Category Archives: First Kiss Friday

First Kiss Friday with Cathy MacRae

12 Friday Apr 2019

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Welcome to First Kiss Friday. You’ve seen author Cathy MacRae’s work here before on our Medieval Monday hop. Today she joins us from Wolfebane Publishing to share the first kiss scene from her novella The Penitent. Our novella’s released as a part of Kathryn Le Veque’s De Wolfe Pack Connected World and we’re thrilled to share this excerpt with you. Happy reading, my lovelies, and enjoy!

Excerpt:

Simon arched a brow, matching the gesture with a curved lip as he stepped close to Iseabal and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Ye wouldn’t cheat me out of my three days, would ye?”

A shiver of desire shot through Iseabal before she could steel herself against the reaction. Simon leaned closer, the heat of his body overwhelming, his nearness both a frustration and a delight. Liquid heat softened Iseabal’s bones as Simon kissed her ear.

“Do not forget, my heart. Ye are home.”

“I dinnae say we would wed.”

“Ye will.”

Torn between laughter and outrage, Iseabal planted a fist on one hip. “Ye cannae force me into marriage, Simon de Bretteby.”

He caught her hand and drew it to his lips, dropping a kiss to the backs of her fingers. “I do not plan to force ye, Izzy.”

Blurb:

Simon de Bretteby is one of The Saint’s closest friends and most loyal soldiers. His entire life has revolved around service to Lord de Wolfe’s nephew—except for one summer when he was ordered across the Scottish border to put a stop to a rogue chieftain who’d stolen cattle from an English lord. Injured and separated from his men, de Bretteby had little chance of survival, but a kind-hearted Scottish lass boldly healed his body, though he left his heart in her keeping.

Iseabal Maxwell, daughter of Chief Maxwell’s bastard son, has little love for English soldiers—and even less love for clan politics. With her sister ordered to wed as a pawn for peace along the border, Iseabal expects the same bleak future. As relations between the two nations grows ever more strained, defying her father’s orders by saving the life of an English knight risked much. But letting him go was the hardest thing she has ever done.

Now her life lies in ruins—her father dead after the English besieged their home, her fate decided by a man she fears. What will happen when she appears on Simon’s doorstep, carrying secrets she would die to protect?

Buy link:  https://amzn.to/2JLk4X5

Author bio:

Cathy MacRae lives on the sunny side of the Arbuckle Mountains where she and her husband read, write, and tend the garden—with the help of the dogs, of course.

You can visit with her on facebook, or read her blogs and learn about her books at www.cathymacraeauthor.com. Drop her a line—she loves to hear from readers!

To keep up with new releases and other fun things, sign up for her newsletter!

Other ways to connect with Cathy:

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

Twitter: @CMacRaeAuthor

Instagram: cathymacrae_author

Amazon author page  https://www.amazon.com/author/cathymacrae

Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/authorcathymacrae/

Book bub.     https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathy-macrae

First Kiss Friday with Lana Williams & a Giveaway!

05 Friday Apr 2019

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Today on First Kiss Friday I’d like to welcome Lana Williams who will be sharing the first kiss scene from her latest release Ruby’s Gamble. Lana is also offering a giveaway so be sure to read all the way to the end and leave her a comment to be in the running. Good luck and happy reading!

Excerpt:

Someone struck Gideon in the head with a hammer. He was certain of it. The pounding refused to let him sleep. He opened his eyes slowly, aware of aches in other parts of his body as well.

What the hell had happened? A deep fog held his thoughts, not allowing him to think straight. Nor could he quite remember. Had he overindulged in drink? That seemed unlikely. His mind filled with vague memories of a crowded pub filled with unfamiliar and unfriendly faces.

Except for one.

A beautiful woman with a rose-colored shawl who’d watched him with wary interest. If the circumstances had been different–not that he could remember them–he would’ve approached her, talked to her, charmed her into smiling.

At the moment, lethargy filled him, and he couldn’t bring himself to care that he rested in a strange place. He turned his head only to have the hammer strike harder, causing him to groan.

“Hush,” a feminine voice whispered. A cool hand touched the side of his face gently as though to comfort him. “All is well,” the soft voice promised. “Go back to sleep.”

Groggily, he searched for the source of the voice in the dark room but could only make out the outline of a woman. “Where am I?”

“You’re safe and well cared for,” she whispered. “But you must return to sleep.”

For some odd reason, Gideon trusted her, though he couldn’t say why. His body relaxed and his eyes drifted closed. But curiosity as to the identity of his rescuer opened his eyes again. “Who are you?”

She drew even closer, and the sweet scent of gardenias enveloped him. “I’m here to watch over you. But you must rest.”

“Not until you give me a kiss.” The idea pleased him immensely. How clever of him to think of such a brilliant notion despite the murkiness in his mind.

The sweet voice chuckled softly, a note of unease in it. She was obviously surprised by his request. That made two of them.

“No kisses. Sleep.”

“One kiss,” he argued.

“Sleep.” Her fingers glided over his forehead to his temple and along his sore cheek, making him wince slightly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He reached for her hand and caught it, delighted at his small victory. Her skin felt delicate and soft except for a callus along one finger. He rubbed the spot, for the roughness made her feel real. Then he pulled her closer, hoping to see her features in the dark.

Clear thinking was impossible with the pounding in his head and the fog swallowing his thoughts, but he wanted to see her. Needed to see her. Couldn’t rest until he did.

Her features came into focus in the window’s dim light. Recognition came slowly just like his thoughts. “I know you.” But how or why he couldn’t say.

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Then you must know you’re safe, and that we mean you no harm.”

His mind turned that over, poking at it like a sore tooth, and found it felt true.

“Sleep now.” She tried to pull away, but he held tight.

“One kiss,” he whispered. “Then I shall sleep again.”

Her hand tensed and tried to pull away once more, but he resisted.

“Very well. If you promise to rest.”

He would’ve nodded in agreement, but his head hurt too much. He waited, rewarded when she leaned close and pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

“No, not there,” he said, certain she’d purposely misinterpreted his request. He wasn’t so dull-witted as to permit that.

“Where then?” she asked, her voice breathless in the quiet.

With her hand still held prisoner in his, he reached up and tapped a finger to his lips. “Here. That’s where kisses go.”

“Very well.” Her whisper held disapproval, but she leaned close and warm lips pressed his for a long moment.

A mix of tenderness and longing calmed his pounding head, and he wanted to savor the kiss as he knew it was special. Kisses from angels always were.

Then the mist returned to claim him.

Blurb – Ruby’s Gamble by Lana Williams

Ruby Compton’s world is upended when she meets a handsome stranger who doesn’t belong on the rough streets of London she calls home. When the man is knocked unconscious in a brawl, she’s compelled to come to his rescue, unaware her efforts will thrust her family into danger.

Gideon de Wolfe discovers he owes his life to a beautiful woman whose strength and intelligence remind him of the family legend. He intends to find a way to repay her but also determined to reveal who’s behind a lottery scheme that destroyed the lives of some of his workers and nearly took his own.

Ruby is taken aback by Gideon’s gratitude. His kindness and concern–not to mention his kisses–cause her to long for the dreams her harsh life forced her to relinquish years ago.

Now, with criminals after them, Gideon must find a way to end the scheme and save Ruby and her family, as well as himself. Ruby vows to help despite the fact that Gideon has shaken her simple life and it will never be the same. Soon she must decide if she’s willing to gamble everything she thought she wanted for love.

Buy Link – Kindle: https://amzn.to/2U3nXLB

Bio: Lana Williams is a USA Today Bestselling and Amazon All-Star author who writes historical romance filled with mystery, adventure, and a pinch of paranormal to stir things up. Filled with a love of books from an early age, Lana put pen to paper and decided happy endings were a must in any story she created. She has written over twenty historical romances set in Victorian London and Medieval England.

Her latest series is The Seven Curses of London, set in Victorian times, and shares stories of men and women who attempt to battle the ills of London, and the love they find along the way that truly gives them something worth fighting for.

She writes in the Rocky Mountains with her husband, two growing sons, and two labs, and loves hearing from readers. Stop by her website and say hello!

Links:

Website: https://lanawilliams.net/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LanaWilliams28

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlanawilliams/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lanawilliams28/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lana-williams

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lana-Williams/e/B008QDP1A2/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6451482.Lana_Williams

 

Giveaway – Leave a comment with your favorite thing to do in April for a chance to win an ebook of Ruby’s Gamble!

First Kiss Friday with To Love A Scottish Laird

29 Friday Mar 2019

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There’s nothing better than a First Kiss Friday unless its a First Kiss Friday with a new release! Today I’m featuring your’s truly with an excerpt from To Love A Scottish Laird that released yesterday. A prequel to If My Heart Could See You, I just know you’re going to enjoy Catherine and Douglas’s journey to finding love. Be sure to read all the way to the end to see what I have on sale through the weekend. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Catherine fought against the urge to completely surrender to Douglas and his all-consuming kiss. She should not be allowing him such a liberty. She should be voicing her outrage at the close proximity of their bodies. But when his lips slid against hers, she was completely lost.

If only Douglas knew what he was doing to her. She was not experienced with the intimacies between a man and woman. Oh, she understood the fundamentals of the act of kissing but had only been given meaningless pecks on the cheek. But this…  A whole new world opened up to her, and she rejoiced in what Douglas brought out in her!

Her arms wound their way up his neck, and she played with the length of his hair. In turn, he all but crushed her to his body but ’twas not unpleasant. Nay! Her body begged for something she could not understand. Parts of her began tingling as if she was coming alive for the very first time, and she never wanted it to end.

When Douglas’s tongue skimmed across her closed mouth, she gasped. Apparently, ’twas just the opportunity he was looking for! His tongue began playing with her own. A low moan escaped her and only encouraged him to take her deeper into what could only be described as sheer bliss. Catherine felt as though she was soaring into the sky like one of her birds. But this was so much better!

His arm tightened around her waist, and she finally became aware of the unmistakable form of his manhood pressed intimately to her body. By the Blessed Virgin! What was she doing?

Catherine emerged from the abyss of pleasure, snapping back to a reality that would possibly become her worst nightmare; wed to a man who would probably control her every move. Douglas was a complete stranger, no matter how handsome. She was concerned about losing the freedom she had grown accustomed to.

He must have sensed some change in her, for his grip loosened as he broke the kiss. Catherine felt the loss immediately and almost stepped forward for them to continue. Her heart felt as though ’twould beat its way out of her chest, and she was pleasantly surprised when it appeared Douglas felt the same. Their kiss had revealed many things to Catherine. First, Douglas certainly knew what he was doing when it came to kissing. Second, she began to think mayhap ’twould not be so difficult to be this man’s wife.


To Love A Scottish Laird:
De Wolfe Pack Connected World

On sale for $0.99 through the weekend!

Sometimes you really can fall in love at first sight…

Lady Catherine de Wolfe knows she must find a husband before her brother chooses one for her. A tournament to celebrate the wedding of the Duke of Normandy might be her answer. She does not expect to fall for a man after just one touch.

Laird Douglas MacLaren of Berwyck is invited to the tournament by the Duke of Normandy. He goes to ensure Berwyck’s safety once Henry takes the throne. He does not expect to become entranced by a woman who bumps into him.

Yet, nothing is ever quite that simple. Not everyone is happy with the union of this English lady and a Scottish laird. From the shores of France, to Berwyck Castle on the border between their countries, Douglas and Catherine must find their way to protect their newfound love.

Buy Link: Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UbuMKB

Or read it for #FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

And just so you can continue enjoying the MacLaren’s and my Knights of Berwyck series, I’ve put If My Heart Could See You on sale through the weekend so you can get both stories for only $0.99 each! Come fall back into time…

Click on the book tab above for all the buy links for If My Heart Could See You!

 

 

First Kiss Friday with guest R.L. Merrill

15 Friday Mar 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my dear friend R.L. Merrill who will be giving you some info on her trilogy and, of course, an excerpt. Take it away, Ro!

Thank you, Sherry, for having me on your blog today. We’re going to go back in time a little…This week is the 4th birthday of my novel Teacher. The characters in this trilogy have been so near and dear to me, as well as my readers, that I was tickled to bring them back in my new series from Dreamspinner Press, the Forces of Nature Series. In the first book, Hurricane Reese, Jesse is mentioned in the epilogue as the choreographer for Reese and Toby’s new musical, and then in book two, Typhoon Toby, Jesse and Danny end up playing peace-and-matchmakers. Today, however, I’m taking you back to book one and this adorable couple’s first kiss. It happens quite late in the book due to a series of complications: Jesse is Danny’s home instructor. He hires her to help him earn his high school diploma as he recovers from vocal cord surgery which could have potentially destroyed his music career. For two-thirds of the book, he can’t speak, forcing them to use texts, notes, and whispers in order to communicate. It’s enough because these two fall madly in love despite some pretty heavy obstacles. They’ve had a couple of falling outs by this point and in this scene, she’s coming over to work with him but she’s no longer able or willing to hide her feelings for him.

Excerpt:

I made myself get in the car and drive, telling myself I could do this a hundred times before pulling up at his curb. I got out slowly and trudged up the driveway. Nora opened the door and squealed.

“Jesse! You were beautiful last night! Connie and I saw the show! I am so proud of you. You got skills, baby!” She hugged me and it brought a faint smile to my lips.

“I’m glad you guys got to see the show. Weren’t the kids great?”

She stopped smiling and said, “Yeah, the show was fantastic.”

She frowned. “You ok?”

I choked back a sob and looked back at my car. “Nora, I don’t think I can do this today. Can you please tell Danny that I’ll come tomorrow? I can’t—”

Danny flung the door open, took one look at me then picked me up and carried me inside. I tucked my head into his shoulder and cried my heart out. He brought me into the library and sat me on the couch, kneeling next to me on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Danny, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep coming over here and pretending I am just doing a job with you. I promise I’ll find a replacement to get you through the rest of your credits and I’ll pay you back the money. I just can’t do this anymore. I quit.”

Danny took my hands in his and whispered, “Good.”

Startled, I looked up at him. “What do you mean, ‘good’?”

A smile formed on his lips. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, raspy voice, “Good. I’m glad you won’t pretend anymore.”

I pulled my hands from his frantically and put them over his mouth. “What are you doing?! You’re not supposed to be talking!”

He took my hands in his again and held them to his chest. That deliciously deep voice said, “The doctor cleared me Friday. I’ve been waiting to have you alone to tell you.”

My eyes locked on his and his smile just about knocked me out. I reached out and touched his throat and giggled. “It’s not how I thought you’d sound,” I whispered and he took my hands in his again.

“Jesse, I wanted to wait until I could speak to tell you…I love you. I love you so goddamned much that I don’t want to stop saying it. I want you to quit. I don’t want you to be my teacher anymore. I want you to be mine.”

My hand clutched my chest to keep my heart from falling out on the floor. It was pounding so hard I thought I would burst. “But what about your diploma? You have to finish!”

“I will finish, but not with you as my teacher. You’re mean anyway.”

I gasped at him in shock and moved to smack him, but he grabbed my hand, placing it on his chest over his heart.

“Didn’t you hear the first part? I love you, Jesse! I’ve loved you since that first weekend when you fell into my arms in that very doorway. Or maybe it was that night you didn’t back off when I challenged you at the restaurant. I haven’t decided but the point is, I fucking love you.”

I smirked, sniffled, and took a deep breath. “Well, since you put it that way, I fucking love you too, Danny Black.”

He exhaled a relieved breath and pressed his forehead against mine. It felt so good to tell him, to remove the weight from my chest. Instantly I felt like I could breathe better.

“I am so goddamn glad you said that. I’m going to kiss you now. I’ve waited too goddamned long to kiss you.”

And then his lips were on me, his mouth was on me, and his hands were everywhere. I grasped the sides of his face and kissed him back with the same intensity. He tasted so good and he was so insistent that we were almost fighting each other trying to get closer. We pulled back laughing and he kissed me gently on the lips.

“Wow,” was all I could say. I’d had dreams about kissing Danny, but they didn’t compare to the real thing. His desire for me was barely contained. I could feel his muscles tensing under my hands as I ran them over his shoulders and back.

“Danny, are you sure about this?”

“We’ll figure it out. I’m not stopping my work.” His eyes were serious and I was relieved he wasn’t giving up on his goal. I figured we should make a plan.

“I think we should go see my boss tomorrow and tell her what’s going on. We’ll take her all you’ve done so she can evaluate it and maybe she can help us find another teacher to oversee your grades. I’ll still help you, but I won’t sign off on your grades.”

His eyes searched mine, thinking about what I proposed. “I like it. Now we need to go tell the Warden because I’m not taking my hands off of you for the foreseeable future.”

Teacher by R.L. Merrill

Thank you for joining me today. If you’d like to check out Teacher – The Hollywood Rock ‘n’ Romance Trilogy, you can find links as well as all kinds of info about my books on my website at www.rlmerrillauthor.com. You can also sign up for my newsletter-y thingie to keep up with my shenanigans and tomfoolery. Huge thanks to Sherry for being a gracious hostess. Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance…

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First Kiss Friday with Rue Allyn

08 Friday Mar 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is fellow Bluestocking Belle Rue Allyn who has an excerpt from her soon to be released novel, Her Cadillac Cowboy. Take it away, Rue!

Sherry, thank you so much for the opportunity to share Josh and Sara Anne’s first kiss with your readers and followers. I love writing Her Cadillac Cowboy, and hope everyone has as much fun with them as I did.

Excerpt:

Like yesterday, her tone was hard, completely at odds with the smiling, gentle Sara he remembered. As a teen, despite her father’s warnings, she’d filled the angry void that denied his mother’s death. But he wasn’t that kid anymore, and she wasn’t the starry-eyed teen who liked and respected him enough to make him finally feel safe. This woman wasn’t about to brave her father’s displeasure. And Josh wasn’t about to let memories of sweet, gentle Sara ruin his chance to make other kids feel safe. Nor his chance to prove he was more than a rodeo jock from a Detroit slum.

He lifted his head and watched for any sign of emotion. The glower was gone and her expression remained carefully set. Harder to read than a professional gambler.

“Well?” Impatience flashed in her eyes.

Finally, some emotion other than stony indifference. Could he prompt more than impatience from her? The urge was irresistible. “At your service, Miss Carson.” He grinned and swept in for a quick kiss.

For an instant, her mouth softened beneath his, just before she stepped back and slapped him.

“Ow.” He put a hand to his burning cheek and ran the other through his hair. “I suppose I deserved that.”

“Ya think.”

He nodded despite knowing the question was rhetorical.

She stared at his forehead. Her hand lifted, then dropped back. “What…what happened to you?”

Had she been about to touch him?

Tagline:  The past and a classic car stand between them. Will he give up the car he treasures, or will she abandon her dreams in order to ride into a loving future?

Blurb: A rich cowboy with a classic Cadillac—sounds like the stuff of dreams for a small-town Texas girl, right?  Wrong!  Josh McKinley and his classic car have been Sara Carson’s nightmare since Josh left ten years ago.  Now the cowboy and his Caddy are back.  Sara must choose between loyalty to her family and love for the one man she shouldn’t want.

Is the key to Sara Carson’s heart the Cadillac that their families have been feuding over for ten years?  Or will Josh McKinley have to give up the car he treasures in order to win the woman he loves?

Interested in more by Rue Allyn? Sign up for her newsletter https://www.rueallyn.com/ravonsubscribe/and get a FREE sneak peek at her May release, Forever Hold My Heart.

Save the Date: March 18, 2019 from 7PM to 9PM EST Her Cadillac Cowboy release day FB party. Many authors and prizes.

*Buy Links ~ Available for pre-order

Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Her-Cadillac-Cowboy-Rue-Allyn-ebook/dp/B07MQ25ZLQ/

About Rue Allyn: Hi, I’m Rue Allyn, I write heart melting romance novels. Books about characters and adventures in which love triumphs at the darkest moment. The kind of hopeful, steal-your-breath romance that melts a reader’s heart. The type of book I like to read. Hope you will too.

Find Rue Allyn at the following social media sites:

Rue’s Website: https://RueAllyn.com

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rue-allyn

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00AUBF3NI/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RueAllyn

 

 

 

First Kiss Friday with Lizzi Tremayne

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Please help me welcome fellow Bluestocking Belle Lizzi Tremayne to another First Kiss Friday. Happy reading and enjoy!

Blake and Lena are finally talking… and maybe more, after a lovely friendship—with undercurrents—has slowly developed, neither wanting to destroy this fragile love they have begun…

Excerpt: THE KISS

“Who was he?” Blake’s voice was edged with steel.

“He?” I turned my head away.

“The man who wouldn’t let you feel safe in any man’s arms.”

I hesitated until he gave me a little jiggle.

“He… he was another vet student. A few years ahead of me. Thinks he’s god’s gift…. but he’s just a bully.”

“What did he do?” Blake growled, tension locking his every muscle.

“Wined and dined, then proceeded to get demanding. When I resisted, he got rough. When I wouldn’t go out with him again, he threatened me. I still have nightmares.”

“What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s graduated and gone. I’ll never see him again.”

“Did you report him?”

“What’s there to report?”

“You’re that scared of him, eh?”

I nodded and stared off into the distance. “It would be his word against mine. Just drop it, please. I’m happy now. I didn’t think I’d let a guy near me again, but your patience won out.” I looked into his eyes and his lips lowered to mine, softly, gently, in a kiss, then he lifted his head.

“Okay?”

“Better than okay. Fantastic,” I said and sought his lips myself this time.

His body stiffened and hardened “against me as the kiss deepened and somehow spread between us. I opened my lips to his soft request and he asked for more. I gave it willingly and soon forgot my surroundings in the rolling wave catching us up, until a wet nose worked its way under my armpit, and I giggled.

Jake LaRue grinned into my face.

“Jake, you know just when to show up, don’t you?” Blake said, shaking his head. The other two dogs crowded around, now Jake had broken the ice. We patted them and looked up to see Myrtle coming out the front door.

“We’re screwed now,” I whispered.

“No, we ain’t,” he replied.

I’d learned his mantra last week. It broke the tension when things weren’t going quite to plan.

“Off again, more golf,” Myrtle said, not looking down at us. “Don’t wait up.”

“She’s getting cocky,” Blake said.

Myrtle turned and shook her head. “Just leaving you two alone, or you’ll never get together.” She stomped off.

We stared at each other.

“Are we really taking too long?” I whispered, joking.

“Maybe. If Myrtle thinks so, we might indeed be.”

“Do you think we should do something about it?”

“Got any bright ideas?” He raised a lazy brow at me.

“A few…”

“I’d like to see them… shall we go inside?”

My heart pounding, I slid to the deck and stood, reaching a hand out to him. He took it and rose, then kissed my hand, picked me up and carried me over the threshold and up the stairs.

We didn’t awaken until the dawn peeked through the east-facing windows and spread its light over Blake’s big four-poster log bed.

“Good morning,” he whispered, his arms snug around me.

“Mmmm… I don’t think they get any better,” I said and rolled over, still in his arms, to face him.

“No, surely they don’t. And it’s only Sunday morning. We have another whole day more.” He took my lips with his and pulled me hard against him.

“But what about the horses?” I leaned back and looked into his hooded eyes. Eyes that were anything but sleepy.

“Found a note slipped under the door an hour ago. Myrtle’s feeding everyone. Complete with threats.” He held it up and read it aloud. “If you come down those stairs before ten, I’ll murder you both.”

“I’d sure hate to see her get arrested for a double murder,” I murmured.

“Me too. See? She even brought up a breakfast tray.”

I shook my head and chuckled under my breath. “Wonderful woman.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzi’s novella, Once Upon a Vet School #6: Fifty Miles at a Breath, is set Southern California in 1987.

Once Upon a Vet School #6: Fifty Miles at a Breath

Horses bring them together and their future looks rosy—it’s the present they can’t handle.

A summertime stint at a small animal clinic takes veterinary student Lena away from her beloved horses, but at an endurance ride she finds horses— and her ideal man, veteran pilot Blake. She decides she can’t do without him and his world— after finishing vet school, that is.

Blake’s past experiences don’t help his attitude when Lena heads back to vet school. Things don’t improve with the distance and her workload. His green-eyed monsters strain the already-tense situation, but at least he has his horses and dogs.

The final race tests their horse’s endurance—and Lena’s and Blake’s, as well. The pair must come to terms with their fears and make the right choices to create the future they so desire.

About Lizzi Tremayne

Unpretentious, eminently readable Contemporary and Historical Fiction… by a horse vet!

Lizzi’s awarded historical and contemporary suspense, women’s, YA, and veterinary fiction has an equestrian flair, part and parcel of her other life as an equine veterinarian and carriage competitor.

The Long Trails historical fiction sagas follow a growing list of dashing heroes and heroines from the wilderness of 1860 Utah to Colonial New Zealand, Historical Scotland, and Tsarist Russia. Not necessarily in that order!

In the Once Upon a Vet School series, you’ll find the tale of a gutsy equestrian who dreamed of becoming a vet—her life on the way and beyond. Did YOU ever dream of becoming a vet?

Lizzi grew up riding wild in the Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods, became an equine veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and practiced in the California Pony Express and Gold Country before emigrating to New Zealand. Her writing is awarded in fiction and veterinary nonfiction.

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s swinging a rapier or shooting a bow in medieval garb, riding, driving a carriage or playing on her hobby farm, singing, or working as an equine veterinarian.

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First Kiss Friday with NN Light

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Please welcome NN Light to another First Kiss Friday who will be sharing the first kiss scene from Planting the Seeds of Love. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“Are you alright?” he asked.

Sally put her palm on her forehead, feeling feverish.

“Yeah, I think so.” She looked at him. “Did I read that figure right? Five million dollars?”

Jack exhaled.

“Yes.” He paused and searched her face. “It’s a lot of money, more money than I ever thought I’d hear, let alone be offered.”

Sally looked off into the distance, daydreaming.

“That kind of money could set us up for life.” She refocused on his face. “I mean, we’d never have to work a day in our lives.”

Jack sat down beside her. He closed his eyes while tilting his head back.

“It’s a very generous offer, that’s for sure.”

Sally grabbed his hand and stared into his dreamy eyes.

“We could retire and do the things we’ve always wanted to do. I could open my own little cafe. You could travel.”

“You mean, your cafe in the city?” Jack’s tone was like a bucket of cold water, causing Sally to sputter.

“I-I-I don’t have to have it in the city.” She turned away, letting go of his hand.

He swore under his breath.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”

Anger rose up in Sally’s chest.

“Why do you do that? Why do you insist on bringing up the city at a time like this?” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s like you’re trying to drive a wedge between you and me.”

His eyes flashed and without warning, Jack pulled her into his embrace.

“Because,” he briskly spoke. “You belong to Trevor and not me. Yet this is all I think about.”

His lips kissed her with pent-up passion and need. She responded with the same intensity, tongues dancing, and her body on top of his, his desire for her evident. She moaned, giving into him. All thought fled from her mind except one.

You have to choose, city or country.

 Jack shifted and pain shot up her arm. She screamed in his mouth and pulled away.

“Ow!” Tears sprang to her eyes.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Jack cradled her body, gentle so her injured hand didn’t twist.

She shook her head, her cheeks warm from the blush.

“No, it’s just my hand.” She peered at him through her lashes. “I’m… oh Jack, I’m so confused…”

Jack put a finger up to her lips.

“It’s okay, it’s my own fault.” He stared into her eyes for a long time. “I kissed you, remember?” He dropped his finger from her lips and ran his fingers through his hair.

Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
by N. N. Light

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, New Adult Romance

Blurb:

The day her grandfather died, Sally’s life changed forever.

Twenty-Two-year-old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather’s estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.

Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.

Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather’s dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him. Sally’s torn between her new feelings for her best friend, Jack and her boyfriend, Trevor.

When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack’s embrace, she’s unsure which man she loves. Will it be her best friend and farmer, Jack, or will it be rich, successful Trevor? City or Country… only Sally’s heart knows what’s right and true.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/plantingseeds

Amazon https://books2read.com/u/4781Qa?store=amazon 

​Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Planting-the-Seeds-of-Love-A-Novella-eBook/545712189

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940155029793 

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1321493388

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/Search/Query?fcmedia=Book&query=9781386472568

24 Symbols https://www.24symbols.com/book/x/x/x?id=2490898

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39979296-planting-the-seeds-of-love​

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/planting-the-seeds-of-love-a-novella-by-n-n-light

Author Bio: N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:

Website: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/

Newsletter: ow.ly/jWec308TabL 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/n_n_light/

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Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight

Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html

First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield.

15 Friday Feb 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Please help me welcome my dear friend Caroline Warfield who will give you an excerpt from her novella Candles in the Dark from the Bluestocking Belles’ box set, Valentines From Bath! Happy reading and enjoy.

Excerpt:

The bad leg—acquired at the Battle of Toulouse—doesn’t stop Doug Marsh from coming to the aid of Esther Hopkins when her employer at the Bath Assembly Rooms imposes himself on her. He has been afraid to court a woman so far above his station, but the woman herself has other ideas.

_________________

She turned to Doug with wide eyes, her hand fluttering down to her side. He reached out and cupped her cheek to sooth her. “He’s gone,” he whispered.

She nodded, a swift bob of her head, and he worried for a moment she might fall to pieces.

He kissed her brow and the spot next to her eye, murmuring reassuring nothings. Her hands slipped up to his shoulders, and she clutched him as if she feared he would go away.

Never, he thought. Never.

