Synopsis

Three former Navy SEALs

Injured in the line of duty

Desperate for a new beginning…

Searching for a place to call their own.

Single mom and Revival Ranch’s on-site therapist Monica Finley has dedicated her life to helping brave servicemen and women, but former Navy SEAL Gabe Cortez is the one man whose shell she just can’t crack. Yet with the holidays fast approaching, she may finally have a plan. In a bid to get Gabe to open up, she’ll ask for as much help as possible—cutting down the Christmas tree, stringing lights, the whole nine yards.

Who could possibly be a Grinch with so much holiday cheer in the air?

Gabe has always hated Christmas—the holiday never fails to remind him just how alone he truly is. But the more time he spends with Monica and her young son, the more he finds himself drawn to their cozy little family…and the more he begins to realize his long-suppressed Christmas dreams may finally be coming true.

Excerpt

“Yes. Picking out a book for someone shows that you know them, and you have some clue as to what they like. It shows you’re paying attention, and that you like them.”

“So, what book are you going to get me?”

She tapped her chin, pretending to ponder it. “Maybe I’ll find one on the great art of narcissism.”

He chuckled good-naturedly.

“You can stay here and play your video games.”

“Nah, I’ll look at books.”

So they walked over to the book section of the store, and Monica tried very hard to concentrate on finding a book that her mother would like, and then her father. It was admittedly hard to concentrate with six-foot-something of former Navy SEAL just…lurking.

Which was silly. She was used to tough military men in her life. She’d been raised with one, then married to one, and none of that lurking had ever affected her. Not like this.

Sex camel. Sex camel. Only one cure for a sex camel.

“Hell,” she muttered.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing. Nothing. I think I’m going to have to order something for my dad. None of this really works. Besides, it’s nearly five, and we should head over to the florist.”

“Here. Try this one.” He handed her a book.

She took the heavy, dry-looking tome. She wrinkled her nose at the black-and-white picture on the front. It was some complicated-looking nonfiction book about the role of presidents during wars of the twentieth century.

Damn Gabe Cortez.

“How did you know he’d like this?” she demanded.

Gabe shrugged, taking it upon himself to push the cart toward the front of the store while she trailed behind.

“Marines are all the same. Like all that bullshit about politics and war. Like it’s complicated and not always a dick-measuring contest.”

“Is that all war is?”

“Is to me.”

“I don’t believe that.” He looked sharply over his shoulder at her, but she simply held his gaze. “You don’t join the military if you think that.”

“First of all, you don’t know the first thing about why I joined the military. Second, a lot of guys think it once they’ve been through one. Because you don’t come out unscathed from that. You either double down on what you believe, or you realize it’s all a bunch of bullshit.”

“So, you’re the enlightened, I suppose.”

“No, it’s not enlightened. It’s just how you deal. One way’s not better than the other.”

He always managed to surprise her. She was used to uncompromising military men, and there was an element of that to him. But it was somehow…open-minded. There was a lack of judgment. Gabe seemed to believe in survival however you managed it. Considering that was at the heart of her therapy mission, it was impossible not to admire him for it.

“So why did you join the military?” she asked, unable to resist. It wasn’t a therapist’s question either. No, this was a Monica question. She wanted to know, as a person, about his person.

She wasn’t sure what to do with that, but he smiled. Not those bitter ones meant to push her back a few paces, but one of his charming smiles. The ones he flashed her before he said something…suggestive. Her cheeks heated against her will and that foreign flutter from last night was back in full force.

“Sorry, sweetheart. That’s not a question I answer for just anybody.”

“Oh,” she said, trying to sound calm and not at all affected as she started putting her items on the conveyer belt of the checkout line. “What would an anybody have to do to become a somebody?” She steeled all her courage and calm and self-possession and looked pointedly at him.

But that grin didn’t change any, except maybe turn the air a little hotter. Which was impossible. All this heat was a figment of her over-wintered imagination.

“I’m not sure. No one ever has. But you’re more than welcome to take on the challenge.”

That word wound though her. Challenge. She never, ever backed down from a challenge. It was one of those things her parents had insisted she learn to do: face any challenge, any hardship, any responsibility.

And she had. Over and over again. But this was different, because she had a bad feeling his challenge would involve nakedness.

Oh, remember male nakedness? That was nice. His would be very, very nice.

The cashier cleared her throat and Monica blushed even deeper. “Sorry,” she mumbled, fumbling to pull her credit card out of her purse. She centered herself with the rote actions of sliding the card through the reader and taking the receipt as Gabe loaded up the cart with her bags.

As they walked out of the store, side by side, Monica kept her gaze forward. “I might take that challenge,” she said hastily as they reached the truck.

“You might fail.”

She looked up at him and gave him a very carefully blank smile. She knew it irritated him by the way his lips firmed and his jaw tightened.

“I might,” she agreed, validated somehow when he was the one to break eye contact and finish loading the bags into the truck bed. “But I also might not,” she added, heading for the passenger side door.

The fact that Gabe didn’t slide into the driver’s seat for another minute or so was very validating indeed.

 

About the Author

NICOLE HELM writes down-to-earth contemporary romance specializing in people who don’t live close enough to neighbors for them to be a problem. When she’s not writing, she spends her time dreaming about someday owning a barn. She lives with her husband and two young sons in O’Fallon, Missouri.

