Hi, readers! I am pleased to announce a very special post today on ILRB.We’re doing something a little different.This is our twenty-first official author interview on this romance blog! I know in the past, we did character interviews then switched over to the author’s take on it, but this approach is a bit unusual.
We have a real treat for you, readers. Today we get to speak one-on-one with a talented author. Please join me in welcoming Xina Marie Uhl to ILRB! 😀
Marie Lavender: Hello, Xina. Please have a seat.
Author Xina Marie Uhl: Hi!
Marie: Hey, such a pleasure to have you here!
I’m going to throw in some standard questions first.
Obviously, we know your occupation as an author, but some writers have other jobs as well. Do you have another occupation? Do you believe you’re any good at it? Do you like what you do?
I know I’m overloading you with questions, but we’re really interested in finding out more about you…
Xina: I’m a freelance writer with a specialty in history. I’ve written a number of nonfiction books for young people (history, biographies, technology, even some sports) as well as assessment questions and other educational projects.
Yes, I’m quite good, or so I’ve been told. I really enjoy history (I have a master’s degree in it), so whenever I can work on a history project I am all over it. I like seeing books with my name on them as well, though I do admit that some projects are better than others.
That’s fantastic! 😀
So, tell us…what is your family like?
Xina: Weird, small, and made up of more animals than humans. At one point I had 23 cockatiels, 2 turtles, 3 cats, and 3 dogs. I’m down to just one cat and 3 dogs now. My husband is very patient with my various obsessions, including animals.
Marie: Wow, so many!
Let’s try something else, okay?
If it doesn’t bother you at all, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like?
Xina: It was a ranch style home in Phoenix, Arizona, with diamond-paned windows, a humongous wooden roof beam in the living room, a good-sized back yard, and about 15 full-grown agave plants around the edges of the front yard. I remember it quite well, even though it was torn down about 25 years ago in order to build a freeway.
Marie:Aww…that’s unfortunate! 😥 But it sounds like it was such a great place to live. 😉
Do you have any hobbies, Xina? What do you enjoy doing?
Xina: I love to hike with my dogs, travel around the US and Europe, and read (but this is a given, right?).
Marie: (Laughs.) True! 😀
So, what is your greatest dream?
Xina: To have my fiction in thousands of libraries all around the world. To live and die well. To hold my great grandkids. To travel through the Arctic. It’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing.
Marie:Sounds like a plan. ♥
Let’s try another question.
What kind of person do you wish you could be? What is stopping you?
Xina: I wish I had more stamina and endurance. I have bipolar too, with mild highs, but with plenty of lows. It saps my energy and I have to be careful with the amount of things I take on because there are times when I’m just out for the count. It sucks, but it’s my lot in life.
Marie: Oh, I understand. I have a chronic illness too. 😕
So…who was your first love?
Xina: My husband, Dave. I was fifteen when we met, and he was eighteen. We’ve been married for more than 30 years now. I’m blessed because he’s very supportive, smart, and funny.
Marie: How wonderful! ♥♥♥
(Sighs.) I love romance.
Okay, with the next question, I hope I’m not prying too much, but we are curious…
What’s the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?
Xina: I would have to say my illness, mentioned above. I’ve lost whole years of my life to it.
Marie: Sorry! 😥
Let’s move on to another topic, shall we?
[Xina nods.]
What was your dream growing up? Did you achieve that dream? If so, in what ways was it not what you expected? If you never achieved the dream, why not?
Xina: When I was quite small, I wanted to be a cheerleader. No, I never even tried. Too much bouncing around. I also recall wanting to be an actress, another idea I never followed up on. The truth is that I don’t like being in the limelight, which is why writing is the perfect career for me.
Marie: Oh, I can’t blame you there. I was always more of an introvert, but in some ways, being an author has forced me to step out of my comfort zone quite a bit.
Who is your role model, Xina?
Xina: Jesus of Nazareth. Can’t get any better than him.
Marie: Well, let’s try something else.
Is there someone you pretend to like but really dislike?
Xina: Yes, there’s a certain pushy someone in a group I’m a part of. I just find her obnoxious and self-centered. I don’t pretend to like her; I just try to be pleasant.
Marie: I guess that’s a way to cope with the issue! It seems like a lot of people are very confrontational now, and it causes more trouble than it’s worth.
Next, we’ll shift a little here…
What is your deepest desire?
Xina: To reach my potential as a human being.
Marie: Nice! ♥
Let’s go for a different approach now.
Just curious, but what is your greatest fear?
Xina: To lose my daughter or grandkids.
Marie: (Nods.) That’s an understandable fear. It is odd sometimes to realize how very short life is.
Let’s switch gears for a second.
If you were trapped on a deserted island, what five essentials would you need with you? They don’t have to be practical.
Xina: A computer with WiFi, a dog, a comfortable bed, a good knife, and a refrigerator filled with pizza.
Marie: (Chuckles.) There you go! 😀
Okay, readers, let’s get the author’s perspective on one of her characters.
We’ve heard rumors about the hero of your story, Alec Malone. Quite an interesting character. Can you tell us a little about him?
Xina: He’s a handsome, charming, rogue of a fellow who likes dapper clothes, women, and gambling. As a teenager, he realized that he was never going to fit the mold his father had cast for him—that of a studious, upright lawyer. When he grew up, he set out on his own and never looked back.
Marie: Cool!
And what are Alec’s greatest strengths?
Xina: He’s able to improvise in dangerous or uncomfortable situations. He’s charming to both men and women, and he’s confident.
Marie: Nice!
Any weaknesses of which we should be aware?
Xina: He’s a scoundrel who causes trouble wherever he goes, and he doesn’t mind breaking the law when it comes to petty thievery.
Marie: Okay.
Let’s try something fun, shall we?
What are Alec’s favorite foods?
Xina: Whiskey, wine, barbequed chicken, and flapjacks.
Marie: Just not all together! 😉
How about another question?
What’s a positive quality that your character is unaware that he or she has?
Xina: He’s loyal to those he loves, though he doesn’t necessarily love easily, and this can be painful for him.
Marie: (Nods.) It is tough to open your heart again once it’s been bruised.
Will readers like or dislike this character, and why?
Xina: They will like him if they have a tolerance for a person who operates outside of the bounds of normal behavior. He’s amusing because he gets himself into some hilarious, unexpected situations. He’s also a smart ass and since the woman he falls for has a sharp tongue, the two of them bicker and banter frequently.
Marie: Awesome! 😀
Now that we have a real taste of Alec, we have a few questions for you as well as the author, about the writing process of your book.
What first gave you the idea for Lady Law and the Texas DeRangers?
Xina: Two of the characters in the sci-fi show of yesteryear, Dark Angel. I love their bickering and the fact that they are opposites with a lot of chemistry.
Marie: Oh, I remember it! Jessica Alba in her early days…
It’s fascinating how the muse works, huh? 😀
Let’s try something else.
What is your writing style like, Xina? Are you a pantster or a plotter?
Xina: I’m a plotster. I used to be a pantster, but that just wasn’t efficient because it took me forever to finish anything since I would have to go back and fix errant plot lines and fret over them. Now I plot story points out and it is SO much better. I like a little wiggle room for creativity, though.
Marie: Cool! 😉
And I have to agree. I am a little of both, but it does take me a long time to finish certain projects.
So, I’m throwing this one in for our aspiring writers. Did you come across any specific challenges in writing Lady Law and the Texas DeRangers or publishing it? What would you do differently the next time?
Xina: It went pretty smoothly since I ran it through my writing group as I wrote it, which allowed me to fix any problems right away. It took me about a year to finish it and by the end, I was thoroughly sick of it, but apparently that’s just my process because I write slooooowly. What I’ve done differently on my current project is to fill in my outline more instead of winging it.
Marie: Sounds like a plan!
Well, it was a total pleasure having you here on the I Love Romance Blog! And how apropos is that, considering what a great story Lady Law and the Texas DeRangersappears to be… ♥
It may be 1892 but the Old West is still alive and kicking in the dusty west Texas town of Abalone. When a bad batch of coleslaw kills Texie Cortez’s father she takes over his old job:
Sheriff.
She’s proud of how she keeps the gunslingers away and the cowpokes in order. Then HE comes to town.
Gambler Alec Malone aims to attract attention with his handsome face and slick smile. One look at the sassy sheriff and his womanizing ways get the best of him. Too bad his mysterious mission keeps getting in the way.
The appearance of an outlaw gang proves that Alec is just the kind of distraction Texie doesn’t need. She’s determined that his smart mouth and soft lips won’t keep her from tracking down the weirdest bandits in Texas!
Romancing the Stone meets Blazing Saddles in this hilarious adventure!
Xina is giving us a peek at this story as well…
Texie was striding back to the sheriff’s office when a commotion over at the Desert Rose caught her attention. Lord Almighty, it sounded like someone was skinning a passel of cats. Yowls and high-pitched shrieks and crashing about. Which was to say, a louder sort of chaos than usual on a Tuesday afternoon.
She rushed through the batwing doors just in time to see a naked man tumble down the stairway. His pale white ass flashed on each revolution. He landed Indian fashion at the bottom of the stairs, eyes crossed and blood leaking from the corner of his lips.
She took in the looks of him. A whole lot of lean muscles, the occasional mole, a nicely defined waist, the outline of which pointed down in a vee to . . . well, no need to examine that since the fellow might soon be dead if the violence of that fall was any indication.
He shook his head and his eyes righted themselves.
All right, then. He would likely live another day.
Carlene Gibson and that new maid, Mary Ann, appeared at the top of the stairs. They clawed at one another and lurched around, screeching like owls in flight. Only louder. Carlene had lost a shoe, and the sleeve of her fine ruffled dress had been ripped clean off. Mary Ann’s red hair stuck straight out like a flag. Her uniform gaped open at the chest and her udders swung around with each lurch and blow. The women’s flailing tore the beaded curtain, and glass beads scattered everywhere.
Carlene shoved the maid aside with an indelicate grunt and dashed down the stairs to pounce on the naked man like an enraged polecat. Long red wheals appeared on his biceps and chest and marred his all-too-pretty face before he captured both of her wrists with one hand. Then she set to kicking him. Her face looked like that of a devil from the fiery pit—red and puffy, teeth bared, with eyes that shone with downright evil glee.
The stranger managed to haul himself upright, but his considerable height advantage over her did him little good. She aimed the pointed tips of her laced-up boots at his shins. He twisted around to avoid that fierce foot of hers, but she struck his shins with uncanny accuracy.
Texie slapped Ole Hank on the brass railing so hard that it rang like the Liberty Bell. “What in the Sam Hill is going on here?” She used her deepest, most commanding voice.
No one paid a lick of attention to her. In fact, it seemed to spur the women on!
Carlene kneed the man in the love hatchet. He let out a high-pitched shout that ended in a pitiful mewl as he bent over at the waist and attempted to protect himself with his free hand. From the scrunched up look on his face and the sweat popping out on his forehead, he wasn’t having much luck.
Carlene ripped her hands free from the poor unfortunate’s grasp and went for his ears. She seemed intent on ripping them clean off.
“Get your hands offa my man!”
Mary Ann leapt again at Carlene. The lot of them fell to the floor in a mass of writhing bodies.
Texie didn’t much like using Ole Hank to brain women, so she jabbed it in between the bodies and levered it with a hard yank. The women flew one way and the stranger flew another. Before they could scramble up again, she brought Ole Hank up to her shoulders in a horizontal position and rammed into them with all her strength.
Somebody yipped. Someone else took the name of Baby Jesus in vain. A third person whimpered like a half-smashed goat.
“Get over here and help out!” Texie commanded the dumbstruck saloon patrons.
Several lanky cowhands rushed into action, and within a breath or two, all three of the combatants had been restrained.
With undiminished enthusiasm, the women continued to hurl invectives at one another. Two whippersnappers held up the naked gentleman, who sagged between them. He looked a sight. Haggard and streaked with scratches, a goose egg rising on his temple from that tumble down the stairs, and half of the patch of chest hair on his sternum ripped clean off. A quick glance at his nether regions told her that they’d survived mostly intact. Some future female would likely find that most pleasing. That and his smooth jaw, which had a nice manly cut to it.
A moment later, and he’d recovered enough to draw himself upright. He didn’t seem intent on violence himself, so she nodded at the cowboys to let him loose. He adjusted that fine jaw of his and shook himself like a horse who’d just finished rolling around in the dirt. She saw the moment he noticed her. His eyes widened and he slicked back his light brown hair. He straightened up to his full, impressive height. A smooth grin unfolded across his face.
“Who do we have here?”
She snorted. Men!
The chaos started again when Carlene tore free of her imprisoners and grabbed Mary Ann about the throat. Lusty throttling ensued. The noise of the gathered crowd rose in pitch, and Texie flung herself at the she-cats again.
One of the women pulled her hair and stomped on her instep with a pointed high heel. A bony elbow made jarring contact with her ear, but Texie managed to separate them without further injury.
It took four men to pin Carlene down that time.
“Somebody tell me what’s going on!” Texie demanded.
Female voices chorused.
“She’s a whore!”
“He’s a bastard!”
“She tried to stab me with an eyebrow plucker!”
“It was a nail file, you dimwit!”
Texie glanced at the newcomer. He shrugged, a ’what, little old innocent me?’ look on his face. His brilliant blue eye—the one that wasn’t swelling up—twinkled.
“He attacked my girls!” Carlene shrilled. “Hang him high, Sheriff!”
“I did no such thing!” His eyebrows wrinkled up and his lips flattened. “You’re the sheriff?”
“You got something you want to say about that?” Texie snapped.
He gave a little shrug. “No, ma’am. A woman can surely lock up miscreants as good as a man, I suppose.”
“Not about that, you jackass. About assaulting Mrs. Gibson’s girls.”
He drew himself up indignantly. “I have never assaulted a lady of the evening in my life. Look at me. Why would I need to get after a woman? They get after me quick enough themselves.”
Texie restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Instead, she tried to look impressed and stepped up to him, adding a swish to her hips.
“You got a point there, Mr. . . . ?”
He extended his hand. “I’m Alec Ma—”
She flipped out her handcuffs—fastest draw in the West—and snapped them on one of his wrists.
“Hey! What’s this all about?”
Texie jerked his handcuffed arm behind his back and locked the other wrist, too. “You’re under suspicion for assault. Don’t make it resisting arrest, too.”
She took his firm, muscled upper arm and hauled him out the door.
What are people saying about Lady Law and the Texas DeRangers?
