Synopsis

Quinn Corbin’s got nothing to lose – except her life.

She’s finally got the attention of the man she’s always loved, Nick Allen. But Nick has a reputation for trouble. And after a car explosion killed his last girlfriend, many people in San Antonio, Texas think Nick got away with murder.

But Quinn, a 24-year-old elementary school teacher and bubbly optimist, believes Nick is innocent. So does her best friend Tory, a law student and sarcastic realist. Soon Quinn and Nick find their relationship growing when suddenly their world upends. Now Nick is in major trouble again and Quinn may have made the biggest mistake of her life.

With incriminating evidence mounting against Nick, Tory works to prove his innocence. But Nick finds himself in a bigger battle when he must fight to protect, and win, his true love.

Review

If you are looking for a romantic suspense book that is set in San Antonio, this might be the book you want to check out! There were twists and turns that surprised even me.

The characters in this book are a good mix of crazy, good, evil, strong, caring, and smart. I could probably throw in a few extra adjectives but this about covers it, I think! The one character that tends to steal the spotlight is Daniel. He is Tory’s best guy friend, is funny, and has an obsession with tacos. But who can blame him there, tacos are quite tasty! Perhaps the author will give him his own book.

Nick has had the cards stacked against him and several incidents have put an X on his back. It seems like many are out to get him and blame him for things that are not his fault. As the story unfolds, and especially at the end, you understand the reasoning for the actions of others. But it is based on emotion and not fact. It isn’t surprising considering the events that occur during the first half of the book between Nick, Quinn, and Tory. No, it isn’t a love triangle! Quinn and Tory are best friends and Nick is one good looking man that Quinn has crushed on for years. True love does win out in the end, but not without some consequences.

The suspense portion of the book pointed me down many different avenues but not to the truth until it was revealed. I’m still not 100% sure how Tory made the connection but once all is revealed it makes sense. I don’t want to reveal too much because that would ruin the story for you! This is one of the twists and turns I never expected to be revealed.

While this story has romance and suspense, there is also some Christian/faith moments that lead one to wonder if there really is a spiritual plane.

I know there is a spin-off from this book that involves Nick’s brother Frank. Frank is an FBI agent and happens to be in town and comes to Nick’s rescue when he needs it the most. I enjoyed getting to know Frank and will have to check out the Plebian Trilogy.

We give this 4 paws up.

Trailer

About the Author

DEBBIE K. LUM is an unlikely author, a non-reader who was inspired by a self-esteem ad campaign encouraging little girls to dream big. Her romantic suspense novels feature fun, flawed characters with steamy and complicated relationships (and plenty of surprises!) In 2018, Lum released I CAN HANDLE HIM, which was called “A fresh, enjoyable tale.” by BlueInk Reviews. Reviews for the book have been published in Booklist Magazine and Kirkus Review Magazine. Her 2017 novel, THE DOCTOR, THE CHEF OR THE FIREMAN, was called “A quick, satisfying romantic mystery.” by Kirkus Reviews. In 2016 she debuted PLEBEIAN REVEALED, PLEBEIAN IN DANGER and PLEBEIAN REBORN, a series about a married woman who finds sudden fame with her ex-boyfriend.

Debbie splits her time between Florida and Texas and drinks more unsweetened iced-tea than she probably should.

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Title: Shimmy Bang Sparkle
Author: Nicola Rendell
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance

Synopsis

All Nick Norton wants is to stay on the straight and narrow…and never get caught stealing again. Then he lays eyes on her: Stella Peretti—100 percent sexy and absolutely irresistible. Especially when he sees her smooth moves lifting a two-karat diamond. Nick realizes he’s found the sparkling woman of his dreams—one so perfect for him it’s almost criminal.

The Shimmy Shimmy Bangs are master jewel thieves who are planning the heist of the century. And Shimmy leader, Stella, isn’t about to let anyone—even if he is a hunky, tatted-up studmuffin—get in her way. But when two of her girls are put out of commission, Stella realizes that Nick isn’t just a red-hot distraction. He might be the answer to her pilfering prayers.

Now, Nick and Stella are putting everything on the line for one last job. But when two thieves have this much chemistry, it’s only a matter of time before somebody’s heart gets stolen.

What Stealing A Diamond and Stealing a Heart Have In Common

with the Heroine from Shimmy Bang Sparkle by Nicola Rendell

Hi! My name is Stella Peretti. I am the head of the only all-female jewel heist crew west of the Mississippi. We call ourselves the Shimmy Shimmy Bangs. I got started in this life of crime when I was a girl. I saw something that I knew was unfair and I had to do what was necessary to make it right. I’ve heard that the old hardened cons who learn about us say we are “Robin Hooding” our way around the Southwest. I’m really proud of that!

Nick gets involved in my plan to steal the North Star diamond because of an accidental text that I mistakenly send to him. I know, I know. Dummy! But because my girls are not able to execute the heist with me, Nick offers his expertise. I’m reluctant at first. But he wins me over. He’s competent, persistent… and sexy. God, so sexy!

What have I learned from my experience with Nick? Surprisingly, stealing someone’s heart is a lot like stealing a diamond. Here are five skills that you need for both:

If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It.

I don’t go into a heist or a relationship with my guns blazing. Instead, I give a little bat of my lashes, show a little leg, play up my most feminine qualities. Being a good flirt is a huge advantage in my line of work… and in nabbing Nick Norton, too!

It’s a Confidence Game.

Having confidence in yourself is key to getting what you want, either in a heist or winning a man’s heart.

Play Dirty.

There’s a time for playing by the rules and being a good girl, but it’s no holds barred in love and theft!

Be Careful… But Not Too Careful.

When it comes to heists, I’m a planner. But when it comes down to it, it takes guts to steal a diamond. And it takes guts to fall in love as well. Soemtimes you just have to open your heart and see what happens.

All Or Nothing.

I’ve known a lot of thieves who are doing twenty-to-life for a Zales one karat diamond.. And sure, I’ve stolen my share of engagement rings but only if it’s easy pickings. If you’re going to risk your liberty and your heart, it damn well better be worth it. The North Star is worth it. And so is Nick.

Excerpt

“It’s fun to dream.”

Stella tugged on the diamond ring with her thumb and forefinger to take it off, it didn’t cooperate. She furrowed her eyebrows, and laughed nervously, wiggling it and spinning it. “That’ll teach me to get extra-large fries with my lunch.”

The saleswoman laughed, nodding, and patted her slightly pudgy stomach. “Tell me about it, hon.”

