A Lord Apart

By: Jane Ashford

Publication Date: 3/26/2019

Synopsis

Family secrets, an unlikely alliance—and a love neither expected…

After his parents’ sudden death, Daniel Frith, Viscount Whitfield, is struggling to unravel a web of chaotic family records. He is astonished to learn his father’s will contains a mysterious legacy: a house left to a complete stranger. He knows nothing about the beautiful Penelope Pendleton and he’s not sure he wants to…until she turns out to be a whiz at all those nasty tasks involved in estate administration…

Penelope has no idea why Rose Cottage was left to her. But it’s a godsend after her brother’s reckless actions disgraced her family. She had planned to stay out of Viscount Whitfield’s way, not grow ever closer to him. But when they discover how entwined their families really are, Daniel and Penelope must collaborate to avoid a scandal that reaches much higher than they could have guessed…

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The Way to a Lord’s Heart series

Brave New Earl (Book 1)
A Lord Apart (Book 2)

Praise for Jane Ashford:

“An endearing, optimistic story of second chances.”—Publishers Weekly for Brave New Earl

“A refreshingly different, sweetly romantic love story [readers] will long remember.”—Booklist for Brave New Earl

“[P]lenty of wit, matchmaking, sweetness, and sensuality to keep readers highly entertained.”—RT Book Reviews for The Duke Knows Best

“Expertly crafted…another triumph of nuanced characterization and sparkling wit.”—Booklist for Nothing Like a Duke

Excerpt

“Miss Pendleton might be interested in your estate records,” said Macklin.

Daniel frowned at him. He didn’t want to show her that jumble. She’d think it a shambles. And she would be right.

“Oh, do you have anything about Rose Cottage?” she replied.

“Whitfield’s been searching, but he hasn’t found anything yet,” said the earl.

“Perhaps I could help. I used to manage—” She stopped abruptly, her cheeks reddening.

“Ah,” came to the tip of Daniel’s tongue. But he managed not to say it. She used to manage what? He couldn’t resist trying to find out. “Come and see,” he said. With a bow, he escorted her along a corridor to the estate office. Only when they reached it did he notice that Macklin hadn’t followed. Fleetingly, he wondered if the older man was up to something. But Miss Pendleton’s exclamation of “Oh my,” chased the idea from his mind.

Inside the office, his visitor was standing still, surveying the masses of papers. “I’m not sure I understand your method of organization,” she said.

Because there wasn’t any, Daniel thought. As anyone could see. She didn’t need to make a point of it. “Our agent left some months ago,” he said.

Miss Pendleton walked over to the desk. She eyed the stacks of documents with an odd expression. She looked…avid? At once, Daniel dismissed this inadequate word. She looked like a drunkard gazing at a foaming pint. She looked like a sheepdog vibrating with the need to herd. Her fingers flexed. She wanted to plunge her hands into his papers, he realized. She wanted to wrest information from their pages like a falcon tearing into a mouse. Why had he ever thought her wan and sylphlike? “Perhaps you could help me look through things,” he said.

She turned to him. Daniel was shaken by the flare of excitement in her blue eyes. How had he missed the fierce spirit inhabiting that slender body? And what might a man do to have that look directed at him? “There must be information about Rose Cottage here somewhere,” she said. Her fingers twitched again.

It took him a moment to find his voice. “We might look for it together.” From the way her gaze raked him, Daniel felt as if he’d suggested a far more intimate activity. Suddenly his piles of papers seemed less of a burden. “I would appreciate your assistance,” he added. “You seem as if you might know your way about a records room.”

“I do.” Two murmured words, yet full of longing and melancholy.

The quick rise and fall of her breath under the bodice of her gown was very distracting. Had she agreed or not? Her eyes burned. Daniel wanted to know what lay behind them. Would joy bloom there as fiercely as this present emotion? She stood very still, her fists closed at her sides. The work of sorting would be an altogether different matter with her at his side. “Our two families must have some connection,” he said. “Or communication between them, at least. How else to explain the legacy?”

Miss Pendleton looked away, and he cursed himself for mentioning families. She’d made it clear she didn’t want to talk about hers.

She muttered something. It might have been, “They’ll find out anyway.” If that had made any sense.

“I beg your pardon?” said Daniel.

When she turned back to him, the fire had disappeared from her blue eyes. They’d gone bleak. “Haven’t you made inquiries about me?”

He could see she hated the idea, and he wished he could deny it. Excuses crowded his mind, but none seemed persuasive in this moment, when his chief desire was to lure that fierce, vivid woman back into the light. He started to say that they’d heard nothing as yet. But she spoke again before he could.

