Interview & giveaway with Jennifer Estep

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome the wonderful Jennifer Estep to the blog today to chat about being author, life and her newest release Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin)

Jennifer Estep author photo.Jennifer, can you please share with us a little about yourself

JE: My name is Jennifer Estep, and I’m the New York Times bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series.

The books focus on Gin Blanco, an assassin codenamed the Spider who can control the elements of Ice and Stone. When she’s not busy killing people and righting wrongs, Gin runs a barbecue restaurant called the Pork Pit in the fictional Southern metropolis of Ashland. The city is also home to giants, dwarves, vampires, and elementals – Air, Fire, Ice, and Stone.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

JE: My mom used to take me to the library every Saturday when I was a kid, so that’s how I fell in love with books and reading in the first place. So I think wanting to write my own stories and be an author grew out of that love of books and reading.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

JE: Some of my favorite writers are Robin McKinley, Donald Westlake, David Eddings, Ian Fleming, Lisa Kleypas, and too many others to name.

Every time I read a really great book, it always inspires me, and I hope that I can write something just as good one day.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

JE: I’ve always enjoyed fantasy stories and strong heroines, so writing urban fantasy seemed like a natural fit for the kind of stories that I wanted to tell. I also write young adult and paranormal romance.

I have ideas for books in different genres, and I’d love to write a western or a heist book someday. But I will probably always write urban fantasy just because I enjoy it so much.

What are some of your writing rituals?

JE: I know a lot of authors listen to music while they write, but I don’t do that. It’s just me and my computer with no distractions. I always joke that the only thing I need to write is dead silence. LOL.

Poison Promise - cover imageCan you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

JE: Poison Promise, the 11th book in my Elemental Assassin series, will be released on July 22. My heroine Gin Blanco has to protect someone who witnesses a horrific crime, so there’s a lot of magic, action, and adventure in the book. I hope everyone has as much fun reading the book as I did writing it.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

JE: Many times in the series, Gin finds herself getting into trouble because she’s trying to protect her friends and family, and that’s what happens in Poison Promise as well. Being a protector and watching out for people is one of the core things that drives Gin, so it sort of naturally leads to a lot of story ideas.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

JE: Right now, I’m working on Black Widow, the 12th book in my Elemental Assassin series which will be published on Nov. 25.

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

JE: In the first chapter of Poison Promise, Gin gets into a fight with a couple of vampires.

What would you be if you were not an author?

JE: Good question! I would probably still do something book-related, like be a librarian or work in a bookstore.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

JE: I have about 40 books waiting in my TBR pile, so I’m looking forward to catching up on books/series by Katie McGarry, Sarah J. Maas, Alex Bledsoe, Scott Lynch, and several other authors.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

JE: Thanks for hosting me on your blog! I appreciate it.

If folks want more info on my books, they can check out my website at www.jenniferestep.com or follow me on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

Happy reading, everyone!

Jennifer Estep author photo.A little more about Jennifer:

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea. Spider’s BiteWeb of LiesVenomTangled ThreadsSpider’s RevengeBy a ThreadWidow’s Web,Deadly StingHeart of VenomThe Spider, and Poison Promise, along with the e-shorts Thread of Death, Parlor Tricks, andKiss of Venom, are the other titles in her Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series for Pocket Books. The Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series and the Bigtime paranormal romance series are her other works. For more on Jennifer and her books, visit JenniferEstep.com and @Jennifer_Estep.

Find Jennifer here: Website Blog | FacebookTwitter (@Jennifer_Estep) | Goodreads

 

 

 

*****

Poison Promise

Poison Promise - cover image

Pub Date:   07/22/14

Amazon | B&N | BAM| Indie Bound Simon & Schuster

In book eleven of her New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series, author Jennifer Estep continues “one of the best urban fantasy series going on the market” (Fresh Fiction).
Gin Blanco is hard-nosed, sexy, and lethal. Nicknamed “The Spider,” she’s a stone elemental assassin who brings her unique mix of magic and tact to every assignment, no matter the target.

There’s a new drug on the streets of Ashland, and its name “Burn” sums up the potent effect it has on its users. When one of her restaurant employees is threatened by dealers of the drug, Gin steps in to set things straight…

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Skye Jordan’s Ricochet excerpt tour + giveaway

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 *****
Ricochet

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AmazonAmazon UKAmazon Canada | | B&N | iBookstore| Kobo|

After a tragic incident in Afghanistan leaves Master Sergeant Nathan Ryker the only man standing in his tight-knit team, he spirals into an alcohol-and-sex induced escape. A call from his lifelong buddy pulls Ryker from the shadows with a request for help with his stunt company’s latest blockbuster. If Ryker can survive the next three weeks of leave and get back to his remaining men, he might just be all right. But a sexy woman who can take his mind off his trauma is too hard to resist, and when he hooks up with Renegades’ sultry, snarky office manager, his sanity takes a backseat to his first glimpse of a future he isn’t sure he deserves.

Still reeling from a bitter romantic betrayal, Rachel Hart wants nothing more than an uncomplicated hookup. So when the mysterious Nathan seduces her with a little dirty talk and one delicious kiss, Rachel drowns all her good sense in a Mandarin and soda and gives herself over to a night of sexual bliss. But her memories tarnish in the morning light when Rachel discovers his real identity and his link to Renegades. Her job and her friends are the only thing holding her life together, and she won’t be ruined by one sultry night with this damaged and dangerously sexy man.

Check out Kelly & Kimberly’s review of Ricochet HERE

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As Josh greeted the other men, Rachel saw him through new eyes—Nathan’s eyes. Aside from Josh’s clean-cut look and Wes’s messy Renegade style, the two men actually looked a lot alike—both over six feet, both blond, both handsome. Wes fell into the wicked rebel category, while Josh was more of the sexy CPA type.

“That him?” Nathan asked, his voice a little on the dark side.

“Yes. I’m sorry, I wanted to prep you before he got here.”

He laughed, the sound cynical. “Baby, I don’t need prepping. The fucking president could walk in here, and I’d be ready.”

She darted a glance at Nathan to gauge his mood. But his expression had changed so completely, he looked like a different man. His face was tight, his jaw hard, lips thin. And his eyes… Those weren’t the warm, flirty eyes that had eaten her up at the bar. Not the lust-filled eyes she’d drowned in last night. These eyes were…sharp, intense, assessing.

“I’m…” she started. “I didn’t mean—”

“Do you always socialize with business associates who have influence over a project?” he asked without taking his eyes off the men as Josh made the rounds to shake hands, take a beer, bullshit. Nathan’s gaze swung back to Rachel’s. “Or is he more than an associate?”

What?

Once the shock wore off, she saw the harsh comment for what it was, a flash of male competition. This had been her fear from the start; Nathan and Josh were too much alike. And problem upon problem tipped in Rachel’s mind like dominos.

She gripped his forearm, drawing his gaze again. “Don’t, Nathan. Don’t make this about you and me. That was one night. This is Renegades’ future. Troy’s future.”

Understanding softened his gaze. She didn’t want to pull her hand away. Sensed he needed it. And she loved the feel of him—hard, warm…so solid. But when she glanced toward Josh again, he was scanning the yard, and Rachel removed her hand just as his gaze landed on the pool and found her.

They’d worked together for months, and he had to have looked at her hundreds of times. But his gaze felt so much heavier now, when she was sitting next to Nathan, sure Josh would see or sense their attraction. She didn’t owe Josh anything. It was a ridiculous thing to worry about. Yet…

Josh’s smile gleamed in the darkness, and he started toward her. He was wearing his typical work clothes, trendy black flat-front slacks and a pinstriped button-down, the sleeves rolled up on his forearms. A neat square belt buckle reflected the light. He looked good. Sharp. Confident. Quietly powerful.

He always did.

And she had a damn good feeling that was going to cause even more conflict with Nathan.

Josh lifted a hand to her as he neared.

She smiled and waved back, then met Nathan’s gaze seriously. “If you take the job, you’re going to have to deal with Josh. There’s just no way around it. And if that’s going to be a problem, please, please step back. These people mean as much to me as Troy means to you. I’ll find another way to do the stunt.”

“Hey, beautiful.” Josh’s deep voice cut into their conversation.

The muscles in Rachel’s shoulders tightened like guitar strings. She looked away from Nathan’s I-knew-it expression. “Hey, Josh.”

Make sure to check out today’s other post. 

Follow the rest of the tour HERE

joanswan-skyejordan_headshotAbout Skye:

Skye Jordan is a pseudonym for New York Times bestselling romantic suspense author Joan Swan.

Skye’s novels are about enjoying that little wild streak we don’t let out often enough. About those fantasies we rarely get the opportunity to indulge. About stretching limits, checking out the dark side, and maybe even acting a little naughty. They’re about escape and fun and pleasure and romance.

And, yes, even love, because while wicked-great sex is good, happily ever after with wicked-great sex is even better.

