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Happy Release Day!

08 Tuesday Feb 2022

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Any day an author can release a new book into the world is a good day. Before I Found You: A De Courtenay Novella (Book Three) is now available for individual sale after being in the Bluestocking Belle’s box set Storm & Shelter. I hope you enjoy reading Miranda’s journey to finding what truly matters most in life and that certainly isn’t the title she’s been craving her entire life!

Excerpt:

She was not sure what to expect. Being outside alone with a man she did not know was a bold move. If she needed reinforcements, she could easily call out for help, but that would hardly do her reputation any good. It had barely recovered from her last scheme. Society’s memory was short, remembering scandals only until something new came along for them to gossip about—or until something happened to remind them. She couldn’t afford to give them new fodder to chew on.

She could not resist. Miranda took the remaining few steps until she stood next to him, and he rose to his full height, his hair tousled by the evening breeze. She suppressed the urge to push back the lock of hair across his brow that refused to stay in place. Oh my, but the man was tall!

Miranda did not even realize she offered him her hand until he leaned down and kissed the air between her knuckles. His fingers were warm even through the silk of her gloves. How would they feel if her hand was bare? Good heavens! What was coming over her?

“Mademoiselle,” he whispered in a husky French accent, causing goose bumps to rise on her arms. His voice was utterly divine!

“Miranda,” she said offering only her first name. It was hardly appropriate, but she did not wish to see his disinterest when he learned she was a “Miss” and not a “Lady”.

Although it might not matter. Many gentlemen present this evening were on the lookout for a well-dowered heiress to enrich their estate. The man before her could be one of them. Even though she could not attach “lady” to her name, she was still wealthy in her own right… or would be when she finally wed.

Love had nothing to do with what really mattered in life—marriage to a husband within the nobility, one with enough wealth to keep her and her children in luxury. Not for her a boring life as a country matron, with nothing to do or to talk about beyond counting sheets and breeding children. She wanted a glittering life as a Society hostess! It would be an adventure. Or so she had always thought, and she would not allow her heart to rule her head.

She bit her bottom lip before she realized she had done so. The man before her could not know it was an automatic reaction when she was worried. She watched his brow arch in surprise before a grin turned up at the corner of his lips.

“Jasper,” he finally replied in return, examining her reaction to his touch. “The evening has become brighter now that you have joined me for a breath of fresh air. Look how the stars above beam in approval that they may gaze down upon you.”

Miranda’s lips twitched at the compliment. Very nice, though she sensed that he used this phrase often. She realized he still held her fingertips and she reluctantly pulled them away before waving her hand towards the crowd inside.

A quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?

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?

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3EMDFgS

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3FNrW2W

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/3qK7BVM

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3HmHIC0

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/4XDrva

International:

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3EEGAIo

BR: https://amzn.to/3pKSbRX

CA: https://amzn.to/31fDjBA

DE: https://amzn.to/3mQCqHd

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UK: https://amzn.to/3JvZNQ1

Angus & Robertson: https://bit.ly/3FKMpp6

Vivlio: https://bit.ly/3pIP5he

First Kiss Friday with Ella Quinn

03 Friday Dec 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. My guest today is USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn who has an excerpt from The Temptation of Lady Serena . Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

He turned Serena to face him. Her wondering eyes met his, searching. She was so lovely, so innocent, and, though she might not realize it yet, she belonged to him. Robert touched her lips softly with his, teasing hers to respond. Finally, after hesitating for what seemed like an eternity, Serena’s gentle lips moved beneath his.

Excitement raced through him.

He was the first to kiss her and he wanted everything she could give him.

“Robert.” Her whispered word, more of a tender sigh.

He’d never known how sweet his name could sound, how hearing it on her lips could stun him. A previously unknown sense of protectiveness and possession came over him. No other would ever have her.

He slowly dropped his hands from her shoulders to wrap her in his arms and draw her close. Her head didn’t even reach his collarbone.

Serena expected the kiss, but not the tremor it caused. Strange warmth simmered within her, and her knees wobbled. Robert held her more tightly. Her breasts, touching his hard chest, tingled and ached. His lips were firm, but soft, moving against hers gently.