***

Esther snuggled into Doug’s shoulder, unable to get close enough, wishing she could crawl inside him. One arm came around her waist to hold her in place; he moved the hand that held her cheek to the back of her head, his thumb caressing her neck. He paused for a moment as if asking for the permission he must surely know he had, lowered his mouth to hers, and covered her lips with his. He moaned when she opened for him with no encouragement and deepened their kiss, pulling her with him to lean against the wall for support. All thought of what had happened fled, and she kissed him in earnest, intoxicated with his scent and the feel of his hands.

Long moments later, Doug pulled his mouth from hers, leaned back in for one swift kiss and then another, and finally, tipped his head to lean, head and shoulders, against the wall facing her, his arm still pulling her close.

He sighed deeply. “Battle madness,” he said.

“What?” she jerked up. He soothed her back.

“Men go a bit mad wanting release after battle,” he explained, staring into her eyes. “Apparently women do, too. We could call this battle madness.”

Her lips curved upward. “We could, Sergeant Marsh, except I have wanted you to do that for a very long time.”

Candles in the Dark in
Valentines From Bath
Just $0.99!

Doug Marsh and his candles bring light to many, none more than Esther.  They may light the Assembly Rooms even as his love lights her life.

Doug Marsh knew what the army expected of him. Invalided out, he struggles to run his uncle’s candle-works and look after those dependent on it. A contract with the Bath Assembly Rooms would go a long way toward succeeding at both of those things. The plight of a young woman is a distraction he doesn’t need.

Esther Hopkins, formerly ‘the Honorable’, has no time to mourn the life denied her by a single mistake. A woman alone with a new-born son to raise needs work, and she is determined to make it on her own. If only she could stop yearning for the sturdy arms and kind blue eyes of the man who rescued her from starvation and enlisted the entire Marsh Candle Works to her support. But Sergeant Marsh shows nothing but benevolent interest in her welfare. Why should he care for a fallen woman?

In the normal course of things Esther is far above Doug’s touch. Can he find the courage to court her and still take care of business at the same time?

Valentines From Bath:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection

The Master of Ceremonies announces a great ball to be held on Valentine’s Day in the Upper Assembly Rooms of Bath. Ladies of the highest rank—and some who wish they were—scheme, prepare, and compete to make best use of the opportunity. Dukes, earls, tradesmen, and the occasional charlatan are alert to the possibilities as the event draws nigh.

But anything can happen in the magic of music and candlelight as couples dance, flirt, and open themselves to romantic possibilities. Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity, the Malala Fund.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

About the Author

Caroline Warfield has been many things. Now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, she divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy and the prince among men she married. Her new series sends the children of the heroes of her earlier books to seek their own happiness in the far-flung corners of the British Empire.

 

First Kiss Friday with Jessica Cale

08 Friday Feb 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday! Today I’m welcoming my friend and fellow Bluestocking Belle Jessica Cale to give us an excerpt from her novella Beauty and the Bounder. Jessica and I are thrilled our box set with the Belles, Valentines From Bath, releases tomorrow! Enjoy this excerpt and happy reading!

Excerpt

“I’m afraid there are some things rather more important than a fortune. To me,” Seb admitted.

Emilia arched a dark brow, intrigued. “Are there?”

He bit his lip to keep himself from biting hers. She was a lady and likely a maiden; he couldn’t have his way with her in a public pool. He glanced down as he felt her other hand span his ribs. If anyone happened by, this would look very, very bad.

Seb stepped closer. “Wit,” he offered. “Intelligence, beauty, passion.”

“I see,” she murmured, quite breathless. “And have you met such a paragon, Mr. Virtue?”

Though every bit of good sense he had left urged him not to, he leaned in, grasping the tiles on either side of her curvaceous thighs. If he took her in his arms, he wouldn’t let go. “I’m looking at her,” he whispered.

Emilia’s eyes widened, every shade of amber shining in the candlelight. He felt her toes brush his thighs under the water. “And . . .” Her gaze dropped to his mouth before returning to his eyes. “If she had no fortune or name?”

“I’d give her mine,” he swore.

Emilia shuddered. Misreading it as a reaction to the cold, he folded her in his arms to warm her. Her hands spanned his back to pull him closer, and before he could think better of it, he was kissing her. He couldn’t say if he’d initiated it or if she had, but the entire French army couldn’t make him stop. Her lips were even lusher than they looked, her mouth hot and hungry. She kissed him like it was the last time as well as the first, and maybe it was. Maybe his years of planning, saving, and practicing had all led to this one fleeting moment, this one illicit kiss.

It was worth it.

 

Valentines From Bath:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Release Date: February 9, 2019
Just $0.99!

Blurb for Beauty and the Bounder:

The moment Lady Emilia sets eyes on the Chevalier d’Aubusson, she knows their fates are tied together. For good or ill, she cannot say. A mysterious aristocrat with a tragic past, the chevalier makes waves with his considerable charm.

But the chevalier is not as he seems. There are cracks in his story, and Emilia never could resist a mystery. Whether he’s a gentleman or a bounder, he might just be the man for her.

