Synopsis

 

Five Short Love Stories!

 

The Light at the End of the Tunnel: When Thomas finds out that the proprietor of Hannah’s Hot Chocolate Shop is struggling, he comes up with a brilliant idea. Will she agree to such an unconventional plan?

Leave or Perish: When Jonathan watches Serenity chase off thieves with a sword in her hand, he becomes intrigued with her. How will he win her heart? When his friend comes up with an idea to get her attention, can Jonathan trust him?

A Broom in her Hand: When Laura reports that a thief snuck into her home, William finds out that she chased the intruder off with a broom, but he soon learns the man’s invasion is much bigger than he realizes.

Deception: When Peter accepted the job of writing letters to a young lady on behalf of his employer, he soon realizes he is falling in love with Pauline. If she finds out that his employer didn’t write the letters, what will her reaction be?

A Cry for Help: When Joshua is sent with a message for Mary, the note says that she must go on a dangerous quest and he is determined to accompany her. They must be very careful or they might be caught.

 

 

 

 

Review

 

If you are in the mood for some sweet, clean, historical, romantic short stories then look no further. This book contains five short stories based on actual events by the author’s ancestors.

I enjoyed each story and how the women are not sitting back waiting on a man, but are take-charge women that start their own businesses, aren’t afraid to face ruffians, and encourage women to fight for their rights.

I enjoyed reading the author’s notes after each story to learn more about which ancestor was involved in the various situations and other bits and pieces of history. It is amazing what you can learn when an author does research into events in the past to make sure their works are as authentic as possible.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

I was raised on a farm surrounded by the rolling hills of southern Idaho and have made my home in southern Utah among the beautiful red mountains and desert heat. I have been happily married for 42 years and am the mother of six daughters and have five wonderful grandchildren.

After my family began to leave the nest, I decided it was time to finish what I had started long ago. I decided to go back to college and get a degree. It had been 30 years since I had been to college and it was one of the most frightening things I had ever done. I had to learn how to study and take tests all over again. On the first day of college, I was a nervous wreck and wondered if I could do this, but with the support of my husband and children, I was able to graduate. I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre and Music at Southern Utah University and received the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award for the College of Performing Arts in 2002. In the meantime, I cut a CD named “Romantic Love Songs of Sigmund Romberg and Victor Herbert.”

I have enjoyed writing short stories and novels for several years but it took a lot of courage to begin submitting them. After “Melinda and the Wild West” was published, I entered it in the Reader Views Literary Contest and my book was chosen as a Semi-Finalist in the “Reviewers Choice Awards 2007.” It was one of the top ten out of hundreds of other entries.

I have traveled throughout the United States, teaching people to write their family history and autobiography. I have traveled to seventeen states and given over 500 workshops. I am the author of six historical sweet romances, four mystery adventure novels, a children’s book, and a new cozy mystery series. All of my books are family friendly.

 

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Walking the Edge

 

by Sue Ward Drake

 

Publication Date: 12/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

On the knife edge of danger in the streets of New Orleans, these rugged men call the Big Easy home, and they’ll do whatever it takes to protect their own.

 

Ex-army ranger Mitch Guidry never should have let his brothers talk him into joining them in the Big Easy. Particularly when they have him going head-to-head with the very last thing he needs: a feisty redhead who has more opinions than even his hard-headed brothers. Loyal and overprotective to a fault, Catherine Hurley will do everything she can to stop Mitch from finding her fugitive brother… and yet, he can’t get enough of her.

Cath should be furious with the overbearing ex-ranger who shows up on her doorstep looking for her brother. Sure, Mitch Guidry is hotter than a Louisiana summer and pushes every one of her buttons, but he’s also an immediate threat to her family, and family is everything to Cath. Unfortunately, the only way to save her brother is to stick to Mitch like glue. But sharing close quarters with him while they search for her missing brother together proves to be more than a little challenging…particularly when it comes to protecting her heart.

Sue Ward Drake takes you on a wild ride through the steamy streets of New Orleans in this action-packed, sexy romantic suspense!

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Cath extended her hands to indicate the old city around her. “The French Quarter has been lived in for three hundred years. Some early inhabitants still linger. For you ghost doubters, I bet you’ll come away from our walk believing. At least a little.”

The sound of pounding feet drew everyone’s attention to the man running toward them. She urged her customers closer to the entrance of Pere Antoine Alley, but the jogger stopped under a street lantern right in front of her.

Her blood sizzled. She’d seen this tan windbreaker, this dark cap of hair, and the body probably capable of two hundred push-ups before breakfast. Exactly forty-five flipping minutes ago. Like metal to a magnet, her body veered into his force field until…his fierce gaze pinned her with a laser-tag blast.

Cath staggered under the impact, the earlier butterflies fluttering back to life. He stood as still as the wrought iron fence behind him, his big hands hanging beside powerful thighs. For now. Any minute he could spring into action.

Within seconds of busting into her apartment, he’d barged past her and pushed her brother against the stove. Then when Les bolted out the door, this guy had followed in a heartbeat.

No. Back up the reel. 

They’d stared at each other for a Guinness-record-setting second then, and now his whole body seemed to hum like a live wire. He’d found her brother inside her house. Did that mean he could arrest her, too?

Her throat closed up, and a clamp squeezed all the air from her lungs. She braced, waiting for him to grab her hands and lock on cuffs.

A cough from one of her group jolted her.

The clock on her two-hour ghost tour ticked away, and she had to make sure the travel website guy would have nothing but raves.

