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New release! Dare to Hope by Madison Michael

Dare to Hope
Double Dare Romance Series (Book 1)
By Madison Michael
 
♥♥GiveAway♥♥
Maddy is offering a few great prizes. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter! You may enter each day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with us on the New Release Tour.
 

About Dare to Hope: 

She’s Betting on Love and the Stakes are High

 The “Crazy Eights,” eight women who have been friends for 30 years, have a powerful connection yet rarely see each other. At a pivotal time in their lives, they create a way to remedy this predicament, an audacious dare contrived to bring them together for weddings – each participant must get married within twelve months. The stakes are high. Win the bet and lose your heart; or lose the bet and perform a personally mortifying task.

 In the first of their stories, we meet Eliana, beautiful and brilliant, but starting over, focused on her career, not on some foolhardy dare. Longing for a family but recently divorced and on her own, Eliana sets her sights on a new job, a new home and accepting her single, childless status. Independent and determined, she has no idea that in less than six months she will both win and lose her heart’s desire.

 Jeremy Klein, genius engineer and inventor, is also making life changes. He’s sold his startup to a major medical device company, becoming President and CEO, and a billionaire before he is forty. Although he’s gun-shy about the dating game, Jeremy knows it’s time to apply his smarts, sex appeal and new-found success to finding true love.

 When Eliana meets Jeremy, they bond quickly. The couple has so much in common and a chemistry that sizzles. Winning Eliana feels like a fantasy come true to Jeremy. Their attraction is immediate and electrifying, and a one-night stand morphs into planning a future. But plans change. On track to wedded bliss, baby and all, Jeremy and Eliana are derailed by accusations that threaten their relationship, Eliana’s career and Jeremy’s future as CEO.

 Spies, lies, allegations and misunderstandings abound, threatening to destroy their happiness. That is, until those “Crazy Eights” get involved, scheming and manipulating to win Eliana her happily ever after. Can a group of determined friends help Eliana and Jeremy hold onto love?

 In the tradition of The Beguiling Bachelor Series, Madison Michael creates a romance series about independent and sassy women, sexy and successful men, true love, and lasting friendships.

 Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance

 Buy Links:

An Excerpt from Dare to Hope:

His grin was devastating up close – wide and welcoming, with a hint of naughtiness and the promise of shared pleasures. But it was his eyes, deep coffee brown and fringed with long dark lashes that were his best feature; piercing, intelligent and inquisitive eyes, trained on her.
Please, God, Eliana prayed quickly, do not let this man be the new sales manager. It would be lamentable if she had to keep him at arm’s length. He was the first man Eliana had felt drawn to since Nico. If she was honest with herself, he was the first man she had ever felt this attracted to so immediately. It was enough to make her believe in love at first sight or fate.
“Hi,” he stepped closer, ignoring the empty stool beside her to halt just inside her personal space. Usually, Eliana would have reflexively backed up, but she savored his closeness, the power emanating from his presence. Even in this stuffy bar, he smelled good – fresh, like soap and good whiskey. And up close, his eyes were more magical – a hint of gold dancing in their depths.
“Hi,” she responded on a breath, letting the single word hang there for a moment before adding “You aren’t in sales, are you?”
“Nope.” If he thought it was a strange conversation starter, he kept it to himself. “Engineering and design, although I have dabbled in sales. I could be in sales for you,” he offered in a voice smooth as brandy, redolent with sexual promise and a hint of curiosity. She laughed at his offer. “Are you in sales?”
“Yes, I am. I was thinking of what a crime it would be if you turned out to be my new boss. I’m meeting him tomorrow.”
“Jeremy,” he responded, extending his hand to shake hers. “Not in sales. Is your boss named Jeremy?”
“Thankfully, not.” Eliana extended her hand, savoring the moment as Jeremy wrapped his long fingers around hers. She noticed there was no wedding band as she admired the strength and length of his fingers, the fine hairs on the back of his hand, and his grip – warm and dry. His skin was soft over fine bone and healthy muscle. Everything about him captivated her. “Eliana.”
Jeremy seemed in no hurry to release her hand, but after several beats too long for politeness, Eliana pulled hers from his. “Is this seat taken?” he asked, already sitting down, not thinking twice about it. “Or perhaps that table against the wall? I am anxious to learn why you don’t know who you work with, Eliana.”
Eliana laughed and watched as Jeremy’s breath stopped. His every emotion was transparent, especially the desire flaming in his eyes right now. A passion she reciprocated. Wholeheartedly. She couldn’t remember such an instantaneous attraction. But with Jeremy, she felt electricity and lust move through her entire body, just from the touch of his hand and the sound of her name spoken in his rich baritone.
“Eliana,” he rolled the word around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. “What a lovely name.” Eliana panties dampened. He was just saying words, but their underlying promise was undeniable. She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to be naked with him. And all she knew was his first name.
Eliana nodded toward the table, questioning her sanity. She was sure about what this man wanted, but after only minutes, her body governed her head. Jeremy spoke briefly with the bartender, passed him a fifty like it was a single, and motioned for her to lead the way to the empty table. Before they had settled in their chairs, both had fresh drinks. Earlier, the bartender had responded to her beauty with decent service and half-hearted flirting, but he reacted with alacrity to the big tip.
“So, spill,” Jeremy directed, leaning forward on his elbows and putting his mouth dangerously close to hers. Just a few inches, Eliana imagined, and they could be kissing. “I am dying to hear your story. I want to know absolutely everything about you.” The way he lingered on the word ‘everything’ made Eliana wetter still. Oh man, she was in way over her head.
 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~
 

