Posted in 5 paws, Historical, Review, romance, Time Travel on May 6, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Set among the rolling green Irish hills, Kelkerry Castle is something out of a dreamy fairy tale. For hotelier Bridget Marshall, however, it’s a dream come true…once she’s sorted out the mold, lead paint, and ancient plumbing. And she’ll prove to everyone in the nearby village of Shansally (pop. 119) that she’s not just another silly, dreamy-eyed American—including her curt (if utterly gorgeous) new neighbor, Liam O’Flannagain.

Only, this breathtaking castle has far more secrets than expensive repairs. While someone—or something—here desperately wants Bridget to give up and walk away, there’s another force tugging Bridget to stay. Because whenever she’s with Liam, the ancient past seems to come to life again, sweeping them along in a story they’re apparently destined to relive.

Now, Liam and Bridget are caught up in a long-ago tale filled with love, danger, and betrayal. The past seems to be working its magic on both of them, pulling them into a love story they’re helpless to resist. And they’ll have to uncover the truth of what happened all those centuries ago before history—and tragedy—repeats itself.

 

 

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Review

 

This was such a fun read! It had many of the elements I enjoy in a book – mystery, suspense, romance, and time travel. The time travel wasn’t like most I have read; rather, it was more of the two main characters experiencing what those from the past endured. I do wonder why these two were chosen, and an answer isn’t provided. Were they descendants of the people whose body they were in?

The mystery was who was sabotaging the castle and Bridget’s work to open a hotel. I had my suspicions about one character, and I was glad to see I was correct. There was a twist with that plot line that I didn’t expect, so that added another dimension to the story.

The romance between Bridget and Liam took some time. He is very broody and does not like Bridget. There isn’t anything concrete as to why other than she is an American that came over and purchased a castle to convert into a hotel. Perhaps he didn’t want tourism in that small town? Or maybe he didn’t want to be there and would have rebelled against anything or anyone. However, when she breaks through his defenses, it still takes some time for him to come around and admit his feelings.

While I have never been to Ireland, I felt like I was there from the descriptions of the towns and the people. I could imagine the lush green meadows and more. I liked how there were bits of Gaelic sprinkled in, and I had to chuckle as Bridget learned what words meant or what words she should use in certain situations.

This was an enjoyable read, and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jessica Dall is the author of such novels as Forever Bound, A Dangerous Beauty, and The Stars of Heaven. She has written across an array of genres, though her love of history and romance always seems to find a way into her work. Born and raised in southern California, she now resides in Maryland with her husband and daughter. When not living vicariously through her characters, she enjoys travel, crafting, and helping others with their own writing journeys.

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Historical, Review, romance on May 5, 2023

 

Synopsis

 

Little Sowerby, England, 1802

Miss Genevieve Wilde—a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress—is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.

Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.

But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade—pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.

 

 

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Review

 

This was a fun mash-up of a proper romance and a mystery.

I had mixed feelings about Genevieve, aka Ginny. She is running an estate, but she makes bonehead decisions that endanger her life. I appreciate her dedication to her estate and wanting to protect it, but putting yourself in danger? Not smart, Ginny! But at the same time, I enjoyed watching her mature when it came to matters of the heart, mostly due to Jack Travers. She even managed to mend some fences with family members, which is another reflection of her maturity.

I enjoyed the mystery and watching it unfold. Was the thief someone we are introduced to in the book or someone unknown? You’ll have to read the book to find out, but I will say that the answer surprised me.

My only complaint about this book is that there are no chapters, or at least not in the copy I read. This made it very hard to find a good stopping place. This is only the 2nd book that I can remember reading without chapters, and I still don’t like it. I do not know if all of her books are like this, but if they are, I won’t read another.

Overall, this was a fun book to read (despite my comment above), and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Joanna Barker firmly believes that romance makes everything better, which is why she has fallen in love with writing Regency romances. When she’s not typing away on her next book, you’ll find her listening to podcasts, eating her secret stash of chocolate, or adding things to her Amazon cart. Joanna thinks being an author is the second-best job in the world—right after being a mom. She is just a little crazy about her husband and three wild-but-lovable kids.

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Review, romance on May 2, 2023

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

She’s determined to start a new chapter, so why is she still drawn to a man from her past?

