Guest post - New Release - Hope's Dream (A Deebourne Inn novella) by Peggy Jaeger

Blurb:

Hope Kildaire gave up her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner when a car accident killed her father and left her mother an invalid. Working two jobs and caring for her mother leaves the twenty-seven-year-old with no time for fun or relationships. When a law firm representing her paternal grandparents sends her several letters, Hope ignores them. She despises the family who disowned her father and wants nothing to do with them.

Lawyer Tyler Coleman's job is simply to obtain Hope's signature on a legal document. Getting it is harder than planned, though, when an unexpected attraction blossoms between them. If Ty is honest with Hope about why he's in Willow Springs, he'll fulfill his assignment but may risk hurting her.

The opportunity to have everything she's ever desired is at Hope's fingertips. Will her dream come true at the expense of Tyler's love?

Buy links for hope’s dream

Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HSSYK4V/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Wrp:  https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/6303-hope-s-dream.html

Nook :  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hopes-dream-peggy-jaeger/1129675139?ean=2940161540640

Itunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hopes-dream/id1437725682?mt=11

Excerpt:

He cleared his throat, breaking into her thoughts, the sound barreling around them on the empty street.

“Well.” He buried his hands deeper into his jacket pockets. “I can see for myself you’re fine. You’ve had a full day, so I’ll let you get on home. Thanks again for the great lesson this morning. And for keeping me company while you worked.”

 “It was nice to have someone to talk with, so in reality, I should be thanking you. And for seeing that I was safe.”

She wasn’t sure why, but when his cheeks darkened and his chin and gaze dropped down again at her words, she was utterly enchanted.

Without thinking why she shouldn’t, Hope stretched up, intending to kiss his cheek. At the moment right before her lips touched his skin, Tyler lifted his head and turned toward her. The kiss meant for his face landed squarely across his lips instead.

They both went stone still at the contact.

She’d put no heat behind the kiss. After all, it wasn’t as if she were kissing a man she was involved with. No, she’d simply planned it as a sweet way to thank him for being so kind and solicitous toward her, as she would to anyone she considered a friend.

Why, then, didn’t this feel like a chaste kiss between friends?

Why, then, did she feel as if she’d been dropped into a spewing volcano?

And why, then, did the thought of breaking the kiss leave her cold and lonely?

Tyler kept his hands in his pockets, never moving closer, and yet she felt enveloped by him as if he’d wound her into his arms and pulled her against his body. He let out a deep, long breath, the warm air drifting over her face and sending little tingles of...something...straight down her spine. Anticipation? Expectation? Desire? She had no clue, but Hope felt more alive and more aware than she had in years.

A tiny gasp pushed from deep within her when Tyler shifted his head, changing the angle of the kiss.

His lips parted, the taste of hops and barley riding on his breath as she breathed him in. He kept the kiss light, never pushing her into more, giving her all the control of where it went.

Hope had no idea how long they stood there under the bright streetlamp on the empty corner. It could have been a minute. It could have been an hour. The notion briefly blew through her mind that they were out in the open in a town where everyone knew her and liked nothing more to do on long winter nights than gossip. As quick as it came, the knowledge that she didn’t care a whit countered it.

 Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them.

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, Peggy brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she has created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

Tying into her love of families, her children's book, THE KINDNESS TALES, was illustrated by her artist mother-in-law.

Peggy holds a master's degree in Nursing Administration and first found publication with several articles she authored on Alzheimer's Disease during her time running an Alzheimer's in-patient care unit during the 1990s. 

In 2013, she placed first in two categories in the Dixie Kane Memorial Contest: Single Title Contemporary Romance and Short/Long Contemporary Romance. 

In 2017 she came in 3rd in the New England Reader's Choice contest for A KISS UNDER THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS and was a finalist in the 2017 STILETTO contest for the same title.

In 2018, Peggy was a finalist in the HOLT MEDALLION Award and once again in the 2018 Stiletto Contest.

A lifelong and avid romance reader and writer, she is a member of RWA and her local New Hampshire RWA Chapter.

Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/peggyjaeger/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mmj122687/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger

Guest Post - A World of Gothic...Gothic Mysteries - .99 cent sale

A World of Gothic…Gothic Mystery Novellas ON SALE for ONLY 99 cents each through Halloween!

A group of authors from countries all over the world were drawn together by our love of the classic gothic mysteries by authors such as Daphne du Maurier, Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney.

While the stories are stand-alone, they each share a recurring thread of a Spinel stone, which can play a small or large part in the plot. We have stories set in Scotland, Greece, Oklahoma, Florida, France, Ireland, and more.  

We hope readers have as much fun reading these stories (we recommend you do so with the lights on) as we had writing them.

Dark Hunt ~ A World of Gothic: Florida by Tamrie Foxtail

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Hunt-Florida-World-Gothic-ebook/dp/B078MPBXVT/ 

Ghost in the Rain ~ A World of Gothic: Scotland by Marie Treanor

https://amzn.com/B01ES21KZE

House at the Edge ~ A World of Gothic: Greece by MM Jaye:

https://amzn.com/B01G7B1FI6

Haunting at Spook Light Inn ~ A World of Gothic: Oklahoma by Alicia Dean

https://amzn.com/B01GNGTU96

Haunting in the Pines ~ A World of Gothic: East Texas by Janis Susan May

https://www.amazon.com/House-Pines-World-Gothic-Texas-ebook/dp/B01JSYOHFC/ 

Raven of Blackthorn Manor ~ A World of Gothic: Ireland by Gemma Juliana

https://www.amazon.com/Raven-Blackthorn-Manor-Gothic-Ireland-ebook/dp/B01LRXCILW/

Blood-Stained Memories ~ A World of Gothic: Florida by Kathy L Wheeler

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Stained-Memories-Gothic-United-ebook/dp/B01K82OKJG/

Sea of Darkness ~ A World of Gothic: France by Amanda McCabe

https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Darkness-World-Gothic-France-ebook/dp/B01LWKXVO6/

Shadows and Lies ~ A World of Gothic: Louisiana by Raine English

https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Lies-Gothic-United-States-ebook/dp/B01M9BY010/

Sinister Ceremony ~ A World of Gothic: Maine by Stacey Coverstone

Available for pre-order https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HRZ2KZ2

Guest Post - Stephen B. King - New Release - Glimpse

Today my guest is Stephen B. King, with his new release.

The Deadly Glimpses Trilogy.

Book 1: Glimpse, Memoir of a Serial Killer.

Blurb:

In 1999 Australia, Sergeant Rick McCoy investigates the murder of a woman found packed inside a suitcase. 

The Killer abducts another victim and threatens to dismember her slowly. His life is further complicated by a marriage in tatters. Frustrated at every turn, he is paired with glamorous Criminal Psychologist and profiler, Patricia Holmes. 

While trying to rebuild his marriage, he finds himself in a desperate race against time to free the victim and fight his desire for his new partner.

Where did the idea come from?

The killer in this book, PPP says in one of his memoir entries: “who knows where random flashes of inspiration comes from?” The line sums up the essence of where this book originated. I was driving along one day, not thinking anything specific, certainly not what was my next book going to be about, because I was writing like crazy Thirty-Three Days. Suddenly into my head popped a random thought: ‘I was five years old when I first saw someone bleed out.’

I’ve never seen anyone ‘bleed out’ at any age, let alone at five years old. Furthermore, ‘bleed out’ is not an expression I’d ever use so my mind started racing…..who saw it, why did they see it, and why would they say it? Coincidently, I’d been thinking about writing a long story about four people whose lives become entwined: a cop who has had an affair who is paired with a glamorous, female criminal psychologist hunting a horrific serial murderer, and the effect of their desire for each other on their respective partners. I even knew the era it would be set in, because I had wanted to remind readers of something that happened years ago, which most have forgotten. There was a serious belief that life as we knew it, would come to an end, and there was even some panic among people as the year 2000 approached and brought with it the Y2K bug.  

So, these three things permeated in my brain and I knew to tell the story I envisaged for these four characters, one book would not be enough, but three would be just about perfect.  And so, the plan of a trilogy was born and I called it Three Deadly Glimpses. The idea was that in addition to my central theme I provide the reader with glimpses into the psyche of three people who become serial killers.

For me, writing is all about bringing to life characters, getting the reader to invest in them, and even care for them. And, if I achieve that, then I can put those ordinary characters into extraordinary situations. Glimpse, at its core is about desire. The effect that sexual desire can have on the marriages of the protagonists, it’s also about Pat’s desire to use her abilities on the front line of a major police investigation to catch a murderer. Also, of course it’s about the skewed desire that a serial killer has, to murder his victims.

A short except: 

She curled her legs underneath her, which gave just a hint of her thighs, and sat back in her chair cat-like. She sipped from her glass, and licked her lips. “God I needed that, it’s been a tough day.”

Rick almost burst out laughing. In this luxury house, which he would never be able to afford, she seemed so damned normal.

“What?” She asked, taking another sip of wine. “You don’t think we psychologists can have tough days? I have a psychiatric degree as well, and have two long term patients in the high security wing of Graylands Mental Hospital. One cooked his wife and child before eating their organs, and the other murdered three random strangers because, he says, God told him to do it. Trust me digging around in their minds constitutes a tough day.” She shuddered.

“I’m sorry Pat, I meant no disrespect.”

“No, I don’t suppose you did. But, I’m guessing you feel like you’ve been press-ganged into coming here, haven’t you? You believe using psychology to try to understand why someone would do horrible things to another human being is a waste of your evening. You’ve a wife, and probably a couple of children at home you’d rather be with, don’t you?”

He blushed, knowing she would tell if he tried to lie, and he found himself, against his earlier intuition, liking her. “Just one child, Amy, she’s five years old. Pat if you could just jot down this killer’s address for me, I would think you were amazing. But it’s going to be long hours of painstaking, often boring police work that tracks this guy down. When we’ve caught him, you can analyse him to death, I just want him off the streets.”

“Fair enough, we know where we stand. But, did you know that a high percentage, and I do mean a very high percentage, of serial murderers had been previously interviewed by police, sometimes more than once, during an investigation? They are often let go, unsuspected, to kill again before they are eventually apprehended. Now I’m not saying great police work didn’t catch them eventually, but, had the cops had access to a good, insightful criminal psychologist, maybe, just maybe, they’d have him locked up earlier, and innocent lives saved.”

Rick nodded, thoughtfully, then raised his glass in a silent toast to her and took a sip.

Glimpse, Memoir of a Serial Killer is available at Amazon: http://a.co/d/1uPIKNt

You can find out more about Stephen:

Website: www.stephen-b-king.com

Twitter: @StephenBKing1
Facebook: @stephenbkingauthor

Guest Post - Susan Hayes - New Release - Tarjen

Tarjen 

by Susan Hayes 

Genre: Science Fiction Romance 

Publisher: Black Scroll Publications Ltd

Blurb

What do you do when your planet runs out of women? Send for takeout, of course. Tarjen never expected to go to Earth again. The first time, he was there to protect Crown Prince Joran as he claimed his mate and returned her to Pyros. This time, Tarjen is on his way to claim a mate of his own. He’s studied human courtship behaviour, memorized his match’s file from the Star-Crossed Dating database, and prepared himself for the moment he’ll meet his mate. He’s planned everything perfectly so that nothing can go wrong. Not like the last time they were here... This book contains a single mother who doesn’t believe in happy endings, and a royal bodyguard who does everything by the book – until the universe blows up the book, his plans, and part of a city block.