Meet Madison Michael:

Madison Michael loves to binge news, movies, books, Oreos and romance – reading romance novels, writing romantic stories, watching Rom-Coms over and over. Maddy has spent her self-isolation fretting about the health of her friends and neighbors and catching up on TV programs from ten years ago. Hunkered down with her cat, Gracie, and a Zoom life-line to the world, she is wondering how people date and social distance, how much junk food she can consume in a day and why Gracie only wants to play when Maddy needs to work.

 Oh, and Madison is also hard at work on the rest of the Double Dare Romance series. Watch for more of the series in Autumn and Winter, 2020.

Madison’s Social Links:

All Caught up on Madison’s Books?
The Beguiling Bachelor Series – 
Four Successful, Sexy Men meet their matches – and how!
The B&B Billionaire Books – Second Chance at Love stories set in small town America
Standalone Stories – from Sweet Time Travel to Sexy May-September Romance
(available only when you sign up to be an Insider)

Daisy play–Love Me, Lust Me Not by Brittany Boykin

Love Me, Lust Me Not by Brittany BoykinLove Me, Lust Me Not

Blurb:
Enjoy this must-read romance novel based in the heart of New York City as you walk with Beverly through a whirlwind of emotions. It’s amazingly intriguing and full to the brim with tons of drama, sex, and betrayal. Who does she fall for? Is it love? Is it lust? What about her crazy business partner? Is he going to ruin her life and their business all at once? Her best friend Sheila is a hoot and a half as well, but can she keep her nose out of Bev’s love life? So many unanswered questions! So little time!

Excerpt:
“Good Morning,” I say shyly as I press floor twenty-five.

“Good Morning, Bev,” Davis says as he reaches across me to press floor thirty-two.

I don’t know what angel died and fell from Heaven, but my heart sings every single time I see this dark, handsome, Armani suited, green-eyed, married hunk. Yes, sadly, he’s married, so untouchable. A girl can dream, though, right?

It takes everything in me not to inhale the delicious fragrance of Davis’ expensive cologne as the elevator starts to move. Oh my gosh, he knows my freaking name! WAIT! Did he just say my nickname? Davis is the only man on this Earth who can bring my giddy, little girl, high school thoughts back into play just by standing by my side. And, oh, what he would look like naked! I stand there, awkwardly, face flushed, as we wait for the elevator to reach my destination.

Praying my knees hold me up right just a little longer, the elevator bell finally dings at my floor. “See you, Davis,” I mutter shakily as I step out of the elevator into the bright reception area.

Buy links:
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089RB3L3N
IBooks App Link: https://books.apple.com/us/book/love-me-lust-me-not/id1517244923
Nook e-book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-me-lust-me-not-brittany-boykin/1137146217?ean=9781735013404
Author Website: https://bboykin.com/
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbrittanyboykin

Love Me, Lust Me Not by Brittany Boykin

Let’s Meet Brittany:

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
BB: Honestly, I just sat down and started typing. Every time my best friend read a chapter and anxiously awaited the next one, she would beg me to tell her what was going to happen. I literally had no clue, though. So, my answer was always I don’t know yet. Then, the next day I would start typing again it would all just come to me.

NA: What sort of research did you do to write this book?
BB: I had to research a lot of setting information. The book is set in New York City and I have never been. I know risky, but it was fun! I also had to research some NYC law and court system information. One of my characters gets themselves into some trouble, and I wanted the punishment and process to be realistic.

NA: What is the main thing you want readers to take away from your book?
BB: I want my readers to know that you can find your true love. You do not have to put up with being treated poorly in any aspect of your life. You are worthy, and you should NEVER settle. Live life, have fun and everything will fall into place when you least expect it to!

NA: Do you have a day job? What was your job before you started writing full time?
BB: I do have a day job and I still currently work full-time. I also am currently going to school for my bachelors in accounting. I could not do any of this without my supportive husband and my amazing kids, though. I know: busy, busy.

NA: What started you on the path to writing?
BB: Honestly, boredom. I quit smoking about 6 months ago and I needed something to keep my busy. I got a random idea for the main characters and the plot and just started typing away. My best friend and dad read the first chapter and thought it was just amazing, so I kept going. I don’t think I would have been able to finish without them!

NA: What do your friends and family think about your being a writer?
BB: Everyone seems to be supportive so far. I am not sure how my mom will react when she actually reads the book, though. Disclaimer: there are curse words and sexy scenes.

NA: Which kind of scenes are the hardest for you to write? Action, dialogue, sex?
BB: Action and description. I can see it in my head but putting it to paper is hard. I probably rewrote certain settings/scenes 4 or 5 times because I kept rereading it and thinking that is not how it was in my head. Dialogue is the easiest, I think.

NA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
BB: Spend time with my husband and kids. We are usually at sporting events regularly, but thanks to COVID, sports were mostly canceled. We have been going to the lake a lot now that it is hot. We love to go out on the boat and fish. We also love to go camping. In fact, I did my first round of edits sitting outside a cabin at a picnic table at a lake in Texas while camping with my family.

NA: What are your top three favorite books of all time?
BB: My all-time favorite series hands down is Harry Potter. I could read it over and over and never get tired of it. I know I am going to get some hate for this one, but I also LOVE the Twilight series. Then, I think it would have to be the Hunger Games. How did I get caught up writing a romance novel? LOL.

NA: First thought when the alarm goes off in the morning?
BB: UGH. Work. I just want to write all day. HAHA. Maybe one day I can be a full-time author. That is the dream anyways. For now, I will keep my day job and daydream.

NA: What errand/chore do you despise the most?
BB: DISHES. They are the devil! I hate the icky feeling of gross soggy food. EW. Thank goodness my husband hates laundry. We traded – he does dishes, I do laundry. He is forever my soulmate.

NA: What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
BB: JK Rowling of course. I would love to pick her brain. I have so many questions!

NA: What are you working on now?
BB: Book two of course. I need help naming it, though. I don’t think I picked a very good title for a series… Love Me, Lust Me Not 2 seems so LAME! Any contenders want to help name book two? Send me a message on Facebook with your ideas!

How can we find out more??

Britanny BoykinBrittany Boykin is a down home Texas gal, born and raised! She loves to play with her 3 beautiful children and hang out with her amazing husband. She was born in Waco, Texas and grew up in Dallas most of her life. She moved back to Waco eventually and ended up graduating high school from Bruceville-Eddy. She is currently attending college to get her Bachelor’s in Accounting. Brittany has always loved business and has been in the business world most of her career.

Brittany has many hobbies and her kids keep her busy. But when she is not busy doing kids activities, you can find her with a coffee and a book in her hand. Brittany has a newfound love for writing. She is a romance author and just published her first book. Follow her blog for excerpts from the book and to learn more about her day to day life! If you love a good romance novel, then stick around for Brittany’s book release to be announced this year! Don’t forget to follow her on social media and subscribe to her newsletter for all of the latest updates!

Facebook link: www.facebook.com/authorbrittanyboykin

Twitter link: www.twitter.com/AuthorBoykin

Website: www.bboykin.com

Book Links: www.bboykin.com/order-books/

There’s magic in the air #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

Your Desire by Dee S. Knight
Blurb:
Your Desire. A mysterious shop appears in town for one reason: to bring the spice of passion and the thrill of love to one special person. Magic is in more than the item purchased—it’s in the heart of the buyer, often hidden, usually surprising. And after enchantment takes hold? The store fades from sight and memory, only to reappear somewhere else. Maybe in your town….

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
Allison Hayes berated herself for the millionth time as she hurried up the street. Spending her lunch hour shopping wasn’t her greatest desire, but she had little choice.

Why had she agreed to help at the reunion yet again? Hadn’t she been masochistic enough when they’d celebrated being out of high school five years? She’d handled all of the arrangements then. And when the tenth anniversary arrived, hadn’t she accepted the tasks of tracking down everyone in their class, bringing in the entertainment and setting up the welcome dinner?

As the third reunion approached, she’d determined to stay out of it. Yet here she was, sucked in again. At least this time she only had responsibility for handling the welcome table for the mix-and-mingle dinner on Saturday. The opening ceremonies, as it were.

“And I think that will be the extent of my appearances, too,” she mumbled. Why emphasize the chasm that existed between her and her classmates one more time?

The first reunion hadn’t been so bad in that respect. Everyone either had recently graduated from college or was trying to establish their place in the world in some way. She’d felt on equal footing. At the next, she had been among the few who weren’t married, one of only a handful who hadn’t left the Lexington area. This year, she knew she would be almost alone in her single status. Probably a few of her classmates had been divorced and remarried, even, sampling two or three times what she hadn’t known at all. She would feel odd and provincial, still being unmarried and never having left their small hometown.

Walking with purpose down Main Street, she headed for the Belk’s department store. The reunion committee, in its infinite wisdom, had decided to make the introductory party a retro theme.

“So much more fun,” her friend Mary had explained on the phone last week.

“Fun? But I don’t have anything I can wear to a retro party. I’m not even sure what retro clothes are,” Allison had complained.

“Sure you do. Now look, Allison, you must be there. I’m really counting on you. It’ll be fun, you’ll see. Have your hair styled in a flip and find an old bridesmaid’s dress somewhere. Somehow they always look like they’re from the fifties.” With that bit of sage advice she’d hung up to take care of some child-related disaster in the making.

So here Allison was, on her lunch hour and only a few days before the event, trying to find something that filled the requirements. Tugging on the door to Belk’s, she saw the sign posted on the glass: “Closed due to broken pipe. Please visit us again later this week.”

“Great.” Heaving a deep sigh, she wondered where else she could find the kind of dress she needed, in—she glanced at her watch—thirty minutes. Nowhere. She groaned knowing she’d now have to do more shopping than could be handled in a lunch break.