When Jasmine Weaver, the chief of staff to a powerful D.C. congresswoman, chose integrity, she didn’t anticipate ringing in the New Year disgraced, unemployed, and sleeping in her childhood bedroom. Now back in River’s Edge, Indiana, identical triplet Jazz has her sisters’ support while she plans her next steps. She agrees to lead the committee for their high school’s fifteenth reunion, never dreaming that her co-chair is the man who broke her teenage heart.

As the new CEO of Walker Construction, Elias Walker has taken the family business to new levels of success. He’s buried himself in work to ease the grief of losing his fiancé several years earlier and wants nothing more than to be a carpenter again. Elias grudgingly agrees to co-chair the high school’s reunion committee, but when Jazz Weaver blows into town, suddenly anything seems possible.

These high school sweethearts have lived half their lives apart. Can they reinvent themselves back in the town where it all began?

 

 

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Review

 

I loved going back to River’s Edge. Many of the characters we met in The Lange Brothers and Four Irish Brothers series. I love revisiting some favorite characters and meeting new ones.

This series will center around the Weaver triplets. These sisters have had their ups and downs in life and love. While we meet all of them in this book, this one focuses on Jasmine aka Jazz. She couldn’t wait to get out of town and thrived in DC in the political scene. That is until she discovered how unethical the congresswoman was that she was working for and was essentially fired. However, there are some interesting revelations near the end of the book, and I hope that we will see a few other mentions of this situation in future books to see how it all shakes out.

Jazz and Elias were high school sweethearts until they weren’t. But coming back to town reenergizes their friendship and their love for one another. They help each other through some tough times while exploring their attraction to one another. It is definitely your HEA that you want in a book.

I can’t wait to read the next few books in this series about the other sisters. We get a peek at their life, and I can just tell that there is a story waiting to come out.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction for Tule Publishing. Her day job is working as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. However, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten and is still writing, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled woman in her prime. Nan lives in the Midwest with her husband of 49 years, where they split their time between a house in the city and a cottage on a lake.

 

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Posted in Book Release, excerpt, romance on April 30, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

It’s 5:55 p.m.

I’m losing it. God, I’m losing it.

“F* it! I mean they didn’t even wait a few days, even a few hours, to tell me that my presentation sucks. They spit it out right in the middle of it.” I whine vehemently as I say this. I simply do not have the capacity to calm down right this minute because the stakes are too high.

The demand letter from the bank is like a ticking time bomb inside the purse that hangs tauntingly under the bar, proving me powerless. “We demand that you send us the four months of missed mortgage payments within thirty days or you will need to vacate the property fifteen days after the grace period indicated above.” My heart tightens. I have $427 to my name and maxed out credit cards that are all in default. My beat-up car, parked somewhere in Jersey City, looks like my next housing option if I don’t get this all figured out. Homelessness is real, and it can happen to anyone. I’m on the brink of it.

 

 

About the Author

 

Maan Gabriel is a mom, wife, dreamer, writer, and advocate for women’s stories in literature. She earned her BA in communications from St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and MPS in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She has lived in Manila, Brussels, Dakar, and Mexico City. During the day, she works in strategic communications. Gabriel and her husband and son currently call suburban Washington, DC home.

 

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BLIND TRUST

 

The SNAP Agency Trilogy, Book 3

 

by

 

NATALIE WALTERS

 

 

 

Christian Fiction / Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: April 11, 2023

Number of Pages: 320 pages

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Lyla Fox knows she has a reputation at the SNAP Agency for impulsivity, but when she receives a threatening letter from a man she helped put in prison, she can’t stop herself from going all in to find out why he’s coming after her. Unfortunately, she’s going to need the help of the one person who questions her reckless choices more than anyone else.

Explosives and weapons specialist Nicolás Garcia agrees to help Lyla in order to keep her safe, but her recklessness continues to be a major concern, especially when her investigation into a conspiracy puts a target on her back. Dealing with bombs is dangerous. Working with Lyla is proving to be just as treacherous–to both the mission and his heart.

Natalie Walters closes out her SNAP Agency series with a bang with this nail-biting story of a deadly government conspiracy, an unlikely couple, and an ending that will leave you breathless.

