Smokin’ Hot Cowboy Christmas

 

by Kim Redford

 

Publication Date: 9/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

Have yourself a Smokin’ Hot Cowboy Christmas

 

It’s been one fiasco after another for newcomer Belle Tarleton since she began trying to turn her ranch into an arts center. Local workers seem determined to ruin her Christmas party plans, and she hopes bringing in down-on-his-luck Rowdy Holloway to help with renovations will get things back on track.

Rowdy is the unluckiest cowboy in the whole of Wildcat Bluff County, Texas, and things are not improving this holiday season. Sure, he’s the object of many local women’s drool-worthy fantasies, but the town has decided he’s the man who should stop Belle’s renovation plans.

It started as a simple mission, but now Rowdy’s so twisted up he doesn’t know whose side he’s on. With only days until Christmas, Rowdy and Belle need to tap into their fiery personalities and off-the-charts chemistry if they’re ever going to find a way to thaw the ice on this reluctant town’s heart.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Life had taken on the magical quality of Christmas that Rowdy enjoyed every year. As he drove down Wildcat Road, he thought about the fact that the county was only two days out from the annual festivities centered in Old Town, Sure-Shot, and Wildcat Hall Park. Out-of-towners were starting to arrive and fill up Twin Oaks B&B, Wildcat Bluff Hotel, Cowboy Cabins, and every other available space for rent. It was fun and exciting, but everybody was running to get last-minute details completed so everything rolled out smoothly for those who came to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Well, not quite everybody was involved in supporting the festivities. At Lulabelle & You Ranch, Belle had created her own little island of holiday happiness. She wasn’t involved in the county’s affairs, so she was focused on her clothing line, the horses and cattle on the ranch, and the pigeons in her barn. He smiled at another thought. She also put a little focus on him because he spent evenings at her house.

He turned off the road, rattled across the cattle guard of Belle’s ranch, and drove up to her house. He parked in front on the circle drive. He shook his head in disgust at the shingle stacks. They were a glaring reminder of what he—and nobody else—hadn’t done for her, but at least most of them were there. If she had a leak on her roof, there’d have been no question about reroofing her house, but upgrading could wait until they were past the holidays…at least he hoped she saw it that way.

He’d make up for the shingles today because he was arriving with gifts in the back of his one-ton pickup, sort of like Santa Claus with gifts in the back of his sleigh. Horsepower and reindeer-power got the job done.

She knew he was coming, so she opened the front door, raced across the lawn, and threw herself into his arms just as he stepped out of his vehicle. She felt good like she always did…and so right with him.

“Did you bring my gifts like you said?” She grinned at him, excited like a little kid on Christmas morning.

“Look in the back of the truck.”

She started to run back there but stopped and looked at him. “You could have waited until Christmas.”

“I want you to enjoy my gifts now. Besides, aren’t you going to your family’s ranch for Christmas dinner?”

“I always do, but this year…”

“Family is important. Tradition is important.”

“But we’re important, too.”

He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “Let’s table that for today. I want you to have what I made.”

“Made?” She opened her hazel eyes wide in excitement.

He tugged her to the back of his truck.

“Oh my! You made furniture for my new patio?”

“Remember, I told you I did a little woodworking as a hobby. I hope you like cedar. It’s perfect for outdoors.”

“It’s gorgeous.”

He was pleased with the two chairs, love seat, and table he’d created for her. He lowered the tailgate and hopped up into the bed of his truck. He set each piece on the ground and then picked up a big sack and handed it to her. He leaped back down and closed the tailgate.

“What’s in here?” She hugged the sack to her chest. “It feels soft.”

“You need cushions for your furniture, don’t you?”

“Wonderful! You thought of everything.”

“I wanted you to have it all for Christmas.”

She peeked into the open sack. “I can hardly believe it. You matched the color of the new trim on my house.”

“If I’m going to do something, I do it right.”

She gave him a little self-satisfied smile. “Yeah. I can give testimony to that fact.”

“Come on. I’ll carry your new furniture around back and set it up.”

“I’ll help.”

He picked up the love seat and headed for the backyard. She kept right up with him, lugging the sack of cushions. When they got there, he set down his piece of furniture near the metal set. The old patio set looked insubstantial, almost whimsical, in comparison.

“Where do you want me to position your new furniture?”

“I’m not sure.” She set the big sack on top of the old table.

He checked the flagstone patio under his feet, looking for any problems that might have occurred since he’d finished installing it. No issues so far, but he didn’t expect any because he did meticulous work. He liked the big size of the patio. It stretched the length of the house just outside the long bank of windows, so the patio served as an extension of that room, melding outdoors with indoors.

He was as proud of building the patio as he was of making the furniture. He’d worked hard to bring her vision to life…and he’d succeeded. He realized now that when something was made for someone out of love, it turned out not just beautiful but special as well. He could easily spend a lifetime creating wonderful things for her just to see her face fill with happiness as it was at this moment. He’d learned that was part of what love was all about.

“I want to center the set just outside the windows so when I’m inside I can see how beautiful it looks outside,” she said.

He tugged her close, feeling his heart swell with happiness. “Perfect. Now let’s get the rest of your new furniture back here.”

Soon they had the cedar pieces arranged on the patio with the cushions in place. It looked good, even better than he’d imagined when he was making it.

“Rowdy, I love it.” She set the crimson-silk-flower holiday arrangement he’d included in the sack on the center of the table and then plopped down in a chair and stroked long fingers across the smooth, varnished tabletop.

“Merry Christmas.” He sat down beside her, feeling as if he’d come home for the holidays.

 

About the Author

 

Kim is an acclaimed, bestselling author of Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos for inspiration. She divides her time between homes in Texas and Oklahoma, where she’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider–when she takes a break from her keyboard.

 

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Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas

 

by Joanne Kennedy

 

Publication Date: 9/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

There’s no place like home…

 

Weary from a long deployment, Griff Bailey has been dreaming of a quiet Christmas on his father’s ranch. But all his hopes of peace are upended when he finds his one-time fling, Riley James, has moved in.

Riley swore off dark, dangerous men a long time ago, but Griff’s emotional scars pull at her heartstrings, and she desperately wants to help him heal despite their complicated past.

It’ll take a miracle for these two stubborn former lovers to open themselves up again, but isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

The snow globe on the dashboard rocked and sloshed as Griff Bailey’s Jeep dropped off the pavement onto the dirt road that led to his father’s ranch. The music-­box base tinkled out a few hesitant notes, but they were lost in the racket of icy flakes clattering on the windshield.

Griff had picked up the globe at an airport gift shop, remembering how his sister loved Christmas kitsch. He’d set it on the dashboard in an effort to inspire his own Christmas spirit, but it was just making him sad. There was Santa, the most senior of senior citizens, frozen forever with one foot in a chimney and a heavy pack slung over one shoulder while phony snowflakes swirled around him. It was obvious the bag wasn’t going to fit down the chute, and the jaunty, tinkling rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” was just plain rude. This Santa wasn’t going anywhere.

Neither was Griff, in the long run. Like Santa, he’d flown halfway around the world only to find his life shaken and stirred by unseen forces.

As the wipers thwacked out their restless rhythm, he saw a light burning in the distance.

Almost home.

He was surprised to find his heart lifting at the thought. His sole ambition from boyhood had been to escape the everyday sameness of ranch life, with its early mornings, late nights, and chores that were never done well enough, soon enough, or fast enough.

So why was he coming home?

Simple. The last place he wanted to go was now the only place that would have him.

At least, he thought they would. As far as his family knew, he was still deployed. His dad and stepmom were on an RV trip in the Southwest, while his sister was honeymooning in California. He wasn’t sure how long they’d be gone, but he was hoping for a couple weeks of solitude so he could shake off the dark memories that had smudged his bright military future. Bit by bit, day by day, he would become the man he’d been before.

Before what?

Ghosts of the past rattled their chains in the back of his brain, threatening to rise and walk, but he knocked his head with the heel of his hand and sent them skittering back to their caves. He’d deal with them later. Right now, he needed to concentrate on the road.

As he nudged the Jeep around an icy curve, he laid eyes on his father’s house for the first time in four years—­and slammed on the brakes, sliding sideways, feeling the tug of a snowdrift hauling him into the ditch. White-­knuckling the wheel, he spun right, then left, and lurched to a sudden stop that slammed his chest against the shoulder harness.

Breathing hard, he stared at his childhood home. He’d expected to feel reluctance, nostalgia, even a surge of relief at the sight of it—­but all he felt was shock.

The entire front wall of the house was demolished, with beams and boards scattered like matchsticks in the snow. He might not be a fan of ranch life, but the Diamond Jack was the one safe, unchanging place in his world. And it had exploded.

Unbuckling, he opened the door and fell to his knees. A low buzzing began inside him, blind bees bumbling for a way out. They were with him every day, simmering beneath any emotion he dared to feel, pushing for release in a roar of rage, a howl of fear, a savage strike at something, anything. But releasing them would make the outside world match the darkness inside him, so he held them in.

The docs ought to give him some credit for that. They ought to let him go back. They would if he could control it, so he followed their advice.

Breathe.

As he drank in the cold air, the buzzing faded and died.

Surprised, oddly empty, he rose to his feet and trudged toward the house through snow up to his thighs. It was slow going, but that gave him time to assess the situation.

There were lights on in the upstairs bathroom, his sister’s bedroom, and the kitchen. That was all wrong. Nobody was supposed to be home. And what was that weird shape in the wreckage? Had it moved?

Holy crap. What is that?

It looked like an animal—­one with beaming yellow eyes that reflected the Jeep’s headlights. Had he started hallucinating now?

Apparently not. The creature proved itself disturbingly real by launching itself from the wreckage and loping toward him with an awkward, lolloping gait. Feet like paddles flung snow all around, and its drooling jowls flapped as it ran, revealing long, white teeth that gleamed in the starlight. Those teeth were the last thing he saw before it leapt up and knocked him to the ground.

Pressing Griff’s shoulders into the snow with paws the size of dinner plates, the beast dripped a cold string of drool onto his cheek as its amber eyes burned into his with a passion for…

For pats, probably. Because it was just a dog. A big, weird-­looking dog, but a friendly one. As a goofy grin spread across its slobbery face, Griff heaved it off his chest.

“Who the heck are you?”

The dog sat back and presented its paw as if introducing itself. Confused, Griff shook it, glancing around, and noticed a pickup in front of the barn.

“Shoot,” he mumbled. “I didn’t think there’d be anybody here.”

The dog shimmied close and leaned hard against him, tossing its head back and almost clonking Griff in the nose. It gazed adoringly into his face, and he suddenly felt better than he had in a year.

It might be nice to have a dog around. Trouble was, dogs generally came with people, and he wasn’t ready for people.

 

 

About the Author

 

Joanne Kennedy is the RITA-nominated author of ten contemporary Western romance novels. The first book in her Decker Ranch trilogy, How to Handle a Cowboy, was named one of Booklist’s “Best Romances of the Decade.” She lives with her retired fighter pilot husband in a secret mountain hideout on the Wyoming border.

 

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The Secret on Rum Runner’s Lane: A Book Magic Mini Mystery
Cozy Mystery
Mini Mystery #1
Publisher: Lake House Press (November 10, 2020)
Print length: 104 pages

 

Synopsis

The Lane women are bibliomancers, but Cassie sees her divination not as a gift, but as a curse–one from which she desperately wants to escape. It turns out, though, that running from her fate isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. When a woman goes missing, and a neighbor turns up dead, Cassie turns to the books she’s always avoided to help her find the truth.

 

 

 

Review

 

This is the prequel to this new series and it had me hooked on the concept, the setting. and the characters.

This tells the story of Carrie and how she came to be in Devil’s Cove. We learn about her sister and Aunt and their gift of bibliomancy which Cassie has shunned until she realizes maybe it is something she should embrace.

I loved Carrie’s landlord, Hattie. She is quite a hoot and I can only imagine how she will be in future books.

I enjoyed the mystery and never suspected how it would turn out. The cast of characters isn’t large and you might be able to figure it out, but I know I didn’t know how it was going to end.

I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series and while you don’t have to start with this prequel (since it came out after book 1), I think it gives some good insight into Cassie and her beliefs and how she was raised.

We give this 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of nineteen mystery books, including the brand new collaborative Book Magic mysteries, the Lola Cruz Mysteries, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, and the Bread Shop Mysteries, written as Winnie Archer. She is a former middle school English teacher who gave up the classroom in order to live in her imagination full time. Melissa, a California native who has lived in Texas and Colorado, now calls the southeast home. She hikes, practices yoga, cooks, and is slowly but surely discovering all the great restaurants in the Carolinas. Since four of her five amazing kids are living their lives, scattered throughout the country, her dogs, Bean, the pug, Dobby, the chug, and Jasper, a cattle dog/lab keep her company while she writes. Melissa lives in North Carolina with her educator husband, Carlos, and their youngest son. She is beyond fortunate to be living the life of her dreams.

 

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ONCE UPON A MAIL ORDER BRIDE

 

Outlaw Mail Order Brides, #4

 

by

 

Linda Broday

 

 

Categories: Western / Historical Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of Publication: November 24, 2020

Number of Pages: 352 pages

 

 

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Accused of crimes he didn’t commit, ex-preacher Ridge Steele is forced to give up everything he knew and make his home with outlaws. Desperate for someone to confide in, he strikes up correspondence with mail-order bride Adeline Jancy, finding in her the open heart he’s been searching for. Upon her arrival, Ridge discovers Addie only communicates through the written word, but he knows a little of what trauma can do to a person and vows to stand by her side.

Addie is eager to start a new life with the kind ex-preacher and the little boy she’s stolen away from her father―a zealot priest of a terrorized flock. As her small family settles into life at Hope’s Crossing, she even begins to find the voice, and confidence, she’d lost so long ago.

But danger is not far behind, and her father will not be denied. While Addie desperately fights the man who destroyed her childhood, a determined Ridge races to the rescue. The star-crossed lovers will need more than prayers to survive this final challenge…and find their way back to each other again.

 

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“An awesome culmination to a great western romance series!” ~ Fresh Fiction

“Broday concludes the Outlaw Mail Order Bride series with a sizzling finale that features a tantalizingly slow build to intimate trust that catapults into adrenaline packed ardor.” ~ Booklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty historical western romance novels and short stories. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed, and at times if the breeze is just right, I can hear their voices whispering in the wind. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here where cowboys are still caretakers of the land. I’m inspired every day by their immense dedication and love for the wide-open spaces.

When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I’ve also been accused (quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places. I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic unfold on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.

 

 

 

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GRAND PRIZE:

 

Full Autographed Set of the Mail Order Bride Series

 

2^ND and 3^RD PRIZE:

 

Autographed copy of Once Upon a Mail Order Bride

 

4^TH PRIZE: $10 Amazon Gift Card

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

or visit the blogs directly:

 

12/1/2020	Book Trailer	StoreyBook Reviews
12/1/2020	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
12/2/2020	Excerpt	Forgotten Winds
12/3/2020	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
12/4/2020	Review	Momma on the Rocks
12/5/2020	Character Interview	All the Ups and Downs
12/6/2020	Excerpt	The Clueless Gent
12/7/2020	Review	Missus Gonzo
12/8/2020	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
12/9/2020	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
12/10/2020	Review	Reading by Moonlight

 

 

 

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Where There’s A Will: A Glass Dolphin Mystery

Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series

Publisher: Superior Shores Press (November 10, 2020)

Paperback: 210 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Emily Garland is getting married and looking for the perfect forever home. When the old, and some say haunted, Hadley house comes up for sale, she’s convinced it’s “the one.” The house is also perfect for reality TV star Miles Pemberton and his new series, House Haunters. Emily will fight for her dream home, but Pemberton’s pockets are deeper than Emily’s, and he’ll stretch the rules to get what he wants.

While Pemberton racks up enemies all around Lount’s Landing, Arabella Carpenter, Emily’s partner at the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, has been hired to appraise the contents of the estate, along with her ex-husband, Levon. Could the feuding beneficiaries decide there’s a conflict of interest? Could Pemberton?

Things get even more complicated when Arabella and Levon discover another will hidden inside the house, and with it, a decades-old secret. Can the property stay on the market? And if so, who will make the winning offer: Emily or Miles Pemberton?

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Emily Garland couldn’t believe it. After nearly a decade of being rented out, the old Hadley house was finally on the market. According to her real estate agent, Poppy Spencer, it was priced to sell and would get snapped up fast.

Emily had hesitated at first, given what she’d heard about the property’s history. How many people wanted to buy a house where the owner had been murdered? True, he hadn’t actually been murdered in the house, but the case had never been solved, and for the past decade, tenants had come and gone, none staying beyond a few months, most no more than a few weeks. Rumor had it the spirit of Esther Harriet Hadley haunted the house, unable to rest until her husband, Martin’s, killer or killers were brought to justice.

Even so, she had to admit that the Hadley house appeared to tick all their boxes, at least from the description and photographs on the agent’s website:

Location, location, location! This rustic four-bedroom, two-bathroom Victorian charmer on desirable Walnut Street includes a generous garden for your green thumb and a high-ceilinged lower level with loads of potential. Put your own stamp on this one. Motivated vendor.

Emily had seen enough houses to know that “Rustic charmer” translated to “needed serious renovations,” whereas the “generous garden for your green thumb” meant an overgrown, weed-infested plot of land, and the “lower level with loads of potential” was realtor speak for an unfinished basement. But the Walnut Street location was absolutely perfect—a ten-minute walk to the Glass Dolphin, and a short drive to reach the main road to Lakeside for Luke. “Buy the worst house on the best street,” Poppy had said, and this house certainly qualified.

Prospects and possibilities, that’s what a house was supposed to be, not just four walls, a roof, and a place to sleep. Emily browsed through the online photos and virtual tour multiple times, and thought this could be “the one,” the creepiness factor of the old murder notwithstanding. Besides, it wasn’t as if she believed in ghosts.

 

 

About the Author

 

A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: the Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including The Best Laid Plans and Heartbreaks & Half-truths, which she also edited. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Chair on the Board of Directors.