“Perfect choice when you want light and funny. I was lucky enough to be an advanced reader for this novel. It’s a riot! Laugh out loud funny with characters you root for, even when they’re up to no good. Will be re-reading me when my spirits need a lift.” – Sue Campbell, Amazon
“Avant garde western. A fun read. Definitely not your usual Wild Bill Western. Just the right blend of earthy humor. The righteous among us will be titillated but not scandalized. The blase among us will be amused but not bored.” – Thomas A. Smith, Amazon
“A hilariously funny western! I loved this book! It was well written and immediately drew me in. Not only was it easy to get into, it kept my attention and I didn’t want to put it down! The book was easy to read and was very light and funny! If you’re looking for an easy read, this is it…this is the first book I’ve read by this author, but it definitely isn’t the last! I highly recommend this book!” – Annmarie Reddick, Amazon
“I liked Texie, one strong-willed lady if I ever saw one. Alec, now there is one charming rogue. Can these two really get together? The cast of characters were a group of magnificent goofballs and a hoot to read about. This western was so different and unique, I loved it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.” – Crystal Crossings, Amazon
“A bucking, wild ride! What a fun book this was! This is a quirky book I’m so glad I got to read. Feeling down about the state of the world? This is better than binge-watching Netflix as it is cleverly crafted and rich with both detail and humor.” – Rachelle, Amazon
“Charming Old West Comedy Romance. I don’t normally read comedy romance novels, but this was one was charming. I really enjoyed seeing a lady ‘lawman’ and reading about the town of Abalone. The names of the characters were fantastic and the love story was very sweet. This book offers a great escape into a light version of the old west, which I highly recommend.” – Cara C., Amazon
Wow, great commentary, and I love the book cover!
We’ll be sure to get a copy of this western romantic comedy! ♥♥♥
About Xina Marie Uhl
A resident of Thousand Oaks, California, Xina Marie Uhl has a BA and an MA in history. As a freelance writer of non-fiction kids books, she’s written more than thirty titles including history, biographies, technology, and career readiness. She’s published a number of novels and short stories in various genres, including fantasy, historical romance, humor, and western through XCPublishing.net.
Join her mailing list for a free short story in the Lady Law universe, and news about promos, sales, and more: http://bit.ly/30qhIAS
Once again, I want to thank Xina, the brilliant author of this western romantic comedy, for stopping by! It was a pleasure to have you here! Readers, check out her work! ♥
I am pleased to announce a cover reveal by author Laura Barnard! Dopey Women is a fun romantic comedy that you just can’t miss. Look for the audio book to release soon! 🙂
Cover redesigns are very exciting for both authors and readers because we get to meet lots of new people, and a former book gets a cool makeover! So, check this one out if you can!
Let’s have a look at Laura’s novel today…
Nice cover!
This is the blurb for Dopey Women:
From chemo… to cannabis… to chaos…
When Sadie and her colleagues find themselves out of a job and down on their luck, they know desperate times call for desperate measures.
What starts off as a crazy idea to sell marijuana to the ladies at her friend’s chemo sessions quickly spirals into a booming drug empire.
But they didn’t expect a sexy detective on their trail, suspicious neighbors, and drug dealers angry they’re working on their patch.
Can Sadie pull them out of this dangerous world they’ve found themselves in? And can she do it before they end up in prison?
Laura is also running a cool Facebook giveaway, with the chance to win a signed paperback, just to thank everyone for spreading the word about her cover makeover! ♥♥♥
Thanks for giving us a sneak peek at this book, Laura! It looks like quite a ride! 😀
Author Bio
Amazon Best Seller Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or ‘chick lit’ as it’s so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.
She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She’s a real fan of the power nap, loves setting her friends up together and, of course, READING!
She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book, this makes the midnight typing worth it!
This week’s I Love Romance Blog review selection is Aloha, Baby! by Ann Omasta. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read – this is the novella for you! ❤
Set in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, Leilani is a resort stakeholder-employee who gives her virginity and heart away to a handsome tourist. But, as the title suggests, it really canhappen the first time. After some indecision, Lani sets out to spread the news. Along with her best friends, Honi and Kai, they agree on a baby-raising pact.
When feelings are hurt, jealousy rears its ugly head. But, happily ever after makes a sweet surprise ending.
Well written and enjoyable, but the fast pace and short length leave some holes in the romance – I give Aloha, Baby! by Ann Omasta 3 HEARTS!
Recommended Read
If you read more for the story than the heat, definitely add this to your reading list. 🙂
Book Info:
Alone and pregnant…
Leilani Kehele never thought those words would describe her, yet that is exactly how she finds herself in Aloha, Baby!
Feeling like a huge disappointment to her family, Lani turns to her two handsome and loyal best friends, Kai and Honi, for advice.
In an attempt to arrange the best possible outcome for this challenging situation, the three hatch a plan to give Lani’s baby a father. Will it work? Will Lani and her baby discover their happily-ever-after ending?
This novella is part of The Escape Series, which includes the Kindle Scout winning book, Getting Lei’d, Cruising for Love, Island Hopping, and the sweet short story, Coconutty Christmas. You can read and enjoy these books in any order!
Hi, readers! If you’re visiting the blog today, you are either a loyal follower, or you came across the site because you love “Romance” as much as I do. Both, perhaps? To mark our official 500th post, we’re having a rare, yet awesome event here on ILRB. And it’s just in time for Christmas…yay! 🙂
Created by Freepik
Often enough, romance readers want to know…well, which book spurred an author’s interest in the genre. We all have to start somewhere, and a good writer is first a reader. So, I thought it would be cool to get a unique take on the genre straight from the source. Plus, what is more suitable for the blog’s theme – combining tips on romantic relationships with our avid love of romance novels – than a massive giveaway comprised of romance books?
Forty-two authors have banded together this week to not only give a hint of their reading preferences, but also to offer a chance to win some great prizes! These aren’t just holiday romance tales, but rather books you can read year-round, covering various subgenres (for an overview on different romance categories, refer to this post I wrote for Writing in the Modern Age). So exciting, right?
The Rules
With almost 200 opportunities to win, we have a lot going on here! If you’d like to enter the contest, please comment on the thread below. Be sure to include YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS, or we won’t be able to contact you. Though you can, of course, state the book titles or titles which interest you, to be fair to everyone please LIST YOUR PREFERRED ROMANCE SUBGENRES (for example: if erotica offends you, let us know, and also tell us if you already have one of the books in the list). All contest entries will be compiled, and then a randomizer will be used to select winners. The goal here is to make sure every participant wins at least once, if possible, so don’t be shy about telling us what you like or don’t like in your reading preferences; also if you’re open to trying something new. A lot of books are available in ebook format, but some are signed paperbacks. Leave us all your information in a comment below, or IF you prefer anonymity, you can email me at marieannlavender@gmail.com with the subject heading ‘WINTER LOVE GIVEAWAY ENTRY’.
I can’t emphasize enough how much I WILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO REACH YOU. I can’t traipse all over social media, trying to figure out how to contact you. Some people have similar names, and it’s like searching for an earring in a pile of thumbtacks. Painful, and just plain irritating. LOL. So, definitely tell us (or at least yours truly) how to reach your awesome self. 😉
Without further ado, let’s have a look at the prizes, and learn just what our favorite authors are reading these days…
Christmas with the family. An ideal, sweet homecoming… Or the torturous reminder that family can be your worst enemy.
Cat Helmstead suffers a grievous loss while on temporary duty in Spain with the Air Force. Her heart shatters and she sinks into a grief so profound that she’s ready to join the man she loved so much. Until she’s sent home, to spend the holidays with her family and makes several important discoveries that will change her future forever.
Can Cat move on from losing the only guy she’s ever been attracted to?
Your Top 5 Romance Books: Highland Velvet, The Velvet Promise, Sweet Liar, A Knight in Shining Armor, Velvet Angel – all by Jude Deveraux.
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Sweet Liar by Jude Deveraux.
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: I’m rereading one of my own, Froliche Weihnachten/Merry Christmas. There may or may not be a sequel in progress…
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List:Blackwater Burning, Where Have All the Cowboys Gone, Josey’s Mountain by Elle Marlow.
Format: Ebook (via Amazon or Barnes & Noble; provide the retailer you prefer and the appropriate email address for your device.)
# of copies: 2
Blurb: An aspiring Broadway actress believes her soul mate is named Avery, thanks to a message in a bottle. When she gets lost in a Hawaiian jungle, the mysterious Avery Bell saves her. Could he be The One? MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE meets SERENDIPITY.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2vw6r
Prize #3
Title: In His Corner
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Format: Ebook (via Amazon or Barnes & Noble; provide the retailer you prefer and the appropriate email address for your device.)
# of copies: 5
Blurb: ER and romance—they don’t go together. That’s what Dr. Siena Carr thinks until an Olympic boxer walks into her ER with a cut that needs stitching and a passion that consumes her.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/38raYZ
Answered Questions
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre AND Your Top 5 Romance Books:
For a long time, I didn’t realize I’m a romance genre lover at heart because the books I like are not categorized as romance novels but as classic literature. These are the classics that I cherish the most. I re-read these books time and again. They inspire me as a writer and reader both.
Blurb: Lady Bryce has a gift.
She can enter dreams and persuade her will onto others.
It has served her well, especially in eliminating unsatisfactory suitors of her father’s choosing.
But when she encounters Lord Rowland she wants him more than anything and decides to visit him in his sleep and make him desire her above all others.
But will their love be able to conquer all once Bryce’s secret is revealed? Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bppv6z
Prize #5
Title: Emma’s Dance
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Format: Signed Paperback (U.S. only)
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Headstrong Emma of Ashford is marrying Lord Alan, the man of her dreams, when her wedding is interrupted. A woman claims to be his long lost betrothed. But is she truly the woman thought dead since she was a child?
Emma is visited by a ghost. Is this spirit the long dead Carlyn who has come to help Emma declare the other woman an imposter? Or just another deception?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/3G90or
Prize #6
Title: The Jester’s Dance
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Format: Signed Paperback (U.S. only)
# of copies: 1
Blurb: The Lady Margaret, widowed and lonely, seeks adventure and goes to court disguised as a jester. She falls in love with a handsome Scotsman, Seth, who enlists her help to rescue his family. Together they must face danger, intrigue, and enemies determined to pull them apart. Can their love survive? Can they?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XKpE6
Prize #7
Title: A Dance in Time
Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Format: Signed Paperback (U.S. only)
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Lady Grace imagines escaping her cruel husband and miserable life. A portal into the past offers her so much more than she bargained for. Including meeting the man of her dreams whose life is at risk. Can she save him? Can he rescue her?Universal Reader Link:https://books2read.com/u/4NGz7o
Prize #8
Item: $20 Amazon Gift Card
Format: Swag
# of prizes: 1
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The first romance I read was Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss and I was hooked.
Title: Blessed (Book 1 of the Matawapit Family Series)
Genre: Multicultural/Inspirational, MM Romance, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: A mixed-blood Catholic seminarian struggles to discern his true calling: the priesthood or his ex-lover, a proud but damaged Ojibway man.
It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man. In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.
Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s suffered: the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon, and he intends on using his newfound power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and the church.
Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his life: please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.
Blurb: When you lose a loved one, whether it’s a relative, friend, or precious pet, you wonder where that special soul has gone and if you will ever see him or her again. For Dulcie Mills, Long Island computer programmer, the answer may lie between a virtual world and the real one, between the past and the present, between dreams and reality.
Unable to get over her fiancé’s death and facing the impending loss of her 15-year-old cat, Dulcie escapes to a virtual world. When Dulcie’s best friend accepts a job from a clairvoyant who offers predictions regarding Dulcie’s dead fiancé and Dulcie becomes attracted to an online stranger, history begins to repeat itself in ways that are both promising and terrifying. What Dulcie discovers through a virtual séance may mean the only chance she has left for love or death itself.
Addressing topics of reincarnation and soul transfer in similar ways as Greg Iles’ Sleep No More and Nora Roberts’ Midnight Bayou, Cloudy Rainbow features an interesting mix of technology and the paranormal and will also appeal to cat lovers.Universal Reader Link: mybook.to/CR2
Prize #11
Title: When Jack Trumps Ace
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 2
Blurb: Jackie Riordan’s in trouble . . .
When her jewel-thief father is caught in the middle of a heist, Jackie makes her getaway to his ex-jail pal’s apartment. a man called Ace, who lives in an upscale neighborhood of Chicago. What she doesn’t count on is falling in love with him and becoming his partner in crime. She also doesn’t expect to compete with Ace’s old flame or deal with his cat Roxie who causes her allergy attacks.
All bets are off . . .
After Jackie discovers clues left by her father which lead her to a treasure that Ace may have stolen, she contemplates her next move. Should she trust Ace and believe her father gave him the money, or head home to her mother, a religious hypocrite who would have no qualms about ratting out her own daughter to the cops?
Things that sparkle aren’t always Diamonds . . .
Before Jackie can decide who the good guys really are, she finds herself atop the Willis Tower carrying her father’s ashes in her pocket and aiding Ace in the largest jewelry heist of his life. Things go terribly wrong, and Jackie’s only choice seems to be to walk away from Ace or face imprisonment. Universal Reader Link: mybook.to/Jackebook
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audry Niffenegger
Time and Again by Jack Finney
Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
The Gift of a Charm by Melissa Hill
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Love Story by Erich Segal
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: The Dinner List by Rebecca Searle
Blurb: A romantic, erotic tale of a vivid portrayal of the quest for the inner truth, empowerment and sexual liberation of Selene, a woman searching for primeval abandon and reckless adventure. Intelligent, a university graduate and a successful careerist, Selene became emotionally scarred by unhappy relationships. Riled and taunted through the years by her former college roommate Janice, Selene gave in to the long-term desire to ‘get one back’ at Janice by having a passionate holiday encounter. Immediately drawn to the sea and enthralled by its brutal yet sensual waves, Selene seduces a young boy on a deserted beach. Once she comes to meet the mature and powerful Hudson, Selene finally begins to claim her sensual destiny. Through a slow process, accentuated by Selene’s shyness, introspection and circumspection, she embarks on a long and elaborate interplay of leading on and rejection. The volcanic passion builds until there is a blazing row. A possible drowning, the final ritual undressing at long last, leads to the ultimate flowering of the woman Selene was meant to be.
Included in Self’s Blossom are: Blossom Reburgeoning Selene, a little older but still well-preserved, decides to retrace the steps of her holiday. Up-to-date in spirit, she procures a companion through the Internet, and in the key scenes, she opts for alternatives to the choices she made on her first expedition. She feels enriched by her experience, and her sense of satisfaction removed her inhibitions from expressing her bisexuality. Spatial Dimensions Selene becomes so fascinated by the Moon Goddess that bears her name, that she imagines and wills herself into becoming a goddess, to go on an ethereal quest, embracing space and time travel, with concomitant ecstatic fulfillment. Sci-fi embraces ancient mythology!
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The first romance book to grab me was The Girl Beneath the Lion by Andre Pieyre de Mandiargues. What really catalyzed me to write in this genre was The Lamorna Reach by Joy V. Sheridan, written in the 80s and recently published on Amazon.
Blurb: First things first, let me introduce myself.
My name is supervisory special agent Derek Enzio Johnson.
But many know me as Enzio, Underboss of the Italian-American Mafia.
Yeah.
To say my life is complicated would be the understatement of the century. I live two lives. Criminal by day, agent by night. My job you ask.
Simple.
Get enough intel to arrest three men: Adam Ruston, Frances Capello and Sven Xander. AKA, the mafia boss, Capo and what they believed to be the underboss.
I definitely didn’t plan on meeting such incredible people. One in particular.
Lacey Ruston, the boss’s wife.
As if this all wasn’t hard enough. By far, my hardest undercover job.
So, for the first time in my life, I’m torn between right and wrong. And to add to it, every day I have a role to play where my life hangs in a delicate balance.
What is love?
Is it patient?
Is it kind?
Who the hell knows.
I don’t.
I just know I must save the one person I’ve ever opened my cold heart up to.
I don’t care what it takes to save her.