“Listen…” Cath raised a finger to her lips. “If you’re quiet you can sometimes hear a man singing.”

The tourists followed her down the flagstone walkway. She turned around to speak again but slammed her mouth shut. Of all the gall.

The hunky bounty hunter stood front and center. The hard angles of his features cast a pattern of light and dark across his face, and danger flashed from him in neon lights. For one insane moment when his body had brushed hers in the apartment alley, she’d sensed he might kiss her like the prince waking up Sleeping Beauty. He’d awakened something, alright. Cath squared her shoulders and cleared her throat. “Excuse me, this is a paid tour.”

“Is it too late to join?” His rich baritone melted into her hungry pores like chocolate sauce on a sundae.

Days. Weeks. Months too late.

Not for a minute did she believe him to be a rabid fan of haunted houses or an avid collector of ghost stories, but she needed all the dinero she could earn to pay for Les’s lawyer. She eyed the bounty hunter. “Would you like to buy a ticket?”

“You take plastic?” His long—sensual—mouth lifted. The masculine assurance in his smile ought to send her back straight up. Instead, the heat coming off him poured into her private places.

“Of course.” They conversed like polite strangers, not people who’d been forced to interact under extreme conditions. She wanted to know what had happened with her brother, but she couldn’t ask in the middle of her tour. “I didn’t say anything at the time, but you can pay now for your previous tour, if you like.”

“My previous tour?” The confusion in his eyes disappeared when he realized she meant his bounty hunter visit to her apartment. He shrugged all friendly-like. “I can always contest the charge if it’s not correct.”

Of course, he would.

“Nah. Consider it lagniappe.” Cath turned to her tourists and explained the old New Orleans custom of grocers giving customers a little something extra. Handsome would likely never know if she charged more than normal, but she prided herself on running an ethical business. “What’s over is over.” Please.

One eyebrow rose. “Are you sure about that?”

Positive. She lowered her head to avoid the sight of his disturbing physique. “If you give me an email address, I’ll send you a receipt.”

“No need. I’m good.”

Good at his job? Good at flirting? Good in bed?

Or all three. She handed back his credit card. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Mitchell Guidry.”

“Mitch.”

“I doubt we’ll ever be on a first name basis, Mr. Guidry.”

“You underestimate me.”

She was coming to see the truth in that.

 

***

Excerpted from Walking the Edge by Sue Ward Drake. © 2020 by Sue Ward Drake. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

About the Author

 

Sue Ward Drake has lived in most of the different neighborhoods of New Orleans, including the French Quarter. She was forced to leave during hurricane Katrina, but still counts as friends a wide spectrum of the city’s inhabitants. Though she now resides minutes from the mountains, her heart will always belong to the Big Easy.

 

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Truly Madly Plaid

 

by Eliza Knight

 

Publication Date: 12/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight takes you into the heart of the Highlands, where these warriors are prepared to give up everything in the fight for their country.

 

Annie MacPherson’s world was torn apart when her family’s castle was ravaged during the war. Determined to aid her countrymen, she braves the battlefield and finds gravely wounded Lieutenant Craig MacLean. Soon her heart belongs to the fierce warrior.

As the English dragoons draw closer to Annie’s makeshift hospital, Craig knows they have to escape together if they’ll have any chance to survive. But when they come face-to-face with the enemy and Craig is imprisoned, Annie will have to risk everything she has to save the man she can’t live without.

History and adventure come to life in Eliza Knight’s thrilling Scottish Highland romance. Annie is based loosely on Anne MacKay, Anne Leith, and Lady Maxwell, who risked their lives to protect Jacobite soldiers by hiding them, healing their wounds, and helping them escape from enemy forces.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

April 5, 1746 

 

This was a mistake.

Every hair on the back of Lieutenant Craig MacLean’s neck stood on end, as though each one wielded its own sword against the enemy.

Without the protection of the fortress walls, they were sitting ducks tromping through the forest. An army with most of its men on foot would not be able to escape should a legion of redcoats cut off their path.

Winter had not stopped the sieges. Winter had not stopped death.

A vulture flew overhead, accompanied by two cronies as they cut a wide circular path in the graying sky. Were he and the men the dead meat they sought?

“We should go back,” he said to Graham MacPherson. “Your invitation was appreciated, but I’ve no’ got a good feeling about this.”

There was no telling when Cumberland’s men would make their move, and if the men were inebriated from drink and tired from too much celebrating, they’d not be ready for an attack.

Graham chuckled and tossed the end of a stick he’d been chewing at Craig. “Ye’re afraid of a few birds, are ye?”

“I’m no’ afraid of anything.”

“Let loose, MacLean. The men need to have some fun, and so do ye.”

The very last place that Craig wanted to be was riding toward Cullidunloch Castle. It wasn’t that he didn’t like castles or his host or the warm feast that Graham had promised or the ale that was certain to be flowing.

Craig liked all of those things quite a lot. More than a lot, if he were being honest. Toss in a bonnie wench or two to flirt with, and he’d be in his own version of heaven. But Cullidunloch Castle wasn’t only home to his best mate. It also happened to house a woman he’d been working hard to avoid for months. Graham’s sister Annie was very beautiful and very irksome. She was as brilliant as she was irritating, and despite that brilliance, the lass had conveniently forgotten the single encounter the two of them had shared.

He hadn’t forgotten. How could he? And now he was descending upon her home—her and Graham’s home—to partake of their hospitality. Her hospitality. If she was willing to give it.

