Tag Archives: New Release

New Release Spotlight from Celeste Barclay!

06 Tuesday Jul 2021

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I’m all about sharing the love and paying it forward so today let’s celebrate the new release of A Friend at the Highland Court by Celeste Barclay! Enjoy this excerpt, my lovelies, and happy reading!

Excerpt:

Alex entered the Great Hall with his men. They followed the Elliots toward tables that kept them away from the Scotts or anyone else they wished to avoid. However, their path took them past the table he most wanted to avoid. He caught sight of the dark hair and olive skin he knew so well. He could glimpse Caitlyn’s profile, the smile that graced her face as she laughed at what the woman who sat beside her said. He watched as her eyes widened, and she twisted on her bench to find him. Her smile radiated warmth and excitement, and Alex’s heart stuttered before he forced the wall back around it.

Caitlyn stepped over the bench and straightened her skirts before making her way toward Alex. He fought, and barely succeeded, to keep his eyes from feasting on Caitlyn’s petite stature. His relationship with Caitlyn had been a constant for nearly his entire life, but once again the dynamic had shifted. He watched her weave through people until she came to stand before him. He watched her eyes widen for a moment and prepared for the pity or disgust that inevitably came when people caught sight of his scar for the first time. He was unprepared for her smile to brighten as she took another step closer.

“Alex.” Caitlyn’s melodic voice filled his ears. He’d listened to her sing alongside her mother and sister, Cairren, countless times over his years fostering with her clan. Even her speaking voice reminded him of a songbird’s trill. He was aware she expected as warm a greeting, but he kept his gaze fixed beyond her. She turned to glance behind her, but she appeared confused when she faced him again. Alex knew she couldn’t figure out at what he stared. He intended to stare at anything or anyone but her. Unable to ignore her, he continued to gaze past her.

“Caitlyn.”

“Caitlyn? When have I ever been aught but Caity?” Caitlyn asked, and Alex heard the surprise and hurt in her voice.

“It is a pleasure to see you,” Alex said instead of answering. He made to step around her, but Caitlyn shifted with him.

“You make it seem like seeing me is the most unpleasant chore you’ve ever had. In fact, I’m uncertain you have seen me since you refuse to look at me,” Caitlyn accused. Alex wanted to say that he’d seen everything about her that he loved. He’d seen her twinkling gray eyes with the green flecks, the sun-kissed light brown skin, the figure he’d spent years fantasizing about. But his adolescent dreams died on the battlefield six months ago.

“Then you will have to excuse me.” Alex tried once more to move away, but she grasped his left arm. He was unprepared and couldn’t keep from flinching. Caitlyn’s eyes opened to saucers, but there was still none of the pity he expected. She released his arm, clasping her hands before her instead.

“What happened?” Caitlyn whispered.

“Battle. Good eve.”

“Arse,” Caitlyn mumbled. Alex glanced down at Caitlyn and regretted it at once. He’d seen the pain in her eyes before, but this was the first time that he was the cause.

“Caity,” Alex murmured. He made to reach for her, but his left arm refused to cooperate. It was a blinding reminder of why he needed to keep his distance.

“Mayhap this isn’t the right place. Will you talk to me later?” Caitlyn asked, hoping discretion was all that he needed.

“No.”This time Caitlyn moved aside when Alex attempted to walk past her. She swallowed before turning away. She didn’t understand what had transpired, but she was certain it was Alex’s injuries and nothing else. The Armstrongs and Kennedys were still allies, and Alex and Caitlyn hadn’t said a cross word to one another in years. She returned to her seat, her eyes on her trencher rather than following Alex.

A Friend at the Highland Court
By Celeste Barclay

Alexander Armstrong, heir to the Clan Armstrong lairdship, took for granted his strength and size until that strength was taken from him. Injured during a skirmish with another Lowland clan, Alex finds himself struggling to wield his sword. His once handsome face is now marred by a vicious scar. Forced to attend court as his father’s representative, Alex’s anger and bitterness threaten to chase away the one woman who’s loved him most of her life.

