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Broken Bottle Series, Book 1

Coming of Age, Family Saga, New Adult

Date Published: February 2014

Publisher: Open Heart Books

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What if you were afraid to even turn the doorknob to your front door when coming home because of what might wait inside? What would it take to make you step out of your shadows, to once and for all break free from the twisted security of familiarity, and take a chance, a little risk, that could change everything?

Nicky Young is a woman who has come of age and is beginning to realize the first layer of her fears carried through her childhood from growing up in a family battling alcoholism. They have impacted her severely when forming relationships.

Abandonment, devaluing, fear of everything good ending—all are why she has been happy to stand back in the shadows. Watching. Observing. Stepping out only when safe. Until Ryan Tilton, a professional baseball player who also has abandonment issues of his own, promises her a relationship that could be like no other.

Now, in order to transition into a life she'd always imagined, she needs to take the first steps of risk to embrace the rise and fall, the love and heartache, and joys of life. Through small steps she struggles to trust, most importantly herself, but also others, enough to let them a little closer. The rage of her father's addiction pushes and pulls her back, but with all her heart she wants to break free and start a life that is brilliant and unafraid of failure. But can she?

Other Books in the Broken Bottle Series:

Broken Bottle Series, Book 2

My heart is on fire. For the first time in my life I am awake and the desires I’ve pushed down are smoldering. The shadows of my youth are daring me to step away from them, and new visions are circling through my head that include having intimacy in a way I never dreamed of.

My name is Nicky Young. This is my coming of age story and family saga. I have begun to understand if I want to live differently than my parents—an alcoholic father and co-dependent mother—I need to love, forgive, trust and live with an open heart. As I look in the mirror, I am seeing a new woman emerging—one I’m not sure of and trying hard to discover.

Through family dysfunction and by the lack of affection in my household I learned not to get too close. Rage and violence lurked when we became vulnerable and the way I learned to protect myself was to build high and thick walls of defense around my heart. I dream about having a full, open, and intimate relationship. I want a real adult romance with every beat of my heart. But I can’t trust anyone enough—especially myself.

That was until I met Ryan Tilton, a very sexy professional baseball player who lost his father at only fourteen. In many ways we seem to be ancient spirits. He promises to hold me in his arms like I’ve never been held, and is offering me a chance to step out of fear and experience what is like to ask for what I want without being afraid. I feel my heart opening. I feel . . . joy.

This is my battle: A fight to break generational chains of dysfunction and addiction, to understand the choices of my parents, to love and trust myself, so that I can love and trust another. This story is about transitioning into joy. I invite you to follow me on my journey and the struggle I’m desperate to overcome.

Broken Bottles Series, Book 3

Swept into a romance with professional baseball player, Ryan Tilton, we've just had an evening of dreams—until I wouldn't have sex with him. I couldn't risk it. To me, sex means marriage. It means love and forever. I tried to explain. I didn't hide it. But to him, it means love, acceptance, and that he wouldn't be abandoned the same way he was when a boy of fourteen and his father was killed in the Middle East. He's pleaded with me to tell him my feelings and openly tells me he loves me. I can't repeat the words. Once I do, he'll abandon me just like my parents—discounting my feelings because they can't deal with their own. I couldn't risk it. I knew he'd leave.

Dad battles his alcoholism. Mom embraces her co-dependency. They've gambled with their daughters' mental and physical safety multiple times over the years.

I'm at a crossroads trying to understand this threshold of being an adult, yet emerging from childhood. It's as if a tornado has taken me into it's roar spun and tossed me around, breaking me away as I cling to the twisted security of my family—even the word "secure" sends a shiver through me. I've never been.

Being raised in an dysfunctional family battling alcoholism whispers, stay hidden in the shadows, be safe, don't be noticed or share too much.

I know this is it.

I need to take a risk.

I need to let go of old fears, forgive my parents, embrace intimacy and move forward. I need to trust—especially myself—so that I can transition into joy.

Broken Bottles Series, Book 4

It's Amazing, but for the first time in my life I have let go of the control. I've battled so hard to hold onto the twisted security of my family's battle with alcoholism—it's what I've known—never risking too much, holding back, so the hurt didn't cut too deep. Now?

I feel a new life

An unknown.

Vulnerable.

It's magnificent.

It's . . . intimacy, being held, letting someone see into my dark places so the light, hidden since a little girl, can finally become brilliant.

It's amazing. I'm about to shout my love for a man who seems to understand me like no one ever has. After I do, will everything fall apart? In my heart of shadows, the fear of being abandoned beats inside my head with regular rhythms.

"Please take me in your arms," I say silently. "Accept my dark places. Help me understand you won't leave me." Maybe I'm dreaming when he says, "Whatever path we choose, whatever arises, we'll overcome our fears."

Have a finally been set free from generational mistakes that are passed forward in our family? Dare I ask for what I want and trust myself enough to share my thoughts, wishes, dreams . . . dare I actually hope in another person? Will he break his promises like my parents did to me? Can I really, really, be alive, be vulnerable, open and reach for deep, sensual intimacy? Can I take a risk and transition into joy?

Excerpt

I always prayed the same way at night: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Please bless my mother, father, sister, everyone in the world, and me. And please make my father quit drinking.”

As a child growing up in a family battling alcoholism, this is what I know:

Something bad is coming; it always does.

I can’t ask for help; I’m too ashamed.

I can’t talk about our secrets; no one understands.

I can’t trust anyone; they always leave.

The evening begins when I am eight and my sister, eleven. We were trying to finish dinner before he'd unraveled. Within minutes, I’m hiding under the dining room table, cowering; praying that he won’t see my hiding place.

I hear my sister face the wrath of our father’s anger.

My small body curls into a ball.

It’s as if the desert storms from our mother’s childhood have come to us, their thunder and lightning crashing. I pray, "Please, God, protect me from the monster in my house.”

Tonight, we try to avoid our dad’s drunkenness and count down the minutes until Mom comes home from her night shift at the Juvenile Hall in San Francisco.

These evenings occur frequently in our house. Jenise and I are caught in a spider's web, wrapped in our father’s terrible addiction.

We prepare for the coming terror.

My sister has refused to eat a scoop of creamed corn, given to us for dinner without a second thought of how we hated it.

Once he’s done with Jenise, I know he’ll turn to find me.

I clench my teeth in fear. I'm shaking under the dining room table.

About the Author

My passion is writing books that tell a love story and family saga of leaving old fears behind as the characters embrace intimacy and transition to joy. My first series, Broken Bottles, details those fears of growing up in a family battling alcoholism. Along with the struggle and pain of a parent's rage, there is intelligence, strength, and survival. How to love intimately in all relationships is the challenge. For children of trauma, it can take years to let another person come close. When they do? It's like rainbows cover their heart.

Slowly, you'll read how my characters become vulnerable, reach for deep, sensual intimacy, and try desperately to let go of their fears. They struggle and risk everything to trust others—and themselves. My stories are about daring to take the baby steps that let them really come alive and in every way, experience and give love.

