I … um … I should get inside.”

Yes, she should. While he was still clutching tight to his control. The control that said he shouldn’t push her. Shouldn’t want her so much. Not when she’d already been hurt so badly.

Her fingers reached for the door.

“Let me,” he said, voice rumbling, and Gabe climbed from the Jag. In seconds he was on the passenger side, opening her door for her. She rose, and her body brushed against his.

He stepped back. Distance. He seriously needed to put some distance between then. But even with some fast steps back, he could still smell that light and sexy scent that clung to her body. And he still wanted her.

“Your shrink asked me a lot of questions about you,” Eve told him as she stood temptingly close.

Gabe inclined his head. “I’m sure—”

“I think she wanted to know why I respond so much to you.”

Oh, hell, she’d just said … He cleared his throat even as part of his body surged in quick response to her. “It’s a tense situation, you’re—”

“You don’t look at me as if I’m a victim.”

He stopped talking.

“I mean, you know what I am, but you still look at me and seem to just see me … as a woman.”

“Others see you the same way.” Doc Tyler sure did. Bastard.

“It’s different with you,” she murmured as she stepped even closer to him. Her head had tilted back so she could look into his eyes. “I don’t know what I’ve felt for other men before.”

Why did the idea of others have his body knotting with tension?

“But I know that when I see you, I want.” A hushed confession. “I just … I needed to tell you that.”

And he needed to make his self-control a hell of a lot stronger. Her lips were just inches from his, and he wanted her mouth beneath his. Wanted her lips open. Needed to taste her.

“You’re the first man I’ve wanted since I opened my eyes in that hospital.”

He could actually feel his control splintering. Client. Cli—

“You probably don’t want me. I—I might not be your type.”

Now her gaze had fallen, as if in embarrassment. Had she really just asked if she was his type? She was probably every damn man’s type.

“But you make me feel normal again, so I had to tell you—”

His fingers curved under her chin. “Eve …”

Her smile was a little too big. Too bright. “I don’t think I can handle anything else right now, I’m …” She pulled away. Stumbled onto the sidewalk.

“I just wanted to tell you how I felt,” she told him again.

Then she walked into the shelter, her steps hurried. As if she were running.

From him.

He stared after her. She wanted him.

And she was so fucking beyond his reach.
***

About the Author:

Award-winning author CYNTHIA EDEN writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies include hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Broken

Review (5 Stars): I absolutely loved this book and was hooked from the very first page. Eve was such a great character because she had gone through this horrific ordeal and came out a survivor that was willing to do anything to protect herself from the evil that desperately wanted to finish what he had started. I instantly connected with her and there were times that I was on the edge of my seat flipping the pages, hoping that Eve would come out of this situation the victor. I liked Gabe as the hero but in the beginning he seemed very cold and distant to Eve. He redeemed himself as the story progressed and he was the only one that could really help Eve get through this cat and mouse game with a serial killer that wanted nothing other than seeing Eve dead.

Broken is an amazing thrill-ride with fascinating characters and a story that will have you reading with the lights on. This is the first book in the Lost series and I desperately want to get my hands on Twisted which is out next week and takes place in the great city of New Orleans.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 17, 2015April 16, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Five-Alarm Fudge by Christine DeSmet

The Cape Cod of the Midwest is this cozy’s setting

With author Christine DeSmet, the Fudge Shop Mystery Series

Ava Oosterling and her Grandpa Gil operate Oosterlings’ Live Bait, Bobbers & Belgian Fudge & Beer on a harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.”

In Five-Alarm Fudge, Book 3 of the Fudge Shop Mystery series, Ava and her Grandpa Gil are again mixed up in a fun fudge felony—this time involving romance, royal relatives, and revenge.

When a visiting European prince asks Ava Oosterling to unearth a priceless, 1800s divinity fudge recipe, the request fans the flames of foul play, with murder marring Ava’s Cinderella dreams.