Lady Caitlyn Kennedy usually finds the bright side of everything. Friends with Alex since childhood, when he fostered with her clan, Caitlyn attempts to lure Alex back from the brink of self-destruction. But their once budding romance seems destined to fail. Alex recognizes he’s losing the woman he’s loved since he was a boy by pushing away the one person who can heal his unseen wounds.

Can these friends-turned-enemies turn into lovers?

If you love a steamy wounded hero romance, then you’re sure to enjoy Celeste Barclay’s sizzling new Highlander romance, A Friend at the Highland Court.

Welcome to Robert the Bruce’s Highland Court, where the ladies-in-waiting are a mixture of fire and ice. The Highland Ladies, the STEAMY spinoff series from Celeste Barclay’s The Clan Sinclair series, returns to the Medieval royal court for love and intrigue.

Buy Link: www.books2read.com/friendhighland

About the Author:

Celeste Barclay, a nom de plume, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and

sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Celeste enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as

she could. Now she lives near the beach. She’s an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a

former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Celeste was a Social Studies and English

teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and

Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating rich historical romances

that bring the steam.

Social media: 

www.celestebarclay.com
www.facebook.com/celestembarclay
https://www.facebook.com/groups/celestebarclaysladiesofyore
www.instagram.com/celestebarclayauthor
https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@celestebarclay

First Kiss Friday with Matilda and Charles

07 Friday May 2021

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

Excerpt:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Her eyes softened. “You love me?”

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

“Why?” Matilda asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Melting Matilda
By Jude Knight
Release Date: March 23rd

Can the Ice Maiden soften the Granite Earl?

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

Can the Granite Earl melt the Ice Maiden?

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

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

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

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

About Jude Knight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudeKnightBooks

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

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

New Release from Veronica Crowe!

18 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by in 2021, New Release, Uncategorized

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Author:

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

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

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

Happy Release Day!

09 Tuesday Feb 2021

Posted by in 2021, New Release

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It’s always a wonderful day when you can release a new book into the world! Although A Second Chance At Love was previously released in the Bluestocking Belles’ box set Fire & Frost, I am now releasing my novella for individual sale. I’m pretty partial to this cover, since my lovely daughter is in the image. Thanks to all the readers who preordered this story. Here’s an excerpt for your reading pleasure and I hope you enjoy Digby & Constance’s journey to finding a second chance at love!

Excerpt:

A rush of air left his lips as though he had been holding his breath while awaiting her answer. He stepped up to the desk and reached for her hand, kissing the air between his lips and her knuckles as any proper gentleman would. “You are very gracious, Constance. I must admit I was afraid you would hate me, considering how I left things between us.”

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I could never hate you, Digby.” A blush rushed to her cheeks at the tone of her voice. They had been on a first name basis two years ago and somehow it seemed right to call him by his given name. My word, she had missed this man.

“Then perhaps you would allow me to escort you to a meeting at the Duchess of Haverford’s residence next week on the third. I understand she is in the process of forming several committees to organize an event for The Ladies’ Society for the Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans.”

Constance laughed. “You must be joking? Why, you will never get all that on any kind of a banner.”

Digby joined her and laughed. “I would never make up such a tall tale, my lady.”

“No one in their right mind would, although it does sound like a worthy cause.”

“I could not agree more, which is why I have offered my services to the gentleman’s auxiliary, whose responsibilities will include making sure you ladies are able to do your work in this dreadful weather. I knew this was just the sort of event that would be of interest to you.”

“You know me so well. I would be happy to accompany you, Digby.”

“Wonderful,” he replied with a smile. “If your aunt could join us and act as chaperone, then I could pick you both up around noon, if that is acceptable.”

“I will eagerly await next week, my lord.”

Digby took her hand again and bowed over it. “As will I, my lady.”

His gloved hand felt warm in hers. When Digby’s thumb gently caressed the back in a small circular motion, Constance’s heart leapt at the possibility that all was not lost. Her eyes went to his in a long lingering glance as pleasure swept across her entire being. She smiled, and he returned it with a smile of his own. Constance could not remember when she had ever been this happy…

A Second Chance At Love:
A Frost Fair Regency Romance
By Sherry Ewing

Can the bittersweet frost of lost love be rekindled into a burning flame?

Viscount Digby Osgood returns to London after a two-year absence, planning to avoid the woman he courted and then left. Surely she has moved on with her life; even married by now. A bit of encouragement from a friend, however, pushes him to seek the lady out. Can she ever forgiven him and give them a second chance at love?

Lady Constance Whittles has only cared for one man in her life. Even after he broke her heart, it remains fixed on him. Another man tries to replace him, but she soon learns she can never feel for him a shadow of what she still feels for Digby. One brief encounter with Digby confirms it; she is more than willing to forgive him. Can they truly take up where they left off?

Charity projects and a Frost Fair on the Thames bring them together, but another stands in their way. Will he tear them apart?

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Books2Read

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

Medieval Monday with The Piper’s Lady

23 Monday Nov 2020

Posted by in 2020, Medieval Monday, New Release

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Welcome back to Medieval Monday. I’m so happy you could join me on my blog. Today we’re on week ten for the next snippet from The Piper’s Lady, my latest release in the MacLarens series.

You can also join us on the Medieval Romance Lovers Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1401384450126130/ for a complete list of all the authors who are participating including their links! Find us also on Twitter at #MedMonFall20!

Read on to learn what happens next while Garrick continues his conversation with a lovely lady stuck up in a tree!

Snippet:

A short snort followed by a muffled laugh had Garrick staring up at the lady perched above his head. “Well… if you are certain. I feel silly now for making such a fuss, but thank you for saving me again, Sir Knight.”

“’Tis a pleasure tae be of service tae ye once more, my lady,” Garrick said, again not correcting her assumption he had been knighted. He should do so whilst they had the rare opportunity of being alone. Still, he could not forget the earlier scene he had witnessed just a short time ago and mayhap ’twas his reasoning to let her think on him favorably for a short whilst longer. “Let us see what we can do about getting ye out of the tree now, shall we?”

The Piper’s Lady
The MacLarens (Book Three)
By Sherry Ewing

True love binds them. Deceit divides them. Will they choose love?

Lady Coira Norwood spent her youth traveling with her grandfather. Now well past the age men prefer when they choose a wife, she has resigned herself to remain a maiden. But everything changes once she arrives at Berwyck Castle. She cannot resist a dashing knight who runs to her rescue, but would he give her a second look?

Garrick of Clan MacLaren can hold his own with the trained Knights of Berwyck, but as the clan’s piper they would rather he play his instruments to entertain them—or lead them into battle—than to fight with a sword upon the lists. Only when he sees a lady across the training field and his heart sings for the first time does he begin to wish to be something he is not.

Will a simple misunderstanding between them threaten what they have found in one another or will they at last let love into their hearts?

This novella was previously released in the Bluestocking Belles boxset, Never Too Late. It has been revised with additional material and an alternative ending. The Piper’s Lady is now being released for individual sale.

Buy Links:

Amazon US |  Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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

Be sure to join me next week for Medieval Monday for another snippet from The Piper’s Lady!

New Release ~ The Piper’s Lady

17 Tuesday Nov 2020

Posted by in 2020, New Release

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Oh happy day! I’m always so excited when I can release another book baby out into the world. Although The Piper’s Lady was previously released in the boxset Never Too Late with the Bluestocking Belles, it’s gotten a facelift with new material and a new ending. It took me a while to finally get around to adding to this lovely sweet novella so that Garrick of Clan MacLaren and Lady Coira Norwood now have the happily ever after ending they deserved. I hope you’ll enjoy this new version and the return to many beloved characters in my Knights of Berwyck series!

The Piper’s Lady: The MacLarens (Book Three)
By Sherry Ewing
Only $0.99

True love binds them. Deceit divides them. Will they choose love?

Lady Coira Norwood spent her youth traveling with her grandfather. Now well past the age men prefer when they choose a wife, she has resigned herself to remain a maiden. But everything changes once she arrives at Berwyck Castle. She cannot resist a dashing knight who runs to her rescue, but would he give her a second look?

Garrick of Clan MacLaren can hold his own with the trained Knights of Berwyck, but as the clan’s piper they would rather he play his instruments to entertain them—or lead them into battle—than to fight with a sword upon the lists. Only when he sees a lady across the training field and his heart sings for the first time does he begin to wish to be something he is not.

Will a simple misunderstanding between them threaten what they have found in one another or will they at last let love into their hearts?

Hurry while the price is only $0.99!

Buy Links:

Amazon US |  Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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

New Release from Anna St. Claire

20 Tuesday Oct 2020

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Today I’d like to introduce you to author Anna St. Claire who has a new release for your reading pleasure! Enjoy this excerpt from Lyon’s Prey.

Excerpt:

What is taking the miserable doctor so long? Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon, poured another measure of brandy and took a long sip. The heartbreaking screaming coming from upstairs had gone on for hours. Rogue tears slid down his face as he stared at the open door to his study, and he brushed them aside. He wanted it to be over for her. 

Evan had sent for her family and his, but the weather was making it difficult for anyone to get there. He only hoped the doctor would make it soon. The frosted glass of the large windows drew him, conflicting with the warmth of the room and the brandy. He rubbed some frost away with the side of the hand holding the brandy to peer outside. The pristine beauty of the snow and full moon offered a sharp contrast to the terror he felt inside. Heavy snow covered everything, leaving an almost fairy tale quality to the grounds glimmering beneath the moonlight. It had been snowing all day and showed no signs of letting up.

A throat cleared behind him, and he turned to see his butler, Bernard, standing near him. 

“My lord, the doctor has arrived. His carriage got stuck in a snowdrift, and he had to leave it and walk the rest of the way. He is about the size of your father, so I ordered some dry clothes for him. Do you wish to speak with him before he goes upstairs?”

“Thank God! Thank you for getting him some warm clothes. My needs are all upstairs. Please send him to my wife at once.”

A piercing scream rent the air, causing both men to jump. 

“Immediately, please. She needs him now.” 

“Right away, my lord.” The older man scrambled to move quickly but knew only one speed. 

Unable to control his growing frustration, Evan walked to the door and stuck his head into the hall. “Good God, man. Hurry.” He immediately regretted his action, even though the sound of footsteps almost running away from his door felt more satisfying. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the fireplace and leaned against it, staring as the flames licked wood and ricocheted off the back of the chimney and into the night sky. Evan pressed the now warm glass of brandy to his forehead to dispatch a pounding headache, feeling a weakness he had never known before. 

“God, please pull her through this,” he said aloud to himself. While he was not deeply religious, Amelia was. “I promise to be a better man; please do not take my wife away.” He swiped at the tears that ran down his face. 

Thoughts flooded his mind. Amelia had pronounced the house ready for Christmastide, having been on her feet against his wishes, supervising the footmen and maids as they assembled boughs throughout the house. “It is snowing, and you know how I love it. Will you take me on a sleigh ride?” Amelia had pleaded. She wanted fresh air, tired from the bedrest of the past four months. They even joked about how they may not get another sleigh ride like this for a while after the baby came. 

Rather than disappoint her, he ordered the sleigh and horses brought around, and the two took a ride into the village and purchased trinkets for the baby. 

His wife wanted a little boy that looked like him, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Evan wanted a girl, one that had rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and curly blonde hair like her mother. A son could come later, if that was what happened. He could cherish a house full of girls that all resembled their mother. His own mother was pushing for a son to carry on the family name, constantly reminding him of their duty to produce an heir. Amelia would gently respond that she would do her best. His wife understood his mother, something he struggled to comprehend, yet was always grateful for. 

Memories clawed at him. The two of them had had the road to themselves that afternoon, laughing and kissing as they rode with the snow swirling around them. The clop-clop of the horses’ hooves rhythmically hitting the earth created a romantic, memorable moment. 

“This is the most wonderful day, Evan,” Amelia enthused, snuggling closer under the blanket. “Tell me again that you will be all right if this turns out to be a girl instead of a boy.” 

Evan lightly touched her pert red nose with his forefinger. “Yes, darling. I love this child, whatever it may be. I mean that.” He kissed her nose, basking in her smile.

They spent the afternoon discussing names again, cuddling together under the thick cover as the driver took them on roads, some with perfectly shaped canopies covered in fluffy snow crystals. It had been a day full of beauty and only the hundredth time they had discussed names in a fortnight. They both liked the name Jason, after his father. However, she liked Edward, saying it was a potent name, and as his second name, it was her favored choice. They decided if it was a girl, the baby would take Amelia’s mother’s name. By the time they returned, he realized that they had still made no decision on the boy’s name, but it mattered not. They would meet the babe first. 

Stark quiet invaded his thoughts. How long has Dr. Pembroke been up there? It is too quiet. Unable to wait another minute, Evan threw his drink into the fire and hurried from his office, taking the steps two at a time, praying. The thirsty wail of a baby caused him to stop and look up. There are no voices. He reached his wife’s room in a trice and flung open the door. 

Amelia’s lifeless body lay on sheets still pooled with blood. 

“My lord, she . . .” Her maid’s tear-stained face saw him approaching, and she hurried away from the body to stand near the wall.

 “No!” he howled, moving Amelia’s hands to his shoulders and pulling her up to him as he cried into her damp blonde hair. 

Dr. Pembroke put a hand on his shoulder, and he pushed it away. There was no comfort. He could have no life without Amelia. 

A weak cry sounded behind him, and he tried to turn from Amelia to see the baby. 

“My lord, you have a son,” the midwife whispered brokenly, offering the small child to him.

Swiping at his face, he looked down at the bundle of wrinkled pink skin. Carefully laying his wife back down, he reached for the baby. Blue eyes framed by tiny wisps of blond hair looked into his face, and a small hand grabbed his finger and held on. 

“Edward. You are Edward.” He smoothed back the baby’s hair as the door opened.

His sister had arrived. Through swollen eyes, he watched her glance first at Amelia, then at Edward before rushing to his side.

“She is gone. My Amelia is gone,” he cried hoarsely, thrusting the baby into her arms. “I need air,” he croaked, looking down once more at the bed and noticing the rattle and cloth doll he and Amelia had purchased just that day. “Please understand.”

I am broken. 

Enter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made… unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON’S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives… and loves.

Haunted by his wife’s death, he vowed to never marry again…until he meets her!

Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon lost his wife during the birth of their child. Broken, Evan seeks solace in the Lyon’s Den, a world of drink, cards, and excess—where wins and losses are easier to navigate than responsibilities. Overconfident and in his cups, he makes a bet that will change his life. 

Still mourning the loss of her father and elder brother…

Lady Charlotte Grisham saves her young brother from the path of a speeding carriage. In a fit of pique, she throws propriety to the wind and storms up the steps of the owner’s London townhouse—and meets the man that upends her world.

The stars align when his high stakes bet and her lapse in judgement give the Black Widow of Whitehall the perfect opportunity to spin her web of hearts, while untold danger lurks a step behind. 

Can a marriage of convenience give rise to love in time to avoid deadly disaster?

(Note: This is an introductory novella to the Rakes of Mayhem Series -The Earl of Excess, Book One, coming soon!)

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/33FlSZG

About Anna St. Claire

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

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

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

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

Today, her focus is primarily on the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history. She would love to connect with any of her readers at these social media outlets:

Website: www.annastclaire.com
email–annastclaireauthor@gmail.com
BookBub – www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-st-claire
Twitter – @1AnnaStClaire
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorannastclaire/
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Anna-St-Claire/e/B078WMRHHF?ref=

First Kiss Friday with Love Will Find You

22 Friday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. This has been a hectic week as I continue the celebration of my newest release Love Will Find You. Although I’m supposed to be showing you the first kiss scene between Killian and Ella, I’m going to show you the second since I shared their first kiss before. You can find the link here. In this scene, Killian and Ella have fled Berwyck and are traveling south. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this excerpt from Love Will Find You. Happy reading, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

His name, whispered in his ear like a soft caress, had Killian clasping the welcoming curves of the woman whose arms were draped around his shoulders. Kisses trailed down his neck, causing parts of him to stir to life and he inhaled the fragrance of her hair smelling of sweet flowers.

“Killian…”

The seductive tone of Ella’s voice had Killian’s mind imagining a life together. His dream seemed so real, especially considering how well she fit within his embrace. The intrusion of birds calling to one another high above the treetops in the early morning hours only caused Killian to grasp this woman closer to him for surely he did not wish to rouse from his slumber. Let him dream just a bit longer…

“Killian, my love…”

My love? His eyes burst open at such an avowal while Ella dreamed on. He was startled to find the lady was truly wrapped around him like a second skin. He had not been dreaming after all, for apparently they naturally claimed one another while they had slumbered.

He began to carefully disengage himself from Ella, but once again her words halted any thoughts of moving farther from her side.

“Kiss me, Killian,” she murmured in her sleep.

He had made her a promise he would not kiss her again. He had every intention of honoring such a vow, and yet how could he deny himself the taste of her when she urged him closer with a gentle tug upon the back of his neck? He leaned forward to brush his lips against her own as if he had no choice but to honor her simple request. Yet there was nothing simple about what ignited between them. Fire erupted in his veins at the first encounter even while he heard a soft moan escaped her. ’Twas the sweetest sound he had ever heard but he also knew he would regret taking advantage of her in such a manner.

Their kiss ended sooner than he would have wished. Ella’s eyes briefly flickered open, causing Killian to hesitate with an offer of an apology. Her smile brightened her whole countenance, but such a look was fleeting and Killian knew she was still under the delusion she was dreaming. She gave a heavenly sigh, and then took up the fur pelt to return to her slumber.

Killian jerked back and slumped against the fallen log. A hundred scenarios raced across his mind while he attempted to figure out how in the hell he was ever going to turn over the woman he loved to another man. She must care for him. Why else would she whisper his name while she slept? He could not even think further upon her words when she uttered my love, let alone how she asked for his kiss. Aye, she may have been dreaming, but surely there was some truth hidden deep within her that she mayhap cared for him too.

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

Sometimes a moment is all we have…

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

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

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

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

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

New Release from Cathy and DD MacRae & a Giveaway!

13 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, New Release

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It’s always my pleasure to share the love of a new release from my friends. Today we’re celebrating the book birthday of The Prince’s Highland Bride by Cathy and DD MacRae. This novel will be on sale for a few days so be sure to grab it while you can before the price goes up. I just love this cover, don’t you? Here’s an excerpt for your reading enjoyment!

Excerpt:

“Marry ye?” The words spilled in a whoosh of disbelief before she could stop them.

Phillipe raised a brow. “’Twould not be the hardship ye seem to envision.”

Maggie swallowed, pulled her hands free. She flattened them against the cold stone at her back. “I dinnae know what to say.”

“Might I hazard the thought ye care for me a bit? Ye did say ye’d missed me.”

A teasing glint lit his eyes.

“I willnae deny it.” She glanced down, then back to him from beneath her lashes. “There is something between us that speeds my heart. Compels me to listen for yer step.”

“And what else, mon coeur?” Phillipe eased closer until the hem of her gown fluttered intimately about his feet.

Maggie’s skin tingled. Her lips parted, silent words pouring forth. 

It pulls me to yer presence—yers and none other’s—begs for yer touch—for yer kiss.

As though he’d heard all she hadn’t said, Phillipe’s head lowered until his lips skimmed hers. Rough silk. Coarse hairs of his beard lightly tickled her skin. The sensation was exhilarating—and completely unsatisfying. Maggie leaned closer, needing the fullness of his touch, the heat of his mouth. His lips firmed beneath hers, parted slightly. Their tongues touched, polite query, then tangled in a flurry of passion.

She pressed against him and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her tight.

A moment later, he released her. “This . . . this will require more honesty, Maggie. A story ye must know before ye answer me yea or nae.”

The Prince’s Highland Bride
by Cathy and DD MacRae

He abandoned his crown to begin a new life. She sought a place to heal her heart. Love was the last thing on their minds.

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?

Phillipe of Antioch, briefly king of Cilicia, would be remembered by the world as an arrogant, presumptuous man, poisoned two years after his marriage to the queen of Cilicia, accused of crimes against his adopted country. This re-imagined telling of Phillipe’s life, one of court intrigue, distrust, and the lust for power, shines a different light (and ending) on the tale.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B086Z153VH
Kobo:  https://bit.ly/TPHB_Kobo
Barnes & Noble:  https://bit.ly/TPHB_B_N

Author Bios:

Cathy MacRae is the award-winning, best-selling author of Scottish historical romance novels. Her books are known for their strong heroines and deeply researched storylines.

Writing with long-time partner DD MacRae, their Hardy Heroines series has fascinated readers and earned glowing critical reviews. A series linked by their strong women set against pivotal times in Scotland’s history, it has garnered its fair share of critical acclaim.

DD MacRae enjoys bringing history to life and considers research one of the best things about writing a story! With more than 35 years of martial arts training, DD also brings breath-taking action to the tales.

You can connect with DD through www.cathymacraeauthor.com. It’s always exciting to hear from readers!

Other social links:

Facebook    (https://www.facebook.com/cathy.macrae.58)

Twitter: @CMacRaeAuthor

Instagram: cathymacrae_author

Amazon author page       (https://amazon.com/author/cathymacrae)

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

Bookbub   (https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathy-macrae)

Giveaway Opportunity

To be in the running for your choice of an eBook from Cathy, be sure to leave her a comment and a winner will be chosen randomly tomorrow.

New Release from Caroline Warfield!

07 Thursday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, New Release

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What a great surprise to learn that I didn’t have to wait until October to read my friend Caroline Warfield’s latest release. Music on the Waters hit my Kindle last night and I can’t wait to read it. Be sure to grab yourself a copy and congratulations, Caroline!

Music on the Waters
By Caroline Warfield
Available now for $0.99

Sir Alexander Bradshaw, solid Scots merchant, needs to acquire a wife, a sensible woman who can manage his unruly sons and sullen daughter. As Orkney’s long, dark winter approaches with no suitable candidates, an acquaintance suggests a music teacher might occupy his daughter. He embraces at the idea.

Ann Dunwood let herself be lured to Orkney by the opportunity to play The Kirkwall Organ. For the beauty of the instrument, she can endure the tedium of choirs and parishioners who wish only for the most banal of hymns; she’s done it before. She knows how to fade into the shadows and keep to her place.

When Alec comes upon her filling the cathedral with a Bach fugue he is enchanted by the magical creature at the keyboard. The object of his fascination sinks into a demure young woman when the music ends. Alec determines to get the magical creature back, and quickly discovers she can fill his life with the music it sorely needs. How long before their solos become a duet?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086SGRWSG/

Bio:

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 her newest series, Children of Empire, three cousins torn apart by lies 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 five group anthologies, one not yet published.

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

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