MAKING MONEY TO CREATE: The small, vacation rental/ property management company I run with my husband and son in Sonoma County, California allows me to have the money for my creative life. I love that I was born and raised in San Francisco. My father introduced me to baseball when I was six. I've rung a cable car bell, and went to concerts in Golden Gate Park with my sister where Jimmy Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and Santana once played.

WHAT I'VE DONE/AM DOING – IT'S A JOURNEY OF DREAMS: Broken Bottles is a four part series. Two books, Shadow Heart and Fire Heart, are ready. Soon to follow are Jagged Heart and Amazing Heart. I'm honored to have 3 poems in an anthology called The Beats Go On, and a story in Sisters Born, Sisters Found. I have released the first book in a series for Introverts called The Introverts Guide to the Galaxy: Attending Conferences.

My Dream? To create beautifully decorated and custom journals with gorgeous paper that accompany each book series: The Introvert's Journal, A Family Saga Journal, My Body's Journal, and Trauma: You Can't Stop Me Journal. Journaling was a lifesaver for me. I was in shock. You may be in shock. Don't let that keep your heart frozen!

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Cottage in the Mist

1/17/2017

Time Travel Romance

Date Published: March 2016

Mo Chridhe Gu Bràth. My heart forever.

Ancient words, a powerful legend, a timeless love…

Lily Chastain has lost everything—her family, her inheritance, and her fiancé. Desperate to escape her pain, she heads for a remote castle in Scotland, but is trapped by a violent storm along the way. Injured and alone, she is drawn by a lighted cottage in the mist. What she finds there will change her life forever.

Attacked by a vicious rival and betrayed by someone from his own clan, Bram Macgillivray finds himself alone and on the run. His father is dead, his holding all but destroyed. Wanting vengeance, he seeks out the help of his cousins, but finds instead a beautiful woman who calls to his heart.

After losing herself in an unexpected and wonderful night of sensuality, Lily wakes to find Bram gone. But even more disturbing, when she leaves the sanctuary of the cottage, she finds that it has disappeared as well.

Separated by over five hundred years, yet tied together through a magic stronger than the bonds of time and place, Lily and Bram fight to find each other again. And as Lily uncovers the secrets of the past, she must race to find a way back to save the only man she’s ever truly loved.

Excerpt

Scotland – 1468

There was danger. Bram could feel it all around him. Fire raced up the wooden steps that lead up to the door leading into the tower. And he could see more flames thrusting out of the windows, black smoke spiraling into the night sky. Throwing his plaid over his face, he ran up the steps, but was stopped by one of the tower’s guards.

The man raised his claymore, his eyes narrowed as the deadly blade began its descent. Bram pivoted, and then swung his own weapon, confused as to where he was and why he was fighting. The man fell, only to be replaced by another. Bram called to him, some part of him recognizing a face that still seemed a stranger, but this man, too, seemed intent only on stopping him.

His mind argued that nothing made sense, even as his heart screamed that he must get inside. If he did not then that which was most precious to him would be lost. He knew this as surely as he drew breath.

With a twist and a parry he drew the man off, and then made quick work of him, dashing through the opening of the tower, down the hallway and into the great hall. A place meant for comfort it offered only danger now. It too was full of flame, and lined with enemies.

Again the thought brought him up short. But there was no time to try and understand. Fear pushed him forward. He surged into the fray, moving toward the stairway at the far end of the room. It gave access to the chambers above and it was there he knew he would find her.

His brain recoiled. Find who? But his heart urged him forward, and he fought his way to the bottom of the steps, then ran up them, taking them two at a time, knowing the other swordsmen were fast on his heels.

At the top he froze for a moment, the thick smoke disorienting him. The fire was much worse here. Pushing forward, he breathed through the heavy wool of his plaid, keeping sword at the ready. The first chamber was empty. As was the solar and the chamber beyond it. But then from down the narrow hallway he heard a cry.

Heart thundering in his ears, he ran through the flames and smoke. A timber fell, glancing off of his shoulder, and he hardly felt it, the need to find her overriding everything else.

He called for her, his voice swallowed by the raging fire. Another timber fell, and a wall collapsed. He jumped across a gaping hole in the floor, landing hard, but still moving. The doorway ahead was edged in flames, the smoke and fire roiling like some kind of evil spirit.

Ignoring the danger, he sprinted forward, through the opening, again calling her name.

And then, through the shimmering heat, he saw her, tied to the bedframe, her long hair unbound, her green eyes wide with fear.

“Go back,” she screamed.

But he pushed onward, stumbling as still more of the burning tower fell. “I’ll no’ leave you.” His words were whipped away by the inferno surrounding them. But he knew that she had heard him.

There were only a few feet between them now. There was bruising on her face, and a trickle of blood at the corner of her beautiful mouth, and he swore there would be hell to pay.

But first, he had to free her.

He reached out a hand, but as he did so, the ceiling above him crashed to the ground. One moment he was looking into her eyes—and the next, she was gone.

About the Author

Bestselling author Dee Davis’s highly acclaimed first novel was published in 2000. Since then, she's won the Booksellers Best, Golden Leaf, Texas Gold, Golden Apple and Prism awards, and been nominated for the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Holt and three RT Reviewers Choice Awards. She is the author of over thirty novels and novellas and is an honor roll member of NJRW. When not frantically trying to meet a deadline, Dee spends her time at her Connecticut farmhouse with her husband and Cardigan Welsh Corgis.

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Claiming My Valentine Anthology

1/17/2017

Enter the hot sexy world of New York Times, USA Today, And Award Winning Bestselling Authors!

Tami Lund, Julia Mills, C.D. Gorri, P.T. Macias, P. Mattern, Crystal Dawn, A.R. Von, Savannah Morgan, Audra Hart, Ariel Marie, Josette Reuel, Amanda Kimberley, Heather Kirchhoff, Daniella Whitehorse

Do you like steamy tales of passion, desire, seduction, and love? Step into a steamy romance with Claiming My Valentine, a collection of 14 sexy paranormal stories guaranteed to make your heart pound and your Kindle melt this Valentine's Day . . . .

Explore your deepest desires and hidden fantasies as they come to life in these tempting tales of love! Claiming My Mate features Shifters, Dragons, Werewolves, Bears, Vampires, Fae, Ghosts, Angels, and more!

*All Proceeds go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

Add to Goodreads

~ Purchase Links ~

Amazon US : AU : CA : DE : UK

Barnes & Noble : iBooks : Kobo : Smashwords

Table of Contents:

Broken Light, Lightbearer Prequel Part 2 by Tami Lund

Claiming Cupid by Julia Mills

The Dragon’s Valentine by C.D. Gorri

Claiming My Angel by P.T. Macias

Sex Slave to My Vampire Billionaire Stepbrothers: An MC Valentine Romance by P. Mattern

Searching for His Mate by Ariel Marie

Blazing Desire by Crystal Dawn

Heart of Ink by A.R. Von

Hearts, Flowers, & A Dead Husband by Savannah Morgan

Darkheart’s Valentine by Audra Hart

Love Burns by Josette Reuel

Forever Cherished by Amanda Kimberley

Forever Yours by Heather Kirchhoff

A Fae’s Mate by Daniella Whitehorse

The Dragon’s Valentine by C.D. Gorri ~

…..Callius’ golden Dragon eyes landed on each of his brothers. He opened his long snout full of rows of razor sharp teeth and loosed a roar of blue and red flame against the whited-out sky.