 

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Joy to the Wolves

 

by Terry Spear

 

Publication Date: 9/29/2020

 

 

Synopsis

 

Meet the shifters of the Red Wolf pack…

Close quarters make for a cozy Christmas…

 

As Christmas approaches, red wolf shifter Brooke Cerise unexpectedly inherits an antique shop in Portland, Oregon. But when a missing reindeer calf turns up on her property, she becomes embroiled in a kidnapping case and the primary suspect of far-too-intriguing shifter Detective Josh Wilding.

Josh doesn’t intend to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, but Brooke gets under his skin from the moment they meet, and he can’t help his instinct to protect her. These red wolves are both on the hunt for love, but there’s a mystery to solve before they can enjoy their holiday happy-ever-after.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Brooke called the first reindeer ranch she could find the number for while she hurried to leave the boxes outside for the recyclable trash. When she returned to the shop, someone from the ranch picked up the call.

“Hi, I’m Brooke Cerise, and a reindeer calf showed up—­” She quit speaking when she saw a tall, dark, and handsome man walk into her shop wearing a suit, a parka, and a badge. He’d better not be the bozo at the police bureau who had hung up on her!

The man glanced at the reindeer calf and then moved through the customers taking pictures of him. He reached Brooke, his posture saying he was in charge and going to get to the bottom of this. “This deer belongs to Wilding Reindeer Ranch. Do you care to explain why he’s in your shop?” He raised a dark brow. He had an Indiana Jones-­type build—­muscled enough to swing across caverns and climb tall peaks, nice broad shoulders, physically fit, not like he sat around in an office eating too many doughnuts. “This is your shop, correct?”

“Yes. I’m Brooke Cerise, the owner.”

That was when she smelled the officer’s scent and realized he was a red wolf like her. Wild, wolfish, and an Ivory fragrance. A red-­wolf pack was located outside Portland, but on her visits to see her great-­aunt, she hadn’t had time to meet anyone. She hoped it wouldn’t be a problem for her to move into the area without contacting the pack leaders first. Did he belong to the pack? Not that she could ask him in front of her human customers.

She said to the man on the phone, “Uh, sorry, it looks like I just found where the calf belongs.”

“No problem. Thanks for calling and checking with us.”

“You’re welcome. Have a great day.” She ended the call. “I called it in, but the officer I spoke to thought it was a crank call. The reindeer just walked into my courtyard.”

“I’m Detective Wilding, an investigator with the Portland Police Bureau. I’ve called the ranch, and someone’s coming to pick him up.” He had a nice, manly voice, warm and sexy like one of her favorite narrators of the romance audiobooks that she enjoyed listening to. He took a deep breath of her scent too. She wondered if he’d known her great-­aunt.

Brooke realized she was getting so much publicity that the police must have seen the news that the reindeer was at her open house and sent an investigator to investigate.

“I need to get your statement,” he said, all official-­like.

As if she were at fault for the reindeer calf being here! Hopefully, the other local wolves were a lot more welcoming than he was. That was all she needed though. To be considered a rogue wolf who committed crimes!

“By the way, you don’t leave anything important in your trash, do you? Like credit-­card or bank-­account information without shredding it?”

“No, why?”

“Someone was looking at your boxes.”

“Maybe to use for packing boxes?”

“Maybe.”

More people crowded into her shop. Brooke sure hoped people were going to purchase something and not just come to see the reindeer. Though she had to admit the little fellow made for a great marketing tool with all the social network shares that were going on. It was putting her shop on the map. He was adorable, and he seemed to be enjoying all the company.

Several of the customers were still texting about the reindeer and posting about her shop, and a few people had migrated to the drinks and food and begun to enjoy them. Then a couple of customers brought items over to her checkout counter. Yes!

“Sorry, why don’t you do your police-­officer duty and take care of the reindeer? I’ll give you a statement when things slow down, Officer,” she told Detective Wilding. She didn’t expect him to do anything with the reindeer, but she hoped he’d leave her alone while she was checking out her customers.

“Detective,” he corrected her. He situated himself right next to the checkout counter, waiting for her to finish ringing up her sales.

How annoying!

The ladies thanked her and smiled at the detective, who smiled back at them with a little lift to one corner of his mouth, giving him a charmingly handsome appearance. The ladies took their packages and left. Brooke glanced in the direction of the other people in her shop, wishing a whole bunch of customers would inundate her with merchandise to ring up so she could ignore the detective further, but nope. That meant she was at the detective’s mercy. Again. Darn it.

“Okay, give me your statement now.” He stood there tall and imposing, his dark hair windswept, his dark-­brown eyes capturing her gaze, powerful, demanding. There was no smile for her.

“He was eating holly berries off my shrub. Someone had left the gate open.”

“Not you, of course.”

“Of course not. I always close it.” Brooke folded her arms across her chest. She knew that was a defensive posture when she had nothing to be defensive about. She had nothing to do with stealing the reindeer!