Skye (aka Joan) lives on the central coast of California in the heart of wine country with her husband and two daughters. As often as possible, she retreats to a hotel with critique partners for a power-writing week where much drinking, laughing, and yes, even working, ensues. When she’s not writing, Skye goes to breakfast with her hubby, attends her daughters’ barrel races, and spends a lot of time with her own horse, Riddle…while her two dogs, Paxton and Indie, tag along. She also loves to read, knit, craft, row, ride, and dabble in photography.

Links: Website FacebookTwitter | Goodreads | PinterestNewsletter

Don’t miss out on the other Renegade books.  Find them here Reckless Rebel

 

 

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Giveaway Details:

Skye is giving away the following at each stop:

  • 1  American Flag Military Dog Tag Swarovski Crystals (1 winner)
    This sparkly, all-American military dog tag is symbolic of the tags Ryker wears RICOCHET, but much prettier.

The front features the American flag embellished with real Swarovski Crystals.

The reverse side is custom engraved with one of the following RENEGADE taglines: grandprizenecklace flagpendantetched-74BA33

MY HEART BELONGS TO A RENEGADE

RENEGADES ARE MY WEAKNESS

EVERY WOMAN LOVES A RENEGADE

KEEP CALM AND LOVE A RENEGADE

RENEGADE JUNKIE

DARE TO BE A RENEGADE

A RENEGADE STOLE MY HEART

I’M IN LOVE WITH A RENEGADE

MY (BOOK) BOYFRIEND IS A RENEGADE

WHO NEEDS A KNIGHT? I WANT A RENEGADE

REAL. ROMANTIC. REBELLIOUS. RENEGADE.

Each tag comes with a split ring for keychain or ball chain for pendant.

  • 1 American Flag Paracord Zipper Pull (1 winner)
    These patriotic cuties are made with quality 550 Paracord. Add them to everything you can imagine—for style and function! Ex: purses, luggage, jackets, camera bag, etc.
  • flag-paracord-zipperpull
  • 3 Digital copies of readers choice of any of the following books: (3 winners)

○     Reckless

○     Rebel

○     Intimate Enemies

○     First Temptation

○     Sinful Deception

 

 

GRAND PRIZE for the tour:

Stylish GUESS wallet filled with $70 in gift cards + necklace! (Valued at $150)

$25 Amazon
$25 Barnes & Noble
$20 iTunes
Handmade necklace: Home of the Free Because of the Brave!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Masters of Seduction Release Day Spotlight + Giveaway

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have four of our favorite authors on the blog today to help promote their new release of  Masters of Seduction: Books 1-4: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set.  I, for one can’t wait to jump into this box  set and learn all about these Masters.   So what do you say we take a little look into the world of the Masters of Seduction.

MOS

Amazon| B&N | Kobo | iTunes

In the realm of the Incubi Masters, pleasure is to die for and love is the deadliest game of all . . .

Surrender to sinful pleasures and forbidden passions with Masters of Seduction, the sizzling new paranormal romance novella series from New York Times and internationally bestselling authors Lara Adrian, Donna Grant, Laura Wright and Alexandra Ivy.

This all-new, never-before-published boxed set contains the first four novellas in the Masters of Seduction series. Each book in the collection is approximately 20-25,000 words.

For more information on the series, visit www.MastersOfSeductionAuthors.com

 *****

Are you interested yet?

Lara, Donna, Laura & Alexandra were nice enough to not only share their new box set but they are giving us a closer look into each story.

So here is a look at each of the stories.

Enjoy!!

*****

Merciless: House of Gravori 

by Lara Adrian 

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Seeking vengeance for the murder of his brother, Incubus Master Devlin Gravori demands justice from the high court of the Nephilim. But fury and retribution are no match for the consuming desire he feels for Nahiri, the beautiful Nephilim warrior he claims as his hostage.

Merciless Excerpt (Used with permission by Lara Adrian © Lara Adrian 2014): 

Nahiri awoke in the middle of a large bed in a strange room.

She shot upright the instant consciousness dawned, her hands reaching automatically for her weapons.

They were gone.

The leather sheaths that crossed her torso were empty.

No. That meant her nightmare hadn’t been just a dream. It was reality.

The Incubus in the temple…Devlin Gravori.

He really had taken her.

Nahiri’s eyelids snapped open in panic. Sunlight poured in from an open window across the room, blasting her vision.

Momentarily blinded, she squinted through her lashes, struggling to take quick stock of her new surroundings.

Creamy stucco walls. Dark hardwood floors and masculine-looking furnishings. Thick timber beams high above her head.

And beneath her, a massive bed. The mattress was as cushiony as a cloud, the cotton sheets and silken coverlet calling to mind all manner of sins.

All around her was the scent of intriguingly exotic spices and something even more enticing.

Him.

She sensed his presence even before she swung her head in his direction and found him seated in an upholstered chair beside the bed. No, not seated in it, exactly. Dominating it. The same way he seemed to dominate every space he occupied.

His big body lounged negligently where he sat, his powerful thighs spread, one arm draped over the side of the chair, the other propping his head up, fist curled loosely under the square line of his jaw.

He’d shed his suit jacket at some point, and now wore just his gray tailored pants and white business shirt. The collar was opened even farther than she recalled, just one more button loosened, but exposing enough of his tawny skin to make her mouth water with a sudden, unholy urge to taste him.

She wanted to dismiss the impulse as one he planted in her mind, but she could tell from the casual way he regarded her that any curiosity she felt in that moment was hers alone.

Nahiri scrambled off the bed. She backed into the farthest corner of the room, eyeing him warily. “Where am I? Where have you taken me?”

“You’re at Gravori House.” He cast a nonchalant look around the room. “More specifically, you’re in my bedroom.”

Even though she could have guessed as much, her heart still climbed into her throat. Since she’d gone to the temple to train at eighteen years old, she hadn’t left the sanctuary grounds even once. Let alone spent so much as a minute in a man’s bedroom.

She might be a virgin, but she had never been a wilting little girl. She was a grown woman. A skilled warrior. She refused to let him intimidate her.

“It was a bad idea to abduct me from the temple,” she informed him. “The Three will see you punished for this, Incubus, regardless of what you mean to do to me. And with or without my weapons, I am still a Blade. I will fight you every step of the way.”

“The same way you did in the High Chamber?”

Her cheeks flamed with heat at the reminder. With humiliation. Her weakness had shamed her in front of the other Blades, in front of the three priestesses who’d entrusted her with their lives. With their faith that she was the best, the strongest, of her peers.

And this demon had disproved all of that in a moment.

He would do it again if he wanted to. He could do anything he wanted to her. Nahiri could see it in the hard glint of his golden eyes.

No, for all her skill—for all her dedication to the teachings and training of the temple—Devlin Gravori could destroy her at his whim.

“I’m not interested in fighting you,” he murmured, as if he could read the troubled direction of her thoughts.

She swallowed, watching the way he stared at her from across the room. He didn’t move, and yet her body trembled as though his hands were already on her, as hot and roaming as his gaze. All the wicked, deviant things she’d ever heard about Incubi appetites poured over her in a rush of dread and terrible anticipation.

“In case you’re worried about it, I’m not interested in raping you either,” he drawled, the corner of his mouth curling around the sensual growl of his deep, rumbling voice. “Forcing a woman isn’t the Incubus way. Never been my way, at any rate.”

Nahiri hiked up her chin. “No, you’ll just bend my will until I submit. Or make me your Thrall so you can siphon my life’s energy for your own. Maybe you’ll manipulate my mind until I beg you to drain me completely. I suppose that would be more your way.”

He grunted, dark amusement in his tone. “I have plenty of women more than happy to slake my needs—all of my needs.”

As reassurances went, his did little to relieve her. He steepled his hands beneath his chin, his citrine gaze locked on her. Nahiri could hardly breathe. His dark energy was gathered about him, pulsating and vivid, but not the way she’d felt it in the temple.

He was holding his demonic allure in check now, despite the heat she felt licking along her limbs and putting a flame to her blood. He intrigued her as much as he unsettled her.

Heaven save her, but he tempted her.

Even as he terrified her, infuriated her…he stirred a dangerous longing in her.

And he knew.

The way he studied her, he knew she was struggling against an attraction she wanted desperately to deny.

One raven brow quirked nearly imperceptibly. “If I wanted to take you as my lover, Nahiri, or feed from you as my Thrall, I wouldn’t need force or Incubus magic to do it.”

The combination of her name on his lips and the terrible truth he spoke made her heart stumble in her chest. It beat shallowly, accelerating in time with her breathing.

And she tried not to notice how his gaze tracked every inch of her body, settling on her breasts as they rose and fell with each rapid squeeze of her lungs.

He got out of the chair and stood in place for a long moment. When he finally moved, his steps were measured, unrushed. So confident, as if doubt was something he never had to trifle with when it came to women.

Of course, he’d told her as much, so his arrogance shouldn’t surprise her now.