He would miss them. They were his flesh, his blood, and his constant companions these five-hundred years. But he understood.

Agreed. Take care, my brothers. As head of our family this is my pledge to you, I will find a castle and I will find a mate! Then I will send for you.

Choose wisely, brother. The diamond rose is special.

Farewell and much luck to you on your quest!

Yes! May you be successful!

Callius and his brothers parted ways. It was a bittersweet parting, but the idea that one day they would be a Clan of their own kept Callius on a steady course. His purpose grew stronger with every passing moment.

Soon an idea of Castle Falk began taking shape in his mind’s eye. Not an old stone mausoleum like the one he came from. No, he wanted something new and modern. With a pool! Ha! That would be something!

But first things first, he reminded himself.

Find a mate and claim her.

“Dammit,” Fred struggled under the three cases of booze she lugged up the cellar stairs to The Thirsty Dog.

Being a Werewolf had its perks, but none of them helped her as she banged her elbow on the door frame while exiting the musty old cellar. If anything, she only hit it harder. Ouch!

It wasn’t her fault that she couldn’t see over the cases of long necks, was it? What could she do about her height? Not a damn thing!

So, she was kind of short for a Werewolf. She stood about five-foot five inches tall. Cool for a normal, but next to her six foot plus Packmates, she was tiny.

Her weight was good, she remained a solid buck forty, mostly muscle, and that was without working out. She got enough exercise between her two jobs and full moon runs with the Pack.

Yup. She was one busy woman. But that’s how she liked it. Keep moving, stay busy, no worries. That was something her older brother used to say…”

Claiming My Angel by P. T. Macias ~

“Hell, fucking hell!”

Jared drinks down the last of the whiskey in the glass. He sits on the bar stool watching the dance floor. He looks up and gazes into Angel’s beautiful glowing violet eyes. He frowns and turns around.

Angelique smiles, her small even white teeth gleam, and her dimples flash. She walks anxiously towards Jared; she extends her long legs in a graceful gait. Her beautiful long shiny black hair flows down her back past her waist. The coral dress drapes softly over her luscious curves.

Her smile freezes on her face as she sees him turn away from her. Her glowing violet eyes tear up, and she turns away blushing. Her translucent white shimmering skin looks like a pink pearl. She takes short quick steps, her back straight, and her head held high. She walks over to her friends blinking rapidly to clear her violet tears away.

“What the fuck! I can’t stay away from her, I see her everywhere, and this is insane. She’s a fucking Angel! How in the hell could I even think of touching her again!”

He runs his left hand through his dark locks and clenches his right hand. He narrows his eyes and looks at her through the mirror behind the bar.

I can’t allow them to see me cry because they don’t have a clue that I love Jared McKenzie. Geeze, my best friend Cindi is his sister, and I don’t have the nerve even to mention it.

The moment that I looked into his beautiful gray eyes, I fell in love. I was his, and the incredible bonding happened. Our souls are one. Mercy, he’s my mate.

I was sent by the Angel sentinel to heal him. I monitor his fragile soul; I poured some mystical love and life into him. I nurtured him back to life when he was dying in that cave alone.

Blazing Desire by Crystal Dawn ~

Fancher breathed in the sweet scent of the bubble bath mixing in with the aroma of Skye’s arousal and their combined scent from their recent joining. Everything was perfect right now if he didn’t think about what the future might bring.

He stepped into the tub first because he knew it would be a little slippery and he intended to help her in. He held out his hand and she took it so he could hold her steady.

She shivered in his arms as he helped her to slide down into the tub before he slid down behind her. It felt wonderful to be in the hot relaxing water with Skye’s back presses up against him. If she would just move up and sit on his lap it would feel even better.

He poured some soap in his hands and lathered up. His hands massaged her shoulders and she moaned and relaxed. He continued down her back and then worked on the other side.

“That feels amazing.” She admitted.

“I like the feeling of your silky skin under my fingers too. Do you want to sit on my lap?”

“Why? Do you have a surprise for me?” She teased.

“I do and it’s a big one.” He chuckled.

Forever Cherished by Amanda Kimberly ~

Through physical and emotional struggles Keme and Chepi will unite two opposing tribes with love.

“My name is Wisakachek, and I have lost my way from my tribe. It is now too dark for me to travel. Would you mind if I camp with you for the evening?”

“No not at all. Please join us.” Keme said.

“Thank you. I was going to try to press on, but I smelled your dinner and the delicious aroma compelled me to stop. You see, I have been traveling for a couple of days and I have not had luck finding anything to eat.”

“There is a bear claiming the deer meat around here, I am afraid.” Keme stated flatly. “You can have some of ours.”

“Do you have a little to spare for my tribe? I was the one hunting, and like I said, it’s been awfully hard to hunt.”

Keme did not want to give up the little meat they had for the tribe, but he was confident that the gods would provide them with meat by dawn. “Yes. We can share some of the hunt with you.”

“But Keme—”

Keme raised his hand to Matchitehew before he finished his sentence.

“You are both too kind. In exchange for your kindness, I would like to offer you a gift in return.” Wisakachek said.

“A gift?”

“Yes. I’d like to offer you the power to hunt for your tribe without the fear of being hunted yourself.”

“And how do you propose that? Are you a magical medicine man or something?” Matchitehew chuckled.

“Something like that, yes.” Wisakachek said with a smile as he continued, “I am the spirit god who is the guardian over an ancient and magical art known as shape-shifting.”

“Shape-shifting? You mean like being able to change yourself into anything at will?” Keme persisted.

“Not exactly. The art of shape-shifting is the animal form of a wolf.”

Keme’s eyes widened.

“A wolf is a powerful creature! It can bring almost any creature to its knees! Maybe not the grizzly that has been giving us trouble, but a wolf is powerful. I could harness its power to feed my entire village! They would never go hungry again. That would be wonderful!”

Love Burns by Josette Reuel ~

Can a dragon claim Hyacinth's heart this Valentine's Day or will love burn her, yet again?

Just over a year ago, Hyacinth’s life had imploded. Her then fiancé and now ex, Tom, was found in flagrante delicto with the next door neighbor. There was a time that Hy would’ve said that she and Tom had a future, but when she ended the relationship she was more embarrassed than sad. Since the breakup, Tom seemed to find every possible reason to bother her – unnecessary meetings with her boss and eating lunch at her favorite restaurants – and reminded her that she would never find anyone to love her overly ample frame.

Even though she was better without him, it had been difficult when she packed up and moved from where she had lived with Tom. She had been comfortable in her life with him.

Since the breakup, she simply went to work, went to the bookstore, the grocery store, and home. As a foster child, she had grown up in many different homes, so even today she had few friends. It was a learned mechanism for her, distancing herself from others kept her from getting hurt. Somehow Tom had forced himself past her barriers and she had broken rule one in her survival guide. Hyacinth was determined not to let it happen again.

