Families—we can’t choose them #MFRWHooks

One Woman Only by Dee S. KnightOne Woman Only

Blurb:
As one of a set of triplets, Jonah Goodman has always stood out as the least academic—and the last one to take the world, or commitment, seriously. Thing is, that’s not really who he is. But who can he convince of that? Not his family, who see him as they always have. And maybe not his one love, the sweetheart he left behind in high school but with whom he is now sharing an erotic holiday. Will he get his second chance to prove to Kelly that he is a loving man who wants more than a sensual few days, but a real relationship with the woman he lost once and doesn’t want to lose again? With that chance and Kelly’s love, Jonah knows that a “good man” can become a better man.

Buy link:
Amazon KU

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
Thanksgiving dinner was as solemn as the rest of the meals Kelly remembered in her house. On the pristine white, laced-edged cloth, the table was beautifully set with gleaming candlesticks and flickering candlelight. Her mother’s wedding china—more Limoges, soft cream colored with a delicate rim of gold—shone as finely as the sterling silver flatware beside each plate. A centerpiece of small pumpkins, patty pan squash, and other gourds, mixed with colored leaves and white mums, graced the center of the table. The turkey was the perfect shade of brown and neither the gravy nor the mashed potatoes showed lumps. Corn pudding, still steaming from its time in the oven, looked inviting in its dish. Sweet potato casserole, green beans, and Brussels sprouts cooked with onion and bacon completed the meal, along with homemade dinner rolls that had played their part adding to the day’s aromas. Two pies—a sweet potato and an apple—waited for later, on the bachelor chest behind her father. The room and the meal should have looked like a Norman Rockwell painting.

Except this painting was flat. There was no feeling, no emotion. No smiles, no laughing family poking each other in play or joining hands in prayer. They were just four people sitting at a table preparing to eat. Kelly hated it. And she hated knowing that every time she’d come home over the years she had expected things to be different.

She ventured a smile at Mama Rio, who sat across the table from her. “This all looks delicious. Thank you for your hard work.”

“You worked with me. This meal is thanks to you, too, little one.”

Kelly’s mother sniffed. “I never had to lend a hand in the kitchen for a meal in my day. There’s something very unseemly in your slaving away in the kitchen, Kelly. We pay Mama Rio to do those things.” Her mother nodded in Mama Rio’s direction. “No offense. We’re very happy to have you share dinner with us since your family isn’t here this year. And as usual, the meal is delicious.”

Kelly looked at Mama Rio who sighed and said, “Thank you.”

“I didn’t have to help in the kitchen, Mother. I wanted to. It’s fun working alongside someone one you love to prepare something this special. Doesn’t it look wonderful?”

Mama Rio looked up and smiled shyly. She had on a clean blouse and nicely fitted slacks. Her hair had streaks of gray and she had pulled it back into a braid. She wore no jewelry except her wedding band, which she’d never removed in the years since her husband’s death.

Kelly’s mother on the other hand, sported diamond earrings and a pendant with a stone large enough to be seen from space, on a gold chain. Diamonds graced the fingers of smooth hands that had rarely seen a lick of work. Her dress was couture and probably cost more than Kelly’s and Mama Rio’s wardrobes combined. Yet the neat but virtually poor woman sitting across from her shone more brightly than any of her mother’s diamonds. Why was that?

“It looks like Thanksgiving dinner is supposed to look. I don’t know what more you want me to say,” Kelly’s mother said.

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Unsuitable for a Lord–but very suitable for us! Cathleen Ross

An Unsuitable Lady for a Lord by Cathleen Ross

An Unsuitable Lady for a Lord
Series: Scottish Lords and Ladies Series
Author: Cathleen Ross
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release date: 13 April 2020
Genre: Regency
Pages: 192  52,000 words

Blurb:
Lord Aaron Lyle has one hell of a choice: a bankrupt dukedom, or marriage to some simpering society miss so his spendthrift father can get his hands on her huge dowry. He won’t do it. He has a reputation to maintain, and besides, he’d rather run naked through the streets of London than marry anyone at all. Surely, there must be a third option.

Then Lady Crystal Wilding walks into his life, a bluestocking, full of subversive thoughts, who hates the notion of marriage even more than he does. He is intrigued…and suddenly he has an idea. He invites the totally unsuitable lady home on the pretext of presenting her as a possible match…but in truth, Aaron has something far more pleasurable in mind. For her part, Lady Crystal has her own reasons for going along with his harebrained scheme.

Imagine their shock when his highly proper family loves her and starts planning the wedding. Good lord. Now what?

Excerpt: (Heat Rating) Medium

Buy links:
B&N
KOBO
Amazon

Excerpt:
Edinburgh, 1811 Friday evening

When the wild Scottish wind swept Lady Crystal Wilding’s straw bonnet from her head, she didn’t expect it to fly, complete with ostrich feathers, right into the hands of the most compelling gentleman she’d ever seen.

He leaped with masculine grace, snatched the offending black hat from the air, and, on seeing its owner, bowed deeply. His thick, dark hair and perfectly trimmed sideburns had not been mussed by the leap, and the first thing she noticed was the amusement in his midnight blue eyes. He was exquisitely attired in a double-breasted black tailcoat, tan breeches, and black leather shoes. His cream silk cravat was tied superbly in a complicated pattern only a highly paid servant could manage. A hint of his brocade waistcoat showed under his well-tailored tailcoat.

“Lord Lyle at your service, Miss…”

“Lady Crystal Wilding.”

She strode a few feet over to him, bobbed a curtsy, and caught his compelling blue-eyed gaze for a second too long. She usually regarded powerful lords with some contempt… but something about this man grabbed her attention and wouldn’t let go.

She deliberately shook it off. She really needed to refocus and not allow herself to be distracted. “Thank you for saving this miscreant of a hat, my lord. I dinnae ken how it came loose.”

He fluffed the elaborate plumed creation before placing it in her hands and giving her a wicked smile. “Perhaps it was trying to return to its former avian owner.”

A ripple of laughter left her lips, and he joined her, his stern, noble face softening with enjoyment. Up close, he smelled of fine wool and the delicious scent of lime.

Just then, Hilda, Crystal’s maid, approached her. “I’m sorry, my lady. I should have tied the hat better.”

“No matter. You may go, Hilda. Take the hackney cab back to Old Town. I can see Sir Walter Scott is waiting for me at his front door,” she said. She was looking forward to meeting the famous poet and author.

“Aye, my lady.” Hilda curtsied and left her.

“So, you’re attending Sir Walter’s soiree? I heard there is a right harridan of a speaker tonight,” Lord Lyle confided, leaning close to her. “Let me escort you to the door.” He held out his arm for her.

She took it and walked with him down North Castle Street, conscious of how well built he was, with broad shoulders, narrow hips, and long legs.

“A harridan, you say?” she mused, biding her time. “She sounds right frightening. Does she come with horns?” He laughed again, and she noticed how his intense blue eyes warmed to her humor. He had a dimple in one cheek when he smiled, which was rather appealing, despite his cutting words.

“She’s a bluestocking, I’m told. One of those dreadful mannish creatures, no doubt with a mustache, who’ll probably bore us. Certainly, she’ll not be a bonny lass like you.”

He found her beautiful? Well, her heart certainly beat faster when he was close, but it irritated her that he thought a woman should be comely if he was expected to listen to her. She turned to him, raised her eyebrows, and looked him up and down as they approached Sir Walter’s gate. “Why are you attending the salon if you’re not interested in this boring, frightening orator?”

“The whisky is excellent, and Sir Walter is a dear friend,” he said with a wink.

Sir Walter Scott held on to the rail and limped down his front stairs to greet them. “Lord Lyle, I see you’ve already met our charming presenter, Lady Crystal Wilding.”

Lord Lyle blanched, his handsome face becoming all angles and planes, making his blade of a nose appear sharper under his high cheekbones. “Our speaker, you say?”

Crystal calmly rubbed above her upper lip, where her mustache would be if she were the harridan he had expected. “Aye, the lord has made my acquaintance and entertained me with his views. I look forward to sharing some of mine, for I’m sure he’ll eat up my words.”

Or learn to eat his own.

Meet Cathleen Ross:

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
CR: I said to my editor that I was going on a trip to Scotland and she asked would I like to write a Regency with a Blue Stocking heroine.

For my research, I read the Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft because I wanted to understand how women thought and felt at that time. I also read The Last Highlander by Sarah Frazer so I could understand the history behind the rebellion. It gave me a feel for the mentality of the Highland people in 1745. The kicker was that when I was doing my research, I realized I was related to some of the main players – The Frazer lord and the Ross lord.

I’m descended from a Scottish Frazer Lady , the sister of the lord who married a Ross—that side fought for the Rebellion—and another Ross Lord, which I’m directly descended from, fought for the English. So, I’m writing about my ancestors.

A lot of little things I put in are about Ross lords. They were a wild lot. One of them cut off the king’s enemies’ heads and presented the heads to the king. That’s how he became an earl. Nice lot I come from.

I used my research to fashion my heroine. My heroine is very strong minded and refuses to accept her place in society. She also has a strong social conscience. From the reviews of Goodreads I can see my readers have enjoyed the humor and the heroine’s strength and ideas.

NA: What was your job before you started writing full time?
CR: I used to be an Assistant Principal of an Adult English College and later a writing teacher for another college but I always wanted to write romance.

NA: What do your family and friends think about your writing?
CR: My friends and family are used to me being a writer as I’ve been published for many years. The first book I sold was an erotic best seller and I sold it to Random House. No one in the family talked about it and some friends were shocked. I was happily married and my husband used to tell everyone I wrote all about him, which made everyone laugh.

NA: What has surprised you about being an author?
CR: One of my big surprises was for winning an award for my first and only science fiction romance about an apocalypse. Although my editor asked me for another, I didn’t want to go back into that world. It was too stressful and now we’re all living it anyway.

NA: Do you outline books ahead of time or are you more of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer?|
CR: I have to outline for my Entangled editor. She then sends the story idea up the chain for approval. I sign a contract and then start work on the book. For my other books, which I self-publish, when I’m not contracted, I write into the mist.

NA: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author?
CR: Being able to earn money from a passion, having good reviews and emails from readers.

NA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
CR:  I like walking because I have to sit so much for my job.

NA: What are you working on now?
CR: I always have a few projects going. I’m writing a Scottish Highlander book set just after the Battle of Culloden. The hero, although he is Scottish, fights for the English side because he wants to get his confiscated Scottish estate back from a treacherous old lord.  He refuses to marry the heroine even though she begs him, so she is then forced to marry the old lord.  Her husband, the treacherous old lord, is killed at Culloden, so technically she owns the hero’s estate and she can’t forgive him for rejecting her and leaving her to make his fortune, or for his fighting for the English.

I’ve just finished a book set in 1920s about the Theosophists. They are far more fascinating than the name suggests. That’s with my agent at the moment.

Hello, Cathleen…

Cathleen RossCathleen Ross is a quirky writer who lives on Sydney Harbor with her husband, daughter and very loved dog, Denzel. As an English teacher and editor, she has always surrounded herself with books. When she’s not giving psychic predictions for her family and friends, she’s writing romances where her heroines always get their man. She’s a multi-award-winning author who regularly hits the Amazon best-seller lists.

You can find Cathleen here on https://www.facebook.com/cathleen.ross.3

Highly Recommended Award for Jan Selbourne’s The Woman Behind the Mirror!

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne

Yay! The Coffee Pot Book Club has awarded Jan Selbourne their Highly Recommended designation for The Woman Behind the Mirror!! Such well-deserved recognition—this book is historical romance at its best!

Blurb:
Betrothed by her father to a man twice her age, Sarah Forsythe does the unthinkable—she escapes her arranged marriage and runs away with the son of a Methodist minister. Not to Gretna Green, to colonial America—the New World. For Sarah, a “new world” of broken promises, abandonment, poverty and shame. Around her, the American Revolution is quickly developing and the siege of Boston worsens by the day. As British soldiers seek out traitors and treason, a desperate Sarah breaks open a safe looking for cash. Instead, she finds a box holding Bank of England documents. Through willpower, bitter determination, and lying through her teeth, Sarah manages to make her way home to England. What she doesn’t know is that two men follow, and they will do anything to claim those documents.

Bank investigator Neil McAlister faces an almost impossible task—to determine the true owner of the documents by deciding who is lying. Most of all, as danger creeps ever closer, he needs to know who wants the secretive, beautiful Sarah dead.

Coffee Pot Book Club;s Highly Recommended Award

Buy links for The Woman Behind the Mirror:
Amazon KU
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon AUS
Universal link 

Read the full review.
If you have time for just a snippet try this, from the review posted on the Coffee Pot Book Club’s blog site:
“From an impetuous decision that would lead to disastrous consequences to a complicated and unprecedented plot to defraud the Bank of England, The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne is the wonderfully evocative story of one woman’s fight to stay alive in the face of adversity.

With a rich and compelling narrative, Selbourne has penned a book which is part historical fiction, part romance, part thriller, and part mystery. It is a story that captured my imagination, and it was one that was utterly enthralling. This novel commanded my attention from the opening paragraph and continued to hold it until that final full stop.


The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne is a sprawling stirring story that is unputdownable. This is the kind of book one can lose themselves in.

I Highly Recommend.” Mary Anne Yarde

A huge congratulations to Jan Selbourne!!

Excerpt:
A voice from behind made her jump. “Why aren’t you dancing?”

Sarah whirled around. “Because…” She didn’t know what to say.

“No one asked? I can barely believe it.”

Feeling stupid and awkward, she remained silent.

“Don’t tell me you can’t dance,” Neil taunted.

“Take care of your bank business and I’ll take care of my shortcomings,” she bit back.

“I can’t take care of my bank business if you won’t allow me to take the documents to London.” he said sharply.

“I told you I want a written assurance of a reward. I know and you know I will never see them again.”

Neil leaned closer. “I told you we can apply to the courts for a warrant to seize them.”

“You will seize a pile of ash.”

“You could go to prison,” Neil replied coldly.

“Really? I should have burned them in Boston to keep warm.” She shrugged. “I believe they are quite genuine, otherwise you wouldn’t be in such a fuss.”

“They must be examined properly. Forgeries are the bank’s biggest headache.”

“If they are genuine, the bank can hold them for Claude Westfield and give me an appropriate reward for bringing them safely to you.”

“You are not shy in demanding money,” Neil said caustically.

“No, I’m not. I rely on my brother for a roof over my head and it—” She broke off as her cheeks flushed. “Go and enjoy yourself and leave me alone.”

As she moved away Neil put his hand on her arm. “There is no need to be unpleasant. If they are genuine, we will discuss it further.”

“Nothing more to discuss,” Sarah’s eyes never left his. “Remove your hand.”

Neil’s face hardened. “You think you hold all the cards, madam, but rest assured, until you are more amenable, you’ll get nothing.”

“Neither will you, sir. Beneath your smooth bank exterior, you are no better than your forebears who loaned their gold at outrageous interest.”

Neil’s fingers dug into her arm. “You are no better than a street hawker yourself.”

“Get your hand off me,” Sarah’s voice rose as she wrenched her arm away. “Leave me alone!”

Neil’s expression changed from irritation to disbelief to shock. “Good God,” he breathed. “It was you.”

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne

Meet Jan Selbourne:
Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

Author links:
Website: https://nomadauthors.com/JanSelbourne/index.html
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JanSelbourne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jan.selbourne
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14661584.Jan_Selbourne?from_search=true
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Selbourne/e/B0184OSZ6E/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-selbourne-2817b6140/

Charity Sunday: Fisher House

Charity Sunday: Dee S. KnightHow Charity Sunday works: for every comment made on this blog post, I will donate money to the charity named. The same promise is made for every blog site listed in the group–click the Linky Links link at the bottom of this post to see the list of participants and read/comment on any of them to see a donation go to that blogger’s charity. We’re all different! Thanks for your help and your participation!


Hello! I hope you all are surviving this most unusual time in our lives!

If you have been hospitalized or have a family member who has been, you probably know the difficulties that arise when you want to be close to the patient and can’t be. And that’s when the hospital is close by. Being close by is often difficult when a service member is in a VA or military hospital. Wounded members only have so many places they can be treated for severe trauma. Having families present can make a huge difference in how quickly our service members heal from their injuries. Fisher House provides a way a family can stay for extended periods and be near their loved one.

Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military & veterans families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.
These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world.

Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry facilities, a warm dining room, and an inviting living room.

Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $500 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation.
Fisher House Foundation also operates the Hero Miles program, using donated frequent flyer miles to bring family members to the bedside of injured service members as well as the Hotels for Heroes program using donated hotel points to allow family members to stay at hotels near medical centers without charge. The Foundation also manages a grant program that supports other military charities and scholarship funds for military children, spouses, and children of fallen and disabled veterans.”

Jack and I have contributed to Hero Miles in the past. Many don’t know that when a service member comes home from overseas, they might come back to the States on military transport, but from there, they pay their own way. Hero Miles helps the get the rest of the way home.


Naval Maneuvers by Dee S. KnightYou know the military is a near and dear thing to my heart. Here’s an excerpt from my book, Naval Maneuvers.

Carie made her way around the side of the building and nearly ran into Todd, who lounged against the weathered wood siding. He looked better than good in a pale blue polo shirt and jeans. Top-Sider boat shoes with no socks gave him that naturally casual look that no model could successfully carry out.

“I was hoping you’d come,” he said.

“You were pretty obvious,” she said dryly.

“I knew you were smart enough to catch the hint. I just didn’t know if you’d follow it.”

How could she not? The moment she noticed him she’d remembered the feel of his being deep inside her. But that didn’t change a damn thing. They shouldn’t be here, not together.

She held her head high and tried to look down her nose at him—nearly impossible since he was taller than she, but she had perfected the attitude long before meeting Todd Baxter. Senior Chief Todd Baxter. “I wanted to walk the beach while I was here, that’s all.” Todd grinned and Carie melted inside.

“Lucky for me, I wanted to walk the beach, too,” he said. “Quite a coincidence, huh?”

She snorted in disbelief and slipped off her sandals. Brushing by him, she was glad he didn’t try to kiss her or hold her. But then she frowned. Why didn’t he try to kiss her? She’d wanted to jump his bones right there in that Norfolk hallway. They had to maintain propriety then, but here, no one would see them. What held him back? She knew an unfamiliar sense of self-doubt. Had she mistaken his feelings before?

Nonsense. Carie knew what they’d had was more than mere lust. It had been lust of stupendous proportions, far beyond a few days of burning out. Then what held him back? Knowing the military regulations preventing officers and enlisted personnel from having a relationship, you idiot.

Damn. She finally found someone she clicked with, and he had to be an enlisted man in the Navy.

The sand felt good between her toes, cool and squishy. Gulls screeched overhead and on the sand, where they snatched up sand crabs and poked around for scraps sunbathers might have left. Surf pounded to the shore and then surged forward, the sharp white of its foam sharp against the dark, wet sand before the water was absorbed. The sun beat down, making her wish she’d worn her bathing suit under her jeans and tank top so she could take a quick dip, and remembered to bring a floppy hat to shield her face.

Suddenly, something was plopped on her head. She dragged it off to look at it. SFC Baxter was stamped on the inside of a white sailor hat, brim folded down.

“I kept it for sentimental purposes when I made chief,” Todd said. When she raised her brows, he continued. “I brought it in case you came without a cover. I remember you were sensitive to the sun when we went to pick up your clothes.” He smiled. “And I know you’re quick to freckle. Not that I don’t like your freckles a great deal. Ma’am.”

She cringed at his use of “Ma’am,” though it was the proper term for him to use when a superior officer was a woman. But she smiled inside that he’d remembered such a small thing like the sensitivity to the sun suffered by all redheads. Chagrined, she put the hat on and pulled it forward, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“After all that time in North Carolina, how in hell did we never mention what we did for a living?” She couldn’t believe her stupidity. Martha had nothing on her for not asking the right questions.

“In Carolina we had lots of other things on our minds. I knew you’re a lawyer. When I thought of you, I never wondered how you spent your time at work. I just thought of how you spent your time with me.”

“That’s pretty shallow.”

Todd laughed. “Not to a man.”

Stupid answer. But it had been his very maleness that captivated her. Well, and orgasms. Who’s shallow now?

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World Book Day Book Fair

World Book Day Book Fair

Are you looking for your new favourite author? Or need a new read while stuck at home?

We’re here to help!

We have stories from across the world, from New Zealand and Australia, to the States and Canada – I’m sure you’ll find some European stories in there as well. Books are free or priced between $0.99-$2.99 for the duration of the promotion.

Happy shopping from all of us ♥♥Burning Bridges by Anne Krist

Burning Bridges is one of the books offered, as are many other authors you know and love. Check out the World Book Day Book Fair and do a little shopping while you’re home from work!

Thank you!

Savage Cinderella? YES! Novella series by P.J. Sharon

Savage Cinderella series

Series Blurb:

Eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope—and the danger—that may await her.

The SAVAGE CINDERELLA Novella Series continues Brinn’s journey from kidnap victim to survivor. A year into her recovery she finds her life with Justin has become a safety net she relies on, but something is missing. After years of living wild in the mountains, taming her need for danger turns out to be her greatest challenge.

When Justin’s friend Cody—now in the FBI—asks for her help in solving a kidnapping case, it sparks new purpose for Brinn—as well as major complications in her relationship with both men.

Follow Brinn, Justin, Cody, and a cast of new characters through a series of novellas (30-40k word short novels). Each story will bring a new adventure, another crime to solve, and more danger for Brinn and company as she navigates her recovery and tries to find her place in the world.

Liberty's Promise by P.J. Sharon

Liberty’s Promise (A Savage Cinderella Novella-Book 5)

Short Blurb: Fresh out of the police academy, twenty-year-old Brinn Hathaway travels to New York City to help her friend, Dani, only to become embroiled in a dangerous mission to take on a corrupt NYC cop. When Sergeant Connor Trask—a superior officer and Dani’s former flame—threatens to destroy her career and her family’s legacy, Brinn vows to do whatever necessary to protect her friend. But taking down one of NYC’s finest could cost both women more than just their jobs.

Buy links:
Series link on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079VXM7JH/
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1710322268
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081PK453X
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/brVAMk
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/libertys-promise-pj-sharon/1135082250

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/libertys-promise/id1489049305
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/liberty-s-promise-1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48921768-liberty-s-promise

Read First Chapter on Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/story/205301187-liberty%27s-promise-savage-cinderella-novella-5

Savage Cinderella by P.J. Sharon

Excerpt:

The truth was things weren’t fine. I was still no closer to deciding where my relationships with both Justin and Cody were going or whether I was even ready for a long-term relationship with anyone.

I dropped the phone on the table and headed for the best place I knew to forget my troubles, regroup, and get my game face on for what was ahead—the shower. I’d barely undressed and turned the water on when I heard something from the other room. The food couldn’t have arrived that quickly. My pulse shot up, and I came to full attention when I realized it was the front door closing and that I’d left my knife sitting on the coffee table.

It wasn’t Dani since she’d texted she was on her way to the hospital. I swore under my breath, wrapped a towel around me, grabbed the first thing I could find—a blow dryer hanging on the wall—and left the shower running as I positioned myself behind the door.

A second later, the doorknob began to turn. I held my breath and prepared for battle, wishing I was wearing more than a towel and my underwear. After a sharp knock, the door slowly opened, and waiting for it to reach the halfway point, I rammed it with my full weight, hitting the person on the other side with a force that made them stumble. Swearing loudly, a man stormed the bathroom with renewed fury and a “What the hell…?”

Unable to hold him back, I stepped away from the door, making him fall into the room. I turned the blow dryer on him at full heat. He yelped, shielded his face, and retreated.

With one hand covering his eyes and the other holding my knife loosely at his side, he started to say something, but I needed to take advantage or lose the upper hand.

I dove for the knife and tackled him to the floor.

Author info:
P.J. SharonIn addition to her day job as a Massage Therapist, PJ Sharon is an award-winning author of young adult books, including the contemporary novels PIECES of LOVE, HEAVEN is for HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and Holt Medallion winner SAVAGE CINDERELLA. Follow kidnap survivor turned rookie cop, Brinn Hathaway, in the Savage Cinderella Novella Series with FINDING HOPE, LOST BOYS, SACRED GROUND, BROKEN ANGEL, and her latest release, LIBERTY’S PROMISE.

If sci-fi/fantasy is more to your liking, WANING MOON, WESTERN DESERT, and HEALING WATERS completes her YA dystopian trilogy, The Chronicles of Lily Carmichael, which RT Book Reviews calls “An action-packed read with a strong female lead.”

On the road to publication, PJ decided indie publishing was the best fit for her books. Ms. Sharon’s aren’t your average high school stories. Instead, they are portraits of the real-life issues of older teens and their struggles with family, friends, and the guys they fall for as they navigate the transition to adulthood. Although the themes are mature, evoking plenty of drama and angst, PJ writes with a positive outlook and promises a hopefully-ever-after end to her stories. Because of this, readers of all ages will be captivated by the emotional and romantic journeys of her characters.

After a tumultuous youth and a challenging young adulthood that gave her plenty of personal experiences from which to draw, PJ has found her bliss in sharing her wisdom and stories with teens and adults alike. When she isn’t writing and publishing, she shares her 30+ years in the health and fitness industry with clients through ABSolute Fitness and Therapeutic Body Work, a private practice Massage Therapy and Personal Training business she founded in 2005. PJ lives with her husband in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA.

Social media links:
Website: http://www.pjsharon.com
Follow PJ on Twitter: @pjsharon      https://www.twitter.com/pjsharon
“Like” PJ on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pjsharonbooks
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It’s here! The Proposition by Jan Selbourne

The Proposition by Jan SelbourneUpdated and with new cover art, Jan Selbourne’s The Proposition has just been re-released! If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out on some great historical fiction! Congratulations, Jan!

I read The Proposition a while ago and really enjoyed it. But when I re-read it last week..it blew me away! I don’t know how Jan does it, but I swear, you feel you’re right there with the characters. Her attention to detail is that good! Mystery, murder, mayhem, romance–it’s all here, and you can have it for yourself!

The Proposition by Jan Selbourne

Blurb:

They met on the eve of a battle. One enlisted to avoid prison, the other enlisted to avoid the money lenders. On the bloodied fields of France, Harry Connelly collapses beside the corpse of Andrew Conroy. It is a risk, a hanging offence—and his only hope for a future. Harry swaps identity discs.

Now as Andrew, he is just another face in post-war London until a letter arrives with a proposition. Accepting is out of the question, refusing pushes him into a nightmare of greed, blackmail and murder. To survive he must live this lie without a mistake. Then he falls for Lacey and her secrets. Will the truth set them free or embroil them even further in the webs of deceit that surround them?

Buy link: Amazon KU

The Proposition by Jan Selbourne

Excerpt:

“Excuse me, call of nature.” Elliott left the room.

The niggling coil of unease had been growing and now, as Andrew watched the dining room door close behind Elliot, his instincts were jabbing at him. His host had been charming and hospitable. Last night, after a delicious dinner at Browns Hotel, they’d touched on their family connection, unsure of what to say without offending the other.

Elliot had twirled his glass between his fingers. “My grandparents made a lot of money from the textile industry, my father sold seventy percent of those businesses and invested in other profitable enterprises. To put it simply, he was a very astute, successful businessman, but I’m afraid he was not a good husband and father. He cared little for us and it distresses me that he cared even less for you and your mother.”

Today, Elliot had proudly introduced him to his pride and joy, a dark grey Austin-20hp and they’d motored smoothly out of London and onto the soft Essex countryside. When they’d stopped at Thaxted’s Swan Inn for lunch, Elliot had commented, “Every spare acre in Essex has been growing vegetables, doing their bit for the war effort and rationing.”

When they continued on to Saffron Walden, he’d pointed to his left, “Railway station, a branch line from Audley End. Made a big difference to this town.”  They’d stopped briefly in High Street, then through the marketplace, bumping over cobblestones to a wider road and finally stopping at the entrance of a large Victorian house. He’d been shown to his room overlooking  the rear of the house with its garden rows of vegetables. Elliot had apologised again, business to attend to and please make himself at home.

Not used to the substantial meals, he’d slept until five pm. At seven pm, he’d joined Elliot in the dining room where silver serving dishes containing roast beef, baked potatoes and green vegetables sat on spirit warmers.

“Very informal this evening,” Elliot had said breezily. “I asked my daily help to prepare something easy for us, so please, help yourself.”

The only time his host’s friendliness disappeared was when the daily help tapped on the door to tell him she’d answered the phone and left the message on the phone pad.

Something was very wrong, or perhaps he was too jumpy from living on this tight rope of lies. The door opened again.

“Much more comfortable,” Elliot grinned and sat down. “More wine?”

“No thank you, I might not be able to climb the stairs, but I must thank you for another very pleasant evening.”

Elliot’s grin disappeared. “It’s time to discuss the business proposition which will give us both what we want.”

“I confess I was intrigued when I received your letter,” Andrew replied guardedly.

“You will perform a service and if that service is completed satisfactorily, I will pay you three hundred pounds and pay your outstanding debts.”

Andrew went perfectly still. “Perform a service?”

“You will impregnate the woman I married.”

The Proposition by Jan Selbourne

Jan SelbourneJan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

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More magic! #MFRWHooks

Your Desire by Dee S. KnightBlurb:
Your Desire. Two stories about a mysterious shop that appears for one reason: to bring a special person the thrill of love and the spice of passion. Magic reveals the hidden, usually surprising, desires of the heart. Then the store fades from sight and memory, only to reappear somewhere else. Maybe in your town….

Buy link:
Amazon KU

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
“Here comes Allison now. We’ll ask her.” His voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the ER. She slipped through the opening to see Frank sitting on the edge of the bed. Walter Neeley, the ophthalmologist, stood in front of him. Mike stood apart, his arms crossed over the metal cover of the hospital chart held tightly against his chest. His face was serious but a look of mischievous glee colored his eyes as he observed the verbal sparring between the two men. Beside him stood Richard Matthews, head of neurology, who nodded a greeting to her.

“Ask Allison what?” She knew she’d have to referee something, based on the bull-headed expressions of both doctor and patient. Frank and Walt had already turned toward the opening in the curtains when she slipped in. This damn noisy dress.

“I want to hold Mr. Hughes overnight. He refuses. Says he’ll be all right at your house.” Walt Neeley arched a brow at her. “As he’s your friend, perhaps you can convince him that it’s in his own best interests to be admitted for the night.”

Unconsciously, she moved to stand beside Frank, touching his hand to let him know she was there. His head followed her every movement. “Actually he’s not my fr—”

“Tell him there’s no need for me to remain here overnight, Allison. If he’d give me something for this damn headache, I’d be fine. Well, if I could see, that is.” He practically growled out the last.

“They can’t give you anything that will make you sleep.”

“But it hurts like hell.”

“I know, but buck up,” she stage-whispered.

He snorted and turned away.

“Actually, Frank,” she stated in her most persuasive tone, “it is in your best interest to stay here. If anything should happen, the staff and equipment you need will be here.”

“No.”

Damn it! She couldn’t take him home. Besides the obvious medical risks, there was the unsettled feeling she experienced around him. It was unreasonable, but there, nonetheless. Why wouldn’t the obstinate man allow them to admit him so she could go home alone to her safe and ordered life.

“Mr. Hughes.”

Frank turned his head, his recalcitrant expression carved in stone.

“You don’t seem to realize the seriousness of your condition. You have a contusion, and as Nurse Hayes suggested, that’s bad enough. But if the swelling of your brain worsens during the night, you’ll need care she can’t give you at home.”

Frank seemed to consider this. “Dr. Matthews, is it?” He asked but continued without waiting for confirmation. “I think I do understand the seriousness of my condition. If you and the staff here haven’t explained it thoroughly enough, my own doctor, after examining the test results you sent, has told me plainly that I’m a jackass if I leave here tonight. However, he’s well aware of my nature and knows I’m a man used to taking judicious risks. I trust Ms. Hayes. She’s a well-trained nurse, is she not?”

“This has nothing to do with Allison’s capabilities,” spit out Walt Neeley.

“This has to do with your welfare and the liability of the hospital if you leave and something happens.”

She sighed, knowing the men could butt heads all night without resolution. “What about the blindness?”

Walt spoke. “As far as we can tell, the problem is trauma-induced and will resolve itself when the swelling goes down. Tonight he’ll have to be checked every two hours.”

“Allison will do that.” Frank didn’t give the slightest intimation that she might say no.

She looked at him, really looked at him. He acted the tyrant, totally commanding, used to having every whim fulfilled and order followed without question. But there was an odd hesitance under it all. She’d noticed the characteristic earlier, too, when they were making their way out of the pasture. Discomfort, almost fear.