“Lord Macklin looks like the sort of man who can find out whatever he wants. And do whatever he wants. So do you for that matter. Peers of the realm.” She spoke the last phrase with great bitterness.

Daniel felt as if he was groping his way through a pitch-black landscape. “Macklin knows a great many people,” he admitted.

“I’m sure he does. I suppose he’s a great friend of Lord Sidmouth.”

“The Home Secretary?” Where had that venom come from? And what did a government minister have to do with anything? Daniel looked for something to say, anything that might end the struggle racking her. But nothing occurred to him. Perhaps because her cheeks had flushed, and her chest continued to rise and fall in a way that compelled his attention. He had to keep tearing his gaze away.

Miss Pendleton’s breath sighed out. Her shoulders slumped. “Oh, what difference does it make?” Her tone was angry and impatient. “It’s only a matter of time until you find out. I don’t know why I thought I could keep secrets.”

About the Author

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight was part of what led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. She has written historical and contemporary romances, and her books have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Spain, as well as the United States. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She lives in Beverly Hills, CA.

 

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Giveaway

The Happily Ever Organized Gift Set giveaway is live now and runs through 11:59 p.m. on April 20th. This super cute gift set includes a pack of Bloom floral file folders, three pretty gold pens, a Lemome Original notebook (it has pockets!), and two lovely floral teacups. What better prize to honor the two loveable nerds in this Regency Romance?!

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Pinot Red or Dead? (The Wine Trail Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (March 26, 2019)
Paperback: 206 pages

Synopsis

There’s a lot of noir surrounding this rare pinot.

As the vineyards in Seneca Lake, New York, prepare for the seasonal “Deck the Halls Around the Lake” festivities, someone is determined to keep pinot noir off the wine list. Hijacked trucks and sabotaged ingredients have made it a hard-to-acquire vintage for the six local wineries—including Norrie Ellington’s Two Witches Winery.

The case of the stolen and spoiled wines gets stranger when Arnold Mowen, owner of the company distributing the wine, is found dead, the apparent victim of a hunting accident. As Norrie tries to find the connections between the pinot’s problems and Arnold’s death, she uncovers a conspiracy among many locals whose hatred for the wine distributor was bottled up for far too long . . .

Character Guest Post

Can Someone Explain My Dwindling, Disappearing Checkbook?

By Norrie Ellington, screenwriter and winery babysitter (The Wine Trail Mysteries)

It’s a mystery I’m still trying to solve and it’s worse than any horror movie or screenplay I’ve ever read or hope to write. And it’s happening right in front of me every time I open my checkbook or log into my online account. My money’s gone! Vanished! And quickly, too, I might add. When I think I should have a decent sum to get me through the month, I take a look and it’s indecent!!!

So where is it all going?  I finally decided that even Adrian Monk and Agatha Christie combined would have a hard time. But I’ve come to the following realizations if I want this nightmare to cease. Here goes:

• I’ve gotten too used to creature comforts. And so has my sister’s dog for that matter. We’re sharing her house in upstate New York so she and her husband can chase down some elusive insect in balmy Costa Rica. Anyway, I like warmth. So I keep the thermostat set at 75 degrees. My sister said to keep it at 69 but even medieval monasteries were warmer than that. Granted, each additional degree probably costs us twenty or thirty dollars a month, but who’s counting? And please don’t tell me to put on an extra sweater. I’m already walking around like an overstuffed goose.
• I’ve gotten used to good food. Flavorful food. I tried to vary my diet with cheaper alternatives but the result was a garbage can full of half-eaten meals and a very grumpy disposition. I didn’t dare change the dog’s food because I already knew what would happen. Trust me, I do enough cleaning up around here.
• Paper products. I use them abundantly. But I was willing to try less expensive versions. But here’s the caveat – I needed more of them to accomplish what the other brands did in the first place. Without the cursing.
• I thought dressing in style was costly when I lived in Manhattan but the attire for managing a winery is mind blowing. Forget gorgeous pashminas. Seems like I spend a fortune on L.L. Bean outdoor wear including fleece lined jeans! Not to mention the myriad of chambray shirts for the tasting room. Who knew cotton could be so expensive?
• The car. My trustworthy but old Toyota is a regular money pit. And upstate winters don’t help. I got by with one set of tires in the city, but here in little Siberia, I need snow tires, studs, and possibly chains!
• Coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Okay. I admit it. This is probably my biggest culprit. I thrive on coffee and its relatives. And please don’t suggest I brew weak tea or worse yet, drink warm milk. Without a daily burst of a wonderful and warm caffeinated product, my mind would go to mush. And I need that mind for my real job. I write romance screenplays for a Canadian film company when I’m not suckered into solving murders around here.