Then it did. Lightning struck. That day six months ago when her gaze lifted from her computer screen and fell into the deep blue eyes of a god.

The sizzle that sped up and down her body was everything Hy had ever read about love at first sight. Her heart raced so fast that it felt like it would burst from her chest. Her mouth went dry and she became a blathering fool.

Hyacinth Seirres had just typed the salutation of Mr. Trollmann’s letter when the chime alerted her to someone entering the office. She quickly saved the file and placed her hands on her desktop, ready to help their visitor.

Her gaze slid over her desk and landed on tailored black dress pants, which were not unusual for her boss’ clients, but when her eyes roamed up the dark wool covered legs the journey lasted longer than average, which was unusual when compared to the average men she normally spoke with. The man standing in front of her could not be described as average in any way. He was extremely tall, well built, and dressed immaculately. Continuing her visual journey, she encountered a trim waist and a silky cotton green shirt before finally landing on a masculine face. Hy’s perusal of the man only took a few seconds, but when she gazed into the deep ocean depths of the man’s eyes, time lost all meaning.

Desire raged through Hyacinth’s body and her mouth went dry as flames caressed over her skin.

“I’m here to see Mr. Trollmann.”

The hum of the deep vibrato soothed her.

“Miss?” She watched in stunned silence as a hand reached forward and a single finger caressed under her chin. “Are you alright?” He asked as his finger applied pressure and pushed her mouth closed.

“Brann Drahgue!” Mr. Trollmann rushed from his office and clasped the man in one of those classic man hugs. “It’s been ages since I’ve spoken to you, what brings you to my humble corner of the world?”

Laughter rang out through the room.

“I wish it was for a visit, but I need your services.”

“Come this way.” Hy’s boss now wore a grim expression as he waved his friend to precede him. “Hyacinth, please hold my calls.”

It wasn’t until the office door clicked shut that Hy felt her brain reboot. That was when several intense emotions surfaced in rapid fire succession.

Mortification. Desire. Lust. Embarrassment. Curiosity. And, a feeling of rightness that she had never felt before took hold and wrapped her tightly in its comforting embrace. All for someone she just met.

Forever Yours by Heather Kirchhoff ~

I spin around, stalking away from them. I’m not paying attention to where I’m going, and I accidentally run into someone. I step backwards, almost losing my balance, but the person grabs a hold of me. His touch feels very warm. It almost felt like there was something more…but it’s more likely just my imagination.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter as embarrassment rushes into me. I look up at who I ran into, and my face suddenly feels hot.

He has shaggy black hair, with dark green eyes. His skin is a light tan. His cheekbones are sharp, while his jaw is square. His lips are thin. He must be about six feet tall compared to my five eight. His arms are well defined, but they aren’t overly muscular. I can only imagine what his body is like underneath his turquoise T-shirt and black jeans.

Whoa, slow down there, I think to myself, shaking my head as I try to clear my thoughts. No need to go that far.

“Are you okay there, princess?”

It takes me a minute to realize I’m staring at him with wide eyes. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mouth was dropped opened wide, with drool pooling out of it.

He looks irresistible.

Like, the kind of guy I never thought I’d see in person.

My heart stops beating as soon as his eyes meets mine. My mouth feels dry all of a sudden, and I can’t find any words.

He smirks at me, and throws me a wink. Oh man. My stomach flips upside down when he does that.

Stalk the Authors Here:

~ Christine Gorri ~

Website : Newsletter : Facebook : Twitter

~ Amanda Kimberley ~

Website : Newsletter : Blog : Facebook

~ AR Von ~

~ Tami Jarecki Lund ~

~ Heather Kirchhoff ~

~ P.T. Macias ~

~ Ariel Marie ~

~ Josette Reuel ~

Website : Newsletter : Facebook : Twitter

~ Crystal Dawn ~

Website : Facebook

~ Savannah Morgan ~

Website : Newsletter : Facebook : Twitter

~ Daniella Whitehorse ~

~ Audra Hart ~

~ Julia Mills ~

~ P. Mattern~

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Shades of Resolution

1/17/2017

Shades of Resolution by Aimee McNeil

Distortion Series; Book 3

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Published by: Limitless Press

Blurb:

Lexie Wilder must live with the trauma of her mother’s death, as well as the enemies she left behind…

Her mother gave up everything to protect her, and now Lexie is alone. The only light in her life is Jackson Finley, the policeman who saved her life and captivated her heart. But of all the dangers lurking, Jackson may be the greatest. He’s the only man who holds the power to break her. Can Lexie trust him if he finds out who her father really is?

Jackson would do anything for Lexie, even if it means risking everything…

Jackson walks a thin line between the law he swore to uphold, and the world of crime he’s supposed to fight. He’s determined to put the pieces of Lexie’s life back together. But in doing so, will he destroy her and everyone she holds dear? And if all the pieces fall into place, can he walk away from the vengeance he’s sought his whole life?

Opportunity can be found in unexpected places…

Lexie soon realizes she has more enemies waiting in the shadows. This could provide the leverage she needs to get out alive…if she’s careful. Lexie is better prepared now to face the minefield she finds herself in, and she vows to take her life back, even if it means willingly walking into the fire.

Will Jackson stand by her side? Or will she have to face the darkness alone?

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US : AU : CA : UK

Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Nate

The room spun as Nate pushed his exhausted body out of bed. He drug his feet over the coarse carpet, supporting himself against the wall as a wave of vertigo hit him. He leaned his head against his arm as he waited for the gripping feeling to subside. The liquor and drugs in his system were starting to fade and the beginning of an angry hangover was beginning to claw at his stomach. The smell of the dingy wall in dire need of cleaning did not do him any favors.

He looked up when the sound of voices began to infiltrate the fog in his head and he noticed he’d left the television on. For a moment he forgot where he was until his memories slowly allowed him access. Once Stephanie had been cleared at the hospital, they had brought her back to the motel to be with Lexie.

The thought of Stephanie and that horrid place made his insides turn and he bolted into the washroom. He barely made it to the toilet before he violently expelled the contents of his stomach. Nate turned on the sink and splashed water on his face. He grabbed the hand towel and dried himself off as he looked at his reflection. His eyes were red and dark circles hung heavy underneath. He looked exactly how he felt. When he turned off the water, the television grabbed his attention.

“…Belhaven is in a state of shock this morning when it was discovered that Mayor Terence Masten has a darker side than anyone could have imagined. A property that has been linked to Masten was found to have a young woman held prisoner…”

Nate pushed himself off the counter and walked into the main area to see the broadcast. Footage of the exterior of the house was on the screen. Crime scene tape was everywhere but he didn’t need the footage to know how shocking the scene was. He had seen it for himself and the images still haunted him.

“It is known that Masten was on the property at the time authorities arrived and was arrested. The last we heard the woman is being treated for minor injuries. At this time we do not have all the details, but we do know the tale does not end there. Human remains found in shallow graves on the property indicate the situation is far more terrible than originally believed. The number of victims is still undetermined at this time. As the numbers climb, people are left wondering how they did not know their beloved Mayor was capable of such a horrific crime.”