 

 

 

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All good things must come to an end, but I certainly don’t want this series to say goodbye! It has been an action-packed series with love and danger rolled into one.

In this final book, we watch the love story of Lyla and Nicolas unfold. It has been some time in the making, and the story does not disappoint. Lyla is impetuous, while Nicolas is steadfast, but when they say opposites attract, they aren’t kidding. These two could not be any different. But I think those differences pull them together and create a relationship that will always endure.

I loved the action that the SNAP agency experiences on a nearly daily basis. While I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes, I can appreciate their training, skills, and dedication to keeping this country safe. I still think my favorite character is Kekoa, but the rest of the cast has wormed their way into my heart.

Lyla and Nicolas have an interesting relationship before admitting they love each other. In one scene, he says he is a partly cloudy and armadillo kind of guy. I loved Lyla’s confusion and Nicolas’ explanation. I got a good chuckle from this interaction between the two, and it sets off a running joke for later in the book. Here is just a snippet of that scene.

“No, I get the partly cloudy. Makes sense because you’re a bit moody, but armadillo? I’m going to need an explanation on that.”

“…And an armadillo because of its built-in Kevlar.”

“…you realize you could’ve picked a crocodile or a rhino for the same reason?”

“True. But can they roll into a ball like a Transformer?”

 

Another scene that adds humor to this story is a visit to the Rage room. If you haven’t heard of these, you go into a room with items you can destroy with a bat, hammer, etc. It is an excellent way to get out your anger or frustration. This comment from Lyla definitely made me smile.

“I was just, um, thinking it wasn’t fair that I came out of there looking like Clifford the Big Red Dog licked my head. And you pop a baseball cap on your head and suddenly your MLB’s poster boy.”

 

The crux of the story kept me guessing and wondering who was behind the case they were investigating. I never suspected how this would play out and some news that Lyla would learn before it was all over regarding her family.

I am sad to see this series end, but I realized I had not read the first book. So I will have one more encounter with the SNAP agency. While you don’t have to read this series in order, I highly recommend that you do to follow the SNAP agency, and each book builds off of the previous one.

We give this book, and the series, 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natalie Walters is the author of Lights Out and Fatal Code, as well as the Harbored Secrets series. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three. She loves traveling, spending time with her family, and connecting with readers on social media. Photo credit Emilie Hendryx Haney.

 

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Review, romance, women on April 18, 2023

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Bonnie Brinks and her all-woman band, The Mermaids, are the pride of Moonlight Harbor. They’re the house band at The Drunken Sailor, and that’s just the right amount of fame for Bonnie. A lifetime ago, she went to Nashville to make it big, but she returned home with a broken heart and broken dreams. Now she’s got a comfortable life and a brilliant daughter, Avril, who plays for The Mermaids alongside Bonnie and Bonnie’s mother, Loretta.

Avril has big dreams of her own. Her life in Moonlight Harbor is good–she loves singing and playing guitar with The Mermaids, and she has the sweetest, most loyal boyfriend a girl could ask for–but it all feels so…small. She can’t help wondering if there’s something more out there for her. And she doesn’t understand why her mom won’t support her going to Nashville to find out.

Meanwhile, Bonnie threw in the towel on her love life long ago, but Loretta sure hasn’t. She’s determined to be swept off her feet, and she wants the same for her daughter. When the hunky new owner of The Drunken Sailor turns the tables on the band and Avril announces she’s leaving Moonlight Harbor, Bonnie’s comfortable life seems to be drifting away. Will these three generations of Mermaids find their happy endings on the Washington coast? Or will the change in the winds leave them all shipwrecked?

 

“Blooming with heartfelt charm and swoon-worthy moments…” Woman’s World Magazine

 

 

 

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Review

 

If you ever had the fantasy of writing music or singing, you will be able to relate to many of the characters in this novel. Three generations of women have a band called The Mermaids, and they are quite a hit in town. Don’t mess with small-town favorites; it will cause you problems. However, the youngest wants to follow her dreams of being a songwriter, the middle one doesn’t want to let her daughter go because she knows the heartache it might cause, and the oldest believes that everyone should follow their dreams…and find a good man!

