Tag Archives: Be My Guest

First Kiss Friday with Rue Allyn

26 Friday Jun 2020

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. Today’s guest is my dear friend Rue Allyn who has an excerpt from her upcoming novel One Day’s Loving. It’s available for pre-order now.I love this cover, don’t you? Happy reading my lovelies and enjoy!

EXCERPT:

“You do not love me, sir. What you offer is a marriage of convenience. Although what convenience such an alliance may be to you, I cannot imagine.”

His expression hardened, his jaw growing tighter by the moment.

Mae gathered her courage and continued. If she was going to reveal her feelings, she would show them all. “Grandfather did not encourage participation in the social scene. Therefore I have no social standing that can bring you any advantage. You cannot possibly want to marry a penniless woman, and I will not believe you so callous that you would propose marriage as a means to have a child simply to allow yourself access to the Alden fortune. A fortune that, I remind you, you already control as executor. Marriage to me can do nothing for any ambitions you have.”

The ice left his eyes. “You say a great deal of what I will not gain by wedding you, but nothing of what you will lose.”

Her lips trembled, and her hands fisted in her skirt. She would not expose herself further and risk derision for her fears. Instead, she fell back on pride. “As long as the Alden estate remains unsettled, my sisters and I will be objects of pity, whether we wish it or not.”

“I do not pity you, Mae. I despise your situation, and I am greatly concerned for your safety.”  He grasped her shoulders, turning her to face him.

She wished she could mistake his meaning. “Once the terms of Grandfather’s will become public, I am well aware I may be the object of undesirable and unwanted attentions from men of all sorts.”

“His will places you in danger of another abduction and worse. You need a protector.”

“You believe that protector should be you.”

“It would be one advantage of our marriage. You would also have a confidante, someone with whom to share your troubles. You might even discover unexpected pleasures.”

“Being under the legal protection of a man has brought me more sorrow than pleasure.”

“Not all men are like your grandfather. Marriage to me would be very different from his guardianship. Allow me to demonstrate.”

“How?”

He drew her close and bent his head. His eyes filled her vision, and he laid his lips over hers.

She inhaled a silent gasp of surprise. Then heat and surging pleasure overwhelmed her senses. She should not want this. She should resist. If she yielded, she would have no place to hide. Her feelings would be exposed. Did she have the courage to step from the shadows? She wasn’t in any danger now—or was she?

His lips played on hers. The kiss lingered sweet with yearning. Something—desire?—rippled through her as his arms enfolded her and his mouth coaxed hers open. Yet she still held herself back from the fascinating changes his touch wrought in her body.

Despite a burning rush of sensation, she could not throw caution to the flames. Nonetheless, she returned the kiss, desperate to know if he offered safe harbor or only deeper darkness. She wanted to cast aside fears to indulge in one bittersweet instant of madness, one day of loving when pleasure and delight held the world and worry at bay. She did not dare. She nearly wept, certain she would never again have the chance.

When James lifted his head and released her, Mae felt dazed, disoriented. Fire leapt in his hazel gaze. A tender smile tilted his mouth—that talented, hazardous mouth.

She wanted to reach for him, but she’d already risked too much. Safer to retreat, rebuild the defenses where she could hide from the emotions he stirred.

***

“Well?” His question dropped into the silence.

A becoming blush colored her face. She stepped back, looking everywhere except at him. He wished that blasted will to Hades.

She lifted her hands to cover her cheeks and cleared her throat. “I have given you my answer and do not feel obliged to explain. Once that onerous will is in the past, I may see things differently. If you still feel so inclined, you may restate your offer then.”

His mouth twitched. He was sorry to have embarrassed her, but he could not regret the kiss. “What if I don’t want to wait?”

Though strained, her voice was steady, but her hands trembled. She made a valiant attempt to maintain outward calm.

“While our acquaintance is short, you have never shown yourself to be an impatient man. A single kiss will not convince me that you have developed a sudden and demanding passion for me. Be practical, sir. Our marriage would serve neither of us well.”

One Day’s Loving
By Rue Allyn
Pre-order Now
Release Date: August 17, 2020

Persephone Mae Alden is the invisible Alden sister, quiet, industrious, generous, kind-hearted, loyal and reliable.  The words used to describe Mae remind her of a well-trained dog.  She’s not happy about it, but what can she do?  She likes her quiet life and would be seriously upset if she had to defy convention like Edith or act on instinct like Kiera. But everything changes when necessity forces her to bravery and she must choose between love and family.

A horrifying bequest convinces Boston attorney James W. Collins V that Mae Alden needs a husband, and she’s just the type of wife he wants. The two of them will be a perfect match. Refusing his offer makes no sense, so why won’t the woman accept?

Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/mqr0R2

About the Author:

About Rue Allyn:  Author of historical and contemporary romances, I fell in love with happily ever after the day I heard my first story. (Yes, I was a precocious little brat who read at the age of two, but I could hear much earlier than that.) I studied literature for far too many years before discovering that writing stories was much more fun than writing about them. Heck, as an author, I get to read the story before anyone else. I am happily married to my sweetheart of many, many years. Insatiably curious, an avid reader and traveler I love to hear from readers about your favorite books and real-life adventures. Crazy Cat stories are especially welcome. You can send me your words of wisdom . . . Don’t shake your head at me; all words are wise in one context or another. You can trust me on this; I’m an author. As I was saying, you can send your words of wisdom, humor, and friendship to me at Rue@RueAllyn.com. Can’t wait to hear from you

Keep up with Rue Allyn by subscribing to her newsletter and get a free copy of Knight Protector when you do.

Find Rue Allyn On-line:

Website — https://RueAllyn.com

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

Twitter — https://twitter.com/RueAllyn

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

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

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

 

Medieval Monday with Jenna Jaxon

22 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by in 2020, Medieval Monday

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You’ve seen this author here before. Please welcome Jenna Jaxon to my Medieval Monday blog. It’s week eight on our Nature theme and we hope you’ll enjoy her next snippet from her novel Time Enough To Love. I just love everything about this cover, don’t you? Happy reading, my lovelies, and enjoy!

Excerpt:

Alyse, her eyes squeezed closed, shook her head.

His body suddenly went rigid as he asked, “Has the pestilence returned, Alyse?”

“No,” she whispered.

Geoffrey slumped, but he prodded again. “Do you know what is wrong, Alyse?”

A slow nod–oh, but she dreaded what she was about to say.

“Then you can tell me, sweetheart, for I beg pardon for what I said about Thomas, if that has distressed you. You are more important to me than anything else in the world, so you must let me know what is wrong.”

She struggled to sit up, despite the cold. Geoffrey helped her and immediately put his arms around her, trying to keep her warm, but she shrugged away and turned to face him, raised her hand to caress his cheek and said simply, “I believe I am with child, my lord.”

Time Enough To Love
By Jenna Jaxon

When Lady Alyse de Courcy is betrothed to Sir Geoffrey Longford, she has no choice but to make the best of a bad bargain. The hulking knight is far from her ideal man, and although he does possess some wit and charm, he is no match for the sinfully sensual man she secretly admires, Thomas, Earl of Braeton, her betrothed’s best friend.

From the first, Sir Geoffrey finds himself smitten by Lady Alyse, and, despite her infatuation with his friend, vows to win her love. When Geoffrey puts his mind to wooing Alyse, he is delighted to find her succumbing to his seduction. But when cruel circumstances separate them, Geoffrey must watch helplessly as Thomas steps in to protect Alyse—and falls in love with her himself.

As the three courtiers accompany Princess Joanna to her wedding in Spain, they run headlong into the Black Plague. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse struggles with her feelings for both the men she loves. But which love will survive?

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE

Follow me over to Barbara Bettis’s blog next week for the next stirring excerpt.

First Kiss Friday with Becky Lower

19 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by in 2020, First Kiss Friday

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It’s another First Kiss Friday and today I have a new author as my guest. Please help me welcome Becky Lower who has an excerpt from A British Heiress in America. It’s currently up for preorder with a release date of June 25th. Be sure to show Becky some love by leaving her a comment after reading her snippet! Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt: 

He took a step further into the room. “Here I thought you had something important to discuss.” His smirk, the one that drove her crazy, appeared. She had a sudden urge to slap it from his face. To kiss it from his face. She took a step toward him but kept her hand to her side.

“This is important. To me, anyway. You’ve been privy to my full name for weeks now. It’s high time you return the favor.” She took a step closer to him and could smell the salty air that was so much a part of the man’s scent. Her nose twitched at his familiar odor, and she fought against inhaling sharply. That would only make her dizzy, and she had no wish to act like a swooning debutante in front of him. At least not until she found out who he was.

He stared at her for so long she forgot the question. Her gaze slipped from his blue eyes to his full bottom lip and back again before he answered. She took another step toward him. They were as close as they’d been the other day. This time, she wouldn’t let him off the hook. At least, not before divulging a secret or two. The man had too many of them.