For a few tense seconds, I stared at the ring. She twisted it, and tugged it. She rocked it back and forth. She gave it a yank, but still it didn’t budge. I took her hand in mine and gave it a shot too. But didn’t have any luck either. It was totally stuck.

“This isn’t embarrassing or anything,” said Stella softly as she gave it another try, doing the side-to-side rocking again. “I’m sure this is a first.”

“Oh my gosh, no. Fingers often swell in the afternoons. Lemme go get you some lotion. Be right back,” the saleswoman said, and headed for the back of the store.

Stella sighed hard and grabbed her purse from the floor, hooking it over her shoulder. “Thank you,” she called after the woman as she jingled away. “I really apologize. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

The saleswoman tossed her hand in the air. “Totally OK. Hang on.”

As she walked away though, Stella transformed right before my eyes. It was subtle, but I was watching her so close that it was like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. The sweet-as-pie innocence was replaced with calm and focus. Her posture changed, the way she’d held her lips changed, even her stance changed. She shifted her hair over her shoulder and turned away from me, preventing me from seeing what she was looking for in her bag. I rolled my weight back onto my heels to get a different angle—not enough for her to notice, but enough to see what was going on. With the help of an oval tabletop mirror to my right, I saw exactly what she was up to. From the side pocket of her purse, she produced a little tube of something.

Hand lotion.

She didn’t call out to the saleswoman, but instead lowered her head slightly, allowing her hair to slip off her shoulder. I realized she was not only keeping her hands hidden from me, but also—thanks to her hair—away from the prying eyes of the black-domed security cameras in each corner of the shop. Suddenly, each detail seemed practiced. Strategic.

Damn near . . . professional.

She flipped open the top of the tube and squirted some onto her finger.

And then she did it. If I hadn’t been watching it, I wouldn’t have believed it. Houdini would’ve wept. Copperfield would’ve proposed. Blaine would have asked her to do a Vegas show with him. Once her finger was greased up, she used the thumb of her left hand to slide the diamond off her finger. It fell noiselessly into her bag. She dropped the tube of lotion on top, and the ring disappeared into the depths of her purse. Then, from the interior side pocket of the purse, she produced . . .

The same setting. The same cut. The same size.

The identical engagement ring.

I was floored. But somehow, I managed to play it cool. She didn’t know I’d seen her, and I wasn’t going to blow her cover. Only a creep interrupts a magician in the middle of an act.

The saleswoman tottered back toward us. The fake was on Stella’s finger, and the real ring was nowhere to be seen. “Here you go, hon,” said the woman, holding out a bottle of lotion with the lid already undone. “Smells real good too.” She squirted a glop of the pink liquid on Stella’s finger, making the whole place smell like laundry detergent.

Stella worked some lotion around her ring finger, and slipped off the fake, with a big sigh. “Phew! That was a close one.”

The saleswoman just giggled. “No worries. Happens more than you’d think,” she said, and took the keys from her skirt. Using a jewelry cloth, she cleaned the lotion off the ring until it sparkled again, set it on its spinning velvet platform, and locked up the case.

And there I thought I’d found my bliss already.

“Thanks so much for all your help,” Stella said, and zipped up her purse.

I felt like I was dreaming. Never, in my whole life, had I seen anything so smooth. She seemed sweet, she looked so sexy, and to top it all off, she was utterly badass. I needed to get my hands on her. Now.

About the Author

Bestselling author Nicola Rendell loves writing naughty romantic comedies. After receiving a handful of degrees from a handful of places, she now works as a professor in New England. Nicola’s work has been featured in the Huffington Post and the USA Today blog Happy Ever After. She loves to cook, sew, and play the piano. Her hobbies might make her sound like an old lady, but she’s totally okay with that.

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Justice Betrayed

A Memphis Cold Case Mystery, #3

by

Patricia Bradley

  Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: June 5, 2018

Number of Pages: 352

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It’s Elvis Week in Memphis, and homicide detective Rachel Sloan isn’t sure her day could get any stranger when aging Elvis impersonator Vic Vegas asks to see her. But when he produces a photo of her murdered mother with four Elvis impersonators—one of whom had also been murdered soon after the photo was taken—she’s forced to reevaluate. Is there some connection between the two unsolved cases? And could the recent break-in at Vic’s home be tied to his obsession with finding his friend’s killer?

When yet another person in the photo is murdered, Rachel suddenly has her hands full investigating three cases. Lieutenant Boone Callahan offers his help, but their checkered romantic past threatens to get in the way. Can they solve the cases before the murderer makes Rachel victim number four?

 

Praise

“The third installment of Bradley’s Memphis Cold Case series focuses on a cold case related to a homicide detective’s past…Bradley includes the unique character of Erin who seems as if she is a real person and takes great care to portray her respectfully.”  —RT Book Reviews

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EXCERPT: CHAPTER 1, PART 2

JUSTICE BETRAYED

BY PATRICIA BRADLEY

(used with permission)

 

Click to read the Prologue on the Lone Star Book Blog Tours 8/15 tour stop

Click to read Chapter 1, Part 1 on the Lone Star Book Blog Tours 8/16 stop

1

August 2017

Elvis is in the building, and he wants to see you. 🙂

 

Continued…

Memories scratched at the back of her mind. “And you want me to solve it?” Rachel had enough cases without adding another one, particularly one that delved into her past. “This is a cold case, and I don’t work cold cases.” She started to hand him the photo. “Wait, did you say Harrison Foxx?”

The memory finally surfaced, though it was cloudy. He was her mother’s friend. And somehow her father was involved, but it was all jumbled in her mind. “Why are you bringing this to the police now?”

“I brought it to the attention of the police last year, and they didn’t do anything about it. This week marks seventeen years since he was murdered. It’s time somebody paid for what they did.”

Rachel felt there was more. He held himself too rigid, and when she didn’t comment right away, he shifted in the chair.

“Is that the only reason?”

Vic swallowed and moistened his lips. “I may be in over my head. I think someone broke into my house last night, and my gut says they were looking for information about Harrison’s murder.”

“Why would anyone be looking at your house for information on his murder?”

He hesitated. “You’ll think I’m crazy. My daughter does. For years, I’ve been trying to solve Harrison’s murder, but this last month I really got into it. I’ve been calling around and asking questions of people we knew back then, even followed up and went to see a few of them. I think I asked the wrong person the wrong question.”

Joy. An Elvis impersonator and an amateur sleuth. It was her lucky day. “Are you saying that generally or are you talking about a specific person?”