Prior to the story, Grandpa took it upon himself to invite the prince of Belgium to visit. Grandpa insists the prince is a shirt-tail relation but far enough removed by ancestors to qualify as marriage material for Ava.

Ava is beside herself with Grandpa. She’s in the midst of a rekindled romance with her ex, Dillon Rivers, who is refurbishing the Blue Heron Inn in order for Ava to take it over. In the meantime, Ava lives in a rundown rental cabin with an ever-present field mouse.

Grandpa has also promised the prince that Ava will find a long, lost divinity fudge recipe supposedly hidden in a local historical church by a Belgian nun during an 1871 fire.

The irony of being surrounded by miles and miles of water in this peninsular county is that on October 8, 1871 the very real Great Fire happened—taking an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 lives in this region. This event occurred the same days as the famous Chicago fire that took about 300 lives.

This novel delves into a lot of real history of the region. Did you know that this area is home to the only church-sanctioned Marian sighting in the United States? You’ll learn about the real Sister Adele Brise, who hid in a wood church and was spared in the Great Fire. Prior to that event, she reported being visited by Mary, the mother of Jesus. Today, travelers from across the United States stop at the shrine in Champion, Wis., on their way to Door County.

Just north of there, in Namur, Wis., Grandpa Gil feels sure that the traveling, teaching nun must have hidden an early version of a divinity fudge recipe in the brick church, thus protecting the special recipe from fires.

Ava scours the local church for the recipe, but instead finds a dead body, a fire, and the start of a game of hide-and-seek with an arsonist out to do in Ava before she can try on the glass slipper.

Other regular characters in my series include Ava’s best friend Pauline, who’s a kindergarten teacher, and Laura, who’s having twins and waiting for her husband to come home from a special mission in the Middle East.

There’s also a smart gaggle of church ladies who often cause Ava no end of trouble when they volunteer at the fudge shop.

And Dillon Rivers’ American water spaniel, Lucky Harbor, finds his nose in all kinds of trouble in every fudge mystery.

My series presents a warm-hearted view of a real place popular for vacations. I hope readers have a chance to look it up online to explore and then visit sometime where reading a Fudge Shop Mystery while lazing away a day in a hammock is what Door County is all about.

About the Author:

Christine DeSmet writes the Fudge Shop Mystery Series (Penguin Random House/NAL/Obsidian). She’s also an award-winning scriptwriter and teaches writing at University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies where she directs the annual June Write-by-the-Lake Writer’s Workshop & Retreat. You can write to her at UW-Madison, cdesmet@dcs.wisc.edu or find her on Facebook or at her website, www.ChristineDeSmet.com.

It’s autumn in Fishers’ Harbor, Wisconsin, and fudge shop owner Ava Oosterling is busy preparing for the harvest festival and a visit from some royal relatives who live in Belgium. According to Ava’s grandpa, a famous divinity fudge recipe from the 1860s is hidden somewhere in a local historical church—a treat fit for a prince.

But when a fire in the church reveals the body of a murdered man, it looks like someone is willing to go to any length to possess the valuable secret to the divinity fudge. As Ava searches for the killer—and the recipe—she could use a little divine intervention, because she may have bitten off more than she can chew…

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of Five-Alarm Fudge

Review (4 Stars): Five-Alarm Fudge is a charming mystery filled with irresistible treats, fascinating characters and a complex plot-driven whodunnit that kept me reading past my bedtime. Ava and her family are preparing for a visit from some royal relatives and Ava must find a missing fudge recipe that her grandfather said that she would make for their visiting guests. When a fire in the church leads to the discovery of a dead body, Ava learns that this missing recipe may be the motive for murder and is on the hunt to find another killer before it is too late.

Ava is such an interesting character and I enjoy spending time with her and her lovely friends with each new mystery. I loved seeing how far she has come over the course of the series, especially in her relationship with her old flame, Dillon. The mystery was entertaining and fun and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Fudge Shop Mystery series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Five Alarm Fudge. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by April 22nd, please leave me a comment below: