Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Release Blitz & #Giveaway for The Rake's Irish Lady by Barbara Monajem


Welcome to my stop on the Release Blitz, presented by Book Partners in Crime Promotions, for The Rake's Irish Lady by Barbara Monajem.  Please leave a comment or question for Barbara to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway, where Barbara will award a $25 Amazon/BN GC to one (1) randomly chosen commentor and a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one (1) randomly chosen commentor.  

The Rake's Irish Lady
by Barbara Monajem
Series: Scandalous Kisses, #2
Genre: Historical Romance - Regency
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Cover Designer: Anna Spies
Release Date: December 30, 2015


ONE WILD NIGHT . . .

Widowed & lonely, Bridget O’Shaughnessy Black indulges herself in a night of pleasure.
After all, she's in disguise. And the baby girl? An unexpected blessing...until an old flame claims the child as his own to force Bridget to marry him.

ONE DETERMINED LADY. . .

Many women pursued Colin Warren, but only one climbed in his bedchamber window. When Bridget does it for the second time, she doesn't have fun in mind. Colin is unfit to be a parent, and yet he has no choice but to acknowledge the little girl.

RISKING EVERYTHING FOR LOVE

Circumstances force Bridget and Colin together, yet grave differences divide them. Can love bridge the chasm that keeps them apart?




Bridget shouldn’t let herself smile at Colin, because that invited a smile in return. The kind with dimples and a hunger that reached his eyes.

Probably reached hers, too, so she sighed and turned away. Yearning to touch him had become a physical ache, and even a brush of his hand, much less a boost on her derriere, made it a thousand times worse.

They wouldn’t catch up to the others tonight, but tomorrow, once the rain was over, they would find an alternate route. One more night of self-control…

She was a fool to want him, but she couldn’t help it. What had come over her? Suddenly, stupidly, she was willing to risk another illegitimate child by him.

They were almost at the inn. She dreaded another restless night. She needed something to distract her. “Where are those apples? The horses deserve a treat.”

Colin passed her the basket. She took four of the wrinkled apples. They pulled up in front of a battered old building with weathered timbers and dormers peeking from under a thatched roof. No eager servant came rushing out of the inn to greet them.

“House!” Colin bellowed, opening the coach door. Without bothering to let down the steps, he took Bridget by the waist and lifted her down into the rain. This time his hands didn’t linger. “Hurry up and give them the damned apples. Let’s get out of this bloody rain.”

“Would you stop fussing?” she cried. “We’ll catch up to Martin eventually.”

“That’s not what I’m fussing about,” he snapped, heading for the rear of the coach. Bridget offered apples to the wheeler and leader on one side and then stalked around to treat the others.

A spare, grizzled man limped out of the inn. “Come in, come in,” he said, but his eyes widened at the sight of Colin, in his wet but obviously costly clothing, unearthing two valises from the boot. “I’m that sorry, sir, but I don’t have accommodation for the likes of you.”

“Does your roof leak?” Colin demanded. “Do the fireplaces smoke?”

“No sir, but—”

“Will the horses be warm and dry too?” Bridget piped up, and suddenly she began to shiver.

“Aye, the stables is fine,” the landlord said.

“Then we’ll do fine, too.” Colin dropped the valises on the doorstep. “Warm and dry is all we ask, and I’ll pay handsomely for it.”

A stout lady in an old-fashioned mobcap appeared in the doorway. “What are you waiting for, Stan? I’ll light a fire in the guest chamber. Let the gentleman and his missus in before they catch their deaths.”

*Oh, dear.*

The landlord still seemed uneasy. “I’m sorry, sir, but we’ve only the one small guest room, and not even a private parlor.”

“We’ll do fine,” Bridget and Colin said simultaneously. Their hands touched and twined together. Clung together, as if one or the other of them—or both—was afraid the other would let go. Or as if they were about to plunge off a cliff and holding on for dear life.

Bridget’s heart began to pound. She slid her gaze surreptitiously toward Colin. He wasn’t looking at her but rather straight ahead. A drop of water rolled from his wet hair, over his brow, and down to his upper lip. His tongue flicked out and licked it up.

Desire roared through her. She shuddered. His right dimple appeared, but so briefly she almost didn’t see it.

The landlady bustled away, and the landlord grabbed the valises. “Just you follow me, then. I’m Stan Butterworth, and that’s my rib, Martha.” He led them through the taproom. “You’ll want to change out of them wet clothes first of all, and then we’ll see to your supper.” He preceded them up a narrow flight of stairs. “My Martha’s a right good cook, and we had mutton stew to our dinner, but it won’t be what you’re accustomed to.”

“I’m sure it will be delicious,” Bridget managed. Could food possibly have been farther from her mind?

“It can get right rowdy in here on a fair evening,” Mr. Butterworth said, “but we won’t have much custom tonight, what with the storm and all. You’ll have a peaceful sleep.”

Colin made a sound between a snort and a laugh, but he didn’t let go of her hand.





Winner of the Holt Medallion, Maggie, Daphne du Maurier, Reviewer’s Choice and Epic awards, Barbara Monajem wrote her first story at eight years old about apple tree gnomes. She published a middle-grade fantasy when her children were young. When they grew up, she turned to writing for grownups, first the Bayou Gavotte paranormal mysteries and then Regency romances with intrepid heroines and long-suffering heroes (or vice versa). Some of her Regencies have magic in them and some don’t (except for the magic of love, which is in every story she writes).

Barbara loves to cook, especially soups, and is an avid reader. There are only two items on her bucket list: to make asparagus pudding and succeed at knitting socks (or maybe tea cozies). She’ll manage the first but doubts she’ll ever accomplish the second. This is not a bid for immortality but merely the dismal truth (hence the tea cozies, which she hasn’t tried yet). She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.







Monday, December 28, 2015

Excerpt Tour & #Giveaway for Lovers, Players & the Seducer by J.A. Jackson

Welcome to my stop on the Excerpt Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for Lovers, Players & the Seducer by J.A. Jackson.  Please leave a comment or question for J.A. to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway, where J.A. will award a $10 Amazon GC to one (1) randomly chosen commenter, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You may follow all of the stops on the tour by ciicking on the banner above, the more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning. 

Lovers, Players & the Seducer
By J.A. Jackson
A Geek an Angel Story, Book 4

Publisher:  J.A. Jackson
Release Date: June 1, 2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format:  eBook/Paperback
Length:  276 Pages
ISBN:  978-1499209129
ASIN:  B00MCEGUQA

Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N 



About the book: 

Nicholas La Cour loves money. In the game of betrayer and betrayed he thinks his sister Lacey is the prefect target for his manipulative schemes to keep his financial ruin a secret.

Gorgeous Lacey La Cour lost her hopeful and playful spirit after being dumped by her childhood sweetheart. Now an adult, she is strong and independent.

Determined to find the answer to his money problems, Nicholas discovers his best friend Kienan Egan is strangely attracted to his sister Lacey.

Does his sister’s love life hold the answers to all of his problems?

Does Nicholas have the prefect plan?

A vengeful seduction is swept into play as tragic forces are unleashed in a dangerous game of deception and greed unlocking doors to the past.

Will Lacey discover her brother’s deception before it’s too late?


When it’s all said and done it’s all about the well-heed things in life, family, friendships, affairs, revenge, and romance.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT



Just after midnight in Firebaugh California, Quinn tiptoed out of the front door of his grandmother’s home breathing a sigh of relief. If he had to watch another episode of The Price is Right he’d scream. He smiled easily, remembering he’d just been saved when the old girl finally feel asleep and started snoring.

“Another wasted Saturday spent with my grandmother,” Quinn thought, as he made his way to his car.

At least once every other month Quinn visited his grandmother. He glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight. He couldn’t believe he’d spent almost eight hours listening to her talk and watching those TV shows she loved, with her.

Quinn smiled easily as he quickly started his car and made his way down the lane. Once he was out of view of his grandmother’s house he pulled over and made the call.

A deep mysterious hoarse voice said, “Hello my friend.”

“Hello, it’s me Quinn. Where are you?”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

J.A. Jackson is the pseudonym for an author, who loves to write deliciously sultry adult romantic, suspenseful, entertaining novels with a unique twist. She lives in an enchanted little house she calls home in the Northern California foothills.

She spent over ten years working in the non-profit sector where she wrote grants, press releases and contributed many stories to their newsletter. She was their Newsletter editor for over ten years. She loves growing roses, a good pot of hot tea, chocolate, magical stories, suspense stories, ghost stories, and reading Jane Austen again and again in her past time.






Books by J. A. Jackson & Links

A Geek an Angel Series

The Deceiver

The Proposition

The Grand Hotel

Lovers, Players, & The Seducer


Stand A Lone Books:
                       
The Mistress of Desire & The Orchid Lover 

When A Taker Dreams

Lovers, Players, & The Seducer
Part II
Revenge!

Coming December 2015



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Release Blitz & #Giveaway for Noel by J.C. Valentine

Noel Blitz Banner


Welcome to my stop on the Release Blitz, presented by IndieSage Promotions, for Noel by J.C. Valentine.  Please leave a comment or question for J.C. to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway, where J.C. will award a $10  Amazon GC to one (1) randomly chosen commenter, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  


Noel 3D Cover
Noel: A Blue Collar Christmas 
Publication Date: December 23, 2015 

Buy: Amazon US (FREE for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers) • Amazon UK

About the book:

E.R. nurse Noel Walker knows a thing or two about trauma, but when Officer Hunter Davis ends up as one of her patients, she might be the one in need of a gurney. Despite her attraction, Noel maintains a firm ‘no patients’ policy when it comes to dating, but as a man of the law, Hunter lives by a policy of his own: When he sets his sights on a target, he doesn’t give up until he slaps the cuffs on good and tight.


Add to Goodreads

Christmas.

Noel Teaser 2.

ABOUT J.C. VALENTINE

JC Valentine

J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn't sorry.

J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors.

Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor's in English and when she isn't writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors. Sign up for J.C.'s newsletter and never miss a thing! http://bit.ly/1KxXWWB


Noel Giveaway Graphic


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Monday, December 21, 2015

Release Tour for Fate's Encore by J.J. and T.A. Ellis

New Release Spotlight for Softly As I Leave You by Candy Caine






Ever since Alisha Houston runs into Daniel Mason on the ski slope it seems that they are destined to be together. At first, mad at the leggy, dusky- skinned skiing disaster, Daniel is sure he should keep a safe distance from her. But their paths keep crossing and he is puzzled how he can be so annoyed at a woman and still be so attracted to her. And she definitely turns him on.

Alisha is mortified that the one,  sexy man she is fascinated with at the ski resort is the one she sends to the hospital!  Then one shattering, unexpected kiss launches them into a love affair that brings red-hot passion and deep caring. Until Alisha’s estranged father dies, leaving behind a secret that devastates her.

A secret she cannot, and must not share with the man she loves. Even if it means leaving him without warning or explanation. Even if it means breaking his heart.



     “No, Daniel. It’s best this way,” Alisha Houston whispered into the phone, hoping to convince the both of them.
          “Yeah, sure, just like last night at the pub. I stood in the rain waiting half the night for you to show.”
          “I couldn’t bring myself to face you again.”
          “Because you knew you wouldn’t be able to walk away.”
          “Yes. That’s true. Had I been with you, I wouldn’t be able to tell you what needs to be said now.”
          “Why are you doing this? I know you’re still in love with me.”
          “I love you and always will, but we can’t be together any longer.”
          “I don’t understand, Alisha. In fact, nothing you’ve said so far makes any sense. How can you do trash our relationship especially now with Christmas coming in a few days? We would’ve been together for a year.”
          “Stringing you along until after Christmas would’ve been worse. Look, I’ve got to go.” Alisha said abruptly ending the call.
          “Please don’t go,” Daniel said but she’d already broken the connection.
          Alisha’s throat closed as her tears fell more rapidly. She let them fall as she rolled her suitcase to the boarding platform. The Amtrak train to Vermont would be leaving soon. And she would be beginning a new chapter of her life—without Daniel.
          Alisha hadn’t wanted to end their relationship this way. In fact, she had become so despondent over her situation that she briefly considered taking the cowardly way out. All she had to do was swallow a bottle of sleeping pills and just go to sleep. That way, Daniel wouldn’t feel guilty about moving on because there was no chance she’d ever return. However,  Alisha didn’t have the heart to do that to him or the will to take her own life. No matter what. She was a nurse, for heaven’s sake, sworn to preserve life, not take it—even if the life was her own.
      So what choice did she have? In Alisha’s eyes, breaking off with Daniel on the phone was the quickest way even if it was cowardly.   
***
          Daniel Mason, stared at his cell phone in disbelief. A freelance graphic artist and ITT consultant, his home office suddenly felt claustrophobic. He could hardly breathe. There was no way he’d be able to remain here, let alone, continue working. Quickly, he powered down his computer, grabbed his wallet, coat, and keys and headed for the door of his condo. The wind had picked up and a steady, cold rain was falling. Fitting, he thought, as he ran to his car. Once inside with rain dripping from his hair into his eyes, he was about to start the engine when he realized he had no idea where he was going. He whisked the rain off his forehead.
          Of course he felt lost. The rudder of his life and the reason he awoke each morning, Alisha, had just left him. Now, like a rudderless boat, he’d be merely adrift. He needed a drink while he tried to sort out what Alisha had said and make some sense of it. There were a number of bars nearby, so he started the engine and headed to the first one.
          Despite the fact it was a week night, judging by the cars in the parking lot, the bar was busy. He went inside and found a seat at the end of the oak bar. Ordering a beer, he sipped it slowly, as he replayed Alisha’s hurtful words in his mind. What the hell had happened to induce them?
         As far as he could tell, they had been a happy couple. In fact, he was thinking about asking her to marry him. What had changed? Better still, why did Alisha feel her only option was to leave? Especially without talking about it. Most of the time they discussed everything to the point of ad nausea and that stuff paled in importance to the reason she decided to destroy their relationship. What bothered him the most, aside from her not wanting to discuss it and taking the coward’s way out of running away, was the fact she gave him no reason for doing so.
          Daniel realized that the only emotional trauma that Alisha experienced recently was the death of her father. For the last five years, Alisha’s old man had been residing in an assisted- living apartment in New Jersey. In all honesty, his death should not have been that traumatic.
          Alisha wasn’t close to her father. He’d been angry with her for moving to New York. It seemed a silly reason.. It wasn’t as if she’d moved across country. But from what Alisha had let slip, they were never very close to begin with. Her mother had died several years before. One would think a dad would want to be close to his daughter, but Abner Houston disowned her. He refused to take her calls and returned every card and letter she sent him. Eventually, she stopped trying.
          Then, about a week ago, she got the call from the assisted-living complex that he’d had a massive coronary and was dead. Daniel had expected to accompany Alisha to New Jersey for the simple graveside funeral she planned for her father. He was surprised when she told him that she wanted to go alone. He even kidded her about her being embarrassed that he was white. He remembered what she said about that.
          “I don’t care if you’re green or from Mars. I need to do this by myself. Please respect my wishes.”
          What could he say to that? So in the end he’d let her go alone. Now he regretted that decision. Daniel took another sip of his drink. Alisha had called from New Jersey and told him that she was staying overnight to clean out her father’s studio apartment. When she came home the following day, there seemed to be a veil of sadness lingering over her. Of course, Daniel had attributed this to the loss of her parent. No matter what Alisha had said, the man was still her father and she still had to feel his passing.
         However, that night in bed, it appeared that Alisha wanted to celebrate life—or so he thought. She nearly ripped off his clothes and seemed to be insatiable. After roughly pushing him down onto his back, she kissed him with such passionate ferocity that his mouth ached. Then she slid her lips down his neck leaving kisses as her hands moved across his chest as if reading Braille. Not a single spot of his torso had remained untouched. Her unusually aggressive behavior turned him on.
          Alisha moved further down his body like a heat-seeking missile zeroing in on his cock. She ran her tongue around the head eliciting a groan of pleasure from him before lapping at his sacs. Daniel remembered trying to capture her in his arms, but found it nearly impossible to rein her in. She was obviously a woman on a mission and very much in control.
          She rose above him and lowered herself down on his erection. As soon as she’d settled in on a rhythm, she rode him as if he were a stallion. He reached up to grab her swaying breasts. Alisha closed her eyes as she rode him even faster, rubbing herself against him with such fervor. Daniel squeezed her nipples harder and she cried out with pleasure. He could tell she was coming and judging by her moans, whimpers, and groans, it was going to be intense. The more excited she got, the more vocal she became.
          Daniel waited until she was spent before he withdrew and pushed Alisha onto all fours so he could enter her from behind. He didn’t last long and ejaculated. He lay down beside her, wanting to snuggle and talk, but she went to her side of the bed and fell asleep. Daniel kissed her cheek before spooning with her. He wondered what had gotten into her. She’d never been that aggressive before, but he certainly hoped this was a new trend.
          Sometime during the night, Daniel felt Alisha rub her bottom against his flaccid cock. Sensing she wanted to make love, he rolled over and kissed her gently. She returned the kiss in kind. As he kissed and nuzzled her neck, he reached for a breast as she repositioned her body giving him complete access. This time, he sensed that melancholy had come over her as they made love again. There was such sadness in her eyes and he thought that perhaps the loss of her father had affected her more than she let on. Had he also detected tears? He tried to recall.
          What difference did any of that make now? Alisha was still gone just the same. Then he realized that she most likely had made the decision to leave him right after her father’s death. She had decided to go before she left New Jersey. It would explain her behavior in bed that night.
          Again he thought, what difference did it make now?






Whether she’s writing a short story or novel, Candy Caine will make her interracial romances hot and spicy. Always striving to entertain her readers, Candy tries to breathe life into her characters, making life often interesting for her husband, Robert back in their home on Long Island, NY. And both are trying to teach their fifteen-year old yellow Lab, Sammy, new tricks. 

Candy loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at candy@candycaine.com.

Visit her website at www.candycaine.com.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Release Blitz & #Giveaway for An Egyptian Affair by Cheryl Bolen


Welcome to my stop on the Release Blitz, presented by Book Partners in Crime Promotions, for An Egyptian Affair by Cheryl Bolen.  Please leave a comment or question for Cheryl to let her know you stopped by.  You may enter her tour wide giveaway by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  My review for this book will post on a later date as I will be providing a mini-review for each of the three previous books in the series along with a full review for this book.  If you have not started reading this series yet – you really should, I am finding the books hilariously entertaining so far! 

An Egyptian Affair
by Cheryl Bolen
Series: Regent Mysteries, #4
Genre: Regency Romantic Mystery
Release Date: December 15, 2015


A fresh romance with each new mystery . . .

While Captain Jack Dryden would lay down his life for the Regent, he draws the line at endangering his wife in the dark alleyways of Cairo—the place where the Regent's friend and procurer of antiquities has gone missing.

But Lady Daphne Dryden will not be denied the opportunity to see swaying palms, crumbling pillars, and soaring pyramids in exotic Egypt. She even insists on bringing her youngest sister, Rosemary, who's enamored of all things Oriental. The Regent insists on sending Stanton Maxwell,  England's most imminent expert on Egyptology, as their interpreter and his own soldiers as their protectors.

Once in Cairo, Jack and Daphne begin their inquiries, inquiries which almost certainly cause the murder of one woman and the abduction of Lady Rosemary. Will Jack's wits—and the unexpected bravery of Mr. Maxwell—be enough to extricate them from danger and unmask the evil-doers?



Jack bolted from their tent. "What's happened?"

"Rosemary's gone!" Daphne stood just inside her sister's tent, her hand still lifting the entry flap. "Someone's taken her!"

Shirtless and barefoot, Maxwell came rushing from his tent on the other side.

"This cannot be! I never heard a word .  .  . I swore I would protect her," he said, his voice forlorn.

The rear of Rosemary's tent had been slashed through. Jack whirled around to chastise the soldier he'd asked to guard Rosemary.

The fellow was sitting in the sand directly in front of Rosemary's tent, his head bent, chin on chest, eyes closed, hugging his musket to him as if it were a cherished woman. He was sound asleep.

Jack mumbled an oath as he began to shake the soldier. He did not readily awaken. Then Jack smelled it. Laudanum. "The guard's been drugged with laudanum!"

"We need to determine if anyone else is missing," Maxwell said, his voice commanding.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "It wouldn't surprise me to discover that one of our recently hired servants is responsible for Rosemary's abduction." His gaze returned to Rosemary's tent. "Daf, can you see if anything of your sister's is missing?"

She nodded solemnly.

By now Arbuthnot had made his way to join the others. He was fully dressed except for his coat. "Are you saying Lady Rosemary is missing? Are you sure she's not just gone exploring? Didn't she express a strong interest last night in seeing the mestabas?"

Jack faced Arbuthnot and spoke in a growl. "Some vile person slashed through the back of her tent and apparently carried her off."

Arbuthnot's eyes narrowed, and he uttered a curse.

Maxwell looked forlorn. "And I promised her I would protect her."

Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. I was just as close to her tent as you were, and I slept right through her abduction."

"Dear God, I hope she's not intended for white slavery," Arbuthnot said.

Daphne poked her head out of the tent and harrumphed. "They'd be sure to bring her back. My sister is not only incompetent about cleaning floors and polishing furniture, but she's never in her life lifted a hand in pursuit of tidiness."

Jack coughed, and despite the gravity of the situation, his eyes twinkled with mirth. "It appears my wife is under a misapprehension about the nature of white slavery."




Cheryl Bolen is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 20 romances, both historical and contemporary mystery. Many of her books have placed in contests, including the Daphne du Maurier (romantic suspense) and have been translated into ten languages. She was Notable New Author in 1999. In 2006 she won the Holt Medallion, Best Historical, and in 2012 she won Best Historical in the International Digital Awards and she's had four other titles place in that competition. Her 2011 Christmas novella was named Best Novella in the Romance Through the Ages. She invites readers to www.CherylBolen.com, or her blog, www.cherylsregencyramblings.wordpress.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cheryl-Bolen-Books/146842652076424.