Buy Links

Amazon - https://amzn.to/2xViYyD

B&N - http://bit.ly/2DzG8AM

iTunes - https://apple.co/2OR6srf

Kobo - https://www.draft2digital.com/book/329302

Excerpt

Still winded by her fall, her senses scrambled, Aria forced herself back to her feet. Fear tried to take hold, but she pushed it back and made herself focus on the only thing that mattered. Melody. Her baby was a warm, comforting weight against her chest. “You okay, little one?” She ran her hands over every inch of her child, soothing her as she checked for injuries. By the time she was done, Melody was quieter, and Aria breathed a sigh of relief. “No owies or booboos. Thank heavens.” She reached out one hand and started shuffling in a cautious circle, searching for a wall to use as a guide. She wandered for what felt like an eternity in the darkness, her nerves screaming, but finally her hand brushed against something solid. “Thank god.” She leaned her back against the wall and gave herself a moment. She was running on instinct and adrenaline. She needed to calm down and start thinking clearly. She took a few cleansing breaths, counting out the seconds of each exhalation. Just as she started feeling more centered, she heard something in the darkness, and fear turned her blood to ice water in a heartbeat. Who was out there? What was out there in the dark? “Hello?” “Aria? Are you unhurt?” A stranger’s voice called out. “Who are you? Where are you? I can’t see anything.” A hand touched her shoulder and a brilliant blue spark arced through the air, chasing away the dark for a moment. Once she saw the spark, she knew exactly who was with her. Her Pyrosian match had tracked her down somehow, and now both of them would have to face the consequences. I shouldn’t have come today. He’s going to be so disappointed.

Author Bio

Susan lives out on the Canadian west coast surrounded by open water, dear family, and good friends. She’s jumped out of perfectly good airplanes on purpose and accidentally swum with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef. She’s worked for local law enforcement, been a freelance wordsmith and bakes what she claims are the world’s best double-chocolate & caramel brownies. She’s passionately in love with the written word (and a few of her more hunky creations.) Writing is her joy, her escape from reality and the only way she knows of to quiet the nagging harridan of a muse the universe assigned to her. Author website and social media links Website: https://susanhayes.ca/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SHayesRomance Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanHayesAuthor Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-hayes-5cda6a57-a21e-40bc- 9ed1-237f1b14ca3c

Presented by: http://WlkBookPromotions.com

Blog Tour: My African Carving by Audrey Flynn

My African Craving

by Audrey Flynn

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Inkspell

Blurb

The Nights are Hotter in Africa...

When Erica Knight arrives in Lebombo Game Reserve for her first African safari she has no idea that her life is about to be changed forever. As an executive for a mining company she believes that negotiating the mining rights for the Lebombo Reserve will be a slam-dunk, but she didn’t count on locking horns with the reserve’s enigmatic owner, Jean-Luc de Graaf.

In the heart of a wild African landscape full of beauty and danger, Erica and Jean-Luc both stubborn and passionate find themselves on opposite sides of an escalating conflict. With the Reserve threatened by vicious poachers and runaway fires, they are thrown together unable to contain the scorching attraction between them.

Far away from the rat race of New York Erica feels the stirring of a different drum, ancient and irresistible. But surrendering to the wild would mean she would have to submit to the powerful attraction to Jean-Luc and she isn’t ready to give up control just yet...

Buy Links

Amazon - https://amzn.to/2Q7P3LZ

B&N - http://bit.ly/2CkB179

Kobo - http://bit.ly/2PCWXvO

 

Excerpt

A slight breeze stirred, and despite the fires, Erica found herself shivering in her thin sweater. “I think I’ll just go back to my room and grab a jacket.” She stood up, and so did Jean-Luc.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll just grab my rifle.”

Erica had forgotten that because out past the dining area, the camp was unfenced, guests were forbidden to walk around alone after dark and had to be accompanied by an armed ranger. She picked up her backpack while Jean-Luc took his rifle out of its case.

“This way.” He ushered her out of the boma and onto the path toward her room.

She shuddered slightly as his hand touched the sensitive area of her upper arm. “Wait, what is that noise?” she asked.

They both paused mid-route. Across the still night, they stood motionless, and listened to a strange, throaty growling sound, followed by a kind of deep bark.

“Lions,” said Jean-Luc casually. “Sounds like they’re mating.”

“Really?” asked Erica. “I thought lions hunted at night.”

“Actually, during mating season, they will have sex for three days. For all of that time, they don’t hunt, or even sleep.