Viewing her reflection in the glass, she noted the lines of fatigue already there, and the week wasn’t over yet. Leaving her plain face starkly exposed, her brown hair was pulled back in a bun, its luster normally hidden under a nurse’s cap. She looked tidy and efficient in the white uniform. But she hurt from the hours on her feet combined with the walk uptown, making her lean to the right in order to take weight off her left leg. The ache added to her weary expression. The last thing she needed was to go shopping.

“Damn!” She hadn’t wanted to go to the reunion in the first place and now she had to rearrange her schedule in order to find a dress she really didn’t want to buy. She turned to trudge back up the street toward the hospital.

Suddenly, a noise caught her attention and she glanced up to find the source, a sign hanging over the sidewalk, squeaking on its hinges. Your Desire, the sign said in fine script. Vintage Clothing. An arrow pointed up the alley where Allison saw another, smaller sign hanging over a doorway. Puzzled, she looked up and down the street. She’d never noticed this sign before. She hadn’t especially noticed this alley, to tell the truth. Vintage Clothing.

“What do I have to lose?” she murmured, dragging herself up the alleyway.

Pushing open the door, she experienced a rush of anticipation, a tingle up her spine. She walked into a store surprisingly different than what she’d expected. From the outside, the storefront appeared tiny. Inside, shelves and racks spaced on each wall extended far into the back, making the shop very deep. She supposed because the windows fronted the alley, the natural light that filled the space seemed filtered, creating a hazy, gauzy ambience.

She stepped farther inside. Background music was loud enough to be heard but not overwhelming. A song by a swing band ended and a Hit Parade ballad by Perry Como began. To her left she saw a Victorian wedding gown hanging on the wall. To her right, a flapper era dress, complete with fringe and sequins. Surely these were reproductions. No one store could have such a wide range of exquisite originals.

“May I help you?”

She started, slapping her hand to her chest. “Oh, I didn’t see you.” The man standing beside her looked like someone she thought she should know. An actor or something. That was it! One of those old actors. What was his name…?

He smiled and she forgot to remember.

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A crazy Fourth

July 4th--Happy Birthday, America!This is unquestionably a crazy time in the U.S. and around the world. But today is also our country’s birthday. I’d like to forget the weirdness and just say “Happy birthday, USA!”

I’d also like to thank all of those who kept us free and who continue to do so—our military and military families. Your sacrifice is much appreciated. Also, thanks to all who keep us safe here at home, our first responders who rush to us when we call for help. Because of all of you, our country is better, our lives are better, and considering all America does around the world, the world is better, too.

Have a safe and happy Fourth!July Fourth

Raising children #MFRWauthor

Values to teach childrenI can’t think of any job in the world more important but harder to do well than parenting. When you think of the million of things a parent can do wrong, it boggles the mind. And even if you do most everything right, the kid can decide to screw it all up and leave parents wondering where they went wrong. The good news is, no one does it perfectly, and most kids turn out okay and grow up to have their own kids so they can worry about doing things wrong. It’s a beautiful circle.

So, when we think of the most important value to teach a child, it’s impossible to narrow it to one. We want our children to be honest, self-sufficient, loving, hard-working, trustworthy, etc. Sigh. But if I have to pick one, I’ll say that teaching your child to love is the most important.

When parents teach their children to love—not just others, but themselves—they are also teaching respect for life. Loving means they don’t hurt others purposefully and that they learn to say “I’m sorry” when they do it accidentally. It means they learn to share and give to help those who can’t help themselves. It means they grow up trying to do the right thing and not to cause harm.

How do we teach kids to be loving? One way—the best way, I think—is by Parents and childrenexample. If parents show love for each other as well as for their children, they demonstrate what a good relationship is. It builds a web of love that can’t help but extend to outside the family structure.

Perhaps I make it all sound easy. It isn’t. As a parent, loving means being consistent, so the child learns. It means correcting behavior that doesn’t show caring, even when correcting is hard to do. It means taking time to be loving, even when it seems there is no time. It means doing your regular job, but never forgetting that parenting is the real job.

We’re going through a crazy, topsy-turvy world right now, and we could use a lot more love. If we teach our kids to love themselves and each other, I think the ideal will spread from generation to generation, keeping everyone’s little corner of the world a better place.

What do you think is the best value to teach?

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Burning Bridges by Anne Krist: old letters put the lie to Sara’s life. Now, mending her past mistakes while crossing burning bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

One Woman Only
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Making her engine purr #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

Blurb:
One Woman Only by Dee S. KnightOne Woman Only, Book 2 of the Good Man series

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:
Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt:
“A burger and fries, please.” Jonah had said the words, but in synch with someone else. Someone whose voice was slightly higher and a lot more feminine. He turned his head to the left and met the green gaze of the last person he wanted to see tonight. For an instant, the spit dried in his mouth and his eyes widened as his past slammed headfirst into his present. She was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and his body responded with an immediate and aching erection.

Then she opened her mouth.

“Oh hell,” Kelly said. “It’s you.”