Hospitality he would really like to have, considering he hadn’t had a warm bath in weeks. He’d only managed to keep himself from smelling like a chamber pot by swimming—when the lochs weren’t covered in a sheet of ice. His clothes were getting stiff from use, and he was fairly certain that his last good pair of hose now had a hole where his big toe was greedily trying to squeeze through.

At least right now they weren’t dealing with snow, though it was only early spring and another storm was inevitable in the Highlands. The temperatures had been rising steadily, enough so that the men in his regiment weren’t so fearful of freezing to death anymore. Unless of course it snowed tonight and Annie MacPherson tossed him out with the last of the evening’s rubbish. He wouldn’t put it past her.

Craig would have to make nice with her, though he found the very idea absurd. Graham didn’t need to know what a termagant his sister truly was. He’d never told his friend what had happened when he’d found Annie retching after battle.

To everyone else she encountered, Annie was sweet as sunshine. Even the men she had to stitch up while they writhed in pain called her their angel—men in his own regiment, men he’d trained and led into battle. She was lauded for her nursing skills and her bedside manner, which stung even more. Of course he sent his men to her to be mended; she was the best damn healer he’d ever seen.

And that was about all the amount of niceties he’d extend. Why had he been the only unlucky fellow to have encountered her waspish side?

He would never be caught openly acknowledging the bonniness of her face. The way her chin curved into a petite point or the way her eyebrows arched delicately over her mesmerizing eyes. Eyes that were the most incredible amber color.

Bloody hell.

Every time he looked at Annie, every time she smiled, he saw that derisive sneer she’d flashed at him the night he’d tried to help her. He’d seen a side of her he was certain no one else had, and he’d run as far as he bloody could—after making sure she was safely taken care of, that was.

He wasn’t a complete monster.

But he was quite all right with her believing he was, if that meant she’d stay the hell away from him.

“Is the pottage breakfast no’ agreeing with ye?” Graham’s teasing voice cut through Craig’s thoughts.

He snorted. “I’ve an iron stomach, lad.”

“Lad? I think I’ve got a year or two on ye. And ye forget we’ve been living together on campaign for months. Bean pottage is no’ your friend, mate.”

Craig snickered. “Are ye saying that ye’re in need of a latrine?”

“Debatable.”

Craig was glad for his friend’s distraction. Though he didn’t want to talk about beans or what happened after he ate them.

“Annie’s sure to have a hearty meal for the lot of us this evening.” Graham sounded so wistful, as though he were talking about something more fantastical than food. Like the war ending with Prince Charles Stuart sitting on the throne. Now that was something to long for.

Craig’s smile faded, and he nodded, having hoped to avoid any further conversation about Graham’s chit of a sister.

“I’m honored to be your guest.” This much was true.

“Honored?” Graham let out a guffaw. “Ye’re my brother in arms, mate.”

While they’d known each other for years, they’d become closer friends after having saved each other’s arses at the battle at Falkirk the January past.

“I’m certain Logan will want to spar with ye,” Graham was saying of his younger brother, who’d been sent home from the front with a grave injury. “And Annie, she’ll be there to sew ye up.”

Craig laughed, but only half-heartedly. If he had his way, he’d keep Annie the length of a jousting stick away from him—preferably farther—at all times.

***

Excerpted from Truly Madly Plaid by Eliza Knight. © 2020 by Eliza Knight. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

About the Author

 

ELIZA KNIGHT is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty sizzling historical romances. When not reading, writing, or researching, she chases after her three children. In her spare time she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, and visiting with family and friends. She lives in Maryland.

 

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Giveaway

 

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Synopsis

 

Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death is a humorous cozy mystery set in a Jewish retirement home. Rose Kaplan has won the right to prepare the matzoh ball soup for the annual Passover seder. Ordinarily, this would be a great honor; but as lamented by her friend Ida, who narrates the story in her old world dialect, this year “the devil should have such an honor!”

At the seder, Bertha Finkelstein is discovered dead, face down in her soup bowl. It turns out Bertha choked on an earring, reported stolen earlier that day by fellow resident Daisy Goldfarb, which somehow had found its way into the soup. Suspicion of theft and possibly murder, therefore, falls on Mrs. Kaplan, the only one who prepared the soup. Knowing she is innocent, Mrs. Kaplan and her friend Ida determine to find the real culprit.

They first make a list of possible suspects, whoever had both a motive and an opportunity to kill Bertha. It turns out there are several. They also use various means (some quite unconventional, including engaging the services of a lady burglar) to find out whether their suspects had police records and to search their rooms for the missing second earring. They learn, among other things, that Bertha suffered from kleptomania, and that only one earring was taken: the second earring is still in Daisy’s possession. (Daisy was attempting to defraud the insurance company by claiming both were stolen.)

Not only do the ladies’ investigations lead them to the solution to the death of Bertha Finkelstein, but along the way, they manage to solve a few difficult “domestic” problems of their colorful fellow residents.

Mrs. Kaplan lays out her solution for the police:  Bertha, unable to resist the shiny earrings sitting on a table near Daisy’s open door, took one of them on her way to the seder. She was holding it when she saw Benjamin, the policeman son of another resident who was there to see his father, approach her in his police uniform. Her ingrained fear of the authorities—going back to her childhood in Russia—and guilty conscience caused her to panic.  Seeing nowhere else to hide the earring, she tried to swallow it. It became lodged in her throat and she was asphyxiated. Having discovered no better explanation, the police reluctantly accept Mrs. Kaplan’s theory and she is vindicated.

