Category Archives: First Kiss Friday

First Kiss Friday with Karen Michelle Nutt

18 Friday Jun 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday Blog! Today’s guess is Karen Michelle Nutt who has an excerpt from her time travel novel Two Worlds Collided. Be sure to read to the end to grab some free audiobook files while they’re available. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

His eyes were closed as he became one with the music. “She should spread her wings and soar.” His deep timber seemed to lure her closer. “Free, so free. She lifts my spirits. She’s like a butterfly, free and graceful.” He sang the chorus, “I want to see her fly. Fly higher and higher. Come fly with me. Come fly with me…” The song slowly came to an end with the last notes played on the keyboard.

This was a song he’d written for his solo album that never would be officially released, but a decade later it had been leaked through the media. Someone had found a raw recording of it and loaded it to the Internet. 

He turned in his seat and found her. “Come sit by me,” he said and scooted over on the bench. He reached for his cigarette, burning in the ashtray. His glass had vodka in it, his beverage of choice tonight, not water. She didn’t have to taste it to know. It had been documented on one of the many biographies broadcasted on TV. 

She sat next to him; his body warm against hers. She liked the way he felt, maybe a little too much. It was one thing to be infatuated with the legend, but quite another thing to be up close and personal with the man. She liked him. Really liked this broken soul. He was funny and though he pretended to be crude at times, she understood the reasons why. It was a shield to keep people at arm’s length, to keep them from seeing the turmoil roaring inside of him. 

“I hope you weren’t bored out of your wits.” He regarded her curiously as he puffed on the cigarette.  

“I enjoyed every minute. Thank you.”

“For what?” He balanced the cigarette between his lips and leaned his elbow on the flat plane of the keyboard, while with his other hand his fingers lightly caressed the keys with a slow melody. 

“For allowing me to be here tonight.”

His fingers went for the cigarette once more and with one final puff, he put it out in the ashtray. “I should probably be thanking you.” He gave her a brief smile then changed the subject, leaving her to wonder what he meant. “Do you play?” He gestured toward the keyboard.

“What? The keyboard?”

He nodded.

“No.” She half chuckled. “Well, I do know how to play chopsticks. I’m quite good at it if I do say so myself.”

He sat up straight then. “Give it a whirl, Darlin’.”

“I couldn’t,” she said and shook her head.

“Sure you can. We’ll play the duet and I’ll join in when you’re ready.” He kept gesturing toward the keyboard with his adorable, lopsided grin plastered to his face and she finally gave in.

She started out slow then gained confidence as Bellamy’s sure fingers joined in. She hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. She dated of course, but she hadn’t felt a connection with anyone, and the relationships never lasted. It was as if their frequencies were off and they never managed to be in sync. Not that being with Bellamy tonight constituted as a date.

She met Bellamy’s gaze and laughed again when the little ditty came to an end. 

“My word,” he said. “You are amazing.”

“I did warn you.”

“So you did.” His gaze caressed her, and he scooted closer, so close their lips were only inches apart. She wanted him to kiss her. God, she really, really wanted him to, but then his gaze left hers and she felt as though he’d severed the connection, they’d been sharing all evening, leaving her feeling slightly off-kilter. “It’s late,” he said, his voice seemed off, deeper, raspier. “You should go to bed,” he told her and for some reason he wouldn’t look at her.

“You should also. It’s been a long day for you.” 

Though the rehearsal had gone on all night, food was brought in and placed on a banquet table so the crew could help themselves. She watched Bellamy. He drank heavily, smoked like he couldn’t remember the last time he had a cigarette, but he picked at his food. Munched on nuts and grapes, but as for a full meal, he left his plate virtually untouched. 

She stared at his profile. Strong jaw, nice straight nose, and she wondered how he managed not to have it broken with so many fistfights he found himself in. However, his eyes were the telltale sign she was looking for. He was tired, the tender flesh darker than the rest of his complexion.

“When was the last time you slept?” she asked, curious to know. He couldn’t have slept last night, not much anyway with the condition she’d found him in this morning. 

Bellamy let out a sigh. “I haven’t slept for ages.”

She believed him. He still mourned his father’s death, he couldn’t kick his cocaine habit, not that she thought he even wanted to, and he drank hard liquor like it was the next best thing to water. 

“You know sometimes when you talk to a friend, it helps,” she offered.

He gave her a sidelong glance. “Friends? Some call me friend, but it’s difficult to know who really is one.”

She rested a hand on his. “I want to be your friend if you’ll let me.”

He gave her a long searching look as if he were trying to judge for himself if he could trust her. “You really do, don’t you?” he said, his voice raw with emotion and a bit of surprise. Then he broke down and told her, “I killed my father.” His eyes held her prisoner, daring her to look away in disgust. “What do you think of that…friend?”

Evie didn’t move or say anything. She knew he hadn’t really killed his father, not with his hands, but he blamed himself for his father’s death all the same. She waited. If he had thought to scare her off, he was sorely mistaken. 

He must have finally come to the conclusion she wasn’t going anywhere and continued, “I needed help. I was using, heavily,” he added, and she wondered how much more he’d been using, than what she’d witnessed already. She thought this morning he’d been a mess, but perhaps that was only a glimpse of how bad off he’d been in the past.

“I called my father, my strong sensible father. Mind you, he wasn’t a tall man, but he was a fierce Romanian-born man, who you would want on your side.” He glanced at her. “I don’t mean fierce in the sense he was abusive. I mean he was strong of mind and purpose. I called him because I couldn’t take the pressure anymore. The demand for the tours, the demand to write the next song better than the last, the demand to always be in tip-top form for all those fans… The media never lets up either.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “All of it was sucking the life out of me, but then there was this freak accident to put another nail in my coffin.” He shook his head. “If you can believe it, I wasn’t even high or drunk when it happened. I was at a baseball game with– it doesn’t matter who I was with. A foul ball hit me in the head, knocked me out cold and I fell hard.” He touched the back of his head. “I can’t smell anything. I can’t taste anything. It’s like I’m shut off from the world.” A small frown slipped across his face. “Believe me, I know others have it so much worse off than I do. It’s not like I’m missing a leg or an arm. Right?” He paused as if looking for the right words. “You know something? I’d give up a limb for the chance to taste and smell again.” 

She comprehended what he was saying, not because she understood what he was going through. She didn’t. No one could know without experiencing it for themselves. However, she did understand the concept. “Scents are all around us,” she said. “They can conjure a memory. They can comfort. They can arouse.” She nudged him and gained a semblance of a smile.