She stared into those blue eyes that reminded her of the sky over the Atlantic and didn’t waver. Except for the gulp of air she had to take. She could feel his gaze scorching a path down her cheek, on her lips, her eyes. She popped open another shirt button to cool her body.

“Daniel.”

His whisper rode into her senses. What was left of them, at any rate? What had he said?

“Wha—What?”

He nodded and raised a hand to caress her cheek. “That’s my name. Daniel.”

His thumb brushed over her lips and she opened her mouth, taking his thumb between her teeth and sucking gently before she grazed her teeth over his callused digit. She nearly laughed at his audible intake of breath and the quick departure of his thumb. Yet, he held her cheek firmly in his grasp, so she leaned in and kissed that lower lip that had been driving her insane for weeks before she backed out of his grasp.

“All right, Captain Daniel. Don’t make me beg. What is your surname?”

He had a dazed expression on his face. Pippa breathed a bit easier. She hadn’t lost her touch with men. He might consider himself an American, but he really was no different from the British men of the Ton over whom she’d held sway for the past few years. Still, this particular man intrigued her in a way none of the Ton had been able to do. He was rugged rather than soft, tanned from the sun rather than pasty, muscled rather than puny. American, rather than British.

“Do I need to ask again, Daniel?”

He blinked and shook his head. “You have no need for anything more.”

She sauntered back to him and threw her arms around his neck. “I prefer to be privy to the full names of the men who kiss me.” Her lips brushed his again. Soft as a baby’s backside. Just as she thought.

She could feel his shoulders bunch under her arms as he raised his hands to grasp her. He unhooked her arms from his neck and backed off a step as he pinned her with his gaze. “Button your shirt back up, Pip. You don’t want the men to see your binding. Because the only thing worse than a storm at sea is to have a woman on board.”

He fled from the room, wide-eyed, as if she were Medusa and her hair had just transformed into snakes. She stomped her foot. When that wasn’t enough, she kicked over a chair. Damn the man anyway. Daniel-whoever-he-was.

A British Heiress in America
By Becky Lower
Available for Preorder
Release Date: June 25, 2020

Lady Philippa Worthington wants to marry young and sexy.

Her father plans for her to marry stodgy…old…and rich.

What’s a beautiful British heiress to do if she’s going to escape a life of passionless marriage? With her father planning to sell her off to the highest bidder in order to support his own lavish lifestyle, Pippa knows there’s only one thing she can do to save herself.

Lady Philippa dons boys’ clothing and stows away on a London ship destined for the American colonies and a new life. One full of hope, freedom, and the chance to finally live up to her feisty nickname among the rough sailors—‘Pip.’

But instead of finding independence on the high seas, Pippa is plunged deep into the dangerous world of espionage–and the arms of handsome Daniel Simmons, a merchant sailor for the British—who is also an American Revolutionary spy!

Torn between allegiance to her home country and the passion she’s always been searching for, Pippa now faces an unexpected threat—and it may cost Pippa and Daniel the very freedom—and love—they’ve both been searching for.

If they manage to survive the very heart of the beginnings of the Revolutionary War, can the daring spy find love in the arms of A BRITISH HEIRESS IN AMERICA?

Buy Link: Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089RNSY3P 

About the Author:

Amazon best-selling author Becky Lower has traveled the country looking for great settings for her novels. She loves to write about two people finding each other and falling in love, amid the backdrop of a great setting.  Becky has a degree in English and Journalism from Bowling Green State University, and lives in an eclectic village in the Sandhills region of North Carolina with her puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary. She loves to hear from her readers at beckylowerauthor@gmail.com. Visit her website at www.beckylowerauthor.com

Social Links:

Website: http://www.beckylowerauthor.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/becky.lower

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BeckyLower1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorbeckyl/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/becky-lower

Blog: http://beckylowerauthor.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6159227.Becky_Lower

G+: https://plus.google.com/103332938863838564766

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Becky-Lower/e/B008DTC15C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1480527074&sr=1-2-ent

Medieval Monday with Mary Morgan

15 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by in 2020, Medieval Monday

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It’s hard to believe it’s already week seven in our Nature theme for Medieval Monday! It’s always such a pleasure to welcome back my friend Mary Morgan to my blog. She has an excerpt for you today from To Weave A Highland Tapestry. Enjoy and happy reading!

Excerpt:

As she gazed into his eyes, Gwen noted the man definitely exhibited the signs of a fever. They were glassy and unfocused. She drew near and reached outward with her hand. When she touched his cheek, he flinched. “I’m merely checking your temperature.”