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New! Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia Terelst

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia TerelseLet Sleeping Dogs Lie

Blurb

Will one of the treasures they find be each other’s heart?

It’s been five years since Tara walked out of Shepherd’s life without a word. Since then he’s spiralled through drugs, alcohol and empty relationships, with Tara on his mind the whole time. Now he wants to win her back, and what better way to do it than by creating a fake scavenger hunt? He knows she won’t be able to resist.

Tara’s lost enough loved ones and she didn’t want to see Shepherd added to that count. So, when she saw him high at graduation, she did the only thing she could – she walked away. When she’s teamed up with him for a million dollar scavenger hunt, the feelings reignite. For a second chance at love to work, she needs to be brave enough to open up to him, to tell him everything she withheld the first time around.

Shepherd didn’t realise how much winning would mean to Tara. He now needs to come up with $3 million for her foundation before the hunt is over. If he can’t he will need to tell her it’s all fake, and he doesn’t know if he can risk that.

Will secrets destroy them a second time around?

Excerpt
Tara
Shepherd and I sat on the couch side by side and watched The Martian while we ate dinner. The warmth from where our arms touched seeped through me. I should have moved away, but I didn’t want to. The spices from the tacos radiated off him. What would they taste like when mixed with the sweetness of him? My eyes were drawn to his lips, the curve of them. I could practically feel their softness.

Shepherd turned his face to mine. My eyes lingered for a moment as I imagined his soft breath brushing my face as he bent his head toward me. My breathing shallowed to the point that it was nearly non-existent, as if I were a starfish. I turned my face away and resumed watching the movie, making sure my hands kept to themselves and my thoughts remained on the man saving his own life on the screen. Matt Damon may have been the most attractive astronaut I’d ever seen, but he was nothing compared to Shepherd.

The movie ended and I sat there while the credits rolled. Our closeness suddenly made me feel like we were in a flux capacitor. Time—five years of it—had been starved, and now it was swallowing me whole. Everything about Shepherd felt like home. Everything. And if I allowed it to, this feeling wouldn’t just swallow me, it would become me.

I jerked away from him, my heart racing, my skin cold, while I broke into a sweat. I couldn’t allow this to happen. Shepherd was no longer my solace. He never truly was because he never knew my grief. My grief over my brother. The feelings of loss at my parent’s death.

No, Shepherd was not my solace. Not then. Not now.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia Terelse

Cynthia Terelst and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
CT: Ideas come in the most mysterious ways. My daughter had just moved to a new town for work. She told me about how there was a top pub and a bottom pub and at bottom pub people remembered your name. I made a random post about it and one of my friends said it sounded like a puzzle. So I thought, why not write a book revolving around a scavenger hunt.

NA: What sort of research did you do to write this book?
CT: You can’t have a scavenger hunt without places where to find the treasure. So after I decided where I would set the book I needed to figure out where the treasure was going to be hidden. Then I needed to come up with clues to direct the players to that place. It sounds easy. But trust me it’s not. You need to provide enough detail for them to get to the answer but still be vague enough so that can not guess straight away.

NA: A fun fact about writing your book.
CT: Many of the places mentioned in the book I have visited personally, and the ghostly encounter was real!

NA: Do you have a day job? What was your job before you started writing full time?
CT: I don’t write full time, yet. My aim is to be a full-time author at the end of 2023. That is when the project at my day job is scheduled to complete. I intend to write two books a year and build up a loyal fan base in between.

NA: What do your friends and family think about your being a writer?
CT: I have very supportive friends and family who like to say they know a published author. They might get sick of me talking about my launch, the book that I’m working on, but the never say so. And I appreciate that.

NA: The biggest surprise you had after becoming a writer
CT: The support in the writing community. People are open in sharing what works for them and what hasn’t. Many are there to extend a helping hand to you and share their infinite wisdom.

NA: Do you outline books ahead of time or are you more of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer?
CT: I know where my books starts, what I want to happen in the middle and what the ending is. My planning does not go much beyond that. For this book I wrote out index cards for each scene but I only looked at the first few and then my writing just went on its own merry little way.

NA: Do you have quirky writing habits?
CT: Not really. Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I don’t. I hand write my first draft and then type. I guess that is something not all writers do. It helps me think clearer.

NA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
CT: I don’t have much spare time. I usually just veg out in front of the TV at the end of the night for an hour or so.

NA: Why did you choose the shirt you have on?
CT: Because it was clean and it fits. I’ve put on a bit of weight and not all of my clothes fit at present.

NA: First thought when the alarm goes off in the in the morning?
CT: How much longer I can stay in bed for because I MUST get up.

NA: What errand/chore do you despise the most?
CT: Cleaning is not my thing. When I got a pay rise the first thing I did was get a cleaner.

NA: What are you working on now?
CT: My next novel is a royal romance, with a smattering of polo, rambunctious kids and I’ll throw in a spider and snake, because Australia. Lol.

Teasers

“You’ve got ketchup—” His thumb reached the side of my mouth and wiped across my lips, leaving them heated. It was such a Shepherd thing to do, so natural, I thought nothing of it at first. But we weren’t Shepherd and Tara anymore. We were no longer a consist that couldn’t be separated, that would be useless apart. We were separated, and for good reason. Just because my lips yearned for his in that moment, it didn’t mean I needed to act on it.