“I don’t have enough proof to call any names, just the same gut feeling I had seventeen years ago.”

“This break-in. Did you report it?”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t find anything missing.”

Oh boy. This was sounding stranger and stranger. Maybe his daughter was right. Vic obviously believed what he was saying. She doodled on her desk calendar. “So, why bring it to me? We have an excellent Cold Case Unit.”

“They’re the ones I took it to last year, and they said there were a lot of cases ahead of this one and they’d contact me. So far, no one has. I thought the case might be personal to you since he was a friend of your mother.”

She had no recollection of Foxx being murdered, but if it had happened around the time of her mother’s funeral, it was no wonder. Grief and anger had consumed Rachel then. While the grief had lessened over the years, the anger remained hot as ever.

Vic’s intense gaze held hers. The cases already on her workload hung in the back of her mind. Maybe a quick look at the cold case file would provide information that would satisfy him that everything had been done to find Foxx’s killer. Either way, she had to fill out a report, so she took out a notepad and one of the mechanical pencils she liked to use to write her notes. Made erasing easier. “I don’t suppose Vic Vegas is your legal name?”

He grinned and ducked his head, much like she’d seen Elvis do in film clips.

“Actually, it is. I had it legally changed in ’95. It was less confusing.”

O-kay. “Give me your original name for the records.” She wrote “Phillip Grant” on the pad as well as the stage name, then asked for his contact information. After he gave it to her, she tilted her head toward him. “I’ll talk with someone in the Cold Case Unit Monday.” And hope Sgt. Brad Hollister didn’t laugh her out of his office.

“Would you like my files on the murder?” Vic asked.

“Files?”

He nodded, raising his eyebrows. “I typed up everything—the people I’ve talked to in person or on the phone, what I learned, everything—and put the notes into files.”

“You have a list of people you’ve questioned?” That might save time if anything in the cold case files warranted a second look at the case.

He nodded. “I even talked to your dad.”

That was bound to have gone over like a ton of chicken feathers with the Judge. “Why would you talk with my father?”

“He represented Harrison in a legal matter a year or two before Harrison died. And he was there the night of the contest.”

She caught her breath. Vic was right. An image of her dad in the audience flashed in her mind. She’d been surprised that he had attended the charity event because he and her mother had been separated for about a month then. If Vic hadn’t mentioned it, she probably never would have remembered it. To her knowledge, it was the only time he attended anything Elvis. Her dad thought all the hoopla around Elvis Week was ridiculous. Which never sat well with her mom, since she’d been one of Elvis’s biggest fans.

“Do you have the files with you?” Rachel doubted Vic had uncovered anything worthwhile, but the Cold Case Unit might be interested.

“Afraid not,” he said. “Stopping here was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. And I don’t have time to go get them before the competition starts.”

Click to read Chapter 1, Part 3, the conclusion of Chapter One, coming on the Lone Star Book Blog Tours 8/23 tour stop!

 

Patricia Bradley is the award-winning author of Justice Delayed and Justice Buried, as well as the Logan Point series. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She lives in Mississippi.

 

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GRAND PRIZE: All Three Books in the Memphis Cold Case Series + Elvis Umbrella + $10 Starbucks Gift Card

2^ND PRIZE: All Three Books in the Memphis Cold Case Series

+ $15 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

3^RD PRIZE: All Three Books in the Memphis Cold Case Series

+ $10 Starbucks Gift Card

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  August 15-24, 2018

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8/15/18	Excerpt Part 1	Missus Gonzo
8/15/18	BONUS post	Hall Ways Blog
8/16/18	Excerpt Part 2	Forgotten Winds
8/17/18	Review	Dressed to Read
8/18/18	Author Video	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/19/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/20/18	Character Interview	Books in the Garden
8/21/18	Review	The Clueless Gent
8/22/18	Excerpt Part 3	StoreyBook Reviews
8/23/18	Excerpt Part 4	Book Fidelity
8/24/18	Review	That’s What She’s Reading

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THAT ONE MOMENT

by

PATTY WISEMAN

  Genre: Fiction / Romantic Suspense

Date of Publication: May 8, 2017

Number of Pages: 258

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Ricki Sheridan traveled a long way to seek refuge at Wolf Den’s Lodge high in the mountains after a devastating betrayal. Heartbroken, she signed up for a survivalist backpacking trip to live off the land and forget.

An injury on the first day puts her in the capable hands of the handsome trail boss, Kory Littleton. The attraction is instant, mutual, and terrifying. She trusted her emotions once and vowed never to make the same mistake again.

Kory’s heart, trampled and bruised, is unprepared to ever love again, until his unexpected reaction to Ricki reveals some things are worth taking a chance on.

When evil finds its way back into Ricki’s world, their fragile bond is tested, forcing them to face their greatest fear: can a wounded heart ever trust anew?

Betrayal. Desire. Revenge. Which one prevails?

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Praise for That One Moment

Patty Wiseman, as well as anyone and better than most, sure knows how to write the three basic ingredients of a page-turning and unforgettable novel: mystery, suspense, and romance.  — Caleb & Linda Pirtle ~ Here Comes a Mystery

“It was pure perfection!” — Jessa, Amazon Reviewer

“Author Patty Wiseman does a good job of injecting so much action into just the first two pages that I had high expectations for this story. And That One Moment does not disappoint.”  — Natasha Jackson for Readers’ Favorite

This story reminds us that you should not hesitate when you find love because life is too short and the perfect love might pass you by.

Kory & Ricki find each other in an unusual place – on a mountain during a survival hike. Not a place you would expect to meet your other half, or at least I wouldn’t expect to meet someone but then you probably wouldn’t find me on a survival hike! Ricki has a some baggage from her past and unfortunately some of it follows her up the mountain. This has a huge impact on her interest in Kory. She is very attracted to him but is very unsure of herself. I liked that she was vulnerable when it came to love despite her background in the military and in law enforcement as a game warden.

Now while you might think this is a nice love story there is some friction from a truly evil antagonist. I love how the author gives him terrible attributes and it is highly unlikely anyone will really like this character. And just when you think justice has been served on this character, he comes back for more. While I don’t want to give away too much, when he reappears I felt my heart catch in several scenes wondering how evil he would act.

There are several minor characters that sometimes stole the scene. There Wolf who has been around the block and we learn more about his past when it comes to love. Byron is also another character that stole my attention. He is an older teen that Wolf has taken under his wing. It is also a testament to Wolf and Byron’s parents that they realize that he is not meant to be in a classroom and set up stipulations for him to do what suits his personality and temperament. Kyle cracked me up in a scene regarding guns. I won’t say much more because it might give away a little of the story, but I think he could become a strong character in a future book.