The man radiated fiery heat, confirming her suspicions. “You smell like honey.”

His smile broadened. “Ye have a cool touch, lass, and ’tis the mead. Alastair was kind enough to give me one cup.”

The burr of his voice skimmed over her skin, and Gwen snatched her hand away. She took a hold of his arm. “You need to get back into bed.”

Patrick chuckled softly. “Are ye going to tuck me beneath the furs?”

Heat blossomed in her cheeks, but she refused to look or answer the man.

“Will ye stay and bring me comfort?”

To Weave A Highland Tapestry
By Mary Morgan

Do they dare unravel the past for a future of love?

Patrick MacFhearguis, hardened by battles won and lost, desires what he can never have—peace within his heart and soul.  Yet, the ever-meddling Fae weave a new journey for him to conquer—a task this highlander is determined to resist.

When skilled weaver, Gwen Hywel, is commissioned to create a tapestry for the MacFhearguis clan, she embraces the assignment. While seeking out ideas, she finds herself clutching the one thread that can alter the tapestry of her life and heart.

A man conflicted by past deeds. A woman with no family of her own. Is it possible for love to unravel an ancient past, in order to claim two badly scarred hearts? Or will the light of hope be doused forever?

Buy Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | APPLEBOOKS | BOOK PAGE

Follow along next week on Bambi Lynn’s blog here: https://bambilynnblog.wordpress.com/

 

First Kiss Friday with Eliza Knight & a Giveaway!

12 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by in 2020, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to my blog and another First Kiss Friday! Today’s guest is Eliza Knight who is offering a giveaway along with an opportunity for a free short story. Be sure to leave her a comment to be in the running. Find out more below. In the meantime, happy reading and enjoy this First Kiss Scene from The Rebel Wears Plaid.

Excerpt from Chapter 12 – First REAL Kiss:

Toran leaned closer, their shoulders brushing and hazy predawn light filtering through the roofless castle. She stared into his eyes, allowing herself just the tiniest moment to sink into their depths and dream. The more time they spent together, the more she wanted to. There was something intoxicating about him. A sweet she wanted to devour.

Before she could decipher what was happening, his lips brushed ever so gently across hers. Jenny gasped, mesmerized at the soft warmth and the jolt of awareness that spiraled through her. Just when she had the wherewithal to press her lips back, his mouth left hers much too quickly.

“I’m sorry, lass,” he whispered, eyes on hers. “I shouldna have done that without asking.”

She flicked her gaze from his eyes to his lips. And threw caution to the wind. “Dinna be sorry.”

“I’ve been wanting to do that for far too long.”

“And I’ve been wanting ye to.” She shouldn’t. She could feel herself getting caught up in the whirlwind of things she’d forbidden herself. Clan and country first. But resisting Toran had been a test she seemed doomed to fail.

He leaned in again, and she tipped her face up, meeting him halfway as his lips connected to hers. He took her hand in his and pressed it over his heart, the thump of it beating beneath her trembling fingertips.

“Ye feel that?” he asked. “’Tis what ye do to me every time we cross paths.”

“Ye’ve a way with words. Do ye speak to all the lasses like that?” she teased, smiling and wishing he’d kiss her some more.

“Nay.”

He couldn’t know how much that single denial made her want to swoon. She let her eyes close, reliving the soft kisses, his words, and breathing him in. He smelled of adventure—horses, leather, the outdoors, a subtle spice, and a faint hint of sweat.

“Will ye let me kiss ye some more?” he asked.

This was the chance she had to deny him, to tell him again that her life’s goal was to see the prince returned to his rightful throne—and nothing else. Changing her purpose on the flap of a crow’s wings was to be untrue to herself.

And yet denying him, letting him go, seemed also to be a betrayal to herself.

How could she have both?

It was impossible.

But right now, in this ruined castle, in the dark, with their enemies at bay and no warring or planning to be done, when she should be sleeping, she could allow him to kiss her some more. To indulge in a moment she might remember when things turned bleak.

“Aye,” she said, her mouth forming the affirmation before her mind had fully comprehended or determined what she wanted.

Toran’s hand slid over her cheek and tucked behind her head, tugging her closer as his lips pressed firmly to hers. The soft, tentative kiss they’d shared a moment before was replaced by this heady melding of lips.

Jenny sighed, her hand pressed to his heart, curling her fingers in his shirt, wanting to hold on forever. Their mouths moved to better fit, his breath on her cheek, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she thought their kiss could not grow any more intense, he licked her.