***

I looked up at Shepherd. I wanted him to kiss me. My lust was a coiled snake, lifting its head, stretching out towards him. I knew what his lips felt like. I knew what he tasted like. I’d remembered it for five years and now I yearned for it more than ever. Musk from his cologne was sexy as hell. My skin tingled as I breathed it in deeper, drawing it deep into my lungs.
I took a step toward him. As he reached out and curled his hand around the back of my neck, heat surged through my body.

***

So, as much as I wanted to stay away from Shepherd, I couldn’t. The chance of winning three million outweighed my wants. How much I once loved him did not matter. I couldn’t afford to think about it. And I needed to rein in any residual feelings…for eighteen more days.

Buy Link

Author Bio

Cynthia TerelstCynthia Terelst is a project officer by day and a writer by night. She is a contemporary romance writer who likes to share a little bit of history, some Australian scenery and a whole lotta love. Cynthia does not shy away from difficult topics, as she feels that they should not be ignored.
She lives in Queensland, Australia, where the sun shines at least 283 days a year.

Read Cynthia’s previous blog post, The Cat’s Out of the Bag!

Social Media Links

Website http://cynthiaterelst.com/
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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Terelst/e/B07ZCTX8SB/
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Linktree https://linktr.ee/cynthiaterelst

Charity Sunday: Homes for Our Troops

Charity Sunday: Dee S. KnightHow Charity Sunday works: for every comment made on this blog post, I will donate money to the charity named. Thanks for your help and your participation!

Homes for OUr TroopsWelcome to this month’s Charity Sunday! This month I’m highlighting Homes for Our Troops https://www.hfotusa.org/ . The mission of Homes for Our Troops is this: “To build and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.”

Even if you’ve had only a broken leg (or hip or arm or had knee surgery) you can appreciate the barriers posed in our homes. If your home has steps, for instance, think of the handicap injured or wounded folks have in getting around. Homes for Our Troops takes into consideration not only steps, but height of a stove or sink, whether a shower is handicap accessible, etc. These can be priceless accommodations for the man or women who wants to be independent. I hope you will take a look at their website and see what all they do.

Burning Bridges by Anne KristI’d like to share an excerpt from Burning Bridges, where the hero is a sailor on his way to the war in Vietnam.
Blurb:
Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she’d given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.

Buy link: Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt:
Sara stared at the letters arranged before her in numerical order. The moment in time she and Paul shared was long ago, yet her dream had conjured his presence as though she’d just seen him. In her mind, his blue eyes darkened with passion before his lips captured hers, and he moaned his appreciation when their tongues met. She tasted his sweetness and knew the steel of his arms as he held her. How many nights had she put herself through hell reliving those memories? Too damn many.

After the concert, they’d met clandestinely on weekends, mostly at Sandbridge, where they could walk and talk undisturbed. With each meeting, stirrings built deep in Sara that pushed her to want more, but Paul insisted they restrain themselves because of her age.

Then the weekend before he shipped out, she’d planned a surprise and her life changed forever.

The kettle screeched, bringing her back to the present. Sara prepared a cup of tea and then picked up the envelope marked twenty-eight. At one time, she would have given her right arm to hold this letter. Now, curiosity and the desire for a brief escape drove her more than the passion of youth. Blind love had faded when she’d had no word to bolster her during the long weeks after the ship left.

First had come the waiting. No letters arrived, even though she wrote him daily. There were no phone calls, no notes, no anything, for days that dragged into weeks then crept into months.

Anticipation morphed into anxiety. She worried he was sick or hurt and unable to write.

One day she admitted that Paul must be afraid to write for some reason, and she feared what he would say if she did receive a letter. That their time together had been a mistake, that she was too young to be in love. That he really loved someone else and Sara had been only a stand-in while he was in Virginia. Perversely, she began to sigh with relief when she arrived home and found no word.

Now, knowing why she hadn’t received mail, what would she feel if she opened this letter and her old fears proved to be true?

“Nothing,” she murmured. “Paul’s dead. He can’t hurt me anymore.” At the very least, his letters might allow her to put his ghost to rest. For that reason alone, she had to read them.

She slid her thumb under the flap and ripped the envelope open. A single sheet held his hurried scrawl.

New! Pre-order Dare to Hope by Madison Michael

Dare to Hope
Double Dare Romance Series (Book 1)
By Madison Michael
 
♥♥GiveAway♥♥
Maddy is offering a few lucky readers the chance to win an ebook of Dare to Hope from ibooks or another ebook format. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter! You may enter each day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with us on the Pre-Order Tour.
 
♥♥Pre-Order Details ♥♥
 
Dare to Hope is now available for Pre-Order on B&N, Apple Books or Kobo. After it’s release it will only be available on Amazon, so Hurry! Go Pre-Order your copy if you prefer these formats for reading.

About Dare to Hope: 

She’s Betting on Love and the Stakes are High

 The “Crazy Eights,” eight women who have been friends for 30 years, have a powerful connection yet rarely see each other. At a pivotal time in their lives, they create a way to remedy this predicament, an audacious dare contrived to bring them together for weddings – each participant must get married within twelve months. The stakes are high. Win the bet and lose your heart; or lose the bet and perform a personally mortifying task.