I sell drugs. I sell my soul. I don’t care. She just has to live.
Then enters Logan Prescott.
He makes sure to screw everything up. He makes me care.
He makes me feel…
And that is just not okay.
LOGAN:
Hollywood.
Lies. Sex. Fans. Attention.
Lonely.
I’ve been alone for far too long, caught up in a world I love but is slowly killing me.
The real me. The one behind the lights.
Then there’s her. The smart ass waitress who hates me with a fiery passion.
Trigger Warning: This is not a typical love story. Sam and Logan’s story contains disturbing scenes, drugs, sex and strong language.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/3nY0M8
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The first book that made me love romance books was The Dark Light of Day by TM Frazier, and to this day it is still my all-time favorite book.
Blurb: INTO THE AMERICAS (A novel based on a true story) is a gritty, real-life adventure based on one of history’s greatest survival stories. It was inspired by the diary entries of young English blacksmith John Jewitt during his time aboard the brigantine The Boston and also during his sojourn at Nootka Sound, on North America’s western seaboard, from 1802 to 1805.
Written by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan (authors of The World Duology and The Orphan Trilogy), INTO THE AMERICAS is a tale of two vastly different cultures – Indigenous North American and European civilization – colliding head on. It is also a Romeo and Juliet story set in the wilderness.
Nineteen year-old blacksmith John Jewitt is one of only two survivors after his crewmates clash with the fierce Mowachaht tribe in the Pacific Northwest. A life of slavery awaits John and his fellow survivor, a belligerent American sailmaker, in a village ruled by the iron fist of Maquina, the all-powerful chief. Desperate to taste freedom again, they make several doomed escape attempts over mountains and sea. Only their value to the tribe and John’s relationship with Maquina prevents their captors from killing them.
As the seasons pass, John ‘goes Indian’ after falling in love with Eu-stochee, a beautiful maiden. This further alienates him from his fellow captive whose defiance leads to violent consequences. In the bloodshed that follows, John discovers another side to himself – a side he never knew existed and a side he detests. His desire to be reunited with the family and friends he left behind returns even stronger than before.
The stakes rise when John learns Eu-stochee is pregnant. When a final opportunity to escape arises, he must choose between returning to civilization or staying with Eu-stochee and their newborn son.
INTO THE AMERICAS has been adapted to a feature film screenplay and is in early development with Morcan Motion Pictures.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzP5qZ
Answered Question
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: I’m currently reading OUTLANDER by Diane Gabaldon (Fantastic TV series, by the way).
Blurb: A movie star hiding from the world – A teacher on vacation in the Rockies – Forbidden attraction that blooms into more
The last thing famous Hollywood actor Colby Williams needs is another personal tragedy splattered all over the media. To lie low and find himself again, the star stays incognito at a cozy bed & breakfast in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. But the solitude is broken by another guest: an intriguing woman who sees beyond his brooding surface and makes him feel alive again. Should he really open his heart and his life to her?
Hope Parker has come to Pleasant View to meet one of her best friends, not to fall in love with a mysterious stranger whose mood changes are infuriating. But something about this man on a quest for a second chance touches her. Can she handle the baggage he comes with?
* * *
This small town romance series features novels that each revolve around a bed & breakfast in a different country. The books are sweet romance, set in countries like England, Canada, and Italy. They can be read separately as stand-alones with a happy ending and are great for fans of Nora Roberts. No cliffhangers, no cheating, but some mild swearing.
Book 1: Tantalizing Temptations (Inn Love 1 – England)
Book 2: Hidden Hopes (Inn Love 2 – Canada)
Book 3: Sweet Surprises (Inn Love 3 – Italy) [releases in 2019]Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4NGzN8
Answered Questions
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The first book that made me fall in love with the romance genre was one by Nora Roberts, more than a decade ago. I can’t remember the exact title (and I read it in German those days, as opposed to her English books now). She’s still my favorite romance author.
Before the attack, Jason Barton had a friends-don’t-date-friends philosophy when it came to being with the person he adored, Trini Davos. Trini, however, shared a different viewpoint and wanted nothing more than to be with the boy next door. For the last five years, the two shared a will-they-or-won’t-they relationship. Always friends, but nothing more.
However a brazen attack by a group of outlawed werewolves changed everything the long-time friends shared. They narrowly escaped death only to discover they became the wild beasts they feared. Transformed into something else, the two go on a journey not only to discover themselves, but to discover the true meaning of love.
Jason’s Awakening offers a fresh take on the paranormal romance genre. Filled with non-stop action, steamy romance, and twists no one will see coming, this book will keep the reader hooked from start to finish.
“This book was not what I was expecting at all. First off, loved that it didn’t immediately go into the supernatural stuff; there was a lot of character building in the first few chapters and I loved Trini, Jason and Mohinder. (I have such a soft spot of Mo, he was my favorite) Each of the characters is very diverse and they really help to drive the plot. This book plays on the ‘soul mate’ trope in werewolf fiction, which is heavily used and turns this book right on its head. The mythology is brilliant, in-depth and well thought out. 5/5” – Amazon Reader
“I was very excited to read this book as I love all things related to werewolves. This book certainly did not disappoint and I was hooked from the beginning.” – Lost in a Book ReviewUniversal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mqZdO6
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books: I have so many, here are a few at the top of my mind. Heroes: Saving Charlie by Aury Willington, Breaking Dragon by Jordan Marie, At Any Price by Brenna Aubrey, Heartbreaker by Logan Chance, Breakaway by Heather Orgeron
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Heroes: Saving Charlie by Aury Willington (My first romance book!)
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Immersion by L.L Ash
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List: Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks, Stuck by Logan Chance, The Wedding Date by Jamsmine Guillory.
Blurb: Gifted musician and singer Isabel Carson gets an unexpected phone call, asking her to come back for a reunion tour with a band she played for several years ago. Although she has serious reservations, Isabel reluctantly agrees…mainly because she can’t pass up the opportunity to see Spencer Logan, the man she loves, one last time. Six years ago, Isabel’s relationship with Spencer was sabotaged by Thomas, the jealous and possessive lead singer, and both men hurt her badly. However, once the band is reunited, it doesn’t take long for Isabel to realize she’s made a terrible mistake. Some things cannot be forgiven, and she would have been better off to have left the past in the past, where it belongs—especially since Isabel now hides a painful secret, one that, if exposed, could destroy what little peace and happiness she’s managed to achieve.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/m2vw07
Prize #19
Title: The Good Thief
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Two days before Christmas, shy bookstore owner Scotlyn Carter survived a traumatic bank robbery and subsequent kidnapping. Now, three months later, she still wakes up hearing the robber’s promise to find her—and kill her.
Then James McIntyre, the high school flame whose easy smile and mysterious eyes she could never forget, walks back into her life. As she falls for him once again, Scotlyn slowly begins to feel safe for the first time in a long time and thinks that maybe her nightmare will not come true, after all.
But James is not all that he seems. He is back in Scotlyn’s life for a reason and has been in contact with the very thieves who kidnapped her. And he’s harboring a dark secret that, if brought to light, could not only destroy their relationship—it could end their very lives.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4DlM0k
When tall, dark, and delicious Adam Farrell crosses Danni’s radar at a Vegas trade show, it’s not lust at first sight. He’s starred in her wicked fantasies for a while, pleasuring her with domination and submission that leaves her breathless. Aching for his masterful touch, believing she’ll never have it, she indulges in an intimate public act Adam alone witnesses. What follows is a wild and impassioned night in his powerful arms. It’s only the beginning.
An undisclosed business deal has turned Adam from competitor to Danni’s new boss. His hunger for her is absolute and he’ll make her fantasies seem tame as he takes her in ways she never imagined – whenever he wants, wherever he desires.
Seduced by Adam’s plan to mix exquisite control with adoration, Danni’s swept into a sensual adventure she can’t resist. Until corporate politics intrude and she learns what he’s been hiding to protect her… a secret he’s long feared will tear them apart.
Publisher’s Note: This steamy romance contains elements of power exchange.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bwYPXO
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
Top of Her Game – Emmy Holly
Seducing the Prince – Patricia Grasso
Wicked Loving Lies – Rosemary Rogers
Shanna – Kathleen Woodiwiss
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Rebecca (technically a gothic mystery, but I still consider it romance).
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: None. unfortunately – too busy writing my own and working a full-time job.
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List:
Gone with the Wind – never read it, but have wanted to
Fifty Shades of Grey – haven’t had time to read it either
Blurb: The battle for divine power rages within the Eternal Realm.
As the conflict escalates a prophecy is born that will set god against god amidst the mortal world below.
When the young priestess Rahab saves two foreigners from execution, she sets in motion a sequence of events that could see the death of everyone she knows and loves.
The future of humanity hangs in the balance as two bloodlines converge to battle over the city of Jericho. Now the Goddess Asherah must protect the prophecy and ensure both ancestral lines survive.
If either bloodline dies, the Host of Heaven will continue to battle for eternity…
-Finalist – 2018 – Author Academy and Readers’ Favorite Awards
“Fiona Tarr is a highly entertaining writer with exceptional storytelling skills.” – Eeva Lancaster for Readers’ Favorite
“A truly wonderful read with the plot very skillfully woven throughout the book.” – Claire Simpson
“Great book by a great author!! Definitely a Must Read!!!” – Ellen EngelbrechtUniversal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4NGz0J
Blurb: 1876 – Arianna is living a simple life. Devoted to her family, she is ready to sacrifice her dreams and marry the man her father has decided for her. Then she meets Renaud and she faces a difficult choice: should she choose love over family?
Present day
Mayara isn’t looking forward to graduation because that would mean she would never get to see Kanvar again, a guy she’s had a crush on for two years. She is about to reveal her feelings to him when her younger brother claims that Kanvar has been bullying him.
It is up to Mayara to figure out whether her instincts about Kanvar are true or not.
Two different eras, a love that challenges the beliefs of two young women. Can they balance both their family’s happiness and their own?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/49D10w
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
A Girl Named Rose by Betty Neels
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: It would have to be A Girl Named Rose by Betty Neels. I must have read it fifty times!
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Unfortunately, I haven’t found the time to read because I’m currently working on my new novel. Just a few chapters left before I take a break and get some reading done.
Blurb: Tormented, fierce, and broken, sculptor Aidan Murphy has judged himself guilty. He yearns for love but pushes everyone away. He longs for acceptance but has lost the key to open his heart. Until he meets Summer Williams. Beautiful and smart, Dr. Williams promises haven for a man who believes he deserves none. All he has to do is let her in and risk his heart and soul.
Summer’s managed to keep her inner light alive, even through tragedy. She’s created a new life for herself and her daughter in Crescent Creek with loving, caring and fun friends–well, except brooding, breathtaking Aidan. She’s used to keeping away from his type, though. All she has to do is ignore the pull of a man who’s turning out to be much more than snarls and storms. Will her compassion and medical instincts let her?
Love can heal a broken soul and shake up a timid heart. Or it can unleash devastation and revenge.
Both London and Dublin are cities I loved. I lived very close to London for five years, so I was able to visit and know her quite a bit. And I went to Dublin for the tenth anniversary with my husband, and I fell in love, totally and completely, with the city and Ireland. So those two books are a dream for me. I was able to witness how the cities changed and grew, and it was fantastic.
2. Nora Roberts – anything by her, really.
She’s the reason why I started writing, the one who got me hooked with the genre. Whatever she writes, I’ll read.
3. Marie Force – Fatal Series
The Hero and Heroine of this series are the only ones I love as much as I love Nora. Which is funny, because I’d read a book from Marie Force and hated it. Luckily for me, I have trouble remembering names so when I picked up the first book in the Fatal Series, I didn’t connect the author with the previous book and by the time I did, I was already gone for the series.
4. Emily Bronte – Wuthering Heights
No need to explain this one.
5. Bernard Cornwell – anything and everything
Love the guy. In my mind, he and Nora are an item and reign together in Paradise Book.
Blurb: If you were asked to keep a secret to save the life of someone you barely knew, would you?
Lady Angelina Stewart is a bold, beautiful, independent woman with a terrible secret to hide. After returning home from a sea voyage, she is touted as a hero for saving her family’s ship and crew from a band of ruthless pirates. But Angelina is a fraud. She allowed that dreadful pirate captain to touch a part of her that no other man has ever been able to touch before, until now; her heart.
Captain Jude Deveraux is leading a double life. He and his band of French privateers steal, rob and plunder unsuspecting ships that have the misfortune of wandering into their domain. Awarded a title by the King of France for bravery during battle, The Duke of Bayonne, A.K.A. Pirate Captain, takes what he wants from the world as he and best friend, Honore live each day as if it were their last. That is until the day Jude discovers that the only thing he truly wants is to capture the untamed heart of fiery tempered, Lady Stewart for his own.
Blurb: If you had a twin, how far would you go to save their life?
It is 1783 England and Isabella Deveraux is an independent, fearless young woman who has hardened her heart to everyone that mattered to her, until the night she experiences a disturbing dream about her twin brother, Charlie. It is the eve of their 19th birthday and Charlie and his two school mates have been abducted by the devil incarnate. Isabella resolves to do whatever it takes to save her beloved twin, even if that means reconciling with her estranged family and placing her life in the hands of an intimidating Irish mercenary Captain by the name of Townsend.
Captain Aiden Townsend is more than willing to save the lives of three privileged schoolboys, for the right price. Jaded by his own devastating loss years before, Aiden has worked hard to keep his distance from the female persuasion. That is until the day he is introduced to Lady Isabella Deveraux. He recognized her as a kindred spirit the moment he looked into her fiery eyes and as he sails his ship from England to Dublin, with the beautiful Lady Deveraux aboard, he formulates a plan to help her. But if his plan is to work, he must break through the walls that surround her heart while tearing down a few of his own.
Blurb: If you had a unique set of skills and could save your best friend from a fate worse than death, would you?
Lady Olivia Sophia Allen Townsend is not only young and beautiful but considered by most in her polite social circle to be far too eccentric for her own good. Olivia’s been able to see and speak to spirits since she was very young, but the years of shunning by her peers caused Olivia to turn her back on those who need her the most; the spirits caught between two worlds. That is until the night her best friend Lilly comes to her asking for help. You see, Lilly can’t remember what happened to her, and finds herself in need of Olivia’s unique gifts to help her figure it out.
Coco, Olivia’s younger sister, is also gifted. She can touch someone and know their deepest, darkest secrets, often the very secrets they would prefer to keep hidden.
Together, the sisters set off on a sea voyage, from Ireland to America, intent on solving the mystery of Lilly’s untimely death.
Brody and Quinton Beaumont are fine-looking, eligible southern gentlemen: heirs to a successful cotton empire. They are also twins hiding a terrible secret. Their mother, Annabelle Beaumont died on the same night as their annual winter ball, eight years earlier, yet she continues to rule over their plantation home with an iron fist.
When these two families come together, secrets will be revealed.
Books That I Have Loved Over the Years and the Books That Made Me Want to Write: anything by Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series – the first 4 books in the series, Katherine Woodiwiss – A Rose in Winter, Come Love a Stranger.
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Virgin to Victor by Trisha Hughes, a fascinating history of Royals from Mary of Scots and Bloody Mary, Elizabeth the Virgin Queen and on down. It is riveting the amount of research she has put into this book. Other than that, I am not doing much reading since I have just finished writing a novel, Lara’s Story, and I am working on a 5th novel, Compromising Position. I try not to read too much so that I am not influenced by someone else’s style while I am crafting my books.