“But you didn’t lock it.”

“Usually, I do.” She let out her breath. “I must have forgotten.”

“But you didn’t forget to close the gate.”

He might be gorgeous to look at, but he was annoying her to pieces. She was a law-­abiding citizen, and she wasn’t in the market for a reindeer calf. How could he make her feel like she was guilty of a crime just because she must not have locked her gate last night?

“The latch needs to be replaced.” She hated having to concede that to the detective.

“Faulty latch, hmm,” he said, writing it down.

Oh, for heaven’s sake. You’d think she’d committed the crime of the century!

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over forty paranormal romances. Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing was a Romantic Times Top Pick. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears. She lives in Spring, Texas.

 

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Synopsis

 

Love in the time of war.

 

Highland Heart is a sensual historical romance set in England and the Scottish Highlands in 1745 at the time of the second Jacobite Rebellion. (Think Tom Jones!) The romantic involvement is between a French aristocrat who is part Scottish and a British army officer who finds her as desirable as she finds him. Try as hard as they might, their overwhelming passion for each other cannot be denied. But people and events come between them nearly destroying their relationship since they are politically on opposite sides.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“What will you do with him?” Madeleine asked, her face pale, lower lip trembling.

“He’ll be our prisoner until we’re well out of here. I’ll not be hung as a traitor by the English.”

Andrew turned to Gareth. “They say you’re a brave soldier and that your men respect you. We’ll do you no harm. Unlike your people, we’re not butchers.”

But Gareth wasn’t accepting what her cousin said. It took the same four men to subdue him, and finally, the giant, Fergus, rendered Gareth unconscious with a hard blow to the jaw.

“Is he all right?” she asked with a wavering voice.

“He’ll be fine, lassie,” Andrew reassured her.

“There was no other way to get the bonds on him,” Fergus said. “The mon has the strength of a demon.”

She remained in the cave, waiting for Gareth to regain consciousness, unable to bring herself to leave until she knew for certain that he would truly be all right. As he began to moan softly, she brought a cloth and some water to wash the blood from his face.

When his eyes opened, Gareth at first looked puzzled. Then a flicker of memory came into those glittering sapphire eyes and he seemed to recall the circumstances which brought him into his current situation.

“Untie me,” he demanded of her in a soft, urgent voice.

She shook her head. “I cannot do it. They won’t hurt you. Andrew promised.”

“The promise of a barbarian? And what’s that worth?” He sounded bitter and cynical.

“At least as much as yours,” she countered, pressing his bruised face a little too gingerly with the cloth. “My cousin is a man of honor.”

“Careful!” he said, squirming from the pain.

“You’ve nothing to fear.”

“As if I could trust you!” he spat out angrily.

She stared at him in surprise. “You think I betrayed you in some way?”

“Didn’t you? You knew I followed you here and you told them.”

“I did no such thing! I never dreamed you’d follow us. Why would I? And why did you follow us anyway?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“I thought you might be coming to your cousin.”

“How clever you are,” she said.

“Not near clever enough.”

Her heart hurt; she felt a deep sense of regret and disappointment. He obviously held a low opinion of her.

Andrew joined them at that moment. “Madeleine, I think we might try a bit of a ploy. Tell my mother what has happened. Ask her what she thinks about telling the English soldiers that we hold Eriksen. We could promise to return him if they leave here.”

“They have orders, MacCarnan. If I die, the next man in line will take command, and so forth. It will never end until you’re taken into custody or dead. I’m a worthless hostage to you.” Gareth’s voice was quiet and tightly controlled.

“We’ll see,” her cousin said.

Madeleine saw that Andrew’s face had grown paler and he looked very weak. Gently, she helped him to lie down. He pressed his cheek to hers and kissed her affectionately on the lips. She felt Gareth’s accusing eyes upon her and could hardly breathe as if a granite weight were pressed against her chest.

“Someday, there will be a time for us. I promise ye that, my bonnie lass.” Andrew’s smile was warm as the sun on a summer’s day.

“Rest now,” she said. “Grow strong that you may leave this place.”

His hand held hers until he finally slept. Turning away from Andrew, she saw Gareth’s eyes coldly watching her. His expression was so closed, she hardly knew what he was thinking. The extent of the control he could exercise over his emotions truly amazed her. It also frightened her. He gave away nothing.

“Come here,” he said in a voice that was deadly calm. His hooded eyes possessed her own the way a cobra would mesmerize its victim.

She did not want to move, yet her legs seemed to carry her of their own volition.

“Tell my men where I am,” he said quietly. “Help me escape from here.”

“I cannot do that and you know it!”

“I know nothing of the sort. If you care about me at all then you must help me escape.”

She shook her head. “I do care, but what you ask is impossible.”