 In the first of their stories, we meet Eliana, beautiful and brilliant, but starting over, focused on her career, not on some foolhardy dare. Longing for a family but recently divorced and on her own, Eliana sets her sights on a new job, a new home and accepting her single, childless status. Independent and determined, she has no idea that in less than six months she will both win and lose her heart’s desire.

 Jeremy Klein, genius engineer and inventor, is also making life changes. He’s sold his startup to a major medical device company, becoming President and CEO, and a billionaire before he is forty. Although he’s gun-shy about the dating game, Jeremy knows it’s time to apply his smarts, sex appeal and new-found success to finding true love.

 When Eliana meets Jeremy, they bond quickly. The couple has so much in common and a chemistry that sizzles. Winning Eliana feels like a fantasy come true to Jeremy. Their attraction is immediate and electrifying, and a one-night stand morphs into planning a future. But plans change. On track to wedded bliss, baby and all, Jeremy and Eliana are derailed by accusations that threaten their relationship, Eliana’s career and Jeremy’s future as CEO.

 Spies, lies, allegations and misunderstandings abound, threatening to destroy their happiness. That is, until those “Crazy Eights” get involved, scheming and manipulating to win Eliana her happily ever after. Can a group of determined friends help Eliana and Jeremy hold onto love?

 In the tradition of The Beguiling Bachelor Series, Madison Michael creates a romance series about independent and sassy women, sexy and successful men, true love, and lasting friendships.

 Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance

 Buy Links:


 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~

An Excerpt from Dare to Hope:

His grin was devastating up close – wide and welcoming, with a hint of naughtiness and the promise of shared pleasures. But it was his eyes, deep coffee brown and fringed with long dark lashes that were his best feature; piercing, intelligent and inquisitive eyes, trained on her.
Please, God, Eliana prayed quickly, do not let this man be the new sales manager. It would be lamentable if she had to keep him at arm’s length. He was the first man Eliana had felt drawn to since Nico. If she was honest with herself, he was the first man she had ever felt this attracted to so immediately. It was enough to make her believe in love at first sight or fate.
“Hi,” he stepped closer, ignoring the empty stool beside her to halt just inside her personal space. Usually, Eliana would have reflexively backed up, but she savored his closeness, the power emanating from his presence. Even in this stuffy bar, he smelled good – fresh, like soap and good whiskey. And up close, his eyes were more magical – a hint of gold dancing in their depths.
“Hi,” she responded on a breath, letting the single word hang there for a moment before adding “You aren’t in sales, are you?”
“Nope.” If he thought it was a strange conversation starter, he kept it to himself. “Engineering and design, although I have dabbled in sales. I could be in sales for you,” he offered in a voice smooth as brandy, redolent with sexual promise and a hint of curiosity. She laughed at his offer. “Are you in sales?”
“Yes, I am. I was thinking of what a crime it would be if you turned out to be my new boss. I’m meeting him tomorrow.”
“Jeremy,” he responded, extending his hand to shake hers. “Not in sales. Is your boss named Jeremy?”
“Thankfully, not.” Eliana extended her hand, savoring the moment as Jeremy wrapped his long fingers around hers. She noticed there was no wedding band as she admired the strength and length of his fingers, the fine hairs on the back of his hand, and his grip – warm and dry. His skin was soft over fine bone and healthy muscle. Everything about him captivated her. “Eliana.”
Jeremy seemed in no hurry to release her hand, but after several beats too long for politeness, Eliana pulled hers from his. “Is this seat taken?” he asked, already sitting down, not thinking twice about it. “Or perhaps that table against the wall? I am anxious to learn why you don’t know who you work with, Eliana.”
Eliana laughed and watched as Jeremy’s breath stopped. His every emotion was transparent, especially the desire flaming in his eyes right now. A passion she reciprocated. Wholeheartedly. She couldn’t remember such an instantaneous attraction. But with Jeremy, she felt electricity and lust move through her entire body, just from the touch of his hand and the sound of her name spoken in his rich baritone.
“Eliana,” he rolled the word around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. “What a lovely name.” Eliana panties dampened. He was just saying words, but their underlying promise was undeniable. She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to be naked with him. And all she knew was his first name.
Eliana nodded toward the table, questioning her sanity. She was sure about what this man wanted, but after only minutes, her body governed her head. Jeremy spoke briefly with the bartender, passed him a fifty like it was a single, and motioned for her to lead the way to the empty table. Before they had settled in their chairs, both had fresh drinks. Earlier, the bartender had responded to her beauty with decent service and half-hearted flirting, but he reacted with alacrity to the big tip.
“So, spill,” Jeremy directed, leaning forward on his elbows and putting his mouth dangerously close to hers. Just a few inches, Eliana imagined, and they could be kissing. “I am dying to hear your story. I want to know absolutely everything about you.” The way he lingered on the word ‘everything’ made Eliana wetter still. Oh man, she was in way over her head.
 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~
 

Meet Madison Michael:

Madison Michael loves to binge news, movies, books, Oreos and romance – reading romance novels, writing romantic stories, watching Rom-Coms over and over. Maddy has spent her self-isolation fretting about the health of her friends and neighbors and catching up on TV programs from ten years ago. Hunkered down with her cat, Gracie, and a Zoom life-line to the world, she is wondering how people date and social distance, how much junk food she can consume in a day and why Gracie only wants to play when Maddy needs to work.