Nahiri stood, frozen, as he approached, his thick-muscled thighs carrying him in a slow prowl across the room. He paused an arm’s length away from her.

“Why did you bring me here?” she asked, grateful that the tremors of her body hadn’t found their way into her voice. She could not forget for an instant that she was dealing with a demon. “What do you want from me?”

His sensual mouth twisted in contemplation. “I haven’t decided yet. But let me be clear about one thing, little Blade. You may be pledged to the Three and their precious temple, but in this House, I am Master. So long as I have you under this roof, you will obey me. As of now, your well-being, your life—everything—belongs to me.”

She bristled, outrage shooting through her like fire. She welcomed the anger. It helped eclipse the desire that was still simmering inside her, unwanted and never to be admitted—especially to this overbearing heathen of a man.

Devlin Gravori was mad if he expected her to think of him as anything but her captor.

Her enemy.

And he might as well realize that now.

Nahiri peeled her lips back from her teeth in a furious smile. She squared off against him, ready to do battle even without the benefit of her weapons. “I would rather die before I give anything to you. Willingly or by force. I would see you dead before that day.”

He scowled as she hissed the words into his face. When he raised his hand, she thought for certain he would strike her.

Instead, his broad, warm palm came around the back of her neck. He held her in a firm grip, and brought his face terrifyingly close to hers.

When he spoke his voice was raw, as rough as gravel in his throat. “Be careful with your threats, Nahiri. Those are dangerous words. Particularly when my kin are already grieving the loss of one brother to your kind today.”

She stared up into his fierce golden eyes, transfixed by the power she saw there. By the pain and fury that hardened his handsome features and tightened the lush line of his mouth.

“On the other side of this bedroom door, I have a dozen Incubi brothers and cousins who might be tempted to take your threats against me to heart. They might be tempted toward other things too. But not so long as you’re under my watch. No one takes what belongs to me.”

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to her mouth. It lingered there, and suddenly Nahiri could hardly swallow for the lack of moisture in her throat. Her lips tingled under his gaze, aching for contact. Her temples pounded with her heartbeat, a rising, steady thrum that seemed to echo in the small space between her body and his.

Everything female in her was fixed on this man—this dark, deadly demon—and the unholy need he aroused in her.

“You will obey me,” he muttered, the command like velvet on her senses when it should grate like sharp stones. “As of right now, Nahiri the Blade, you belong to me.”

A little about Lara Adrian: Adrian_L

Lara Adrian is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Midnight Breed vampire romance series and numerous other titles published independently. With nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide, and translations licensed in more than 20 countries, Lara’s books have been called “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “strikingly original” (Booklist) and “a must-read” (Fresh Fiction). She lives in New England with her husband, where she is currently at work on her next novel. To learn more about Lara’s books and to sign up for her email newsletter, visit her here  Website| Facebook | Twitter @lara_adrian | Goodreads

*****

Soulless: House of Romerac 

by Donna Grant

Soulless_600x900Incubus Master Canaan Romerac is focused solely on revenge against those who betrayed him and put him in the Oubliette for five hundred years. That is until he sets eyes on Rayna. Can the beautiful Nephilim heal Canaan’s wounded soul before it’s too late.  

Soulless excerpt (Used with permission by Donna Grant © Donna Grant 2014):

There was a pause. “Your skin is flushed, but not from illness.”

Conceited prick. Of course a sex demon would know when she was aroused. “I know you won’t force me, and I’m not interested. So go away.”

She waited for his response, waited to hear the charm and seduction she knew was coming. Except there was nothing. Rayna counted to fifty before she opened her eyes.

And promptly gasped when she found herself staring into eyes of blue-green as fathomless as the sea.

Rayna tried to look away, but only managed to move her eyes to his chiseled chin and jaw that sported a shadow of a beard, making him even sexier. If that was possible.

She caught a glimpse of coal black hair against his shoulder and saw it hung loose, the waves begging her to slide her fingers into the thickness. A lock of that hair fell over his wide forehead to fall against the corner of his eye.

Once more she was caught in his gaze. A woman could drown in such brilliance. Between the brightness of his eyes, the long black lashes, his midnight hair, and his olive skin, he wasn’t just handsome. He was striking, breathtaking.

Magnificent.

“Not interested?” he said, a hint of a smile upon wide, full lips. Lips that no doubt kissed as heavenly as he looked.

Rayna had to try twice to get enough wetness in her mouth to swallow. Even then her voice wouldn’t work so she shook her head.

He leaned forward and ran his index finger softly down the side of her face before pushing her hair over her shoulder. “Say it again.”

Was he insane? Didn’t he realize she was barely holding it together? Or perhaps that was the point. He did realize exactly what kind of precarious situation she was in.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known pleasure. She’d had her share of lovers, but not a single one of them had heated her blood like the Incubi before her. And he hadn’t even kissed her.

Victory shone in the Incubus’s beautiful eyes, and the resulting anger was enough that she could remember just why she didn’t want him. She refused to be a pawn in the game played between the Nephilim and the Incubi.

“I don’t want you,” she said. It might be a hoarse whisper, but the words had come.

To make her point even more clear, she shoved past him. It was a mistake as soon as her hand landed on his chest. The resulting heat, the primal need that thrummed through her veins, halted her.

He moved behind her, his warm breath fanning her neck. Unable to stop herself, her eyes closed and her head fell to the side. Soft lips touched the place where her neck met her shoulders. It barely registered before his hot, wet tongue flicked over her skin.

“You’re correct, Nephilim. I won’t force you,” he whispered into her ear. “Your kind is normally so willing to couple with us. What makes you so different?”

Rayna turned to face him, wondering if she was a masochist. Why else would she willingly face someone so damned gorgeous again?

“I walked away from that world. I want nothing to do with it.”

Before she could get in another word, his lips were on hers. There was nothing soft or romantic about the kiss. It was all heat and desire, need and passion.

Lust and longing.

It sent her world spinning. Her body was scorched from the intensity of the kiss.

As suddenly as it began, the kiss ended. Rayna blinked up at him, unsure why he stopped. She licked her lips, liking the taste of him altogether too much.

“Farewell,” he said and disappeared into the night before she could utter a single syllable in response.

A little about Donna Grant: donna_grant_new

Donna Grant has been praised for her “totally addictive” and “unique and sensual” stories.  She’s the author of more than twenty novels spanning multiple genres of romance—Scottish Medieval, dark fantasy, time travel, paranormal, and erotic.  Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Sword, features a thrilling combination of Druids, primeval gods, and immortal Highlanders who are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

To learn more about Donna and her books, please visit her here: Website | Facebook | Twitter @donna_grant | Goodreads

 

*****

Shameless: House of Vipera

by Laura Wright  

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Sexy Incubus Master Scarus Vipera has grown weak, and the only thing that will strengthen him again is Rosamund, the power-rich female of the Harem. But the mysterious Nephilim is determined to leave the harem untouched, her heart intact.

Shameless Excerpt (Used with permission by Laura Wright © Laura Wright 2014): 

Rosamund gasped as the man ran his nose along the seam of her sex. Why couldn’t they go away? These stupid, silly Nephilim? Their opinions meant nothing to her. All she wanted was this male. His mouth on her. His tongue inside her.

“Rosamund, you must wake!” called the second female, more urgently this time. “Constance is on her way. There is to be an announcement.”

Rosamund drove her fingers into thick, soft hair in response. Yes! Yes! Right there, male, she urged, squeezing his scalp. He groaned, the sound vibrating against her heat as he nuzzled his way to her swelling clitoris.

The sound of a doorknob rattling entered her consciousness, but she pushed it away. It was the click of a lock being breached that truly yanked her from the rising pleasure, cutting into her dream like a guillotine to the neck. She came awake with a start, eyes flying open, body jackknifing upward into a sitting position. Breathing heavy, she glanced around, blinked. It was pitch black in her little anteroom—the space she’d claimed when she arrived in the Harem nearly one year ago. The space that was all hers. Every other Nephilim in residence lived in shared accommodations—very gratefully and happily. But Rosamund had wanted to be alone.

No. She’d needed to be alone.

“Rosamund, Constance will give you a week in the kitchens if you’re not in attendance,” Eva persisted, inching the door open.

Panic seized Rosamund. She couldn’t have them see her. Not like this. “I’m up,” she called, scrambling off her pallet and rushing to the door. She pressed herself against it, blocking their entrance. “I’m up. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

There was a momentary pause, then a sigh. “All right,” Eva said. “We will see you in the courtyard. And Rosamund?”

“Yes?” she said with a touch of irritation she wasn’t quite awake enough to hide. Sleep still clung to her mind. Wet heat still claimed everything south of her navel.

“Good morning to you,” the female called.