Don’t worry—they are actually quite far off. When lions are near, I can smell them. You are perfectly safe.”

Erica felt safe from the lions, with a six-foot-four armed ranger at her side. But was she safe from the ranger? Or more to the point, was she safe from the desire she felt building in her at every second?

Author Bio

As a rock singer Audrey has toured with the likes of Bryan Adams and Roxette.

As a magazine writer she penned columns for ELLE magazine and

Cosmopolitan and published a best-selling memoir. She has had a lifelong love

affair with spicy romances and classic whodunits. Based in the turbulent city of

Johannesburg she shares her home with her highly -strung husband and two

ridiculously awesome kids.

Since moving from Canada to South Africa as a child she has been entranced

with the people and landscapes of this magnificent part of the world. Serving up

steamy African themed romances is far more exciting than the school run and

Audrey is happiest on safari, at sunset with a Gin & Tonic in hand.

Author website and social media links

Instagram: safari_romance

Website: https://www.audreyflynnbooks.com/

Facebook: /http://www.facebook.com/safariromance/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SafariRomance

 

Presented by: http://WlkBookPromotions.com

Blog Tour: A Mistress for Pendrak by Tammy L. Bailey

A Mistress for Penndrake

by Tammy L. Bailey

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Entangled

 Blurb

The Marquess of Wesley is out for blood. For a year, Lord Wesley has tried to undo the devastation his father left to Penndrake, their ancestral home, only to discover the man gambled it away right before his death. Now Wesley is being blackmailed by the new owner into marrying a woman he’s never met in order to get it back. But his intentions are less than honorable...

At one and twenty, Miss Kate Holden intends to become a governess, having sworn off all men years ago. However, her plans are halted when she receives a daunting letter from her cousin about a Lord Wesley. Ignorant of the name, and the devilish marquess that wears it all too well, she nearly ends up compromised. Refusing to fall prey to Wesley’s skillful seduction, Kate decides to turn things around on the rake. But the high-stakes game between them soon leads to her losing the last thing she expected...her heart.

 

Buy Links

Amazon - https://amzn.to/2Cd8WP8

B&N - http://bit.ly/2PRscUR

Itunes - https://apple.co/2oqZKg0

 

Excerpt

“So, to what do I owe the honor of your divine company, Miss Holden?”

She quirked a neat eyebrow and opened her rose petal lips, a motion he watched with sober interest. Everything about her stirred a subtle, yet alarming attraction. All of this forced him to keep reminding himself the woman existed only as a means to an end, nothing more.

“My lord, I’ve come…” She hesitated, he believed, to gather enough courage to go through with her reason.

“You’ve come,” he repeated in an overly husky voice, trying to fluster her further.

She puffed out her cheeks and tempered a few silent words. He wanted to chuckle. He refrained, instead, by hiding his mirth behind a tight fist.

“You think my discomfort is amusing, do you not?” she asked, seeing right through him. If she expected an answer, she didn’t wait to hear it, her body set in motion at a hurried pace in his direction. “Edward told me—”

Wesley shot out of his relaxed stance and met her halfway. He towered over her, trying to intimidate her. To his dismay, she didn’t cower, she didn’t even flinch.

“Yes,” he said, bending down low enough to see a hint of amber reflected in her distrusting eyes. “Go on. I’d love to hear more about your dear cousin, Miss Holden.”

As he waited for her response, the light from the open window shifted, bathing his guest in the brilliant radiance of the late-day sun. She remained silent, her hands flying to the pocket of her dress, as if to protect whatever lay inside. Beyond any doubt, Wesley believed she knew something. She would not be here, would not have come swathed in mystery and risking her own reputation, if this did not involve Edward’s guidance in some way.

The curiosity of what she held compelled him to keep her at Penndrake until he found out what Edward Garrett wanted her to know. Out of patience, he eased away from her.

“Miss Holden, may I suggest we take a walk in the gardens? The day is almost gone, but there is enough light to see us through, allowing us to discuss this further without interruption.”