“Talk softly. They are paying no attention to us at the moment, but if you raise your voice again, you’ll alert them.”

She pressed a compress against his face and then to his lips which were also badly battered. His lips kissed her fingertips, sending queer little quivers through her belly and heat through her blood.

“Help me,” he whispered. “You must.” He began sucking on her fingertips.

She quickly pulled her hand away.

 

About the Author

 

Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Twenty of her books of fiction have been published to critical praise. She enjoys painting landscapes and singing along to all kinds of music.

 

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Synopsis

 

‘Did you ever ponder the sheer absurdity of the story told in the New Testament? That humanity’s redemption lay in the execution of God’s only son?’

Elliot Ambrose is one of the few souls on Earth who knows the truth about Yeshua of Nazareth. His determination to expose this truth throws him into conflict with an ancient and powerful foe, who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets. A war started in Judea two thousand years ago culminates in a final battle in the twenty-first century.

This dark, gripping, time-shift thriller will appeal to fans of Dan Brown, S. J Parris, and Raymond Khoury.

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

Pilate’s head was spinning. The auditorium floor, far beneath him, was as a choppy sea. The faces in the audience swayed. He sat, and felt physical relief wash over him.

‘We shall resume,’ Evandrus announced in a voice that pounded at Pilate’s fragile head, ‘with the defence.’

Yossef of Arimathea stood. Even at distance, and through the vinous fog, Pilate could sense the man’s fear.

This really matters to the man. Why?

‘Prefect, Boaz Ben-Jada has painted a picture for you of a violent agitator. I do not intend to waste your time counteracting the ridiculous claims put forward. I have too much respect for your intellect to consider such an approach necessary. The Sanhedrin are as transparent as they are false.’

There was a collective animal reaction from the Sanhedrin, hissing, snarling and muttering. Pilate did not bother to steel himself against the flattery. He enjoyed flattery, perhaps even encouraged it from time to time, but he was practised in ensuring that it would not avail petitioners too much.

‘Instead I hope to show you the type of man Yeshua is.’

Was Tavarius speaking truly? Does the advocate mean to prove that a god stands before me, awaiting my judgement? Well, good luck, advocate.

Pilate looked at Yeshua, whose hands worried over each other, while his eyes darted about the auditorium. Nothing could seem less powerful, less divine. And then, the man was transformed. His posture became straight, his body and face steel. It was a look Pilate associated with his strongest military commanders. Men who would not bend, and would die before they broke, men who would use their very corpses as obstacles to Rome’s many enemies. Yeshua stared directly at Pilate then, and the Prefect of Judea wilted beneath the man’s gaze.

Fire. This man is fire, and he has come to burn me.

 

 

About the Author

 

Francis Chapman, author of the thriller Book of Yeshua, was born in 1988 in Portsmouth, England. However, that would not have been his first choice of birthplace, and you certainly shouldn’t hold that against him.

He currently lives in Surrey, with his partner (and editor), three children, and a menagerie of badly behaved animals (six cats, three chickens, and a tortoise). He has had many jobs, including being a bartender, a copywriter, a magazine editor, and a Historic Property Steward at Stone Henge.

Francis studied Philosophy, which he greatly enjoyed, but he is most passionate about his writing. Most of his ideas come to him in the shower, or whilst walking his daughters to school.

During those brief moments when Francis isn’t writing, reading, or attempting to parent his children, he enjoys American football, learning Japanese, and is more than a little bit obsessed with the American reality TV show Survivor.

 

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Synopsis

 

From the author of THE LANE BETRAYAL comes the second novel in the Time Box saga.

Months after stealing two time machines from a madman who wants them back, the Lanes, a family of six, seek safety and contentment in 1893, the latest stop on a journey through time. While parents Mark and Mary find relief at Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition, an extravaganza of science and splendor, children Jeremy, Laura, and Ashley find romance, friendship, and thrills.

Older son Jordan, meanwhile, heads west in search of answers. Grieving the loss of a lover from 1865, he travels to Virginia City, Nevada, where he integrates himself into a storied mining community and the heart of a pretty library clerk.

Billionaire Robert Devereux could not care less. Reeling from the theft of his million-dollar devices, he sends an assassin to the past to retrieve his property and rid the world of his former business partner and his troublesome clan.

Filled with humor, heartbreak, and suspense, THE FAIR follows a modern family on the adventure of a lifetime as they navigate their way through an unforgettable year in American history.

 

 

 

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Review

 

This book picks up where The Lane Betrayal ends. The Lane family has traveled to 1893 and has decided upon Chicago as its destination once they arrive in that time to attend The World Fair. The sites and exhibits sound amazing and what a wonderful way to learn about other parts of the world long before the internet. Plus you can touch, feel, and taste what was being offered.