 Oh, and Madison is also hard at work on the rest of the Double Dare Romance series. Watch for more of the series in Autumn and Winter, 2020.

Madison’s Social Links:

All Caught up on Madison’s Books?

The Beguiling Bachelor Series – 
Four Successful, Sexy Men meet their matches – and how!
The B&B Billionaire Books – Second Chance at Love stories set in small town America
Standalone Stories – from Sweet Time Travel to Sexy May-September Romance
(available only when you sign up to be an Insider)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fate or luck? #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

Passionate Destiny by Dee S. Knight

Blurb:
Dr. Margaret Amis-Hollings, professor of women’s studies at a small New Jersey college, is a woman who confidently knows who she is and what she expects of life. Until she loses her teaching position and her well-ordered life gets turned upside down. Then, in a subtle stroke of whimsy, fate tosses her a gift in an historic home and property in Virginia.

Harboring visions of Gone With the Wind, she determines to use River Peace as a temporary reprieve from her troubles. Images of Tara quickly evaporate when she arrives to discover the reality of her inheritance, however.

River Peace has history, grace and style going for it. After only one night, Margaret discovers that it also has a ghost. She’s visited by a male spirit from the time of the War Between the States, who knows how to make a woman feel special. And very loved.

Aaron Belton meets Margaret when she first arrives in Virginia. He’s renowned for historic renovations on a multitude of properties, but he’s got a special place in his heart for River Peace. He and his family believe the property always should have belonged to them. In fact, Aaron will do almost anything to make that happen. When his passion for the house changes to a passion for the house’s owner, Aaron’s as surprised as anyone. Can he gain both, the woman and the house? To do so, he’ll have to face a spectral being.

And his own destiny.

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited 

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
Among the standard collegiate notices and envelopes, she found two official-looking envelopes. Both had been signed for by the department secretary. Using her letter opener, she cut a slit along the flap of the larger brown envelope marked Personal and Confidential.

The letter she pulled out was notification that the papers making her divorce from Jackson Hollings final and official—sanctioned and approved by the state of New Jersey—were ready for her to sign.

Funny, she had just commented to him a few minutes ago that the papers were due any day, and they had been sitting in her briefcase, waiting for discovery.

Although she had initiated the proceedings and had fully expected the paperwork, actually seeing the words in black and white caused her stomach to drop and tears to come to her eyes. For six years she and Jackson had shared their lives. But for her eye-opening visit to his office one afternoon last fall they might still be. He was basically a good man, although not a particularly faithful one, and at one time she had loved him fiercely. But now she needed to move on with her life.

She put the letter aside and picked up the second envelope. It was addressed using her full name. Very formal. She glanced at the return address: Ronald Gibson, Esquire, Palmyra, Virginia.

Wrinkling her brow, she tried to figure out who she knew in Virginia. She slid her thumb under the flap and slipped out the sheets of paper. Her eyes widened as she read that she had been named sole beneficiary in the will of one Maude Rawling. Margaret looked at the second page of the notification. She had apparently inherited an antebellum house, with all furnishings and one hundred fifty-three acres, in Virginia.

Images of Gone with the Wind sprung to mind. She pictured a large, columned home commanding an expanse of lawn edged with azaleas and magnolias, and a circular drive around which carriages drove to discharge hoop-skirted passengers. With a grin, she shook her head to dismiss the illusion.

Mr. Gibson urged her to contact him as soon as possible to discuss disposition of the property. Whether she planned to sell or live in the house, he advised, repairs had to be made. He recommended a contractor named Aaron Belton for the work, both for his expertise and knowledge of authentic reconstruction. Margaret reread the letter, wondering who Maude Rawling was, and why Maude would leave anything to her. She almost wished Jackson had come over after all, to sort through this with her.

Picking up the phone, she dialed her mother.

Patricia Ackerman, a vivacious, beautiful woman, was a most unconventional mother. Only eighteen years older than Margaret, she had just turned fifty-one at the end of the previous month. Married three times, although never to Margaret’s father, Patricia had shared their various homes with several lovers. Living what she laughingly called an eclectic lifestyle, she’d built up quite a large bank account, as well as a strong network of friends. Although she was currently unmarried, even now she had a man firmly in the palm of her hand, and Margaret fully expected to be invited to another wedding in the near future.

When she promised to love Jackson until death, Margaret had tried to keep the specter of her mother’s love life out of mind. Then, after the separation, she had hoped more than anything that the inability to have a truly loving relationship wasn’t a part of her genetic makeup. Or at least that the inability to find a true man wasn’t. But she somehow thought it was. She’d never had a relationship last. Jackson had been it, the longest, the one she’d committed to, and still she’d been disappointed in love.

About Dee:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! Once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

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