Oh great Goddess, it had been, Rosamund thought with a groan as she listened to the females’ retreating footsteps. Or could have been. She heaved a sigh and let her head fall back against the wood. She was truly dying to know how her dream ended. She’d been having it nearly every night of her three hundred and sixty one nights in the Harem. And each time, the intensity grew, the need intensified. Granted, she could never see the male’s face clearly, but she knew it was Roger. The human man she’d met and fallen for three months before she’d been called to the Harem. The human man who believed she was away on a yearlong animal research trip in the Australian bush.

The human man who had held her in his arms the night before she left and sworn that he would wait for her forever. But Rosamund knew forever was a relative term—and that waiting wasn’t easy for anyone. Normally a letter from him came once a week, forwarded from a post office box in Sydney. But in the past couple of months she’d received nothing at all.

Her heart squeezed as she pushed away from the door. Just four more days, she reminded herself, setting about lighting the three lamps that lined her tiny bookcase and clothing rack. Four more days until she was back in San Francisco, back to Roger—back to creating the life, the home, the family, she’d always dreamt of having.

With quick, seasoned hands, she performed her daily routine. Tying down her breasts and padding her middle. Applying powders to her face to make her appear sallow and tired, and oils to her long, pale blond hair to make it appear unwashed. And the one last accompaniment that was a guarantee to her continued success—the one she’d had made before leaving San Francisco nearly a year ago—a dental prosthetic that made her teeth look almost rotten.

After slipping on the large pumpkin-colored day robe, she made a quick inventory of her appearance in the cracked half mirror. She looked as she did every day. A younger version of the witch who’d sold Snow White her poisoned apple. She heaved a great sigh of relief. Perfect. No male on Earth would choose her over the stunning Nephilim females of the Harem.

A little about Laura Wright: LauraWrightPic

Author of the Bestselling Mark of the Vampire series, Laura Wright spent the early years of her life immersed in the worlds of singing, acting and competitive ballroom dancing. But when she started writing, she knew she’d found her true calling. Laura lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband, two children, three dogs, two frogs and two fish. She’s been thrice nominated for a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, and loves hearing from her readers.  To learn more about Laura and her books, please visit her here: Website| Facebook | Twitter @LauraWriteRom | Goodreads

*****

Ruthless: House of Xanthe

 by Alexandra Ivy

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Jian, Master of the House Xanthe, has devoted his life to returning his family to their former prominence.  When he’s offered a contract to hunt down the missing Sovereign, he’s eager to accept. The last thing he expects is to encounter a stunningly beautiful angel who stirs more than his lust

Ruthless Excerpt (Used with permission by Alexandra Ivy © Alexandra Ivy 2014)

Jian, the Master of the House of Xanthe, stood at the edge of the barren, uninhabited island in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.  He grimaced as he studied the jagged mountain of blue ice that soared toward the sky.

Despite the weak sunlight, the breeze was edged with a lethal chill and beneath his feet the ground trembled as the ice abruptly split open.  Only his swift leap to the side prevented him from tumbling into the deep fissure that formed.

Not the first place anyone would willingly choose to spend the night.

Not even a demon.

Thankfully, Jian wasn’t just any demon.

As a powerful Incubus, he could not only compel others with the force of his sexual enchantment, but he was physically impervious to the brutal elements.  He also possessed the unique ability to see through magical illusions.

Which was why he was the current Master of House Xanthe.

Unlike other Incubi Houses, Xanthe didn’t accumulate their wealth through vineyards, or sprawling hotel chains, or sex clubs.

No, their profitable spice trade had been destroyed, and worse, their lands stripped away, after Jian’s grandfather had stood against the House of Marakel and been labeled a traitor by the Council.  Now Xanthe depended on their own skills to rebuild their empire.

Two of Jian’s younger brothers were expert assassins who offered death for an obscene price.  And a handful of cousins sold themselves as mercenaries for other Incubi.

But it was Jian’s ability to gather and collect information that was slowly returning Xanthe to its position among the most respected Houses.

There was nothing in this world, or any other, that paid quite so well as secrets.

A wry smile twisted his lips as he recalled the extremely large fortune that had just been transferred into his account from a human politician who preferred to keep his habit of siphoning funds from his elderly donors from hitting the front page.

“This is a bad idea,” Taka growled.

Jian turned his head to study the large Incubus standing next to him.

The captain of Xanthe’s Watchmen, Taka looked exactly like what he was—a ruthless killer.  Dressed in leather pants and a T-shirt despite the frigid air, he was as large as an ox, with bluntly carved features and a smoothly shaved skull.  His skin was tanned to a rich mahogany, and his arms, which bulged with muscle, were tattooed with the Xanthe House emblem of a warrior.

Jian, on the other hand, was built along leaner lines, with the sleek muscles of a trained swordsman.

His skin was a smooth, unblemished honey and his straight blue-black hair was cut short on the sides, with the top long enough to fall over his wide forehead.  He had a thin blade of a nose and high, narrow cheekbones that whispered of his Far Eastern heritage.  His face was lean, with eyes that were faintly tilted and glowed like melted gold in the sunlight.

 

Alexandra IvyA little about Alexandra Ivy: 

Alexandra Ivy is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Guardians of Eternity series, as well as the Sentinels and Bayou Heat that she writes with Laura Wright.  After majoring in theatre she decided she prefers to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage.  She lives in Missouri with her family.

Learn more about Alexandra and her books, please visit her here:  WebsiteFacebookTwitter @AlexandraIvyGoodreads

 

 

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Books-n-Kisses will be giving away 2 digital copies of Master of Seduction to two readers.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Be Careful What You Witch For by Dawn Eastman

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I’m delighted to have Dawn Eastman here to discuss her new book, Be Careful What You Witch For.  This is the second book in her Family Fortune Mystery series and it is just as delightful as the first.  Please welcome Dawn to Books-n-Kisses.

1. Tell me about your new release.

Be Careful What You Witch For is the second novel in the Family Fortune Mystery series. It takes place in October, a few months after Pall in the Family ends.  My main character, Clyde Fortune, helped her friend, Diana, to plan and organize the annual fall festival.  Because Diana is Wiccan, she planned a ceremony in the woods on Halloween as part of the festival.  Right in the middle of the ceremony, one of the participants dies from an allergic reaction.  Accident or murder?

2. Where did you come up with the idea for this series?

I have two versions of this story – one is the out-of-the-blue version, the other is that it percolated for many years! I was working on developing a series that would be entertaining and unique.  I had written a couple of “practice” novels and focused on fixing the things that didn’t work in those books for developing a new series idea.  I knew I wanted to write something lighter, like a cozy.

The characters themselves seemed to just show up.  I saw Clyde and her mother and aunt talking and arguing about the family business. I wondered what kind of family business they might have, and once I realized it was a psychic business I wondered what kind of a town would support such a business.  I decided to place the town in one of my favorite places – Western Michigan – and before I knew it, a bunch of other characters showed up and started populating the town.  A psychic tourist town amused me and I thought I could develop some entertaining stories with that setting and the new characters that were lining up to live there.

3. What was the most interesting thing that you had to research as a writer?

Because I have psychics and Wiccans in my books, and I am not psychic or Wiccan, I have been able to research all sorts of interesting things.  I’ve researched psychic phenomena, ghost sightings, Wiccan philosophy, and divination techniques. It would be difficult to pick one interesting thing since it is all fascinating to me and whatever I’m currently researching is always the most interesting.

4. Which authors do you feel have influenced you to become a writer?

I love all sorts of books and have always been a reader.  My obsession with mysteries began with Nancy Drew and quickly moved to Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle.  When I discovered Janet Evanovich and realized that mysteries could be funny as well, I was sold.  I had to try it for myself.

5. What are you working on now?

I’m finishing up book three in the series and working on plotting out the next few.

6. Favorite TV guilty pleasure? Favorite Food? Favorite book that you’ve read recently?

TV: I can’t pick one. I’ll go with Castle, Murdoch Mysteries, and anything on Masterpiece.Food: chocolate chip cookies and tea. Book: The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Thank you for being here today on Books-n-Kisses.

Thank you for hosting me on your blog!

About the Author:

dawn

 

Dawn Eastman is the national bestselling author of Pall in the Family, the first book in the Family Fortune Mystery Series. She lived in Michigan for many years in a house full of animals, unusual people, and laughter. She now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, daughter, and one extremely bossy small dog.

Website/Facebook/Twitter

 

 

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Leaving a traumatic police career behind, Clyde Fortune has returned to her seemingly quiet hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan. In spite of the psychic powers of its residents, there’s no telling what trouble is brewing in this burg…

The highlight of the fall festival in Crystal Haven is a bonfire with a witch’s cauldron resting over it. Clyde’s best friend Diana leads a ritual to divine the future, but it seems no one foresees that one of their own will drop dead—or that Diana will be a prime suspect.

Clyde already has her hands full with her eccentric family, runaway nephew, and burgeoning secret romance with a hunky homicide detective. But after another coven member is attacked, Clyde suspects there’s a witch hunt afoot and focuses her psychic and sleuthing skills to clear her friend’s name and catch a killer.