“I miss the smell of a woman. God, how I miss that the most.” Then he gave her a curious look that she didn’t quite understand, and it seemed he wasn’t willing to share it with her either and glanced away. 

“So you called your father,” she encouraged him to talk.

“He lives…lived in Murrieta, it’s a long drive from there to Malibu.”

She knew Bellamy had a home in Malibu. The tabloids spoke of the wild parties he held there. 

“He said he was coming to get me. I told him not to come. It was late. I should have never called him.” He closed his eyes. “He didn’t see the road construction sign. He missed it somehow and his car went over the side of the road, down a ravine. I told him not to come,” he repeated. 

“He was your father. He loved you.”

Tears burned his eyes, but he blinked and turned away to hide them from her. “Yeah, look what loving me did to him. My mother can’t even look at me when I go home to visit. She blames me. I blame myself.” 

She placed a hand on his shoulder. She wanted to hug him but didn’t know if she should. He turned toward her then, surprising her as he suddenly drew her close, his hands in her hair, his mouth hot and desperate on hers. She gripped his arms and kissed him too. He tasted of cigarettes, booze, and something more, something more primitive. God, what this man did to her senses and it proved difficult to ignore the hard hum of lust in her veins. 

He pulled away if only to allow them to breathe and her gaze snared with his and her pulse flickered and leaped at what she witnessed in his eyes. He wanted her. He wanted her to say yes, but the doors to the ballroom opened with the light from the lobby pouring in. The hotel crew strolled inside with carts. Apparently, they were there to clean the room. Bellamy let her go without voicing his desires.

“I need to use the restroom,” Evie said, in order for her to take a well-needed break and rethink where this was going between her and Bellamy. She told her brother she had no intentions of being just another woman Bellamy bedded, but how did she rein in her feelings for him? She wanted to be with him. She was an adult and knew sleeping with him wouldn’t give her forever in his arms. The future was still so uncertain where Bellamy was concerned anyway. Could be for anyone, come to think of it. There were no guarantees. She could only be true to herself, live life to the fullest, and see what tomorrow brought her way.

Bellamy didn’t say anything as she rose and headed away, but she knew he watched her, heavy-lidded with desire. She’d be lying if she didn’t experience a little thrill inside of her in knowing he did. 

****

What the hell was he doing? Bellamy scrubbed his face with his hands, inhaled deeply, and let it out again in a whoosh of frustration as he stared at Evie’s easy sway of her hips as she headed for the lady’s room. He reached for his glass and was disappointed to find it empty. 

You can’t sleep with her, he reminded himself. It would be a big mistake. A huge mistake, and yet he couldn’t stop himself from imagining how he’d take off every stitch of her clothes and lay her down on his bed, naked and willing as he pinned her beneath is hard, aching body… “Shit.” He repositioned his pants.

The sound of giggles drew his attention toward the two hotel employees. Both women were eyeing him as if he were a delectable treat. Maybe he could stop himself from taking Evie upstairs and fucking her senseless if he sabotaged it. He hated to do it this way, but he was weak. What could he say? His body knew what it wanted, and it wanted Emerson Violet Reid in a very, very, bad way. Better Miss Book Marm thought him a dick tonight then in the morning after he had his way with her. Tonight, he’d let her walk away with her pride intact.

Two Worlds Collided by Karen Michelle Nutt

A fangirl nurse. An ill-fated rocker. When she steps back in time to save him, will their affections spell happily ever after? 2007. Evie Reid has dedicated her life to helping others heal. Aspiring to return to school and become a doctor, the full-time caregiver spends her few spare moments as president of a now-defunct rock band’s loyal fan club. But she never imagined her two passions would crash together with a single chance to travel ten years into the past and prevent the troubled lead singer’s shocking suicide. 

1997. All Bellamy Lovel feels is cavernous loneliness. Still blaming himself for his father’s death years prior, the frontman masks his pain with the cocky flash and fly aloofness everybody expects. And the last thing he needs is some lame personal assistant to keep him on the clock, especially not the wacko that practically tackled him just for standing too close to a ledge. Thrust into the thankless position of keeping her idol out of trouble and on schedule, Evie struggles to hide her intentions and suppress her growing feelings. And surprised to find a woman who actually keeps it real, Bellamy can’t help making space amidst the darkness in his heart for her warm tenderness. Has tragedy already been written into their love story, or will their passion prevail as an all-time number-one hit? 

Two Worlds Collided is the standalone first book in the exhilarating Rock Star Romance series. If you like fascinating personalities, touching compassion, and hilarious shenanigans, then you’ll adore Karen Michelle Nutt’s backstage ballad. 

Buy Two Worlds Collided for a hopeful encore today!

Other Rock Star Romance books. 

End of the Road (ghost story, mystery)

Heart and Soul (ghosts, reincarnation, mystery)

Available in print, eBook, and Audio formats

Two Worlds Collided Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/zg3oca4

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/je2doql

Smashwords: http://tinyurl.com/zaraw9d

Nook: http://tinyurl.com/zs3ktmv

Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/jk48xkg

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Karen_Michelle_Nutt_Two_Worlds_Collided?id=2qvmDwAAQBAJ

Audible: https://tinyurl.com/yyaepphc

BookBub: https://tinyurl.com/y6em2ryx

GoodReads: https://tinyurl.com/yyjjgr7f

Author’s Bio

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband, three fascinating children, and houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she’s not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates pre-made book covers to order at Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”. You can also check out her published cover art designs at Victory Tales Press and Rebecca J. Vickery Publishing.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

Visit the author at her website: http://www.kmnbooks.com

Blog: http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com

Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”

http://judgeyourbookbyitscover.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarenmichellenutt

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KMNbooks

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/karenmnutt/

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Michelle-Nutt/e/B002BLLBPE

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-michelle-nutt

You can grab your free audiobook while supplies last here: https://www.freeaudiobookcodes.com/?q=karen+michelle+nutt

First Kiss Friday with Love Will Find You!

11 Friday Jun 2021

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I’m celebrating the news that Love Will Find You is a finalist for the 2021 RONE award! Thank you to all my wonderful readers who voted for my medieval/time travel novel. It’s now off to the judges and the winner will be announced in October at the InD’Scribe conference.

Since it’s First Kiss Friday, how about the first kiss scene with Killian and Ella? I hope you enjoy this excerpt from this older couple who are searching for love!

Excerpt:

Ella had known the moment Killian had picked her up that something had shifted inside her world. Surely such a sensation was caused by her despair at seeing her son for the first time in many years. She could not deny Faramond’s presence had rattled her wits. What kind of a mother was she that she was afraid of her own flesh and blood? How had she failed him?