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Deadly Dram: A Whisky Business Mystery
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Alibi (September 4, 2018)
Print Length 300 pages

Synopsis

Distillery owner Abigail Logan discovers that high spirits are no match for a cold-blooded killer as the Whisky Business Mystery series puts a fatal twist on stiff competition.

It’s been a year since globe-trotting photojournalist Abi Logan inherited Abbey Glen, a whisky distillery in the heart of the Scottish countryside. To her surprise, the village of Balfour already feels like home, and her new business partner, Grant MacEwan, continues to be too charming to resist. But Abi has a history of relationship disasters, so she struggles to avoid an ill-fated romance with Grant. Steering clear is hard enough on a day-to-day basis, but when the two head off to a whisky industry competition together, Abi panics. Five-star resort, four glorious days of nonstop whisky tasting, and a fatally attractive Scotsman—what could possibly go wrong?

The night before the award presentations, with foreign and domestic whisky makers at one anothers’ throats, two judges are found dead under mysterious circumstances. What started with three dream-come-true nominations for Abby Glen’s whisky soon turns into a nightmare for Abi. With a killer on the loose, she must call on her investigative skills to stop another murder—before she gets taken out of the running herself.

Guest Post

The classic advice given to any aspiring writers is to “write what you know,” so many people ask me why my protagonist is a journalist and not a lawyer. After all, I spent a large part of my professional life as a lawyer. Honestly, unless you are John Grisham, being a lawyer is just not that riveting and I wanted my protagonist to be interesting. A woman of substance and a woman who already had the tools she needed to be a successful amateur sleuth, as well as a business woman/distillery owner.

As a photojournalist, Abi Logan has a strong instinct about people and a compulsive attention to detail that serve her well as she investigates. Abi also needed to have had some experience in a male dominated profession before coming to Scotland. Being a former war correspondent she’d experienced that, along with a lot of pain and death and it left her a bit world-weary. Ready for a new challenge and a change of lifestyle. That resonated with me as I switched careers mid-stream and I hope it resonates with many of my readers as well.

Fraught relations between men and woman in the workplace have become such a hot topic lately. The death threats Abi gets in book one of the Whisky Business series go to the extreme, but many of my readers have seen discrimination, suspicion, and mistrust at work, especially if they work in a traditionally male arena. I experienced this as a lawyer, and Abi certainly would have seen it as a war correspondent, and now she’s experiencing it again as she finds her way in the whisky business.

The whisky fraternity, or the Barley Boys as Abi calls them, don’t always welcome her with open arms. The majority of owners and distillers in the whisky business both in Scotland and in other parts of the world are men. Women are slowly making their way into the profession, but they are still a comparative rarity. In these stories, Abi is one of the first, but she is lucky to have a few enlightened souls around her that are willing to recognize the historic contributions of women and to recount their stories. Abi finds strength in the stories they share about the women that came before her.

Back in the 1800’s when small-scale whisky distillation was still illegal, many women tended the stills while their husbands worked the land. Helen Cummings famously disguised the family distillery as a bakery and would serve the revenuers tea and cakes in her kitchen while secretly raising a red flag on the top of the farmhouse to let other distillers in the area know that the authorities were around. Helen and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth shepherded their distillery, now known as Cardhu, from its early illicit operations through several legal expansions and eventually crafted a very lucrative deal to sell the business to Johnnie Walker.

In the early 1930’s Bessie Williamson rose from secretary, to distillery manager, to owner of Laphroaig distillery, earning the title Mother of Laphroaig along the way. By the second World War the supplies of barley used to make whisky were desperately needed to feed the Scottish people and whisky production was put on hold by the government for nearly two years, but the women on the home front still managed to find enough barley going spare to produce a stock of whisky to tide the locals through the dark, dry days.

Today, more and more women like Abi Logan are making their way into the whisky business both in Scotland and abroad. As a woman and a whisky lover I’m having a great time watching them find their wings. Look for profiles of these special ladies on my social media sites. The times are changing and it’s great to be a part of them.

About the Author

Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.

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Book Title: A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett
Category: YA Fiction, 232 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Release date: Jan 13, 2018
Content Rating: PG (There’s a kiss and some mild violence)

Synopsis

Penelope Grace, usually forgotten under the shadow of her twin sister’s perfection, tries her hardest to hide her freakish ability to see into anyone’s soul.

Until she senses an unusual energy like a human-shaped void in the universe. When Penny investigates the source, she gets tossed through a crack in time along with the cute boy next door. The Void follows them through history, increasing the dangers as if testing Penny. But what is it testing for? And why does it claim to know her better than even she knows herself? Even as Penny searches for answers, she must fight to survive the tragedies of both the past and future in order to get back home.

 

About the Author

Aspen Bassett works at a library, telling stories and suggesting books. When she’s not working, she’s usually sipping hot cocoa and wondering what would happen if she had superpowers. She’s been published in multiple anthologies including Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way and Inaccurate Realities.

Aspen grew up learning about chakras and auras and the true power of imagination which slips into her writing whether she intends it to or not. In college, when she wasn’t busy working on her degree in Creative Writing, Aspen also got her certificate in Women’s Meditation (basically general energy work). Now, she’s working toward a diploma in Integrated Healing Arts with a certificate in Hypnotherapy.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Giveaway

Prizes: Win a paperback or ebook copy of A Penny Lost by Aspen Bassett. Two winners will also get a $10 Amazon GC (open to USA & Canada / 15 winners total)

(ends Sept 22, 2018)

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Synopsis

When Texas Ranger Brett Tucker accidentally derails a wedding,

he’s determined to bring the estranged couple back together…

but he never dreamed he’d start falling for the bride!

Texas Ranger Brett Tucker hates to break up a wedding, but the groom—notorious criminal Frank Foster—is a danger to any woman. So he busts into the church, guns blazing…only to find he has the wrong man.

STOP THAT WEDDING!

Bride-to-be Kate Denver is appalled by her fiancé’s over-the-top reaction to the innocent mistake and calls off the wedding—for good. Guilt-ridden, Brett’s desperate to get them back on track. But the more time he spends with Kate, the harder he falls…and the more he yearns to prove that he’s her true match in every way.

Excerpt

Brett’s courting advice is bound for success—

if only he can keep his own feelings out of the way.

 

The music stopped and a man with a sweeping mustache clapped his hands and yelled in a leather-lunged voice, “Time to change partners, folks!”

Shuffling feet and swirling skirts followed the command as everyone rushed around to partner up with someone new. It took some fancy footwork on Brett’s part to reach Kate’s side before anyone else did. He only hoped that Foster played his part the way they’d practiced.

“May I?” he asked, holding out his hand.

Kate hesitated. Her big blue eyes said yes, but something held her back. No doubt she was worried that Foster’s jealous streak would flare up and he would make a scene.

Brett cleared his throat. Come on Foster. This is your big moment. Do it the way we practiced.  It took much in the way of visual prodding and clearing of his throat before Foster finally got the hint.

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, looking like he’d bit into a lemon. It wasn’t how they’d practice it, but at least Foster got some of it right.

Leading Kate away, Brett glanced over his shoulder at Foster. “Whistle,” he mouthed. Instead of showing his jealousy or acting it out, Foster was supposed to whistle. If his tuneless whistles didn’t chase the green-eyed monster away, nothing would.

Facing Kate, it suddenly seemed imperative to recall his purpose in asking her to dance. It was the only way he could think to prove to her that Foster had conquered his jealousy or, at least, was trying to.

Brett slipped his arm around her tiny waist and closed his fingers over her dainty soft hand. She draped her arm over his shoulder and rewarded him with a brilliant smile that made him tingle inside.

Though he was a good head taller than Kate, they seemed perfectly matched as he circled the dance floor effortlessly with her in his arms. His heart pounded, but fortunately the music muffled the sound. So, this was how it felt to float on air.

Brett could almost feel Foster’s visual daggers as he steered Kate around the other couples. Foster’s pursed lips and red face suggested he was whistling up a storm, and the strange looks directed his way seemed to confirm it. Hoping Kate hadn’t noticed, he led her in such a way as to block Foster from view.

“I’m surprised Frank didn’t object to me dancing with you,” she said. “He

doesn’t usually like me dancing with anyone but him. He can be so jealous at time.”

Brett gazed into her starry eyes. If she didn’t stop looking so utterly fetching, he’d give Foster plenty to be jealous about.

Now was the time to say something positive on Foster’s behalf, but he couldn’t think much past the present moment.

“As a young child, he was bounced from family to family,” she continued, relieving him of having to jump to Foster’s defense. “He never had a real home until he came here to Haywire. And even then, he grew up without a mother. Mr. Foster didn’t remarry until Frank was in his late teens.” Her eyes softened into pools of appeal. “A background like that would make anyone feel anxious. That’s why he’s…”

“Afraid of losing you?”

She moistened her lips, calling attention to her pretty pink mouth. “Something like that.”

Catching himself staring, Brett cleared this throat and gazed over her head. He forced himself to concentrate on the fiddler, the refreshment table, the other dancers. Anything to keep from drowning in the depth of her blue eyes.

“Horehound will help,” she said. “Or perhaps you’d prefer peppermint? For your throat, I mean.”

His gaze locked with hers. “My throat?”

“I noticed back there, that you kept clearing your throat and coughing.”

“Oh, that. Yes, you’re right. Maybe some…hard candy would help.”

She smiled up at him. “You can pick up a bag when you stop by the shop tomorrow for the list.”

His mind went blank for a moment until he recalled the list of customers she’d promised him. “I’d be much obliged.”  He spun her around and then pulled her back. Holding her close, he felt her stiffen in his arms.

“Something the matter?” he asked.

“It’s Frank,” she said. “Look! He’s all red in the face.”

Brett followed her gaze. Foster’s overwrought whistling had turned his face as red as an overripe tomato.

Her face lined with worry, she pulled away. “I better see what’s wrong.”

Before he could stop her, she rushed to Foster’s side, whose arms, Brett told himself, she belonged. Not a thing was wrong with his throat, but he sure in blazes was worried about the condition of his heart.

***

 

About the Author

MARGARET BROWNLEY penned her first novel at age eleven and has been writing ever since. She’s now a New York Times and CBA bestselling author and has written thirty-five novels and one nonfiction book. Margaret and her husband have three grown children and make their home in Southern California.

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Flower Power Fatality (The Psychedelic Spy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Cat Press (April 22, 2018)
Paperback: 234 pages

Synopsis

The Cold War gets cozy in this retro-cozy spy caper set in 1967, a year of music, miniskirts—and murder! Actress Noelle McNabb works at the Country Christmas Family Fun Park in Yuletide, Indiana, but she longs for the bright lights of Hollywood.

Real-life drama comes her way when a stranger with a fatal gunshot wound stumbles across her doorstep. When she attempts to finds the man’s murderer, Noelle encounters a super-secret spy agency, SIAMESE (Special Intelligence Apparatus for Midwest Enemy Surveillance and Espionage). SIAMESE recruits Noelle on a quest to find missing microdots under the guidance of a street-wise agent, Destiny King. As Noelle goes undercover in a cheesy nightclub and faces the enemy in late-night chases, she uncovers family secrets and finds her moral values put to the test. Along with her pet cat, Ceebee, and the kooky residents of Yuletide, Noelle discovers it takes a village to catch a killer.

Guest Post

Me and My Cats

By Sally Carpenter

 

When I wrote my first mystery series, I didn’t give my hero a pet. For one thing, at the time I didn’t know what a “cozy” was, let alone the “rule” that a cozy protagonist should have a pet.

Besides, a pet really didn’t fit with the series. The first book takes place away from the hero’s hometown. Also, he travels a lot in his work—he’s an entertainer—so a pet would end up at a kennel most of the time.

For my second cozy series, the Psychedelic Spy mysteries, I gave my heroine a fat, black cat modeled after my own felines. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had black cats (actually the first one was gray, but close enough). The cats seemed to pick me, not visa versa.

My childhood pet came from a litter of the neighbor’s barn cat. Mom said I could have a cat only if it stayed outside. We lived in the country, so this was no problem. Next door was a huge pasture where cows grazed, so Pretty Kitty had aces of land to roam in.

He was a fantastic mouser and in the summer brought us “presents” of mice, moles and squirrels nearly every day—but never birds.

I was cat free most of my adult life. I moved frequently, traveled, was busy, and lived in “no pets” apartments. I had no room in my life a pet.

Then about sixteen years ago I met Gordo, a black cat with 23 pounds of love. “Gordo” means “fat” in Spanish. That wasn’t a nice name, so I renamed him Snuggles. We ended up in a place where he could be an indoor-outdoor cat and, despite his size, he moved quickly and was a good hunter.

Alas, he had health issues. One day I was sitting in the waiting room of the veterinarian’s office while Snuggles was being treated, and another black cat poked his head over the counter. The cat jumped to the floor and onto my lap. Later when I was standing at the counter and talking with the technician, the cat got on the counter and rubbed on me.

This was Felix. A family had found him on the street as an injured stray. They had brought him to the vet for treatment. They were going to adopt him, but Felix didn’t like their other cats. I was the only person Felix seemed to like (cat had good taste). So after Snuggles made his final trip to the vet, I took Felix home.

Also when Snuggles was gone, one of the “property cats” showed up at my door. Years ago, the former landlord brought in cats to catch the mice. As cats do, they multiplied until some of the residents had the animals fixed. One of the cats, a tuxedo named Boots, knew Snugs was gone and wanted to be my pet.

Eventually I ended up being the one to feed all the property cats and yes, they were black. I got attached to a couple of them. I called one Outdoor Kitty because she refused to come in the house, no matter how much I coaxed her.

Gabby, another tuxedo, was very affectionate and loved to jump in my lap whenever I sat down.

At first Felix didn’t like the other cats and he swatted them with a paw when they came near. Eventually he, Boots and Gabby bonded. They cuddled together in cool weather and sprawled out together in the yard.

Over the years the cats died off and only Boots is left, and she’s old and not so active. I miss the welcoming committee that ran out to greet me when I came home from work. But caring for so many cats was expensive and challenging.

When Boots is gone, will I be cat free again? Or will a black stray find its way to my door?

 

About the Author

Sally Carpenter has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award and “Star Collector” was produced in New York City.

Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.

The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is comprised of: “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper” (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), “The Sinister Sitcom Caper,” “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper” and “The Quirky Quiz Show Caper.”

She has short stories in two anthologies: “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in” in “Last Exit to Murder” and “Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” in “Plan B: Omnibus.”

Carpenter penned chapter three of the Cozy Cat Press group mystery “Chasing the Codex.”

To atone for her sins of killing fictional people, she also writes the monthly Roots of Faith column for the Acorn Newspapers.

She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles chapter.

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Stabbed in the Baklava (A Kebab Kitchen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (August 28, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

Synopsis

Lucy Berberian has taken over her family’s Mediterranean restaurant on the Jersey Shore after an unsatisfying stint at a Philadelphia law firm. It’s great to be back in her old beach town, even if she’s turning into a seasoned sleuth . . .

Catering a high-society wedding should bring in some big income for Kebab Kitchen—and raise its profile too. But it’s not exactly good publicity when the best man winds up skewered like a shish kebab. Worse yet, Lucy’s ex, Azad—who’s the restaurant’s new head chef—is the prime suspect. But she doesn’t give a fig what the cops think. He may have killer looks, but he’s no murderer. She just needs to prove his innocence, before he has to go on the lamb . . .