If you like romantic suspense I believe you will enjoy this book.

We give it 4 paws up

 

 

Award Winning Author Patty Wiseman is a native of the Seattle, Washington area and attended The Wesleyan College in Bartlesville Oklahoma. Northeast Texas is home now, along with her husband Ron.  She is the president of East Texas Writer’s Association, a Lifetime Member of the Worldwide Who’s Who for Professional Women (and named VIP for 2013), and a member of the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization, East Texas Writer’s Guild, and Texas Association of Authors.

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  August 14-23, 2018

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8/14/18	Book Trailer	Texas Book Lover
8/14/18	Excerpt	The Clueless Gent
8/15/18	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/16/18	Character Interview	The Page Unbound
8/16/18	Author Interview	Margie’s Must Reads
8/17/18	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
8/18/18	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
8/18/18	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
8/19/18	BONUS Review	Hall Ways Blog
8/19/18	Author Interview	Books and Broomsticks
8/20/18	Review	A Page Before Bedtime
8/20/18	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/21/18	Scrapbook Page	Story Schmoozing Book Reviews
8/22/18	Review	Dressed to Read
8/23/18	Character Interview	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/23/18	Review	The Love of a Bibliophile

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Synopsis

In the epic conclusion to the BKI series, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker delivers her biggest bombshell yet! 

Welcome to Black Knights Inc.
What appears to be a tricked-out motorcycle shop on the North Side of Chicago is actually headquarters for the world’s most elite covert operatives. Deadly, dangerous, and determined, they’ll steal your breath and your heart.

After a mission-gone-sideways forces Jamin “Angel” Agassi to change his identity, he’s determined to bring down the world’s worst crime syndicate kingpin once and for all. That’s going to be the easy part. Keeping Interpol agent Sonya Butler from discovering who he really is—and blazing another trail into his heart—is the challenge.

Excerpt

“I am going to hug you now, Sonya.”

Breath shuddered from her lungs. “What? Why?” That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say, especially not after the way he’d been eyeballing her lips.

And, yes, it hadn’t escaped her notice that his words were incredibly similar to the ones Mark had spoken that rainy night while they’d been crowded into that dark Parisian doorway. How could two men be so different and yet so much alike?

“Because you need it.”

And then…oh, and then he stepped forward and wrapped his big arms around her. It was like being hit with a live wire. A current blasted through her, burning her from the inside out. As if that wasn’t bad enough, some sorry sucker chose that moment to pull the rug out from under her feet, and she was falling, flailing, head pinwheeling.

She balled one hand into a fist so tight her knuckles cracked. The other squeezed her water glass so hard she was surprised it didn’t shatter.

“Relax,” he instructed.

“Why are you always telling me to do that?” She tried not to turn her head into his neck and snort in his spicy aftershave like an addict with a tempting line of cocaine. Memories of Mark tried to intrude, memories of how he’d eschewed cologne and aftershave in preference for lilac soap, but she shoved them away.

“You are strung as tight as piano wire. It cannot be healthy.”

Wow. Great. The almighty Prince of Shadows was lecturing her on her health. All while hugging her. How bizarre was her life right now?

Then it registered. He was hugging her.

It wasn’t one of those half-hearted hugs either. It was a full-on hip-to-hip, chest-to-chest hug, arms tight and big, wide hand splayed against the middle of her back. Angel might be all aloof and untouchable, but when it came to a hug, the man committed completely.

Sonya’s heart threatened to pop like a balloon. A hiccup of anguish slipped from her throat. She couldn’t help herself; she melted against him. Soaked up his odd affection and let it fill all the cracks in her armor that had developed over the last six months.

She hadn’t realized it, but Angel was right. She needed a hug. Needed it almost as much as her next breath. Needed to feel human connection to remind herself she wasn’t alone in this.

“Shh,” he whispered, soothing a hand down her hair as she fought tears.

The hug went on for a few more dreamy, melting minutes. Then she realized how self-indulgent she was being. How…weak.

Pulling back, she whispered, “Thank you. That’s enough.”

His brow pinched as he stepped away, breaking the connection of their bodies. She shivered as the room’s cool air rushed in to replace his body heat.

The pity she saw in his eyes had her grumbling, “When you look at me like that, I want to go crawl into bed and throw the covers over my head.”

“How do I look at you?” he asked.

“Like I’m pathetic. Like I’m a thing to feel sorry for. Like I’m a disappointment to you. But that’s crazy because you don’t even know me.” Her insides, which a minute ago had been so soft and gooey, were now crawling with tension.

“Is that the only way I look at you?” He canted his head. It caused the moonlight to silver the short ends of his black hair. His laser-like focus made her feel like there were two red sniper dots on her face.

Those sniper dots moved down as he let his eyes travel past her mouth and shoulders, over her breasts, down to her hips, and finally back up again. He didn’t try to hide the heat in his eyes. He let her see it for what it was.

Heaven help her, he wanted her like she wanted him. The difference between them was that he wasn’t trying to hide it.

“No.” She swallowed. “It’s not the only way you look at me. There’s that too.” She pointed to his face.

“Damn right there is.” His gravel-road voice had gone guttural, and she wondered what he’d sounded like before the vocal cord scouring. Had his voice been deep and smooth? Rich and resonant? It saddened her that she would never know. “And now I am going to kiss you, Sonya.”

Her thighs quivered as heat coalesced between them. She should have told Angel to keep his gorgeous mouth to himself. She should have told him she had a headache…or head lice. But instead she heard herself ask, “Why?”

“Because you want me to.”

About the Author

Julie Ann Walker is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling Author of the Black Knights Inc. romantic suspense series. She is prone to spouting movie quotes and song lyrics. She’ll never say no to sharing a glass of wine or going for a long walk. She prefers impromptu travel over the scheduled kind, and she takes her coffee with milk. You can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.

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BEYOND CONTROL

The Texas Trilogy, Book 3

by

Kat Martin

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Zebra

Date of Publication: May 29, 2018

Number of Pages: 368

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Present Danger

When Victoria Bradford got engaged, she told herself to give love a chance. Six months later, she’s on the run from her angry, abusive ex-fiancé with her four-year-old daughter and nowhere to go.

Seventy miles north of Dallas, the Iron River Ranch is pretty much nowhere. That’s what its new owner, Josh Cain, wanted when he came back from Afghanistan. Big skies, quiet nights, no trouble.