But thoughts of her son drained away the instant Killian pressed his lips against her own.

Their breaths mingled on a heartbeat. Soft. Gentle. Searching. ’Twas an exploration of two beings trying to find one another while a rush of excitement shivered within their souls. A groan escaped her parted lips as she drew in her next breath. Never before had she felt such a deep yearning as she did now.

She knew what it was to live on the outside, yearning for the romance that had passed her by. This kiss was outside of her experience.

Killian must have taken the sound as encouragement for his arms wrapped around her bringing her closer. She reached out to cup his cheek, feeling the stubble of growth across her fingertips, while her other arm snaked around his neck. Her fingers curled into his hair as though she were holding onto him for support. She could feel his hand as it made its way through her hair with a caress. Slanting her head, he took full advantage of the opportunity presented to him as his tongue plunged into her mouth to dance with her own.

If Ella had not been sitting down, she surely would have fallen to the ground in a heap of pleasure. Wave after wave of desire coursed through her as though she had craved this man’s touch her entire life. He made her forget everything but this moment. She cared not when he lifted her once again and she found herself sitting upon his lap. His arms wrapped themselves around her once more and she felt as if she were secured in a cocoon of warmth and comfort. He made her feel safe for the first time in more years than she could remember and she gave herself completely to this man who had addled her wits with just one kiss.

She gulped in air when his lips traveled to her neck. How long had it been since someone had actually made her feel? She whispered his name and all the sensations coursing through her body came to a screeching halt. He pushed her from his lap and Ella opened her eyes to stare at him in confusion. Her eyes widened when she realized her mistake.

Killian quickly stood and stepped back. The space between them was far greater than the few footsteps he had taken to distance himself from her. “I am not Henry,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

Love Will Find You
The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book Four)
By Sherry Ewing

Sometimes a moment is all we have…

Ella Fitzpatrick is a woman with a secret. As she comes and goes from Berwyck Castle, seeking refuge within its gates, she yearns to be reunited with the one for whom she crossed time from the twenty-first century. She has lived another lifetime in the twelfth century waiting for the date of their reunion and it is almost upon her. But how could she have known the man she believes she loves is not the person she needs?

Killian of Clan MacLaren has been infatuated with Ella for many a year but has guarded his heart, knowing her affection lies with another. When Ella must flee Berwyck, Killian vows to escort her to her encounter with destiny. But passion flares between them and there is no doubt the bond they have is far greater than either of them expected.

Their time together is running out. Killian has a decision to make that might give him and Ella a future together. If you could change someone’s past, would you seize the moment?

Love Will Find You can be read as a standalone novel. If you love action-packed time travels, adventurous medieval romances, and swoon-worthy characters then you’ll love Sherry Ewing’s Knights of Berwyck series.

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Amazon AU  |  Amazon BR  | Amazon CA  |  Amazon  DE  | Amazon ES  | Amazon FR  | Amazon IN  | Amazon IT  |  Amazon JP  |  Amazon MX  |  Amazon NL  |  Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Anna St. Claire & a Giveaway!

28 Friday May 2021

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Thanks for dropping by my First Kiss Friday blog. I hope you have something fun planned for the holiday weekend. Please welcome my friend Anna St. Claire who has an excerpt from her story The Earl of Shefford . Be sure to read all the way to the end to be in the running for her giveaway. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“As we have just become betrothed, I am inclined to seal the proposal with a kiss.” Without waiting for her agreement, he slanted his head and captured her lips with his.

At first, Nora was speechless. Yet his lips felt so soft and wonderful. He pulled her closer and a strange headiness took over her senses. This kiss! Nora had known nothing like it in her life. She craved more. A sense of need thrilled and overwhelmed her. She relaxed and circled her arms about his shoulders, fingering the dark brown curls at the base of his neck. Nothing she had known had prepared her for this. He nipped gently at her closed lips and she opened them to admit his tongue, which swirled around her own and touched the sides of her mouth seemingly to gain her participation. Nora could not resist the temptation he offered and met his tongue with her own, dipping and swirling together as if in a dance. Their breaths mingled with a ferocity she had never imagined. Everywhere his hands touched, even merely sliding down her arms, sent incredible bolts of sensation to her core. She savoured the stir her body was experiencing and wanted to stay in this moment forever, but propriety dictated…she stop.

Half-heartedly, she pulled back. They both stood there, panting.

“I apologize…” he said before breaking off.

“No, please… There is no need to apologize. I… have never been kissed before… of course… and… I-I would not wish such… such a first kiss not to have been meant,” she whispered, obviously shaken.

“I was not apologizing for kissing you,” he said. “I was merely about to express my regrets for not having kissed you sooner.

Her heart gave a little flip.

Earl of Shefford
By Anna St. Claire

Colin, Earl of Shefford visits a building he has won in a wager, having determined its address to be an excellent location for a new club. Discovering not only a fully functioning orphanage but a beautiful headmistress, who refuses his offer of an alternative establishment, he suffers a pique of temper. Irritated by her immunity to his charms, he foolishly succumbs to his intense attraction and brashly offers her a choice. Either she must accept him in a marriage of convenience or provide proof that the orphanage has value to him. 

Impoverished and needing to restore her fortunes, Miss Honoria Mason despises the members of the ton for their extravagance and blames them for her family’s loss of home and fortune. However, Nora’s life takes an eventful turn when the handsome Lord Shefford becomes the orphanage’s landlord and presents her with an ultimatum. Either she proves the orphanage’s worth to him in two weeks or becomes his convenient bride in order that he may produce an heir. She refuses to lose the orphanage she has worked so hard to preserve and so accepts his offer to marry.

Sparks fly as proximity forces them together, the better to know each other. How can romance bloom when resentment has withered their hearts?

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/boDqvZ

About the Author:

Anna St. Claire is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness and love will win the day. 

Anna is both an avid reader author of American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two dogs and often, their two beautiful granddaughters, who live nearby. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Mimi—all life roles that Anna St. Claire relishes and feels blessed to still enjoy. And she loves her pets – dogs and cats alike.

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English and History teacher, always encouraged Anna’s interest in writing, after discovering short stories she would write in her spare time. 

As a child, she loved mysteries and checked out every Encyclopedia Brown story that came into the school library. Before too long, her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance—Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, now a treasured, but weathered book from being read multiple times. The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss,’ books, Shanna and Ashes In The Wind, Anna became hooked. She read every historical romance that came her way and dreams of writing her own historical romances took seed.