When she responded, his kisses grew more insistent. He moved his tongue over the seam of her lips. Curious, Serena opened her mouth. Robert entered, his tongue caressed hers and her burning boiled over. She moaned; her heartbeat so quickly she thought she’d swoon. Instead, she returned his caress. Soon their tongues were tangling. His body hardened and the evidence of his desire rode against her stomach.

Serena desperately wished someone had talked to her about kissing, and how his hands stroking her back would make her feel so different, so willing to be with him. Bereft when he lifted his head, she wondered if she’d done something wrong. He pulled her closer and kissed her again. She opened her mouth, eagerly responding to him. How had she lived so long without knowing this wonderful, ravening feeling?

In the past, Robert’s passion had been solely physical, his only goal to slake his and his lover’s lust. Serena’s innocent fervor spurred him to want more for her.

He’d planned to use all his considerable experience to bind her to him, tonight. To make her crave what he could give her. No one could light the flames of desire in a woman better than he. Yet, with each heartbreakingly guileless kiss she gave, his vaunted control slipped.

Robert’s breathing became ragged, his blood heated, and he grew hard. His unexpected passion for her was so strong he struggled to harness his more primitive desires. His body urged him to press her up against the wall and take her. Mine. With real effort, he reined in his demons and brought himself under control. God, and this was just a kiss—or was supposed to have been.

Robert slowly lifted his head. Serena’s rosy lips were swollen, and her face flushed. He wondered if her breasts were tinged with passion. Her nipples hardened and brushed his chest. Robert groaned. He’d attend to them later. Holding her tightly, he stroked the length of her back and recaptured her lips, plundering and laying claim to them. He drew back to gaze at Serena. Her wide eyes returned his stare.

“Did I do something wrong?”

The vulnerability in her voice humbled him.

“No, you did everything right.” Too right. He was well and truly caught. How was he to keep Serena and remain in control? “We need to return before they begin to search for us.”

Robert kissed her lightly before leading her out of the folly. His plans for her leapt forward. He must marry her, and soon.

The Temptation of Lady Serena
By Ella Quinn

Ella Quinn’s bachelors in The Marriage Game series are charming and cunning when it comes to the ways of love—until the right woman captures their unsuspecting hearts…  

“Supported by a wonderful cast of characters, Quinn’s thoughtfully drawn lovers teach each other the value of love in this delicious Regency treat.” ~ New York Times Bestselling author Eileen Dreyer

Custom-made gowns…nights at the theater…and a host of eligible bachelors. Accustomed to living a quiet life in the Scottish Borderlands, Lady Serena Weir has never had any of these luxuries. But when Serena’s brother demands she finally have a Season in London, she’s thrust into a glamorous world she’s only dreamed of… 

Robert, Viscount Beaumont remembers all too well what it feels like to be in love. That is why he must keep his distance from Serena. He’s only felt his pulse stir the way it does now when he made the mistake of loving the wrong woman once before. Yet the more he strives to resist his feelings, the nearer he is to falling under Serena’s seductive spell…

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1ckTNY3

Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/13OW4Fn

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/198ENaV

B&N: http://bit.ly/16NXZKo

Kensington: http://bit.ly/1b6z328

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1cdfHJk

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Portuguese Water Dog. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She’s currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement.

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

Website: http://www.ellaquinnauthor.com

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

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

Blog: http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpress.com

A young lady’s reputation is at risk again!

13 Tuesday Apr 2021

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Elsie carefully balanced the tea service on the tray she carried up the stairs at The Queen’s Barque Inn. She had almost reached the top when the owner’s dog came bounding up behind her barking at her heels begging for attention.

“Not now, Hector,” Elsie said while the dog pranced around her feet. “Can’t you see that I’m busy?” The dog seemed to understand and took off for another part of the inn.

Busy! Busy didn’t even begin to describe what Elsie had been reduced to! She was a lady’s maid and not meant for the duties in the scullery, for goodness sake! But once they had arrived at the inn, Elsie had been overrun with chores after Miss Miranda de Courtenay had offered Elsie’s services. Mr. and Mrs. Brewster, who were the owners of the inn, had been more than grateful to have an extra set of hands to help with their overflowing guests who had also become stranded at the inn due to a storm.

It had taken Elsie a while to get accustomed to where everything was located since the inn was a labyrinth of confusing corridors connecting the entire inn and mismatched rooms with décor from every century of past years. You would have thought the builders would have put more planning into its construction but it appeared as though they added onto it over the years as the owners saw fit. And the cleaning! Why some rooms were so worn down they surely hadn’t seen a proper cleaning in years. Only the mice, rats, and spiders seemed to enjoy these rooms and obviously were not happy their messy domain had been ruined by busy maids.

Some rooms had been converted for the injured and Elsie had been reduced to collecting soiled bandages and used bedding to be laundered. She’d mopped and swept floors until she felt that she’d never stop sneezing from the accumulated dust that reached her nose. Finally, after a hot bath, she was now properly dressed and ready to take tea to Miss Miranda. Perhaps afterwards, she might be able to just go back to her room in the servant’s quarters and nap.

She continued down the second-floor corridor until she saw Charlotte Brewster, one of the owner’s daughters, peering down into one of the more presentable parlors of the Queen’s Barque Inn. At Elsie’s approached, Charlotte silently placed one finger over her mouth and nodded down. Elsie quietly stepped forward to view the scene. One elegantly dressed gentleman sat with two ladies who leaned forward and giggled in delight while he opened a newsprint and began to read.

Gentle Readers:

This just in from The Queen’s Barque in Fenwick on Sea!

Who was the fashionable damsel who entered the inn looking like a drenched field mouse, with no one else to give her countenance but her maid? None other but Miss d.C. Dedicated readers of The Teatime Tattler will be familiar with the escapades of this particular young miss. She has been a frequent piece of tittle-tattle in previous editions, barely escaped ruination in the past several years. There’s sure to be a bit of excitement while she’s stuck here.

Which of the several eligible peers also stranded at the inn will she set her cap on? We’ll just have to wait and see. Knowing her past, anything is possible. Stay tuned for further developments.

An anonymous reporter
for The Teatime Tattler

The gentleman finished and the ladies laughter echoed throughout the parlor. The tea service rattled in Elsie’s hand and when the group below began to look around, Charlotte quickly took Elsie’s elbow so they remained unseen by the nearby wall. Charlotte took the tray from Elsie while she attempted to catch her breath.

“Good heavens! How in the world did that rag learn Miss Miranda was here?” Elsie asked.

“The gentry aren’t the only ones who’ve been spreading the latest bit of gossip. My mum has had to reprimand more than one servant daily to keep their mouths shut whenever that newspaper gets delivered,” Charlotte said with a grimace. “You best make your way to your mistress without delay. She needs to learn that a reporter has somehow learned she’s in Fenwick on Sea.”

“It won’t be the first time her reputation has suffered because of gossip, but it hardly seems fair when this time all she’s doing is going to visit a friend,” Elise said with a frown before she realized she was telling a complete stranger Miss Miranda’s business. Elsie’s eyes widened with worry.

Charlotte gave her a small smile. “I understand,” she whispered before handing the tray back to Elsie. “I must be about the chores my mum has given me but know I won’t say a word about what we overheard.”

“Thank you,” Elsie nodded in gratitude hoping the young girl would be true to her word.

Charlotte left and Elsie took a deep breath before heading toward Miss Miranda’s room. She hesitated but an instant before she gave a short knock. At the call to enter, Elsie opened the door to view Miss Miranda sitting quietly reading a book. Elsie’s expression must have said much for Miss Miranda put the book down in her lap.

“What’s happened now?” she asked as though prepared for the worst.

Elsie placed the tray on a table then poured Miss Miranda a cup of tea, not that tea would actually calm the young lady after she learned she was once again the topic of the latest gossip. “I have news…”

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/…/wanted-the-snooping…/

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. The next stop is https://alinakfield.com/storm-shelter-release-day-blog-hop/

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

A quest for a title. An encounter with a stranger. Will she choose love?

Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady.

Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball.

Their connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda’s quest for a title at all cost. What if the cost includes love?

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

A GIVEAWAY FOR THIS STOP!

To be in the running for an eCopy of either A Kiss For Charity or The Earl Takes A Wife (Books 1 & 2 of my De Courtenay series) comment below and tell me: What are you looking forward to the most when we return to our new normal? I’ll generate a random winner Sunday, April 18th.

Good luck and don’t forget to continue on to the next stop on our blog hop at Alina K. Field’s blog here: https://alinakfield.com/storm-shelter-release-day-blog-hop/

First Kiss Friday with Alina K. Field

09 Friday Apr 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog! Today’s guest is Alina K. Field, who will be sharing an excerpt from her novella, The Comtesse of Midnight, found in the Bluestocking Belles boxed set, Storm & Shelter. Pre-order your copy of Storm & Shelter today for only 99 cents. Price will go up after release day, April 13, 2021. Read on for an excerpt from The Comtesse of Midnight. 

In The Comtesse of Midnight, a young Scottish earl seeks an elusive French Comtesse who holds the key to his true identity. When he finds her, she dashes all his hopes—and promises him new ones. Here is their first kiss: 

Excerpt:

“We’ll leave for Bloodmoor Hill Manor at first light,” he said. “About the rest…” He traced a finger along her cheek, and under her neckcloth, and then went to work single-handed untying the knot. 

The skilled touch sent shivers through her. The neckcloth fell away, as did the opening of the linen shirt. 

She’d bound her breasts, as she always did. He dipped a finger under the cloth, watching her. 

“Ye’re certain we’re not related?” he asked. 

“I am certain. Your blood is much higher than mine, my lord.” 

“What is your name?”

“Marielle Plessiers. And you are Malcolm?”

“Yes. And for now, we’re just a man and a woman.” 

She went up on her toes and their lips met. The storm picked that moment to rage harder, the wind howling again like the need boiling inside her. 

He was virile, and strong, and a man in the prime of his mating years. Oh, how she wanted him.

***

Her soft lips tasted like brandy. Malcolm clasped her more closely, inhaling her scent of fresh sea air and soap whilst she trembled against him, as if the soul-baring tales of both his mother’s suffering and her own had been true. His good sense told him to hold back trust. His heart said to comfort her. His base nature said she was his for the taking, and his base nature won out.

He pulled the tails of her shirt from her loose trousers and searched for the tie of the cloth binding her breasts, the need to see them, to touch them driving him mad. He found the knot, and unable to loosen it, ripped it, while his tongue dueled with hers and the cloth fell away. 

About The Comtesse of Midnight

A Scottish Earl on a quest for the elusive Comtesse de Fontenay rescues a French lady smuggler from the surf during a devastating storm, and takes shelter with her. As the stormy night drags on, he suspects his companion knows the woman he’s seeking, the one who holds the secret to his identity. 

Marielle Plessiers may dress like a boy and go out with the local free traders, but she’s really the Comtesse de Fontenay. She trades in spirits, not secrets, but the information she holds will change Malcolm Comyn’s life forever.

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.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3kgRmLG

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3lZYHja

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/storm-shelter-bluestocking-belles/1137958115

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3o0z977

Google books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Grace_Burrowes_Storm_and_Shelter?id=TNMhEAAAQBAJ

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/b5k2pO

Author Bio and links:

Award winning and USA Today bestselling author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but prefers the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California, where she shares a midcentury home with her husband and a spunky, blond rescued terrier. She is the author of several Regency romances, including the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring. Though hard at work on her next series of romantic adventures, she loves to hear from readers!

Website: https://alinakfield.com/ 

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKY

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

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/alinakfield

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlinaKField

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-field

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alinak.field/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field

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

Newsletter signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z6q6e3

New Release from Veronica Crowe!

18 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by in 2021, New Release, Uncategorized

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Hello, my lovelies. It’s always a pleasure when I can introduce my readers to a new author. Today I have a special treat when I share a new release from my dear friend, Veronica Crowe. The Wrong Prince released today. Read on for the blurb and if you’re in Kindle Unlimited, you’ll find it there. Enjoy and congratulations Veronica on your release. May your sales soar!

The Wrong Prince
Book #1 in the Heirs of Cornwall Series
By Veronica Crowe

Will her childhood knight come charging in on a white horse and rescue her?

Richard Christopher Radcliffe, the Marquess of Sunderland, the man Miss Cassandra Carlyle has loved since she was a little girl, has returned—with his betrothed in hand. Lady Desiree was the picture of grace, beauty and perfection, everything that the naive, unsophisticated, young Cassandra was not.

Dejected and brokenhearted, Cassandra asked her family to take her to London for her first season. With the aid of her friend, Jeremiah Devlin Huntington, Marquess of Waterford, she soon found herself touted as the darling of the ton.
Cassandra could not be more pleased with her success, newfound popularity, and impressive list of eligible suitors.

Will Richard take notice and come charging in on a white horse? Or will she find love where she least expects it—but is too blind with her childhood infatuation to notice all along?

Buy Link or Read FREE in Kindle Unlimited: http://bit.ly/TheWrongPrince

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 Jo-Ann Power

22 Friday Jan 2021

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. Today’s guest is my friend Jo-Ann Powers who has an excerpt from Heroic Measures. Isn’t the cover just lovely? Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies.

Setting the scene: We are in France, 1918, on the American front lines and Captain Adam Fairleigh, British Army officer, has come to take Nurse Gwen Spencer to lunch. The little cafe is in walking distance from the mobile hospital where Nurse Spencer is stationed and she has a few hours to spare. She has met Captain Fairleigh, who is attached to British Headquarters, previously when he was ill. This is the second time they have met, but the first since he danced with her at a reception given by General Pershing.

Excerpt:

“The gentleman’s name is Armand and he’s a very good cook,” she told Adam as he pulled out a chair for her to take the seat in the tiny cafe. No other patrons graced the place.

“What do you suggest?”

“Jambon et fromage. Vin rouge. Salade verte. Du pain, glorious et crispy.” She shivered. Lovely du pain.”

“Ha! Remind me to feed you often. You look glorious in raptures.”

She wiggled her brows. “On occasion, he has offered cuisses, but I have not gotten the courage to try them.”

“Frogs legs? You should. They are as tender as chicken.”

“The idea that Armand might have recently caught them in his garden—” she made a face, “—disturbs me. Though my aunt raises chickens and I’ve had to kill and pluck and gut them. I shouldn’t be so finicky.”

Beneath the table, he reached for her hand and tucked it in his lap. His affection was addictive. “Be what you are, Gwen. If you don’t want frog’s legs, you don’t have to eat them.”

“Have you done many things you didn’t care to do?” she asked, thinking of his venture into No Man’s Land. What kind of dedication did it take to do that? What kind of cunning? “I’m sorry. That was ridiculous to ask. We all do things we don’t want to do.”

“I like my position with Pershing’s staff. Even that jaunt across the barbed wire,” he offered with a faraway look, “was exciting. I have been known to test the limits. That excites me. Does that make me a daredevil? Do you prefer men who are more ordinary?”

“I’ve never thought about who I prefer. I only know who I like.”

He seemed not to breathe for a long while as his gaze traveled her lips and her eyes. “Like me.” His words sounded like a plea.

“Can you doubt it?”

“I never want to.”

His words were balm to an open wound she had not bothered to tend. If she let him do that for her now, would she be foolish? Or couldn’t she permit herself to be charmed? Just for one small moment in her life. “You are doing very well. Shall I tell you if you ever disenchant me?”

“Do I enchant you now?”

“I’m afraid you do,” she whispered.

“Don’t be afraid. I’d never hurt you.”

She had the urge to fling her arms around him, kiss his lips and tell him she trusted him. “I don’t trust our circumstances. If we were home… But then, you live in England and I live thousands of miles away and…and this is not appropriate for me to even talk this way.” She covered her hot cheek with one hand.

Armand appeared and bid them Bonjour.

“Forget I said all that,” she told Adam when the proprietor had disappeared into his little shop with their wine order.

“I can’t. Look at me. We both know what we face. The possibilities. But I don’t care. If you’ll have me, I want to come back. Take you to lunch and buy you vin rouge and jambon et fromage. Anything you want. As long as you smile at me as you do now and blush and tell me with those extraordinary violet eyes that I am the finest man you’ve ever met.”

Choked with emotion, her throat burning with tears of delight, she could only nod at him.

“Shall I drive over and see you again?” he asked as minutes later, they stood before her barracks once more and their interlude was done.

“Yes. Soon.”

He raised her hand, turned it palm up and placed a tender kiss in the center. “Keep that for me, will you?”

Dissolved into a puddle of girlish need, she summoned a reply. “Will you want it back?”

He pressed her closed fist to her heart. “Many times over.”

Blurb:

For Gwen Spencer, fighting battles is nothing new. An orphan sent to live with a vengeful aunt, Gwen picked coal and scrubbed floors to earn her keep. But when she decides to become a nurse, she steps outside the boundaries of her aunt’s demands…and into a world of her own making.

But that world has gone to war.

Volunteering for the Army Nurse Corps, Gwen promises to serve until the end of the conflict, no matter how long that is. She leaves her small hometown with her friends and sails away in the dead of night, chased by German U-boats. Ashore she discovers her new world is dangerous and demanding, helping doctors heal thousands of sick and injured Doughboys in primitive conditions.

She’s determined to overcome the heartbreaks and the challenges. Becoming an expert at anesthesia, she volunteers to go to the front lines with an acute care team. Braving bombings and the madness of men crazed by pain and despair, she surprises herself when she falls in love with a man she admires—and should not want.

Amid the chaos, she learns the measure of her own bravery to bear any burden, pay any price and claim the one man she adores as she becomes all that she desires.

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

About the Author:

Jo-Ann Power, an award-winning author of more than 40 novels, serves as the curator of the United States World War One Centennial Commission for the Army Nurse Corps. Researching the lives of those 22,000 valiant women who volunteered to save wounded Doughboys, Jo-Ann has spent weeks in dusty archives and years traveling throughout the United States and Europe to discover the facts of these nurses’ daily lives. 

In HEROIC MEASURES, she weaves a tale of a group of friends who decide to do the extraordinary and leave the safety of their garden gates to travel thousands of miles to the chaos of war to do the work they know will save lives.

Jo-Ann likes to tell others about these courageous women and speaks often about them to civilian and veterans’ groups. To learn more, please read her posts on her blog at: http://theyalsofought.blogspot.com and sign up for her informative newsletter on the Home page of her website: http://www.jo-annpower.com 

First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield

09 Friday Oct 2020

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It’s another First Kiss Friday and today’s guest is my dear friend Caroline Warfield who has an excerpt from The Fugitive Fiancé. Happy reading, my lovelies, and enjoy!

After an autocratic baroness tries to force her into marriage to the woman’s vile nephew, Alice Pennysmith has reached the safety of Viscount Kenilworth’s home thanks to Grant Lambert. Alas, Grant has commitments and responsibilities that stand in the way of declaring his feelings. He’s determined to clear the way, but he has to leave to do that.

Excerpt:

“It has been an exhausting day.” Thickness in his throat deepened the sound of his words. When she didn’t reply, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, removing his hand only to reach down and take hold of hers.

“I’m leaving in the morning to… Take care of some business.”

“What—” She dipped her head down. “I’m sorry. It isn’t my concern.”

He tucked a knuckle under her chin and pulled her gaze back up. “There are things we need to say, but I have much to do first— as quickly as I can. You’ll be safe here. Will you wait for me?”

Her anguish hit him as a physical blow. “I have to. Where else would I go?”

He hated that she had no choices; life could be cruel to young women. He longed to intervene, longed to protect her from all hurt, longed to have the right to do so. The sooner he left, the sooner he could come back. He took a step back.

“I won’t be gone long. When I come back I—” His voice sounded ragged even to him. “We’ll think of something. Do you trust me?”

Her eyes flew open. “Yes! Don’t doubt it. You’ve been wonderful.”

That did it. He couldn’t resist her rosy lips any more than he could resist her trusting visage, and willowy form.

He intended a gentle touch of lips, one that didn’t threaten or impose, but he didn’t expect her to rise up to meet him half way. The kiss settled into something hotter and deeper, and he struggled to be gentle. When he pulled away with the last tattered remnants of his self-control, she blinked up at him, his insides melted, and he caressed her cheek.

“We’ll talk when I get back,” he whispered when he was able. It was as much promise as he could make until he was free to ask more.

***

What can a penniless orphan do, when faced with a malodorous baron and an authoritarian baroness? She can run, that’s what.

Alone and without family, Alice Pennysmith puts up with a lot: an unpaid position as companion, waiting on a demanding baroness, people mangling her name, the scorn of superior servants… She almost lets herself be pushed into marriage with the vile Reggie, but his behavior is the last straw. How can she escape?

With his year of service to at an end, Grant Lambert is eager to leave his contract with Lord Reginald Buffton, Baron Albright——a foolish agreement to settle a bet. He already found far better, well-paying, respectable employment. He just can’t bring himself to leave the charming Miss Pennysmith in the clutches of his despicable employer. There’s only one thing for it—he’ll have to take her with him, even if he has to “borrow” the baron’s carriage to do it.

This kiss is from The Fugitive Fiancé, a gift for subscribers to Caroline Warfield’s newsletter. Subscribers receive 2-3 stories a year. To obtain this story and others, sign up now: 

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About the Author

Traveler, would-be adventurer, librarian, technology manager, Caroline Warfield has many things, but she is above all a romantic. Someone who begins life as an army brat develops a wide view of life. She reckons she is on at least her third act. When she isn’t off seeking adventures with her Beloved or her grandson down the block, she works happily in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to even more adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart. 

For more about the series and all of Caroline’s books, look here:

Bookshelf

Medieval Monday with Bambi Lynn

06 Monday Jul 2020

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Welcome to Medieval Monday and the last of my guests before we return back here for my final snippet. It’s week nine and I’m happy to welcome returning guest author Bambi Lynn who has a snippet from Mask of the Highlander. You’ll have to tune in next week on her blog to find out what happens! Enjoy!

Excerpt:

“He is too proud to hide. And locking him away somewhere on the earth is not enough. Ankou would find him. He must be hidden away somewhere Ankou will not think to look. You have the power of time-travel. You could hide him anywhere, during any era. He would be safe then. He would have your protection.”

“It is a lot to ask. Why should I do this for you?” She could guess the answer, but again, that would make it too easy for Borvo’s cheating wife.

“Do not do it for me, but for him.” Demona nodded at the god lying prone at their feet. “You are the goddess of justice. There is no justice in Borvo’s curse. It is not Ioeannan’s fault he is irresistible.”

Arduinna’s eyes were pulled again to Ioeannan as she considered Demona’s plea. One thing was certain. It was not fair for anyone to be so decadently gorgeous. “Very well,” she finally said. “I will do as you ask, but not for you. It was your inability to control yourself that put him in danger to begin with. I will secret him away, but only I will know his whereabouts.”

“But –”

Mask of the Highlander
By Bambi Lynn 

Once she was afraid to touch him. Now she’s afraid to let go.

Forced to marry to avoid war between clans, Kenna Cleary endured three days of her new husband’s painful brutality, unaware of his demon heritage. Leaving her for dead, he rode off to battle the English. In the five years of his absence, she bore him a daughter, increased his holdings, and gained the love and respect of his people. Now he’s home. Must she and the clan learn to endure his cruelty once more?

Can an ancient Celtic god find peace in the mortal world

The Laird of Domhnul has returned from war a changed man—moreso than his wife can possibly know. Now the warrior faces a new battle, one for his wife’s heart, and his peoples’ trust. He must walk the knife’s edge of deception and danger, all while learning to manage the supernatural power flaring inside him and discovering a heritage he never imagined.

But when his father embroils both them in a deadly plot, can the couple find a way to prevent war between their clans?

BUY LINK:

Amazon

Learn more next week on Bambi’s blog here: https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.com/

First Kiss Friday with Karysa Faire

21 Friday Feb 2020

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Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today it’s my pleasure to welcome my dear friend Karysa Faire to my blog. Karysa is debuting her first release Take Two. I’m so excited to share an excerpt with you. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

Roger joined her, handing her a cup of coffee while he noisily sipped on his own. He sat down on the plush chair across from her, toeing off his shoes in turn.

Her eyes closed against the steam. The first sip was almost too hot as it went down her throat, warming her insides.

“Mmmm. I needed that. Thank you.” She opened her eyes and was surprised to see him staring at her chest. She quickly looked down to see if she’d become unbuttoned and said a little prayer of thanks that her bra wasn’t popping out of her blouse. “Uh, so—” Rachel cleared her throat.

Roger’s eyes flew up. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?” He gave her a crooked grin and didn’t look sorry at all for being caught.

“Thank you for the coffee.” Rachel smiled back and took another sip. She felt the caffeine begin to do its magic. “It’s better than I have at home.” She drank the rest quickly, enjoying the feeling.

“Refill, my lady?” Roger got up and refilled her cup as she held it. This time, he sat down beside Rachel. The couch dipped next to her and she almost fumbled her hold on the cup. A flutter went through her at the heat of his body next to hers. They’d been this close in the cab, but he’d still been dressed as Rohbert. Now, he was all Roger.

But he hadn’t kissed her before when she’d opened the door to the possibility. What the hell were you thinking, Rachel?

Not knowing what else to do, Rachel brought the coffee to her lips, took a gulp, then put it down on the table. She looked straight ahead, not at the man, her fantasy, sitting next to her.

She felt his hand lightly caress her shoulder and arm. He shifted and was even closer to her, overwhelming her senses. Rachel felt her hair get pushed back, tucked behind her ear, those magic fingers of his leaving hot trails on her skin.

“I’m uh…” She cleared her throat then tried to speak again. Her words were lost as his other hand reached for hers.

“You really don’t need to go home tonight,” he said, barely above a whisper.

She stood and faced him, needing to put at least an inch of distance between them so she could talk without being distracted. With him sitting on the couch and with her shoes off, she was only a few inches taller. She could almost look directly into those famous green eyes of his, the eyes that didn’t waver as they darkened. “I’m, I’m very confused,” Rachel stammered.

“Allow me to make it clear.” Roger locked his hands around both her wrists and pulled her toward him. Thrown off balance, she fell into his lap. His arm slipped over her hip and he angled her body to his chest.

She looked Roger Conrad in the eyes, his lashes darker so close up. She swallowed, not daring to follow this wish through.

“Hi there,” he said, moving toward her. He was so close his nose touched the side of hers.

“Hi,” she finally managed back. His breath was laced with fresh coffee and the remaining hint of alcohol, a smell she vaguely thought shouldn’t be arousing. But it was, he was, and the smell went straight to her core, imprinting itself in her memory forever.

What the hell. I’ll pretend I’m Isabella and he’s Rohbert. Rachel took the plunge and closed the space between them, giving him small, questing kisses. She ran the tip of her tongue over his lips, asking for entry to his mouth. He moaned and embraced her, circling her body with his long arms.

In a quick movement, Roger shifted their positions, Rachel’s back now on the couch. He pressed his lips urgently against hers, all tentativeness gone. She kissed him back with a need that stunned her.

Rachel heard herself whimper as Roger pulled her body closer to his. He ran his other hand over her clothes, down her waist and to her thigh, teasing the hem of her skirt upwards. His smell was intoxicating. Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and hooked her leg over the back of his knee. As she grabbed his hair, he pulled back for a breath. “Didn’t you say you had to leave?” he teased.

“That wasn’t me talking.” She grinned and pulled him back down to her.

Take Two
By Karysa Faire
$3.99 or #FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Is their love real or fiction?

 Rachel is a teacher and a single mom who’s picked up the pieces of her life after a horrible marriage. She’d thought her ex-husband was the man of her dreams. He wasn’t. She’s moved on and written a historical romance novel, Swashbuckler, that’s been picked up by Hollywood.

Rodger is an actor who doesn’t trust women. He’s made bad choices in his past that have come to haunt him in the present, especially the choice that came packaged with blond hair, large tits, and a marriage that was doomed from the start. Rodger thought they were in love—turns out his wife was a social-climber more interested in his status than his heart. He doubts there is a woman alive who can love him for who he is, and not for his fame or for the fantasy he presents to the world.

Both Rachel and Rodger have been burned by love, trusting a reality that turned out only to be fantasy. Will their fear succeed at keeping them apart? Or will they break through the barriers and allow themselves to love once again? After all, sometimes reality is much sweeter than fantasy.

Buy Link or Free in Kindle Unlimited: Amazon US

About the Author:

Karysa Faire is a fiction writer and high school science teacher. Her best days are when something unexpected and new happens – whether that be in the classroom or during vacations when she goes on extended road trips to haunted ghost towns. Karysa writes a variety of romance genres including contemporary, historical, erotica, horror, and paranormal. She’s also been known to write a mean lab report. Karysa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area along with millions of other people, including her wonderful family.

 Website: https://www.karysafaire.com/

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KarysaFaire

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