One look tells Josh the pretty redhead with the adorable little girl will give him trouble of the most personal kind. But he’s seen trouble before, and he doesn’t scare easy. Not when “accidents” start happening around the ranch. Not when Tory’s best friend back in Phoenix is abducted and brutalized. Not even when it looks like their current problems are only the tip of the iceberg.

But if he gets too close to fierce, determined Tory, Josh knows his nights are going to be anything but quiet. And that’s one possibility no amount of training can prepare him for…

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Praise

“As the excitement in Iron Springs continues, two strangers with tragic pasts form an unbreakable bond. Beyond Control is the last installment in the Texas Trilogy. It’s delightfully fast-paced, riveting, and amazingly compelling. Martin has outdone herself with unpredictable twists and suspense that will leave readers panting for more. Definitely a must-read for readers who enjoy mystery, thrills, and romance to spice up their life.” – RT Reviews Top Pick

“Bestseller Martin brings her Texas Trilogy … to a hair-raising finish with the gripping tale of a single mother on the run and the Marine veteran who offers her a second chance at happily-ever-after. Martin has a consummate skill for developing the most loveable and the most despicable characters; readers will cheer when sadistic Damon meets his well-deserved end. Martin’s finely described Texas is a delight.” – Publishers Weekly

Beyond Control is a book that will set your heart aflutter and have you cursing at some characters all at the same time!

I was on a road trip when I started reading this book…and a good thing my husband was driving because this meant I didn’t have to put the book down until we stopped.  I devoured this book and am thankful for the speed reading I was taught in elementary school.

My heart went out to Tori and her daughter Ivy.  Tori was in an abusive relationship and I wondered if she had stayed if Ivy would have become a victim too.  I was glad to see her escape Damon, but he would not let her go and tracked her down wherever she ran.  This made it hard for her to start over and feel like she would be ok where ever she was located.  Enter Josh – he certainly didn’t want to hire a woman to help him on his ranch but he had to admire her moxie for jumping in and doing whatever it took to be able to stay there and out of sight.  Granted when he eventually learned the truth he wasn’t happy that she omitted some facts but by that time it was too late and he was drawn to her.  It’s a good thing Josh wants to protect Tory and Ivy, because Damon has not given up his quest to reclaim Tory and his belief that she is his – as in his property.

Since this is a ranch, it wouldn’t be one without horses and cattle.  Tory seems to have the magic touch when it comes to one horse, Satan’s Star.  Josh calls the horse Satan but Tory sees something else and calls him Star.  I enjoyed reading about how she is able to tame the horse and even learn why the horse was acting out.  I think that is why Tory could tame Star, they had something in common, they survived abuse.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a romantic suspense novel without some romance between Tory and Josh and those scenes were a good combination of sweet/loving and intense.  If I wasn’t happily married I would want to find a Texas Rancher like Josh!  Besides being former military, he is just the right amount of tough and soft that makes his character drool worthy.

Definitely pick this book up, you will not be disappointed.

We give this 5 paws up!

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing in Missoula, Montana with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, Kat has written sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Kat is currently at work on her next Romantic Suspense.

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Synopsis

Survival is crucial.

Trust is optional.

Love is unstoppable.

Jude Dagan’s life as he knew it ended a year ago. On a mission gone wrong, he was forced to watch as Ella Banning, the only woman he’s ever loved, was killed. Or so he thought.

Jude wasn’t the only one who lost something on the day Ella was presumed dead. She sacrificed Endgame Ops, the love of her life, and parts of herself she can never get back. Now she’s determined to take down the world’s most dangerous terrorist—even if it means working for him.

When Jude and Ella are reunited, they’ll battle the lies Ella has been forced to tell…and struggle to save a love that knows no bounds.

Excerpt

The food smelled amazing, and her stomach reminded her she needed to build up her strength. The drugs she’d been pumped full of over the last few days were still making her sluggish, and she’d barely eaten. She picked up her—she laughed out loud—her spoon, and she dug in. She saw the smile that lit his features a second before the taste of the meal hit her taste buds.

Ella groaned. “That’s delicious.”

“I know,” he said with not a hint of humility. “Tia Rosa left me stocked the last time she was here.”

Ella took another bite, watching her food instead of Jude. “You didn’t cook it?”

“No time,” he said around a bite.

She didn’t ask him why he had no time. She knew. He’d been hunting her hard the last six months. Brody had warned her and done everything he could to keep proof Ella was alive from Endgame, but in the end, the world of spec ops was only so big. Word got around. Once she’d save King in Spain, she’d known her gig was up. She hadn’t anticipated the scenario playing out quite like this though.

“This place yours?” she asked. She needed information on him. Had to have it. Like the Jude junkie she was.

“Well now, Ella, I don’t think that’s any of your business,” he answered in a hard voice.

She winced.

“Unless you’re willing to trade information?” Jude asked with a milder tone.

She couldn’t not look at him anymore. She raised her gaze and found him staring at her, his face blank, his eyes hot. “Don’t ask that of me, Jude.”

She couldn’t call him Dagan anymore. He was Jude. She could give herself that much at least.

He barked out a laugh that was anything but humorous. “I’m going to ask that and more, Ella.”

She kept her gaze on him, and he returned it, refusing to look away. “If you’d just give me some time—”

He cut her off. “There’s no more time. We’re out of it. Dresden is making moves that will decimate world order. We need to know everything you’ve got, and we need it yesterday.”

“That’s not my mission, Jude,” she protested.

He took a bite of his beef and then a drink of tea Ella knew she’d find unbearably sweet. He wiped his mouth, never looking away from her. “Fuck your mission, Ella.”

She snorted. “You have fucked me. Royally.” She wondered where her anger was. He’d taken her off grid somewhere, was making it plain as day he was going to do everything in his power to get information from her, and she was as far from angry as she’d ever been.

“Not yet, lady,” he said with a wink before picking his fork back up. “But that’s coming too.”

Her breath caught, and an errant piece of meat lodged in her throat. She coughed, choking even as she laughed at his overwhelming gall. He started to get up, but she held up a hand, managing to dislodge the meat before she took a drink of his tea.

“Damn that’s sweet,” she complained.

“Only way to drink tea,” he responded.

He was lulling her, and damn him, it was working. She was falling back into her pattern with him, and the comfort of it was a draw she could barely resist.

She couldn’t allow this. She was going to hurt him when she left again. Because she would leave again. She had to take Dresden down, and the only way to do that was from inside his organization. He was probably wondering where the hell she was and mobilizing to either find her or destroy Jude. And beyond all that, Ella’s skin continued to crawl with worry for Anna Beth Caine. Fear prickled her skin.