Well, not a lick exactly. More like a swipe of his tongue. A flick over her lips that had her gasping. He did it again, running the hot, velvet heat of his tongue over her lower lip and then the top, curling inside her mouth before darting away. It was fascinating and intoxicating, and it sent shivers racing all over her body.

She tugged harder against his shirt, pressing her body against his, and then he was dipping his tongue inside, touching the tip to hers, and she was emboldened to do the same thing.

A hot flash of desire sparked as the tip of her tongue tentatively touched his. Shivers ran rampant over her flesh. How was it possible that kissing him could get better and better?

Her heart was pounding, her body trembling, and heat licked at places she didn’t even know could feel…let alone feel so good.

At the same time, she was very aware of where they were and the other men not too far away. Toran’s hand slid from her face, his fingertips brushing over her neck to her collarbone, his palm flattening just above her breasts. She clamped her mouth closed to stifle both her gasp and her enthusiastic surrender.

Toran stilled, feeling her body stiffen. He was pulling away then, and she wished she could pull him back, wished she could tell him to continue kissing her. But the truth was she should have been the one to pull back, to put a stop to the madness.

The Rebel Wears Plaid
by Eliza Knight

These heroines risk their lives to protect Jacobite soldiers. Hiding them, healing their wounds, and aiding in their escape from enemy forces, puts these fiery ladies in harm’s way, but their loyalty wins out over fear every time.

Toran Fraser is hell-bent on taking down the Jacobites. On a late-night mission, he’s intercepted by a woman known only as “Mistress J” who’s determined to put Prince Charlie back on the throne of Scotland. Toran can’t resist her appeal—especially with her pistol pointed at his heart—and suddenly finds himself joining the rebellion…

By day, highborn Jenny Mackintosh runs her estate in the Highlands. By night, she raises coin, delivers weapons, and recruits soldiers for the Jacobite rebellion. When she encounters a handsome Highlander who is clearly on the run, she is more than a little intrigued. She isn’t expecting to become the target of his sworn enemy…

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/RebelWearsPlaid

B&N: http://bit.ly/EKRebel

Apple: http://bit.ly/EKRebelWearsPlaid

Audible: http://bit.ly/ListentoRebel

Kobo: https://bit.ly/KoboRebel

Reading Links:

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/ReadRebel

BookBub: http://bit.ly/ShareRebel

BIO:

Eliza Knight is a USA Today bestselling author of many historical adventures. Escape to Scotland for irresistible heroes, courageous heroines and daring escapades. Join Eliza (sometimes as E.) on riveting journeys that cross landscapes around the world. While not reading, writing or researching for her latest book, she chases after her three children. In her spare time (if there is such a thing…) she likes daydreaming, wine-tasting, traveling, hiking, staring at the stars, watching movies, shopping and visiting with family and friends. She lives atop a small mountain with her own knight in shining armor, three princesses and two very naughty puppies.

SM Links:

Website: www.elizaknight.com

History Undressed Blog: www.historyundressed.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizaknightfiction

Twitter: @ElizaKnight

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/eliza-knight

Goodreads: goodreads.com/elizaknight

History Books and Wine Podcast: http://historybooksandwine.buzzsprout.com

Giveaway: One signed print copy of THE REBEL WEARS PLAID to one US winner.
Also — For anyone who pre-orders THE REBEL WEARS PLAID, fill out this form to get your free copy of PRETTY IN PLAID! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXJudg-b9woINnZeBm1KtlrvR1zDYNZV0SZ14iZ0wMT_GF7Q/viewform

Medieval Monday with Ashley York

08 Monday Jun 2020

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Welcome to Medieval Monday and week six of our Nature theme. Today’s guest is Ashley York who has a snippet from her novel Eyes of the Seer. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“Ye can go back in, Astrid. I can see to my own needs.”

Merewyn’s willing expression flashed through her mind, but something in his eyes told her the regard he had once borne for her had not faded. He was protective of her, attentive, and not at all like her brother. He tilted his head now, his eyes squinting as if trying to read an unclear sign. And there was a good chance he could. He knew her very well. Better than she knew herself.

Eyes of the Seer (Book two in the Warrior Kings series) by Ashley York

He wishes to prove himself…

Marcán of Clonascra bears the bloodline of Brian Boru and his prowess as a warrior has earned him great respect from everyone but Astrid, the woman who holds his heart. Between her mother’s condemning him as a pagan Seer and Astrid’s total disinterest, he finds solace as the king’s protector and confidant.