Again, she opened her curved lip but said nothing. Suspicion sprang from her demeanor, her gaze darting around the room as if searching for the closest exit. Instead of fleeing, however, she motioned with a surrendering nod, stepping forward until the coat of arms over the fireplace caught her attention.

He studied her as she examined the Wesley motto, her lips moving mutely as she read the three words embedded at the bottom of the shield. Shameful heat rose from deep inside him, and he lifted a rare prayer to the heavens for her not to know the meaning of those powerful words. Maybes he was too poor to have been schooled like her giddy cousins.

Even so, he studied her curious face until she turned to him, her eyes void of any awareness or comprehension. Breathing a sigh of relief, he held his arm out for her to take. She paused, a timid and uncertain hand coming up to rest on his sleeve.

Outside, the day had faded into dusk and dazzled the sight, impressing upon it a majestic beauty of pearl-pink altostratus clouds. Behind them tumbled a blanket of slate-gray vapors, an ominous forewarning of twilight.

The much cooler breeze tugged at the tails of his heavy jacket. He slowed his pace and continued to escort her down a flight of stone steps onto a spacious unblemished lawn. They walked for several hundred yards in silence, him admiring her wondrous interest. On their way to the garden, they passed the stocked fish pond and the honeysuckle-laden labyrinth.

Toward the east, he halted at a stone fountain, centered in the thickest part of the coppice. Large shadows turned the evening darker, the chilly autumn wind transforming Miss Holden’s dewy skin to a nice pink. With his arm outstretched, he persuaded her to a wrought iron bench on the opposite side of where they stood.

“Please have a seat with me.”

He pointed, and she accepted his invitation, much too carelessly, he thought.

She sat down first, her behind resting on the farthest edge of one side. Not to frighten her, he followed suit, allowing enough space to fit her three female cousins between them.

After a quiet moment, he pronounced, “I believe you don’t think too highly of me, Miss Holden, and I would like to persuade you otherwise.”

She drew back and gawked at him with wide sage-like eyes. A wisp of her hair tumbled down into her thick lashes.

Unhindered, she blew it away with a quickly exhaled breath.

Her refinement, or lack thereof, surprised him. Most women—no—all women of her lower station practiced the art of how to appeal to a man and his interests, enough so to attract an amiable and sensible husband. Perhaps, however, Miss Kathryn Holden had no reason to draw the attention of the opposite sex, especially since she had another companion in mind. He tried to convince himself it didn’t matter either way.

Her experience might play to his advantage.

Still, he sought the truth on the matter, just because his thoughts weren’t able to let it go. “Forgive me if I seem too impertinent—”

She scoffed. “You’ve just now thought of apologizing for something you’re about to say? How extraordinary.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Sarcasm does not become you, madam.”

“Neither does naivety.”

Author Bio

A LEO wife, mother, and military veteran, Tammy began writing when the shows

and movies she watched didn't end the way she wanted them to end. Whether

it's historical or contemporary, for her, there must always be a happy ending.

When she's not writing, she's spending time with her husband and two boys near

Cleveland, Ohio. Without their sacrifice and understanding, she believes she

would have never been able to pursue her passion of writing or her

accomplishment of becoming a published author.

Author website and social media links

website: https://www.tammylbailey.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tammylbailey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammylbaileyauthor

 

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win an ebook version of the book for yourself !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Presented by: http://WlkBookPromotions.com

Blog Tour: Shelter by Stephanie Fournet

Blurb

Elise Cormier has hated Cole Whitehurst since she was five years old. He’s always known just how to make her feel dumb, shabby, and — worst of all — invisible.

Even when they live under the same roof.

But that’s where Elise learns Cole’s terrible secret and why he is the way he is. Despite how he’s always treated her, Elise becomes his ally.

Cole Whitehurst has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Day in and day out, it’s up to him to keep his mother and sister safe. He’s used to giving up everything he wants in order to protect them.

And there’s nothing he wants more than Elise Cormier.

Cole has no business falling for his housekeeper’s daughter, but how could he resist? She’s funny. She’s real. And he trusts her with his life.

But, as Cole knows, loving someone comes with a price, and it may take him years to pay it.