Today, her focus is primarily the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history. She would love to connect with any of her readers on her website – www.annastclaire.com, through email—annastclaireauthor@gmail.com, BookBub – www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-st-claire, Twitter – @1AnnaStClaire, Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorannastclaire/ or on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Anna-St-Claire/e/B078WMRHHF?ref= .

Giveaway Opportunity

Join my newsletter and submit the answer to this for a chance to win an eBook copy from my backlist.

  1. What is the name of the young man that ran for help when Lord Shefford was injured?
  2. www.annastclaire.com (web address to join my newsletter)

First Kiss Friday with Veronica Crowe

21 Friday May 2021

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my dear friend Veronica Crowe who is celebrating her next release The Viscount’s Heir. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Alexandra closed her eyes and lost herself in the magic of her first kiss. As his lips touched hers, a peculiar emotion bloomed in her chest, burrowed under her skin, and spiraled through her soul.

Awareness. Recognition. Acceptance. They seized her sanity, cajoled her to take small steps—one at a time—then pushed her into uncharted waters.

Her senses reeled. Discovering, learning—as she curiously waded across a river of uncertain depths. Would the undercurrent sweep her away? Should she deny its persuasion—refuse to venture further and be afraid?

Then she realized, to her utter amazement, that she craved the sweetness of its crystal stream.

She wanted to surrender. 

To the taste, to the scent, to the feel, to the elation of discovering something different—raw—new. Something foreign to her orbit, to her stubborn single-mindedness—yet what her body responded to, yearned for.

She had forgotten where they were, the hour of the day, and even her very name.

Who would have thought that a kiss could be like this? Magical, mystical—and with the right man at the right time, gloriously divine?

She sent a silent wish to the fairies. Please, let it go on forever—pray, let it last a lifetime.

But he pulled away and ended the kiss—breaking the spell, casting the enchantment to the winds.

The Viscount’s Heir
By Veronica Crowe

The Viscount’s Heir: Book 2 of the Heirs of Cornwall Series tells the tale of two stubborn personalities determined to escape the matrimonial trap.

Allayne Carlyle, the only son and heir of Viscount Rose, is in a conundrum. All his friends are happily married, and his mother has decided it is time for him to do the same deed. But Allayne has no intentions of entering the parson’s mousetrap. He is wealthy, handsome, and free. The world is at his fingertips. He is not done sowing his wild oats, and frankly, he wants to keep sowing said oats for the next decade. Or two. Why would he want to get leg-shackled, when there are too many alluring widows to bed, and even more beautiful actresses to pursue?

Lady Alexandra Davenport, the only daughter of the Earl of Weston, is in a similar predicament. She has been cleverly avoiding the matrimonial trap, but now that her twenty-fifth birthday has come around, her father has finally put his foot down. He had threatened to confiscate her most treasured possessions: her horse and her pistols if she does not come around and accept one of her many suitors. But Alexandra is in no haste to get betrothed. She would rather spend her days participating in her charities, practicing her shooting and fencing skills, and if truth be told, she could not bear to leave her father and live elsewhere with a husband she doesn’t truly adore. 
Why would she want to marry some wretched man who would take her money, when she is happy and content where she is at?

Unbeknownst to our hero and heroine, their parents have been scheming. What will happen when these two stubborn personalities collide? Will they chase each other with a hatchet, or will the sparks fly? 

Join Allayne and Alexandra, as they conquer the mystery of that little word, they have been trying their best to avoid: Love.

Buy Link or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited: http://bit.ly/TheViscountsHeir

About the Author:

Veronica Crowe is the author of the Heirs of Cornwall series for Dragonblade Publishing. If you like laugh-out-loud Regency romance full of romantic entanglements, hilarious misadventures, profound, heartfelt moments, and grand happy endings, this series is for you!

Heirs of Cornwall Books:
The Wrong Prince
The Viscount’s Heir
My Only Earl

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/Veronica-Crowe-107641207752085

First Kiss Friday with Jennae Vale

14 Friday May 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. I’d like to welcome my dear friend Jennae Vale today who is sharing a first kiss scene from Green Sky At Night. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

She’d thanked him numerous times since she met him. Words of thanks hardly seemed enough for all he’d done for her. Danielle counted herself lucky he’d been there to save her and that he’d then taken her under his wing and continued to feel responsible for her. A sudden rush of warmth overcame her as they stood outside the door to her room at the inn. She kissed his cheek.

His arm snaked around her waist, holding her close to his chest. “What was that for?” he asked, his voice a low rumble in her ear.

“Can’t a lady kiss her friend?” She was in trouble now. Sexy man trouble. The best kind of trouble. She could feel it all the way down to her toes.

“Only if the same goes for her friend.” He dipped his head, gently kissing her lips, before slowly and deeply kissing her again.

If Danielle had been tingling before, she was now on fire. Heat surged through her and left her aching in all the important places. She hoped he would kiss her again, but instead he let her go.

“Ye should rest before this evening’s gala.” He opened the door to her room.

“I might need help getting ready.” Danielle eyed him through fluttering lashes.

He winked at her. “I’ll have the innkeeper send someone up.”

She walked into the room and turned to invite him in, but he closed the door before she had a chance to speak. It had been a long time since a kiss had thrown her that off kilter and it took her a minute before her heart slowed down and her breathing went back to normal. She wanted more of that – more of him. Danielle was torn between her need to return to her own time and the very real feelings she was developing for Jameson. She had no idea how this was all going to end, but for now she was going to live in the moment.    

Green Sky At Night
By Jennae Vale

Danielle York has fallen through time and into the arms of pirate captain, Jameson Mackall. Mistaking the ship and crew who rescue her as just part of a totally authentic pirate party cruise, she’s in for a shock when she realizes where and when she actually is. With no idea how she got there or how to get home, Danielle must trust in the people of the time, but should she trust a pirate?

Jameson Mackall proves to her again and again that he will help her navigate the murky waters of the century she finds herself in. He wants Danielle to stay, but understands her need to leave. If she’s able to go home, time and distance will destroy the bond that has grown between them. If she stays, she must answer one question. Is the pirate life for her?

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0916JYC18

About the author:

Jennae Vale is a best-selling author of romance with a touch of magic.  As a history buff from an early age, Jennae often found herself day-dreaming in history class and wondering what it would be like to live in the places and time periods she was learning about.  Writing time travel romance has given her an opportunity to take those daydreams and turn them into stories to share with readers everywhere.

Originally from the Boston area, Jennae now lives in the San Francisco Bay area, where some of her characters also reside.  When Jennae isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and her pets, and daydreaming, of course.