The Latest 4 Romance Titles on Your TBR List: Forbidden Highlands – crafted by a group of writers, Highland Spy by Madeline Martin, Word of Honor by Alexa Aston, Everything Forbidden by Kess Michaels
Blurb: On the brink of losing her bakery, Beth Monroe must accept help from Bryce Landry, the college love who broke her heart, or watch her dream fail.
After a broken engagement, Bryce gave up on the idea of real love until he walks into Beth’s bake shop. He has no clue why she is curt with him. But to get into her good graces, Bryce gives her an offer she can’t refuse, which opens up both their hearts and exposes the love they had for each other.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMQj8G
Prize #31
Title: Sweet Redemption
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Heading to Chicago for his mother’s funeral, Markus Landry is waylaid by a piece of metal piercing his gas tank. Stuck in the small town of Valentine, Oklahoma, he meets a vivacious spitfire librarian, Charlie White, who quickly gets under his skin. Markus wants more than a taste of her sweet lips and asks her to take a trip back to his hometown.
With just over a month left before Charlie has to close down her beloved Library, meeting Markus is a welcome distraction from her anguish about what she has to do. Even though she barely knows the man, Charlie takes a chance and lets her attraction for Markus take the lead and hope he doesn’t break her heart.
But seeing the brother he betrayed, Markus doubts he’s worth Charlie’s affection and pushes her away. Their chemistry is undeniable, but love may not be enough when you’re looking for redemption.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/m0gD8M
Answered Question
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
Lucy Lennox- any one of the Forever Wilde series
Sarina Bowen – Goodbye Paradise
Tillie Cole – Hades Hangman Series
Charlie Cochet – Love in Spades – Four Kings Security series
Blurb: Once you’re in a prison gang, you’re in it for life. That’s what Mason Harding thought until the boss accepted his resignation. After the State releases him on parole, a sexy divorcée behind the wheel of a car almost ends his life quicker than a shank. His chance encounter with Mia Eddison results in a night of passion, but her brother—his parole officer—catches them together and doesn’t approve.
Mia falls hard for the cocky ex-con, but not because of his chiseled body. She vows to break through his walls and discover his secrets, but never expects those secrets to threaten her life.
When members of an organized crime ring kidnap Mia to force Mason’s return to the gang, he goes up against an old friend to save the woman he loves. Will his sacrifice be enough or will everything fall apart in a blaze of gunfire?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bxZLxe
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The first romance book I read was True Blue by Ingrid Weaver when I was twelve years old. After that, I started reading as many romance books as I could find, and I started writing my own books.
Blurb: Twelve years ago Jim Rustle packed up and left his home in Idaho and hasn’t looked back. He gets quite an awakening when Lisa Parker, whom he hadn’t seen in all those years, breaks into a business meeting and uses some colorful adjectives to tell him just what she thinks of him.
Sparks fly between the two when he decides to follow Lisa home and sees what has happened in his absence. Is the anger stemming from the present or the past?
It’s the Christmas season. Anger, hurt, and misunderstandings have boiled inside Jim and Lisa for so long. Can homemade ornaments, from years past, help heal the betrayals that have festered for years? The Forgotten Ornaments is a short story with a heat level of two. Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/47Z9yg
Prize #34
Title: The Unwanted Christmas Guest
Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 2
Blurb: Elizabeth McMurphy is an up and coming, high powered attorney and is after vengeance, involving one of the richest and most powerful families in Colorado. Steve York is an obnoxious reporter that thinks the ice queen has gone too far and does all he can to get under her skin.
When one of the worst blizzards in history hits Colorado during the Christmas holidays and leaves a hurt Steve York, stranded with Elizabeth in a mountain cabin, her hatred for him starts to thaw. But this attorney has a secret that she will guard, even at the risk of losing her only chance at love.
Blurb: Christmas Eve is five days away. This is the day Sheriff Jim Hawkins will marry Charlene Lehman, the woman who will make his life complete and be the mother of his six year old daughter, Sally.
Adam Jacobson, a wanted murderer, is apprehended and it is up to Jim Hawkins to deliver him to Pueblo, Colorado. “I’ll only be gone for two days, Charlene. Nothing in this world will keep me from making you my wife.”
True to his word, Jim makes it home only to find both Charlene and his daughter missing. Heavy snow has covered any tracks to their whereabouts and nobody has seen a thing. All searches have come up empty.
Will the magic of the Christmas season come through or has Jim lost everything he has come to cherish?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mgLQxR
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The book that got me hooked was Rosemary Rogers’ Sweet Savage Love.
Blurb: “This is a sweet, short story about a woman who is emotionally fragile during the holiday season. She finds love in the most unexpected way with a man who isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. I smiled often as the story developed. It was adorable!”Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5ryGR
Prize #37
Title: Christmas at Star Lake
Genre: Holiday Romance/Mystery
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: This is the perfect time for a Christmas Murder Mystery! Somebody is killing off Madison’s employees, so she closed down shop, sends everyone home, and heads to a cabin at the lake to think. What could possibly go wrong?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/38raNL
Prize #38
Title: I Need Christmas
Genre: Holiday Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: The story of Betsy Curry, a woman returning home for the holidays with her big, happy family after a crushing divorce.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bppvxk
Prize #39
Title: Bentley Square
Genre: Romantic Adventure
Format: Signed Paperback
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Strangers see each other every day on the train, fantasize about each other, but never speak. Then one day they meet. International intrigue follows.
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: I first fell in love with romantic adventure stories after discovering Jude Deveraux’s wonderful tales of love and longing. Counterfeit Lady, Velvet Lady, The Montgomery Saga. A frontier one with Zeke and Abby…I can’t remember the name, but we all loved it! I was lucky enough to work with a bunch of avid readers. Usually non-fiction. Usually geared toward the education of primary children. But one evening after a teachers meeting, we discovered a little used paperback bookstore and bought everything they had by Jude, then passed them around among us at work. Discussions, late night phone calls, and tears in the teacher’s room ensued. Wonderful experience!
Title: Liberty: Romance Out of a Clear Blue Sky, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 30
Blurb: Liberty Adair is recovering from her broken marriage and even has questions about God, science and her future. She is a Christian who unexpectedly meets a college professor who is good-looking, available but an atheist. Sometimes opposites attract. They are worlds apart but both need love and have disturbing questions about science, God and their future romantic relationships.
Dr. Ernest Siegfried is successful until he has a heart attack at age 39. Liberty was divorced from her preacher husband and now wonders if her life has meaning, or is her life without purpose and direction? Liberty has some past hurts from her failed marriage and longs for a good marriage and children. Ernest believes that modern science has replaced beliefs in God. Liberty is researching evolution, intelligent design and questions about the Creator to answer some burning doubts.
At age 28, can she be sure of what is real and what are outdated religious beliefs? How does God interface with humans? Does DNA prove intelligent design by the Creator? Did God create mankind in His image, or did humans create gods and goddesses in their image?
Additional option from Kenneth: I hope you review the book. I have a few paperbacks for free (10) and if you want one, then send me your physical address. Be sure to mention ‘Books Reviews Marie’ in your email. My Email address is bk@Sumerford.comUniversal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/3yDAxp
Answered Questions
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The Song of Solomon book in the Bible
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon
Blurb: At sixteen, Sarah Atwell walked away from her love of horses and a promising career as a competitive rider after discovering she’d inherited the family curse. Years later, her grandmother stunned everyone by leaving Sarah her horse farm—worth millions—but with conditions Sarah might not be able to meet.
A former Redclaw agent, Casey Barnes retired when a security assignment went bad, killing his partner and leaving him as a partial amputee. His inner wolf is in hiding. He’s been living quietly as a horse trainer, but June Atwell’s death now pits him against her granddaughter for rights to the stable.
With both of them snowed in at the farm, a series of increasingly serious accidents draws Sarah and Casey closer together, but they each harbor secrets that might tear them apart.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4NGzEJ
Blurb: The hours are counting down as investigators try to prove that Dianna Murphy has been snatched. Unfortunately, without witnesses and solid evidence, all the police really know is that she is missing.
When suburban Milwaukee law student Dianna Murphy fails to connect with her roommate, there is no real evidence that she has been snatched. Until Law Professor Janet MacLachlan, a former covert agent, discovers a single clue, one that points to a taking by a slave trafficking cartel. In a race against time, Janet recruits her husband, secret agent Cade Matthews, small-town Police Chief David Manders and his wife, criminal defense attorney Julianna Constant, and other law students to uncover the truth. Can they prove she has been taken, before Dianna disappears without a trace?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mvKgde
Answered Question
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Betting the Scot by Jennifer Tretheway
Blurb: They had been searching for their mate, but when they find her she is traumatized and scared to be around strange men. They must get her to accept them before they reveal their true natures. Will their love be strong enough to break down her barriers? Could she truly be destined to love two dragons?
Today Annie’s dragons will shift and fulfill her every desire, which means a fiery threesome—and true love.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/38r1l7
Prize #44
Title: A Saint’s Salvation
Genre: Contemporary Military Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 2
Blurb: Corporal Nicholas ‘Saint’ Santiago needs to go home to reclaim the man he used to be. To be the man he was before Operation Enduring Freedom slowly hardened his heart. He needs to reconnect to the values and the reasons he is doing what he does. Saint also needs to try to forget the courageous woman he fell in love with.
Petty Officer Angelina Jones’ life changed the moment Saint saved her life. She survived the blast but now has to deal with the fact that she will never be whole. She can’t believe that anyone would want her the way she is now. Digging up her courage, Angelina moves forward hoping against hope that she can live a full life again.
Crossing paths again brings their emotions to a full boil. A coincidence that will have them both reaching for their dreams.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/A-Saints-Salvation
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
Dark Fire by Christine Feehan – My favorite out of all of the series.
Blackwing Defender (Kane’s Mountains Book 1) by T.S. Joyce – really ANY of her books. I’ve read this whole series and all the spinoffs starting with the bears on Damian’s Mountain!
Ice Planet Barbarians: A SciFi Alien Romance by Ruby Dixon. Again, I’ve read this whole series and the spin offs.
Ivan (Her Russian Protector #1) by Roxie Rivera – Loved this whole series.
King by T.M. Frazier – This series grabbed me by the gut. I couldn’t get enough.
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: I started reading gothic romances in 4th grade so I couldn’t tell you. But I remember the first romance I absolutely fell in love with, The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: I just finished Hacked by Love by Elisa Leigh and am waiting for the next one to come out.
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List: I’m waiting on the next in the Daughters of Beasts series by T.S. Joyce, any of the Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, and the three books in Christine Feehan’s Dark Series I’m behind on. I like to save them up and stay immersed in a world.
Blurb: Can second chances really exist for a bad boy mobster and the only woman to ever steal his heart?
One of Iowa’s most prominent criminal attorneys, Joci Dorous is ruthless and devoid of emotion in the courtroom. It’s what makes her the best. Her most recent client allegedly committed murder and, despite a rocky start, Joci is determined to win Cameron Shearer’s case.
Since this is her first homicide, she has the support of a second-chair attorney—her ex who wants her back. To make things more complicated, her hunky cop of a booty call, Cameron’s arresting officer, isn’t quite ready to let her go either. Who knew being surrounded by three hot guys could be so deliciously exhausting?
As the mystery of the case unravels, she soon discovers the true reason behind Cameron’s impromptu visit to Iowa. It’s this knowledge that endangers all those she holds dear. Caught up in confusion, chaos, and criminal law, how will her heart survive the final verdict? Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/47Z9oE
Prize #46
Title: Hearts Abroad
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Kindle Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Taking a break from screenwriting in New York City, Londyn Bellerose takes a nannying job in Colorado to get away from the hubbub. A summer to live without regrets is all she wants. While her boss is British, gorgeous, and a millionaire, he has no clue how to have fun. Determined to mend the relationship between father and daughters, Londyn doesn’t expect to fall for the museum curator.
Londyn is American and everything Callum Archer swore to never fall for again. With her carefree spirit and energetic smile, she’s perfect to nanny Callum’s two daughters. The problem is she’s also perfect for him. She’s sassy, musical, and tends to speak her mind more than she means to.
When old history and new dreams threaten her happily ever after, will Londyn and Callum’s love survive?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4jDkn2
Answered Question
Your Top 5 Romance Books: Deep Blue by Kat Martin, The Highlander Series by Maya Banks, Spirited Away by Cindy Miles, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, and A Little of Chantelle Rose by Cristina Hodgson
Blurb: Torrential rain spikes. A scream pierces the dark night.
Greye Fields has immersed herself in her literary work, with no desire to chase the inevitable sting of rejection she knows too well. She won’t allow herself the time or the desire to pursue love.
Until she meets him.
Connor Donovan is perfectly content with his bachelor status. Life is good, teaching middle school English, and being the favorite uncle. He wants for nothing.
Until he meets her.
Shattered glass. A wash of blood.
Is it a nightmare or a memory?
Can Connor and Greye overcome the obstacles to the love of all time, or is tragedy doomed to be repeated?
What if love found the right people in the wrong time?
A horrific event shakes the small, idyllic town of Roy, WA.
Tre Michaels, the new sheriff, has a job to do. He has sworn to serve and protect, with his life if necessary. Though he has no time to pursue the hometown beauty, Angela Donovan, he finds himself gravitating to her.
A supernatural presence is lurking in the shadows of the quiet town.
The once peaceful community is changed forever.
Can Angela and Tre find love, and a happily ever after despite the danger? Or will their fairy tale turn deadly?
The Eternal Journey Series
A journey toward redemption, and truth
A journey toward love.
Be sure to look for the third and final story of the series, Rose Gardens.
Blurb: Kyle Lawson needs a wife, and he needs one now. With his ailing business on the line, the only woman who can rescue him is the stepdaughter of the man who put him in this precarious position in the first place. Can he trust her to come through for him, and save his business?
When given the chance to marry the man of her dreams, while atoning for the sins of her family, Molly Wilson doesn’t hesitate. Propelled into a bogus marriage, she vows to make up for the mistakes of the past, even if it means breaking her own heart.
Can Kyle and Molly put aside their differences and unite, fight for a better future? When their plan is threatened by a secret from Kyle’s past, will it ruin the deal and destroy any hope of a life together?
Amidst the searing heat of Florida, will Molly and Kyle resist their inner desires? Or, despite their troubled past, can love, forgiveness and redemption find a way to shape their future?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5ry1l
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books: Very hard, but I narrowed it down…
Liz Fielding – Anything but Vanilla
Newly Weds of Convenience – Jessica Hart
A Nanny for the New Year – Barbara McMahon
S E Gilchrist – Legend Beyond the Stars
Diane Burton – Switched
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Wild Justice – Liz Fielding
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: The Lost King – Michael Cuell
It’s set in the days of kings and sword fights, but has romance at the heart of it.
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List:
Kari Lemor – Fatal Evidence (Love on the Line Book 3)
Beckett Carter is the last of his family; the head of Carter Enterprises and a reclusive billionaire living in a luxurious Las Vegas penthouse. Since his parents’ murder, his obsession with justice has steadily grown stronger, leading him to become the masked vigilante known to criminals as the Phantom. When he’s not out playing the part of a filthy rich playboy he trains his body hard, and in his disguise, he brings the criminal underworld to its knees.