Parts of this story sent up red flags, and what I thought would happen did happen. You will probably be able to figure it out, so I won’t mention which character or the situation. There is enough drama, along with love, that it rounds out the story nicely.

Bonnie, the middle one, has had a life that wasn’t quite what she expected. She doesn’t want her daughter to fall into the same traps, but at the same time, she wants her daughter to be happy. I was glad to see that Bonnie started opening up to men again. I had to chuckle at the voices in her head that made up “Team Estrogen.” These voices added quite a bit of humor at different times. Let’s just say they wanted to see Bonnie with a man and getting some action. The man that has his sights on her is JJ, the new bar owner in town. They are attracted to one another, and a mistake on JJ’s part when it comes to the house band in his bar nearly causes issues. I admired that he held back, treated Bonnie respectfully, and didn’t rush her into a relationship. I think he recognized that it would take time to break through her walls.

I really enjoyed this town, the characters, and the music. This is the seventh in a series. While it can be read as a standalone, you are better served to start at the beginning to follow the characters in this town and understand the relationship of everyone. I need to go back and read the first few books and learn more about some of the other characters in town.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance to self-improvement. Over three million books have been sold to date. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans, and her novels have been turned into movies for both the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out with her girlfriends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

 

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Posted in New Adult, romance on April 11, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

It’s been a long time since Casey Tresscott has felt like her life was her own. After the car accident that nearly cost her everything, she’s used to her family’s coddling and the relentless whispers at school, no matter how much they sting. After all, she’s found a safe harbor in her budding relationship with Sandover’s golden boy, Fenn Bishop…or so she thinks.

Beneath Fenn’s pretty, party-boy surface is a dangerous truth about the night Casey almost died. He thought lying to her was the right thing
to do, but when the secret shakes loose, he just might lose her for good.

Because Casey is done being taken advantage of.

Grasping for the control she’s been missing, Casey finally snaps—telling off her bullies, gallivanting with rebels and playboys, and shirking
her headmaster father’s strict curfews, despite the consequences. A desperate Fenn must ally with his stepbrother RJ and the other Sandover delinquents to uncover the full story of Casey’s accident and the ones responsible if he hopes to win her back.

But what happens if Casey is no longer the same girl he first fell for? Is there any hope for their future if she’s gone rogue for good?

 

 

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This is the follow-up book to Misfit. So don’t miss out on the first book in the series!

 

 

About the Author

 

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

 

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Posted in Book Release, New Adult, romance on April 11, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

When Skylar Allen decided to move across the country for college, she thought it’d be the perfect chance to reinvent herself. But then one party changed the course of her entire freshman year.

Just when she thinks she’s about to drown in the foggy memories of her night spent partying at the football house, Daniel Bridges walks into her life. Lindon University’s wide receiver. A total flirt. And a total threat.

Because he can help her take away the memories she does remember from that night.

What Skylar doesn’t anticipate is the friendship she forms with the witty football player as months go on. And how easy it is to fall for him as he teaches her how to trust again…and so much more.

 

 

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This is the follow-up book to Dare You to Hate Me

 

 

Synopsis

 

When Ivy asked her best friend to run away with her at sixteen, she knew he’d say no. He had football, an amazing family, and a happy home to go back to every day. So the night Ivy snuck out of his bedroom window after hugging him goodbye, she accepted she’d probably never see him again.

Then they both wound up at Lindon University four years later.

Ivy is barely picking up the pieces of her life when the boy whose initials she used to doodle hearts around approaches her at work. Aiden Griffith. Lindon U’s star tight end. Still as attractive. Still as dedicated. With rumors of him being drafted to the NFL coming to fruition, Ivy knows it’s only a matter of time before they have to say goodbye again.

But he can’t seem to let her go, no matter what she says, and she doesn’t think she wants him to.

 

 

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About the Author

 

B. CELESTE was born and raised in Upstate New York where she still resides with her four-legged feline sidekick Oliver “Ollie” Queen. Her love for writing began with poetry, which she learned to write after watching her father write poetry for her mother, before she found interest in short stories, novellas, and novels.

After getting two degrees in English and Creative Writing, B has written over 12 full-length novels, been invited to many signings around the world, and hopes to begin traveling to see readers worldwide.