Social Media links:

www.jennaevaleauthor.com
www.facebook.com/jennaevaleauthor
www.twitter.com/jennaevale
www.instagram.com/jennaevale
www.bookbub.com/authors/jennae-vale

First Kiss Friday with Matilda and Charles

07 Friday May 2021

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Welcome, dearest readers, to my First Kiss Friday blog. Today’s guest is my dear friend Jude Knight who will be sharing an excerpt from Melting Matilda. In this excerpt, the kiss is the first one in this book. They had another kiss a year before, and it haunts them. You’ll have to read the book to find out more. 

Excerpt:

He had dressed with enormous care, driving his valet demented by changing his mind three times about his waistcoat, rejecting six cravats before settling on the seventh, and hesitating for twenty minutes on his choice of fobs. The valet would probably slit his wrists in despair if he could see how Charles had set his hair in disarray by running his fingers through it, and ruined the hard-won perfection of the cravat by tugging it further open because he felt it choking him.

Then the door opened. Matilda entered the room and he lost his breath again. She was magnificent in a violet gown that hugged her curves before sweeping out into a deceptively simple skirt that avoided fashionable ruffles in favor of more subtle stitching that added detail without fuss. The neckline was low enough to rivet his attention while still high enough to be demure by the current standards. She wore pearls at her neck, her wrists, dangling from her ears and glowing in her dark hair, and the blue eyes he met when he wrenched his attention from the snowy skin displayed by her décolletage had taken on a violet cast from the gown.

He gazed, losing track of time and space, until she said his name. “Charles?”

“I had a speech.” His voice croaked, and he swallowed. “I do not remember a word.”

With one hand, index finger outstretched, he traced an inch or so away from her face. “Why did I try so hard to resist you, you beautiful woman?”

It was the wrong thing to say. Her nostrils flared. “Because I am the base-born daughter of a harlot.”

“I cannot remember why I thought that important,” he confessed. “You are the beloved sister of the next Duke of Haverford, the ward of the current duchess, and a lady of impeccable education, training and manners. That is not why I love you, though.”

Her eyes softened. “You love me?”

“That was part of the speech. It is the only bit I remember. I look into your eyes, and I forget my own name.”

“Why?” Matilda asked.

“Why do I forget? No? Why now?” She colored, and he realized what she was asking. “Why do I love you? How can I explain something that has grown in my heart without my knowledge, even against my will?” He took both of her hands, and suddenly the words began to flow.

“I have been attracted to you since the first time we danced, but that is desire, and desire is a part of love but not the whole. I do desire you, my love, more and more each day, but I also admire you, I like being with you, I enjoy talking to you, I respect you. I want to see you every morning when I wake, to spend my days with you, to have the right to dance the first waltz with you at every ball, and to go home with you every night. I want to see your belly rounded with our child, and watch you as you gently teach them the way I’ve seen you teach your little sister. I want you and only you as my countess and the mother of my children. I want to grow old with you, Matilda Grenford.”

He dropped to one knee. “Miss Grenford, I esteem you with all my heart. Will you do me the very great honor of becoming my wife?”

He waited, his anxiety rising as she said nothing, despair taking over as tears rose and began to leak from her pansy eyes. Then she began to nod as she slipped to her own knees and reached out for him. “Yes. Oh, yes. Charles, I love you, too.”

For more than a year, Charles had kept to himself the fact that the Haverford Ice Princess kissed like a flame. As he abandoned his own granite facade for once and for all, he rejoiced in her heat. This time was even better than the last, and the best was yet to come. Though perhaps not here in a family parlor where her brother or sisters could walk in at any time.

“I hope you do not want a long betrothal,” he whispered, between kisses.

She broke off her attempt to completely unravel his cravat. “Not long,” she agreed.

Her fervent answer demanded that he kiss her again, losing himself so deep he didn’t know they were no longer alone until a voice behind him said, “I trust you are betrothed to my sister, Hamner, for it would be most inconvenient to start the evening’s celebrations by killing you.”

Melting Matilda
By Jude Knight
Release Date: March 23rd

Can the Ice Maiden soften the Granite Earl?

Her scandalous birth prevents Matilda Grenford from being fully acceptable to Society, even though she has been a ward of the Duchess of Haverford since she was a few weeks old. Matilda does not expect to be wooed by a worthy gentleman. The only man who has ever interested her gave her an outrageous kiss a year ago and has avoided her ever since.

Can the Granite Earl melt the Ice Maiden?

Charles, the Earl of Hamner is honour bound to ignore his attraction to Matilda Grenford. She is an innocent and a lady, and in every way worthy of his respect—but she is base-born. His ancestors would rise screaming from their graves if he made her his countess. But he cannot forget the kiss they once shared.

Melting Matilda is a novella in the series The Return of the Mountain King. Chronologically and by publication order, it comes after To Mend the Broken-Hearted, published in March, and before To Claim the Long-Lost Lover, available in July.

To preorder Melting Matilda before the publication date, 23rd March, go to https://books2read.com/MeltingMatilda

Note. Melting Matilda was first published in Fire & Frost, a Bluestocking Belles collection.

About Jude Knight

Have you ever wanted something so much you were afraid to even try? That was Jude ten years ago.

For as long as she can remember, she’s wanted to be a novelist. She even started dozens of stories, over the years. 

But life kept getting in the way. A seriously ill child who required years of therapy; a rising mortgage that led to a full-time job; six children, her own chronic illness… the writing took a back seat.

As the years passed, the fear grew. If she didn’t put her stories out there in the market, she wouldn’t risk making a fool of herself. She could keep the dream alive if she never put it to the test.

Then her mother died. That great lady had waited her whole life to read a novel of Jude’s, and now it would never happen.

So Jude faced her fear and changed it–told everyone she knew she was writing a novel. Now she’d make a fool of herself for certain if she didn’t finish.

Her first book came out to excellent reviews in December 2014, and the rest is history. Many books, lots of positive reviews, and a few awards later, she plans to keep publishing until she runs out of years.

Website and blog: http://judeknightauthor.com/

Subscribe to newsletter: http://judeknightauthor.com/newsletter/

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jude-knight

First Kiss Friday with Grace Burrowes

30 Friday Apr 2021

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It’s another First Kiss Friday and today it’s my pleasure to welcome the fabulous Grace Burrowes to my blog. Grace is sharing the first kiss scene from her novella A Kiss By The Sea currently in the Bluestocking Belles’ box set Storm & Shelter. Enjoy this first kiss scene, my lovelies, and happy reading!

Excerpt:

He fell silent, and Sarah found she had no need to chatter. A glow on the horizon of the vast silvery sea to the east presaged an imminent moonrise.