 

 

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This book was originally published in 2014 but has been updated with the new publisher.

 

 

Excerpt

 

The rabbi completed his brief remarks thanking Mrs. K, who was as usual both pleased and a bit uncomfortable, as she doesn’t like to be the center of attention. There was a hum of low voices and then the polite slurping of soup, not to mention quite a bit of much louder slurping. It seems to me the older we get, the louder we eat. And everything seemed fine until someone behind us shouted, “Oh, my God, Mrs. Finkelstein has fallen into her soup!” And indeed, when we all looked over to where Bertha Finkelstein was sitting by herself, she was definitely lying face down in her soup bowl.

And while it is true that at the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors not everyone is a neat and tidy eater, we knew that no one of Bertha Finkelstein’s impeccable manners would think of eating her soup—much less Mrs. K’s delicious matzoh ball soup—from the bottom up, so to speak. There was definitely something very wrong with poor Mrs. Finkelstein.

 

*****

What was wrong with Mrs. Finkelstein was that she was dead.

Now I should explain, for the benefit of those who might not have much experience with establishments like the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors, that one of our residents suddenly becoming deceased would not be such a strange or, unfortunately, uncommon occurrence. While we know that death comes to us all at our appointed time, the appointments for the residents of the Home are necessarily somewhat sooner and shorter than for the general population. Nevertheless, this was the first time that a resident, and especially one with Bertha Finkelstein’s sense of propriety, had departed by way of their bowl of chicken soup, so you can imagine that it caused more than the usual stir.

 

 

About the Author

 

MARK REUTLINGER is an attorney and former law professor. He now writes novels in which the law is frequently broken, including his “Mrs. Kaplan” cozy mystery series (MRS. KAPLAN AND THE MATZOH BALL OF DEATH and A PAIN IN THE TUCHIS) and the political thrillers MADE IN CHINA and SISTER-IN-LAW: Violation, Seduction, and the President of the United States. His next novel, MURDER WITH STRINGS ATTACHED, a humorous caper/crime story, will be published in 2021. He is also a reviewer for the New York Journal of Books.

Mark and his wife Analee live in University Place, Washington, where in addition to reading and writing, he plays clarinet with the Tacoma Concert Band and enjoys tennis, biking, exotic cars, model railroading, and various arts and crafts. He has no idea where he finds the time for it all.

 

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Synopsis

 

In Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas, New York Times bestselling author Emily March presents a brand new arc set in the Lone Star State that features a family-linked trilogy within the author’s romantic series.

With his smooth talk, rugged good looks, and deep pockets, native Texan Boone McBride appears to be a man who has it all. Few people know about the heartbreak behind his decision to leave home, family, and career for the isolation of a small town in the Colorado Rockies. Luckily, time and life in Eternity Springs has worked its healing magic upon his wounded soul, so when he meets obviously troubled Hannah Dupree, Boone sees a chance to pay his good fortune forward. The last thing he anticipates is tumbling into love.

Tragedy has taken everything Hannah loves, and her will to keep going is failing. So when Boone strides into her life determined to save her, it’s easier to go along with him than to resist. Soon she is drawn into the fabric of life in Eternity Springs, and as her spirit begins to heal, her strength returns, and she’s able to go toe-to-toe with this hardheaded, big-hearted Texan. But just when love blooms and happiness is within their grasp, shadows from the past threaten. Hannah and Boone must stand strong and united in order to defeat old ghosts—if they are to create a brand-new life together.

 

 

This book releases December 29th, 2020

 

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Review

 

This is the third book in the McBrides of Texas series and the eighteenth in the Eternity Springs series. While you don’t have to read these books in order, it really does help since these are stories about one large and extended family, and having some background does help, but is not required. I have read several of the books in this series but have only read the first book in the McBrides series, somehow I missed Tucker’s story (but will remedy that soon since there are hints on what happened to him in this book).

I know the first book is set in Texas around a plot of land that three cousins inherited from a relative. However, this book is set in Colorado in Eternity Springs. That did cause a little confusion for me at first because I did expect the story to happen in this little part of Texas. But not to worry, there are many references and even a journey to the town at the end of the book.

Boone is grieving the loss of his wife and has moved from Fort Worth back to Eternity Springs. Hannah is also mourning the loss of her family from a tragic accident. When her story unfolds it is heartbreaking to read. These two find each other (well Boone finds Hannah at Lover’s Leap) and despite the baggage that weighs them both down, they find comfort with each other. There are several unexpected twists, some humorous situations, and definitely love.

I have really enjoyed all of the books in this series that I have read. This book is no different and is perfect when you want something sweet and light to read. Granted there are some tough scenes about Boone and Hannah’s past, but it defines who they are and how far they have come in their lives. I found myself chuckling in many spots at the various predicaments that Boone finds himself smack dab in the middle, but those situations help round out the book.

Overall we give this 4 paws up and now I have to go back and find Tucker’s story that I missed.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

 

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Earl’s Well That Ends Well

 

by Jane Ashford

 

Publication Date: 12/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

This beautiful, clean Regency romance from beloved author Jane Ashford takes you to a glittering world of revelations and romance, where a lonely earl can find love where he least expects it…

 

Arthur Shelton, Earl of Macklin, has helped four young noblemen recover from grief and find love, but he’s learned to live his own life as a widower. Yet when he returns home after traveling, his estate feels too empty, and he quickly heads to London. There, he encounters Teresa Alvarez de Granada, a charming Spanish noblewoman and is immediately entranced.