So, it looks as if this is one conundrum I’m not about to tackle. Because I really don’t want to know the answer.  I’ll just open the checkbook slowly and hold my breath…

About the Author

Ann I. Goldfarb

New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) set for release in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name.

James E. Clapp

When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder (Kensington) is set for release in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.

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Giveaway

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Synopsis

Who the hell is Peter Darrow?

Health and wellness entrepreneur Peter Darrow thought he had life all figured out. A native of the posh and privileged Upper East Side, the young millennial lived at large– attending elite schools, throwing lavish birthday parties, and spending summers in the Hamptons. Then one day his seemingly perfect, polished life came crashing down. Over the course of three hellacious years, his father died, he inherited and burned through a shit-ton of money, his girlfriend dumped him, and his first business floundered. One morning he found himself looking in the mirror and thinking,
Whose life am I living anyway?

After thousands of hours of therapy, introspection, and meditation, Peter exchanged entitlement for humility and his parents’ worldview for one authentically his own. His tragic crash course in the meaning of life revealed that true wealth and happiness are not found in affluence and privilege but within oneself and within healthy relationships with others. This is his story…

In this book, you will learn:

-What it was like for Peter to grow up in Manhattan’s Upper East Side

-How to overcome heartbreak when dealing with the loss of a parent, a failed relationship, or an unsuccessful business endeavor

-About the grueling stresses of the restaurant industry, and an inside perspective on what it’s like to be an owner

-The unique world of online dating and how to cultivate more meaningful relationships

-How millennials can break free from their parents’ outdated values and their self-obsessed egos so they can discover their personal truths and live fulfilling authentic lives

…and many other fascinating insights from a young, entitled, and privileged human being who now sees the world differently through loss, disappointment, and failure.

Praise

“A powerful set of ruminations that are likely to hit many millennials of privilege where they live…and help start them on journeys that are likely to be both interesting and useful. Wise Millennial gives readers lots to think about.” — Len Schlesinger, President Emeritus-Babson College, Baker Foundation Professor, Harvard Business School

“Millennials are given a bad rap—lazy, entitled, generally bad at life. But my generation is so much stronger and wiser than you might think, and Wise Millennial proves that! Peter gives an inside take that’s alternatively hilarious, poignant, and inspiring for millennials and the people who love them.” — Nicole Lapin, New York Times bestselling author of Rich Bitch and Boss Bitch

“The millennial generation is reminiscent of the baby boom generation: it is already wielding enormous influence over every facet of American culture, society, politics, and economics—and yet, it is poorly if at all understood by the generations that preceded it. In Wise Millennial, Peter N. Darrow offers insights based on hard-won personal experience and assiduous academic study that make the thoughts, dreams, wants, and desires of the millennial generation understandable at long last.”— Harry Hurt III, award-winning journalist and author of Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump

Interview with Peter

Your book is separated into 7 sections beginning with the section “Wise Millennial” and ending with “Instructive Millennial.” What is the single best piece of advice that you would like your reader to glean from the book as a whole?

That you have the power to create your own reality. Your happiness lies from within and is not dependent upon others. This is very easy to say and incredibly difficult to perform. It’s okay to express yourself without fear of being judged but you must also carry yourself in an emotionally mature way. Furthermore, I’d like my readers to know how to exercise control over self-destructive behavior.

Is there a story in the book that you found particularly difficult to share?

The opening chapter. Bringing the reader into those final moments with my father as they were unfolding, as I spoke my final words to him. That is a really intimate space to be sharing with others. It brought back some very difficult and painful emotions.

Why should millennials focus inwardly on character development when so many things compete for their free time?

Without a strong sense of self, true happiness is unattainable. Character development is the foundation from which our worldview is established. Otherwise, you’ll easily find yourself “spinning your wheels” and living life on autopilot without even realizing it. You might even find yourself headed down an unsatisfying path. Yet what I’ve realized is that every minute you spend on inward focus, yields a 10x return on attitude, patience, and fulfillment. Ultimately, an inward focus will actually allow you to organize your activities more efficiently, thus creating more free time, not less. Don’t view self-reflection as one more thing competing for your time, but rather an opportunity to get yourself organized.

Lastly, will you tell us about your passion for social change and how that connects to what you have discovered to be harmful regarding social media?