His hands fisted on his legs, his brows puckered ever so slightly in worry. Other than those tells, no one would know he wasn’t the controlling force he pretended to be. Maybe only she saw he had the false bravado of a man used to being in charge, suddenly finding himself at the mercy of fate. If so, she might not understand his attitude but she wouldn’t betray him.

She tried one more approach. “What if I stayed with you? I’d be here each time the nurse woke you up.”

He shook his head. “If you won’t take me home I’ll call my assistant. He’ll come down immediately and we’ll drive back to DC tonight.”

Walt Neeley threw his hands up and snorted in disbelief. Frank’s lips turned up in a tiny smile, probably secure in the knowledge that he’d presented an alternative worse than going home with her.

Mike gave a one-shouldered shrug when she glanced at him. “I strongly advise he be admitted.” Frank opened his mouth to speak, but Mike cut him off. “If he insists on going, we can’t stop him. You’re one of the people I’d entrust him to. If you want him, of course.”

All four men waited to hear her judgment. “I suppose he could sleep on the sofa in the office. I wouldn’t want him climbing the stairs.” She spoke out loud, but more to herself, reasoning what to do. “I can get him back here very quickly if need be.”

“Good.” Frank spoke as though her decision had been a foregone conclusion all along. His hands relaxed on his thighs.

Dr. Matthews slid by on his way out of the cubicle. “You’ll have to sign an AMA form. That’s Against Medical Advice.” He turned to look sternly at Frank then at her. “I wish you’d reconsider, Mr. Hughes.”

“I appreciate your advice, Doctor, but get the form, please.”

“I’ll see to the rest of the paperwork so you can get home,” Mike said. He threw Allison a worried look before following the neurologist out of the cubicle.

Walt lounged against the wall, arms crossed, staring at her. “I assume you know who this is, Allison? If anything happens with someone of his position, I’d hate to think what the repercussions might be.” He studied her.

“I had no idea you were friends with—”

“She doesn’t need you telling her about her friends, Doctor. And I’d appreciate your restraint when it comes to the rest of the staff. No one needs to know what I do since it has no bearing on why I’m here.”

“Huh!” Walt pushed himself away from the wall. “Call if you need help tonight, Allison. And I hope you make sure he pays for the fence, and your hospitality,” he advised before leaving.

“What is it with you people and fences?”

Hurry!! The Woman Behind the Mirror–99 Cents, only for a short time!!

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne

For the next three days (April 16-18), award-winning historical fiction writer, Jan Selbourne, is offering her newest book. The Woman Behind the Mirror for 99 cents on Amazon! That’s a real bargain for a book you’re sure to love! In fact, it’s my current favorite Jan book. 😉

You might know, Jan’s Lies of Gold won Coffee Pot Book Club’s Silver Award for 2019. With The Woman Behind the Mirror, I see more awards in her future. At any rate, that’s the future and Jan writes about history. The Woman Behind the Mirror starts in 1775 England, but quickly shifts to Boston where the American Revolution is rumbling into being. What happens to Sarah Forsythe has to be read to be believed!

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne

Blurb

Betrothed by her father to a man twice her age, Sarah Forsythe does the unthinkable—she escapes her arranged marriage and runs away with the son of a Methodist minister. Not to Gretna Green, to colonial America—the New World. For Sarah, a “new world” of broken promises, abandonment, poverty and shame. Around her, the American Revolution is quickly developing and the siege of Boston worsens by the day. As British soldiers seek out traitors and treason, a desperate Sarah breaks open a safe looking for cash. Instead, she finds a box holding Bank of England documents. Through willpower, bitter determination, and lying through her teeth, Sarah manages to make her way home to England. What she doesn’t know is that two men follow, and they will do anything to claim those documents.

Bank investigator Neil McAlister faces an almost impossible task—to determine the true owner of the documents by deciding who is lying. Most of all, as danger creeps ever closer, he needs to know who wants the secretive, beautiful Sarah dead.

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan Selbourne

Excerpt

Legs shaking, Sarah walked downstairs to face her furious father and white-faced mother.

“I cannot believe your wilfulness, your complete lack of propriety,” her father said icily. “You deliberately encouraged”—he frowned at her mother—“what was his name?”

“David Langford.”

“You encouraged this penniless nobody behind my back, knowing I have approved and accepted Mr Gerald Whitehead’s offer of marriage.”

“Papa, Mr Whitehead is over forty years old!”

“A mature man of independent means with homes in Norfolk and London. Now sadly widowed, he needs the comfort of a wife and mother to his children.”

Sarah’s fingers clenched. “His children are almost my age.”

Her mother spoke. “Albert dear, I do think Sarah and Mr Whitehead should be given more time to become better acquainted.”

Her father pointed his finger at her mother. “I hold you responsible for giving the girl far too much freedom. I can only pray Mr Whitehead does not hear of this shameful cavorting while he’s attending to business affairs.”

“I was not cavorting with David,” Sarah said hotly. “We met at the church fair when mama presented prizes for the best puddings. We were never alone, not even when Eliza and I showed David and Freddie the country dances because the Methodists don’t approve.”

Her father’s eyes had turned slate grey, filling her with fear.

“I am sorry papa. I will do whatever you bid.” She held her breath waiting for a hand across her face or worse.

“You will not leave this house until the banns are read.” Albert Forsythe strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Her mother touched her arm. “You have made papa very angry.”

Sarah’s eyes met her mothers. “If he beats me again, I will leave, David or no David.”