Nate hit the power button and stood staring at the black screen for a moment, frozen with the reporter’s words tumbling around in his throbbing head. He shoved the television off the entertainment unit and watched it crash to the floor. Ever since he saw Stephanie’s tattoo and remembered hearing Masten call her by his mother’s name, the realization carved away at him like a sharp knife. He couldn’t stomach the truth of what this meant.

Nate spun around and walked over to his nightstand where his gun was sitting. He grabbed the handle and stalked back into the bathroom. He pulled the shower curtain back and stepped into the tub.

He dropped down into the tub and stared at the gun in his hands but all he could see was the lake house and that cage in the basement. He’d spent his whole life hating the mother who abandoned him and left him to a father who disowned him for a new family that wanted nothing to do with him. Hatred was so much easier to swallow than the pain of what was now presented to him. Instead of mourning his beautiful mother like he should have, he’d torn her memory down until he had erased her completely from his life.

Nate leaned his head back against the tile and wiped the tears from his face with the back of his shaking hand. He took a deep breath and slid the gun into his mouth. He didn’t let himself think about what he was doing. He acted numbly, desperate to evade the pain as he pulled the trigger.

The sound of the empty click barely registered over his heartbeat filling his ears like rushing water.

“Jesus, Nate,” Jackson blurted as he rushed into the bathroom and pulled the gun from his hands. “You didn’t think I would actually leave you alone with a loaded gun after how you acted yesterday.”

Nate looked up at him as he dropped his hands in his lap. He couldn’t even bring himself to respond. His mind was still digesting the fact that he was still alive.

Jackson grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him out of the tub. Nate didn’t resist as Jackson walked him out of the bathroom. “I can’t believe you just did that. Don’t pull that fucking shit again.” Jackson led him toward the bed and guided him to the edge.

Nate sat numbly staring at the wall. The sound of a high pitched whistling filled his head and fogged his mind. His head felt too full, like it was ready to explode.

“…can you even hear me?” Jackson asked, leaning down in front of him. “Nate?” He slapped him lightly on the side of the face, which brought him back from being lost inside his head.

“Yeah,” Nate responded lazily as he blinked his eyes and tried to focus. The outlines of his vision blurred.

“What the hell happened at the lake house?”

“Get my wallet.” Nate waved languidly toward the nightstand.

Jackson looked over at the wallet and then back at Nate.

“Just get it. There’s a picture tucked inside.”

Jackson opened it up and pulled out the picture. He studied it for a moment before looking up at Nate. “Who’s this?” Jackson asked in confusion.

“That’s my mother. Remember how I told you she fucking left me when I was barely five years old and never came back?” Nate squeezed hid eyes shut.

“Yeah.”

“That tattoo on her neck…Stephanie’s. It’s identical to my mother’s,” Nate confessed as he took a deep breath and looked up at Jackson.

Realization dawned on Jackson’s face. “It could just be a coincidence.”

“Her name was Rose. That’s what Masten called Stephanie.”

“Nate…”

“I saw the news about there being other victims.” Nate raked his hand down his face. “I can feel it, Jackson. I could feel it when I was there. I hated my mother my whole life for leaving me and now there could be a very horrible reason why she never came back. She deserved better from me,” Nate sobbed.

Jackson dropped on the bed next to Nate without saying a word. Nate wasn’t sure how much time passed as Jackson just sat beside him. One of the things he liked best about Jackson was that he knew the value of silence. He closed his eyes to take deep, even breaths as he came down from his adrenaline high and pain and exhaustion began to grip him again.

“You didn’t hate her, Nate, or you wouldn’t have carried her around with you all these years.” Jackson held up the picture still in his hand. “I’m not gonna let you give up,” Jackson said firmly.

“What now?” Nate asked, searching Jackson’s eyes.

“Let’s just start with you living another day and we’ll go from there. You have enough people trying to kill you. Let’s not make it too easy for them.”

“Fuck…where’s that gun?” Nate moaned.

“I’m keeping it for now.” Jackson gave him a pat on the shoulder with a pained smile. “Get yourself cleaned up. We need to take the girls back to Freyview.”

“You still want me to come?” Nate asked.

“Yeah, we need you.” Jackson tucked the picture back in Nate’s wallet and set it back on the nightstand.

Nash rubbed his hands down his face and fell back on the bed. “It’s so much easier to hate, isn’t it?”