Crime reporter Ella James keeps everyone at arm’s length, throwing herself into her work and her quest to find out what happened to her missing sister. She doesn’t let anyone get close enough to her to see how damaged she really is and afraid to trust anyone fully; she has never let a man touch her. While going undercover she puts her life in danger and discovers the secret identity of the Phantom as he ruthlessly eliminates a room full of criminals. This one night sets off a chain of events neither of them expected.
Faced with the threat of being exposed, Beckett is left with only one choice. He takes Ella captive, keeping her in a secret room until he can complete his mission. In Ella, Beckett finds an opponent unlike any he’s met before – she’s smart, resourceful, and worst of all, innocent. The untouched woman locked away in his penthouse is the greatest temptation he has ever faced.
A tense rivalry between the two grows into something so much more than either could have imagined. When Beckett gives in and shows Ella how dark he can be, can she succeed and show him the light?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/3nY0oB
Answered Question
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: I’m currently reading Sin with Me by J.A Huss. I enjoy her writing style; it’s deliciously dark and sensual with quite a few twists and turns. I like a bit of suspense in my romance as a reader and a writer.
Blurb: Paris, September 1824 – Lord Nicholas Asquith needs his wife. Too bad he broke her heart ten years ago.
Can he resist a second chance at the love he lost?
When Mariana catches the eye of the man at the center of an assassination plot, Nick puts aside their painful past and enlists her to obtain information by any means necessary, even if it means seducing the enemy agent.
Even if the thought makes his blood boil.
Only by keeping his distance from Mariana these last ten years was he able to pretend indifference to her. With every moment spent with her, he feels his tightly held control slipping…
Can she trust the spy who broke her heart?
Mariana spent the last decade forgetting Nick. Now she has the chance to best him at his own game, an opportunity she can’t resist, even as her view of him begins to shift. Increasingly, she wants nothing more than to seduce her own husband …
It’s only a matter of time before mad passion ignites, a passion never convincingly extinguished. A passion that insists on surrendering to the yearning of the flesh and, quite possibly, of the heart.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bzP5Xq
Prize #55
Title: Tempted by the Viscount
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: London, April 1825
Lord Jakob Radclyffe left his past behind in the Far East. Or so he thinks until a ruthless thief surfaces in London, threatening to ruin his daughter’s reputation. With the clock ticking, Jake needs the scandalous Lady Olivia Montfort’s connections in the art world to protect his daughter’s future.
Olivia, too, has a past she’d like to escape. By purchasing her very own Mayfair townhouse, she’ll be able to start a new life independent from all men. There’s one problem: she needs a powerful man’s name to do so. The Viscount St. Alban is the perfect name.
A bargain is struck.
What Olivia doesn’t anticipate is the temptation of the viscount. The undeniable spark of awareness that races between them undermines her vow to leave love behind. Soon, she has no choice but to rid her system of Jake by surrendering to her craving for a single scorching encounter.
But is once enough? Sometimes once only stokes the flame of desire higher and hotter. And sometimes once is all the heart needs to risk all and follow a mad passion wherever it may lead.
Blurb: Growing up in an unstable home, and then being tossed into the home of her estranged father and his new family, Maddie knows how it feels to be unwanted. All she longs for is a normal family where there is love, peace, and harmony. When she finds the twins hiding in her yard, her heart opens up and love spills all over them. They are running away because their widowed father is going to marry a woman they hate, and they claim she hates them, too. Maddie is taken in by the twins, and soon becomes good friends with their father. She steps in and helps out when he asks her, and she is glad to do it. When Adam has set a date for his wedding, he backs away from Maddie, hoping to give his future wife a chance to bond with his children. It is then that Maddie realizes that she is in love with Adam, and her heart breaks. Maddie isn’t the only one who is sad. The twins are devastated and resort to drastic measures to get Maddie back. In spite of their sad little faces, the wedding day arrives, and it is up to Adam to make it right.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bazeQQ
Prize #57
Title: Testosterone Poisoning, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: After breaking up with Derek, Kyla Stanford meets the man of her dreams. Storm Galloway is the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. They are so right for each other, and they could not be happier. When Derek sees them together he is enraged. Kyla must pay for her lies and infidelity — Derek will see to it. He hatches a plan. Will Storm find her and save her? Will he be on time? And finally, what does ‘testosterone poisoning’ mean? Who is poisoned by testosterone?
Blurb: A car accident in the middle of a snowstorm wipes out Miranda’s memory. While she is being treated at a clinic by a pair of doctors, father and son, she begins to fall for the son. The feelings are mutual. But it is soon discovered that she has a family and a fiancé desperately trying to find her. They are complete strangers to her, but it is odd that there is something about Rob, her fiancé, that she does not like. While she doesn’t recognize her family, she feels safe with them. The Christmas wedding had been postponed, but Rob encourages her to set another date. She allows him to talk her into setting a date, but these feelings she has toward Rob won’t go away. Why? If only she could get her memory back. That may be the answer.
Blurb: A feisty single mom clashes with an ex-military, macho corporate star at a business retreat in the wild Colorado mountains, where only one can win a huge prize. But when a massive flood imperils their love and survival, they learn the meaning of true partnership.
Years ago, Ramona (‘Raye”) Soto faced harsh reality when a roving con man knocked her up. Now at thirty-something, she’s concentrating on her career in a major telecommunications firm and funding college for her teenaged son. Enter Desmond Emmett—a fast talker and smooth operator. New to the office, the ex-serviceman possesses every negative quality for a guy Raye should avoid.
Thrown together at a corporate retreat in the wilderness, the reluctant duo struggles to complete management’s extreme mental and physical tests for a huge reward. But only one can win the prize, and Des needs the money to underwrite medical treatments for his adored younger sister.
Seesawing between attraction and antagonism, the mismatched couple, Raye and Des, face their biggest challenge: learning the meaning of true partnership. When a massive flash flood sweeps down the rocky canyon and threatens their love and survival, they must put aside their differences to rescue their colleagues — and their future as a couple.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bQ9L5Z
Prize #60
Title: Falling Like a Rock
Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 3
Blurb: Watch out for falling rock! A mountain town and its rugged mayor captivate a woman in search of a new life and love.
Unloved and unemployed. That’s Elaine Svoboda, after she’s sacked, then flees across country to her boyfriend who drops her flat. Teetering on the abyss of disaster, she calls an old friend who invites her to a tiny mountain town with fresh prospects. There she meets rugged, hunky Joe Richter-Leon, mayor of Falling Rock, Colorado.
Sparks fly immediately, but major obstacles make a new life on the ashes of the old appear impossible. She must overcome a few obstacles like a broken ankle, an eating disturbance, his stubbornness, and her own fears. She’s smothering her hopes when a battle with a forest inferno illuminates their true feelings and desire.
Funny and frank, poignant and perceptive, when two people are “Falling Like a Rock,” they learn surrender sometimes means victory.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/3krMqG
Answered Questions
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Roberta Gellis, Bond of Blood. I discovered she excelled at historic romances which fully utilized her depth of academic expertise and made readers hungry for her accurate, enchanting stories.
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Just finished Kristin Higgins’ Good Luck with That. In-depth, multi-layered story of three friends, all with weight and psychological problems. But which caused which?
Blurb: No Distance Between Us is a short, coming-of-age romantic story about a gay teenager in an exclusive English boarding school. Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mVBEpr
Prize #62
Title: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up
Genre: LGBT Romance/Memoir
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 2
Blurb: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up is a short yuletide story about a teenage prankster at a pantomime in an exclusive English boarding school.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mvKglq
Prize #63
Title: The Truth Will Set You Free
Genre: LGBT Romance/Memoir
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 2
Blurb: The Truth Will Set You Free is a mistaken identity short story about a gay teenager at a Valentine’s Day party with a girl who had eyes for him.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bxZLlJ
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The trilogy that made me fall in love with the Romance/Erotica Genre was Anne Rice writing as A. N. ROQUELAURE, Classic Erotic Trilogy of Sleeping Beauty. These books were so beautifully written, I could identify one of the characters as that of myself. I read the entire series within a week in the early 1980s. I have yet to read another Romance/Erotica author’s work that can rival the Erotic Adventures of Sleeping Beauty trilogy. Although Ms. Rice penned a fourth book to the series three decades later, I was disappointed because her erotic romance mojo/emotions had dissipated. What was left was an empty repetitious shell of her glorious trilogy.
Desiree Edwards has a problem. She’s been attacked, kidnapped and forced to get along with a vampire of all things. It’s something right out of the story books she reads, or her worst nightmare. But, sometimes he’s not the monster he appears to be. He seems so humanlike that she can’t help it when her emotions betray her, when her body betrays her. To make matters worse, she finds out more about herself than she ever wanted to know.
She was unlike any other…
Alec has a problem. The animal in him wants Desiree. But, so does the man. The more he learns about her, the harder it is to deny what he wants. But, he’s a freak, and she’s just a human. The two species don’t mix that way. Then an old enemy surfaces and Alec is forced to make a choice. His life or hers.
Can Alec’s soul be saved by this unique human? Or will it be far too late?
BLOOD INSTINCTS
Enter the Other World at your own risk…
What if you found out that you weren’t exactly…human?
Myah Sullivan is suddenly living that nightmare. There are Others in the world, dangerous, supernatural creatures that make her mind spin and cause her to question the reality she’s always known.
Oliver King is her savior, a vampire who tries to show her the way. Through her journey she learns far more than she ever thought she would about herself, and about the past. Soon, she discovers that there is so much more to meeting Oliver than mere happenstance.
Can Myah accept her new reality, or will she retreat into that normal, safe world she once thought was her own?Universal Reader Link: http://Author.to/MarieLavender
Prize #65
Title: Blue Vision (book one of the Code of Endhivar Series)
Genre: Sci-fi Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: Brooke Sanders just wants to get away from her life for a while. A remote cabin in Montana fits the bill. She doesn’t expect to encounter a mysterious stranger with unusual blue eyes, or events that cannot be explained…
Colin Fielding is on a mission – scout a planet and return home to Endhivar. Simple really. What he doesn’t anticipate is that fate has a pretty twisted sense of humor. Suddenly, this human calls to him, every part of him, like the call of a true mate, and he can’t deny the connection as he gets closer to her.
Little do they know, someone is out to do them harm, as well as the world Brooke holds so dear. Can they stop what’s coming before it’s too late? Or will the universe lose a perfect gem?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/md0BoX
Prize #66
Title: Heiresses in Love Trilogy
Genre: Historical Romance/Family Saga
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1 boxed set
Blurb: An unforgettable, sweeping saga of romance, passion and history rooted in tales of maritime suspense…
Three heiresses…three novels like no other.
UPON YOUR RETURN
Fara risks her heart every time she’s with him, but she cannot deny him.
UPON YOUR HONOR
Chloe never imagined that the man she deceived would be the one man she can’t stop loving.
UPON YOUR LOVE
Adrienne must decide whether to succumb to desire or fight for love.
…Will these remarkable women at last find what they’ve always wanted, or lose more than they can bear?Universal Reader Link: http://myBook.to/HeiressesTrilogy
Prize #67
Title: Second Chance Heart (book one of the Eternal Hearts Series)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
# of copies: 1
Blurb: After a wild storm forces her to take shelter in a small town inn, Dana Nelson thinks that all she has to worry about is a brief stay before she heads back to the city. She gets far more than she bargained for…
The last thing she expects is to run into an old flame, and even worse, the man who broke her heart twelve years ago. She’s sure that the only thing remaining between them is a strong attraction for another.
She can’t be more wrong…
The more time she spends with Vince Reynolds, the more she begins to believe she can trust him again. But, can she put her faith in the one man who captivates her, body and soul, or are some wounds too deep to heal?
Your Top 5 Romance Books: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward, Under Her Skin by Susan Mallery, The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood, Emma’s Home by Maryann Jordan, Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Devil’s Embrace by Catherine Coulter
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Wild Things by Chloe Neill
Blurb: Time…escaping his past, struggling with the present, looking towards his future.
Time… a gift, precious, fleeting, ever-changing, moving quickly…too quickly, especially for a man searching for the woman of his dreams.
That’s exactly how photographer Tommy Conte decided he would begin his new life. He left everything he knew behind in search of something special…someone special. His plan was clear. He would move to the beach, renovate an old shore house and find the woman that he would ultimately marry…all within six months.
Was he delusional? Perhaps…yet after everything that had gone on in his life the last few years, he had to take that chance.
Then… as luck would have it, he met Jade Stanton, his new neighbor. Tommy was immediately drawn to her. He wanted and needed to know more.
Perfect right? Wrong…
There was one small problem. Jade wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship like Tommy was. She was done…over it. She swore off anything serious with any man that came her way…until she was backed into a corner and Tommy came to her rescue.
He pretended to be her boyfriend…for just one evening.
It was simple, no strings attached. It was only one night, or so she thought.
Due to circumstances beyond her control, Jade needed Tommy to play his part for a little while longer. She didn’t think it would be a problem. Tommy was fine with it and they both knew it was all just an act. Yet, Jade came to realize the more she pretended, the more she couldn’t deny that she was falling for him. Although she didn’t want Tommy to find out, Tommy knew better; he felt it too.
Tommy realized that the girl he had dreamed of was right there in front of him, and the life he wanted to share with her was finally within his grasp. He decided he couldn’t let her slip away. He wouldn’t leave it up to fate. He had to try, but Tommy also knew it wouldn’t be easy. Actually, it would be the hardest thing he ever had to do…prove to Jade that she could trust him enough to love him, as much as he loved her.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/38ra16
Prize #69
Title: Miss Taken Identity Series
Genre: Contemporary Romance, some Dark Romance
Format: Ebook Set (trilogy) with bookmark set in the mail
# of copies: 5
Blurb:
MISS TAKEN
Love… The Ultimate Loss of Control
Rain and Raven Medici are identical twins. Although they come from a loving close-knit family, their childhoods couldn’t have been more different. Raven went to school and was exposed freely to the outside world. Rain, on the other hand, was born with a blood disorder and denied many normal childhood experiences.
Once grown, Raven becomes a lawyer at their dad’s firm Kane & Medici in NYC. Rain along with her only childhood friend Tommy Conte, builds a very successful business as professional photographers. Traveling between Europe and Manhattan, and enjoying a world that was kept from her, Rain vows never to be controlled again.
Dominick Kane is a product of his upbringing. He’s powerful, self-assured and knows he can achieve anything he desires. Nothing gets in his way. There is only one thing he has ever failed at. A relationship with his father Vincent Kane. Upon his father’s death, Dominick vows revenge. The events he sets in motion put him on a collision course he himself will be unable to control.
In a bizarre twist of fate, Dominick kidnaps Raven as part of his plan for revenge. Only to discover afterward, he has taken Rain by mistake. Rain knows she can never survive being confined again. So she strikes a bargain with the devil and agrees to help Dominick get back what he feels rightly belongs to him. His father’s share of Kane & Medici.
Dominick decides to use the strong attraction growing between Rain and himself to control her in every way imaginable. Too bad no one ever taught Dominick you can’t control the heart. Nothing could have prepared him for the effect Rain would have on his.