Social media, or the millennial perversion of its use, has robbed us of our own identities. What can be a very powerful tool, when used appropriately, is often exploited to feed our self-obsessed egos and insecurities. We too easily use it as weapon to compare to others, in order to make ourselves feel better. It’s dangerous. It’s toxic. It’s unhealthy. Just look at the increase in teenage suicide rates and/or antidepressant prescriptions over the last decade. We face an invisible cyber battle which threatens our happiness and overall quality of life. There needs to be a greater sense of urgency to this issue. I hope to be able to build a larger platform from which I can inspire and empower millennials and future generations to develop a strong and healthy sense of self. Imagine what we could achieve by unlocking all of this potential human capital and happiness.

About the Author

Peter N. Darrow is a Millennial, a native New Yorker, an entrepreneur, and an expert at learning from his mistakes. After earning an MBA in entrepreneurship from Babson College in 2014, Peter founded Darrow’s Farm Fresh restaurant in Union Square in NYC. He is the current founder of Veggie Dust, first ever vegetable seasoning for kids. A health and wellness entrepreneur with a passion for helping people, Peter has already seen much in the way of success and failure, and speaks to the challenges facing his generation, and dispels myths about what it’s like to supposedly “have it all.” Find out more about Peter at www.wisemillennial.com.

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Book Title: Trials and Trails by Jim Halverson
Category: Adult Fiction, 276 pages
Genre: Western, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Gail Force Publishing
Release date: January 2019

Synopsis

With a past of slavery and compliance, LeRoy has learned to pick his battles carefully. Johnny B, a quick-tempered Sioux, is still learning to control his anger. When dangerous circumstances bond them together, the pair learn to navigate Reconstruction Era America and all its prejudices. They save an innocent man from hanging, reunite two old friends, assist in an honorable death for an elder Indian, and discover their worth as they steadily assimilate self-respect into their lives.

From Jim Halverson’s debut novel comes a tale of adventure, purpose, and the pursuit of self-actualization. Cowboys and psychology ride hand in hand, traveling a journey from living life on the edge to finding a place of belonging, joy, vulnerability, and distinction. Through trials along their trails, LeRoy and Johnny B transform people they meet, brand the world a better place, and reap the benefits.

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Guest Post

Why I Ignored A Reviewer’s Complaint

One recent review was critical of a lack of ‘language that sings.’ How do you feel about that?

I think it was a fair review. The book may have been improved with more prose that sings to the reader. I intentionally wrote the book using ‘kitchen table talk.’ I tried to be true to the times and the characters. John and Lee, although educated better than most cowboys, were still cowboys, worked around cowboys, and lived practical lives in unsettled territories. I wanted the reader to join the characters in their journey. I feared that if I described John, Lee, and Alice helping deliver a calf in the mud, or any other similar scene, in practical language followed by poetic singing language the reader would be taken out of the reality of present time.

In another scene, for example, I wrote: After breakfast, Leroy and Johnny B went to the livery to trim their horses’ feet. The work freed their minds while they gave their horses the attention they deserved. When they had the hooves trimmed the blacksmith walked in. … The blacksmith looked out onto the street and announced that it looked like they were going to have a trial soon.

Rather than that straight forward language, the reader could have been been jarred into the next world if I had written: Johnny B thought about some of his favorite things as he ran his rough fingers down the smooth silken leg of his most prized possession. His horse stood patiently expecting the caress he knew was coming. The horse valued every interaction with John and would hold his foot up for John as long as necessary for the loving attention. … My concern: The reader would disappear into oblivion thinking about the natural beauty of horses, or the last Kentucky Derby race, or wishing he had a horse. During the time the reader would lose away from the story, the fact that the judge just rode into town would be lost.

 

About the Author

Jim Halverson grew up in the rural, gold-mining town of Mokelumne Hill, CA and received his MBA from Golden Gate University. He spent part of his life on a ranch and is an avid student of psychology. He recognizes the struggles of all men and women seeking equality and respect. Jim and his wife, Gail, spend their time traveling from their small farm in Forestville, CA.

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Giveaway

Prizes: Win a copy of Trials and Trails by Jim Halverson. One winner will also get a $25 Amazon GC (7 winners total / open to USA and Canada)

(ends April 5, 2019)

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Designs On Murder: A Ghostly Fashionista Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Grace Abraham Publishing (March 26, 2019)
Print Length: 229 pages

Synopsis

What if you discovered your lively new friend wasn’t really…alive?

Amanda Tucker is excited about opening her fashion design studio in Shops On Main, a charming old building in historic Abingdon, Virginia. She didn’t realize a ghost came with the property! But soon Maxine “Max” Englebright, a young woman who died in 1930, isn’t the only dead person at the retail complex. Mark Tinsley, a web designer with a know-it-all attitude who also rented space at Shops On Main, is shot in his office.

Amanda is afraid that one of her new “friends” and fellow small business owners is his killer, and Max is encouraging her to solve Mark’s murder a la Nancy Drew. Easy for Max to want to investigate–the ghostly fashionista can’t end up the killer’s next victim!