 

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Posted in excerpt, romance on April 9, 2023

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

A man seeking closure after the death of his estranged brother. A woman grieving her sister and best friend. A connection they never saw coming. More than the temperature heats up in USA Today Bestselling Author Christy Hayes’ unforgettable page-turning romance about two tortured souls and their collision course with love.

Megan Holloway has learned a few hard truths in her twenty-eight-years. Life isn’t fair. People she loves always leave. And she’ll be stuck on Key West running her parents’ gift store and raising her twelve-year-old niece for the rest of her life.

Thirty-year-old Bryan Westfall has come to Key West to clean out his dead brother’s apartment and search for answers about the woman who died with his estranged older brother. Bryan didn’t know the woman had a daughter and he sure didn’t expect her sister to floor him with her beauty and biting brashness.

Bryan’s persistent need to help and Meg’s bumbling business skills create an unlikely union. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings become too powerful to deny. Meg knows Bryan is leaving at the end of the summer and Bryan knows Meg is holding back to spare herself needless heartache. When a hurricane forces them to evacuate, Meg mentally prepares to let Bryan go while Bryan wonders if home is where he came from or is with the woman who stole his heart.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

He inched the door open a crack and his heart jammed into his throat. Instead of a beefy henchman, a willowy redhead stood fuming on his doorstep. He swung the door open wide and gawked at Amanda Holloway’s sister, tapping her sandaled foot on the mat.

“Stay away from us.” Her velvet voice quivered with rage. “Do you understand me?”

“Uh …” Bryan couldn’t organize his thoughts into anything resembling words. Seeing her in the store had been like a punch to the gut. Standing inches away on his doorstep where he could count the freckles across her nose and smell the perfume on her skin left him senseless. The woman didn’t need a baseball bat. She wielded a punch with her presence.

“You’ve got nothing to say?”

He extended his hand. “I’m Bryan Westfall. It’s nice to officially meet you.”

“Nice?” She gave his hand a death stare and her tone pitched higher. “You think this is a social call?”

Bryan dropped his hand. “I don’t have a clue what this is.”

“This is a warning.” She aimed a finger in his face. “Do not come near me, my niece, or our store, ever again. I don’t know what you’re doing here, but you’re not going to weasel your way into our lives like your brother did. He did enough damage, thank you very much.”

Whatever evidence Bryan had been searching for landed squarely at his feet with her threat. Corey’s presence in this woman’s life had changed it for the worse. “Listen …”

“Meg.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Meg.”

His simple statement and quiet tone stopped her cold. She straightened her stance and folded her arms across her V-necked white t-shirt, an apostrophe forming between her brows. “What do you want from us? Why are you here?”

Bryan stepped back. “Why don’t you come in and I’ll explain.”

The crevice between her brows deepened and she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Of course she didn’t trust him. He was a stranger. His brother had slithered into her sister’s life and torn it to shreds. Meg was the living, breathing, reminder of what happened when people let Corey and his devil-may-care outlook into their orbit. “I’m cleaning out Corey’s apartment. Trying to piece together his last few months.”

“You’re his brother.” It wasn’t so much a statement as an accusation.

“You and your sister were close?”

The sadness in her eyes said as much as her choked agreement. Grief sat just below the surface. One tiny shift was all it took to uncover her pain. “Very close.”

“Corey and I …” How could he explain their complicated relationship? He couldn’t, not without a history lesson she didn’t care to hear. “We had a falling out.”

She snorted. “Of course you did.” She stared past him into the apartment filled with boxes labeled for charity. “That must make this pretty easy for you, huh? Boxing up his stuff, giving it away as if he never existed. You’re probably relieved he’s gone. No more fighting, no more messy feelings about your flesh and blood.”

Shame heated the skin of his neck, giving his voice a dangerous edge. “Nothing about this is easy.”

“My sister and I lived and worked together.” She raised her chin in the air, determined to drive her point home. “We raised her daughter together. Nothing about losing her was easy on any of us. I’m sorry for your loss, Bryan, but you can look for answers elsewhere. We’ve been through enough. The last thing we need is another slick-talking Westfall poking around where he doesn’t belong.”

Would she feel better or worse to know they shared the same impression of Corey? He decided not to find out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to trouble you.”

