Scarlett Se Leva writes unexpected, steamy, suspenseful romance.
When Scar isn’t busy penning her next book, you can find her with her family watching movies, drinking wine, curled up in a corner with a book or running after her three daughters.
Today I am exciting to share an excerpt and giveaway from Some Days, a standalone spicy romance in the Sometimes Love Happens Collection by J. L. Lora. Lora is the author of over twelve published novels, including two in Spanish. Her characters are real, flawed, and full of grit as they navigate life, love, and more.
Dutiful daughter, my brother’s keeper, civil servant, and protector of my city—that’s me, Officer Dahlia Wicker. I’m a master at switching hats, until an ambush in the line of duty forces a new title on me—gunshot victim. I wake up in the emergency room, scared to death, and staring into the face of an angel with soft-yet-firm hands and a smile that makes my heart tremble.
Dr. Weston Ellison’s promise to look after my little brother eases my anxiety. His hands on my skin remind me I haven’t been touched by a man in a long time. After my recovery, I can’t stop running into him and I’m forced to admit how often I think about his lips and how badly I want them on me.
We are way too different.
Weston comes from generational wealth, and I’m Baltimore humble. Desire opens the door to our relationship, but feelings break in and take us hostage.
When my brother is unjustly arrested, a spotlight blares on our differences. Our bond falls victim to prejudice, privilege, and racism. Are we strong enough to withstand these age-old threats, or will they destroy us for good?
I’m still chuckling as I walk through the door of the 24-hour coffee bar.
That is until my gaze collides with the tall man with the broad shoulders and a smile so beautiful and perfect it should be on Colgate Optimum White ads. It takes away my breath and my good mood.
Doctor Hottie from the ER.
“Dahlia.”
Ugh. “Stop calling me that,” I practically growl at him.
“But it’s your name.”
I sigh. “Call me Officer Wicker, Dr. Ellison.”
He nods, but his eyes still hold that teasing sparkle. “Dr. Ellis. I shortened it so it doesn’t sound so… pretentious. I hope you like that better.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”
“Not when I file papers in court.”
“Why would you do that?” Nothing about this guy makes sense to me. “Never mind, I don’t care. Why are you here? Didn’t you hear this place got robbed around this time a couple of nights ago?”
He nods, toying with the apple in his hand. “I did hear that. But with you here, I know we are all safe.”
Jesus. I can only shake my head. Why does he insist on flirting with me?
The better question is how do you resist? That mouth…those lips are nothing if not crafted by God’s own hands.
“How’s your shoulder?” he asks.
It flexes like it’s responding to his voice.
“Fine,” I say.
“Have you done a follow-up?” He takes a step closer, and I take one back.
I do a full round flex for him. “It’s all healed and better than ever. I finished my physical therapy, and they declared it’s perfect.”
So, get off my damned back.
But his eyes are all over my body. All over the uniform that’s supposed to make me look like the epitome of authority, but under his gaze feels like a Cat Woman costume. But he doesn’t linger like the pervs do. No, this fucking weirdo stares back into my eyes and smiles, exposing those perfect TV doctor pearly whites. They’re probably veneers.
That’s why he smiles so much. He’s getting his money’s worth. And why is my body tingling like someone jabbed me with live wire.
“I have to go. I have the four a.m. shift,” he says, turning around and putting a twenty on the counter.
Thank God, he’s leaving. He’s nice and he saved my life, but I don’t want any more reminders of that night. It’s enough that it’s stayed with me, always popping up at the oddest moments in the day and making me wake up in cold sweats sometimes. I need to forget that night and this damned doctor. Even if he has those nice arms and that narrow waist and nice ass that doesn’t belong on a man with that face. Or a doctor.
He grabs his coffee and turns around again, his gaze pinning me on the spot. “It was great to see you again, Dahlia.”
I’m frozen for a second, not knowing what to say, fighting the warm wave settling in my belly.