Review

This delightful new series by Gayle Leeson combines the paranormal world with Max, a ghost from the 1920s; fashion through Amanda’s designs; a touch of romance, and a murder that throws everything together despite the wishes of the characters.  If nothing else, you will want to read the story for Max and her quirky phrases, which weren’t quirky for her time period, as they will give you a chuckle.

The cast of characters is not large and the author does a great job of pushing several characters to the forefront as potential suspects. While these characters may not have committed the act, they are not totally innocent as there are several other sub-stories that tie everything together.  As I was reading the book I kept coming back to one character that just seemed suspicious for some reason.  Turns out I pinned it on the right character!  And there is some resolution tied to other characters that seemed shady.

You will probably fall in love with Grandpa Dave.  He is the sort of family member everyone should have because he looks out for Amanda and supports her hopes and dreams, unlike her mother.  We only get a small glimpse of her mother but let me tell you she is a piece of work!  Thankfully her father is down to earth and helps manage her mother’s outbursts.

There is the start of a romance between Amanda and Jason.  Jason is a new tenant to the building where Amanda has just opened her shop, so they are getting to know everyone together.  They also have complimentary businesses – she designs clothing and he is a photographer.  I like that they take their relationship slowly and aren’t rushing into anything too crazy too soon.

When you read this book (notice I didn’t say “if”!) you will want to read the author’s notes because she provides detail for Max’s actions and reactions based on when she lived in the 20s.  I appreciated the research she did for this book and I am sure you will too.

We give this book 5 paws up and can’t wait for the next book in this series.

About the Author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. Gayle has also written as Amanda Lee and Gayle Trent. As Amanda Lee, she wrote the Embroidery Mystery series, and as Gayle Trent, she writes the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. Going forward, Gayle intends to keep her writing until the Gayle Leeson name. She has a series of women’s fiction novellas set in a shopping mall that has been converted to include micro-apartments (the Kinsey Falls series) and has just begun this new cozy series, the Ghostly Fashionista Mystery series. Another Down South Cafe novel is slated for release in August with book two in the Ghostly Fashionista series scheduled for October.

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Giveaway

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STRANGE BLOOD: 70 ESSAYS ON OFFBEAT AND UNDERRATED VAMPIRE MOVIES

EDITED BY VANESSA MORGAN

Publisher: Moonlight Creek Publishing

Genre: horror, vampires, movies, non-fiction
Cover design: Gilles Vranckx

Release date: April 2019

Synopsis

This is an overview of the most offbeat and underrated vampire movies spanning nine decades and 23 countries.

Strange Blood encompasses well-known hits as well as obscurities that differ from your standard fang fare by turning genre conventions on their head. Here, vampires come in the form of cars, pets, aliens, mechanical objects, gorillas, or floating heads. And when they do look like a demonic monster or an aristocratic Count or Countess, they break the mold in terms of imagery, style, or setting.

Leading horror writers, filmmakers, actors, distributors, academics, and programmers present their favorite vampire films through in-depth essays, providing background information, analysis, and trivia regarding the various films. Some of these stories are hilarious, some are terrifying, some are touching, and some are just plain weird. Not all of these movies line up with the critical consensus, yet they have one thing in common: they are unlike anything you’ve ever seen in the world of vampires.

Just when you thought that the children of the night had become a tired trope, it turns out they have quite a diverse inventory after all.

 

About the Author

Vanessa Morgan is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books in the horror genre. Three of her stories (The Strangers Outside, Next to Her and A Good Man), have become movies. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching horror movies, digging through flea markets, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.

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Synopsis

Mike Papantonio is a novelist who knows his material only too well. One of America’s top plaintiff’s lawyers, Pap – as he’s called by friends and colleagues – has taken on the tobacco companies, the automotive industry, and more. His new legal thriller, LAW AND ADDICTION (Waterside Productions; April 2019), is based on his experiences fighting Big Pharma on behalf of hundreds of American communities devastated by the opioid crisis.

As the book opens, readers meet Jake Rutledge a week before his law school graduation. Jake is shattered. His fraternal twin, Blake, has died suddenly of a drug overdose. Devastated by the loss, Jake returns to his hometown of Oakley, West Virginia to discover that Blake was not the only one addicted to opioid pain killers. The entire region has been ravished by an epidemic insidiously planned and carried out by America’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.