Will this plan of revenge turn into unconditional love? Or will Dominick and Rain’s need for control ultimately destroy them and any possible chance for a real future together…
IDENTITY
…People aren’t always who you believe them to be.
Dominick Kane and Rain Medici started their relationship with one another in the most unconventional way.
He kidnapped her.
With the kidnapping now behind them, life returns to normal, right?
Not a chance.
The push, the pull and their fights for control that we’ve come to love about Dominick and Rain still exist. And so does their passion.
People aren’t who you think they are. Familiar faces are not so familiar. The past and the present collide, opening up all of those old wounds and struggles once again.
Now, everything you thought you knew, gets blown out of the water.
Can Dominick and Rain finally heal what’s broken? Or will new discoveries push them even further apart.
Will love win out and bring them back together? Or will ghosts of the past ultimately destroy their love once and for all…
THE TIES THAT BIND
When Rain Medici was taken, she never thought in a million years that her captor would be the man of her dreams, but he was.
Dominick Kane kidnapped his enemy’s daughter. He had no idea that his victim would be the one woman to capture his empty heart, but she did.
It’s been one full year since the kidnapping that brought Dominick and Rain together. In that time, they struggled with many emotions and fought constant obstacles. They discovered new identities, faced ghosts from their pasts and attacks against their family, that to this day remain unsolved.
Yet, regardless of the unexpected challenges, some self-inflicted, Dominick and Rain always knew that their undying love for each other had gotten them through everything.
But then… the unimaginable happened.
Dominick was arrested.
The charge?
The apparent kidnapping of his wife, Rain Medici.
Now, the couple faces a whole new set of challenges. Challenges that bring their pasts forward once again and others which force each of them to examine who they really are and what they have become.
Dominick and Rain’s future hangs in the balance. They are in the fight of their lives. Will it make them even stronger than before? Or will the delicate threads that held them together…in the end, ultimately pull them apart?Universal Reader Link: https://www.amazon.com/Cleo-Scornavacca/e/B00FW92ILS/
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The books that made me fall in love with romance…actually, I fell in love with it when I was younger; with books from Jackie Collins, VC Andrews, Debbie Macomber, but I had stopped reading for some time, as many readers do and one day I was at a Flea Market that had many books. I always look for old editions of Charlotte’s Web as it was the book that started my love of reading. Anyway, I found a book with a blue cover and just a flower on the center. It was called Night Gardening by EL Swann. It’s not printed anymore, but you can find it on Amazon in paperback. I loved the story of second chance love and the fact that the characters weren’t twentyish. I loved the caring and the heartache in this story. It was compelling and its one of my go-to re-reads of all time.
Format: Ebook (MUST BE kindle copies or .mobi copies direct to kindle address)
# of copies: 2
Blurb: While vacationing at a cabin in the Ozarks, Scott Walker – Austin neurobiologist, gets snowed-in and has to be rescued by local, Lia Houston.
She brings him food, helps him fix his heat and tries to get his car on the road. A monster storm has paralyzed the mountain and as she’s trying to chain his car to her truck, a huge ice-covered limb falls, crushing the front of her pick-up and almost flattening Scott.
If she hadn’t moved fast, he’d be a memory – but the brave action on her part comes with a price, she’s injured and stuck with Mr. Know-It-All until the weather abates.
Scott doesn’t believe in love, much less love at First Sight. So when he meets Lia, he welcomes the attraction, but fights the tenderness with every breath in his body.
Join Sable Hunter as she chronicles their journey from lust to love with a lot of fireworks in between. They meet at the dawn of the New Year, and by Valentine’s Day the fires of True Love are burning bright.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bppvlg
Prize #71
Title: A Breath of Heaven: El Camino Real
Genre: Steamy Western Romance, Holiday Romance
Format: Ebook (MUST BE kindle copies or .mobi copies direct to kindle address)
# of copies: 2
Blurb: Cade and Abby have a history. Years ago they were in love. Undeclared and unrequited, Cade waited until Abby was old enough for him to declare his love. Abby wanted nothing more than she wanted Cade.
But something happened.
Abby pushed Cade away and he never knew why. Since then, sparks fly when they’re together. Antagonizing one another has become their favorite sport. The only problem is… it’s all a front. They bicker because they both want the same thing – each other. A wedding brings them together and Cade is determined to learn Abby’s secret. He’ll do whatever it takes to win her love.
Meet the King Family of El Camino Real – five brothers, one sister and a legacy as big as Texas.
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre:
Slow Hand by Leslie Kelly inspired me to write.
Jude Deveraux made me fall in love with the romance genre. This is one book that I fell in love with. – A Knight in Shining Armor
New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux will capture your heart with signature classic novel, a time-travel romance featuring a present-day heroine and a dashing hero from the sixteenth century! Abandoned by a cruel fate, lovely Dougless Montgomery lies weeping upon a cold tombstone in an English church. Suddenly, the most extraordinary man appears. It is Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck…and according to his tombstone he died in 1564. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadows reason, Dougless knows that Nicholas is nothing less than a miracle: a man who does not seek to change her, who finds her perfect, fascinating, just as she is. What Dougless never imagined was how strong the chains are that tie them to the past…or the grand adventure that lay before them. Hailed worldwide as one of the most romantic novels of all time, A Knight in Shining Armor is “a glorious love story that spans centuries, worlds, and souls. It is the epitome of every woman’s fantasy” (Chicago Daily Herald).
Blurb: Maddy has always been different, but lately she’s been lonely. Even those who love her avoid her because of her “gift” and the strange things it makes her do. Then one night, a ghostly visitor warns her to go with the handsome stranger who shows up at her door before dawn. Jacob needed a change in his life, so he quit his job. Before he could head out on his next adventure, his brother reached out to him for help. Will he ever know why a haunting dream told him to leave to help his brother now? On his way, he meets the beautiful Maddy. Together Maddy and Jacob help those they are called to help. Through triumph and tragedy, they find their own way and try to blend two varying paths into one.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/4NGzP6
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: I’m a voracious reader. The books that got me started on romance were 1960-1970s Harlequin romances. There’s not a single one I can remember, but the summer I started reading them, I read stacks and piles from my grandmother’s basement and have read romance ever since. I went from The Chronicles of Narnia, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Little House books to Harlequin.
From Harlequin I found Julie Garwood and Nora Roberts. I have a wide swath of Christine Feehan to Lynn Viehl, Lisa Kleypas, and Kathleen Woodiwiss. Lately I’ve found Penny Reid and Irish Winters.
Blurb: Can the Hottest Man Around Melt this Ice Queen’s Heart?
When her husband publicly cheats on her, Leigh Dobbs trades her humiliating reputation as an ice queen and a hometown that shuns her for the unknown of rural North Carolina. Taking over a small bed and breakfast, Leigh sets out to restore it, her dignity and her life. Excited at the prospect of adding more rooms and a full-service restaurant, Leigh’s big plans encounter the brick wall that is Caleb Rausch. Sparks fly even as Caleb votes no on the planning commission, crushing Leigh’s dreams.
Handsome powerhouse Caleb Rausch is a man on a mission, expanding his huge corporation without encroaching on the small town where it resides. His commitment to his products, employees and historic preservation are unwavering. What’s lacking is his commitment to one woman. Caleb is the most eligible bachelor in three states, dating celebrities and models, but never settling down. Until now.
Even as Caleb forces Leigh’s expansion plans on hold, the couple moves full-steam-ahead on their relationship, unable to resist the mutual attraction. So why, after a steamy night together, does Caleb disappear for weeks? Has Leigh put her heart out there again, just to be played?
Will the magic of a moonlit night be enough to kindle their love or will Caleb’s constant disappearing act prevent him from melting this ice queen’s heart?Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bazeKQ
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Romance Books:
Kate Cantebary – Underneath it All – The first in the Walsh Series and the best of the bunch. I love the details, the humor and the chemistry.
Kathleen Woodiwiss – The Rose in Winter – A classic tale of true love that I can come back to again and again.
CD Reiss – Bombshell – Great writing, clever plots, great storytelling and scorching sex scenes.
Tessa Dare – Once Upon a Winter’s Eve – Ms. Dare writes fantastic historical romances that capture the era yet feel relevant, touching and are hard to put down.
Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice – It may be predictable that it is on my list, but I have a leather bound copy that has my mother’s maiden name in the front. That is how long my family has been reading and sharing this book. A classic romance with all the elements I require, a wonderful love story, wit and great writing, a handsome rich hero, and a protagonist I can relate to – not too perfect, not the prettiest, burdened with the family from hell. What more could you want?
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The Ring by Danielle Steele. I loved that story. Before that I read classic romance written by legendary writers or historical romance that felt repetitive. One made me think writing was out of reach and the other that it wasn’t worth the effort.
The Ring was different for me – approachable writing and a great story. Danielle Steele never let me down, then or now.
What Romance Book You’re Reading Right Now: Driven (series) by K. Bromberg. I think the author may have created the perfect hero in Colton Donovan.
The Latest 3 Romance Titles on Your TBR List:
The rest of the “Driven” series is on my list and already on my Kindle.
I just downloaded The Darcy Brothers by Alix Nichols and hope to read it over the holidays.
My Favorite Husband by Pam McCutcheon looks like a really fun read for a wintry Chicago weekend.
One guaranteed to be hot, one guaranteed to be funny and one full of aristocrats. They should make for great winter entertainment.
Blurb: Charlie Murphy and Lillie Whitman are surrounded by the innocence of young love, and the guileless early twentieth century. They fall deeper into each other, intertwining their very different worlds to create a bond that no one can break.
Or so they thought.
When the dawn of World War I comes to their Long Island town, and personal tragedies begin to spiral the lovers into an abyss of darkness, they must fight to hold on to their love. Knowing their bond will be the only ties that will get them through. From the horrors of Germany’s front lines to the emotional battle fields fought at home, Charlie and Lillie must find a way to stay strong, and navigate a path, back into each other’s arms. And how a garden, a very special garden, can withstand the coldest of winters and give the ultimate symbol of hope.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mKKnjZ
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: The one I first read was Emma. A cliché, I know, but that’s it.
Title: First Two Books of the Ladies of Kent Series
Genre: Historical Romance/Mystery
Format: Paperback Set
# of copies: 1 set of 2 print books
Blurb:
ELLA AND THE EXPERIMENT
Lady Ella McHenry is a genius like her father. Following her father’s death, she steps into his role at the University as a problem solver and tutor. Now alone, she must contemplate marriage in order to keep the fortune her father left her as well as her independence. Her Aunt urges her to add physical attraction to her list of logical and intellectual attributes she wants in a husband. Not seeing the point, she decides to test her aunt’s theory by conducting an experiment on the subject. When the handsome rake Lord Dexter St Johns comes to her for help on his artillery project, she makes a bargain with him. She will help him with his project if he will conduct an experiment with her. Little did the analytical Lady Ella know how much of her heart would become entangled in her conclusion and how important attraction can be.
Lord St Johns was in a race to be the first to complete a smaller, more efficient weapon against his nemesis Lord Vanderguard. Desperate to keep such a weapon out of the warmonger hands, he is forced to enlist help from the most unlikely source, Lady Ella McHenry. At first glance he didn’t believe the petite and rather severe looking young woman could help his cause. Taking a leap of faith, he hands the top secret plans over for her analysis. To his surprise, she turns out to be the one person to solve his issues. When she asks for a favor in return, he could not refuse her and blindly agrees to whatever she needs. To his shock, she wants to conduct an experiment that is beyond scandalous and even more exciting than he could imagine. As Lady Ella knocks him off balance and steals his heart, his project and her involvement in it puts her in mortal danger. Now he must not only save her, but his heart as well.
LETITIA AND THE LETTERS
Lady Letitia Wentworth is no match for her older sister, Lady Deidra Wentworth, either in beauty or popularity. Refusing to be the companion of her self–absorbed and conceited sister during an event at the family estate in Canterbury, she planned to lock herself in the library the whole week. It’s there that she stumbles across her great aunt Gladys’ letters, which hint at the mystery surrounding her death and the disappearance of the Canterbury jewels fifty years earlier. Engrossed in the mystery, she is irritated when the bold, yet handsome, Lord Devin Armstrong interrupts her, determined to introduce himself. She puts him off, but when he happens upon some of her aunt’s letters, she finally has to meet him. She can’t resist the handsome Earl’s advances as he helps her unravel the mystery. She is also amazed that such a man was interested in her, not her sister. As she loses her heart, she discovers more about the mystery that is herself than she bargained for.
The handsome Lord Dexter Armstrong, Earl of Berkeley, was being relentlessly pursued by every husband-hunting lady in the ton. Irritated by the trappings of nobility, he was beyond angry when his parents forced him to escort his sister to Canterbury for the annual summer event. Dismayed to have to keep company with the vile Lady Deidra Wentworth, who was far and above the most despicable social climber of the ladies, he vowed to keep his distance. When he saw a fiery, bespectacled redheaded beauty stand up to Deidra, his interest is piqued. Determined to meet her, he is surprised to learn that she is Deidra’s sister. The more he finds out about her, the more intriguing she becomes. Offering his help to solve her mystery is just a ruse to get to know her at first, but he quickly discovers that the mystery they work on is dangerous. As the mystery unravels and Devin is losing his heart, he fights to keep Letitia safe and to keep the love they discover along the way.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/mYowXP
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre:
I’m a cliché, probably the worst of the worst. I picked up my first romance novel because Fabio was on the cover. He was bare-chested and looking adoringly at the woman kneeling next to him grasping his thigh. I can remember how I felt at that moment. Oh, to be looked at in that way by such a man! I wanted to be her. What’s funny is that I cannot remember the name of that book, or the author, or even if I read it in its entirety. It wasn’t until I read A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiess, that for the first time her words made me feel that undeniable feeling that only a romance novel can give you. Like the best bite of dessert ever feeling, one you wish you could chew forever and never swallow because you’re afraid it may never come again feeling. From then on I was addicted. But, like any addiction, it wasn’t enough. I wished for more adventure or more sex, or the need to find a stronger female character, one not so resigned and whimpering.
That’s when I realized that romance is a state of mind. A feeling evoked by the imagination, one different for every reader. Prompted by the right setting, fed with just enough information, simulation if you will, that your brain filled in the details making the story yours as well. If done correctly, it’s the most potent drug ever invented. I could not get enough after that. Approaching my reading from this new perspective, I binged on Johanna Lindsey as well as countless others until I found Julie Garwood. She had the perfect blend of unexpected characters and unusual situations but still gave her readers enough room to fill in the gaps to make it their own that she became a favorite. So, if you ask which book made me fall in love with the genre, I could not say it was just one in particular. It was a feeling I chased, one I still pursue today, that made me fall in love with this genre. I realized that it was the journey that made this genre so addicting. After all, it’s what we can’t have or control, that intangible thing that you cannot describe that keeps us wanting more, is it not? As well as curiosity about the hunky men or beautiful women on the covers that may first draw you in.
Blurb: This set contains all three full-length books of The Unraveled Trilogy plus a bonus short story “Follow Your Dreams,” not available elsewhere!
At twenty-seven, Raven Anderson experienced more heartache than anyone would in their lifetime. Finally, her life seems on track when she starts doing what she loves the most: teaching second grade.