The conversation with Mr. Penn had been extraordinary. No talk of the weather. No malicious gossip about other women. No speculation about who would offer for whom. The whole day, from Mrs. Peabody’s odd friendliness and scrumptious shepherds’ pie, to the hum and bustle of the village, to the sight of Mr. Penn without his shirt, had been a revelation.

Proof that life—and good life—existed outside of Mayfair, beyond Uncle’s lectures, out past Miss Framington’s hypocritical sermons. People lived and loved without consulting Debrett’s or etiquette manuals. They had things to do besides fittings, at homes, and calls. They cared for one another without a thought for who had large settlements or a large bosom.

The relief—the vindication—Fenwick on Sea had provided in the space of a day was as immense as the ocean.

And Mr. Penn was part of that vindication. He’d been naked before her from the waist up, and hadn’t turned the moment scandalous. He was sitting alone with her in the dark, and his hands weren’t wandering. He had commendedher on breaking her engagement, and he had done her the precious courtesy of listening to her.

The first sliver of golden light broke the horizon gilding the waves and whitecaps.

“I have not watched a moonrise in too long,” Mr. Penn said, “much less in such congenial company. I hope you’ll tarry a while in Fenwick, Mrs. Winston.”

“My maternal grandmother was Mrs. Winston. My given name is Sarah, and I am nobody’s missus, thank heavens.”

Another slight pause followed. Perhaps Mr. Penn was allowing Sarah a moment to give him the rest of her name, or perhaps she had shocked him.

“The locals know me as Thaddeus Penn, but my full name is Thaddeus Pennrith—at your service.” He added that last with an ironic smile.

She did not say, Your secret is safe with me, because he had to know that, just as she knew he would not spread her confidences in the high street. His name sounded vaguely familiar—Sarah had studied Debrett’s thoroughly before making her come-out—but the details refused to come to her.

The moon drifted higher until it cleared the horizon, casting silver beams on the flooded marshes as well as the endless sea. Night birds sang and, in the distance, the roar and retreat of the surf confirmed—as if the whole day had not—that Sarah was blessedly far from London.

“If I don’t seek my bed now,” Mr. Penn said—Mr. Pennrith, “I will fall asleep out here. Tomorrow promises to be hectic, so I’ll bid you good night.”

He rose and stretched, a great beast of a man with more manners and consideration than all the honorables in Mayfair combined.

“Sleep well, Mr. Pennrith.”

He remained at the balustrade, the moonshine putting highlights in his dark hair. “Thaddeus.”

“Sleep well, Thaddeus.”

He turned to regard her. “Are you glad you left London?”

“I am now. Talking to you helped me sort that out. The night air is a bit cool, isn’t it?” She made to rise and found his hand extended to her. Because the chair was low and she needed to keep her shawl about her, she accepted his assistance.

He kept her hand in his. “I am glad you’ve found your way here, and welcome to Fenwick, Sarah.”

She realized he was asking some sort of permission or offering an invitation. Whatever he was about, it had nothing to do with getting under her skirts and everything to do with genuine welcome.

“Sweet dreams,” she said, going up on her toes to brush a kiss to his cheek. “And thank you for the moonrise.”

A Kiss by the Sea: By Grace Burrowes

He’s not really a blacksmith, and she’s not really an heiress… Can they forge a happily-ever-after anyway?

Thaddeus Pennrith finds a way to recover from multiple griefs when he accepts the blacksmith’s post at Fenwick on Sea. Village life gives him a sense of belonging that Polite Society never could, though he must resume his aristocratic responsibilities soon. Along comes Lady Sarah Weatherby, refugee from an engagement gone badly awry, and Thaddeus is faced with both a compelling reason to reveal his titled antecedents, and a longing to keep them forever hidden….

Storm & Shelter: A Bluestocking Belles Collection With Friends Blurb:

When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.

One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.

Buy Links: 

Amazon US |  Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo

Amazon AU |BR |CA |DE |ES |FR |IN |IT |JP |MX |NL |UK

Angus & Robertson

About the Author:

Grace Burrowes believes in love, and believes that writing happily evers after is the best job on the planet. She’s a recovering foster care attorney, and USA Today and NYT bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at graceburrowes.com.Grace is also on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/grace-burrowes

First Kiss Friday with Mary Lancaster

23 Friday Apr 2021

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It’s a pleasure to welcome my guest Mary Lancaster to my First Kiss Friday Blog. We’ve been celebrating the success of our box set Storm & Shelter and Mary has her first kiss scene to share with you today. Enjoy this excerpt from Mary’s novella An Improbably Hero. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

She could only pad forlornly back to her own makeshift couch, where she lay listening to his breathing which sounded quite peaceful and even, as though he had gone straight back to sleep. 

Only, she was sure he hadn’t. 

A few minutes later, he proved her right by slipping from the bed. She heard the creak of the mattress, a rustle of cloth and the soft thud of feet on the floor. A black shadow moved through the darkness toward the door.

Instinctively, she leapt after him, bumping into the chest of drawers in her hurry. “Wait! Where are you going?” She tripped over something, possibly her own too-long chemise, and seized hold of him at the same moment as his arm swept around her waist to steady her. There seemed to be a bundle of clothing between them, held in his free hand.

“It seems I am not cut out for marriage,” he said sardonically. “I would rather sleep alone.”

“Where?” she demanded.

He shrugged. “In the parlor, or the tap room, I don’t much care.”

“But they will say we have had a quarrel and gossip. Think of the Tattler…”

“I would really rather not.”

“Actually, I don’t care about that at the moment either,” she admitted, “I am trying to persuade you to stay.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Actually, she didn’t know. “Because there is no need…it’s comfortab— You don’t need to run away from me. I am your friend.”

It was too dark to see his expression but she was sure she had taken him by surprise.

“Friend,” he repeated with derision. “And what do you think a friend should do in this situation? Whatever you imagine this situation to be.”

The grip of his arm had altered subtly. She was only too aware of its heat and strength, the intimate touch of his fingers at her waist. “Give you comfort,” she blurted, because she knew that was what he needed even if he would neither admit or accept it. 

A breath that might have been laughter stirred her hair. “Oh, I hoped you would say that. And what would you do to comfort me?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

“Well, I can help there.” 

The clothes between them slipped to the floor as he changed position. She gasped as his fingers slipped up her throat, sending wild, delicious shivers the length of her spine. Before she could grasp what any of it meant, he took hold of her chin and his mouth found hers.

Too shocked to move, she let it happen. And by the time she realized the danger, her lips were parted and trembling under his, and her whole body thrilled to the novelty. The enveloping darkness felt curiously hot.