Recipes included!

Review

I fully enjoyed the first book in the series and this one was just as enjoyable. I love the setting – a Mediterranean restaurant because the hummus and other dishes all leave my mouth watering. Thank goodness there are recipes at the end that I can try to satisfy my cravings.

The victim in this book is a despicable banker that has some issues. It isn’t too much of a surprise when he ends up dead, however, it takes a few tense scenes at a wedding reception to decipher who the victim might be in this book. The killer may, or may not, be obvious as you read the book. I suspected this character but didn’t know for sure until it was all revealed at the end. The author does a great job of throwing red herrings in your path to discovering the truth. And of course, Lucy and Katie are in the middle of things trying to clear Azad’s name. Lucy can’t lose her head chef after all!

I’m waiting for the book when Detective Clemmons drops his dislike for Lucy and her family. There is a peace offering at the end of this book that just might lead to less hostility on his part, but only time will tell.

I was surprised that Michael (Harley owner next door to the restaurant) didn’t make an appearance until halfway through the book and very little after that. I’m not sure if there is supposed to be a love triangle happening between Lucy, Azad, and Michael, but if there is this book didn’t bring much tension to the triangle. Perhaps he is just meant to be a friend?

Overall the book does what it should – keep you guessing from start to finish while uncovering clues and trying to keep Lucy out of too much trouble.

We give it 4 paws up

About the Author

Tina Kashian spent her childhood summers at the New Jersey shore, building sand castles, boogie boarding, and riding the boardwalk Ferris wheel. She also grew up in the restaurant business where her Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years. She worked almost every job—rolling silverware and wiping down tables as a tween, to hosting and waitressing as a teenager.

After college, Tina worked as a NJ Deputy Attorney General, a patent attorney, and a mechanical engineer. Her law cases inspired an inquiring mind of crime, and since then, Tina has been hooked on mysteries. The Kebab Kitchen Cozy Mystery series launches with Hummus and Homicide, followed by Stabbed in the Baklava and One Feta in the Grave by Kensington Books. Tina still lives in New Jersey with her supportive husband and two young daughters. Please visit her website and join her Newsletter to enter free contests to win books, get delicious recipes, and to learn when her books will be released.

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Synopsis

Julian Grayson is taking a break

     …from his cheating fiancée

     …from his band

     …from his life in the spotlight

Charlotte Clark is devoted to her work

     …to save the world

     …to help the homeless

     …to get a broken man back on his feet

When Charlotte Clark offers to pay for Julian Grayson’s coffee, the world-famous drummer assumes she wants something from him. But Charlotte has no idea who he is, and Julian can’t resist keeping up the charade—being incognito is a novelty and a relief. He’ll have to tell her…eventually. But as Charlotte cheerfully undertakes to transform his life, Julian realizes there’s something about her that gives him what he hasn’t felt in years: hope.

Excerpt

Slowly she came to her feet and brushed the sand from her dress. Inhaling deeply, she looked out at the waves one more time before reaching down for her purse. When she turned around, she immediately came up short.

Julian.

He stood ten feet away from her and his expression was unreadable.

Charlotte normally believed in coincidences, but she was having a hard time accepting this situation was just that. The hopeless romantic side of her—which didn’t come out very often—really wanted to think he’d been hoping to find her here or that he’d specifically been looking for her. But from everything she knew about Julian, he was too stubborn and strong-willed for such things.

They stood like that—facing one another, silently assessing for a few minutes.

“Hi,” she said finally, but didn’t make a move toward him. The breeze off the water kicked up and her hair was blowing wildly, her long skirt whipped against her legs. She groaned at what a mess she must look like but she still couldn’t make herself move.

It took all her self-control not to sag with relief when he finally took a step toward her. “What are you doing out here alone so late?”

And her foolish heart kicked hard in her chest at his gruff question.

“Just getting my daily beach fix in.”

But Julian shook his head even as he kept advancing. “You were out here this morning before you went to work,” he said, his voice low and almost tortured. “Every morning this week you’ve been out here. I can see you from my deck. Try again.”

He knew she’d been here earlier? How…? Why…?

Swallowing hard, she said, “I was heading home and wanted to come out here for a bit. I enjoy watching the sunset. A girl can get two daily beach fixes, you know.” She meant to sound defiant, but she had a feeling it didn’t come out quite that way.

Julian’s gaze roamed over her from head to toe.

And Charlotte cursed how unsexy the windblown look was on her.

They were almost toe to toe and she studied him with equal interest. His jeans were faded and hung low on his hips, his T-shirt was of the threadbare variety and looked like he’d owned it for years. And his hair was a wreck, just as hers was.

And then there was the five o’clock shadow.

It should have been a full-grown beard by now and yet it wasn’t.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t want to feel it scratching her sensitive skin.

Everywhere.

Charlotte held her breath while she waited for Julian to call her out on the admission, but he didn’t. Instead, he reached up and stroked one strong finger along her cheek right before his hand cupped it. Her lips parted on a sigh and—unable to help herself—she leaned into his hand.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked softly.

“Waiting for you,” he replied, so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. And before she could respond, Julian closed the distance between them. He felt so warm and solid and wonderful that she forgot what she was going to say.