“It’s too late for that. Just hear me loud and clear—leave us alone. Pack your stuff and go back where you came from. Whatever Corey was up to before he died doesn’t change the outcome. He’s dead and he dragged Amanda down with him. If you care at all about those of us left behind, you’ll go and never come back.”

She turned to leave, and a panicked surge of impatience had him stepping toward her, had him saying something he should have thought through. “I know you feel—”

She turned back so quickly her hair tangled in her teeth. She pulled the strands free and speared him with an angry scowl. “You don’t have a clue how I feel.”

He didn’t, not really, but neither did she. “I lost my brother, too.”

She closed her mouth and stared at him, the heat coloring her cheeks dimmed.

“Maybe we weren’t close. Maybe I couldn’t have changed the outcome, but you’re not the only one grieving. He may be the villain, but he was my brother. He was a man—a flawed man—with a family who cared. I’m not here to get you all worked up, but I need answers. My family needs answers.”

She watched him with wary, grass-green eyes. “Your answers don’t involve us.”

“Your sister knew him better than anyone.”

She shook her head and the red strands caught fire in the sunlight. “That’s not saying a lot.”

He had no other option but to beg. “Please, Meg. I don’t know where else to turn.”

She stared at him, grasping the strap of the leather bag slung over her shoulder in a chokehold. “Then I guess you’re out of luck.” She pivoted and strode away, eating up ground with her long, slender legs.

Bryan watched the sway of her miniskirt as she stormed off, then closed the door and turned to face Corey’s apartment. He rubbed the ache in his gut. He may have needed answers, but finding them just got a whole lot harder.

 

 

About the Author

 

Christy Hayes is a USA Today Bestselling author. She grew up along the eastern seaboard and received two degrees from the University of Georgia. An avid reader, she writes romance and women’s fiction. Christy and her husband have two grown children and live with a houseful of dogs in the foothills of north Georgia.

 

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Posted in excerpt, Giveaway, Historical, romance, Texas, Western on April 6, 2023

 

 

WINNING MAURA’S HEART

 

The Hangman’s Daughters Series, Book # 1

 

by

 

Linda Broday

 

 

Western Romance / Clean & Wholesome / Historical Fiction

 

Publisher: Severn House

 

Date of Publication: March 7, 2023

 

Number of Pages: 256 pages

 

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Maura Taggart is an outcast, the daughter of a hangman and tainted by association – no reputable man wants her as his wife. And now she is homeless, along with her sister and the group of children in their care. Armed with pure grit, she finds a nearby mission where the nuns agree to take them in and set up an orphanage. But trouble is just around the corner . . .

The Calhoun brothers are identical twins but on opposite sides of the law. Cutter is a deputy Marshal, Jonas an outlaw. When Cutter attempts to break his brother out of a notorious gang, they are shot, and Maura finds one of them wounded, close to the mission – but which brother is it?

As the stranger regains his strength under Maura’s care an attraction between them grows, yet how far can she trust him? And why has he brought trouble to their door? With the orphanage under threat can Maura trust this handsome stranger both with their safety and with her heart?

 

 

 

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Excerpt from Winning Maura’s Heart

 

By Linda Broday

 

 

Calhoun met her blue gaze and came near to slicing his ear. He swallowed hard and shaved all that he could get to with one arm. Finally, he laid the razor in the water. “That’s it.”

“You did good, Calhoun.” Maura dried the straight razor and uncurled the strop.

He watched in fascination as she expertly sharpened the blade. “You’ve used one of those before.”

“I used to love doing this for my father on the rare occasions when he was home. And when he let me, which was in truth only a handful of times. But it made me feel that he cared for me. At least a little.”

“I take it your father was away a lot.”

“Yes, he has to travel where the jobs take him.”

“What kind of work does he do?”

Maura froze. After several moments, she spoke. “I’d rather not say if you don’t mind. His profession has made life—difficult—for Emma and me.”

What did he do? Curiosity had him biting his tongue to keep from asking. If he could bear waiting until tomorrow, he’d ask Max. But whatever it was had kept both girls from having a life.

Apparently, they’d been unwelcome in town so they brought the children out here. Now it made some sense why those folks had chopped off Emma’s hair.

The sisters were outcasts. For whatever reason, no one wanted their company.