“What a sweet distraction,” he whispered against her mouth as he swept her closer. He seemed to be wearing only his shirt, flapping loosely over unbuttoned breeches, and the intimacy overwhelmed her. She flung up one hand to clutch the shirt at his back, to steady herself as much as to pull him away, but somehow her hand tangled in the linen and she touched hot, velvet skin.

Distraction indeed. Her hand flattened over smoothness and ridges and undulating muscle, and the world tilted as he lifted her in his arms and strode to the bed. 

As he laid her down with dizzying speed, his mouth left hers at last. An inarticulate sound of protest escaped her. The exciting heat of his body had gone, though one of his hands gripped her shoulder, then stroked gently across her collar bone to her throat.

His breath tickled her ear, sparking a slew of fresh sensation. “You are a sweet girl and a heady distraction. But perhaps I am not yet quite lost. You sleep in the bed.”

An Improbable Hero by Mary Lancaster

A runaway heiress, a mysterious stranger.

When Letty’s ship founders in a violent storm, she forges a rare bond with her rescuer.

Simon is a troubled man on a final, deadly mission—until the spirited yet soothing Letty makes him question everything. Hiding in plain sight among the refugees at The Queen’s Barque, Simon is more than capable of protecting them both. But when the floods recede, can either of them say goodbye?

Storm & Shelter: A Bluestocking Belles Collection With Friends Blurb:

When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.

One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.

Buy Links: 

Amazon US |  Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo

Amazon AU |BR |CA |DE |ES |FR |IN |IT |JP |MX |NL |UK

Angus & Robertson

About the author:

Mary Lancaster lives in Scotland with her husband, three mostly grown-up kids and a small, crazy dog. 

Her first literary love was historical fiction, a genre which she relishes mixing up with romance and adventure in her own writing. Several of her novels feature actual historical characters as diverse as Hungarian revolutionaries, medieval English outlaws, and a family of eternally rebellious royal Scots. To say nothing of Vlad the Impaler.

Her most recent books are light fun Regency romances.

Media Links: 

Website: http://www.MaryLancaster.com

Newsletter sign-up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e2p7c6

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lancaster.1656

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MaryLancasterNovelist/

Twitter: @MaryLancNovels  https://twitter.com/MaryLancNovels

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Lancaster/e/B00DJ5IACI

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mary-lancaster

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing & a Contest!

16 Friday Apr 2021

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Hello to all my wonderful readers and thanks for dropping by my First Kiss Friday blog! Today I’m hosting… well… myself and Before I Found You: A de Courtenay Novella (Book Three) in our just released set Storm & Shelter: A Bluestocking Belles Collection with Friends box set. Miss Miranda de Courtenay has had quite the journey and she’s come a long way from when she was first introduced in A Kiss For Charity. I hope you enjoy this first kiss scene and don’t forget about the Belles’ contest to find the dastardly reporter who’s hanging out at The Queen’s Barque Inn at Fenwick On Sea (see more below)! Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

After she had seen Grace earlier, Miranda had watched from the upper window of her bedroom overlooking the courtyard as Jasper and Nicholas left on their horses. Even remembering Jasper when he mounted that horse caused Miranda’s heart to flutter in her chest. Both men had discarded their cravats but Miranda’s gaze was focused only on one. Her eyes had wandered down to the brief glimpse of blond hair at the opening of Jasper’s shirt. Fingers tingling, she reached out to the glass pane window as though she could really feel his chest. She closed her eyes briefly as she imagined the texture of his skin. When she opened them again, their eyes met and his smile was truly wicked.

Miranda had jumped back from the window as though burned. How could Jasper be even more handsome in broad daylight than he had been in the candlelight at the ball?

Which, of course, was why she was standing here in the cold waiting for him to leave the manor. She blew air into her icy hands and was just about to give up on this idiotic notion when the door opened. Jasper began putting on his gloves and Miranda heard the distant sound of his horse being brought around from the stables.

Knowing she only had a moment to spare, she rushed from her hiding space around the corner of the house. “Jasper,” she exclaimed, loud enough to get his attention.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled before heading in her direction. Miranda drank in the sight of him. He was properly attired once more. She almost preferred seeing him at his leisure instead of the proper gentleman closing the distance between them.

“Miranda,” he said, in that unnerving French accent that caused her blood to race in her veins. He gave her a bow. “Whatever are you doing outside in the cold, ma chérie?” He took off his jacket and placed the garment around her shoulders. Such a kindness was going to be her undoing, especially when that lock of unruly hair once more fell rakishly across his brow.

The impulse was too great for her to ignore. Reaching up, she moved the hair from his forehead, and he captured her trembling fingers in his warm hands. Keeping his eyes fixated on her own, he bent forward and kissed the inside of her wrist. Dear Lord… her knees almost buckled when his lips connected with her feverish skin.

“Miranda?”

“Yes?” She continued staring up at his face as if to commit every inch to her memory so she would never forget him. From his green eyes to the dark shadow of stubble roughing his square jaw line, she couldn’t take her eyes from him. He was just as fascinating today as last evening and perhaps even more so, in a rugged kind of a way.

“Why are you outside?” he chuckled in amusement as though he had known where her thoughts had gone.

She at last remembered herself and backed up a step. He, in turn, stepped forward and continued to do so until they were out of sight of the front of the manor. It wasn’t until she felt the brick wall upon her back that she realized she had nowhere else to turn.

“I had to see you one last time,” she murmured in a breathy whisper. She leaned her head back just so she could once more stare into his eyes.

“I’m certain our paths will cross often, Miranda, at least when I’m on shore,” he said, coming so close she could feel the very heat of him radiating from his body. She almost moaned but as she placed her hands upon his muscular chest, instead a gasp escaped her. Her action was meant to halt him from coming any closer but it had the opposite effect when he pulled her into his arms.

“I don’t see how that will be possible,” she managed to say, while attempting to hold him off. Her pulse quickened and every fiber of her being craved to be held in his arms forever more. She must remember her goal, and Jasper could never fit into her plans.

“Anything is possible, Miranda. We just need to have a little patience. Time will eventually be on our side. I won’t always be at sea.” He ran a finger down her cheek, causing her to shiver in pleasure.

“It’s not about time, Jasper, because all the time in the world won’t change anything.”

He bent forward until his forehead touched her own. “I know we have only just met but, for whatever the reason, I feel drawn to you. Was I mistaken that you feel the same way?”

Her breath caught in her throat to hear his words. “No,” she said honestly. “You weren’t mistaken.”

He cupped her face so she had no choice than to give him her undivided attention. “Then, hopefully, you’ll forgive me if I do something I’ve been craving to do since last night.”