Not that it would have mattered, because Julian lowered his head and gently touched his lips to hers. There was an uncertainty to him—a vulnerability—and it was quite possibly the sexiest thing about him. She loved the fact that he was comfortable enough around her to be like this.

One soft kiss turned to two and Charlotte slowly ran her hands up his arms.

Julian’s tongue gently teased at her lips as her hands raked up into his hair.

And then she was lost.

They went from slow and sweet to nothing but need in the blink of an eye. Charlotte knew this was why she wasn’t disappointed about being stood up—no one made her feel needy and out of control the way Julian Grayson did. It didn’t matter that she never even had the opportunity to meet her date earlier, she just knew it wouldn’t have been like this.

It couldn’t.

They kissed until they were breathless and when Julian lifted his head, he began a trail of kisses along her cheek and nipped at her earlobe before shifting and resting his forehead against hers.

“Why can’t I stay away from you?” he asked, but Charlotte had a feeling the question was more to himself than her. Reaching up, he caressed her cheek. “I should be able to stay away, but I just can’t.”

Trembling, she mimicked his pose and savored the scratchiness of his jaw. “Right now, I’m kind of glad you didn’t stay away.” It was good that she was looking down and couldn’t see his reaction to her words. She knew how cagey he could be and the last thing she wanted to do was have him take off on her—not after the second-hottest kiss of her life.

“Come home with me, Charlotte,” he begged quietly. “Please.”

No words had ever sounded sweeter to her.

“We don’t have to do anything but talk, if that’s what you want.” He paused. “I’ve missed seeing you, talking to you.”

Pulling back, this time she did meet his gaze. “I’ve missed seeing you too.”

If it was possible, Charlotte would say he looked relieved and almost…grateful.

Julian reached for her hand and they walked up the beach toward his house. Neither said a word and Charlotte was thankful for these few minutes to get her emotions under control. Maybe it was the same for him.

At the foot of the stairs that led to his deck, she stopped and took her hand from his, pulling her phone from her purse. Julian looked at her quizzically.

“I promised my friend Tami I’d text her when I got home.” As soon as she said the words, she realized how it sounded. “I mean—”

“She wants to know you’re safe,” he finished for her and then caressed her cheek again. “You are, Charlotte. I promise.”

 

About the Author

Samantha Chase, a creative writing teacher, released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Since then, she has published seventeen more titles and has become a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She lives with her husband of twenty-four years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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The Theory of Happily Ever After

by

Kristin Billerbeck

 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: May 1, 2018

Number of Pages: 288

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According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious—serious science, that is. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies, like why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream–fueled chick flick binge.

Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.

Filled with unforgettable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile—because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.

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Praise

“. . .the sweet will-they-or-won’t-they of Sam and Maggie’s courtship will please readers. . .”   –Publishers Weekly

“Billerbeck returns with a light Christian chick-lit novel just in time for the summer beach-read season, taking on stereotypes of femininity, intellect, and worth within an exciting cruise-ship setting with plenty of sunshine and gelato.”  –Booklist

“Billerbeck’s latest is full of memorable characters and witty dialogue. . . .The overall story reminds the reader that sometimes happiness will find you, no matter what you may do to avoid it.”  –RT Book Reviews– Four Star Review

What in life makes you happy? There are many possibilities but only you can know what works for you.

Maggie is having a hard time figuring out what makes her happy and if you look deeper into her history/childhood you will understand why she has such issues. I’m amazed she is as stable as she is considering she lost a sister and her parents’ personalities appeared to have done a 180 when they lost their other daughter. While it is understandable, I can’t imagine growing up in that sort of family. Maggie’s behavior/thoughts are hard to take because she is one hot mess, but when you realize that this story takes place over a week,it is a little easier to understand and accept because you can’t have a complete turn around in just a few days, or at least not the kind that Maggie needs especially after wallowing for two months in her apartment with the Hallmark Channel and gelato!

Maggie’s two best friends, Haley and Kathleen, are interesting characters and add a dynamic to this story. Haley does become unlikable later in the book all because of a man. I had a hard time with Haley’s attitude and was surprised that Maggie tolerated it at all. I appreciated some of Maggie’s observations about Haley, that perhaps she was spoiled because no one ever told her no because it helped make sense of Haley’s actions and comments. Kathleen is a hoot and apparently an adrenaline junkie. I admired that spunk and she rounded out the trio of friends nicely.

The story would not be complete without a couple of hunky men. Brent the bartender from Texas teaching a mixology class on the cruise, and Sam, the man that doesn’t think intelligent women can be happy. Let’s just say that statement doesn’t bode well for his happiness. But there is more to his story and he is immediately taken with Maggie. Because of his misstep at the beginning of the cruise and Maggie’s insecurities, it takes quite some time before they are on the same page. But the road to that place was interesting between Maggie’s desire to prove him wrong (she is a scientist after all) and Sam’s desire to get on her good side. I wasn’t sure whether I should root for Brent or Sam to end up with Maggie. Brent was great for the impulsive and daring side that I think Maggie wanted to have, but Sam was more grounded and has similar beliefs to Maggie.