She is desperate to escape…

Astrid is more than ready to wed but her brother, the king, is in no hurry to see her married, so she decides to see to her own match-making. The man she approaches quickly reveals his lack of honor, but her overbearing mother pushes her to wed him anyway. When Astrid discovers Marcán’s love for her, will it be too late to have the happiness she’d always dreamed of?

GRAB A COPY HERE

Ready for more? Join me next week where this scene continues at Ruth A. Casie’s blog

First Kiss Friday with Bob & Judy

05 Friday Jun 2020

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Welcome to a special First Kiss Friday with my dear friend, Jude Knight. With everything going on in the world right now, it’s nice to read a story that is so uplifting that it can only bring a smile to your face and tears in your eyes (in a very good way). Love at first sight really can happen and with that intro, I’ll let Jude take it away! Enjoy, my lovelies.

I haven’t been writing, what with packing up the house we’ve sold, Covid-19 lockdown, moving cities, buying a new house, and having a newly retired husband home the whole time.

So I thought I’d give you something different. A couple who met long ago at a prayer meeting, met again several times at youth outreach (she was secretary of her Young Anglicans group and he was president of the local Young Catholic workers), and finally went out together for a night dancing. Just dancing and talking. Two well-behaved young people in the late nineteen-sixties, and after all, they barely knew one another.

***

It was a dismal Monday morning, but the usual trip to training college had to be endured regardless. Across the harbour bridge into the city, and then a second bus out to an old made-over colonial mansion in Arney Road, where would-be kindergarten teachers learned educational theory, human development, and how to make music and movement fun and interesting for a herd of rambunctious toddlers.

Judy’s mind was on her book rather than the weather or her studies, but the greeting from further down the bus riveted her attention. Bob. She had hoped to see him again, but not so soon; not on the bus.

“I often catch this bus,” he said. “I’m surprised we haven’t seen one another before.”

They talked all the way into town, and he walked her to her next stop. He was smart, and funny, and attentive, and courteous. She didn’t miss her book at all; didn’t even pull it out of her bag until the bus turned a corner and he was out of sight.

He was there waiting to walk her to her bus that night, and on the first bus again the next morning. “Do you like the ballroom type of dancing?” he asked. “Only, I’ve got tickets for a ball this coming Friday. I could pick you up if you’d like.” As casual as him, she said she’d enjoy that.

She had university that night – she was doing two papers, and stayed late on Tuesdays and Thursdays to attend lectures. No Bob on the bus. She scolded herself over her disappointment. If he knew, he’d think she was chasing him! They were just friends, after all.

Just in case that doubt was in his mind, she deliberately caught a later bus on Wednesday. To her surprise, he was on it. She fretted all day about what he might think, and wasn’t surprised when he didn’t appear at the stop in the city to walk her home.

Thursday, she caught the earlier bus in the morning, and stayed for lectures in the evening. When she saw him on Friday morning, she wasn’t sure he’d noticed her absence the previous day. Not that they were courting, or even boyfriend and girlfriend. They were just two people who happened to like one another, and who happened to be going dancing together, because dancing was fun.

She took some money out of her bank account so she could afford to have her hair done for the ball.

It was a wonderful night. The harbourside venue was stunning, the music was glorious, Bob was a splendid dancer, his friends (it was a ball for Outward Bound Old Boys) welcomed her as if she belonged… then it got better.

They were slow waltzing, and Judy was looking up into Bob’s eyes when she saw them change. Ever after, she struggled to express what she saw: the eyes softened and grew more intent, all in one. As the warmth in his gaze wrapped her around, she fell in love, and ever after swore that he beat her to it, if only by seconds.

What happened in the remainder of the evening? Neither of them took much notice. The roof could have blown off the building, and they would still have been in one another’s arms, dancing. They couldn’t believe that five hours had passed when they were herded outside with the rest of the stragglers so the venue could be closed.

They walked back to his father’s car hand in hand, not needing words. He drove one-handed so he could continue holding hers in his clasp. And when they parked in her mother’s driveway, he cupped her chin the heel of his hand, leaned in for a kiss, and the magical night got better still.

Reader, I married him. I’m slightly stunned that that night counts as history, since on the 3rd of August this year it will have been fifty-one years since the night we talked until dawn, chose a name for our first son, and shared far too many kisses to count.

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.

Jude writes everything from Hallmark to Regency Noir, in different eras and diverse places, short, medium and extra long. Expect decent men with wounded hearts, women who are stronger than they think, and villains you’ll want to smack or worse.and all with a leavening of humour.