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Jennifer’s Review of Be Careful What You Witch For

Review  (4.5 Stars):  I am a big fan of this series because Ms. Eastman has written a delightful series with memorable characters, supernatural elements and laugh out loud humor that will have you clamoring for more. Be Careful What You Witch For is the second book in the Family Fortune series and I was hooked from the very first page.  Clyde is a great heroine for me because she used to be a police officer so she is smart and strong but just happens to be a member of a family full of psychics.  This mystery involves Clyde’s best friend, Diana, who is suspect in the murder of a family friend during a fall festival ceremony. Clyde is on the hunt for the true killer to clear her friends name and protect other people from getting hurt.

This book was fast paced and well-written so I had no trouble following along with the story.  I love Ms. Eastman’s humor in these books and Crystal Haven is definitely a fun place to visit.  I can’t wait to read the third book in the series and see what these zany characters are up to next.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Be Careful What You Witch For.

This giveaway is for US Residents only.  To be entered in the drawing by July 11th, please leave a question or comment for Ms. Eastman:

(Please include email address in comments)

 

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Suddenly Last Summer by Sarah Morgan

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Tour Page & Schedule

About the Book:

USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan introduces another irresistible O’Neil brother who’s more tempting than dessert and twice as sinful!

Fiery French chef Élise Philippe is having a seriously bad day. Not only have the grand opening plans for her beloved café fallen apart, but Sean O’Neil is back in town and looking more delectable than ever. Memories of the electrifying night they shared last summer leave Élise very tempted, but she knows all too well that eventually Sean will be leaving…again.

Being back in Vermont—even temporarily—is surgeon Sean O’Neil’s worst nightmare. Returning home to the Snow Crystal Resort means confronting the guilt he feels about rejecting his family’s lifestyle years ago. But discovering that Élise is still in Vermont and still sets his blood racing is a very welcome distraction! Remembering last summer and how good they were together is going to make walking away more difficult than he could imagine….

Goodreads | Amazon | Harlequin

About the Author:

USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She has been nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and has won the award twice, in 2012 and 2013. RT Book Reviews has called her ‘a magician with words’ and she has made numerous appearances in their ‘Top Pick’ slot. Sarah lives near London, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying. She loves chatting with readers by email and on Facebook and Twitter. More information can be found on her website.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Jennifer’s Review of Suddenly Last Summer

Review (5 Stars): I absolutely adored this sweet small town romance and fell in love with the town of Snow Crystal.  Elise and Sean had a very interesting relationship because they shared one night of passion last summer but now pretended they didn’t have any feelings for each other.  When Sean comes back to town to help his family after his grandfather is rushed to the hospital, him and Elise are walking on eggshells whenever they are together.  They don’t want to admit that they are still attracted to each other and both of them try to stay busy so they don’t have to discuss certain issues in their life that they would just like to keep hidden.

I liked Elise because even though she seemed a little intense at times, she was fiercely loyal to the people that she cared about and the ones that had helped her during one of the lowest points in her life.  Sean seemed a little arrogant in the beginning of the book because he was an Orthopedic Surgeon and just felt that his life was too busy to return home for longer than a couple of days.  I was so glad to see that he mellowed out as the story progressed and became exactly what Elise needed in her life.

Suddenly Last Summer was a very charming and sweet romance that had me falling in love with the residents of Snow Crystal.  Ms. Morgan has written a lovely story of two people who finally realize that it is never too late to have a second chance at love and I am sure that I will want to revisit their story again and again.  I’m hoping that Tyler and Brenna get their shot at romance in the future because those two definitely need to have their story told.

Giveaway:

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Grand Prize includes a La Bonne Vie Cupcake necklace, Sleigh Bells in the Snow (first book in the series), Suddenly Last Summer and a bookmark

Second prize is Sleigh Bells in the Snow, Suddenly Last Summer and a bookmark

Prizing provided by Harlequin

Open to US/CA only

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions:

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Book Spotlight & Giveaway: The City by Dean Koontz

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The city changed my life and showed me that the world is deeply mysterious. I need to tell you about her and some terrible things and wonderful things and amazing things that happened . . . and how I am still haunted by them. Including one night when I died and woke and lived again.

Here is the riveting, soul-stirring story of Jonah Kirk, son of an exceptional singer, grandson of a formidable “piano man,” a musical prodigy beginning to explore his own gifts when he crosses a group of extremely dangerous people, with shattering consequences. Set in a more innocent time not so long ago, The City encompasses a lifetime but unfolds over three extraordinary, heart-racing years of tribulation and triumph, in which Jonah first grasps the electrifying power of music and art, of enduring friendship, of everyday heroes.

The unforgettable saga of a young man coming of age within a remarkable family, and a shimmering portrait of the world that shaped him, The City is a novel that speaks to everyone, a dazzling realization of the evergreen dreams we all share. Brilliantly illumined by magic dark and light, it’s a place where enchantment and malice entwine, courage and honor are found in the most unexpected quarters, and the way forward lies buried deep inside the heart.

 Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

dean_photo_8When he was a senior in college, Dean Koontz won an Atlantic Monthly fiction competition and has been writing ever since. His books are published in 38 languages and he has sold over 450 million copies to date.

Fourteen of his novels have risen to number one on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list (One Door Away From Heaven, From the Corner of His Eye, Midnight, Cold Fire, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Dragon Tears, Intensity, Sole Survivor, The HusbandOdd Hours, Relentless, What the Night Knows, and 77 Shadow Street), making him one of only a dozen writers ever to have achieved that milestone. Sixteen of his books have risen to the number one position in paperback. His books have also been major bestsellers in countries as diverse as Japan and Sweden.

The New York Times has called his writing “psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying.” The New Orleans Times-Picayune said Koontz is, “at times lyrical without ever being naive or romantic. [He creates] a grotesque world, much like that of Flannery O’Conner or Walker Percy … scary, worthwhile reading.” Rolling Stone has hailed him as “America’s most popular suspense novelist.”

Dean Koontz was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Shippensburg State College (now Shippensburg University), and his first job after graduation was with the Appalachian Poverty Program, where he was expected to counsel and tutor underprivileged children on a one-to-one basis. His first day on the job, he discovered that the previous occupier of his position had been beaten up by the very kids he had been trying to help and had landed in the hospital for several weeks. The following year was filled with challenge but also tension, and Koontz was more highly motivated than ever to build a career as a writer. He wrote nights and weekends, which he continued to do after leaving the poverty program and going to work as an English teacher in a suburban school district outside Harrisburg. After a year and a half in that position, his wife, Gerda, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: “I’ll support you for five years,” she said, “and if you can’t make it as a writer in that time, you’ll never make it.” By the end of those five years, Gerda had quit her job to run the business end of her husband’s writing career.

Dean Koontz lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Anna, and the enduring spirit of their golden, Trixie.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of The City

Review (4 Stars): I consider Dean Koontz to be one of my literary idols and some of my favorite books of all time have been written by this talented writer.  In The City, Mr. Koontz steers away from his usual style of writing and presents us with the coming of age story of Jonah Kirk, a young man born into a musically inclined family in the 1960’s.  Jonah is on his own most of the time because his mother works two jobs to make ends meet and The City chronicles his experiences growing up, which eventually leads him to become involved in conspiracy and murder.

The great thing about The City was Mr. Koontz’s ability to write great characters that you instantly become involved with and add so much to the story.  I liked Jonah and enjoyed following his life journey even when he started experiencing terrifying dreams that eventually came true.  Watching Jonah deal with the aftermath of seeing these visions come to life intrigued me and kept me wondering how his story would end.  I will have to say that some parts of The City dragged at times but quickly picked up toward the end of the book. The City was an engaging character driven coming of age story that makes us evaluate the events that ultimately shape our lives.  Dean Koontz is a master and even though this book isn’t his typical fare, it will be enjoyable and powerful nonetheless.

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Launch Day Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro

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Dark Paradise cover

DARK LEGACY
Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of “witch women,” she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She’s haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.
DEADLY SECRETS
Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala, but when Mala discovers his sister, murdered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he wonders if all the rumors about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister’s killer, he starts to form his own bond to her . . . a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything-their families, their love, and even their live

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Landry’s truck sits in the driveway when I stroll out of the house at a quarter to eight in the morning. I’m in such a glorious mood that I don’t bother trying to sneak off without him catching sight of me. It would’ve been easy, I learn upon climbing on the bumper and sticking my head through the truck’s open window. He has the seat pushed back and his legs stretched out kitty corner across the passenger seat. Snores, loud enough to scare a bear, echo through the cab.

I reach in and poke his shoulder a few times. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”

Landry’s thick lashes flutter then open to meet mine. “I’m supposed to be woken with a kiss, not a jab.”

I snort. “I don’t kiss slimy critters. You’re playing double duty as a frog, and I throw them in a frying pan with a little butter and garlic.”

“Oh, so now you’re trying to butter me up?”