“Where are we?” she asked suddenly, her fear communicating in the waver of her voice.

He held up six fingers.

Her eyes watered. Damn tears!

“You’re sure?”

He peered at her, intense and a bit put out, if the look on his face was anything to go by. Yes, she thought, how dare I question the ultimate warrior, Jude Dagan.

“I need to hear the words, Jude,” she admitted.

“We’re safe, Ella. I won’t let anything hurt you ever again.”

“Not a promise you can make,” she countered.

“You don’t think I can keep you safe?” Oh, the affront in his voice!

“I don’t think you have to. I’ve done enough to stay alive the last year, Jude. All you’re doing by keeping me here is making things exponentially more impossible for me.”

He grunted. “They were impossible before you left with Dresden in Beirut. I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“And mine my secrets in the process? Come on, Jude, let’s be honest. The only reason you’ve got me here is because I’ve become your mission. King wants answers. Endgame wants Dresden’s head. What none of you seem to realize is that there is more in play here!”

Ella slammed her hand down on the table and stood up, leaning over the table to get in his face. “I can keep myself alive. It’s you I’m worried about!”

He stared up at her, his gaze moving over her face, his expression giving her nothing. She had never yelled at Jude. Ever. But she wasn’t the same Ella anymore.

“Sit down and finish eating,” he said softly. He picked up his fork and did the same, ignoring her outburst as if it’d never happened.

She plopped back into her chair, picked up her spoon, and ate. Silence reigned through the rest of the meal. When Ella finished, she picked up her bowl and carried it to the sink, washing it and her spoon before putting them in the drying rack. She attacked the rest of the dishes and finished them off.

As she was drying her hands, Jude came up behind her. His hands settled on the granite countertop at her sides, his front pressing against her back. His heat wrapped around her as his scent toyed with her emotions.

“Let’s establish the rules right now,” he said at her ear, his voice gruff and hitting her right between the legs. “I don’t need you to keep me safe. I don’t need your protection. I need your cooperation. I need your secrets. Because, Ella? You’re mine. You have been since the moment I saw you, and you always will be. It is my right, my goddamn privilege, to take care of you. And if I have to fight you to do that, then by God, I will. I’ve been waging wars for a long time, lady, and when I fight, I win. You’re too important for me to walk away from.”

Her head fell back against his shoulder, and he took advantage, breathing his fire across her neck. She swore she felt the tip of his tongue on her skin. She went molten.

“Don’t do this to me, Jude. I begged you in Russia, and I’m begging you here.”

“It’s too late to beg. The game is in play, has been since you began working Dresden. The difference is that I know I’m a major player now.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking me for,” she whispered desperately.

“I’m asking you…for you, Ella. Your lies, your truths, and everything in between.”

Her heart climbed out of her chest and sank to his feet. “The rules?”

“Nothing but truth from now on. If you don’t want to answer me, tell me, but always give me the truth,” he answered, biting the tendon that ran from her neck to the shoulder.

Ella hissed in a breath as lust speared her midsection. “What else?” she questioned him breathlessly.

“Truth in everything, Ella. That’s the only rule,” he said against her skin.

“Is sex on the game board?” She had to know what was in his mind and, for the life of her, was too afraid to ask him.

“F*ing is always on the board between us, beautiful lady.”

Well, then. F*ing was the same as making love to Jude. He’d gone to great lengths one night to prove that to him, when he was with Ella, there was zero difference.

God, the pleasure she’d had in his arms. It had sustained her these long months without him. “If I give you the truth, you have to do the same.”

He smiled, and she felt the curve against her ear. “I’m not the one who’s lied here, Ella.”

She pushed a hand to her chest. His truths were already painful. “I’m fooling myself…allowing myself to be placated with my desires.” Who was she talking to?

“I appreciate that truth, Ella. To know that you desire me is a relief, considering how far you’ve gone to show me otherwise. But I don’t want the waters muddied too much. As you stated, there’s too much at stake here. FIing you has always been my greatest joy. Loving you my greatest reward. I’ll do what I can to keep my hands off you, but I can’t promise. My body needs yours, but my soul needs your secrets just as much.”

Then he stepped away from her and walked out of the kitchen.

Ella blew out a rough breath, gathered her wits, and finished cleaning up the kitchen. Fatigue pulled at her. With her belly full and the warmth of the cabin tugging at her, she made her way back upstairs to the room she’d woken in.

Giveaway

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Title: X-Ops Exposed

Author: Paige Tyler

Series: X-Ops, #8

Pub Date: April 3, 2018

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

HE LEFT TO KEEP HER SAFE

Believing he’s too dangerous to be among people, feline hybrid Tanner Howland retreats deep into the forests of Washington State—with no choice but to leave behind the woman who’s captured his heart. What he doesn’t know is that she followed him…

SHE WOULDN’T STAY BEHIND

Heartbroken and determined, Dr. Zarina Sokolov tracks Tanner into the wild. Her presence unleashes Tanner’s protective instinct—big time. Locals have been disappearing and he is desperate for Zarina to leave. As the kidnappings escalate, Tanner must embrace the dangerous instincts he fears so much. But with Zarina at his side, he’ll have to learn to control his animal impulses, or lose himself—and the woman he loves—to the beast within.

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Excerpt

Sighing, Tanner closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall of the cabin again. Zarina didn’t say anything else, not wanting to interrupt him if he was silently saying a prayer of thanks. She frowned a little, realizing she didn’t know whether he was religious or not. Then again, there was a lot about Tanner she didn’t know. He kept a lot of stuff to himself. She wished he didn’t do that. Maybe she could make his life better if she knew more about him. Which, strangely enough, was part of the reason she was so attracted to him. That stoic, stubborn nature of his was alluring—when it wasn’t driving her crazy.

Tanner’s eyes abruptly snapped open, and he pushed away from the wall, completely alert. A moment later, Zarina heard the sound of footsteps approaching the cabin. She turned to see Burt, along with another man and a dark-haired teenage girl who was about eighteen or nineteen. The man was probably the same age as Burt, but his face was more lined and his eyes more weary.

It wasn’t until the trio stopped in front of them that Zarina caught sight of the half-healed scar along one side of the girl’s neck. Four parallel wounds, the two in the middle deeper than the ones on either side. It took Zarina only half a second to recognize those scars had come from a shifter—or a hybrid.