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

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

Bookshop: https://judeknight.selz.com/

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Books + Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/JudeKnightAuthor

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Jude-Knight/e/B00RG3SG7I

 

 

First Kiss Friday with Collette Cameron

29 Friday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to another week for my First Kiss Friday blog. Today’s guest is USA Today bestselling author Collette Cameron who has an excerpt from her latest release, Never Dance with a Duke. Isn’t this cover just gorgeous? Get your fans ready, my lovelies. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

“Nicolette?” Mathias’s silky-smooth timber caressed her. “Darling, are you all right? You fled before I could speak with you.”

His smile was endearingly bashful. Charmingly vulnerable. And if she hadn’t already been in love with him, she’d have fallen in love at that moment.

She averted her face and shook her head. Struggling to regain her composure, she said, “I just needed a moment.”

A moment to come to grips with my love for you.

He sank onto the bench beside her, his heat enveloping her at once. Without a word, he drew her back against his chest and pressed a kiss to her crown. “Forgive me if I overstepped. I seem to forget myself when I’m with you. I’m completely under your spell, Nicolette.”

A watery chuckle escaped her. “And I with you.”

Whenever she was in his arms, the world felt right.

Relaxing into Mathias’s sturdy strength, she angled her head, looking up at the sky. Though it was a cloudless night, few stars were visible because of London’s many lights, and the new moon wasn’t noticeable at all.

With one finger, he turned her chin toward him, their eyes meeting.

Searching. Seeking. Speaking what neither had dared to voice.

And call her a fool, Nicolette closed her eyes and raised her mouth. Silently inviting him to give her what she craved, more than oxygen or food or water.

Not a heartbeat later, he settled those marvelous lips upon hers.

And he did everything he’d promised during that tantalizing dance, and more.

So much more.

She turned into Mathias, sliding her arms around his back and clutching him to her, letting sensation and desire take over.

“Nicolette, my sweet darling.” He groaned low in his throat, and a thrill shot through her that she’d brought him to this state.

He kissed the sensitive place below her ear, and she angled her head to allow him better access. Who knew a kiss in that particular spot could pebble her nipples and cause dampness to gather in the cleft between her legs?

In this blissful moment, she didn’t care that this was unwise.

Perhaps, utterly foolish.

That it might lead to heartache and regrets.

I love him. I love him. I love Mathias.

Never Dance With A Duke
By Collette Cameron

The cost of trust is more than she’s willing to pay. But he’ll do everything he can to change her mind…

A scandal ruined her future…

Nicolette Twistleton delights in thumbing her nose at Society. After all, becoming the Spiteful Spinster was what helped her through being jilted by her betrothed. Putting her faith in another man? Impossible. But there’s something about the entirely too handsome and charming Mathias Pembroke that makes her wish she was the kind of woman who could learn to trust again.

A secret can destroy his…

Mathias, Duke of Westfall, wants nothing to do with his inherited title and all the public scrutiny it brings. He has dark secrets to protect, and can’t afford to be distracted by the trappings of Society. What he apparently can be distracted by, however, is the lovely Nicolette. He understands her pain and knows he could help her heal…if only she were willing to open her heart to him.

Can love save them both?

When ghosts from the past emerge and threaten the fragile bonds they’ve begun to build, Nicolette and Mathias find themselves caught between their feelings for each other and devastating scandal. Will love be enough to protect them—or was their happily ever after doomed from the very start?

This friends-to-lovers, second chance historical romance by a USA Today bestselling author, will have you flipping the pages to find out if Mathias and Nicolette trust themselves to love again.

If you enjoy reading witty, lovable rogue and duke love stories with a pinch of mystery, a dash of humor, and soul-searing emotion, then you’ll adore Collette Cameron’s enthralling SEDUCTIVE SCOUNDRELS SERIES. Buy NEVER DANCE WITH A DUKE and settle into your favorite reading nook for a page-turning, entertaining Regency world adventure you can’t put down.

Though this book can easily be read as a stand-alone, most readers prefer to read the series in order.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0866BHZ4C?tag=collett-20

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-dance-with-a-duke-collette-cameron/1136700213?ean=2940162630432

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/never-dance-with-a-duke

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=vg3YDwAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/never-dance-with-a-duke/id1503827728

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52583377

 BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/never-dance-with-a-duke-a-historical-regency-romance-seductive-scoundrels-book-7-by-collette-cameron

About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author COLLETTE CAMERON® scribbles Scottish and Regency historical romance novels featuring dashing rogues, rakes, and scoundrels and the strong heroines who reform them. Blessed with an overactive and witty muse that won’t stop whispering new romantic romps in her ear, she’s lived in Oregon her entire life. Although she dreams of living in Scotland part-time. A confessed Cadbury chocoholic, you’ll always find a dash of inspiration and a pinch of humor in her sweet-to-spicy timeless romances®.