There is no room for earls in the quiet, safe life Teresa has finally found for herself. The earl might be charming and handsome, but she knows firsthand how dangerous attraction can be. The more determined Teresa is to discourage Arthur, the more entangled they get, and it’s only a matter of time before her respect for him starts to feel a lot like love.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

It was a lovely spot. The carpet of blue blossoms wound back into the trees like rivulets of color, beckoning one deeper into the shade of branches in new leaf. A stream ran nearby, the gurgle of water blending with birdsong. The blossoms’ sweet scent filled the air.

Senora Alvarez turned in a circle to take it all in. “Maravilloso!” She held out her arms as if to embrace the landscape and laughed.

It was the first time Arthur had seen her really laugh, and he found it glorious – the musical sound, the flash of her dark eyes, the joyous gesture, the curve of her lips. She seemed lit from within, as if a shadow had been whisked away and the brilliance inside revealed. This was how she should always be, he thought, glowing, carefree. To be the thing that made her happy – that would be an achievement!

“I have been meaning to take up some cobbles behind my house and make a place for a garden,” she said. “Why have I put it off? I must do it at once. This is…comida para el alma. Food for the soul.”

Removing a few cobbles sounded meager. Arthur had gardens galore at his estates. He wished he could give her one. But a garden wasn’t like a jewel, to be handed over. Even if she would easily accept gifts, which she would not.

“I think Mr. Dolan would be glad to pull them out,” she went on as if the plan was unfolding in her mind.

“Dolan?”

Senora Alvarez turned as if she’d forgotten he was there. “One of my neighbors is a builder.”

“Ah. Friend of yours?” He was not, of course, jealous. That would be ridiculous.

The query seemed to arrest and then amuse her. “He is, along with others on my street, ever since we rid ourselves of Dilch. That canalla bullied Mr. Dolan’s son.”

And she had stopped it. Arthur had never known a woman so self-sufficient. She had a life he knew nothing of, a network of friends. He felt he wasn’t quite one of them, and this galled.

“People talk and do small favors for each other now. It is pleasant.” She walked deeper into the wood, looking right and left as if to drink everything in. She was enraptured, and Arthur found himself envying a swathe of flowers. The idea made him laugh.

Senora Alvarez looked over her shoulder at him. “You find this amusing? That people should be kind?”

“Not that.”

She raised dark eyebrows.

“I was laughing at myself.”

“You were?” She sounded surprised.

“Why shouldn’t I? In particular.”

“You are an earl.”

“And that means I cannot be ridiculous? The title conveys no such immunity. Alas.” He smiled at her.

For some reason, she looked uneasy.

“And I have found laughter the remedy for a great many ills,” Arthur added. Senora Alvarez seemed mystified, or…annoyed? That couldn’t be right. Why should she be? Just a moment ago she’d been delighted. “Is something wrong?”

“You puzzle me…sometimes.”

“But I am the most transparent of men,” he joked. He was so pleased to learn that she thought about him that he added, “What do you wish to know? I have no secrets.”

Her expression revealed his mistake. Senora Alvarez didn’t care to discuss secrets. She had too many of her own. “I ask nothing of you,” she replied, turning to walk on.

Disappointed, with her and himself, Arthur followed. Tom had wandered off, as he tended to do. There’d been no sign of him since they left the carriage. They were alone in a world of color and birdsong and scent. Perhaps the peaceful beauty of the place would soothe her temper, Arthur thought. But he didn’t know what would gain her confidence.

The gurgle of the stream grew louder, and then there it was, a thread of clear water tumbling over rocks. Bluebells, ferns, and mosses bent over the banks. Soft moisture wafted through the air. Senora Alvarez breathed it in. “Hermosa,” she said.

She was, but Arthur was not foolish enough to voice his opinion. He could not resist stepping closer.

A partridge erupted out of the bracken with a violent whirr of wings. Arthur started, twisted one boot heel on a stone, missed his footing with the other, and stumbled toward the stream.

She caught him with an arm about his waist, stopping his slide to a certain dunking. They teetered together on the bank. He held onto her shoulders to regain his balance. Though she was much smaller, her grip was strong, her footing solid. She could hold her own and more. Her body felt soft and supple against his as they came safely to rest.

Arthur looked down. Her face was inches away. Her dark eyes were wide, her lovely lips slightly parted, as if primed for a kiss. She raised her chin. He bent his head to touch them with his, an instant of exquisite pleasure.

She jerked away, nearly sending him reeling once again. Her expression had gone stark. All the beautiful animation had drained out of it. “Do not play such games with me,” she said.

“Games?”

“I told you that what I said at the theater meant nothing!”

“So you did,” replied Arthur, stung. “And I heard you.”

“Yet you try to take advantage.”

“The bird startled me. I tripped.”

“Into my lips.” Her tone was contemptuous.

“I beg your pardon. In the moment I thought you…”

“You know nothing about me. But I will tell you that I despise tricks like that.”

“It was no such thing.”

She made a derisive sound.

She had no grounds to address him with such disdain, to practically call him a liar. “Do you doubt my word?”

“I observe your actions,” she answered, moving away from him. “Where has Tom gone?”

“I have no idea.”

“Tom?” she called. “Where are you?”

“Here,” came the reply from downstream “Come and see. There’s a waterfall.”

Senora Alvarez walked away.

***

Excerpted from Earl’s Well That Ends Well by Jane Ashford. © 2020 by Jane Ashford. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

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

 

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Chef Matty Matheson follows up his New York Times bestseller with an even bigger book that is all about quality home cooking.