The heat of a blush rises. “Saints, boy. You’re fraying my last nerve.” I plant my hands on my hips, toe tapping. “What are you doing here? In case you forgot, I’m mad at you.”

“No you’re not.” He grins and runs his fingers through his thick hair. My breath catches as my brain stutters. I shake my head to dispel the wave of pheromone-induced stupidity that washes over me. My noses twitches. Why does he have to smell so good? Like cinnamon and brown sugar. “Did you forget yester—”

An oily paper bag flies in my direction. I grab it out of the air before it drops to the ground. It’s warm in my hands, and the smell makes my mouth water. “Ooh, cinnamon rolls,” I mumble around the melting mouthful of cinnamon-y goodness. “I love these.”

“I know,” Landry says, throwing open the truck door.

I hop off the bumper with a scowl. The arrogant jerk thinks he has me eating out of his hands; all he has to do is flutter those insanely long eyelashes, smile to show off his pearly whites, and tempt me with fresh, warm buns.

“These are mine?” I clutch the bag to my chest as I eye him in suspicion.

“Yeah, they’re your favorite, right?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Landry props his elbow on the open window and ducks his head. Black hair tangles across his face, hiding his eyes. “I hoped you’d be more accepting of my apology if I bribed you with sweets. Forgive me for being an ass yesterday?”

Lucky guy. He figured out the fastest way to soften my heartstrings—sugar. Wait how does he know they’re my favorite? Stupid question. It’s like him knowing my nickname and my job. He pays way too much attention to me, and I’m kinda scared to ask why. I stare at my sticky fingers, then lick the icing off one by one. Landry’s gaze draws my attention. He’s staring at my mouth. My gut tightens in response, and I slowly lick my lips. Get a grip. Don’t trust him just because he says he’s sorry.

I concentrate on the mouthful of cinnamon roll. Each chew echoes the rapid patter of my heart. God, why does my body react like this when I’m around him? Why? He’s still staring at me. Can’t he tell I’m uncomfortable? Oh, I get it. He’s irritating me on purpose so I can’t totally ignore him.
I pass the empty bag to him. “You’re not going away, are you?”

“Nope.” He smiles.

About the Author:

Angie Sandro Author PhotoAngie Sandro was born at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Within six weeks, she began the first of eleven relocations throughout the United States, Spain, and Guam before the age of eighteen. Friends were left behind. The only constants in her life were her family and the books she shipped wherever she went. Traveling the world inspired her imagination and allowed her to create her own imaginary friends. Visits to her father’s family in Louisiana inspired this story. Angie now lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, and an overweight Labrador.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Dark Paradise

Review (4.25 Stars): Mala LaCroix has always been considered the black sheep of the community because the women in her family have been labeled as witches and she has been fighting this gossip most of her life. One day, Mala finds the body of Lainey Prince in the swamp on her family’s property and her world is suddenly turned upside down when she is pulled into the hunt for the girl’s killer.  Landry Prince, Lainey’s brother, has always been attracted to Mala but has never had the courage to talk to her before Lainey’s death.  The two must now join forces to find Lainey’s killer before the killer takes its next victim.

I couldn’t get through this book fast enough because I was immediately hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to finish it.  Mala was a strong, independent woman who was used to taking care of herself because her mother spent most of her time drinking and chasing men.  I liked her character instantly and sympathized with her as she dealt with the aftermath of finding Lainey’s body. Especially, when she starts experiencing terrifying visions of the dead and finds that the town gossip may actually be true.

Mala had this love/hate relationship with Landry from the beginning because she never knew he had feelings for her and always thought he was just stalking her every time he showed up at her work. Finding the body brought Mala closer to Landry and I’m curious to see how their relationship progresses in the next book.  There is this sense of uncertainty between them and you aren’t quite sure if their relationship has what it takes to survive after this ordeal.

I liked Ms. Sandro’s writing style and enjoyed reading the book from both the viewpoints of Mala and Landry. Dark Paradise was an engaging supernatural mystery that will definitely keep you up at night.  Can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Dark Sacrifice, which will be out later this year.

 

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Interview & Giveaway with Kendra Elliot

Books-n-Kisses is super exicted to have our pal Kendra Elliot back on the blog to talk about her newest release Vanished.  This was a great read.  If you have not picked up your copy and you love Romance Suspense you really need to.

So, Kendra can you tell my wonderful followers a little about yourself

Author.shot.I’ve lived in Oregon for 96% of my life. (Yes, I’m nerdy and got out a calculator to get the right percentage) I have three teenage daughters that keep my house very busy and spent sixteen years as a dental hygienist before quitting to write full time.  My first novel came out almost two years ago. VANISHED will be my fifth novel.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I didn’t always want to write; I loved to read. From a very early age, I was a voracious reader, and I hated writing in high school and college. One day I set down a book after finishing it for the fourth or fifth time and wondered if I could make a reader feel as awesome this author always made me feel. I decided to give it a shot. My third try was published in 2012 as HIDDEN.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I often write with noise reducing headphones while listening to white noise from outer space. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcJ-o_fh1B4  (Again, nerd alert!) My husband works from home, and even though we work on different levels of the house, I can still hear his constant phone conferences. The headphones make all the difference.

Can you please tell us about your newest release Vanished?

This is the blurb from the book: When an eleven-year-old is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn’t waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, whose life is crumbling to pieces—he’s related to the victim, and his longtime confidential informant has just been murdered.

Both he and Agent McLane hole up in the victim’s family home. Every second counts in a kidnapping case, and the stakes keep rising the longer the girl is missing. As Ava and Mason struggle to hold the family together in their darkest hour, the two investigators find themselves drawn to each other.

Is Vanished is part of your ongoing Bone Secret series?VANISHED.FINAL

Officially VANISHED is not a Bone Secret book, even though regular readers will recognize my main character, Detective Mason Callahan, from the other Bone Secret Books.  The Bone Secret books are more forensics oriented; VANISHED focuses on the FBI and police officers and their lives. Right now I plan to write 3 or 4 books with Mason Callahan and his love interest, Ava McLane. The second Callahan/McLane book is finished and should be released in January 2015. We’re still searching for a series title name for them. As I’m writing this, we haven’t finalized the name decision. But there will be more Bone Secrets books! After writing two FBI books, I’m ready to dive back into forensics.

How about we give the readers a little snippet from Vanished. Please open Vanished to a random page and give us a sentence or two.

 In VANISHED, my detective’s personal and professional life is spinning out of control. This is part of a scene where his boss is telling him not to come in to work because they’ve discovered some evidence that doesn’t shine favorably on Mason.

Schefte cleared his throat. “We’d already pulled your hard drive.”

“What?”  Mason’s vision tunneled.

“We’re checking your calendar, too.”

“You don’t take my whole computer to look at a calendar. What the hell is going on there?”

Schefte was quiet.

“Do I need a lawyer?” Mason asked. His brain spun like he was drunk. What was happening?

“It wouldn’t hurt to talk to your union rep,” Schefte answered. “I don’t know about a lawyer. I don’t think that will be necessary.”

A sharp pain shot through Mason’s temple.

“Denny, I don’t have time for this! I’m trying to help my family stay sane while their daughter is missing! My son is about to cave in on himself he’s so stressed.” And so am I.

“I know you’ve got a lot going on. This was a good time to take some time off. Come down and get your prints done again. Then we’ll talk.” Schefte sounded distant. All his usual good buddy-ness gone from his voice.

Do they think he killed Josie? Impossible.

Something was screwed up somewhere. Evidence lines were getting crossed.

“Fine,” answered Mason in the same even tone. “I’ll have my rep with me.” He ended the call and slipped the phone in his pocket, feeling as though his support system was being chiseled away. First his family struggled with the worst imaginable horror. Now his job was in jeopardy? He felt like he was being ripped in half. As slowly as possible.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress? 

I’ve finished the follow-up to VANISHED which is currently titled BRIDGED and it will be out in January 2015. I also just finished a series of four small town romantic suspense novellas, The Rogue River Series, written with my author buddy Melinda Leigh that will be out next fall. I wrote two of the novellas books from the point-of-view of a woman who’s returned after five years as an LAPD officer to be a cop in her tiny home town of Solitude, Oregon. Melinda wrote two from my character’s sister’s point-of-view, a social worker who is reevaluating her marriage to her detective husband. Each novella is a complete suspense story, but there is also an over arcing mystery.

Next project? Thinking about this…it will most likely be a Bone Secret book. Any suggestions of who you’d like to read about from my previous books? I get a lot of requests for Chris’s story from BURIED.