Still wet-behind-the-ears, the newly-minted lawyer is determined to seek justice not only for Blake, but for all the victims of Big Pharma’s greed. He quickly discovers, though, that he can’t do it alone. The drug companies’ tentacles reach far and deep. The only hope is to entice a seasoned pro like the indomitable Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis to join the battle. A partner at one of the country’s most powerful law firms, Deke’s “as tough as a two-dollar steak” and well-known for his winning tactics against corporate wrong-doers. With just enough persistence, Jake coaxes Deke to visit Oakley to see first-hand why the once thriving town is now called Zombieland. Deke is overwhelmed by the devastation and agrees to join forces with Jake.

And that’s when the real heat begins. Death threats, bribes, unlawful property seizure schemes – all connected to the massive distribution of both legal and illegal drugs. Everyone is impacted from the highest levels of corporate America to corrupt local officals to their lackeys and hapless victims. The complexity of the schemes is overwhelming.

But there is hope. Working tirelessly, the lawyers begin to uncover the truth. Along the way, Jake falls for a local woman, a former high school classmate who’s succumbed to the power of opioids. With his support, she weans herself off the drugs and the future looks bright – until Jake suddenly disappears. Has he abandoned her and his crusade? Can the case against the drug distributors move forward without him? Will Oakley and its residents survive? Mike Papantonio has created a fast-paced thriller that will keep readers glued to the page. LAW AND ADDICTION is real drama about real life – a book that reveals the truth through expert story-telling.

About the Author

Mike Papantonio is a crusader who uses fiction to entertain and inform readers about some of the most pressing issues of our times. In each of his legal thrillers – from Law and Disorder to Law and Vengence, and now LAW AND ADDICTION – he lays bare the conspiracies and white-collar crimes that hurt ordinary Americans. A senior partner at Levin Papantonio, he’s taken on Big Pharma, tobacco companies, and the automobile industry, among others. One of the youngest trial lawyers to have been inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, Papantonio is also a distinguished media presence as one of the hosts of the syndicated Ring of Fire radio show and as the host of American Lawyer on RT America network. A skilled musician and athlete, Papantonio is based in Pensacola, Florida.

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In Her Sights

By Katie Ruggle

Publication Date: 3/26/2019

“Vivid and charming.”—CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series

Synopsis

Five bounty-hunting sisters

Deep in the heart of the Rockies

Fighting to save each other

…and the men who steal their hearts

Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly’s horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family’s misfortune as their next big break.

She needs help, stat.

Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John’s the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly’s ever had the pleasure of defeating…and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive.

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Praise

“I love Ruggle’s characters. They’re sharply drawn, and vividly alive. I’m happy when they find each other. These are wonderful escapist books.”—CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series

“Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.”—JULIE ANN WALKER, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author for Hold Your Breath

“Chills and thrills and a sexy slow-burning romance from a terrific new voice.”—D.D. AYRES, author of the K-9 Rescue Series for Hold Your Breath

Excerpt

The chilly air brushed against her damp face, making her realize how warm the bar was. She peered down the dim alley, checking both directions. Except for the dumpster that she’d warned John about, the narrow lane was empty. Frustration rose in her chest, squeezing her lungs. Sonny’d had too much time to get away. The crowd had succeeded in giving him enough of a head start to escape. Without a direction, Molly knew they had no hope of finding him.

John made an irritated sound, and Molly turned to meet his gaze. “I know. It sucks. At least we know he hasn’t left town…yet. Should we go back and see what we can pry out of the zombies? Someone has to know where he’s been crashing.”

He looked unhappy about this idea. “That’s a pretty hostile bunch. You shouldn’t go back in there.”

Although a big part of her bristled at the implication that she couldn’t take care of herself, an even bigger part was relieved. She didn’t want to question the bar patrons, and John was giving her an out. She’d be an idiot to insist on endangering them for a slight chance that someone in the crowd was willing to talk.

Letting out a disappointed huff of air, she stepped into the alley. When John didn’t immediately follow, she turned to raise a questioning eyebrow. “You weren’t planning on staying, were you?” Her stomach churned with concern at the thought of him alone in Dutch’s. Sure, he was a strong guy, but even he couldn’t fight off dozens of people if they meant him harm. Who knew how many were armed, too. The bouncer hadn’t checked the two of them for weapons, and they weren’t even regulars.

“No.” John finally followed her out, and she released the door so it swung shut behind him. “I was just surprised you didn’t insist on staying.”

She shrugged, not wanting to admit that she’d considered it out of foolish pride, even though it had just been for a moment or two. “I have a greater sense of self-preservation than that.”

“I…” Whatever he had been about to say was lost when his voice trailed off, his eyes locked on the back of a neighboring building. Molly followed his gaze to a door that was cracked open just an inch or two. Turning her head, she exchanged a speaking look with John, and they both moved quietly toward the barely open door.