There is a little bit of suspense too when it comes to the ex-fiance, Jake, and some of his actions back home. The one conversation that happens between Jake and Maggie explains a lot of Maggie’s insecurities. There are some twists regarding Jake but you’ll have to read the book to find out those details.

Overall this story has some laugh out loud moments, along with some thoughtful lines that gave me additional insight into all of the characters.

We give this 4 paws up!

Kristin Billerbeck is the author of more than thirty novels, including What a Girl Wants and the Ashley Stockingdale and Spa Girls series. She is a fourth-generation Californian who loves her state and the writing fodder it provides.

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GRAND PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After + Bookish Beach Towel, Tumbler, & Book Sleeve

2^ND PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After

+ $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

3^RD PRIZE: Copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After

+ $10 Starbucks Gift Card

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  August 22-31, 2018

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

8/22/18	Excerpt, Part 1	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/22/18	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/23/18	Excerpt, Part 2	Forgotten Winds
8/24/18	Review	Momma on the Rocks
8/25/18	Playlist	All the Ups and Downs
8/26/18	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/27/18	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/28/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile
8/29/18	Author Interview	Texas Book Lover
8/30/18	Review	Syd Savvy
8/31/18	Review	Book Fidelity

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Sipped (The Penningtons Investigate)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Asdee Press (June 11, 2018)
Paperback: 312 pages

Synopsis

After a rough semester, Professor Lyssa Pennington just wants to post her grades and join her husband, Kyle, in Cornwall for Christmas. First, though, she’s expected to host an elegant dinner for Emile Duval, the soon-to-be Chair of Languages at Tompkins College.

Too bad no one told Lyssa murder is on the menu. And, by the way, Emile Duval is an imposter.

Who is he really? And who wanted him dead? Without those answers, the Penningtons can kiss Christmas in Cornwall goodbye.

About the Author

C. T. Collier was born to solve logic puzzles, wear tweed, and drink Earl Grey tea. Her professional experience in cutthroat high tech and backstabbing higher education gave her endless opportunity to study intrigue. Add to that her longtime love of mysteries, and it’s no wonder she writes academic mysteries that draw inspiration from traditional whodunits. Her setting is entirely fictional: Tompkins College is no college and any college, and Tompkins Falls is a blend of several Finger Lakes towns, including her hometown, Seneca Falls, NY (AKA Bedford Falls from It’s a Wonderful Life).

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Title: Going Down Easy
Author: Erin Nicholas
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

As far as flings go, single dad Gabe Trahan is pretty sure that Addison Sloan is his best bet. Once a month, Addison comes to New Orleans and then…It. Is. On. Until Addison returns to New York, it’s just hot, happily-no-strings-attached sex. And beignets. And jazz. But lately for Gabe, it isn’t nearly enough.

Sure, maybe Addison’s gotten a bit hooked on Gabe. After all, who can resist a guy who’s so sexy, so charming, and so…available? But maybe he’s too available for her right now. Addison’s just moved to New Orleans, and relationships are definitely off the table. Besides, guys always bail when they learn her secret: she’s a single mom.

Only Gabe’s not running. Worse, he’s thrilled. But Addison never signed up for ever-after romance, and Gabe won’t settle for anything less. Now it’s a battle of wills—and when it comes to the woman he’s falling for, Gabe isn’t above playing a little dirty.

 

Wooing a Woman: New Orleans Edition with Erin Nicholas

My newest book, Going Down Easy, is a hot, contemporary romance set in one of the sexiest cities in the country: New Orleans. I’ve loved New Orleans since my first visit there in 2011 and have been back multiple times. I fall more in love with the place every time I’m there. There’s just something about the city that I can’t explain but that keeps me coming back. The music, the history, the laid-back attitude, the food…there’s just so much to love. So finally, the right characters and stories came along and it was time to write a series set there. Here’s a little bit about my characters and book…

Gabe Trahan: dirty-talking, charming, and a little bit sweet bar owner in the French Quarter. Has lots of friends and close to his family. Has a slow, sexy drawl, panty-melting grin. And a son, Cooper, who is five years old.

Addison Sloan: restoration architect who comes to New Orleans from New York City once a month to consult on a new project with a local firm. Confident, independent (very), smart, sassy. Loves dirty-talk in a slow Louisiana drawl. And jazz. And beignets. And pralines. And pretty much anything related to New Orleans. She’s also a single mom to five-year-old Stella.

How they meet: Addison comes into Gabe’s bar with a friend. The chemistry is immediate. And Addison’s love for New Orleans is obvious. Even the mention of beignets makes her eyes sparkle, she melts when she hears jazz, she loves the café au lait, the horse-drawn carriages—just everything. Gabe’s never been much of a romantic, but suddenly he wants to get that sexy, sweet look on her face as often as possible. (You can actually read all about this in “Easy Going”, the prequel novella! Check out Goodreads to find it 🙂

So whenever Addison is in town they go to jazz clubs, eat all the traditional New Orleans dishes—gumbo, crawfish, pralines—and they take in everything about the city. And Addison gives him a new appreciation for his home town. Though, their favorite place is definitely the balcony on the apartment above Gabe’s bar. For lots of reasons 😉 (Did I mention the prequel novella? “Easy Going”. Goodreads).