 

Buy Links

Amazon - https://amzn.to/2wa2a6e
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/889749

Excerpt

Chapter Twelve Excerpt

I didn’t think about it. I didn’t even hesitate. I tugged her hand, pulled Elise against me, and covered her mouth with mine. Her startled gasp met my tongue, and a bolt of desire shot clean through me.

This morning, our kiss had been a measured exploration. But not this time. This was a conquest. And even though I led the kiss and it was my arms that wrapped around Elise and gathered her tight against me, I was the one conquered.

Even as I plundered her mouth, I knew surrender was my only option. How could I resist her? She was fearless. She was flawless. She’d redefined what I knew of beauty. Yes, anyone could see she was beautiful. But who else but me knew how brave and capable she was? How ingenious and resourceful? How genuine?

She knew all of my secrets, and still she opened her mouth to welcome my outlaw tongue. And those were her hands diving inside the shelter of my jacket, skimming over my thin dress shirt and leaving behind a signature of heat.

I had no business getting hard in the shadowed hallway of my parents’ house on the night of our escape. With Elise Cormier, no less. But under her touch, I was like a brick. I’d never wanted anyone like this.

I had to stop. I knew this. But I just wanted to keep kissing her. To lie down with her. To listen to that delicate cry she sang into my ear as my lips moved to her neck. But what I wanted more than anything was time. Time to discover all of her secrets. I wanted to hear everything she wanted, and I ached to give her whatever I could.

But I could have none of that. Especially time.

Playlist

Stephanie has put together a little playlist on Spotify to get readers ready for Elise and Cole’s love story.

 

Author Bio

Stephanie Fournet, author of Fall Semester, Legacy, Butterfly Ginger,  Leave a Mark, You First, and Drive, lives in Lafayette, Louisiana—not far from the Saint Streets where her novels are set. She shares her home with her husband John and their needy dogs Gladys and Mabel, and sometimes their daughter Hannah even comes home from college to visit them. When she isn’t writing romance novels, Stephanie is usually helping students get into college, setting up a tent in the woods, or running. She loves hearing from fans so you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or message her on Goodreads.

Author website and social media links

Website - http://www.stephaniefournet.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.fournet

Twitter - https://twitter.com/stephanie4net

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stephanie_fournet/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/stephfournet/

Presented by: http://WlkBookPromotions.com

Guest Post - Diane Burton - New Release - Numbers Never Lie

Today I have Diane Burton talking about Brothers & Sister plus her new book Numbers Never Lie

Plus click on the word (rafflecopter) below for a chance to win a gift card

Brothers and Sisters

What’s so special about the relationship between a brother and sister? From experience—my own, and observing my daughter and granddaughter—when the girl is older, she tends to be bossy and wants to “mother” the little brother. I’m sure my younger granddaughter (big sister to twins) will try to boss them around, too, when they’re old enough to understand.

But, when the boy is older, it’s a whole different ballgame. At first, he’s protective. But when he gets older and wants to play with his friends, she’s a pain in the rear. Either Mom says he has to watch her or little sister wants to tag along.

That was the situation with Jack and Maggie Sinclair. When Drew Campbell moved into the neighborhood, the eight-year-old boys became fast friends. Five-year-old Maggie wanted to do everything they did. What a pain for Jack. Even when he said no, she would tear after them. If he complained, Dad grounded him he for not protecting her and letting her get into trouble. Then, Dad chewed out Maggie and told her she had to act like a lady. Jack learned not to tattle, and Maggie still tried to do everything he and Drew did.

Until it came to baseball. Maggie could outthrow, outrun, and outbat every boy in the neighborhood. That’s when she became important and Jack let her be on his team.

When the threesome became teens, things changed. Maggie had the biggest crush on Drew. Unbeknownst to her, Jack went into protective mode. He warned Drew not to mess with his sister. At the time, Drew valued his friendship more than his hormones.