Zarina shot a quick look Tanner’s way, telling herself it wasn’t possible. She searched his face for some indication he was the one who’d hurt the girl, but he merely returned her gaze.

“Zarina, you know Burt already,” Tanner said. “This is Chad and his daughter, Lillie.”

Burt gave Zarina a nod while Chad and Lillie took turns shaking her hand. Zarina should have realized the girl was the man’s daughter as soon as she saw them together. They had the same gray eyes, aquiline nose, and arching brows.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you getting here so fast, Tanner,” Chad said. “And for bringing your friend.” He looked at Zarina. “I don’t know what we would have done without her, except maybe lose Lorraine. How is she?”

Zarina opened her mouth to point out that there would have been a lot less drama if they’d simply taken the woman to a hospital like normal people, but the sight of three huge, fierce-looking men coming toward them made her forget what she’d been about to say.

It wasn’t just the blatant anger on the men’s faces that stunned her speechless. It was the fact that she recognized them. But even as she stood there with her mouth hanging open, she told herself she had to be wrong. There was no way they could possibly be the men she thought they were, because the last time she’d seen them, Stutmeir’s goons had been dragging their dead bodies out of an abandoned ski lodge not more than fifteen miles from here.

“What the hell is she doing here?” one of the men snarled, showing off inch-long fangs to go along with his suddenly flaming red eyes. Dark-haired with a broad nose and full lips, he was nearly as tall as Tanner. “She’s one of those damn doctors who tortured us. I’d know her scent anywhere.”

Zarina was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that the hybrids were alive when the one who’d spoken strode toward her, his clawed hands itching to do damage. She barely had enough time to get out of the way before Tanner stepped in front of her and stiff-armed the guy in the chest.

“Back off, Spencer,” Tanner growled, his tone more menacing than Zarina had ever heard it. He pinned the other two hybrids with a glare. One had blond hair and a stocky build while the other was a tall, muscular dark-skinned man. “Peter and Malcolm, that goes for you too.”

That warning only got them more riled up. Zarina watched in alarm as Peter and Malcolm snarled and bared their fangs. Clearly, they were ready to go through him to get to her.

Tanner didn’t give them a chance. He dropped his hands to his sides, his claws extending to their full length so fast that blood splattered on the wooden planks of the porch. Then he bared his fangs at the men and roared so loud, people five miles away probably heard it.

Zarina reached out to grab his arm, desperate to stop the fight before it started, but Tanner slipped left and caught the blond-haired Peter in midjump. Latching onto the man’s shoulders, Tanner spun him around and sent him crashing into one of the pillars supporting the porch. Peter slammed into it with an audible crunch. Something told Zarina the sound wasn’t entirely from the wood breaking.

Peter hadn’t even tumbled to the ground before Tanner was moving again. He intercepted Malcolm just as the man lashed out at Zarina’s face with his claws. Their sharp points missed her by mere inches, and she gasped as Tanner ran headlong into her attacker, shoving him away from her.

Tanner and Malcolm went down in a pile, quickly becoming a rolling ball of muscles, snarls, growls, and flashing claws. A split second later, Spencer joined the fray.

Crap. This was going to get so much worse.

Heart pounding, Zarina hurried forward to intervene, but an arm wrapped around her waist, jerking her to a stop before she’d gone more than a few feet. She glanced over her shoulder to see Burt holding onto her. A few feet away, Chad was doing the same to his daughter. All around the camp, people poked their heads out of doors and windows, a few of them venturing out of their cabins to see what the commotion was about.

“You can’t get between them, not while they’re like this,” Burt insisted. “You do, and you’re the one who’s going to get hurt.”

Zarina knew Burt was right, but that didn’t keep her from fighting against his grip anyway. Tanner was in danger. That was all she cared about.

But Burt refused to let her go, so she was forced to watch as Peter joined Spencer and Malcolm. The three hybrids looked barely human now, their eyes completely lost in a glow of red and fangs flashing.

Tanner might be bigger than all three of them and a former Army Ranger to boot, but there was no way he could fight that many out-of-control hybrids all at once. He was so focused on Spencer and Malcolm that he never saw Peter coming at his back. Malcolm gripped Tanner’s shoulder, digging his claws in deep and flipping Tanner over. Peter immediately lunged forward and sank his fangs into Tanner’s free arm, pinning it to the ground and holding him tight. That’s when Spencer leaned in close and lifted his hand, his claws aimed at Tanner’s exposed neck.

Zarina’s heart seized in her chest. Oh, God. Spencer was going to kill him.

About the Author

Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. Paige writes books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines they fall in love with. She lives with her very own military hero (a.k.a. her husband) and their adorable dog on the beautiful Florida coast.

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STOLEN OBSESSION

Annalisse Series, Book 1

by

Marlene M Bell

Genre: Spicy Romantic Mystery

Publisher: Ewephoric Publishing

Date of Publication: March 20, 2018

Number of Pages: 284

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PEOPLE DIE, BUT LEGENDS LIVE ON.

Manhattan antiquities appraiser Annalisse Drury dreams of a quiet life on the family farm among the sheep she loves, when her best friend is murdered. The police assume robbery is the motive because her friend’s expensive bracelet is missing. But the 500-year-old artifact is rumored to carry an ancient curse, one that unleashes evil upon any who dare wear the jewelry created for the Persian royal family—and Annalisse believes her friend is the latest victim.

Weeks later, Annalisse sees a necklace matching the stolen bracelet at a gallery opening. Convinced the necklace is part of the deadly collection, Annalisse begs the gallery’s owner to destroy the piece, but her pleas are ignored— despite the unnatural death that occurs during the opening. With two victims linked to the jewelry, Annalisse is certain she must act.

Desperate to keep the gallery owner safe, Annalisse reluctantly enlists the owner’s son to help—even though she’s afraid he’ll break her heart. Wealthy and devastatingly handsome, with a string of bereft women in his wake, Greek playboy Alec Zavos dismisses Annalisse’s concerns—until his parents are ripped from the Zavos family yacht during their ocean voyage near Crete.

Annalisse and Alec race across two oceans to save his mother, feared dead or kidnapped. As time lapses, the killer switches mode and closes in on the man who’s meant for Annalisse with the lifestyle she wants most.

But when it’s her turn as the hunted, will she choose to save Alec and his mother, or sacrifice everything to save herself?

Hold on for a heart-thumping adventure through exotic lands in this fast moving, romantic suspense mystery by Marlene M Bell.

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Trailer

Review

A curse, antiquities, and murder make this an intriguing read.  Throw in a handsome man, the Greek isles, and deception….well, it rounds out all the key elements of a good story.