Matty returns with 135 of his absolute favorite recipes to cook at home for his family and friends, so you can cook them for the people you love. Home Style Cookery is his definitive guide to mastering your kitchen, covering everything from pantry staples (breads, stocks, and pickles) to party favorites (dips, fried foods, and grilled meats), to weeknight go-tos (stews, pastas, salads), and special occasion show-stoppers (roasts, smoked meats, and desserts). It starts with basics like Molasses Bread in an Apple Juice Can, Beef and Bone Marrow Stock, Kitchen Sink Salad, Thanksgiving Stuffing Butternut Squash, and the tallest Seven-Layer Dip you have ever seen. Next it covers comforting recipes like Littleneck Clam Orecchiette, Pho Ga, Sichuan Newfoundland Cod, Double Beef Patty Melt with Gruyere and Molasses Bread, and Matty’s take on the ultimate Submarine sandwich. And it closes with bangers like Fish Sticks with Kewpie Tartar Sauce, Salt Crust Leg of Lamb and Yukon Golds with Creamed Spinach, Texas-Style Prime Rib, T-bone Steak and Fine Herb Chimichurri, and Lobster Thermidor with Bearnaise and Salt and Vinegar Chips. It even has desserts like his wife Trish’s Chocolate Chip Cookies and Creme Caramel.

In Home Style Cookery, Matty shares his bold style of cooking. Along with beautiful photographs of Matty’s dishes and his farm, this book is filled with signature recipes that are equal parts approachable and tasty. Matty’s first book shared his culinary story, Home Style Cookery will help you build yours.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

 

This is my third year with Abrams Book’s Dinner Party group and as always, they seem to have a fantastic lineup of cookbooks to expand your horizons and tastebuds. This is my second cookbook from Matty Matheson, and of the two, this one is definitely my favorite. I have made several dishes already from this cookbook, and many other bloggers have made the Chocolate Zucchini cake and raved about it, so much that I need to make it and see if my husband can guess the secret ingredient!

There are 12 different chapters: Bread; Stocks; Vegetables; Dips, Purees & Spreads; Dumpings and Pasta; Curries, Soups, and a Stew; Sandwiches; Fried Foods and Cast-Iron Cookery; Roasts, Bakes, and a PIe; Smoked; Grilled; and finally Desserts.  There are several recipes that mention Texas so of course, I had to check those out.  I considered trying the Texas-Style Prime Rib recipe, but I do not have a smoker.

The first dish I made was the Broiler Pork Chops. This is practically a full meal unto itself with the tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers. The jalapenos gave it a nice little kick along with the cayenne pepper. This is super easy to make and can easily feed a family.

 

 

 

The next dish I made was actually because one of the other bloggers said it was a nice twist on Chicken Fried Steak. I’m in Texas and many people here are serious about their Chicken Fried Steak so I was curious how this one would compare. It is also the first time I have made CFS, so it was a learning curve for me. What makes this one different is the lemon zest sprinkled onto the CFS before the gravy.  I do love lemon and might have gone a little overboard with the zest, but it was delicious. I do think I needed to tenderize the meat a little bit more, but for my first attempt it worked out well.

 

 

 

There is one dish I want to try that I haven’t made yet, The Infamous Cheesy Citrus Refried Beans. Tex-Mex is something you don’t mess with, but I think an exception could be made for these beans. I might even try to make it with black beans versus pinto beans. I like to live on the edge! This photo is from the book and while you can’t see the cheesy goodness, it is mixed in there.  Plus, you can use these for The Inedible Seven-Layer Dip. Ok, it really is edible but the photo in the cookbook has it in this narrow container that you couldn’t scoop much of it out, or at least not get all seven layers on one chip.

 

 

So if you have some holiday money and are just itching to buy a cookbook, this is one you might want to consider.

 

 

 

The Stormbringer

 

by Isabel Cooper

 

Publication Date: 12/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sentinels spend their lives fighting the monsters that prey upon humanity.

 

Deep in the wilderness, a lone Sentinel discovers a handsome warrior in ancient clothing, held in an endless sleep—Amris, hero of the world’s last great battle. His discovery can only mean one thing: the Traitor God is gathering his armies again, and everyone they love is in terrible danger.

Amris has been trapped in dreamless sleep for centuries. Now he’s awake…and so, it seems, is humanity’s greatest threat. Determined to save the world from being swallowed by the Traitor God’s oncoming storm, Amris and his rescuer, the fiercely beautiful Darya, must learn to trust each other—and the powerful bond that’s formed between them—as they fight their way through a land swarming with danger to get word back to their allies before it’s too late…

 

Fans of The Witcher and Ilona Andrews will love this epic tale of adventure and romance.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

The world was silent, and that itself told Amris the spell had worked—not that he’d ever doubted Gerant’s skill, whether at magic or elsewhere. It was a different matter, though, to be transported, in the space of two breaths and two words, from the screams and crashes of a pitched battle to utter quiet, save for a single voice.

Because the voice wasn’t Gerant’s, nor any that he recognized, Amris’s reflexes carried him backward several steps and brought his sword up in front of him. He realized that the person who’d woken him was human and not Thyran, and hastily readied himself to defend rather than striking out, but it was a close thing.

The woman hissed and darted backward herself, moving with more than human speed or grace.

She was more than human. That became apparent as soon as Amris saw her eyes, unnaturally bright green and glowing in the dim light. Her skin was paper-white, her braided hair dark around it, and those could be human enough, but the eyes were a different matter.