About Valentines From Bath:

The Master of Ceremonies announces a great ball to be held on Valentine’s Day in the Upper Assembly Rooms of Bath. Ladies of the highest rank—and some who wish they were—scheme, prepare, and compete to make best use of the opportunity. Dukes, earls, tradesmen, and the occasional charlatan are alert to the possibilities as the event draws nigh.

But anything can happen in the magic of music and candlelight as couples dance, flirt, and open themselves to romantic possibilities. Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity the Malala Fund

Buy Links:
Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

 

Jessica Cale is a romance author, editor, and historian based in North Carolina. Originally from Minnesota, she lived in Wales for several years where she earned a BA in History and an MFA in Creative Writing while climbing castles and photographing mines for history magazines. She kidnapped (“married”) her very own British prince (close enough) and is enjoying her happily ever after with him in a place where no one understands his accent. She is the editor of Dirty, Sexy History and you can visit her at www.dirtysexyhistory.com.

Website: http://www.dirtysexyhistory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorjessicacale

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessicacale

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/caleisafourletterword

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First Kiss Friday with Jude Knight

01 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Please help me welcome my dear friend Jude Knight who will give you an excerpt from her novella The Beast Next Door from the Bluestocking Belles’ box set, Valentines From Bath! Happy reading and enjoy.

Excerpt:

“Are you cross with me for not kissing you, Charis?” Eric’s voice had dropped to a husky purr, and again, his thumb touched her, this time tracing her lips. “I was afraid.”

Without her volition, Charis turned her head to follow his hand as he went to draw it away. “A—afraid?” she stammered.

“You and I have been alone, dolcezza mia; no chaperone to protect your honor—and mine, for I feared that once I started I would be unable to stop. I long for you so. I imagine how soft your lips will be, how you will melt in my arms, how you would look…” he stopped, catching his lower lip in his teeth.

Charis blushed. “Did we need a chaperone, Eric?”

“You doubt it?” He lowered his face towards hers, slowly. Perhaps he was trying not to startle her. Perhaps he wanted to give her time to turn her head or to pull away. Charis waited, lifting her face to make her lips more accessible.

He was right to call himself a scoundrel, for he stopped just a couple of inches away. When he made no further move, she lifted onto her toes and closed the distance.

Eric greeted her initiative with an approving murmur, his mouth cruising in small kisses along hers. Was that his tongue sliding along the seam of her mouth? She opened her mouth to ask, and it darted inside, sending a bolt of sensation all the way to her female places. Dimly, she was aware of one large hand lifting her derrière, holding her up. Just as well. Without that support, she would have fallen from his lap, although how she had arrived in such a scandalous position she could not have said.

She essayed a foray with her own tongue and was rewarded by Eric’s groan as his hand pulled her even closer to his body, and something hard dug into her hip. She wriggled, and he groaned again, pulling away a fraction of an inch to say. “Amore mio,” in a strangled moan.

Charis wanted to moan herself. Her breasts felt hot and heavy, and the lower part of her torso was uncomfortable, as if each kiss pierced through to that forbidden place. She wanted. She gripped Eric’s nape and pulled him back to her mouth, and that both eased the ache and made it worse.

When Eric’s free hand first brushed and then cupped one of her breasts, she leaned into the new sensation eagerly, her own hands roaming down from Eric’s neck to the bare skin under his banyan. The hand behind her tugged her closer. “Bellisima,” Eric murmured.

Perhaps Eric could move whatever he had in the pocket of the silk trousers he wore under his banyan. “Something is digging into me,” she whispered, shifting uneasily.

It was the wrong thing to say. Eric stilled, and then lifted his head. With both hands on her hips, he shifted back onto the seat beside him, then tucked her head against his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you, dearest Charis,” he said.

“For the kiss?”

“Yes, definitely for the kiss. And for reminding me that you are an innocent and I am a gentleman who greatly esteems you and wishes to cherish you for all our days.” He was breathing hard, as if he had run a considerable distance, and Charis, too, felt short of breath.

The Beast Next Door in
Valentines From Bath
Just $0.99!

 

In all the assemblies and parties of Bath, no-one Charis met could ever match the beast next door.

Charis Fishingham has always felt more at home at Eastwood—Beastwood, as the neighbours called it, after the flawed child who once lived there. In the Eastwood gardens, Charis can escape her mother’s expectations, her sisters’ chatter, and her own worries about her future. There, she reads and remembers her secret friend, long gone into exile to have his birthmarks removed at his family’s command.

Now the Beast has returned. Eric Lord Wayford would rather face the surgeons of Naples and Napoleon’s armies than the tongues of the ton. He joyfully greets Charis, and their future looks to be full of hope.

But someone does not wish Charis to wed the Beast of Beastwood, and will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity, the Malala Fund.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

About Jude Knight

Jude Knight’s writing goal is to transport readers to another time, another place, where they can enjoy adventure and romance, thrill to trials and challenges, uncover secrets and solve mysteries, delight in a happy ending, and return from their virtual holiday refreshed and ready for anything.

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudeKnightBooks

Pinterest: https://nz.pinterest.com/jknight1033/

Email: jude@judeknightauthor.com