“Don’t I fucking know it,” Jackson sighed.

~~~ Other Books in the Series ~~~

Degrees of Distortion

Distortion Series; Book 1

Release Date: December 20, 2016

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US : CA : UK

Levels of Exposure

Distortion Series; Book 2

Release Date: December 20, 2016

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US : AU : CA : UK

Meet the Author:

Aimee McNeil was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, where she continues to live today with her husband and three children. She is a stay-at-home mother that loves every colorful moment with her family.

Aimee spends most of her free time indulging in her love of writing. You can also find her lost in the pages of a good book, or making a mess with her paints. Aimee loves to explore anything that promotes creativity. It is one of the many reason she enjoys writing.

Connect with the Author:

Facebook : Website : Twitter : Instagram

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Lineage

1/17/2017

Lineage, JJ Morris #1

J.N. Sheats

YA Paranormal Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

"Cameron, why do you call me dove," I asked, ready for disappointment.
"Because, you bring my soul peace."

Joey Morris has spent her young life moving around the country with her constantly absent mother until finally ending up in the small college town of Portstown, Pennsylvania. Here history is thick in the air and Joey discovers that her family has long reaching roots in the town, dating back to the very first settlement. Because of her heritage she is welcomed into the group of the other founding families, and quickly becomes one of the popular girls in school.

After over a year of the good life and Homecoming just days away, Joey is thrown into a terrifying new reality. Happening across a violent black dog with glowing red eyes, and a handsome stranger that puts his life on the line to save her only to stick a gun in her chest moments later.

Now people are dying in Portstown, people close to Joey and she doesn't understand why. Will Joey have anyone left after she discovers the truth about her past?

Cameron Davis is a man from another life, for years he has been focused on his mission. The drive that keeps his soul locked inside a physical body, staving off the reaper. That all changes when he is given the task of protecting Joey and stopping the attacks.

This girl makes him weak and brings up memories of a past he left behind nearly a century ago. What secrets lie beyond his contract with the elusive Warner family, and why does this girl need protecting?

Lineage is a young adult novel but is recommended for readers 16+ due to violence.

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon - Other Locations

Excerpt:

“Wait, don’t leave.”

I hated how pathetic I sounded, like I was begging him to stay. To my surprise the stranger paused as if considering my request. To which I added a concerned, “It’s not safe out there.”

“It doesn’t matter, I have a job to do. Stay in this house.”

Pressure was bearing down on me, a heavy weight that made it hard to take the smallest of breaths. I couldn’t let him leave…he couldn’t walk out that door. I didn’t want to be alone.

“Let’s call the police,” I belted out without any thought.

I didn’t see him move or even hear him cover the distance from the back door to in front of me, his swift movement causing me to gasp. His death stare held my attention.

“No cops,” he hissed, ice in his voice.

His face was close to mine, hardly an inch between us, but I could still see the gun in his hand. The gun that was now pointed at my heaving chest.

What?

My mind started playing through death scenarios again. A new violent reality set in…this time the papers would be reporting on my murder instead of a tragic encounter with a savage animal. Something that would end up a cold case and passed off as a failed home invasion. I didn’t know if that was worse than being ripped apart by that wolf-thing or not.

I tensed, waiting for the loud bang of the gun…it was coming. His eyes were far too serious for it to be a bluff. I had accepted my end once already tonight, and it gave me courage to do it again.

“You saved me back there to shoot me now?” I challenged.

The corners of his wonderful mouth twitched upward as he pressed the gun against my chest, daring more challenge. My body was trembling, but my gaze remained firm on the deep cold azure of his stare. Such raw brutality in his eyes, long hard years reflecting back at me with a cynical gleam. The muzzle of the gun pushed harder into my chest as he took a step back, putting distance between us, but still keeping the gun in place. I refused to back down.

Fresh adrenaline drove my reckless actions as I leaned into the muzzle of his weapon, daring him to do it. The corners of his mouth inched upward even more, creating a wicked smile. A flash of hunger in his dangerous eyes, and I could feel my heart jump into a bounding speed of excitement.

As quickly as the moment became heated and complicated, it was gone. His lips fell into a straight line, and he dropped the gun. The stranger appearing hardened and neutral as he backed away.

“Stay inside,” he ordered in a dark tone before rushing outside.

Catch the first 5 raw unedited chapters of Lineage on my blog:

Inside the Insanity

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

About The Author:

J.N. Sheats is an artist turned author. Living in Maryland with six wild cats, and her husband, J.N. spends her days designing covers and teasers for other authors. At night she is at the mercy of her demanding characters, and their wild fantasies.

Dark Paranormal Fantasy is her preferred genre of writing, but anything is game. Maybe even a lovely romance novel or two in the near future.

When not writing, designing, or drawing, J.N. spends her time doing a host of other activities. Including: gardening, jewelry making, cooking, and watching far too much television.

Catch what’s up in J.N. Sheats’ crazy life with the links below. Stalkers welcomed. ;)

Website : Facebook : Twitter : Blog : Newsletter

Get exclusive sneak-peeks and more of Dreamscape, JJ Morris #2, on my patreon.

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Follow the progress of Dreamscape and all writing/art projects. Plus, first looks at raw chapters, prizes, deleted scenes, and much more!

“A dream is but a lie humanity embraces with eager submission—longing for it’s devious reality.”

~The Dream Conductor, Dreamscape~

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Toltec Dawn

1/16/2017

Science Fiction

Date Published: 2016

Publisher: eTreasures Publishing

Fergus mac Ogma, a youthful Irish acolyte at the Toltec Temple of Cashel has a burning desire to survive, and become something more than a native underling in a land controlled by invaders from across the ocean.

Captain Mixcoatl is settling in with his wife as commander of the Toltec fort at St Albans when he is suddenly summoned to meet with the new governor in London and learns of the plan to invade the Continent.

Rowena, the young Saxon girl, is fleeing England with her uncle the monk and attempting to reach the Continent across the Channel. Their flight is interrupted by a band of outlaws who offer to guide them.

Set in the years after the Toltec conquest of Ireland and England, three lives become entwined as they face personal desires and challenges of an occupied land, religious tension, and threat of an invasion.

Excerpt

Fergus’ gaze wandered to the dust motes captured in the wayward beam of sunshine that entered through the narrow window. For some reason the fine specks reminded him of grains of gunpowder. He might not be squatting here if not for the gray magic of the overlords.

The headmaster’s stern stare swept the class. “Who can tell me the significance of today’s date?” The tall redhead’s hand was the first raised.

Fergus rose to his feet and shook a cloud of ash from his shoulders, the residue from the morning’s flagellation. “This is the one hundredth anniversary of the first landfall in Connaught by the Golden Jaguar.” He couldn’t help adding, “From this year of 1215AD, according to the peasants.”

“And what is the significance of the landing, Fergus mac Ogma?” Frowning, the headmaster tugged at his jade earplug, one of the signs of his impatience with the seminary students.

Fergus allowed a smile to flicker across his broad, freckled face. He made a slight bow. “This landfall brings civilization to the five kingdoms, and enlightenment to the rest of the world.”

The headmaster frowned. “Not yet to all of the rest of the world, young pup.”

“Is it not simply a matter of time, Master?”

“You presume to know the wishes of the Smoked Mirror, my unworthy pupil?” The ancient priest’s dry voice dropped to the level of a fading autumn breeze.

The other novices shrank into their threadbare robes. The temperature in the stone cell fell by several degrees.

Fergus remained unconcerned. “Is it not our duty, as missionaries in the name of Tezcatlipoca and the Great Khan himself, to carry the word to every corner of the world?” He sat back on his straw mat.

“It will be, if any of you ever leave the shelter of this abbey as graduates and acolytes.” The headmaster shook his high priest’s robe and surveyed the crowded chamber, pointing with stick-thin fingers laden with gold and emerald rings. “To make certain you remember to humble yourself before the gods, and the Great Khan, run outside, around the abbey grounds, six full times. Then take your willow switches, go to the courtyard, and flagellate your bare backs until the dinner bell is sounded.” He smiled. “Cell partners will take turns. Finn, you will start on Fergus until he bleeds, and next it will be your privilege. Go!”