“Sarah! You are under-age and cannot defy papa. You know it is his fervent wish to see you and your brothers well set up.”

“You mean Peter’s commission and Robert’s year in London will cost papa a lot of money. Mr Whitehead’s offer of marriage relieves him of more financial burden.”

Her mother’s mouth fell open. “That is a dreadful thing to say.”

“Mama, please, Mr Whitehead is ugly, and I cannot bear him near me.”

“Your father will provide a generous dowry,” her mother said quietly. “Do not defy him or we all suffer.”

“Yes mama, excuse me mama,” Sarah’s eyes blurred as she climbed the stairs again to her bedchamber. Closing the door, she sat at her dressing table and as she stared at her reflection her resolve grew. A glance at the closed door and she sharpened a quill and began to write. Signing the note S, she rang for her maid.

“Go to the Methodist manse. This letter must be handed to Mr David Langford and no one else.”

“Yes miss. I will, miss.”

Sarah put two shillings in her hand. “Not a word to anyone and you may have the rest of the day off.”

The maid blinked at half a week’s pay in her hand. “Thank you miss.”

When the door closed, Sarah’s knees turned to water. They’d talked about it, they’d held hands while declaring their love for each other, and now it was a frightening reality. She sat by the window as the minutes turned into one hour, then another hour and then her heart thudded in her chest. David, wearing a cloak and hat pulled low over his forehead rode past the front gates and placed a small sprig of leaves on the railing. He’d received her message.

Escape with a Jan Selbourne book!Jan

Jan SelbourneJan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

Author links:

Website: https://nomadauthors.com/JanSelbourne/index.html
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JanSelbourne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jan.selbourne
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14661584.Jan_Selbourne?from_search=true
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Selbourne/e/B0184OSZ6E/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-selbourne-2817b6140/

Now! 99 Cents! Romances on the Range: A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot by Lorelei Confer

We welcome Lorelei Confer back to Nomad Authors! Her previous interview for her book A Deadly Gamble is hereRomances on the Range anthology: Lorelei Confer

A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot by Lorelei Confer is part of the anthology: Romances on the Range.

Blurb for A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot:
Janelle Franklin arrives in Saddle Creek, WY for a relaxing visit with her childhood friend and new mother. She also wants to fine-tune a secret passion, baking. But when she meets ranch manager, Carter Weaver, passion takes on a whole new meaning.

Carter excels at horse breeding but has a dark past that haunts him. When he meets Janelle, a woman he‘s comfortable with, sparks fly. But his past thwarts their future together and after a heated debate, Janelle leaves without a word taking his heart with her.

When she calls him out of the blue, he rushes to meet her. But will she accept him with his past? Or will they both have to sacrifice a loveless future?

Blurb for Romances on the Range:
Rough, rugged, and ready to ride.

There’s no denying it. Cowboys have a certain swagger about them. The way they move. Their walk. Their tough as nails way of life.

No matter how you like your cowboys, one thing’s for certain. They can sweep you off your feet and steal your heart quicker than you can say, “Yee-Haw”.

If you love the charming cowboys of Diana Palmer’s stories and can’t get enough of men on the range, then this collection is exactly what you need in your library.

Including stories from:
Desiree Holt
Nicole Morgan
Lorelei Confer
Milan Watson
Dawn Luedecke
RaeAnne Hadley
Taylor Porter
K.L. Humphreys
Krista Ames
Abby Gordon
Ava Bari
Breanna Hayse

Available now on preorder exclusive to Amazon for $.99 in KU/Amazon.

Lorelei, welcome back! Tell us about A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot.
A Cowboy’s Sweet Spot is kind of a spin off from the Saddle Creek series.

The premise for the Saddle creek series is based on a relationship my oldest son has with his longtime friends: four male friends grow up together in the small town of Saddle Creek, WY, located in the shadows of the Grand Tetons. They consider themselves brothers from another mother, sharing and helping each other through the growing pains of adulting after high school. They remain loyal to each other throughout, although they go their separate ways: one goes to college, another buys the horse ranch he’s worked/lived on since a young age, one joins the military, and the fourth becomes the local Sheriff.

Moonlight Kisses and Mug Shots is the fourth in the series, the story of Sheriff Mitch Rogers and his new Deputy Veronica “Ronnie” Travis, who is also the new owner of Travis B&B, located in Saddle Creek and where the Sheriff resides. And how or why did Ronnie from Miami, Florida become the owner of the B&B in Saddle Creek, WY? This book will be released early 2020.

Did you have to do much research for this short story, and the series?
I love the Jackson Hole, WY area. It is beautiful and I’d live there if winter wasn’t eight-nine months of the year. I’ve lived in Florida for forty years and it’s not gonna happen. But I can visit throughout the year and share scenes in my books.

I love Jackson Hole, too! What would you like readers to take away from your contribution to Romances on the Range?
There’s always a happy ever after, no matter what’s happened in your life, no matter how low you’re right now, your soul mate is out there. Be patient. He/she is out there.

Meet Lorelei:
Lorelei ConferLorelei Confer lives on a peninsula in the mid west coast of Florida with her high school sweetheart, now husband, and AJ, her long-haired Chihuahua.

In the fourth grade, she wrote her first story—something about getting a shot at the doctors—that was produced by the teacher for parents and students in an assembly. When she was older, she spilled her guts in a journal every night and wrote long newsy love letters to Viet Nam.

She is a multi-published author of romantic suspense with two series: The Deadly series and the Saddle Creek series. She also has written numerous novellas and short stories. She loves to hear from her readers so if you want to stay “in the know” visit her website, sign up for her newsletters and contact her.

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