However, the best-laid plans are not always the right path as Raven learns when fate puts her in the direct path of mega-billionaire, Jaxson James Phillips, owner of Raiders, Inc., a corporate raiding company. With the spotlight now focused on Raven, her past is threatening her future. So, she does what she does best—run!
This beautiful girl, with the violet eyes, has left Jax, who never gets rattled, totally speechless. Used to getting what he wants, he can’t understand why she’s running from him. As time goes on, he slowly unravels the many layers of Raven. What he finds . . . puts everyone around them in danger.
Can anyone survive?
Tragedy has struck and now it’s a waiting game. New beginnings, so full of promise, are overshadowed by a past that is continuously haunting them. Secrets are uncovered. Lies are revealed.
Raven and Jax will fight for their lives and the ones they hold dear. Will a normal life ever be in their reach? Will anyone truly be safe, again? Too much has happened. How can anyone survive this?
Lies are shattered, leaving death and destruction in its path. To save a child, they must make a deal with the devil himself.
They had a plan: two days—get in, ask the questions, and get out. Seemed simple enough. But you know what they say about best-laid plans. Life always seems to get in the way of living.
This book contains strong language, violence, and sexual situations. Mature audiences only.Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bWzDDz
Answered Question
The Book That Made You Fall in Love with the Genre: Chances by Jackie Collins
Blurb: Fresh-faced intern Candi Bamberger flies to Beaver Creek, Colorado for Snow Slammer Games action, but not the kind smokin’ hot snowboard star Shane McGreer has in mind! Shane shows her amazing moves, and not just in the half-pipe. Candi’s conflicted. Did she just throw away a career in sports management for a guy who scores new girls at every game?
He’s right up there with Shaun White, yet Shane McGreer knows his track record with women is the pits, but Candi’s different. She’s Olympic material, and a real girl, genuine in both curves and charm. . . He falls hard, so when a rival puts Candi’s in deep freeze, Shane’s stuck, too. He’s won the SnowSlammer X Games, but he’s lost Candi’s heart! Can he warm her up for a sweet McGreer Ranch Christmas Eve? Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Tess has a Christmas surprise for Jake and Cassie. . .
The McGreers Series… Read ’em all!Universal Reader Link: https://books2read.com/u/bMQjja
Answered Questions
Your Top 5 Favorite Romance Books:
Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
Any Man of Mine – Rachel Gibson
The Cinderella Deal – Jennifer Crusie
Casey, American Bullriding Tour – Kelly Hunter
Indecent Proposal – Molly O’Keefe
Created by Freepik
Once again, if you’re entering the big giveaway, PLEASE give us your name, email address, and include your preferred romance subgenres. Leave a comment below, or for a private entry, you can email me at marieannlavender@gmail.com
This contest will run for a week, until December 20th at midnight EST. After that, winners will be selected and contacted. Given the upcoming holiday, some recipients may experience a slight delay with their prizes, but don’t worry. We’re on the case, and we want you to have your books! 😀
Good luck, everyone, and, as always, happy reading! ♥♥♥
Love, passion, romance and desire…this set of 22 hot and sexy reads has just what you need…
I am pleased to announce a cool book blog tour going on right now, presented by Reviews by Crystal and Madison Michael, an author I met during my journey! Congratulations on your new steamy romance anthology release!
When a new book comes out, it is always an exciting time for authors!
Plus, here at the I Love Romance Blog, we love discovering new romance novels!
Let’s hear a little about this great book…
Such an awesome cover!
This is the blurb for Sultry Nights:
A Limited Edition Romance Collection
Containing Stories from: Nicole Morgan, Jocelyn Dex, Alison Foster, Kate Richards, Linda O’Connor, Samantha Holt, Jerrie Alexander, Whitley Cox, Krista Ames, Ursula Sinclair, Measha Stone, Tuesday Embers, Siera London, Rachel Shane, Bonnie Phelps, Misha Elliott, Alyson Reynolds, Jenna Bayley-Burke, Madison Michael, Pepper Goodrich, Marcia James, and Destiny Blaine.
Love, passion, romance and desire… No matter what your preference, this set of 22 hot and sexy reads has just what you need. From surprise love affairs to bad boys that we can’t help but fall for, and couples that were meant to be, this compilation from Romance Collections is sure to please your every single need.
Charlotte Roche is escaping a menacing threat in Boston when she moves to Chicago for a new job and a new man. Alex is smart, sexy and quickly getting under Charlotte’s skin. A shared love of running gives the sassy beauty an excuse to be near her heart’s desire, but can Charlotte run Alex from the track to the bedroom without divulging her past and risking everything?
Alex Gaines, wealthy banker and philanthropist, has held women at arm’s length all his life to protect long-held secrets of his own. Now he is torn between loving the alluring Charlotte and protecting his dual lives. Can Alex trust Charlotte with the truth or is risking his fortune and family to pursue her? Can the two fall in love when they are bedeviled by lies and half-truths?
When danger follows Charlotte to Chicago, threatening her safety and their futures, Charlotte and Alex a forced to make a hard decision – choose the secrets of their past or a future together.
Bedeviled is the third novel in the Beguiling Bachelor series, a trio of steamy contemporary romances set amidst the luxury of Chicago’s elite society.
Madison is giving us a peek at her sexy modern romance, Bedeviled, book three of the Beguiling Bachelor Series, today.
Here is an excerpt.
“You look so beautiful,” he told her in a husky voice. “I have been wanting to do this all night.”
His head lowered to hers, pulling her close against him as he leaned back until all her weight was leaning on his and she had no choice but to twine her arms behind his head or the tree trunk. His lips captured her slowly, softly pressing against hers. One hand rested low, on the curve between her back and her behind. The other came up to tangle in her short hair, holding her head still as he deepened the kiss. His lips demanded response, plundering her mouth with his tongue. He tasted of expensive wine and Alex as his tongue explored the recesses of her mouth, hot and insistent. Her breasts were flattened against his rock-hard chest, her hips tight against his as he held her to him.
When he lifted his head, shadowed by moonlight behind him, Charlotte was unable to read his expression. Unsure and unsteady, she waited, catching her breath. Blood was coursing through her veins, hot and urgent. Her heart was pounding from just one kiss.
“God, I want you,” he rasped, the words torn from him, raw and insistent before he dipped his head to kiss her again. She returned the kiss, opening her lips to his insistent ones, entwining her tongue with his, increasing the pressure against his mouth as she ran her hands up into his hair. She held fast to him, feeling his hand move from her hair to the nape of her neck, down along her bare arms, tracing a pattern there with his fingers. The feel of his hands on her skin was warm, strong and sure. She had longed for his touch and now desired it everywhere.
Alex lifted his head reluctantly. “If we don’t get back in that car now,” he told her, his voice hoarse with longing, “I will not be responsible for my actions.”
He lifted her away from his body, steadied her and then hefted himself from the tree and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to lead her back to the car.
She felt bereft without the solid warmth of him hard against her. Neither of them said a word until he opened her car door and closed it again, without allowing her inside. Instead, he pushed her gently against it.
“Sorry, I can’t make it home without one more.” Alex took Charlotte’s mouth in a searing kiss that took her breath away, sucking her lower lip into his mouth then sliding his tongue over it and into the moistness of her mouth. He kissed her senseless until she would have happily made love there in the sand, and the world be damned. She wanted this man as she had never wanted anything before.
Charlotte kissed him passionately, running her hands up and down his muscular back as she tightened her hold on him, wanting to get closer, to feel his bare skin, until finally they mutually agreed to some restraint and dragged apart from one another. He kept his fingers touching her lightly until she got in the car and he closed the door behind her.
“Jeez,” he stated with a rough chuckle as he folded himself into the bucket seat, “I hope there are no cops out, cause I am planning to break speed records getting you home.”
And here are some teasers to entice you with.
What people are saying about this anthology:
“A superb anthology from some great authors! There is a great mix of action/adventure and suspense with liberal doses of smoking hot bedroom action! The action is fast paced but not at the expense of feeling rushed or not thought out. The characters are fully formed and all of their own little foibles! I also love the fact that the characters aren’t in their twenties – nice to see some slightly older characters in a romantic suspense who have history and experience rather than “fresh out the wrapper” twenty somethings!!” ~ Nikki Brooks, Amazon
“What a hot and steamy book!!I have only read two books in this collection but if the rest are as good as these, then Amazing isn’t good enough description for this box set. ❤️” ~ Nerdy Despina, Amazon
“This is a brilliant collection of books in this box set. It has something for everyone. I especially enjoyed Siera London’s book ‘Forbidden Distraction’. It’s a really enjoyable story with Well Written characters and very entertaining. I would recommend this Box Set to anyone.” ~ Karen Galloway, Amazon
Plus, the authors are giving away lots of goodies with this tour. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Don’t forget you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here.
Madison Michael traded 28 years in Fortune 500 tech and management positions for a chance to spend her days with sassy heroines, sexy, rich heroes and nothing but happy endings. Growing up the daughter of a librarian, she learned to love books, especially classics and romances, and spent winters cuddled under blankets losing herself in books.
Madison is the author of three novels in the Beguiling Bachelor series, as well as several short stories. She is a member of Romance Writers of America.
After living in the northeast, southeast and the west, Maddy returned to her Midwest roots. She lives in Evanston, IL with two feline editorial assistants and great views of Chicago’s famous skyline.
Thank you for telling us about your awesome book tour! I know readers can’t wait to get ahold of this anthology! 😀 Visit Reviews by Crystal to see what else they’re up to these days.
I am pleased to announce a great book release by Mika Jolie, an author I met during my journey! Her wedding-themed romantic comedy, Explicitly Yours, officially released this month!
Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release! 😉
When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!
Mika is giving us a look at her comical wedding romance, Explicitly Yours, today.
Great cover! So romantic!
This is the blurb for Explicitly Yours:
Marriage.
The final frontier. The end of dating. The number one cause of divorce.
I bet you every man who is about to take the plunge experiences a wide range of feelings. As a guy, whose wedding day is only seven days away, I know this.
Anxiety—Nerves are kicking in. Yeah, even confident, cocky guys like me are bound to face nuptial stage fright.
Let’s face it, forever is kind of a long time, right?
Excitement—Coriander and I are going to make it official. I’m marrying my best friend, the one I laugh with, live for, dream with.
Nothing can top this moment.
That is until I got the biggest surprise of my life…
***While this book can be read as a standalone, it is highly recommended to read The Boy Friend first to avoid any spoilers.***
Let’s hear from the author! Hello, Mika! 🙂
Hi, readers!
You are cordially invited to Dean Conrad Morello and Coriander ‘Moonchild’ Phillips’ wedding.
Friends since elementary school, their story began in The Boy Friend.
There, we watched the two transition from friends to lovers. In Explicitly Yours—a novella—I invite you to go on another journey with these two beloved characters. This time, they are lovers, friends, and in seven days, husband and wife. But anything can happen in a week.
Read an excerpt from Explicitly Yours…
Dean
See that dapper guy in the navy-blue suit, crisp white button-down shirt, blue and silver silk tie, and matching silk pocket square? Yeah, I mean the guy standing under the oak tree, with the clean-shaven jaw, neatly trimmed, dark brown hair, and a giant smile on his face.
That’s me, Dean Conrad Morello. It’s time, ladies and gents. The big event we’ve been leading up to.
There’s a reason I look cool as a cucumber, and it’s not because of the October breeze zipping through the air. I’m stoked to make it official with the woman of my dreams. You heard right, no anxious thoughts, no toe-curling fear. All the feelings swirling through me are a combination of crazy-good emotions and impatience. I feel them in the pounding of my heart, in the calm of my chest.
That’s right. I can’t wait to slip that ring on Cori’s finger and make us official … And be naughty and have a lot of dirty wedding night sex.
“Beautiful day for a wedding.” My father looks debonair in a light gray suit as he shakes my hand. The handshake turns into one of those man hugs where we pat each other’s back.
When we step away, I meet brown eyes so much like my own. I see joy, pride, and a nameless emotion that comes from watching his only son marry the love of his life. And it hits me, one day, this will be Cori and me, hugging our child goodbye as they embark on a new journey with their spouse. A raft of conflicting feelings—happiness, certainly, but also profound sadness—tugs at my heartstrings.
With my eyes welling up, I adjust the cuffs of my suit. The garden of Martha’s Way is buzzing with excited chatter. Guests dressed in formal evening attire move around. Some take their seats at the area facing the breathtaking sunset, others stand, talking.
“You look beautiful, Mom.” Truth is, she looks stunning and elegant in a shell-pink gown with a matching lace shawl covering her shoulders.
She smiles. “You look very handsome.” She places a kiss on each side of my cheeks, then runs a thumb over the lipstick stain she probably left on my face, her blue eyes misty. “There’s something special about an outdoor wedding.” Her gaze sweeps over the outside setup Jason and his team at Martha’s Way have put together. “The unparalleled beauty of the fall season.”
“I agree with your mom,” my dad says as he links their fingers together. “Jason did a great job.”
I nod and let my gaze sweep over the outdoor decorations. Mellow autumn sunshine lingers warmly. The trees, having lost their green hues, offer a kaleidoscope of autumn red and orange. Mason jars filled with baby’s breath hang from their branches by twine loops. A cello’s mahogany wood, sloping inwards at the sides—much like a woman’s curves—rests against the oak tree beside a shiny, pitch-black piano. Burlap bows with large sunflowers and fall leaves decorate the chairs. A rustic wooden sign reads Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After.
Everything is a true representation of Cori and me: Bold, fun, and sexy.
Here are some teasers to entice you with as well!
What people are saying about this book:
“This book is Da Bomb! It’s a great follow up to The Boy Friend! There are plenty of chuckles, happiness and a few tears in this story.” – Lisa Helmick, Amazon
“A story that is amazing and that I loved reading. This is an author who knows how to write a book that has you captivated from the first chapter and I found myself reading it in one sitting.” – Laura Furuta, Amazon
“Explicitly Yours is a comical gold mine of sexy perfection! Which will have you in stitches from the very start! Seriously, it’s a brilliantly genius, snarky, work of art that is so cleverly written! I was in shock! I horribly despise romcoms! But, with Mika’s writing it does feel like an over the top Romcom! It feels like she found shelter in my brain and took over it! Stealing my thoughts and placing them on paper!! OMFG REALLY!!! Now I’m having to stalk Mika Jolie on a daily basis!” – queenzany, Amazon
Don’t forget to grab The Boy Friend and go on a journey with the cocky Dean Conrad Morello as he’s fights his growing attraction for his BFF.
Mika Jolie lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she loves writing about life experiences and matters of the heart. Let’s face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, she can be found on a hiking adventure, driving her boys around to their activities, or sneaking in a date with her hubby.
She loves to hear from readers. Connect with Mika on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon and BookBub.
Hi, readers! I am beyond pleased to announce a very special post today on ILRB. Recently, I asked authors to come to the blog with a little background into their characters. Exactly what is it about them that keeps a writer up at night, composing those romance novels we love? I wanted to dig deep into each of these characters. Today is the next post in this series.
So, without further ado, let’s turn the mic over to author D.E. Haggerty, who has some things to say about her character.
Hi, D.E! Describe one of your main characters and why he or she impacts the story.
How Josh – the big ‘ol jerk – Came Into Being
Josh is a Big. Fat. Jerk.