“You armed?” he asked so quietly that she could barely hear him.

“Depends how you define arms.” Slipping her Taser from her pants pocket, she held it at her side. “You?”

“No gun.” His gaze stayed fixed on the dark gap between the door and the frame as they moved closer to the building. “I do have arms, though.”

She was pretty sure he flexed, although her attention, like his, was focused on the slightly open door. A touch of amusement ran through her, but it was quickly swallowed by apprehension. Who knew what kind of danger hid in the shadows of the warehouse?

When they were just a few feet from the door, Molly reached her free hand toward the edge, intending to push it open, but there was suddenly a huge man in her way. With a glare at the broad back in front of her, blocking her way and even her view of the entry, she dodged around him, giving him a sharp elbow in the side. Even if he was just trying to be chivalrous, it was still a ridiculous thing to do.

Easing the door open, she took a cautious step inside, grateful for John’s watchful presence at her back. The murky ambient light illuminated the interior just enough to see shadows and forms. Dust and the lingering hint of old chemicals prickled her nose. Before she could take a second step, a darting movement caught her attention. Molly sucked in a startled breath and spun to face the threat, her entire focus was on who—or what—was in the dark space with them. Before she could race after whoever it was, the world behind them lit up, whiting out her vision. She didn’t have time to think or plan or even duck before a ferocious boom sounded, so loud that she felt it through her entire body.

John! her brain screamed, even as she knew it was too late to help him. The explosion had already sent her flying forward, weightless, from the force of the blast.

About the Author

When she’s not writing, KATIE RUGGLE rides horses, shoots guns, and travels to warm places where she can SCUBA dive. Graduating from the Police Academy, Katie received her ice-rescue certification and can attest that the reservoirs in the Colorado Mountains really are that cold. While she still misses her off-the-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains, she now lives in Rochester, Minnesota near her family.

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Giveaway 1 (prize package, runs through 11:59 p.m. 3/26)

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Giveaway 2 (books giveaway, runs through 4/12)

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Title: Risky Play

Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Publisher: Skyscape

Series: Red Card, Book 1

Synopsis

What else can a virgin do when she’s ditched at the altar? Seattle heiress Mackenzie Dupont is treating herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico and a desire to relinquish her innocence to a gorgeous one-night stand. Fake names. True pleasure. But when she wakes up alone, Mackenzie realizes just how much anger is left in her broken heart.

Suffering a tragic personal loss, pro soccer player Slade Rodriguez has his reasons for vanishing without a goodbye. Right or wrong, he’s blaming the beautiful and infuriating stranger he never wants to see again. They’re both in for a shock when Mackenzie shows up as his new personal assistant. And they both have a lot to learn about each other. Because they share more than they could possibly know, including a common enemy who’s playing his own games. And he’s not afraid to get dirty.

Now there’s only one way Mackenzie and Slade can win: to trust in each other and to stop hiding from the lies they’ve told, the secrets they’ve kept, the mistakes they’ve made, and the attraction that still burns between them.

Why Sports Heroes Make the Best Book Boyfriends by Rachel Van Dyken

Hey everyone! I’m Rachel Van Dyken, author of over eighty (holy crap) books in multiple genres, one of my favorites being, sports romance! My latest book, Risky Play, is about two broken main characters who find themselves on a last minute holiday to Puerto Vallarta.

Pro Soccer player Slade Rodriguez is trying to lay low after finding out his girlfriend and his ex teammate hooked up behind his back, for over a year. Licking his wounds he changes teams and moves to Seattle, but isn’t ready to settle down yet. Needing time to himself, he gets on the first jet out. He sits next to Mackenzie Dupont on a plane and is immediately intrigued, especially since a few hours into the plane ride, they have single engine failure. She asks him what one thing he would do different. And they kiss. Once the plane safely lands, to protect his own identity, he gives her a fake name, Hugo. What he doesn’t realize is she’s famous in her own right, so she does the same thing. After all, she’s running away from a broken engagement. What follows is a whole lot of steaminess and taking chances with a complete stranger assuming that it’s just that, a one night stand, a two night stand. Whatever it is, Mackenzie’s obsessed with “Hugo’s” intense golden gaze, the eight pack helps, and the fact that he seems genuinely interested in everything she says. He promises the universe he’s going to keep her, but sometimes the universe is against us. Tragedy strikes and they go their separate ways only to meet again in Seattle, this time, sparks fly and not the good kind The “I want to kiss you, then strangle you, then kiss you again” kind.