His blood ran cold. There were only three professions that folks had difficulty with, and he didn’t like the thought of any of them. Grave digger, undertaker, and hangman. And the first two were far more acceptable than the third. Calhoun put the thought aside for now. Maura had gotten the blade at the sharpness she wanted it and stood ready.

“I’ve never done this part of shaving, but I’ll try not to cut you.”

“Thanks for that.” He was already sweating. First, at the thought of an untrained person holding such a sharp instrument. But worse than that…she stood so close and would have to lean in to get in the right positions. No barber he’d ever gone to had been encumbered with breasts and Maura’s were quite…well, let’s just say no one would ever mistake her for a man. Not at all. Even if they were blind as bats.

“Relax, Calhoun. You’re not scared, are you?”

“Quit teasing. Of course, I’m apprehensive.” He took a deep breath. “Proceed.”

“You act like you’re about to be drawn and quartered like they did in jolly old England.”

“I think they still might,” he muttered darkly.

Her sleeve brushed his cheek as she made the first stroke. She leaned to whisper. “You’re in good hands, Calhoun.”

A side glance found him staring down her dress at all that soft skin. He tried several times to speak before he managed to croak, “Yes, ma’am.”

She moved and the view disappeared. He could finally release the breath he’d been holding. Despite her inexperience, her strokes were slow and smooth with no hesitation or nicks.

But keeping her bosom away from his face was all but impossible. He closed his eyes but each time he opened them, there they were.

Normally, he wouldn’t complain but he was trying to be a gentleman as much as he was able. When his body reacted and he was about to embarrass himself, he pictured his last fishing trip and counted the fish on his stringer. When he ran out of fish, he counted the worms, then his bullets.

“Are you going to sleep, Calhoun?” she asked.

Good Lord, he was far from that! Every nerve ending was standing on end and saluting. He folded his hands over himself.

“No, ma’am. Just thinking about going fishing.”

“I see. Do you fish often?”

“Every chance I get, but it’s been a while since I last went.”

“Lean your head back and tighten the skin around your mouth and nose. A little more and we’ll be through.”

He did as she asked and found his head resting on those soft twin mounds. It was like floating on a cloud.

Stop it. Just stop it. He couldn’t let himself enjoy the sensation. It was wrong, wrong, wrong and he was about to lose control. And would if this went on for long. And then what?

“Quit squirming,” Maura scolded.

“I’m trying.” But all sorts of inappropriate images were running through his head.

The moments passed as she finished up then dropped the straight razor into the bowl of water and stepped back. “I’m done.”

Not a moment too soon. He struggled to his feet, wiping away the excess shaving soap with the towel. “Thank you. It feels good to rid myself of those bristles.”

“You’re welcome. You look…nice.”

He chuckled. “You mean human. I’m beginning to feel like it, thanks to you.”

Without looking at him, she opened the door to empty the bowl of water. “No offense, but I hope you can manage by yourself next time.”

Something had happened to her voice. It seemed a little strained. Had this affected her as it had him?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of western romance novels and short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. On a still day, I can often hear the voices of American Indians, Comancheros, and early cowboys whispering in the breeze here on the high West Texas plains. We refer to this land as “cowboy” country and men here still ride the range just as cowboys of old. My stories focus on family life and almost all have children.

 

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THREE WINNERS:

 

GRAND PRIZE: tote including signed copy of Winning Maura’s Heart, strawberry & chocolate tea, Cowgirl hand lotion, bath bombs, personalized cup;

 

2nd Prize: eBook copy Winning Maura’s Heart;

 

3rd Prize: $15 Amazon gift card

 

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 4/14/23)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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04/04/23 Hall Ways Blog Guest Post
04/04/23 Writing and Music BONUS Review
04/05/23 Forgotten Winds Review
04/05/23 LSBBT Blog BONUS Promo
04/06/23 StoreyBook Reviews Excerpt
04/07/23 It’s Not All Gravy Review
04/08/23 The Book’s Delight Review
04/09/23 JennCaffeinated Notable Quotables
04/10/23 The Plain-Spoken Pen Review
04/11/23 The Page Unbound Excerpt
04/12/23 Carpe Diem Chronicles Review
04/13/23 Reading by Moonlight Review

 

 

 

 

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