“Easy, there,” she said. Her accent stretched the vowels out more than Amris was used to, and the words came more quickly, but he could understand her rightly enough, particularly when she held up her hands, palms out. “I’m on your side.”

Anyone could say so. “What side is that, pray?” Speaking felt odd. Gerant’s magic had kept his muscles from degeneration through however much time had passed, so he felt no worse than a little stiff, but just as sound had taken a moment to become words, Amris had to think at first: move the tongue this way for w, the lips and throat so for i.

The woman shrugged. “The side that doesn’t love the Traitor. The Order of the Dawn, the Sentinels… I think we were starting when you—” She waved a hand.

When he trapped himself in time in a desperate bid to stop the murderous warlord. “Yes. Only just.”

Still Amris didn’t lower his sword: the woman aside, there was no virtue in dropping his guard before he knew the situation. He did let the rose fall from his gauntleted fingers, and used that hand to pull off his helmet, a necessary compromise between defense and intelligible conversation.

The state of the hall became clearer to him as he did so—the years’ worth of dust and cobwebs, as well as the silence. The woman’s clothing—plain dark leather pants, jerkin, and gloves over a shirt of brown cloth—was plainer than he was used to, without even the embroidery that most peasants wore. Practicality, given where she was, or ascetism?

“I should tell you two things right off,” said the woman. “You might want to sit down first.”

Amris shook his head. “Best to face it on my feet.”

“All right,” she said. “First, you’ve been…” Another vague wave of her hand. “Stuck. For a hundred years or so.”

She’d spoken wisely when she’d advised him to sit. The knowledge traveled up through his feet as well as in through his ears, making the room spin around Amris, and yet it seemed not to reach his head or his heart. The sweat of battle was still wet in his hair, he still felt his cuts and bruises, and the rose on the floor was as fresh as it had been when he’d plucked it for Gerant.

That reached head and heart both. Gerant was as human as he. Had been as human, rather—in a hundred years, a babe in arms would grow, sire or bear their own children, see grandchildren, and die, and Gerant had been a man in his prime when they’d parted. He’d be long dead by now.

They’d both known that parting might be forever. Toward the end, any farewell might have been the last. Amris had never pictured it taking this form.

“Here.” The woman took a small metal flask out of her boot and brandished it in his direction.

The contents tasted roughly as they smelled. Amris had been a soldier long enough to swallow, nod his thanks, and trust that his throat wasn’t truly on fire. “Strong.”

“I keep it to clean out wounds.” One eyebrow quirked, and her mouth twisted in a wry smile. “I’d say this counts.”

“Truth.” A hundred years. A hundred years, and only now had somebody come to awaken him, but the hall was empty otherwise. “Before the second, lady,” he said, “was there another man nearby?

There, roughly speaking?” He gestured to the place where Thyran had been standing at the last.

“No,” said Darya, peering at it, and then frowned. “But…wait.”

***

A small, uneven mound of gray powder lay heaped on the stone. Darya knelt and touched it with the tip of a gloved finger, feeling the texture as much as she dared. “Ash,” she said, “and—yes, bone. Bits of it. Wait.” There was a larger shape within the ash, but that wasn’t entirely why she’d stopped. As many shocks as it had gone through, her mind was still capable of calculation. “You’re looking for Thyran, aren’t you?”

The question sounded completely absurd. Thyran had shaped, bred, or summoned an army of things, led them against humanity, and cursed the world to years of barren cold when he’d begun to lose. Thyran was the Father of Storms and Abominations. He wasn’t somebody people looked for.

“Then you know of him,” Amris said, utterly serious.

“Bad children and old wives everywhere know of him. The Order taught us a little more of the real histories.” Beneath the ash lay a long finger, five-jointed, with a black talon at the end rather than a nail. Burial in the ash had kept most of the insects away and held off some rot, but the finger was still fairly disgusting. She grimaced. “Was he human at the end?”

“Mostly, in appearance,” Amris said slowly. He knelt beside her, squinting in the dim light. “Far harder to kill than mortals, or even any of his creatures.” Slowly he breathed out, sending ashes scattering. “And one of his defenses was dark fire.”

***

Excerpted from Stormbringer by Isabel Cooper. © 2020 by Isabel Cooper. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

 

During the day, ISABEL COOPER maintains her guise as a mild-mannered project manager in legal publishing. In her spare time, she enjoys video games, ballroom dancing, various geeky hobbies, and figuring out what wine goes best with leftover egg rolls. Cooper lives with two thriving houseplants in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

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Giveaway

 

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THE THANKFUL UNICORN: DREAM

Author: Hayley Rose

Publisher: Flowered Press

Pages: 132

Children’s and Teens’ Coloring Journal

 

 

Synopsis

 

The Thankful Unicorn is a groundbreaking and uplifting coloring journal designed to build confidence, improve self-esteem, calm anxiety, and inspire creativity!

You and your kids will love this 132 page, glittered, hard-bound book filled with whimsical unicorn scenes, positive actions, and motivational quotes that will be sure to delight even the young at heart, leading to a more confident, kind, and creative human.

A great activity to unwind before bed and awake refreshed with a positive attitude. Perfect for ages 5 to adult.

 

 

Amazon * Author’s Website

 

 

 

 

Review

 

Who doesn’t love a journal, especially when it has unicorns throughout?