“You too, doc,” I blurt out.
WTF.
I don’t know why I say it and hate myself because his smile shines brighter and deeper. And I get warmer lower in my body.
“You look really beautiful, as always.” He walks away, leaving me to stare after him with my insides roiling in a way I really don’t like.
Maybe he triggers memories of the night I got shot. It’s probably a panic attack manifesting.
J. L. Lora is a Dominican-American author. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters, people living in the gray areas of life while playing the cards life has dealt them. She loves strong heroines and their equally powerful Men. She currently lives in Maryland, pursuing her dream of writing compelling, sexy, can’t-put-down stories about empowered, badass alpha heroines and take your-breath-away alpha heroes.
It’s the 10-Year Anniversary of Kate SeRine’s Transplanted Tales series and Kensington is giving them a fresh new look. Today I am delighted to share the brand new cover for The Better to See You, book two in the series. Check it out, read an excerpt, and be sure to subscribe to Kate’s newsletter for the chance to win a hundred dollar Amazon gift card!
A fallen fairy godmother finds refuge in the arms of a wolf—until a series of murders threatens to break the spell—in this gritty paranormal romance.
Thanks to a spell mis-cast by Lavender Seelie, Cinderella’s former fairy godmother, Make Believe characters have been cast into the ordinary world. Now that the Tales are flesh and blood, their storybook lives aren’t so simple. But fortunately for Lavender, she’s about to get a second chance at a happy ending.
The Refuge, a sanctuary for wayward Tales, seems like the perfect place for Lavender to start a new life—especially when she discovers an unexpected ally in Seth, the brooding werewolf who’s been typecast as a villain ever since his run in with Little Red Riding Hood. But when humans from nearby towns start turning up dead, their bodies mutilated with archaic Tale symbols, Lavender wonders if Seth’s deep sensuality has blinded her to a deadly reality.
Read an Excerpt
It was over.
I was going to be torn apart here in the middle of nowhere by some winged demon dog. I’d never get the chance to start over. I’d never get the chance to prove I was more than just a colossal failure in every regard—as a daughter, as a woman, as a fairy.
I couldn’t believe my unbelievably shitty luck.
Shaking violently from the pain wracking my body, I lay there, the raindrops mixing with my tears as I sobbed and watched helplessly as pine needles gathered together, creating a thick rope that wound itself around my arms and torso, pinning me to the ground.
Briefly, I wondered how people would remember me after I was gone. Would they speak the name Lavender Seelie and think of the fairy godmother who’d once wielded almost unparalleled power and skill? Or would they remember only the screwed-up fairy who’d ruined their lives when that same power had betrayed her?
After several agonizing moments, I finally heard the creature leap across the ravine and snapped out of my last-minute pity party, fear and panic once more flooding my veins.
There was no point in trying to summon my magic now—it had deserted me, that was pretty freaking clear. I just hoped like hell my death would be quick.
The creature prowled toward me, its massive bulk a mercifully indistinct silhouette, and I swear I thought I heard it chuckle, the sound sending chills down my spine. Then from behind me came the whisper-soft padding of paws on the underbrush. In the next instant, a great white wolf leaped over me and slammed into the shadow-creature. The two rolled end-over-end in a tangle of claws and teeth, coming to rest with the wolf on top, its lips peeled back in a vicious snarl.
I turned my head to get a better look just in time to see the wolf grab the creature’s throat in its teeth. The beast’s howl ended abruptly as the wolf gave a powerful shake of its head, tearing out a large section of demon dog’s throat.
The wolf flung the chunk of flesh into the underbrush then cautiously padded toward me, its head down between its shoulders, sizing me up. As it came closer, I realized it wasn’t an ordinary timber wolf. This animal was easily twice the size of any wolf I’d ever seen and had a distinctly human intelligence shining in its eyes.
I didn’t stand a chance.
It bit through the pine needle rope and shook its head, scattering the needles all over the ground. The rest of the needles instantly fell away, and the trees halted their brutal assault.
I raised a bloody, trembling hand, not sure if I’d just exchanged one predator for another. “Please,” I managed to gasp between the quick, shallow breathes that were all my punctured lung would now allow. “Please…”
In response, a soft shimmering light encased the wolf, and where the beautiful creature had stood, now crouched a man, his ice-green eyes still glowing. As he gently lifted me into his arms, I cried out, pain engulfing me.
“It’s all right,” he said softly, cradling me against him. “You’re safe now.”
I looked up into the grim face of my rescuer, now recognizing him. How could I not when I’d seen his face on Wanted posters and in the Tale news so often over the centuries?
As pain and nausea sent me careening toward a dark abyss, his name drifted to me:
Kate SeRine (pronounced “serene”) is a hopeless romantic who firmly believes in true love that lasts forever. So it’s no surprise that when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed her characters would always have a happily ever after. She’s the author of the award-winning TRANSPLANTED TALES paranormal romance series as well as two romantic suspense series: PROTECT AND SERVE and DARK ALLIANCE.
Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project — probably while consuming way too much coffee.
10-Year Anniversary Of The Transplanted Tales Giveaway
Join Kate SeRine’s newsletter for the chance to win a US Amazon eGift Card. Winner will be selected at random from her active subscriber list on December 16, 2022. Enter here ➡️ https://www.subscribepage.com/w8n0q1
Saving Charlie by Jane Blythe is the last of her Saving Seals series, but the series is part of something so much bigger. There are many more books and authors putting their own spin on the Operation Alpha World.
About Operation Alpha
Operation Alpha is the fan fiction world for Susan Stoker’s SEAL of Protection, Delta Force Heroes, and Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Worlds. The books all have at least one of Susan’s characters in them. The authors have created worlds where Wolf, Ghost, Dax and all the other characters interact. Check it out at Aces Press.
Saving Charlie is Jane Blythe’s final book in the Saving Seals series, so let’s get right to it. Saving Charlie picks up where Saving Grayson left off. You might think that it ended with a cliffhanger, but really, it ended with a tease to this book, and what a tease it was.
Charlies “King” Voss and his team were captured and tortured by terrorists in Iraq. They were held for five loooooong weeks. Everyone, but him, had family to come home to. He felt the loss, though he knew in his heart that someone would come for them, he was willing to trade his life for theirs. King had enjoyed his single life, but after his capture, something had changed. He wanted his own special someone.
Faith is going through her own crisis. She is waiting…looking…focusing on surviving. She had worked at a non profit, helping women and children of domestic violence. She is stubborn, determined, strong. She had survived being held by an international serial killer, known as the Prince of Blood…and I’ll leave it to you to figure out why. Go ahead. Let your imagination run wild.
When the ladies enter the hospital room, one by one, I challenge you not to tear up.
King and Faith had both lost their bearings.. Now, they had to figure out how to move on. Was it Fate, Kismet, Karma, that they found each other in their time of need?
“…maybe I need a…a friend.”
“I…I think I need a friend too.”
It is so easy to get lost in Jane Blythe’s characters. They are strong, loyal, deetermined, loving, and will put their lives on the line for each other. I don’t have all the details, but this is romantic suspense, so they can’t have a happy ever after until she puts them through hell. LOL
Jane Blythe’s writing continues to amaze me. She is a master storyteller. I know the format, hunkalicious man meets damsel in distress…love, danger, fireworks!, doubt, denial. We are having some fun, some sweet romantic moments, while I am waiting for evil to rear its ugly head. She is great at creating suspense with pacing, creating tension that has me on the edge of my seat, cringing, white knuckled. She puts her characters through hell, but once is not enough. It keeps on coming, again and again.
If you are a Disney lover, a fan of magical dreams coming true and your prince coming to your rescue, you will love Saving Charlie.
Though Saving Charlie is the final story of Jane Blythe’s Saving Seals series, she has a new series coming in March of 2022. Prey Security is sure to become another favorite series of mine. Also, there are many more books and authors putting their spin on the Operation Alpha World.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saving Charlie by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Suffering recognizes suffering.
Faith Johnson is the only surviving victim of an international serial killer. She survived weeks in his torture room and when she escapes she thought the hard part of her ordeal was over. She was wrong. The hard part was only just beginning. When she meets a man who makes her feel normal for the first time in months she convinces herself she’ll be happy with whatever he’s willing to give her, but she’s a romantic at heart and she’s falling hard and fast for the sexy SEAL.
Charlie “King” Voss’ world changed forever when he and his team were captured. While his teammates went home to their families he went home to an empty house. When he meets Faith he can’t deny the instantaneous attraction he feels for her, or the protectiveness she invokes, but he doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t want to break her heart. All he can offer her is his friendship but he knows it won’t be enough for her and he’ll lose the only good thing he has going in his life.
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
Jane
has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark
and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in
because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series,
Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.
When she’s not writing Jane loves to
read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies.
She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears.
She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and
Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
Beast Cambria Hebert (House of Misfits, #4) Publication date: November 12th 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance
A tale as old as time…
A charismatic man cannot see beyond his own
brilliant reflection, never learning that true beauty lies within.
His selfish behavior draws the ire of a witch with enchantment on her wicked tongue.
A fiery curse is unleashed, engulfing the self-centered man’s entire existence.
When at last the flames are extinguished,
he gazes upon his reflection to discover he is no longer breathtakingly handsome
but condemned with scorched flesh and twisted scars.
He is no longer a man at all… but a beast.
While the ferocious beast rages, alienating everyone far and wide,
a woman whose beauty is far more than skin-deep
dwells in a world much simpler than his.
The beauty’s quiet life is disrupted when she is ambushed, threatened,
and boldly steps in the path of her father’s debt.
However, it’s not the thugs on her tail or the roaring beast
testing her patience that threatens to be this sassy beauty’s downfall.
It’s the way her heart flutters whenever he is near.
But some curses just can’t be broken, and really…
How can she truly ever love a beast?
“Damn. Is that all I had to do to get you to shut up all this time? Just tell you, you stink?”
I low growl vibrated my throat. It hurt, but I didn’t stop.
Her eyes rolled. Their color was beautiful, reminding me of roasted chestnuts from street vendors around the holidays.
I wondered if I’d even be able to walk the street this year. My face would probably scare everyone.
“I’m asking because now that your bandages and stitches are removed, it would be a good time to shower off before I re-cover it all.”
“I haven’t had a shower since before. Only a couple sponge baths.” Then a piece of the old me slipped out, a piece I’d thought had been gone for good. Leaning in with a slight smirk and naughty whisper, I asked, “You offering to give me a sponge bath?”
Without missing a beat, she also leaned in. “I guess I am.”
The messy room fell away, and for a moment, I forgot I was a hideous, exposed beast overwhelmed with discomfort and cast aside by the people I’d trusted. All that remained was a pair of hickory eyes regarding me with sassy mirth. Her crimson-stained lips pursed, and my eyes lingered upon them, suddenly so incredibly hungry. Unlike mine, her skin was flawless, smooth, and richly pigmented.
She’s beautiful.
The long column of her neck was graceful and always exposed because the curls on her head were short and wild. My fingers itched to wrap around it, gripping with just enough force to possess her while my mouth devoured hers.
“What’s the matter, Ander? Not used to someone calling your bluff?” Her voice was amused but hushed, and something deep inside me howled in delight that she might not be as composed as she portrayed.
I leaned closer, noting the way her nostrils flared. We were so close now we shared the same breath. Hers smelled faintly of mint and was more rapid than before. “Who said I was bluffing?” I whispered.
Her cheeks turned slightly reflective, taking on a glossy sheen, and she pulled back, eyes flaring just a bit. She was flustered.
Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
Preorder HERE and Some Truth Can Be Distorted by Jane Blythe will be delivered to your KIndle on August 2,2021.
Woo Hoo. We are back in River’s End, where the serial killers run free…until someone catches them, and romance is in the air. Some Truth Can Be Distorted by Jane Blythe is the fourth book in the series, but no worries, they can stand alone.
YAY, back in River’s End with some hunkalicious males and the women who love them…And right from the beginning Jane Blythe ripped my heart out!
After two years, Renee is at a standstill in her life and River’s End calls to her. I hurt for her…and when she runs into Will, my heart breaks all over again for her.
Will was a Navy Seal, now working as an undercover cop. He felt the time was right to propose to Renee, his lawyer girlfriend. He was excited to be home, but when he pulled up to the house, like Renee, his spidey senses started tingling. He had waited too long. It was too late.
Some Truth Can Be Distorted by Jane Blythe has all the feels for a romantic suspense novel. Even though Renee is alive after being raped, all the emotional baggage come into play, fear, shame, humliation, loss. The facts don’t matter, it is all about the feelings…and Will would make HIM pay.
Will had left Renee to find HIM, and now, ten months later, she is alone. Will had walked away and she doesn’t want him any more. He had abandoned her and destroyed her trust. Will she give him a second chance?
When Renee meets the ladies, Meadow, Maggie, Poppy and Sydney, we all got a smile. They accept her with no questions asked. I want Renee to have all the things that make life complete and I have a feeling these ladies will play a part. After all, River’s End is a small town where everyone knows your name.
Jane Blythe can sure pen a novel filled with Despair and devastation, hope and loss, and…Will…OMG…I love him! He is persistent, patient, passionate, powerful.
How many bad things can happen to a good person? With Jane Blythe there is no hard and fast rule. She is able to create a sense of danger and anticipation of something bad happening lingers on every page. I know something evil is coming, just not how or when. She surprises me over and over again with her excellent and creative writing, characters that come alive, making me, at times, race through the pages and other times covering the words with my hand so I don’t get even a glimpse of what is coming
Some Truth Can Be Distorted and the River’s End seris by Jane Blythe is a perfect fit for me and I am LOVING them!
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Some Truth Can Be Distorted by Jane Blythe.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Perception is truth.
Renee Miller sacrificed over and over again in her relationship with Will Black, and then when she needed him the most he wasn’t there for her. Now she’s back in River’s End and Will is determined to win her back, only she’s not the same person she was when they were together. Her world has been tilted on its axis and she has no idea how to right it.
Will knows that he messed up when he didn’t give Renee what she needed, instead doing what he thought was best, but he is desperate for a second chance. This time he is determined to put her first, show her with words and actions how much he loves her. When Renee’s life is threatened and it becomes clear someone is targeting her he now faces two threats to reclaiming the woman he adores, a killer and her lack of trust in him.
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
Jane
has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark
and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in
because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series,
Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.
When she’s not writing Jane loves to
read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies.
She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears.
She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and
Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
Amanda Siegrist is able to combine sorrow and delight into happy ever after in a way that keeps me reading, growing to love the characters she creates, and leaving me wanting more.
Amanda Siegrist takes an insecure woman, Mia Carter, and creates a realistic character who finds her place in life, and someone to share it with. Isn’t that what we all want?
Jaxon is a police detective who works with Mia’s best friend, Gabby. After a robbery, he comes knocking on her door. Her knight in shining armor has arrived…again.
Jaxson Brandt had made his feelings clear to Mia…at The Wrong Time. After he declared his feelings for her, it put a distance between them. She denied her feelings, a least to everyone but herself. Doubt and fear held her back. Coud she take that leap of faith that love demanded?
Would there ever be The Right Time?
Amanda Siegrist makes me a sucker for her sweet romances. There is no intense danger, most of the time, just two people working through their issues to find themselves and each other. They could be your friends, your sister, your brother..
The Wrong Time by Amanda Siegrist has all you could want in a sweet romance: angst, the push/pull of romance, sorrow. tears, humor, joy and a happy ever after.
I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of The Right Time by Amanda Siegrist.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From USA Today
bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a brand new series full of
humor, a sassy heroine, and a sexy, sinful hero that will sweep you off
your feet.
The plan: Organize an epic birthday party without spilling the massive secret—that has nothing to do with the party. Timeframe: Two weeks.
Plan a party? Check. Try not to think about the man she can’t have? Check. Suddenly accept said man’s proposal. Check. Wait…what
did Mia Carter do? There was no way she could marry Jaxson Brandt. It
would never last. Nothing in her life ever does. They weren’t even
dating. They couldn’t go from just friends to marriage. She’ll just have
to tell him she changed her mind. If only he’d give her a chance to do
so. But between planning a birthday party and trying to keep her bestie
from finding out they’re getting hitched, she can’t seem to find the
right time. He’s making it his mission to show her what love is
truly about—something she’d never had before. She’s just not sure it’ll
be enough to convince her.
Warning: This is not a full romcom.
While it has moments of humor, it also has a twist of angst. Okay, now
you can dive in, you’re prepared!
The entire Perfect For You series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.) The Wrong Brother (Book 1): Dane & Gabriella The Right Time (Book 2): Jaxson & Mia
ABOUT AMANDA SIEGRIST
Love!
Gimme some love and heaps of romance. I have a sappy heart that just
loves two people meeting, going through the cycles of a relationship,
and ultimately, falling in love. Give me a good book like that and I’m a
happy camper:)
I write contemporary and romantic suspense, but I am partial to suspense. I just love a good mystery.
Besides writing, I love baking, crafts, and baseball…oh, and meeting new people. *smiles*
YAY!. Another fabulous romantic suspense novel by Jane Blythe, Saving Ryder, Book I of the Saving Seals series did not disappoint. It starts out strong, keeping me rapidly ‘flipping pages’.
How Jane Blythe manages to come up with a different twist on an oft told tale, never ceases to amaze me.
What romance lover doesn’t love a hunkalicious Navy Seal and a damsel in distress?
Abby and Ryder already knew each other. In fact, he had broken it off with her twice. When his team of Navy Seals are sent to rescue a group of children who had been taken hostage, Ryder found Abby, who had been missing for fourteen months. It was a surprise to him, but she had never given up hope that she would be rescued.
She had suffered through months of torture and near starvation, but even she didn’t know how bad it really was. The truth comes out slowly…and, this time, Ryder will be by her side every step of the way. BUT, why was she taken?
Saving Ryder has all the goodies: a damsel in distress, some hunkalicious Navy Seals, mucho danger from a psychopath, and sweet romance.
Jane Blythe creates a fabulous story with lovable and loving characters. Every time I read a book like Saving Ryder, I have to remind myself how much her writing and creativity give me the suspense and thrills I am looking for. After all the books I have read of hers, she still manages to surprise me and leave me wanting more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saving Ryder by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
He’s left her twice before why should she believe this time is any different?
Abigail McNamara feels like she always has to prove herself and could never live up to her family’s expectations. Her grandfather was a SEAL, her father was a SEAL, her brother is a SEAL, and, oh yeah, her brother’s ridiculously hotter than hot hunkalicious best friend is also a SEAL. She’s loved Ryder since she was twelve but he’s broken her heart twice already and she’s vowed she won’t ever trust him again.
Every guy knows the code you don’t have sex with your best friend’s little sister. If you do you don’t get caught. If you fall in love with her you don’t break her heart. And if you earn her trust back you don’t walk away. Unfortunately Ryder “Spider” Flynn did all that. When Abigail is abducted and help prisoner for fourteen months by a sadistic sociopath that changes everything. Now all bets are off but he has to keep her alive long enough to prove to her he deserves a third chance.
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
Jane
has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark
and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in
because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series,
Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.
When she’s not writing Jane loves to
read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies.
She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears.
She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and
Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
He’s a cop trying to stop a serial bomber. And she’ll stop at nothing to clear her own name.
When a deadly bomb goes off during a climate change debate, librarian and event coordinator Jackie Santoro becomes the prime suspect. Her motive, according to Detective Avery Wick: to avenge the suicide of her prominent father, who was accused of crimes by a city councilman attending the event.
Though Avery has doubts about Jackie’s guilt, he can’t exonerate her even after an extremist group takes responsibility for the bombing and continues to attack San Antonio’s treasured public spaces.
As Jackie tries to hold her shattered family together, she has no choice but to proceed with plans for the Caterina Ball, the library system’s biggest annual fundraiser. But she also fears the event provides the perfect opportunity for the bomber to strike again.
Despite their mistrust, Jackie and Avery join forces to unmask the truth—before the death toll mounts even higher.
Book Details:
Genre: Suspense Published by: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: February 9, 2021 Number of Pages: 352 ISBN: 0785231900 (ISBN13: 9780785231905) Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
A steady stream of patrons stood and edged toward the center aisle. A low murmur swelled to the sound of hundreds of people all talking at once. Soon they’d be in front of Jackie, impeding her progress from the parking garage and on the narrow, one-way downtown streets of San Antonio.
“Great job, Jackie. Looks like your boss was wrong.” Sandoval’s constituent services director, Tony Guerra, sauntered up the aisle toward her. “Climate change opponents can coexist amicably in the same space. And so can city manager and city council staff.”
“Thanks, but it took a whole host of partners to make this happen. And it’s not over yet.” Jackie stuck her hand on the door lever that would release her to the Tobin’s massive lobby.
She liked Tony, which was a good thing since he’d asked Estrella to marry him. However, he wore his political ambitions like an obnoxious neon-pink tie.
“I have to go. I want to make sure there are no last-minute snags with the reception. Then it’s back to fine-tuning the altars for the Catrina Ball. It’s only a week away, and I’m behind because of the debate.”
“You never let up, do you? Are we still on for the Spurs game tomorrow—”
A powerful force knocked Jackie from her feet.
Her skull banged on the hardwood floor.
Sharp projectiles pelted her face in a painful ping-ping.
What’s happening?
Estrella? Tony? Bella?
Muffled screams and even her own moaning seemed strangely distant. “Estrella? Tony? Bella?”
If they answered, Jackie couldn’t hear them. She dragged herself onto her hands and knees. Glass and sharp metal pierced both. She forced open burning eyes.
Heavy black smoke shrouded the hall. Metal and debris like deadly confetti showered her. She raised her arm to her forehead to protect her face from the remnants of folding chairs and electronics.
Warm blood dripped from her nose. The acrid taste of smoke and fear collected in her mouth. Her stomach heaved. Her pulse pounded so hard dizziness threatened to overcome her.
No, no, no. Do not pass out. People need help.
Shrieking alarms bellowed.
Water, like torrential rain, poured from above. Rain, inside? Her ricocheting thoughts made no sense. Jackie shook her head. Neither the smoke nor the clanging in her brain subsided.
Sprinkler system.
The smoke had triggered the sprinklers.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. The old cliché ran
circles in her mind like a children’s nursery rhyme.
Estrella’s mama and papa would never forgive Jackie if something happened to their sweet daughter. Mercedes and Mateo always saw Jackie as the instigator of trouble. And they were usually right.
Ignoring pain and panic, she crawled forward. Sharp metal bit into her skin. Where were her shoes?
Finally she encountered a warm, writhing body. “Tony?”
“What happened?” He struggled to sit up. Blood poured from an open wound on his scalp, his nose, and a cut on his lip. “I have to get to Estrella and Diego.”
He might have yelled, but Jackie could barely make out the words. She leaned back on her haunches. “You’re hurt. Does anything feel broken?”
“No, but I can’t hear anything.” He wiped at his face. Blood streaked his once crisply starched white shirt. “Why can’t I hear?”
“It’ll pass. We have to get everyone out.”
With a groan, Tony leaned over and vomited on the floor. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Everyone out. If you can walk on your own, evacuate.” One of the contract security guards hired for the debate loomed over them. “The bomb squad is on the way. Go, go.”
“We’re fine. We’ll help get the others out.”
“Negative. Get out, there could be more bombs.”
Bombs.
***
Excerpt from Her Every Move by Kelly Irvin. Copyright 2021 by Kelly Irvin. Reproduced with permission from HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Bestseller Kelly Irvin is the author of 19 books, including romantic suspense and Amish romance. Publishers Weekly called Closer Than She Knows “a briskly written thriller.”The Library Journal said of her novel Tell Her No Lies, “a complex web with enough twists and turns to keep even the most savvy romantic suspense readers guessing until the end.” The two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist worked as a newspaper reporter for six years on the Texas-Mexico border. Those experiences fuel her romantic suspense novels set in Texas. A retired public relations professional, Kelly now writes fiction full-time. She lives with her husband professional photographer Tim Irvin in San Antonio. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two ornery cats.
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Giveaway!:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Kelly Irvin. There will be 3 winners. Each inner will receive (1) physical copy of Her Every Move by Kelly Irwin (U.S. addresses only). The giveaway begins on February 8, 2021 and runs through March 7, 2021. Void where prohibited.
Amanda Siegrist writes some wonderful clean romance and some a bit more suspenseful and I have been reading her work for quite a while (which you can see below). I am excited to share her latest holiday romance, Snowflakes & Shots.
Such a beautiful cover to go with a beautiful story.
I love visiting friends for the holidays, especially book friends in the year of Covid.
Snowflakes and Shots by Amanda Siegrist has a sweet cover that goes with the sweet story inside.
We will have some second chance romance and family conflict. It wouldn’t be a family holiday without some conflict, would it?
The story is predictable, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it tremendously. It was warm and cozy, like a hot fire and a cup of hot chocolate.
The characters are as realistic as the story and I love when a true piece of the author’s life is included in the story. I feel you too will enjoy meeting Curly …but I will leave it to you to figure out who Curly is and the part he plays in the story. It left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
I don’t think you can go wrong with an Amanda Siegrist novel, especially this time of year. She will share a sweet romance, sometimes a bit steamier than her contemporary novels, but her stories do have all the feels I look for in a romance novel. I did debate between a 3 and a 4 rating because of the predictability, but the characters won me over, so a 4 it is.
I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of Snowflakes and Shots by Amanda Siegrist.
4 Stars
BOOKREADS BLURB
From USA Today
bestselling author Amanda Siegrist comes a heartwarming holiday series
that will fill you with the Christmas spirit and lots of love.
One last shot at love…
Stu
doesn’t have many regrets in life—not even the fact he never decorates
his bar for the holidays. But when a bar fight turns into needing
medical attention, he’s put face-to-face with the one woman he’s tried
to avoid for the last fifteen years. Okay, so maybe he regrets a few
things. He should’ve never walked away from her. It only took a good
knock to his head to make him see clearly. He’s going to win Chasity’s
heart once again. It doesn’t matter that she’s not going to make it
easy; he’s up for the challenge. Bring on the bets and all the Christmas
spirit he can handle. Except, one person doesn’t like the idea of them
together—the same person that had him walking away from her all those
years ago.
The entire Holiday Romance series: (Each book can be read as a standalone.) Merry Me (Book 1): Elliot & Lynn Mistletoe Magic (Book 2): Aiden & Theresa Christmas Wish (Book 3): Bentley & Emma Snowed in Love (Book 4): James & Erin Snowflakes and Shots (Book 5): Stu & Chasity