Seriously, I can’t emphasize that enough. The first time we meet the man he’s dumping our home girl, Everly, because she diets too much. That’s right. He dumps her because he’s tired of her dieting. Everly is not actually fat. Sure, at five-feet-four-inches and 160 pounds, she’s a little on the chubby side, but she’s not Fat. What she is, is a yo-yo dieter. Something I know more than I little about.
I’ve spent most of my life yo-yo dieting with the best of them. You could call me an expert – I certainly do! Most yo-yo dieters consider yo-yo dieting a way of life, but is it possible to break the habit? And what would it take for a person to end their yo-yo dieting ways? Would a break-up be enough? Hmm… sounds like a book idea.
So, I knew when I invented Josh’s character that our first glimpse of the man would be him dumping the heroine. I didn’t want Josh to leave Everly because she was fat, though. Not only is that a bit cliché (and yes, I realize making a slight tweak doesn’t completely take away the cliché), but it also didn’t seem like enough motivation to force a yo-yo dieter out of her yo-yo dieting ways. Oh, sure, I could have her lose a ton of weight and then she rides off into the sunset with some guy, but what happens after that? Does she go back to her yo-yo dieting ways? Losing weight because a guy dumps you doesn’t end the cycle of yo-yo dieting. Nope. It’s just another reason to hit a low on your scale before the yo-yo rotates and starts climbing again.
I needed more of a reason for Everly to give up her yo-yo dieting ways. But what?
That’s when I realized I had a perfectly good example to follow – my hubby. My husband is one of those annoying people who doesn’t seem to gain weight and stays in good shape. Sure, he puts effort into it, but it seems effortless – if that makes any sense. But what does this type of man – the type for which slim fit clothes were invented – think of having a wife who yo-yo diets? He isn’t bothered. Naturally, he’s proud of me when I lose weight, but when I gain some of those kilograms back, he’s not disappointed with me. If I’m upset, he’s upset on my behalf, but he doesn’t really care about how much I weigh. He loves me just as I am.
There is one thing that does bother my husband, though. He doesn’t like how I let my weight affect my life. When I was younger, I could be quite emotional about the ups and downs my scale experienced. That bothered him. He’d often tell me to just accept the higher number and let all the emotional baggage go. I didn’t take that advice – who listens to advice from a man about weight? – but I did learn to be less emotionally invested in the number on the scale.
Thinking about the hubby and how he deals with his wife’s yo-yo dieting, I came up with the idea of Josh leaving Everly because of her dieting instead of her actual weight. I thought this could be a good impetus for Everly to learn to deal with her dieting and weight instead of just losing a bunch of weight. It also opened the door for a possible return of Josh when Everly loses some weight, but that’s a different story.
It sounds a bit strange to say that the ‘bad’ guy in my novel was inspired by my husband of twenty-one years, but it’s the truth.
Fascinating, D.E.! Isn’t it bizarre how the muse works? 😉
Anyway, this romantic comedy sounds great!
Let’s learn more about the novel, shall we, readers? 😀
Here is the blurb for Fat Girl Begone!.
I’m a total mess. My boyfriend dumped me – get this – because I diet too much. Not because I’m fat, mind you. Of course, this spurs me into the diet-fitness-revenge-plan of the century, which leads me to the gym and a scorching hot personal trainer. I even manage to make some cool new friends, including a millionaire if you can believe it. Things are looking up! Naturally, that’s the moment my ex decides he wants me back, the personal trainer asks me out, and my millionaire male buddy decides to throw his hat in the ring. But that’s not enough drama. No, not for me. Because I’ve also lost my job and decided to start my own business. Just call me Ms. Drama.
Warning: Bad language, bumpy roads, and embarrassing moments ahead. But there’s also more than a bit of romance and even, if we’re lucky, love. Fingers crossed.
Not endorsed by or affiliated with any brand of tequila.
And D.E. is giving us a peek at her novel!
After twenty minutes on the bike, I’m ready to go home. I know I’m supposed to do that circuit thingy with the machines, but I can skip it for this once. No one needs to know. I slowly sneak my way to the women’s locker room.
“Hey, Everly.”
Crap. Gabe’s standing right in front of the door to my freedom. I wave. Yep, I’m a total dork. “Hi.”
“I saw you out there on the bike. Looking good.” He winks. Damn, he looks absolutely scrumptious standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. Trust me, it’s an impressive show of muscles. Not huge like a body builder but big enough to grab onto. “Looking for your clipboard?”
And there goes any chance I have of sneaking out of the gym. “Just refilling my water bottle before moving onto the weights.” I hold up my obviously full water bottle and try not to cringe.
“Sure, babe, but make sure you get your weight training done as well. A woman with muscles is hot.” With another wink, he takes off.
Did he seriously wink at me? Is this part of the personal trainer service? Flirt with the customers to ensure they want to do your bidding? Even in my head that sounded crazy. That hot man of muscles would never want me and my jiggly bits. I shake my head and force my legs to the personal trainers’ section to grab my clipboard.
If I thought the bike was boring, I was wrong. Doing a circuit of weight machines is what’s boring. I should download some podcasts or something. Or maybe some books on tape? Do they hire men with scorching hot voices to read the male parts in romance novels? Definitely need to do some research.
I quickly towel off the last machine and grab my water bottle. I stand from picking up my clipboard and nearly run straight into someone. “Shit! I didn’t realize anyone was standing there. Did you want this machine?”
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “How are you doing, Everly?”
It’s the guy I ran into on Wednesday. Shoot – what was his name again? “Um, hi.” If that’s not embarrassing enough, I do a little wave but the clipboard is still in my hand and I end up smacking him in the stomach. Thank goodness, I missed any important bits. “Shit. Sorry.”
He laughs and grabs the clipboard from my hand, presumably before I can do any more damage. “It’s Carter. Do you want to grab a smoothie?” My face scrunches up at the thought of a smoothie. He chuckles. “Or a coffee or something?”
“Um. I was going to head home like this.” With my now free hand, I indicate my ratty gym clothes.
Carter shrugs. “That’s okay. We can get a quick drink at the bar here.”
I can’t exactly say no after I ran into the guy and then hit him. “Okay, let me grab my stuff.”
He smiles and nods. I rush off with my thoughts whirling. Is he just being nice? Friendly? Or is this like a date thing? I’m not ready to date. Do I tell him that? Crap. It’s only a coffee. It doesn’t have to mean anything. But what if it does mean something? Can I give myself a concussion from thinking in circles?
D.E. is such a tease…here are some promos as well to entice you with!
Thanks for stopping by with your fascinating guest post, D.E.! Lovely to have you here! ♥
Guest Bio
I grew up reading everything I could get my grubby hands on, from my mom’s Harlequin romances, to Nancy Drew, to Little Women. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although on the odd occasion I did manage to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear.
After surviving the army experience, I went back to school and got my law degree. I jumped ship and joined the hubby in the Netherlands before the graduation ceremony could even begin. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. But being a lawyer really wasn’t my thing, so I quit (again!) and went off to Germany to start a B&B. Turns out being a B&B owner wasn’t my thing either. I polished off that manuscript languishing in the attic before deciding to follow the husband to Istanbul, where I decided to give the whole writer-thing a go.
But ten years was too many to stay away from my adopted home. I packed up again and moved to The Hague, where I’m currently working on my next book. I hope I’ll always be working on my next book.
I am pleased to announce a great book release by Laura Barnard, an author I met during my journey! Her romantic comedy, Love Uncovered, officially released on Thursday!
Yay! That’s awesome! Congrats on your new release! 😉
When a new book comes out, it’s always an exciting time for an author!
Laura is giving us a look at her comical romance, Love Uncovered, today.
Great cover!
This is the blurb for Love Uncovered:
Independent woman to her core, Brooke Archer has always been happy to hit it and quit it with the men in her life. But when her beloved Nan suffers from poor health, Brooke realizes just how precious life is and decides it’s time to face her daddy issues and seek out her estranged father. Without so much as a name or photo, and a cagey Mum withholding vital information, it’s going to be no easy task.
Nicholas Parker is a relationship guy and always has been. Abandoned by his mum when he was seven he craves love and security. But finding a woman who can conquer his trust issues is no easy feat. Brooke is exactly the kind of woman he doesn’t need.
Pulled together by some invisible force, can Brooke and Nicholas overcome their differences to uncover true love?
Here is are some teasers to entice you!
What people are saying about this book:
“It’s no big surprise now that I absolutely adore Laura’s books! Her writing style is brilliantly addictive and her books are so funny! It’s a very rare occurrence for me to actually laugh out loud when reading, but with Laura’s books I do and Love Uncovered is no exception. Brooke is such a funny character; I don’t think I could be friends with her in a real-life scenario but in the pages of the book I absolutely love her! This book has it all, laughter, love and moments where you just want to reach into the pages to give the characters a hug!” – Claire Thake, Amazon
“Fantastic! This is exactly what I love from Laura Barnard. She is amazing at writing these happily ever after romance stories but with a way of keeping you gripped and willing the couple to get to the end together.” – Donna Midgley, Amazon
“Heartwarming and laugh out loud. A must-read! Had me giggling along the way, and intrigued to see where the other books will take us!” – Susan Scott, Amazon
Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or ‘chick lit’ as it’s so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.
She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She’s a real fan of the power nap, loves setting her friends up together and, of course, READING!
She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes the midnight typing worth it!
She’s an Amazon best seller and also the winner of Favorite British Author 2016 – Two Peas in a Pod Reader’s Choice Awards and Favorite Romantic Comedy Author 2016 – Obsessed with Books Indie World Awards.
Hi, readers! I wanted to pop in here today to let you know about a very cool, mega giveaway going on over at the Writing in the Modern Age blog this week. Among other genres, 63 romance novels are available.All you have to do to enter the contest is comment on the thread with all your genre preferences as well as a contact email, and you’ll have 164 chances to win books! Awesome, right?
Here is a list of some of the books offered. They’re in no particular order, but I’ve included the subgenres so you know how varied the giveaway is.
Sports Romance
Paranormal Thriller with Romantic Elements
Mystery Romance with Horror
Multicultural Romance
Historical Romance
Paranormal Romance
Science Fiction Romance
Erotic Romance
Romantic Comedy
Holiday Romance
Romantic Suspense
Contemporary Romance
Romantic Thriller
Western Romance
LGBT Romance
Time Travel Romance
YA Romance
Inspirational Romance
Fantasy Romance
This contest is exciting! There are swag prizes too! 🙂 If you’d like to participate, please jump on Writing in the Modern Age to put in your entry (you can also email me directly at marieannlavender@gmail.com with the subject heading ‘Early Autumn Giveaway entry’, in case you’re a little shy about including your personal info).
The giveaway will run until Friday at midnight EST, but winners won’t be chosen until the weekend.
I am pleased to announce a cool book blog tour going on right now, presented by Reviews by Crystal and J.J. Montgomery, an author I met during my journey! Congratulations on your new comical romantic suspense release, J.J.!
When a new book comes out, it is always an exciting time for an author!
Plus, here at the I Love Romance Blog, we love new authors!
Reviews by Crystal is presenting us with a cool giveaway. But first, let’s hear a little about this great book…
Such an awesome cover!
This is the blurb for Excess Baggage:
The job should have been easy—patrol a swank beach that serves as a backyard for Maui’s rich, kick out the riffraff, and get a tan in the process. But rent-a-cop Samantha Winters didn’t anticipate a deliciously grumpy cop, Sergeant Grady Roark, who comes down to the beach to bust her chops and instead leaves her breathless…and wondering why the one man who could help her seems determined to thwart her at every turn.
Grady is keeping secrets from Sam that have him walking the line between attraction and duty. But when Sam becomes the target of a shadowy organization, Grady will have to choose between the law and the temptation of a woman who has him breaking every rule he’s ever known.
The job should have been easy, but when the bullets start flying, Sam learns nothing is as easy as it seems when you’re a Gun for Hire.
J.J. is giving us a peek at her romantic suspense comedy, Gun for Hire, today.
The sunlight was intense after a half hour in that gloomy space, but I squinted hard and kept moving toward a narrow set of steps down to the parking lot. Grady walked a few paces behind me, and if he heard the crinkle of paper as I moved, he elected not to say anything.
Grady hit the remote to his truck and grabbed for the passenger side door, his hand light on my elbow as he helped me up. Paper crackled as my butt hit the seat and Grady’s eyes narrowed. Without a word, he slammed my door and went around to the driver’s side, climbing up into the cab and stabbing the keys into the ignition.
“So, I—” I hesitated as I shifted in my seat and my movement was accompanied by the distinct sound of cardboard bending.
“No,” Grady muttered, and clicked on the radio. “No talking.”
“But—”
“Shh.” Grady put a finger to his lips, his eyes still on the road. “Any minute you’re going to tell me about the felony crime you just committed. And then I’m going to have to deal with the fact that I was an accessory to a felony crime.”
“Umm, yeah.” I reached around to the back of my pants and eased the file folder up from my waistband, working it out slowly so as to not lose anything as Grady headed up the hillside toward his house. As I brought it around to look at it, the red block letters damning me to years of incarceration should I get caught, a muscle ticked in Grady’s jaw.
“You stole classified documents.” He shook his head from side to side.
I looked up at Grady and then down at the mangled file with the red Top Secret heading. I took a corner of the front sheet and ripped across the width of the page, separating the words “Top Secret” from the rest of the paper.
“They’re declassified now.” I crumpled up the classification and shoved it in my pocket.
Grady sighed.
I shrugged and opened the file.
And here are some teasers to entice you with.
What people are saying about this book:
“J.J. Montgomery’s debut book will have you smiling and holding your breath and flipping pages to see what happens next.”
“A great first book!Sam and Grady have an unparalleled attraction to each other. But Grady just doesn’t know what to do about Sam, and Sam is not looking for a relationship. Exactly what I like: funny, suspense, romance and adventure.”
“Ms. Montgomery has written an exciting, fast-paced story that’s guaranteed to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. If you like lots of action and a truly satisfying romance, this is the book for you. I cannot wait for the second book.”
J.J. will be awarding 5 ebooks of Gun For Hire to randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the RaffleCopter below to enter. Remember you may increase your chances of winning by visiting the other tour stops. You may find those locations here.
Thank you for telling us about your romantic suspense with a touch of comedy, J.J.! I know I can’t wait to read this riveting romance! 🙂
Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this awesome novel, which is book one of the Maui Heat Series!
Author Bio
J.J. MONTGOMERY writes romantic suspense novels with a sense of humor. Her heroines are as smart as they are smart-mouthed and the men in their lives are just trying to keep up. Gun for Hire is the first book in J.J.’s Maui Heat Series.
If you’d like to know more, including info on her newest book, where she gets her ideas, and how it’s possible she can’t use Facebook, please visit her at…
Thank you for telling us about your awesome book tour! I know readers can’t wait to get ahold of it! 😀 Visit Reviews by Crystal to check out the other blog locations on this tour. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway too!
Thanks again to J.J. and Reviews by Crystal! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime.
"I have enough time to rest, but I don't have a minute to waste". Come and catch me with your wise words and we will have some fun with our words of wisdom.
Xina: Two of the characters in the sci-fi show of yesteryear, Dark Angel. I love their bickering and the fact that they are opposites with a lot of chemistry.
About Xina Marie Uhl
What people are saying about this book:
