Tag Archives: #FIrstKissFriday

First Kiss Friday with Charlotte Henry & a Giveaway

23 Friday Aug 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today I’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Henry who is a fellow chapter member of my local Romance Writers of America group. I think you’re going to love this first kiss scene from The Rogue to Ruin, along with Charlotte’s giveaway opportunity. Happy reading, my lovelies, and enjoy!

Excerpt:

“No matter how long it has taken, you have surely ruined me for any other woman. And I would have it no other way.”

She made a tiny sound into the front of his coat.

“My dear … what have I said that was funny?”

She lifted her face, filled with joy, her eyes sparkling with laughter even as they swam with tears. “On our first anniversary, I will tell you.”

“Once again we are putting the cart before the horse,” he said, kissing her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks. “We must climb the cliff and tell your family before anything else happens to complicate what should be perfectly simple. What will be.”

She hugged him. “In a little while. Come. Sit with me on the rocks and let us watch for the morvoronyon.”

“There are no mermaids in this modern age, you minx. Though I used to wonder if you had a little morvoren in your blood, you were so fond of the water.”

He let her pull him out of the little chapel and down to the flat, golden rocks where they had played in the sea as children. He spread his handkerchief on the stone for her to sit upon, and their feet dangled over the edge.

“The memories I made here with you are some of the best of my life.” He could not help slipping his arm around her, now that he had the right to do so. She leaned her head upon his shoulder as though it was the most natural thing in the world. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. “Life at Rosevear Court was not happy in those early years. You and your family were all that kept a young boy from despair.”

She looked at up him, love shining in her eyes. “We will make new memories there. The Court is being rebuilt, and we will fill it with a family of our own. The rooms will ring with music and laughter, for our doors will always be open to our friends.”

“I can hear it now.”

“Perhaps you hear the mermaids singing,” she teased.

“Perhaps it is my heart singing.”

And he took her mouth in a kiss that rocked him to his core. They fell into the warmth and the delight of each other as they sealed their promises with kisses, the sun warm upon them and the sea murmuring at their feet, in this place whose enchantment had at last brought them back to the beginning.

The Rogue to Ruin
by Charlotte Henry

He is a penniless baronet. She is the wealthy great-granddaughter of a tradesman.
Can these childhood friends find their way back to each other when scandal strikes them both?

Sir Perran Geoffrey needs a wealthy bride to repair his family estate and to bring his sister out in Society. But what woman with money and standing will accept him as a husband—practically penniless, his title under a cloud thanks to his ne’er-do-well father, and an estate far away in Cornwall?

Alwyn Penrose and her two sisters are in London for their first Season. Imagine their surprise when they meet the heirs of the neighboring estates—gentlemen whom they are barely allowed to acknowledge. For to be seen with the Rogues of St. Just means the death of one’s reputation. Except that Alwyn is seen. More than once. And the gossip spreads all the way to the sacred portals of Almack’s, which close in her face and end her hopes for a good marriage forever.

The ruin of her Season is Perran Geoffrey’s fault. And when they are both forced to return to Cornwall, only one thing is clear: One good ruination deserves another.

The Rogues of St. Just. They may be the most shocking men in Mayfair, but their hearts are all too vulnerable at home.

BUY LINKS:

http://charlotte-henry.com/books/rogues-of-st-just-1/

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-rogue-to-ruin-3

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-rogue-to-ruin/id1447539124?mt=11&at=10l9pr

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130951615?ean=2940161390931

BIO:

Charlotte Henry is the author of 24 novels published by Harlequin, Warner, and Hachette, and a dozen more published by Moonshell Books, Inc., her own independent press. She writes the Rogues of St. Just series of Regency romances, as Shelley Adina, writes the Magnificent Devices series of steampunk adventure, and as Adina Senft, writes Amish fiction. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction, and is currently at work on a PhD in Creative Writing at Lancaster University in the UK. She won the Romance Writers of America RITA Award® for Best Inspirational Novel in 2005, and was a finalist in 2006. When she’s not writing, you can find Charlotte sewing historical dresses, traveling for research, reading, or enjoying the garden with her flock of rescued chickens.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website: http://www.charlotte-henry.com
Twitter: @shelleyadina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcharlottehenry/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shelleyadina/rogues-of-st-just/

GIVEAWAY:

Leave a comment below for a chance to win Charlotte’s giveaway of:

One ebook of The Rogue to Ruin to a commenter anywhere in the world via BookFunnel.

One print edition to a commenter in the USA or Canada.

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing

16 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Thanks for stopping by my blog for another First Kiss Friday. Today I’m taking you back to my bestseller Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book Two). This novel continues the story of Katherine & Riorden de Deveraux from my first time travel, For All of Ever. They’re my favorite characters and with a brand new gorgeous cover, my readers still get a 5 Star story to sweep you away to medieval England. Enjoy this blast from the past and although this isn’t the first kiss this couple have shared, it is the first kiss for the second half of their story. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

Katherine held the bed post and stroked the heavy wooden frame, almost reverently, as if to memorize the feel of it beneath her fingertips. Rough in places, it wouldn’t always remain this way. She smiled in remembrance of the first time she had seen this room.

The chamber really hadn’t altered all that much from now to when she was in Bamburgh with her friends more than eight hundred years in the future. Some of the furniture may have changed over time, but she still marveled that their placement was exactly the same centuries from now. She leaned her forehead on the dark oaken post and closed her eyes. She could still feel the utter despair of when she had first seen Riorden here in this chamber. She remembered reaching out to touch him, yet he had been nothing but a shadow of what could have been if only Time had not played such a horrible hoax on them.

The sharp sound of a trunk closing as the lid dropped into place brought her back to the present, and she watched in fascination as Riorden ran a hand through his mussed, shoulder length hair. He reached for a goblet of wine and took a sip until his attention immediately flew to her over the cup rim. There was such intense longing in his gaze that Katherine’s heart flipped, as it always did whenever he looked at her in such a manner. She knew he was reliving his own disquieting memories of her in his chamber as a ghost.

They continued to watch one another, transfixed by the haunting nightmare they had once shared. The image he presented, however, was so reminiscent of their past ghostlike encounter that a small thrill went through her, knowing he was really standing right before her in the flesh. She could touch him anytime she so wished, and forevermore would she be grateful that Time had bended to their most heartfelt desire. It wasn’t every day that fate brought her a gorgeous chivalrous knight to call her very own. She had waited her whole lifetime to find him, and she would take advantage of such a gift!

His eyes traversed up and down her body until a lazy grin developed on his face that generally was Katherine’s undoing. Since she could stand the handsome distraction he presented no longer, she shortened the space between them. Her eyes never left his as she came to stand before him. Taking the goblet from his hand, she took a small taste where his lips had but recently met the edge and placed the cup carefully on the table. The heady wine slid down her throat, warming her stomach. It was nothing compared to what he was unintentionally doing to her emotionally. The room grew hot, and yet still they spoke no words. He looked down at her from his towering height. His eyes told her what he wanted, but she only gave him a seductive smile.

She expected to be ensnared in his embrace and taken to their bed. He surprised her when instead he held his palm face up to her, and she knew for certain he, too, had been reliving the experience of their past encounter. With her shaking hand, she placed her own palm face down to hover but inches over his. She shivered when tingling sensations rushed up her entire arm. It was still there…that connection between them that even Time would never separate.

She could almost hear his thoughts. They mirrored her own. A small jolt of excitement went racing through her body when she began running her hands up his muscled chest. They halted when she tugged at the barrier of his shirt that was in the way of the prize she sought. She licked her lips in anticipation of how she really wanted to spend their last afternoon at Bamburgh.

Her hand slowly skimmed upward to caress the nape of his neck. His skin was warm beneath her touch. “Kiss me, my dearest Riorden,” she said in a husky whisper.

With the slightest pressure from her fingers to encourage him, he leaned down to place his lips on her own. This kiss was no different than any other he had given her over the past month. It was just as explosive, setting her entire being on fire, and had her begging for more than just his mouth on hers. Was it just her, or did he seem to breathe life into her very soul?

She yanked at his tunic so she could further explore his skin with an urgency born of almost sheer desperation. He groaned, making quick work of the garment by pulling it over his head and tossing it onto the floor. She began to lightly trace the lines of firm stretched skin on his stomach until he grabbed her hands as if he already couldn’t stand the effect such a small act of pleasure had on him. He crushed her into his arms with his own sense of eagerness, and Katherine felt as if she had died and gone to heaven. Such a cliché of a term, but there really was no other way to phrase how this man made her feel.

Riorden’s hands tore at the fabric of her gown, and she heard, more than saw, the ripping of the neckline that surely was beyond any form of repair now. She could have cared less, especially when she felt his hands reaching beneath her bodice like a bloody pirate after a coveted treasure sunk beneath the waters of the deep blue sea. He easily captured her breasts in his hands and leaned down to tease her nipples with his tongue until they were taut little buds in his mouth. His lips made a trail up her neck until he nipped at her earlobe, making goose bumps explode up and down her arms and spine. Good God Almighty! She was about to crawl out of her skin, she wanted him inside her so desperately.

His tongue darted out now and then, adding to her agony until she heard him begin to murmur in his deep baritone voice what she could only assume were words of love. She wouldn’t know, since he spoke them in Norman French.

“Riorden?”

“Aye, my love?” he answered but seemingly gave no thought to halt the blinding kisses he continued placing on her neck and the white mounds of her breasts.

“I can’t understand you.”

She watched him as he looked up, momentarily confused until it dawned on him. He gave her a wicked smile and pressed himself against her. His manhood was rigid with his own need, and she felt it throbbing against her.

“I want you.”

It was a simple statement that rushed to her heart, making her feel flushed and giddy at the same time.

Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck
A Quest Through Time Novel (Book Two )

The story of Katherine and Riorden de Deveraux from For All of Ever continues on in: Only for You

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that true love conquers all only after the battle is over…

Katherine de Deveraux has it all or so she believes when she begins her life with her husband Riorden. But as she begins to settle into her duties as the Countess of Warkworth Castle, she finds that an easy life is not only difficult but downright dangerous to her well-being.

Consumed with the haunting memories of his father, Riorden must deal with his sire’s widow who just happens to also be his ex-lover. Yet how could he know just how far Marguerite is willing to go in order to have the life she feels they were truly meant to live?

Torn apart by circumstances neither Katherine nor Riorden could ever imagine, Time becomes their true enemy even while Marguerite continues her ploy to keep Riorden at her side. With all hope lost, will Katherine and Riorden find a way to save their marriage and have their happily ever after ending, or will Katherine be whisked back to where Time truly feels she belongs?

Buy Links: 
Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | Apple Book | Kobo |
Amazon AU | Amazon CA |  Amazon MX | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Kilby Blades & a Giveaway!

09 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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It’s another First Kiss Friday and my guest today is fellow San Francisco Area Chapter of Romance Writers of America member, Kilby Blades. Be sure to read down to the end to be in the running for an eCopy of Kilby’s story. Happy reading and enjoy this excerpt from The Secret Ingredient, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“What the fuck am I doing wrong?” Cella asked bluntly, still in a bit of a foul mood from that afternoon.

Cella looked back and forth between the two pots of Bolognese sauce sitting on the front burners of the stove. The left had been cooked by Max, the right cooked by Cella. Both worked off of a recipe found in her grandmother’s book. The sun had long since set, and through his windows she saw only faint hints of the shoreline through the darkness. Her tasting spoon sat, forgotten, in her hand.

“Do these not look the same?”

He nodded affirmation, but she was already on a tear.

“Smell the same?”

Another nod.

“Did we not go through each and every ingredient together?

He nodded again.

“Have we not tried this experiment twice?”

“We have.”

“Then why does your sauce still taste better than mine?” She looked up sharply. “Don’t laugh at me, Max!” she warned.

“I can’t help it.” He chuckling through sweeping breaths.

Sighing dejectedly, she flopped down on her stool. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“You’re not doing anything wrong,” he soothed, tugging the end of her ponytail that had long-since fallen out of its bun.

“But there must be something you’re doing, that I’m not.”

It wasn’t a bad theory that Cella was simply off. She didn’t cook well when she was in a bad mood.

“I’m going to share a family secret with you. Do you want to know what it is?”

She nodded her head lightly, in a question. Whereas his mood had been joking just moments before, she could see that he was about to speak in solemn truth.

“The secret ingredient is love.”

For all the love lost between she and Liz that day, it served only to sadden her. Cella was pretty sure she had to fire her agent.

“What if I’m fresh out of that?” Her voice caught slightly at the end.

He knew what was bugging her. He’d remained silent as she relayed the entire sordid tale on the bike ride home.

“Then I’ll put in enough for the both of us…just until you get yours back.”

She swallowed, still facing the sauce.

“Can you show me?”

He reached toward the stove, placing his hand on hers where it lay upon a long wooden spoon. Lifting their hands in tandem, he placed the spoon into Cella’s batch. Slowly—so slowly—he stirred their hands as he stepped in closer behind her. He closed his eyes as he bent his head lower. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was inhaling the scent of her hair.

“Close your eyes, Cella.” His voice held gentle command.

They stirred a rotation.

“Now, think of who you’re cooking this for, what a gift this will be to all who taste it, what a gift it is to have plenty of food to eat…”

Their hands kept stirring, with Max’s guiding, but Cella’s slowly taking over. He continued his tutelage.

“Think of the people you like sitting down to a meal with—people you love and people who love you…”

She exhaled shakily, then relaxed. She liked the way her substantial figure fit into his, the way one of his hands had fallen to her hip. For what seemed like minutes, they stirred. She found herself lost in his scent, in the heaven of their bodies so close, in the intimacy of their shared breaths. Though they kept their pace steady, some energy was building between them, working them towards something more, something she’d begun to want more fiercely with every minute they spent together.

“Can you feel it?”

“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper.

“Tell me how it feels.“

“Like nothing I’ve felt before.”

“Now, taste it,” he whispered, lifting his hand from the spoon.

Cella’s eyes remained closed but her ears were keen to the smacking of her lips.

“No offense, but it’s better than yours.”

He kissed the top of her head and murmured, “Twice as much love…”

*****

Max spent much of that night wondering what she might have done if he had kissed her over a batch of Bolognese. It marked the third time he nearly had in as many days. She’d looked entirely too appealing day-before-yesterday, soaking wet and laughing as they’d washed his dog. That same night when they’d headed to Kaito’s for karaoke, they’d gotten a bit handsy after two sake bombs. There was no way this would hold for another two weeks.

“Change of plans.” Cella’s voice held command as she breezed into the kitchen the next morning. “We’ll do Tiramisu tomorrow. Today it’s Capezzoli di Venere.”

He blinked, wondering whether he’d gotten the translation right.

“Nipples of Venus.” She busily removed ingredients from her bag, not meeting his gaze. “Roman chestnuts in brandied sugar.”

Her eyes held something he hadn’t seen before.

“It’s a difficult dish.” She ignored the fact that he had yet to speak. “The sugar has to be molded so it forms a hard shell on the surface, but stay so soft inside that you have to lick out it’s creamy middle. The candied chestnuts are finished with salt, which makes them a bit savory. Placing them in the sugar can be tricky. I’m putting you in charge of tweaking the nipples.”

Holy fuck.

But he followed her lead.

“So, tell me.” he asked cautiously, once they got started. “What led to this change of heart?”

“Tiramisu is so predictable.” Her voice lost some of its muster. “I thought maybe it was time I took a risk.”

She stopped measuring out sugar, refusing to meet his eyes again as she stared down at the scoop.

“Does that scare you?”

He knew they weren’t talking about recipes and cookbooks. Vanilla extract sat motionlessly in his hand.

She laughed ironically. “Everything scares me, Max. I thought you figured that out.”

He set down the bottle.

“Do I scare you?”

She didn’t laugh this time. “You scare me most of all.”

Since we’re being honest…

“You scare me, too.”

He held his breath to hear her response. When she set back to measuring her sugar, he knew none would come.

They worked in silence, Cella molding the sugary mixture, with Max handling the delicate confections like glass. After he set the chestnuts, she used a fine brush to seal the assembly with caramelized liqueur. They spent the next half hour silently cleaning up after themselves as their concoction set in his chiller.

“Time to taste,” she proclaimed when the timer went off.

She retrieved the tray. He picked up two pieces—so carefully—before placing one in her delicate hand. Their eyes remained locked as each one took a bite. It was the size of a bonbon—his teeth sliced into half, his senses rejoicing in the drunken sweetness that melted across his tongue.

“They’re perfect,” she breathed. He watched as her lips curled into a beatific smile.

His second bite was less guarded—he took out the base but left the nipple. He wanted to save the chestnuts for last. Watching as she devoured the rest of hers, Max followed her lips as they moved. Lazily, he fed himself his last bite. At some point, he noticed that her eyes were fixed on his lips.

“You missed a spot,” she whispered, extending her finger to point to the corner of his mouth.

He let his own finger run the length of his bottom lip before licking it with the tip of his tongue.

“Did I get it?”

She shook her head, eyes still glued to his mouth. “No.”

Before her finger could reach his mouth, he sealed his lips to hers.

Her kiss was hungry, and surged his desire as her tongue lapped at his mouth. Max was certain that it was not as hungry as his. Before he could contemplate what he was doing, he’d grabbed her by the waistline fold of her apron and pulled her close. Their tongues stroked deeply, urgent licks of fire, each of their mouths refusing to let go. Her soft moans caused him to pull her in closer as his arousal stiffened impossibly. With the sounds that he made, she tightened her grip where her twined fingers pulled on his hair. God, did that turn him on.

“Cella…”

She nuzzled his neck, and he gulped, gripping her hip with one hand and the counter behind him with the other. His hold on her hip was tight and he no longer knew whether he was holding her at arm’s length or pulling her in.

“Do you want to stop?” she asked.

She licked his ear and he shuddered. “No.”

“Do you want this?”

Her breath was hot on his ear. “God, yes.”

She dove in for another kiss, which he eagerly met, covering her lips this time without hesitation. The next thing he knew, he had untied her strings and her apron was on the floor.

“I want to make a slow meal out of you, Marcella,” he crooned, leaning in deeply to kiss her lovely neck.

They were against the counter; Cella bowed back to receive him, exposing to him her luscious expanse. He pushed her shirt up and over her head, revealing a lacy, green bra, its pattern and hue in the likeness of vines of cascading ivy. More gorgeous than the pretty thing that had teased him from beneath the edge of her shirt was her ample bosom heaving gorgeously from above the intricate top.

Freeing an itching hand, he slid his fingers from her hip up her pillowy flesh until her more-than-a-handful weighed magnificently in his palm. He gloried in their buoyant substance, in their perfection—they were just like risen dough. When her nipples pebbled he lowered his teeth to her opposite breast, grazing the tip with a playful bite.

“Next time,” she commanded, after letting loose a strangled groan. “Make a slow meal out of me next time.”

The Secret Ingredient
by Kilby Blades

TV chef Cella journeys to an idyllic seaside town to write an Italian cookbook. She’s also mourning a failed restaurant project, dodging her predatory agent, and finding respite from soul-crushing fame. When she learns that her next-door neighbor, hot doctor Max, is the nephew of a famed Italian restaurateur, she convinces him to help her write the book.

But guilt-ridden Max botched his own attempt to become a chef—a failure that’s left his late aunt’s gorgeous restaurant sitting empty for years. When the heat between Max and Cella burns hotter than the flames on the stove, how will they say goodbye at summer’s end?

Buy Links:
The Secret Ingredient on Amazon
The Secret Ingredient on other platforms

Kilby Blades Bio

Kilby Blades is a 40-time-award-winning author of Romance and Women’s Fiction. Critics laud her “feminist romance”. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was awarded an RSJ Emma for Best Debut Author in 2018.

When she’s not writing, Kilby goes to movie matinees alone, where she eats Chocolate Pocky and buttered popcorn and usually smuggles in not-a-little-bit of red wine. Kilby is a mother, a social-justice fighter, and above all else, a glutton for a good story.

Other Background
  • Winner of the 2018 Stiletto Award
  • Finalist in the 2019 Sexy Scribbles Contest
  • Finalist in the 2019 I Heart Indie Awards
Social Media Links

 

GIVEAWAY: To be in the running for Kilby’s giveaway, leave a comment telling us how old you were when you got your first kiss? A random comment will be generated as the winner of an eBook.

First Kiss Friday with Mary Morgan & a Giveaway!

02 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my friend Mary Morgan who is sharing the first kiss scene from her novel Dragon Knight’s Ring. Be sure to leave Mary a comment to be in the running for her giveaway and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“The first time I saw ye was in the hills near Urquhart. I was attempting to calm said beast.” He pointed to Ciar. “He was fierce in the beginning. Yet, ye ambled over to him singing a tune. Ye have always had a way with the animals. Your voice soothes them.”

“And that’s how we met, right? Ye did share this, but was there more?” Meggie handed him another spoonful of the meat mixture.

“Aye. Ye followed me down to the loch, and we talked for many hours. It was the start of our kinship.”

She rested her chin on her knees. “For how long, Adam?”

“Several summers.” He watched her closely, trying to gage her thoughts.

“Hmm…we were in a relationship.”

Baffled by her word, he shrugged. “I dinnae ken your meaning.”

“Were we a couple? Was I your girlfriend? Sweetheart?”

Adam took his thumb and captured a lone bit of food near her lip. Popping the tasty piece into his mouth, he heard her indrawn breath. “Ye were mine, Meggie. Stubborn, defiant, strong, and ye embraced each day with love for all.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“Ye left.” Standing, Adam moved away. Never a patient man, he wanted to blurt out everything, shake her into remembering. Frustration slithered inside of him. Walking over to an old oak, he braced his hands against its rough bark. He heard her approach, but kept his back to her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, and then surprised Adam by placing her arms around him.

Her touch seared straight to his soul, fracturing a place within his heart that had been sealed since her death. He broke free from her embrace and turned around. Grasping her face with his hands, his eyes roamed over her features. Seeing her lips part, he could no longer control the man that longed to taste what had been stolen from him. His entire being seemed to be filled with waiting, and he grew weary of the fight.

Lowering his head, his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips. Then he brushed a feather light kiss on her mouth. It was divine bliss when their lips touched. “Do ye want me to stop?” he asked, breathing the words against her cheek.

“Nae.”

Reclaiming her mouth, Adam crushed her to him. This time, he devoured her soft lips and drank in their sweetness, slipping his tongue inside her mouth. Her moan slid deep within him, and he trembled. His emotions whirled and skidded. Unable to stop, he turned her against the tree, cupped her breast with one hand, and deepened the kiss. His cock throbbed to be inside her—to be one with her again.

She grasped his head and leaned more into him. Her mouth demanded more of his, and he plundered deeply. When her hands slipped under his shirt, he growled in pleasure. Breaking free from the kiss, he lifted her and carried her to the blanket. She sprawled back onto the blanket, and his hand caressed her curves. As he gazed at her flushed face, he saw neither fear nor hesitation in her eyes. “Tell me what ye want, Meggie? For if I continue, I fear I will not be able to hold back.”

DRAGON KNIGHT’S RING,
Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 5
By Mary Morgan

Death destroyed their love. Yet, can a trio of Fenian warriors roll back time to reunite two lost souls?

Crusader, Adam MacFhearguis is on one last quest to the standing stones in Scotland where he seeks to bury the past. However, a silent prayer sends him to an unknown future and to his beloved Meggie. When he uncovers a shocking revelation, Adam questions everything about the woman he thought he knew and loved. He may have traveled the veil of ages, but time is now his enemy.

Margaret MacKay lives a life in the future without the memories of her past—her death. When Adam arrives at her door confessing he knows her, she is confused and wary. With each passing day, she yearns to learn more from this stranger. Yet, when a truth is revealed, can she trust the man to unlock the chains from her mind and heart?

Will love free the bonds to unite the two lovers who were doomed centuries ago? Or will evil finally claim victory over the Dragon Knights?

Buy Links ~

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Knights-Ring-Order-Book-ebook/dp/B01HDWY8S2/

BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-knights-ring-mary-morgan/1123986946?ean=2940158146312

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/dragon-knight-s-ring

Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-knights-ring/id1133781893?mt=11

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Dragon-Knights-Ring-Audiobook/B07FKX59C6/

Author Bio ~

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

 
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

Connect with Mary at these places:

WEBSITE/BLOG:  http://www.marymorganauthor.com
TWITTER:  http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor
FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/MaryMorganAuthor/
GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:  http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Morgan/e/B00KPE3NWI/
PINTEREST:  www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/marymorgan2/
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-morgan
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-morgan-2634a77a/
BOOKGORILLA: https://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00KPE3NWI/mary-morgan/kcc

Giveaway: Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of DRAGON KNIGHT’S RING.  

First Kiss Friday with guest Barbara Bettis & a Giveaway!

19 Friday Jul 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

≈ 39 Comments

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday Blog. I’m happy to have as my guest Barbara Bettis whom you’ve also seen during Medieval Monday’s. Enjoy this excerpt from her novel For This Knight Only. Take it away Barbara!

GIVEAWAY: Summer has arrived with a vengeance, hasn’t it? To help readers keep cool. I’m having a giveaway. From comments on this post, a winner will be drawn for a copy of FOR THIS KNIGHT ONLY, along with a surprise cool gift.

Thank you for having me on your lovely blog today, Sherry. I’m celebrating the four-month anniversary of the release of my latest medieval. I loved writing Roark and Alyss’s story. Both are determined to have their own way, but each must learn to compromise.

Excerpt:

Anger drove her to answer without thought. “No one can force me to marry.”

He stepped back. “Sir Baldwin, tell Lady Alyss of the messenger who just left.”

Baldwin shot her a pained look of apology. “From Windom he came, milady. The new master there commands an interview tomorrow, under order of Prince John. I sent him on his way, but it don’t look good. This new master’ll be here early in the morn, I’m bettin’.”

Alyss stood, chin high, arms crossed beneath her breasts. “Let him come.”

Sir Roark chuckled. “By God, my lady, we’ll deal well together.” He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her against his broad chest.

Before she could protest, Sir Roark’s mouth was on hers, and she was forced to clutch his sleeves. Only to keep from tumbling over, of course, because her traitorous legs threatened to collapse. Then the tip of his tongue brushed the seam of her lips, and she lost all thought but his taste and the strangely comforting arms holding her up.

****

The kiss had been a damned mistake. Roark had meant it as a statement of possession. But her softness hit him like a mace. When he inhaled the rich fragrance of spice and roses and woman, his intent changed. He hauled her closer, slanted his mouth, stroked his tongue along the seam of her lips. At her whimper, a flicker of guilt undercut Roark’s stirring of desire. He ought not do this to the lady. He ought to gather his belongings and be on his way.

But the memory of the recent messenger lingered. That one portended nothing good. If Roark gave in to his inconveniently awakening conscience, by tomorrow night Chauvere, its people, and its lady would be the property of the neighboring lord. Of that, Roark was certain. So the way he saw it, either Lady Alyss married him or she’d be forced to accept someone else. And if Windom’s representative was any indication of his master, she’d not like that alternative.

What would it take to persuade her? A sudden pain burst between his legs, and he gasped, eyes blurry. The little hell-cat kneed him. Even though chain mail deflected some of the impact, he used every bit of his willpower to remain standing.

Apparently persuasion took more than a kiss.

For This Knight Only
By Barbara Bettis

He’ll do anything for land, even marry her; she’ll do anything for her people, except marry him.  If only either had a choice.  It’s a marriage only love can save.

Sir Roark will do anything to gain land, even beguile an unwilling lady into marriage. He knows she’s much better off with a man to take control of her besieged castle, to say nothing of her desirable person. But it isn’t long before he discovers that, although her eyes sparkle like sunlight on sea waves, her stubbornness alone could have defeated Saladin.

Lady Alyss is determined to hold her family’s castle, protect her people, and preserve her freedom— until her brother’s dying wish binds her to a stranger. Still, she’ll allow no rugged, over-confident, appealing knight to usurp her authority, even if she must wed him. Especially since he thinks a lady’s duties begin and end with directing servants. Alyss has a few surprises for her new all-too-tempting lord.

But when a common enemy threatens everything, Roark and Alyss face a startling revelation. Without love, neither land nor freedom matters.

Buy Links:
Amazon
B&N
Apple Books

Bio:

Award-winning author Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college freshman, she considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math. Through careers as a newspaper reporter and editor, then a college journalism and English professor, she’s retained her fascination with history. Give her a research book and a pot of tea, and she’s happy for hours. But what really makes her smile is working on a new story. Now retired, she lives in Missouri where she spins tales of heroines to die for—and heroes to live for.

Find Barb Here:

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Blog/Website

First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield

05 Friday Jul 2019

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It’s always a pleasure when I can have Caroline Warfield on my First Kiss Friday blog. Today she has an excerpt from The Unexpected Wife. Take it away, Caroline!

The Unexpected Wife made it to the final list for the RONE award! In May I gave you their first kiss, and impulsive reaction to his return from a dangerous secret mission inside the forbidden city of Canton. This excerpt is the scene before he left. As to the kiss—it lurks in here.

Excerpt:

A rustle of cloth alerted her to Charles, who watched the conversation from the foot of the stairs. He dressed entirely in black, and he carried a Chinese robe in a green so dark it almost looked black thrown over his shoulder. He wore a bowl-shaped hat.

“He’s right, you know,” he said.

“About being above the law?” she demanded.

“About ruining your chances for a good marriage.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know how little I care about that.”

“I didn’t say dynastic marriage—I said good. You have seen what Temperance and Aaron have—or my uncle and aunt.” He wandered closer and leaned one elbow on the wall next to her. “Don’t you wish for it? You ought to, Zambak.”

The warmth in his eyes pulled her in, driving the breath from her body. Charles wants what they have for himself. This gentle man, locked in union to the hellish Julia, wants domestic peace above all else. For the space of a heartbeat, she longed for it as well, but knew it for the impossible desire it was. “I, Charles? I want to own my life, to not be a pawn in some political chess game. In the unlikely event a choice like the one you describe arises then, yes. I might take it. I have little hope that it will.”

His eyes lit with a fire that burned into her. “Sometimes life surprises us with unexpected gifts,” he said, studying her. His intensity burned deep into her heart and radiated through her. When he leaned closer, she realized he meant to kiss her. His desire didn’t frighten her; it filled her with wonder. Her own yearning to accept him, however, shot terror straight to her core.

Good God, Zambak. You’re lusting after a married man! She pulled away.

Stricken, his face flushed red, and he stood straighter. “Zambak, I—”

“What have you done to your face?” she asked. She didn’t know if he meant to apologize or express disappointment. She couldn’t bear either of them and was grateful when he let her turn the subject.

“Walnut juice.”

She felt her lips twitch into a smile. He always finds a way to amuse me. She loved that about him.

If their dilemma troubles you, it did their author as well. Charles is a good and honorable man, and his wife is, well, not. Given the chance, he will resolve his problems honorably.

About the Book: The Unexpected Wife
Children of Empire Book 3

Crushed with grief after the death of his son, Charles Wheatly, Duke of Murnane, throws himself into the new Queen’s service in 1838. When the government sends him on an unofficial fact finding mission to the East India Company’s enclave in Canton, China, he anticipates intrigue, international tensions, and an outlet for his frustration. He isn’t entirely surprised when he also encounters a pair of troublesome young people that need his help. However, the appearance of his estranged wife throws the entire enterprise into conflict. He didn’t expect to face his troubled marriage in such an exotic locale, much less to encounter profound love at last in the person of a determined young woman. Tensions boil over, and his wife’s scheming—and the beginnings of the First Opium War—force him to act to rescue the one he loves and perhaps save himself in the process.

Zambak Hayden seethes with frustration. A woman her age has occupied the throne for over a year, yet the Duke of Sudbury’s line of succession still passes over her—his eldest—to land on a son with neither spine nor character. She follows her brother, the East India Company’s newest and least competent clerk, to protect him and to safeguard the family honor. If she also escapes the gossip and intrigues of London and the marriage mart, so much the better. She has no intention of being forced into some sort of dynastic marriage. She may just refuse to marry at all. When an old family friend arrives she assumes her father sent him. She isn’t about to bend to his dictates nor give up her quest. Her traitorous heart, however, can’t stop yearning for a man she can’t have.

Neither expects the epic historical drama that unfolds around them.

Here’s a short video about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di7cBi_EyAE

It is ***FREE*** with Kindle Unlimited or you can buy a copy at:

US https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Wife-Children-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B07FGGC918/

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unexpected-Wife-Children-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B07FGGC918/

Canada https://www.amazon.ca/Unexpected-Wife-Children-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B07FGGC918/

EuroZone  https://www.amazon.de/Unexpected-Wife-Children-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B07FGGC918/

India https://www.amazon.in/Unexpected-Wife-Children-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B07FGGC918/

About the Author

Traveler, would-be adventurer, former tech writer and library technology professional, Caroline Warfield has now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, and divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy. In Children of Empire series three cousins torn apart by lies each find their way home from the far corners of the British Empire, finding love along the way.

She has works published by Soul Mate Publishing and also independently published works. In addition she has participated in six group anthologies.

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

https://www.carolinewarfield.com/bookshelf/

First Kiss Friday with Mary Morgan & a Giveaway!

14 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to another First Kiss Friday! Today’s guest is my friend Mary Morgan who is sharing the first kiss scene from her latest release, Destiny of a Warrior. Be sure to show Mary some love by leaving her a comment and also heading over to her Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win! Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

Her sister’s words of warning echoed within her. “Help me to see,” she whispered her plea to the Goddess.

“Whom do you wish to see, Rose?”

She turned so fast that her hand toppled two cups on the table to the floor. Aidan’s eyes blazed like the starlight she’d witnessed, and she fought a wave of dizziness.

He stepped around her and placed the bowls of soup on the table. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Aidan drew her near him. Her instincts were to curl up in his arms. Safe, warm, and seductive.

Rose lifted her head and braved the storm she feared would come with what she would do. He ignited a firestorm just by looking at her. Standing on her tiptoes, she cupped his face and brought his full lips down upon hers.

Aidan tried to throttle the dizzying current racing through him as the first brush of her lips touched his mouth. The heady sensation left him spiraling. His warrior instinct screamed at him to push her away. Spurn her advance and stop this insanity. Yet, he found himself eager and erratic as a summer storm on his home world. His whole being seemed to be waiting for this moment, and Aidan was lost in the euphoria of holding her in his arms. Her kiss was one of exploration—hesitant and unsure, and his calm resolve shattered with the hunger for more.

Grasping her firmly around the waist, Aidan crushed her body to his. Desire ripped through his veins. His tongue sought entry into her soft heat, and he inhaled her scent. Rose returned his kiss with reckless abandon. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he groaned deep within her mouth.

He let loose the lustful beast demanding control and took possession of her.

Aidan lifted her with one arm, as their kisses became a frenzy of passion. Moving along the table, he came to a halt before the large chair. Shoving it around with one foot, he sat down and cradled Rose on his lap.

She twirled her fingers in his hair while he gazed into liquid pools of desire that mirrored his own. He trailed a path across her lower lip with the pad of his thumb and to the base of her throat where the pulse beat as though her heart had risen from its resting place.

He brushed away strands of silver blonde to cascade over her shoulder so he could bury his face against her neck. “You smell of spices and exotic flowers.” Aidan felt her tremble under his touch as he trailed a path along the vein running up her throat with his tongue and then recaptured her lips, devouring their softness.

He drank in the sweetness and passion of the kiss, exploring, teasing, and tempting him beyond all reason. Rose banished the darkness, and in its place there reigned starlight.

One kiss should have been enough. However, his soul cried out for more, and the Fae warrior became the man, yearning to experience what he had been denied.

Aidan banished all rational thought, except one. Conquer and possess the woman in his arms.

DESTINY OF A WARRIOR
by Mary Morgan

Blurb: 

“You met him in the Order of the Dragon Knights. Now, journey to the realm of the Fae and witness their greatest legend!”

As leader of the Fenian Warriors, Aidan Kerrigan’s accolades are many and his loyalty to the Fae unwavering. When an unexpected mission sends him to the human world and a chance encounter with Rose MacLaren, he’s tempted for the first time in his existence to discard duty and claim what is forbidden.

Rose MacLaren, a Society of the Thistle member, yearns to expand her botanical knowledge with her love of history. After her rescue by a handsome stranger, she is compelled to look beyond what her rational mind comprehends and unravel the secret of the standing stones, as well as the man who captivates her.

In a mystical world ruled by ancient laws and edicts, can a fierce warrior choose a path destined for love? And will a woman honoring the ways of the land believe in a myth only spoken of in legends? If they do, will their love be enough to defy death’s punishment?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RBQC8VC/

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destiny-of-a-warrior-mary-morgan/1131596594

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/destiny-of-a-warrior/id1463476741

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/destiny-of-a-warrior

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Destiny-Warrior-Legends-Fenian-Warriors-ebook/dp/B07RBQC8VC/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Destiny-Warrior-Legends-Fenian-Warriors-ebook/dp/B07RBQC8VC

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Destiny-Warrior-Legends-Fenian-Warriors-ebook/dp/B07RBQC8VC/

BookStrand: https://www.bookstrand.com/destiny-of-a-warrior

The Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/destiny-of-a-warrior-legends-of-the-fenian-warriors-book-4

Legends of the Fenian Warriors

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLQ9YVN/

About the Author:

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

 
Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

 Connect with Mary at these places:  

WEBSITE:  http://www.marymorganauthor.com

BLOG:  http://www.marymorganauthor.com/blog

TWITTER:  http://twitter.com/m_morganauthor

FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/MaryMorganAuthor/

GOODREADS:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8271002.Mary_Morgan

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE:  http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Morgan/e/B00KPE3NWI/

PINTEREST:  www.pinterest.com/marymorgan50/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/marymorgan2/

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-morgan

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-morgan-2634a77a/

BOOKGORILLA: https://www.bookgorilla.com/author/B00KPE3NWI/mary-morgan/kcc

RAFFLECOPTER: (June 5 – July 15, US and Canada only)

Grand Prize: Signed print copy of DESTINY OF A WARRIOR

Celtic jeweled bookmark

$5 Starbucks Gift Card 

Direct Link to Rafflecopter:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e1c4f647/

First Kiss Friday with a RONE Finalist!

07 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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I’m still flying high knowing that One Moment In Time became a finalist for InD’Tale Magazine’s RONE Award earlier in the week. With that in mind, how about the first kiss scene between Edmond and Roselyn? Happy reading my lovelies, and thank you again for voting for my story!

Excerpt:

Edmond opened his eyes and found himself gazing into the face of an angel. Emerald pools, green as the Scottish moors, stared back at him with an expression of wonder. He reached out to lightly caress her cheek just to ensure she was real. She trembled beneath his touch and he thanked God Roselyn had awoken once more.

Swinging his legs down to the floor, he stood and reached for her hands to help her to rise. Her beautiful face wore a confused frown, and without thought he acted on the urge to assure himself she was real and on the mend, bringing her into his embrace. He knew in his heart his gesture was inappropriate; he should not be so bold, especially considering all that she had been through, but he could not resist.

Stepping back as he should became impossible when she returned his affection by placing her arms around his waist. As if they had a will of their own, his hands made their way up her arms and into her glorious curling hair that cascaded down the length of her back. It felt like the softest silk to his touch and a lock coiled around his fingers taking possession of him.

He took her chin in his fingers and tilted it up so he could see the face she had been hiding in his chest. Once more staring into her eyes, he saw her lips tremble and wondered how sweet they would taste. Leaning forward, he came to within a breath and hesitated. But only for one second. At last, he brought his mouth down to hers in a gentle first kiss.

 

One Moment In Time:
A Family of Worth, Book Two

One moment in time may be enough, if it lasts forever…

When the man Lady Roselyn Anne Winslow has loved since she was a young girl begins to court her, Roselyn thinks all her dreams have come true… until the dream turns into a nightmare.

Lady Roselyn is everything Edmond Worthington, 9th Duke of Hartford, could ask for in a wife and he is delighted to find she returns his love… until he loses her, not once but twice.

From England’s ballrooms, to Berwyck Castle and a tropical island that is anything but paradise, Edmond and Roselyn face ruthless enemies who will do anything to tear them apart. Can they recover their one moment in time?

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Barnes & Noble  | iBooks  | Kobo

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

First Kiss Friday with Meara Platt & a Giveaway!

31 Friday May 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome, my lovelies, to another First Kiss Friday! Today’s guest is Meara Platt who has a first kiss scene from The Touch of Love. She’s also offering a giveaway to one lucky random comment of an eBook of this release so be sure to leave a comment after you read this fabulous excerpt. Enjoy!

Excerpt:

“Don’t be angry, Nathaniel. You’re the only man I trust to be honest with me.”

“Kisses lead to other things.”

“Like removing one’s gown?” She cast him a wry smile. “Which is why I am safest learning these things from you. So, shall we get down to business? You agreed to this, remember? And if Andrew Gordon wrote me this note, then I certainly don’t want to trust him with a first kiss.”

Of course, her first kiss.

He ought to have realized it immediately.

He groaned, suddenly feeling like a wolf who’d just trapped an innocent lamb. Or was he the lamb suddenly trapped by this beautiful wolf?

No, he was the wolf. He was the worldly, jaded one. So how could he do this to the girl?

Poppy trusted him so completely.

You can do this. You are honorable. You care for her. You will protect her. This is why she chose you to be her first.

“Very well, close your eyes.”

She closed them.

He watched them flutter shut. Her dark velvet eyelashes rested against the soft pink of her cheeks.

Blessed Mother. She had the face of an angel.

“What shall I do with my lips?”

He would have laughed at the remark were his heart not too busy erupting with volcanic force within his chest. He was in fiery torment, struggling to hold himself back from devouring Poppy. “Keep them relaxed.”

“What shall I do with my hands?”

He dismissed the thought immediately coming to mind, for she would grab the inkpot off his desk and crack his skull open with it if she knew what he was thinking. Yes, he was depraved and not proud of it. “Put them on my shoulders.” It seemed the safest advice to give her.

“Like this?”

Why did her touch always feel like the touch of heaven?
“It’ll do.” His voice sounded hoarse and strained even to his own ears. That she was approaching the kiss with logic ought to have calmed him down.

It didn’t.

She was about to ask another question, but he cut her short by wrapping his arms around her and pressing his lips to hers.

He shouldn’t have done that.

Nor should he have buried his fingers in her hair and cupped the back of her head to guide her lips to his.

Nor should he have deepened the kiss when she responded, her soft, pliant lips yielding to his possessive conquest. His primitive instincts had taken over. Only his low brain seemed to be working and had taken control.

Her soft, ample breasts molded to his firm chest.

Healthy breasts. Lord, they were healthy.

Mate with this girl.

It was as though she had been built to fit him.

And his low brain knew it. Fertile female. Want this female. Need to spill seed into this exquisite, beautiful– 

He abruptly pulled his mouth off hers.

Blessed saints, his brain wasn’t completely dead yet.

He eased his hold on her. “Well, that’s it, Poppy. Your first kiss.”

He waited for her to remark on it. Would she think it was magical? Wondrous?

Her eyes remained closed and she said nothing.

He bristled. “Care to comment?”

Poppy had an irritating way of hiding her feelings. She was reserved in everything she said and did. But she hadn’t felt reserved in her response to him. The slide of her hands up his chest and the urgent press of her body against his had given her away.

The wild beating of her heart.

He’d felt its rampant beats against his chest.

“Did the kiss meet your expectations?”

She opened her eyes and stared at him. “I’m not sure.”

What?

BLURB:

Welcome to the Book of Love series. What makes a man fall in love? The Book of Love holds the answer, or so Poppy Farthingale believes.

Poppy Farthingale has made a pact with her two best friends to use The Book of Love to find true love. How else will Nathaniel Sherbourne, Earl of Welles, ever notice her? With a small dowry and no prominent lineage, Nathaniel will never consider her a suitable wife, especially when her competition is a beautiful duke’s daughter who has already been declared an Incomparable. Poppy has four days to win his heart, but with time running out and her rival about to attend a weekend party at Nathaniel’s country home, is all hope lost?

Nathaniel Sherbourne, Earl of Welles, is a man whose heart has been bruised by the ravages of war. He is in no rush to marry, for he’s a wealthy and titled bachelor with debutantes aplenty eager to gain his notice. In any event, he has a blackmail scheme to unravel before he can turn his mind to more romantic ventures. But his sister’s shy friend, Poppy Farthingale, is suddenly capturing his attention. She’s toting around The Book of Love, and he’s promised to help her find a suitable match. Is it possible he’s the right man for Poppy?

BUY LINK: The Touch of Love: https://amzn.to/2Lla9YZ

BIO:

Meara Platt is a USA Today bestselling author and an award-winning Amazon UK Allstar in historical and Regency romance. Her favorite place in all the world is England’s charming Lake District which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set in that idyllic landscape, especially her paranormal Regency romances in her Dark Gardens series. If you’d like to learn more about Meara’s lighthearted Farthingale series, Book of Love series, and Braydens series, or gothic, paranormal Dark Gardens series, please visit Meara’s website at www.mearaplatt.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Amazon Author Link: http://www.amazon.com/Meara-Platt/e/B00PO672QU

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meara-platt

Website: www.mearaplatt.com

Newsletter: http://mearaplatt.com/mailing_list.php

First Kiss Friday with Lynn Winchester

24 Friday May 2019

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It’s First Kiss Friday and today I’m welcoming a new author to my blog, Lynn Winchester. Lynn is sharing her first kiss scene from her story Katrona’s Keeper. We hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

To his surprise, Katriona reached over and put her hand on his knee. Electricity shot through her hand and into his leg. It took everything he had to not shoot up in his seat and cry out at the sensation.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to know the joy of having brothers and sisters. I only had sisters, but they have been my biggest blessing.” Again, that wistfulness made an appearance, and he had to wonder what had brought it on. “But, you aren’t all on your lonesome now. You have me, and I can be your closest friend, your most—er—intimate companion, your champion, and your soul mate.”

She’d stumbled over that bit about “intimate companion,” but the fact that she’d spoken of it at all had his heart racing. Perhaps she wouldn’t want to put off their wedding night. His gaze dropped from her bright blue eyes to her pouty, lush lips, and then further down before snapping back up to her face. She was flushed, her eyes now wide, and her lips open to allow her quick breaths to escape.

“Race…” she murmured, her breathing quickening. The hand on his knee slid down to his thigh. He stiffened, all of his body flexing at the feel of her so close to him.

“Yes,” he croaked.

“I believe in doing what needs doing,” she said, her voice dropping. “And I think we need to be doing something else…” Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips and all his thoughts tumbled into the pit of his stomach.

He didn’t need to ask her what she meant. With his heart pounding in his chest and his blood singing through his veins, he leaned in, sliding his hands up Katriona’s arms. She shuddered beneath his touch. A slow smile formed on his face; he liked that she was affected by him, for he was affected by her, utterly. His hands cupped her flushed face, and he pulled her to him, she leaned in, too, her eyes watching him as he drew closer. There was a heat in her blue eyes, turning them from cornflower blue to sapphire. Finally, he pressed his lips to hers—they were so soft, so much softer than he could have ever imagined, and they gave beneath his. She stiffened at first, no doubt unused to men’s kisses, but he took his time, closing his eyes and enjoying the contact. She was warmth and deliciousness rolled into one, like an apple tart straight from the oven. He brushed his lips over hers, and she moaned, finally melting into him, and he mentally crowed at her surrender. He deepened the kiss, taking each breath and holding it in his own body.

Every inch of him felt tight, every beat of his heart thrust hot blood through him.

He’d waited long enough.

Breaking the kiss, he sucked in gulps of air, forcing his mind to stop spinning. Katriona’s face was still flushed, but her eyes were hazy and her lips were pouty and kiss-swollen.

He liked her like that.

“I wanted to talk with you about our weddin’ night, and I was willin’ to wait until you were ready, but I have a feelin’ you’re about as ready as I am,” he said, his voice husky.

Her eyes cleared but remained trained on him, there was a certainty there he appreciated.

“Oh, I’m ready alright,” she answered, her voice silky and sensual in its raspiness. Sliding her hand into his, as if giving him the ticket to heaven, she pinned him with her heated gaze and nodded.

Not needing another sign, he clasped her hand tightly. Race stood up on shaky legs, pulled her up beside him, and escorted his wife to their bedroom.

Blurb:

Determined to create something that will leave a legacy, Katriona Wigg heads west to Dry Bayou, Texas, where she plans to marry a man she’s never met. Being a mail-order bride isn’t ideal, but she doesn’t have a choice. Offered a chance at something extraordinary, Katriona is willing to do whatever it takes to make her dream a reality, even marry to get the money she needs to build her own vocational school.

But if her new husband thinks he can tie her down, he is in for fight of his life.

Race Tucker has spent years watching the people around him find love and contentment, and when the bug finally bites him, he does what any overly busy ranch foreman does—he sends for a mail-order bride. To have and to hold, to keep and to provide, Race believes he has what it takes to be a fine husband. But he doesn’t know what to do with the woman who arrives in town to marry him—a woman more at home in trousers than dresses. A woman more than capable of bringing him to his knees.

When their marriage starts to get rocky, can these two opposites find a middle ground? Or will Katriona’s keeper let her go?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M7KPHSV

Bio:

Lynn Winchester is the pseudonym of a hardworking California-born conservative, now living in the wilds of Northeast Pennsylvania. Lynn has been writing fiction since the 5th grade, and enjoys creating worlds, characters, and stories for her readers.

Lynn writes charming, romantic romance that focuses on the growth of the relationship and the power of true love. Lynn’s historical western Dry Bayou Brides series is a highly acclaimed, bestselling sweet romance series. Keep an eye out for her upcoming releases.

When Lynn isn’t writing, she is running a successful editing business, reading whatever she can get her hands on, raising her four children, making sure her husband is happy, and binge watching shows on Netflix.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/LynnWinRomance

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/LynnWinWesterns

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lynn-winchester

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15570319.Lynn_Winchester