Website: http://collettecameron.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/collettecameronauthor

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Collette_Author

Amazon Author Page:  http://amazon.com/author/collettecameron.com/

Book Bub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/collette-cameron

Collette’s Chèris VIP Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CollettesCheris/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/collettecameronauthor/

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/TheRegencyRoseGift

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/collettecameron

Medieval Monday with Cathy & DD MacRae

25 Monday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, Medieval Monday

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Welcome back to Medieval Monday and week four of our Nature theme. I’m so happy to have Cathy & DD MacRae back on my blog with a snippet from their latest release The Prince’s Highland Bride. Don’t you just adore this cover? Enjoy, my lovelies, and happy reading!

Nature can provide beauty and inspiration. It can also bring danger. Maggie’s island is a place of solace and great beauty, but it is also completely without defenses, something Phillipe must correct before he completes his task of protecting the woman he has come to love—and says good-bye to her forever.

Excerpt:

“I am not the countess.” Maggie hissed, fresh pain sliding through her. “That title is nae longer mine.”

He frowned. “I wish I could spare ye, but ’tis certes unscrupulous men, men who choose to see ye as a challenge, will come.”

“My past will follow me here?” Her skin blanched cold with shock, then blazed with anger. “I am nae a challenge! They willnae cross the sea on some manly whim.”

Phillipe peered at her, his gaze roaming her face. “Aye, ma belle, they will.”

The Prince’s Highland Bride
By Cathy & DD MacRae

Free of court intrigue, Phillipe seeks a new start in life. Falling in love was not in his plans. Until he met Maggie MacLaren.

Phillipe de Poitiers, a prince of Antioch, finds himself a breath away from wrongful execution. Risking everything, he leaves behind his crown, his family, his country—and a body sworn to be his by the Bishop, himself.

Free of court intrigue and drawn to Scotland by memories of a woman who once possessed his heart, Phillipe sells his sword to pay for his travels and accepts the task of guarding the daughter of Laird MacLaren.

When Maggie MacLaren’s abusive marriage fails, she wants nothing more than to retire to her childhood home on the banks of Loch Lomond. Trouble follows her, putting her clan in danger, and she travels to the Isle of Hola, placing her safety in the hands of a mysterious mercenary with a haunted smile and a kind heart.

As Maggie and Phillipe struggle with their pasts, love blooms. But when a pirate’s treasure offers a seductive lure, will it free them—or prove the downfall of all they hold dear?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B086Z153VH

Join me next week on Ruth A. Casie’s blog: http://ruthacasie.blogspot.co.uk

Medieval Monday with Judith Sterling

18 Monday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, Medieval Monday

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We’re now on week three for Medieval Monday and our Nature theme and today’s guest is Judith Sterling. She has her next snippet for you from Night of the Owl. I do so love a good time travel, don’t you? Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

She lifted a hand to her belly. “I’m starved! What did you bring?”

“In honor of the first time we ate in private, I had Aubert make something like your sand-wich.”

“You remembered the word!”

“I did, but how do you refer to more than one of them?”

“Sandwiches.”

“Sand-wich-es. He made two. Duck and cheese this time, with the uncooked lettuce again.”

“So you did like the lettuce! It adds a nice crunch.”

“That it does. Shall we sit?” He motioned to a soft patch of grass near the river’s edge, and they sat down.

“What did you bring to drink?”

“Spiced wine.” He handed her a sandwich, then took a bite of his own.

Night of the Owl
by Judith Sterling

True love transcends time.

PhD student Ardyth Nightshade has renounced men and pursues her twentieth-century career with single-minded focus. When fate whisks her to medieval England, she meets her match in a man whose passions mirror her own. Can she sacrifice ambition for a love she never sought?

Hugh, Lord Seacrest confounds all who know him. He refuses to marry without a meeting of minds and hearts, and no lady has even approached his ideal…until Ardyth. But she’s an odd one, with unique skills, shocking habits, and total conviction she needs no man. She also harbors secrets, and in the midst of rumors, plots, and murder, trust is fragile.

A woman outside of her time. A man ahead of his. They must take a leap of faith to forge a bond that will shape history.

Buy links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes and Noble | Apple Books | Kobo 

Follow along next week on Ruth’s blog: http://ruthacasie.blogspot.com/