“See what trouble you have created,” Finn hissed at Fergus as they jostled through the doorway.

Some of the other students glared at Fergus, others simply bowed their heads and shuffled off toward the exit.

Fergus smiled calmly. “This only makes the body and mind stronger to carry on our divine work.”

He ran, soon leaving Finn and the others behind. As Fergus dashed across the uneven ground he glanced up at the rock and the castle, the high, round tower black against the sun. Adjacent to the castle, the half-completed stone pyramid stretched toward the sky, smoke rising from the temporary altar at the summit. “Someday, I too will sit upon a rock and judge, I swear it.”

About the Author

After winning a Canadian Authors national contest, Ron connected with Champagne Books of Alberta to complete “The Dark Lady” fantasy trilogy, followed by “The Queen’s Pawn” trilogy, and his fantasy detective series of eight novellas: “The Housetrap Chronicles.” His latest novel with Champagne is “Alex in Wanderland.”

Ron recently signed with a second publisher, eTreasures Publishing of Florida with, “We’re Not in Kansas,” a near-future thriller, followed by a what-if, “Toltec” trilogy. The first book in the series, Toltec Dawn is available now, with the second, Toltec Khan, available shortly.

Ron, a member of several writing groups, reviews genre novels for an on-line magazine and sometimes escapes to his sailboat on Lake Winnipeg.

Follow Ron at: www.ronaldhore.com and www.facebook.com/RonaldJHore

Contact Links

Website

Purchase Links

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Kingmaker

1/16/2017

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The Kingmaker
Gemma Perfect
(The Kingmaker Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: January 1st 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

“I am sixteen years old and I will die on the morning of my seventeenth birthday. As tradition dictates, I will be sacrificed and my life’s blood will determine which one of my two brothers will be King. My blood will kill one and crown one. My name is Everleigh and I am the Kingmaker.”

The legend of the Kingmaker goes back millions of years. Their magic chooses the rightful King of the Realm and they all die on their seventeenth birthday.

Except this one.

Everleigh is special.

She is the Kingmaker who will live, the Kingmaker who will rule, the Kingmaker who will be Queen.

But not everyone agrees with an age old prophecy that says that a girl will rule the Realm and soon Everleigh is locked in a deadly battle for the throne.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

Halfreda

I have been sleeping so much more than normal. I believe the dreams are sending me messages. I have such a strong feeling about this one – stronger than I have ever had before; I think she might be the one.

I know what people think when they look at me, half of them revere me and half of them fear me.

I admit I exaggerate my persona but never ever my powers. My powers are real. I know things and I see things. I see things that haven’t happened yet but will happen. I know a person’s heart – I can see greatness and badness, trust or ill will. I know if someone is cursed before they tell me. I know if a woman is with child before she does. I know the private thoughts of people. Some people. Not everyone – some people are good at hiding their true self, blocking off the signals I pick up, but for the most part I can.

My persona is something else. I do have a little fun with the chanting – not all of which is strictly necessary. I enjoy staring at someone and then letting my eyes roll back in my head as if I have been overcome with some secret thing to do with them – that trick gets everyone in a fluster.

But I’m a good woman and a useful one. I do help the King. I use my powers to advise him. I use my knowledge to guide him and I have never shown him wrong. The Realm is peaceful and prosperous and I know that I have helped with that.

But my real purpose, the reason my teacher placed me here at the castle, has eluded me thus far. Through no fault of my own, I must add.

So, the blessing is over and here I am making up a future fire to see what I can see.

I’ve gathered the wood and started the fire, the flames licking upwards and warming my room. I’ve put all the necessary ingredients in to my bowl over the fire. The liquid is swirling. I’m trying to see if my hunch is correct. If I’m right about Everleigh.

Ah, I’m fed up of this puzzle. The fire will not show me anything, but does that mean I am wrong or that the future is too uncertain?

Where is my knowledge now?

Every time a Kingmaker comes to this final countdown in their life I intervene. Everleigh is the seventh Kingmaker I have known. That may give you an idea of my age I know, and yes, I am older than anyone I have ever met.

The teacher told me I will live until my life’s purpose is completed and my life’s purpose is to find the Kingmaker who is not the Kingmaker.

Does that even make sense?

When I met my teacher, I was only a teenager. I was rebelling against my power and trying to drown out my knowledge and gift with drink. Alcohol dulled the power and the voices inside me.

My teacher helped me, guided me and allowed me to live with my power, enjoying the help it gave me and embracing it fully. He also told me that I had been chosen for a special and important purpose.

He asked me if I had heard of the Kingmaker. Of course, I had – everyone had. The Kingmaker was a sacred tradition used to choose the new King of the Realm.

The teacher had been privy to a prophecy found years ago, which told of the one Kingmaker who would not die, she instead would rule as the Queen and the greatest ruler that the Realm had ever known.

I was to learn my craft and then go to the castle and work as a wise woman to assist the King. But every time the Kingmaker feast came around, I was to secretly meet the Kingmaker and test if she was the future Queen.

I have a feeling with this one that I’ve never had before. I’m more excited than I’ve been previously to test her. I’m nervous too. The one thing the teacher never told me was what happened next. If I found the Kingmaker who should be Queen, how did I convince anyone else?

My fire has let me down. I leave it to die and decide to finish for the night. After all, if she does as I’ve asked, I will meet Everleigh at the river at sunrise, which isn’t that far away.

I lay in my bed, watching the embers of the fire flicker away, and as I do I see a crown forming in the smoke. Is it a trick of my imagination or is it a sign?

I drift off to sleep pondering.

Author Bio:

Gemma Perfect loves to write. She’s been doing it since she was nine. After a few false starts – self publishing children’s books, and being traditionally published with her romance novella, she has finally found her feet writing young adult historical fantasy books. She is currently writing The Cursed Princess, set five years after The Kingmaker Trilogy finishes, following the adventures of Everleigh's sister, Addyson.

Gemma lives in Wales with her husband Craig and their three boys, Sam, Corey and Oliver. She is happiest when writing, day dreaming and eating smelly blue cheese.

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Dark Legends

1/15/2017

RELEASE DAY IS JANUARY 17, 2017

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They whisper of danger. They whisper of adventure. They whisper of long-lasting love.

Preorder your copy of DARK LEGENDS today for 99c.

This Collection is packed with more than 20 full-length

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Donâ€™t miss this collection of more than twenty unique twists in paranormal romance and urban fantasy, providing over one million words of supernatural suspense that will transport you to new worlds with smoking hot action and heart-throttling adventure!

The DARK LEGENDS boxed set includes:

Mermaids, Sirens, Shifters, Vampires, Dragons, Sorcerers, Warriors, Angels, Faeries, Demons, Witches, Psychics, Ghosts, Mythology, Folk Tales, Legends, Dark Magic, Time Travel, and More!

199ca-14329917_1251498718228846_1745396227627875944_n11

T.F. Walsh with Demon's Mark
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Sonora and the Eye of the Titans

1/14/2017

Sonora and the Eye of the Titans
T.S. Hall
Publication date: January 14th 2017
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

The King is dead, and the capital city of Titanis has fallen. The world of Sonora is at war, and the only hope against the onslaught of the Titan army lies with the last royal decedent of Zeus, who is being covertly sheltered on Earth in the secluded mountain town of Sandy, Oregon.

Allora is a shy, intelligent sixteen-year-old, trying to get through the gauntlet of high school while coming to terms with her otherworldly origins. After getting into a fight at soccer tryouts, Allora’s emotions boil over, and her hands suddenly burst into flames. She has harnessed the power of hadrons at the highest level, but at extreme cost. The magical outburst projects an energy signature that is detected by a group of assassins tasked with killing Sonoran rebels.

To survive, Allora, Katie, Dax, and Tanner must find a powerful ancient artifact known as the Eye of the Titans. With the help of a guardian known as Sasquatch, they will have to fight off creatures, solve complex riddles, and navigate magical caverns, all while enduring advanced calculus, jealous girlfriends, and prom.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