This journal is perfect for anyone at nearly any age. This would be a great way to start a child off at a young being thankful for what occurred during the day, sharing their dreams and goals, what they love about themselves, and an affirmation for the day. I think for the younger children (say under 7) this would be good to do once a week with them, and for children 8 and older, they could do this a few times a week or daily. Teens and adults could do this daily or as often as they feel they should express their gratitude.

This is also an excellent way to decompress after a long day. The pages are begging to be colored and given life.

So pick up this journal, some coloring pencils or crayons, and remember what to be thankful for in these crazy times.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Hayley has been entertaining and educating children across the country since 2002.

Her range of educational, interactive concept books has earned over 50 national and international book awards and cover subjects ranging from manners and kindness to math and geography, to music and emotions. School presentations include curriculum for teachers grades K-4th. Over the years Hayley has been invited to speak at book stores including Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Bookmans, and for the last few years, Hayley has been a featured author at the Children’s Learning and Play Festival which garners crowds of 10,000 and up.

Hayley was recently interviewed on the Author Learning Center alongside authors Stan Lee and R.L. Stine, and she had the honor of presenting keynote presentations for the Readers Favorite International Book Awards and the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference among others.

Hayley is an active member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, and the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

 

Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook * Website

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Hot ex-military, desperate woman, tight conspiracy…wait for the explosion!

Peyton West is desperate. Her brother-in-law is dead, her sister is in a coma and no one seems interested in finding any answers. With every door slammed in her face, she’s referred to Scott “Blaze” Hamilton and the men from super-secret Galaxy. Conducting meetings on a plane and digging into the underbelly of Tampa politics, she sees a ray of hope…and discovers Blaze lives up to his name in more ways than one. She crosses her fingers that the scorching sex will continue to blaze once the killer is found.

 

A new series debuts from Desiree Holt!

 

The men of Galaxy are your last resort

Watch for Galaxy merchandise

The sky is the limit with Galaxy

 

They are four hot, sexy men, (John “Rocket” Hardin, Matt “ Viper” Roman, Scott “Blaze” Miranda, and Vic “ Eagle”  Bodine), former SEALS, and lifelong friends. They served their country well, and winning billions in the Powerball lottery allows them to continue to serve –creating an agency that takes cases others refuse. Their only office is on their plane. Their skills are limitless. Their missions often the blackest of black ops. Their commitment unequaled. When everything else fails, Galaxy can save you. They play as hard as they work, addicted to no-holds-barred sex, and none of them in the market for a relationship. One by one, however, they will fall for women who can give as good as they get. Get ready, because Galaxy is open for business.

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Was she looking for help with a book? Galaxy didn’t do that kind of stuff. It made them too visible.

He learned her sister and brother-in-law had recently been in a car accident, hit by a speeding vehicle in front of a hotel. The brother-in-law had been killed and the sister was still in a coma. Blaze vaguely remembered reading about it online when he was idly skimming—just three paragraphs, and there hadn’t been anything that rang his chimes. Hit and run, that was it. He hated those, because no one was ever made to answer for it, but nothing had seemed out of the ordinary.

Besides, Galaxy didn’t investigate auto accidents. That was what the cops were for. Did that mean she had an overactive imagination and there was little substance to whatever she wanted from him? He mentally shook his head. No, his brother was too much of a pragmatist to send him someone who saw shadows where there were none.

Before he checked further, he decided to reach out to Nolan and get the skinny on Peyton West and her situation. His brother shocked him by having five minutes free at that particular moment.

“She’s not a nutcase,” he said at once. “This isn’t something she made up for one of her novels, I promise you that. This is some serious shit and everyone everywhere is stonewalling her. If you can find out who the driver was, that ought to open up the whole can of worms. But I believe her, Blaze.”

He couldn’t ask for better validation than that.

He was waiting when the black sedan headed down the gravel drive exactly at four o’clock and parked by the hangar. All four of them tried not to prejudge clients before interacting with them. Appearances, as they all knew, could be very deceiving. But the woman who exited the Mercedes, tense and buttoned-up as she was, made every bit of saliva in his mouth dry up.

She was of medium height, the slacks and sweater she wore doing little to disguise the mouthwatering curves of her body or the natural sway of her hips as she walked. Thick, glossy chestnut hair was pulled back tightly into a ponytail. When she came close enough, he could see her eyes were a rich dark green that looked out at him from beneath chocolate lashes. Out of nowhere, he was seized with a desire to strip off her clothes and run his hands over her body.

Dickwad! Asshole!

Where the hell had this come from, anyway, and what the fuck was wrong with him? He never, ever reacted to clients like this. He’d better get his shit together in a hurry. And figure out why he had lost his brain somewhere on the tarmac.

But then his common sense caught up with him. He saw the rigid way she controlled herself, the look of strain etched into her face and the mixture of rage and panic that swirled in her eyes. It was a look he’d seen in so many of the clients who came to Galaxy. And that was enough to make his hungry dick, the one that had been looking forward to some action tonight, deflate in a hurry. This was business. A mission. This was what they did. What she was here for. Thank god for his SEAL discipline.

He held out a hand to her. “Scott Hamilton, but please, call me Blaze. We’re all used to our military code names.”

They had decided to use those with clients, since they addressed each other that way and there’d be less confusion.

“Peyton West. I have a desperate need for your help, and I can’t stress that word enough.”

He nodded toward the plane, waiting in front of the hangar. “All right. Let’s take a little flight to nowhere and you can tell me all about it.”

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and contemporary on a variety of heat levels up to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author. She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

Desiree loves to hear from readers.

 

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