Now adults, their parents deceased, Jack has to take care of Maggie, even when she doesn’t need his help. She’s an independent woman. When Jack, an accountant, discovers a problem with an audit, he has to trust someone with the info. Who does he trust? His sister and his best friend. But when he couldn’t get hold of Drew, he left the evidence with Maggie. Since it was a just-in-case scenario, he never thought she would use it.

NUMBERS NEVER LIE

A Romantic Suspense

By Diane Burton

Length: approx. 80,000 words

Available at Amazon  http://a.co/gUmO9wZ

Free with Kindle Unlimited

Blurb:

A shocking secret brings danger to Jack Sinclair and his sister Maggie.

As kids, they were the fearless threesome. As adults, Jack's an accountant; Drew, a lawyer; Maggie, a teacher and camping troop leader. Upon returning from a weekend camping trip, Maggie receives horrifying news. She refuses to believe her brother Jack’s fatal car crash was an accident. If the police won’t investigate, she’ll do it herself. Convincing Drew Campbell to help is her only recourse.

Drew Campbell was too busy to return his best friend’s phone call. Too busy to attend a camping meeting important to his teen daughter. Too busy to stay in touch with Jack. Logic and reason indicate Jack’s accident was just that--an accident caused by fatigue and fog. Prodded by guilt, he’ll help Maggie even if he thinks she’s wrong.

A break-in at Jack’s condo convinces Maggie she’s right. Then her home is searched. What did Jack do that puts Maggie in danger?

Excerpt:

Slinging the laptop case/briefcase over his shoulder, Jack checked the room assigned to him for the audit to make sure he hadn’t left anything out. He shut off the lights and locked the door behind him. He still had much to do. Sure, Ben said he would finish the audit. That wasn’t the way Jack worked. When he started something, he always finished.

“Working kinda late, arncha, Mr. Sinclair?”

Startled, Jack looked over his shoulder.

The janitor leaned on his mop. “It’s after midnight.”

“No rest for the weary, Max.” Jack pocketed his keys.

“You be careful going home, Mr. Sinclair. Fog was rollin’ in off the lake when me and the missus drove in to work.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.” Jack saluted the affable worker and headed down the hall. The doors to the other offices were closed. Only the cleaning crew remained.

Hazel, Max’s wife, stopped dusting the receptionist’s desk. “’Night, Mr. Sinclair. You best be careful. Noticed you parked all the way down at the end of the parking lot. The light there is out. Saw that when we came in. The company that takes care of our lights won’t come out ‘til Monday. You want Max to get a flashlight and walk out with you so’s you can find your car? What with the fog and all?”

Jack forced himself to smile. In the five days he’d been auditing the books at the plant near Muskegon, he often worked so late that he ran into the older couple. “I’ll be fine.”

“’Night, then. You be careful, now. Ya hear?”

Even before he pushed open the heavy glass door, he saw that Max and Hazel were right. The solitary light at this end of the parking lot barely penetrated the fog. Maybe he should have taken Hazel up on the offer of a flashlight. He wasn’t worried about finding the Blazer in this pea soup. It would be a wonder he didn’t trip on the curbs.

The flashlight on his cell phone. Duh. He should’ve thought of that. Jack clicked it on, but it only shone a foot or so in front of him.

He heard a soft skitter near the dumpster. Rats? He shuddered and clicked his remote. From fifteen feet away, his head- and taillights barely penetrated the mist.

It would be a slow drive back to Grand Rapids. He should get a motel room for the night. Finding a vacancy anywhere along the Lake Michigan shoreline would be next to impossible in the summer and even more so late on a Friday night.

Weary beyond belief, he dragged himself to his car. He needed to return tomorrow—make that later today. He had to do more digging in the company’s files. He couldn’t believe what he’d discovered so far. This went way beyond anything he imagined. The implications—

“Jack.”

Startled by the familiar voice, he dropped the keys. His phone slipped out of his fingers and skidded away. The fog gobbled up the light, and he lost sight of it. He peered in the direction of the sound. The figure stepped away from the dumpster’s hulking shape.

“We need to talk.”

Numbers Never Lie is available at Amazon.

About the Author:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and five grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/

Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

Rafflecopter