I'm a writer, skier, and wanderer. I grew up in Portland, Oregon, but currently live in the beautiful mountain resort town of Sun Valley, Idaho. I love history, mythology, and the fantastical interpretations that have been incorporated in my debut young adult urban fantasy series called Sonora.

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The Cowboy's Twins

1/13/2017

1 Comment

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for

The Cowboy's Twins

By Tara Taylor Quinn

We hope you enjoyed this tour about a charming cowboy, his twins and a TV producer! Grab a copy for yourself while it's on sale and if you missed any of the stops, go back and check them out...

Launch - Note from the Author

Welcome to The Cowboy’s Twins tour!! This is the third and last book in the Family Secrets Cooking Show series. It’s fun. The twins entertained me from the beginning of the book until the end. And, in typical ttq fashion, it’s emotionally intense, too.

underneath the covers - A Letter from TTQ

Welcome to the Family Secrets cooking show, and the episode where you’re going to see everything that goes on behind the scenes, straight from the show’s creator, producer and director herself, heroine Natasha Stevens.

Nicole’s Book Musings - Review

"I really enjoyed this one. What's not to like about Spencer. He will do anything for his children even have a cooking show descend on his ranch. I liked Natasha as well, she has a big self discovery while working on this location for her show. It helps her work through some inner battles she didn't realize she had."

Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 1

The things you do for love...

Every single thing he did was for love. Love for his children. And love for his ranch.

He didn’t much love the idea of waking up the glamorous city woman at two in the morning. But a deal was a deal.

Angels with Attitude Book Reviews - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 2

A figure moved just outside the front door.

Tall. Slender. She was in shadow, but there was no doubt in Spencer’s mind, the second he saw movement down the steps, that the body belonged to Natasha Stevens.

“I’ve heard of cowboys sleeping in their clothes, to be ready to ride on a second’s notice, but not a famous television producer,” he said, meeting her a few yards from the cabin.

Thoughts of a Blonde - Review

"With Book 3 in the Family Secrets series, we finally get to hear Natasha’s story. We’ve seen her producing the show and wondered what made her tick, and now we find out! It was a bit slower moving than the previous books in the series, but still an enjoyable cast of characters."

Wishful Endings - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 3 (Review here)

Natasha’s long legs made it easy for her to keep up with the handsome cowboy’s strides. She just wasn’t used to tromping across dusty ground in new cowboy boots in the middle of the night.

Though she’d lived on the West Coast for most of her adult life, she’d never succumbed to that particular footwear—having just purchased her new shiny red boots for the show. She’d figured boots were boots. Not so.

"Heartwarming and romance fans alike will find much to love here. . . . Sweet, charming, with a little heartbreak that ends in happily-ever-after was exactly what I was hoping for."

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 4

She didn’t need a man. Or his strength. Didn’t even want one. Her strength of character—okay, her innate need to run her own show, whether it be on television or in her home—was like a coffin in waiting for any relationship.

Becky on Books - Review

"Ultimately, The Cowboy’s Twins was a highly satisfying romance. Though it did end a bit abruptly, it was a good ending, and since the series is based on Natasha’s show, I’ve got high hopes of seeing more of Natasha, Spencer, Tabitha, and Justin in future books!"

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"I really liked this book. It caught my attention from the beginning and held it throughout the book.

I also really liked the characters. They were well developed and easily visualized. I felt like I could be right there with them living that life."

Falling Leaves - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 1

HE DIDN’T WANT the woman there. Spencer took a deep breath. And didn’t like what he smelled. A sixth sense told him something wasn’t right.

And he knew what that something was. The city woman sitting in the corner, staring, while Ellie labored.

Book Lover in Florida - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 2

Nodding, Natasha jumped into the fray. She grabbed when she was told to grab. Pulled. The calf didn’t budge. Her arms ached. Using her entire body weight, she leaned back. And managed to keep the hooves outside the cow’s body.

Everything happened in seconds after that. One minute Ellie was in obvious stress with Spencer on the ground by the struggling cow’s tail. The next, Spencer was pushing Natasha aside, grabbing hooves, and had pulled a calf out into the world.

Her new red boots were going in the trash.

Getting Your Read On - Review

"It was sweet though, and clean, which I really appreciate!"

Heidi Reads... - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 3

“You’re supposed to be brushing your teeth.”

“We did.” Justin’s immediate response was followed by a drop in his gaze. And then his chin met his chest. “No, we didn’t,” he corrected himself before Spencer could take the breath necessary to challenge the boy. “But...do we gotta?” Justin’s eyes widened as he gave Spencer an imploring look. “They’ll just get dirty again, and I’ll brush it all away tonight.”

Spencer pressed his lips together, hoping he looked stern.

The hardest part about being a single parent was having no one with whom to share the laughter.

I Am A Reader - Excerpt/Chapter 1, Part 4

And he made no pretense to himself about the reason for that.

He wanted to spend as little time as possible with the city girl who’d invaded his space.

In more ways than one.

And enter the giveaway below if you haven't already...

The Cowboy's Twins

(Family Secrets #3)

by Tara Taylor Quinn

Adult Contemporary Romance

Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 pages

January 3rd 2017 by Harlequin Heartwarming

It looked so good on camera…

If it weren't for the money, Spencer Longfellow would happily drive Natasha Stevens and her TV crew right off his ranch. But his land, and his kids, mean the world to him—and he'll do anything to secure their future. Even cohost Natasha's cooking show, Family Secrets, in his barn. Even play the token hunky cowboy to her sophisticated city slicker and flirt with her on national television… It could never amount to anything real anyway. After all, he was fooled and left in the dust by a city girl once. And he will never let that happen to him—or his kids—again

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Other Books in the Series

For Love or Money

(Family Secrets #1)

by Tara Taylor Quinn

Adult Contemporary Romance

Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

August 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She can't afford to lose this…or him

There's no way that struggling single mom Janie Young is going to lose Family Secrets. Not even to Dr. Burke Carter. The prize money and media exposure from the cooking-competition show will secure the future for her and her son, who has special needs. Sure, Burke is a talented chef with his own reasons to win, but he already has so much: wealth, a beautiful daughter, great looks…and definitely her attention. As their families become closer, Janie is beginning to care too much about him. But she can't afford to get involved. Not when everything is riding on beating him.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Her Soldier's Baby

(Family Secrets #2)

by Tara Taylor Quinn

Adult Contemporary Romance

Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 pages

November 1st 2016 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Will the truth heal him--or tear them apart?

The baby she gave up for adoption long ago is a secret Eliza Westin has concealed from her husband. With good reason. Wounded soldier turned police officer Pierce Westin was Eliza's high school sweetheart. He's also her son's father.

Seventeen years ago, Pierce went off to war unaware that he'd fathered a child. Eliza's shot as a contestant on the Family Secrets cooking competition show is her chance to reconnect with the past. But once she finds her long-lost son, she can only hope that Pierce will embrace their newfound family. Or will Eliza lose the love of her life all over again?

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

About the Author

The author of more than 70 original novels, in twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a USA Today bestseller with over six million copies sold. A 2015 RITA finalist Tara appears frequently on bestseller lists, including #1 placement on Amazon lists, and multiple showings on the Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller list. She has appeared on national and local TV across the country, including CBS Sunday Morning.

Tara is a supporter of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. If you or someone you know might be a victim of domestic violence in the United States, please contact 1-800-799-7233.

Website│Goodreads│Amazon│Facebook│Twitter│Pinterest│Instagram│Wattpad

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive ebooks of the first two books in the series, FOR LOVE OR MONEY and HER SOLDIER'S BABY

Open internationally

Ends January 17th