Speaking of BURIED, it has been nominated for the International Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original. I was stunned and actually cried when I got the news. This competition is HUGE and I never dreamed I’d final. I’m still stunned at the names on this list: http://thrillerwriters.org/programs/thriller-awards/ My publisher is flying me to NYC in July for the conference and award ceremony. BURIED is also up for a Daphne award for Romantic Suspense at the Romance Writers of America national conference in July.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Write, write, write, and read. Keep reading. Study the works of the authors you love and try to see what makes them stand out. Read how-to books, take online classes, join professional organizations, and listen to advice from other authors but don’t follow all of it. What works for some writers is not right for you, and there is a LOT of misleading information out there. Get to know other writers, don’t be pushy, pay your dues, and attend conferences. This isn’t a get-rich-quick business. Some people have, but 99% have not. Don’t get into the business for the money; do it because you love the writing.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

I’ve had Allison Brennan’s NOTORIOUS on my TBR pile since it came out. When I’m writing, I don’t read much. I’m about to take a much needed break between writing books and that one is on top!

Learn more about Kendra and her books here:  Website Facebook | Twitter: @KendraElliot | Goodreads

*****

Vanished

 VANISHED.FINAL
PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2014
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When eleven-year-old Henley Fairbanks is abducted on her way to school, the FBI doesn’t waste a moment, sending agents to scour the area and embedding Special Agent Ava McLane with the distraught family. In the eye of the storm is local detective Mason Callahan, who also happens to be related to Henley. To make matters worse for Mason, the kidnapping comes on the heels of the murder of his longtime confidential informant, and he’s been sidelined from the investigation. Now both he and Agent McLane are holed up in the Fairbanks’ home, along with Callahan’s ex-wife, Robin. Every second counts in a kidnapping case, and the stakes keep rising the longer Henley stays missing. As Ava and Mason struggle to hold the Fairbanks family together in their darkest hour, the two investigators find themselves more and more drawn to each other.

*****

GIVEAWAY TIME:

Kendra has given me permission to giveaway Kindle or print copy of reader’s choice of any of her books.
Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Fury by Charlotte McConaghy

 

 

Fury: Book 1 of The Cure by Charlotte McConaghy

348 pages,

Published March 25th, 2014 by Momentum Books, Pan Macmillan

In the tradition of Divergent comes a novel about a world where negative emotions are stolen … and only those with fury can stand up and fight.

Eighteen-year-old Josephine Luquet wakes naked and covered in blood that is not hers on the same day every year—when the blood moon is full. Josi has not responded to the “Cure”—an immunization against anger mandated by the government—and believes herself to be a threat to others.

Then she meets Luke. Luke has had the Cure but seems different to the other “drones”—and he’s dead set on helping Josi discover the truth about herself before the next blood moon.

But time is running out. Is Luke willing to risk his life to be near her? Does he truly understand what violence she is capable of?

Raw and full of passion, Fury is a story of love in a dystopian world, and how much we are willing to forgive in the struggle to remember our humanity.

 

About the Author:

 

Charlotte started writing her children’s fantasy series ‘The Strangers of Paragor’ as a teenager and has since gone on to publish five novels. After a Masters degree in Screenwriting she wrote ‘Avery’, the first in her adult fantasy series ‘The Chronicles of Kaya’, published by Random House. She now lives in Sydney, Australia, and has just released a new dystopian sci-fi novel called ‘Fury – Book One of The Cure’, published by Momentum.

 

Connect with the author:


 

Giveaway:

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Jennifer’s Review of Fury

Review (4 Stars):  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book.  When I first read the synopsis for Fury, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but this book really caught my attention.  Josephine Luquet is a young woman who hasn’t responded to the Cure, an immunization that strips away the feelings of anger or aggression among the human population. She believes that she is dangerous because of this and that she has killed before. She has found herself naked in the past, covered in blood with no recollection about the events that have transpired from the night before.  This only happens on the night of the Blood Moon which is rapidly approaching and Josi is afraid of what she may do next.

I liked the main character, Josi, and enjoyed reading the story mainly from her perspective.  This book tells the story of Josi from alternating points of view which include Luke, a mysterious stranger that Josi doesn’t want to talk about and Anthony, the therapist that is trying to help Josi by discussing her past. This book had me from the very beginning trying to decipher the pieces of Josi’s situation and determining how much of the story was the truth or just a figment of her imagination. I will warn you that this book ends on a cliffhanger but makes you more determined to read the next book in the series to see what happens next to these characters.

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Scene of the Climb by Kate Dyer-Seeley

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I’m excited to have Kate Dyer-Seeley here today to talk about her new book, Scene of the Climb.  The book takes place in the Pacific Northwest and I loved reading all the places that Meg visited because I’m quite familiar with them myself.  🙂

1. Tell me about your new release.

SCENE OF THE CLIMB is set in the ruggedly beautiful Pacific Northwest and features Meg Reed, a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventure in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme Magazine.  In reality, she’s a total klutz and terrified of heights.  The magazine sends her out to Angel’s Rest trail (a steep climb up to a breathtaking view of the Columbia River) to cover an adventure race filming on location.  Meg prefers vintage fashion and artisan coffee to scaling cliffs, but she’s desperate for a job and to prove herself.  So she laces up her kicks and hits the trail.  Once she finally huffs her way to the top, she sees a body sail off the summit and from there things just get worse.

2. Where did you come up with the idea for this story?

One of my all-time favorite holiday movies is Christmas in Connecticut. I have clarify that I mean the original with Barbara Stanwyck, not the 1992 remake with Kris Kristofferson.  The premise of the movie is that Elizabeth Lane is a food writer for a major magazine in the 1940s, with a country home in Connecticut and a family.  Of course she has none of these things–she can’t cook, lives in a small apartment and is single.  I love the idea of trying to be something you’re not, and how quickly things can unravel when you’re not being authentic.  I think we’ve all had experiences like that, and it provides a great opportunity to watch Meg grow in the series.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and do a lot of hiking with my family.  Angel’s Rest is one of my favorite hikes.  It’s a relatively easy climb and the payoff at the top is truly stunning.  However it seems like every year someone falls up there.  I guess it’s sort of a case of life imitating art.  I spent a semester in college on an eco-tourism trip in New Zealand and Australia which I used as inspiration for the storyline too.

3. What was the most interesting thing that you had to research as a writer?

I feel like writing this was kind of like cheating because most of my “research” entailed me going out to hike the trails featured in the book.  My dad, who’s a retired English teacher, was my hiking partner on many of the climbs and a great sounding board for plotting and structure.  I interviewed the Crag Rats, who are the first-ever mountain rescue team in the United States. It was really interesting to learn about the kind of work they do.  They’re all volunteers who literally put their lives at risk to rescue others.  Very impressive.

4. Which authors do you feel have influenced you to become a writer?

How much time do you have? I was so lucky to have parents who were readers and ignited that passion for me at an early age.  As a kid, I loved Maud Lovelace, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Willa Cather. In terms of cozies, Jacqueline Winspear, Rhys Bowen, Cleo Coyle, Michelle Scott, Louise Penny.  I could keep going…

5. What are you working on now?
I just finished the second book in the series which is set up at Timberline Lodge during opening weekend of the ski season.  I had so much fun researching Timberline’s rich history, getting up to speed on snowboarding lingo and thinking about putting Meg out in the cold.  I’m getting ready to start work on book three which will take Meg out to Hood River, Oregon for a windsurfing competition.  Poor Meg.  She can’t catch a break. 

6. Favorite TV guilty pleasure?  Favorite Food? Favorite book that you’ve read recently?

Great question. I love Castle.  I mean, Nathan Fillion–he’s such a dream.  I could watch him all day.  Food…hmm. I love anything with cilantro.  It’s so versatile–Thai, Mexican.  I’m itching to plant a new vegetable and herb garden.  It’s the best when you can pop out to the backyard to pick dinner.  In terms of books, I read pretty much everything I can get my hands on.  When I’m working on a new manuscript it’s hard to read the genre, which is a bummer because I LOVE cozies.  Beautiful Ruins is probably my top pick.  I read it a little while ago, but it’s one of those books that has stayed with me.

About the Author:

Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

Headshot KateKate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.  She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

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But a girl needs a job, so Meg bluffs her way into writing for Northwest Extreme magazine, passing herself off to editor-in-chief Greg Dixon as an outdoor adventure enthusiast. Never mind that Meg’s idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte. So when she finds herself clawing to the top of Angel’s Rest – a two-thousand-foot peak – to cover the latest challenge in a reality TV adventure show, she can’t imagine feeling more terrified. Until she witnesses a body plummet off the side of the cliff. Now Meg has a murder to investigate. And if the climbing doesn’t kill her, a murderer just might…It includes Adventure Guides.

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Jennifer’s Review of Scene of the Climb

Review (4.5. Stars): I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this book because it takes place in the Pacific Northwest which I’m quite familiar with since I live here in Portland.  Meg Reed is down on her luck, living on her best friend’s couch, trying to find any job that will utilize her Journalism degree.  A chance meeting with the editor-in-chief of Northwest Extreme gives Meg the opportunity that she has been hoping for.  An actual job that will pay her to write for a magazine but the kicker is that Meg must be an outdoor enthusiast and Meg is the exact opposite.  On her first exclusive assignment, Meg finds herself climbing cliffs to cover the final leg of the popular reality show, Race the States. What she doesn’t expect is to witness a contestant flying over the side of the cliff to their death and now she has to investigate a murder before the killer claims another victim.