This book led me across the globe and through a web of clues and misdirection while trying to decipher who was behind the murders and kidnappings.  Let’s just say there is a twist near the end that I didn’t expect but looking back should not have been surprised.  With everything that happens to Annalisse and Alec, I trusted no one…not even the ones that are there to help and protect.

The romance between Annalisse and Alec moves at a somewhat slower pace as they take some time to get to know one another before jumping into bed together.  There are some slightly graphic sex scenes, but nothing too risque.  Annalisse has some reservations about Alec, I believe mainly due to his wealth but is able to overcome it with time.  I liked that Alec is planning to open and run a Vet clinic.  With his background and opportunities afforded him, he could have done anything, but he followed his interest with animals into a career that is relatable.

I will say that this book needs a prequel to really delve into the murder of Annalisse’s friend Samantha.  It is the focus of the beginning of the book, but I feel like we really don’t know what happened and who the key players are that are involved.  It is mentioned again near the end of the book and her murder is resolved.  Maybe not to Annalisse’s liking, but it is tied to what happens during the bulk of the book and I feel like it needed more explanation.  When I started this book I wondered if it was the second in the series but it is not.

The book does fluctuate from moving slowly to a brisk pace especially near the end when everything is coming to a head.  I think the last 15-20% of the book is the best since that is where we learn the truth about those involved.  As I mentioned earlier, there is a twist (or two!).  Will you figure the twists out before the truth is revealed?

We give it 4 paws up.

Marlene M Bell is an acclaimed artist and photographer as well as a writer. Her sheep landscapes grace the covers of publications such as, Sheep!, The Shepherd, Ranch & Rural Living and Sheep Industry News. Ewephoric, her mail order venture, began in 1985 out of a desire for realistic sheep stationery. A color catalog of non-fiction books and sheep-related gifts may be requested at  www.marlenembell.com  or www.texassheep.com.

Marlene and her husband, Gregg reside on a wooded ranch in East Texas with their 50 head of Horned Dorset sheep, a lovable Maremma guard dog named, Tia, and 3 spoiled cats who rule the household.

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BENEATH THE SURFACE

Dive Team Investigations

Book One

by

Lynn H. Blackburn

Genre: Suspense / Romance / Christian

Publisher: Revell

Date of Publication: March 6, 2018

Number of Pages: 352

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Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new romantic suspense novel, Beneath the Surface. This gripping tale from award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn will capture readers from the first page and won’t let them go until the final, heart-pounding scene.

After a harrowing experience with an obsessed patient, oncology nurse practitioner Leigh Weston moves home to Carrington, North Carolina, to leave behind her troubled past. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present.

Homicide investigator Ryan Parker finds fulfillment in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff’s Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer—one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.

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Praise

“With this book, author Lynn Blackburn has moved from the status of an upcoming author to watch and cemented herself as an author to note. Her exceptional storytelling skills shine as she weaves an intricate plot, populated with characters we care deeply about. Another up-all-night-because-I-can’t-put-down-the-book read.”  —Edie Melson, award-winning author, blogger, and director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference

“Beneath the Surface is a swoon-worthy romantic suspense that packs a punch from page one. The nonstop action will keep you guessing until the end.”  —Rachel Dylan, author of the Atlanta Justice series

“Just when you think you can relax, Blackburn brings you back to the edge of your seat in this riveting, high-tension suspense story.”  —Patricia Bradley, author of Justice Delayed

 

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Bringing a Character to Life

Guest Post by Lynn H. Blackburn

People often ask my characters are based on real people.

My answer? Yes and no.

I have never written a character that was entirely based on a real person. Every character is a little melting pot of dozens of people—real and fictional.

I often start with my character’s job. Are they in law enforcement or some other profession? Do they love their job or hate it? Did they go into the family business or choose a different path? Do they see their job as a calling or as a means to an end? I brainstorm all sorts of professions until I find one that fits the story that’s swirling in my brain.

While I’m thinking about that, I also start thinking about their family of origin. Was it happy or dysfunctional? Do they have siblings? Are their parents living? Married or divorced? Do they all live in the same town or are they in far flung places? Again, the answers to these questions are often related to how the story is unfolding in my mind. Sometimes I need a sibling to live local. Sometimes I need them out of the picture to isolate my character further.

And I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what is standing between them and true love. This is a romance after all! Do they date a lot but keep it light? Or do they avoid dating because they’ve been hurt too badly in the past? Or maybe they’re carrying a secret flame for someone they can’t have.

At some point, I just have to start writing because no matter how much I try to get to know the character before the book begins, there’s nothing like putting them in situations and seeing how they react to learn more about them.

The heroine of Beneath the Surface is Leigh Weston. She’s a nurse practitioner who left her position in a big hospital’s oncology department after a patient stalked and terrorized her for months. She’s returned to her hometown of Carrington, NC and is working in the Emergency Department now.

The inspiration for Leigh’s profession is my sister (who shared her middle name with my character). My sister is a nurse practitioner who does palliative care. She works with patients in end-of-life situations every day and I used her knowledge, compassion and skills to form the backbone of Leigh’s character.

But Leigh is very much her own unique person. She was adopted from China so I reached out to a young lady I know who was adopted from China and raised in the Carolinas. She was very gracious to answer a lot of questions that helped me get further into Leigh’s brain and understand how she might think about certain situations.

At the beginning of Beneath the Surface, Leigh has isolated herself as a coping mechanism to help her deal with the death of her mother and the stalker who threatened her life. None of those things have happened to anyone I know personally and are pure fiction.

Leigh was also a gymnast and loves yoga and that came from my own wish that I was flexible and strong like that! One of my favorite parts of writing is being able to give my characters abilities that I wish I personally had.

Of course, people often ask how much I put of myself into my characters and there’s usually at least one thing that each character does or enjoys that is all me. In Leigh’s case, it’s the cooking.

Maybe it’s a Southern thing but I do love to feed the people I love. If I wasn’t so busy writing books I would entertain every weekend. Not in a fancy way, but more the way Leigh does. Just opening up my home and providing some tasty treats and a relaxed place to enjoy them. Nothing makes me happier than to have my house and yard crawling with friends and their kids, all of whom know they are welcome to eat everything they see and flop into any chair they want.

Developing my characters, discovering who they are and what makes them tick, and then introducing them to my readers—those are some of my favorite parts of the creative process.

Lynn H. Blackburn is the author of Hidden Legacy (Love Inspired, June 2017) and Covert Justice, winner of the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel. Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children.

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