I love writing sports romances because I think it adds this extra layer of pressure from the press to act a certain way. Not only does Slade have to deal with paparazzi but he has pressure to perform, to lead his team to the championships after training with another team. I think it brings in so many details from behind the scenes that we never think about when watching sports on TV. I’m fully dedicated to interviewing real athletes (and my last sports romance I interviewed NFL players). This time I wanted to focus on a sport that isn’t as huge here as it is internationally and really do it justice. These athletes eat, sleep, and breathe their sport, there isn’t a lot of time for a personal life and if you do have one, the balance is always going to be a struggle (not to mention the fact that Slade is still mourning). In this book, I wanted to introduce a really strong female character that wouldn’t let Slade project all those feelings and basically Mackenzie is the type of girl that doesn’t put up with his crap. I think it’s important to have strong female characters that women can look up to. I love that during the entire journey my heroine doesn’t give up. She knows her worth and demands that Slade recognize it too.

All in all it was such a fun book to write, I can’t wait for everyone to read it!

***

Excerpt: Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken

I was kissing her again.

Maybe it was because it had been months since I’d had a decent kiss, since I’d jumped into the arms of anyone who didn’t know me by name.

I could be Hugo for a few days.

Hugo seemed spontaneous.

Hugo seemed relaxed.

Hugo seemed fun.

I sure as hell needed some fun.

I broke away from her kiss and trailed my fingertips down her chin. “So, now that we’ve established the plane didn’t crash and we’re here side by side, what did you have in mind?”

Ashley grinned up at me, her eyes a bit hesitant as she looked from me to the ocean. “Well, I’ve never gone cliff diving, I heard there’s a great place close by.”

My eyebrows shot up. “No offense, but you don’t seem like a thrill seeker.”

She laughed. I decided I liked the way her laugh relaxed me, made me respond with a smile and a need to kiss her again. “I’m not, trust me.” She sobered a bit. Her lips turned down.

I wanted nothing more than to press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth just to see if it would it make it decide to smile in my direction again.

“But it would be fun, I need fun.”

I sighed heavily and looked at my feet. When the hell had I ever looked away like that? “That makes both of us.”

“Great!” She walked ahead of me into her penthouse suite, which matched mine even in color. I suddenly wondered what she did for a living. I mean I could afford it because I had been the highest paid soccer star in Europe for the last ten years.

The place was around three grand a day.

I eyed the large master suite as she ran around and then held up her hand. “One sec, I’m going to change into a suit, alright?”

“Great.” I smiled reassuringly. It would give me time to look around, not that I was stalking her, but I could never be too careful. I was still surprised she didn’t recognize me. And I knew when she did, this little facade, this freedom I felt in my chest, the easy way she let me breathe around her? It would go to hell, and I’d need another escape.

I thumbed through a few of the magazines on the table, and dropped the last one down just in time to hear the sliding bathroom door open and see a goddess emerge.

A one-piece swimsuit covered her body. It had a plunging neckline that showed off two generously sized breasts, and I immediately regretted not telling her who I was.

Because clothing tended to get pulled off, not put on, when I was in the room.

I eyed the scrap of material she called a swimsuit, my eyes raking over her muscular legs, her curvy body.

“Unless you’re jumping naked, you should change too,” she pointed out, then cleared her throat and looked away like she was insecure. Damn, the woman could make a man cut his own heart out for a taste of her special brand of sin.

I peeled my shirt off over my body and shrugged. “Ready.”

Her eyes went so wide I had to fight not to laugh.

I knew what she saw.

I had Instagram pages dedicated to my eyes alone, don’t even get me started on my abs.

Eight.

Tight, packed abs, all tanned and golden like I was the sun god himself.

“Uh, right.” Her cheeks brightened as she clasped her hands together. “Let’s go!”

I checked her out the entire time she walked ahead of me, and when she caught me staring I just shrugged and said, “Next time wear more clothes if you don’t want me to look.”

“You should talk,” she fired back.

“Misunderstanding.” I grinned. “I wanted you to look.”

She slapped a hand against my bare chest.

I laughed, and then grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips. “You ready to jump off a cliff with a stranger you’ve kissed twice?”

“Once,” she corrected with a whisper. “I kissed you, you kissed me, we’re even.”

The doors to the elevator opened as I whispered under my breath. “Not for long.”

About the Author

Rachel Van Dyken is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and #1 New York Times bestselling author known for Regency romances, contemporary romances, and her love of coffee and Swedish fish. Rachel’s also recently inked a deal for her Wingmen Inc. series—The Matchmaker’s Playbook and The Matchmaker’s Replacement—to be made into movies.

A fan of The Bachelor and the Seattle Seahawks (not necessarily in that order), Rachel lives in Idaho with her husband, a super cute toddler son who keeps her on her toes, and two boxers.

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