I really enjoyed Scene of the Climb and I was amazed at how quickly I got involved with the story.  Meg was a great character and I enjoyed following her through the course of this book.  I think that we’ve all done something to help us get a job when we are just starting out and there were times that I was laughing out loud by some of the things that she did.  Scene of the Climb was a delightful start to what will be a great mystery series. I loved having the Pacific Northwest as the backdrop to the novel and I knew exactly where each location was that Meg was visiting as part of her new job.  I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Dyer-Seeley and reading the next book in the series.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of Scene of the Climb. This giveaway is for US Residents only.  To be entered in the drawing by June 15th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite place to hike/camp or just visit?

Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.NSHO2GJN.dpuf

Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.

Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.

Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.

She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.

– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Sense of Entitlement by Anna Loan-Wilsey

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Romance Newport Style

When I saw that one of the stops on my blog tour for A  Sense of Entitlement, book three in my Hattie Davish Mystery series from Kensington Publishing was Books-n-Kisses (Thank you for hosting!), the first idea for my guest post that popped into my head was of course romance!  I could tell the story of Miss Hattie Davish and Dr. Walter Grice.  I could give details about how the two met in Eureka Springs, AR in book one in the series and how Hattie at first resists Walter’s charms.  As a practical woman, Hattie knows it is uncommon and unlikely for a woman with no family, who must work to support herself, to be loved by a rich, gentleman doctor who does what he loves, not what he has to.  And of course, there is also Hattie’s severe phobia of doctors to consider.  But luckily Walter is used to getting what he wants, doesn’t take no for an answer and is smitten enough to pursue Hattie until she realizes he is worth the risk of a heartbreak.

But then the idea I had of writing about romance took a dark turn as I remembered what I had uncovered during my research for A Sense of Entitlement. For just as Hattie is getting comfortable with the idea of an orphaned hat maker’s daughter having a rich beau in her life, she goes to Newport, RI, where the gap between the social classes is too wide to navigate and heartbreak is pervasive.  While tackling her new responsibilities as social secretary to the wealthiest woman in America and tracking down the killer of an eminent banker, Hattie must face challenges of the heart as well. But Hattie is not exceptional.  Even for its historical residents, spending “the Season” in Newport was not for the faint or fair of heart.

I discovered adultery was, as Deborah Davis says in her book, Gilded: How Newport Became America’s Richest Resort, “so widespread in Newport circles that there was a sliding scale of misbehavior.”  As long as it wasn’t serious or threatened the status quo, it was tolerated.  However, there were some affairs that made headlines.  When Alva Vanderbilt announced her intention to divorce her husband William K. Vanderbilt, on the basis of adultery, she shocked all of Newport society.  Yet his infidelities were know to all to have occurred throughout the marriage.  But when a rumor surfaced that Oliver Belmont had been found hiding in Alva’s bedroom, it sparked public ridicule and threatened her position in society.

But Newport society could have an even uglier side when it came to romance.  In an era where rich American’s sought legitimacy through European nobility titles, daughters of Newport’s richest families where vulnerable to marriages that were more business transactions than love matches.  Again the examples that comes right to mind involves Alva Vanderbilt, who after her scandalous divorce would do anything to secure her place in society.  She decided that her teenage daughter, Consuelo, would marry Edwin William Spencer-Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough.  She didn’t give any thought to the fact that Consuelo was already very much in love with someone else, Winthrop Rutherford, a rich, handsome lawyer from an exceptionally good family.  Most mothers would be thrilled to have the descendant of the first governor of Massachusetts as a son-in-law but not Alva.  When Alva discovered the couple’s plan to elope, Alva literally imprisoned Consuelo in her room which was guarded twenty-four hours a day.  When Consuelo still refused to marry the Duke, Alva threatened to murder Winthrop Rutherford.  When that threat didn’t work, Alva feigned a mortal illness and begged Consuelo to grant her dying wish.  Of course the daughter conceded and married Spencer-Churchill, though she was heard to be sobbing beneath her veil throughout the ceremony, which a miraculously recovered Alva Vanderbilt attended.

To be fair, not all Newport society romances end in heartbreak.  Again using Alva Vanderbilt as an example, she ultimately married Oliver Belmont, the man found hiding in her closet years before, for love and not position, power or money, and lived with him happily, quietly and without controversy until his death.  And she eventually made peace with her daughter who divorced the Duke and married again for love.  So if Alva Vanderbilt could find peace and love in Newport, I have high hopes for Hattie.

About the Author:

Loan_Wilsey_headshotHardin-Baylor, Texas A&M University-Commerce and most recently, Iowa State University, publishing in several scientific peer-reviewed journals. A Lack of Temperance, her first novel and first in the Hattie Davish Mysteries series, was the #1 bestselling historical mystery on Amazon.com. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. A Sense of Entitlement, the third in the series, is due out in June. Anna lives in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa with her inquisitive four year old, her old yellow dog and her very funny, very patient husband, where she is happily working on Hattie’s next adventure.

Website/Facebook

a-sense-of-entitlement

Traveling secretary and dilettante detective Hattie Davish is bringing her talents to a small New England town whose wealthy residents have more secrets than they do money. . .

When Hattie Davish’s job takes her to Newport, Rhode Island, she welcomes the opportunity for a semi-vacation, and perhaps even a summer romance. But her hopes for relaxation are dashed when she learns that members of the local labor unions are at odds with Newport’s gentry. Amidst flaring tensions, an explosion rocks the wharf. In the ensuing turmoil, Mr. Harland Whitwell, one of Newport’s most eminent citizens, is found stabbed to death, his hands clutching a strike pamphlet. All signs point to a vengeful union member bent on taking down the aristocracy, but Hattie starts digging and finds a few skeletons in the closets of the impeccable Whitwell mansion. As she strikes down the whispers spilling out of Newport’s rumor mill, she’ll uncover a truth more scandalous than anyone imagined–and a killer with a rapacious sense of entitlement. . .

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Jennifer’s Review of A Sense of Entitlement

Review (4.25 Stars): This is the first book that I’ve read in the Hattie Davis series and I’m happy to say that I was captivated by the engaging characters of this mystery series. Hattie is sent to work as the social secretary for the wealthiest woman in America while she is on hiatus from Sir Arthur while he is out of town on business.  She quickly finds herself embroiled in a mystery when she discovers the body of a wealthy banker and has to investigate to save an innocent man from being blamed for the crime.

I really liked A Sense of Entitlement and the character of Hattie Davis.  She was very smart, articulate, and resourceful in a time where women were judged mainly by their social status.  I was amazed at how Hattie could live in this time period where she was treated so horribly by people because she was a secretary and still be gracious through it all.  I enjoyed the murder mystery in A Sense of Entitlement and will be getting the first two in the series this weekend to further acquaint myself with the delightful Hattie Davis.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a copy of A Sense of Entitlement. This giveaway is for US Residents only.  To be entered in the drawing by June 14th, answer me this question in the comments:

What is your favorite time period to read about?

Spotlight feature of Kimberly Kincaid’s Gimme Some Sugar + a tour wide giveaway

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Kimberly Kincaid Author PicLet’s meet Kimberly:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance novels that split the difference between sexy and sweet, taking the traditional idea of boy-meets-girl and infusing it with a sassy magic all her own. She believes in fiery yet flawed characters destined for a crash-course in falling in love– usually the hard way– and injects her trademark humor as well as poignant touches into her writing to create her stories.

Kimberly’s writing journey has led down some bumpy roads (that first manuscript is under the bed, where it is very likely to stay), but there has been some fresh pavement too (her second manuscript earned her very first contest final, and landed the fantastic Maureen Walters at the Curtis Brown Literary Agency). One thing is certain — the wild ride of being a writer is a lot richer in both its ups and downs because of friends and readers along the path.

When Kimberly’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to eclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Places to find Kimberly Kincaid: WebsiteFacebook Twitter | Goodreads

*****
Gimme Some Sugar

Gimme Some Sugar Cover

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Desperate to escape the spotlight of her failed marriage to a fellow celebrity-chef, Carly di Matisse left New York City for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant she’s running these days may not be chic, but in Pine Mountain she can pretend to be the tough cookie everybody knows and loves. Until she finds herself spending too much time with a way-too-hot contractor whose rugged good looks melt her like butter…

Jackson Carter wasn’t looking for love. But he’s not the kind of man to walk away from a worksite—or from a fiery beauty whose passionate nature provides some irresistible on-the-job benefits…

It’s the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds… and thirds… and fourths…

Make sure to check out Kimberly’s review HERE and Kelly’s review HERE.

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Tour Wide Giveaway

$20 Gift Card (Amazon or Barnes & Noble) + Swag Pack

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