This book really focuses on the two sons, Jordan and Jeremy.  Jordan decides to head out west to recover from losing a second love in the last book. On the train, he meets a woman that is a librarian in Virginia City, Nevada. He never expected to find love again, but he does. Not with the librarian from the train, but her adopted daughter. The relationship between Jordan and Jessie is intriguing and filled with new adventures for both of them. I have to admit, women were not afraid to shoot guns back then and Jessie is no different. Those skills come in handy later in the book.

Jeremy also finds love with a high society woman, Ivy, that he meets at the fair. While they might rub each other wrong at first, it doesn’t take long for them to recognize the love they have for each other. The only downside is that she is already engaged to someone else. Plus, she is from a wealthy family and what would Jeremy have to offer that would win her parents over? I loved the adventures they had together. They meet once a week and explore the fair, other towns, beaches, and much more.

Laura Lane has a small story in this book and strikes up a friendship with Prudence O’Leary that is from Ireland and is a commercial graphics illustrator. These two become best friends quickly and Prudence has a quick wit about her. It was nice to see Laura branch out and find someone she could befriend. Granted, their friendship almost ends but not due to anything Laura or Prudence say or do, but rather at the hands of a villain. You’ll have to read the book to find out more.

I enjoyed the historical aspects of this book especially learning more about The World Fair, and from the descriptive text, I felt like I was there in a small way. The author shares notes on his research in the notes and he did not skimp on the details. The Lane’s have some information downloaded to their phones but not a lot since I’m sure they didn’t plan to arrive here before they left 2021. But that at least forwarns them of some events.

They are still not safe and are still trying to lay low to avoid detection from Robert and his desire for revenge. They are doing pretty well until a few letters are unearthed that reference one of the Lane family members. This sets Robert on their trail again and Silas, the assassin, nearly succeeds in eliminating one of the Lane family members. I won’t say which one because Silas is in for quite a surprise himself.

There are many happy moments, and a few sad ones. There is more story to tell and the third in this series should be out in early 2021. I can’t wait to discover what happens next for all of the Lane family. There are a few clues about what is to come or how their journey to the past has impacted the timeline. So many possibilities!

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

John A. Heldt is a reference librarian and the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage time-travel series. The former award-winning sportswriter and newspaper editor has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, he is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life on his blog.

 

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Synopsis

 

From the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage, American Journey, and Carson Chronicles series comes the first book in the Time Box saga.

Virginia physicist Mark Lane has a problem. Weeks after privately creating two time machines, he learns his corporate partner wants to use the portable devices for nefarious purposes. Rather than give him the chance to do so, Mark takes the time boxes and escapes to the relative safety of 1865.

For Mark, wife Mary, and their children, the adventure is a chance to grow. Mary runs a business. Jeremy, 19, and Ashley, 12, befriend escaped slaves. Laura, 22, finds her place as a nurse. Jordan, 25, falls for a beautiful widow. All hope to find peace in the past.

Billionaire Robert Devereaux has other ideas. Shortly after Mark’s betrayal, he sends an assassin to 1865 to retrieve his property and set matters straight.

Filled with romance, suspense, and history, THE LANE BETRAYAL follows a modern American family as it tries to find security and contentment in the final weeks of the Civil War.

 

 

 

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Review

 

If you are looking for a master storyteller when it comes to time travel novels, then look no further than this author. Time travel can be a tough topic to write about because there are so many possibilities when it comes to the “how” of time travel. I have read multiple books by this author and each time, I have found a new book to love.

In this series, the Lane family is on the run from Mark’s boss and the company he worked for because they wish to do “evil” with the devices he created. He thought they were going to be able to disappear but things didn’t go quite as planned. They did end up in 1865 but not without some potential repercussions from the present in the form of a hired gun.

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and felt like I was right in the middle of things in DC during the Civil War and Lincoln’s time in office. I felt that the author stayed as true to the facts of the time as he could but wove in a tale that enhanced what was happening in our country during the Civil War. There is also love and romance, friendship, and betrayal. I enjoyed the thoughts of the Lane and how they couldn’t imagine the President just walking around the town with very little protection. But it was a different time back then and I feel like some people were a bit more refined. There are still plenty of rapscallions to make it interesting.

I also enjoy how the story is told from various viewpoints. I find that it pulls me into the story even more as I see the situation from various character’s thoughts and experiences.

We give this book 5 paws up and I am about to start in on the second book in this series, The Fair, so look for a review very soon.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

John A. Heldt is a reference librarian and the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage time-travel series. The former award-winning sportswriter and newspaper editor has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, he is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life on his blog.

 

Blog * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads * Shelfari * Twitter

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