Then, everything changes. Addison is moving to New Orleans to take a permanent job with the firm…and she has no time or energy or interest in a full-blown, all-the-time, same-city relationship.

But Gabe’s not giving up.

He has every intention of using Addison’s weakness for New Orleans and the south “against” her in a huge play for her heart. So how does he do it? Read on for hero Gabe Trahan’s Seven EASY(ish) Steps To Woo A Woman in New Orleans:

Step #1

Start off with reminding her of the sweet stuff about being with you in New Orleans. Send a basket of pralines and Magnolias. Be romantic. Do not mention dirty stuff on the card. Probably.

Step #2

Turn up the heat. Send her some beignets and an extra bag of powdered sugar to remind her of the night on your balcony where lots of other things ended up with sugar on them. Maybe mention the dirty stuff on the card now. Or again.

Step #3

Invite her on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Quarter. Make it impossible for her to say no by sending the invite with a bottle of Pimm’s No. 1 and tell her that there’s going to be a parade at the end. She can’t resist a parade.

Step #4

Have your mutual friends suggest a night out on the town to her and then surprise her by joining them at Preservation Hall for the jazz show. Make sure you show up just before it starts. There’s no way she’ll yell at you when she can be listening to jazz. She’ll very likely let you stand really close and wrap your arms around her like you’ve done all the other times she’s heard a jazz trumpet. You can say some dirty things in her ear here. For sure.

Step #5

A few days later, send her a book about alligators. Make sure it’s something her five-year-old daughter will be interested in. A coloring book with alligator trivia would be perfect. Insert a brochure for a swamp boat tour in the book. Text her the next day and suggest you all go on the swamp boat tour together.

Step #6

After a day in the sun on the bayou with your kids, invite her to a masquerade ball. Be sure to mention it’s at a plantation. And that she gets to wear a ball gown. And a mask, of course. And that there will be mint juleps. She’ll be putty in your hands. This is your chance to do a few dirty things.

Step #7

In the end, even if some of the other stuff has failed, use the Ace up your sleeve. Show up on her doorstep with a pot of your grandma’s gumbo and tell her that you’re madly in love with her and that if she’ll let you in, she’ll be able to have that gumbo regularly for the rest of her life. No one can say no to grandma’s gumbo.

Excerpt

Gabe had sent her flowers.

Addison stood staring at the gigantic bouquet of white flowers sitting on the desk she was using for the day.

“These are magnolias, right?” she asked Elena.

“They are. The state flower of Louisiana.” Elena stroked the petal of one of the gorgeous flowers. “Someone knows your weakness for all things New Orleans.”

He definitely did. Addison hadn’t even needed to read the card to know who the flowers were from. Gabe knew she was a sucker for anything that was traditionally associated with the city. Beignets, bourbon, masks, beads, gas lanterns, and balconies with looping wrought iron railings. For six months he’d been taking her out on the Sunday she was in town and letting her soak up the city. And now she’d gone from associating those things with New Orleans and the unique spirit of the city to associating them with him.

But why was he sending her flowers? That was new. So far, their routine was she showed up at the bar on Saturday night, they spent the weekend together, she left on Monday morning, and then thirty days later, they repeated it all over again. There was no contact in between times. No texts or calls—they didn’t have each other’s number. No letters or gifts—he didn’t have her address. And definitely no flowers.

“See you soon, Gabe,” Elena read from the card. She lifted her eyes, meeting Addison’s. “Gabe? Who’s Gabe?” Then her eyes widened. “Wait. These aren’t from Gabe Trahan, are they?”

Oh, crap. Addison took a deep breath, thought briefly about lying, and then realized there was no real reason to not tell her friend the truth. “Yes.”

Elena’s eyes widened, almost as if she hadn’t expected that answer. “Really? You’ve seen him since that first night?”

Addison rounded the desk and set the folder she was carrying on top of the nearest stack, straightening the pile of already straight files. “Yes,” she said simply. The fewer details she offered, the better, probably.

“When?” Elena asked. “I had no idea you’d seen him again.”

And then it hit Addison . . . Elena wasn’t just her friend anymore. She was Addison’s boss. Was this going to reflect badly on her? Was a just-when-she-was-in-town affair something Elena would frown upon?

“I didn’t think it was important to mention. We just . . . went out a couple of times.” They had. They’d gone out to Preservation Hall for jazz. They’d gone to Café du Monde for coffee and beignets. They’d gone to the French Market. They’d gone to Gabe’s bedroom. And his shower. And his kitchen table. And his balcony . . .

“You’re dating Gabe Trahan?” Elena asked, planting her hands on her hips.

“No,” Addison said quickly. “Not dating. We’ve had . . . drinks when I’ve been in town.” And many, many orgasms. And laughs. And fun.

“Which time?” Elena asked.

“Which time what?”

“Which time that you were in town did you have drinks?”

Addison sighed. “Each time.”

“You’ve seen him every time you’ve been in town since you met him?” Elena asked, clearly shocked.

“Yes. But,” Addison added before Elena could go on, “it’s nothing serious. It’s been . . . a fling. Just a little fun. No big deal. And”—she took a deep breath—“this weekend was the last time. Now that I’ve moved here, I won’t be seeing him anymore.”

Saying it out loud made her heart clench even harder than it had when she’d driven away from him that morning.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

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