She gulped. Oh no… please don’t let him kiss me. “What’s that?” she asked instead, even though she knew what was coming.

“This…”

His lips gently slid across her own as if testing to see if she would accept the gift of his kiss. She should have pulled away but how could she deny what she herself wanted just as badly? She tilted her head to give him full access to her mouth and, when his tongue slipped inside, Miranda was completely lost. Shivers of delight swept across her entire body until she found herself wrapped in Jasper’s arms. Her hands made their way up into his hair and her fingers tangled into the soft length. He deepened their kiss without any protest from Miranda until she thought her feet would never again touch the ground.

How long their mouths danced with one another, she could not say. For one brief instant, Miranda never wanted the kiss to end. She never wanted to leave Jasper’s arms or his life. But when a soft moan escaped from her lips, the reality of what this man did to her finally penetrated her numb mind. She broke off their kiss and yet their mouths lingered near as their breaths mingled together. She may want him, but he could never offer her the life of her dreams.

WHO IS THE SNOOPING REPORTER?

As told in Storm & Shelter in eight original novellas, refugees—the injured, the devious, and the lonely, lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all sheltered at the Queen’s Barque Inn. Now concern is buzzing in Fenwick on Sea and across these United Kingdoms, as scurrilous gossip about the goings on during the recent storm spread through the reports in that scandal rag, The Teatime Tattler. Who is the snoop?

YOU CAN HELP

Correctly identify the reporter and be entered to win a $100 gift card and other great prizes. There are details and instructions for entering here: https://bluestockingbelles.net/belles-joint-projects/storm-shelter/wanted-the-snooping-teatime-tattler-reporter/

CLUES

There are clues in every story in Storm & Shelter. Find more clues by following on to each stop in our Snooping Reporter Blog Hop. You may even find a giveaway on each stop so be sure to comment. You can find the first stop again here: https://bluestockingbelles.net/belles-joint-projects/storm-shelter/wanted-the-snooping-teatime-tattler-reporter/

ABOUT THE BOOK ~ Storm & Shelter: A Bluestocking Belles Collection with Friends

When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel.

One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.

MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE SET: Before I Found You, A de Courtenay Novella By Sherry Ewing

Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Missto My Lady. But when a handsome stranger crosses her path at a Valentine’s Day ball, her obsession with titles dims. Might love be enough?

Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball. He has a new ship to run, passengers to book, and cargo to deliver. But one look into a young lady’s beautiful hazel eyes, and he becomes lost. Does love at first sight really exist?

Their paths continue to cross until they are both stranded in Fenwick on Sea. Their growing connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda’s childish quest for a title at all cost. But what if the cost includes love?

Today the price for the boxset is only $0.99 but it goes up to the normal price on April 20th. Grab yours at the sale price while you still can!

Buy Links for Storm & Shelter:

Amazon US |  Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo

Amazon AU |BR |CA |DE |ES |FR |IN |IT |JP |MX |NL |UK

Angus & Robertson

First Kiss Friday with Rue Allyn

02 Friday Apr 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday Blog. Today’s guest is fellow Bluestocking Belle Rue Allyn who has an excerpt from her novella Wait for Me in the Belles’ boxset Storm & Shelter. The set releases April 13th. The paperback is now available and the eBook is currently up for a special preorder price of only $0.99. Grab your copy quick before the price goes up after release date. Enjoy this excerpt from Rue’s novella. Happy reading, my lovelies.

Excerpt:

An unidentifiable racket interrupted, but she could not look away. Then an unseen force pushed her in Gilroy’s direction. His arms closed about her as a storm of activity surrounded them.

“Ooof.”

Eyes wide she tilted her head and stared past his shoulder. At full speed, Hector, the dog from the inn fled out the open church door with a stream of boys trailing after him. She straightened and found herself smiling into Brandon’s face. He smiled back.

She could not have said how the kiss happened, or who broke away first. She found herself with her back against the wall, fingers to her mouth astonished at the sensations the brief meeting of lips caused.

Gilroy seemed equally surprised. He did an about face and fled, moving as if Napoleon’s entire army were on his heels.

What in the world? Her lips still tingled and confusion swirled below her stomach. In front of her, the register stood forgotten. She’d never experienced anything like that. She’d kissed men before but had never wished the activity had gone on for hours.

About Wait for Me:  Esmeralda Crobbin, aka the pirate Irish Red, and Captain, Lord Brandon Gilroy were enemies by nature who first met during a battle at sea. But fate trumps nature when a fierce storm creates a chance encounter and forced proximity. Brandon learns the pirate is a woman of serious honor and responsibility. Esmeralda discovers the captain is more than a uniform stuffed with rules and regulations. Both love the sea with boundless passion, but can they love each other?

About Storm & Shelter: When a storm blows off the North Sea and slams into the village of Fenwick on Sea, the villagers prepare for the inevitable: shipwreck, flood, land slips, and stranded travelers. The Queen’s Barque Inn quickly fills with the injured, the devious, and the lonely—lords, ladies, and simple folk; spies, pirates, and smugglers all trapped together. Intrigue crackles through the village, and passion lights up the hotel. One storm, eight authors, eight heartwarming novellas.

Storm & Shelter is available for Pre-order now for only $0.99 until release day, April 13, 2021 when the price goes up.

About Rue Allyn: Award winning author, Rue Allyn, learned story telling at her grandfather’s knee. (Well it was really more like on his knee—I was two.) She’s been weaving her own tales ever since. She has worked as an instructor, mother, sailor, clerk, sales associate, and painter, along with a variety of other types of employment. She has lived and traveled in places all over the globe from Keflavik Iceland (I did not care much for the long nights of winter.) and Fairbanks Alaska to Panama City and the streets of London England to a large number of places in between. Now that her two sons have left the nest, Rue and her husband of more than four decades (Try living with the same person for more than forty years—that’s a true adventure.) have retired and moved south.  When not writing, enjoying the nearby beach or working jigsaw puzzles, Rue travels the world and surfs the internet in search of background material and inspiration for her next heart melting romance. She loves to hear from readers, and you may contact her at Rue@RueAllyn.com.  She can’t wait to hear from you.

Find Rue Online: 

Website~~https://RueAllyn.com

Blog~~ https://www.rueallyn.com/blog/

Facebook~~https://www.facebook.com/RueAllynAuthor

Twitter~~https://twitter.com/RueAllyn

Amazon~~https://www.amazon.com/Rue-Allyn/e/B00AUBF3NI/

Goodreads~~https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5031290.Rue_Allyn

Pinterest~~https://www.pinterest.com/RueAllyn/

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