TALKING TALES FROM THE WINDOWS ~ BY ROMANCE GEM LIZ FLAHERTY

 

Please help me welcome back Romance Gem Liz Faherty! Last time she was here, she gave us a little HEALING SUMMER; but in this new season she brings tales from windows, theWINDOW OVER THE SINK and the WINDOW OVER THE DESK. Let's find out more about them...

Blurbs~

WINDOW OVER THE SINK ~

It’s been nearly ten years since we retired. I’m still in the office Duane and the boys created for me. The seven quilts I promised to make have been completed. A few books. He has new knees and new guitars. We’ve had grief and loss in these years, occasional discontent, times of being alone even when we were together. We’ve also had a blessed amount of fun. Of music and laughter and family. Of the other side of being alone that comes of knowing we never really are.

Much has changed in those nine years and change, and much has stayed the same. At first, it seemed as if this book was a vanity thing. Or a thing for the grandkids to look at and think Okay, Nana, what do you want me to do with this? But in the end, like most other things in life that are worthwhile, it is a labor of love. A gathering of thoughts and dreams and memories.

Thanks for joining me on the journey.

WINDOW OVER THE DESK ~

In 2020, I released the first collection of Window Over the Sink columns. It was for my family, really, and to give my own ego a boost. (Any writer who says she doesn’t need that now and then is lying, by the way.)

It was so much fun.

Which is why I decided to open the Window Over the Desk. My view out this particular window is a favorite—even today, when I’m drying…things…on the clothesline. Also today, the hay bales in the field that have given me pleasure for several weeks have been gathered and stored for the long winter.

I hope the essays in this book give you some pleasant reading time over that winter. I hope they make you remember things, laugh sometimes, and refill your cup and sit down and read “just one more.”

As I mention way more often than is necessary, I’m kind of old. The years have dimmed some reflections through the window, brightened others, and changed a whole bunch of them. What a trip it’s been.

Thanks—again—for joining me on the journey.

Here's Liz at that desk!

Bio~

I was always daydreaming as a kid, about living in elegant places where other people made your bed and dusted your furniture, wearing clothes that screamed triumphantly, "Liz Claiborne, size two!" every time I put them on, and writing blockbuster novels.

Instead, I live in a big old farmhouse back a dusty lane, where whoever is the last one out of bed makes it and no one bothers with dusting. My clothes mumble sheepishly, "J. C. Penney, buy a bigger size." And my novels aren't what you'd call blockbusters. What they are is stories about people like me and maybe like you, whose dreams have gone awry or simply withered up and died. It's my job as a writer to take care of those dreams, either by straightening out the old ones or finding new ones. Either way, I love it, and I'd love hearing how you feel about how I've done that job. Email me at lizkflaherty@gmail.com

You can see all of the books that Liz has published on her Amazon page:

https://www.amazon.com/Liz-Flaherty/e/B001J919R4/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Thank you, Liz, for joining us and telling us about your latest release!

Thank you, readers, for joining us on today's journey! I hope the rest of the journey will be all that you want it to be.




  

I'm Bringing You SWEET DREAMS today! Hey, It Was The Least I Could Do! #RomanceGem Kari Lemor

 The weather is changing which means...you've got it! Christmas is on the way! And there's nothing better than a sweet Christmas romance to get you in the holiday mood! Please welcome Romance Gem Kari Lemor and her latest release, SWEET DREAMS! (Who else has the Eurythmics' song going through your head? Have you seen this guy singing it at the gas pump? One of my favorites! https://youtu.be/q6PAGwtoBwU)

Blurb ~

Faking it has never been so sweet.

When Zachary Donahue breezes back into town for his sister’s wedding, he finds himself the unwilling target of her matchmaking. He’s partnered with her best friend, Kelsey, his biggest childhood crush.

Bridesmaid, Kelsey Ramos, isn’t interested in being set up with her friend’s annoying older brother who used to put frogs and snakes in her backpack. She liked the frogs better than she liked Zack.

To ensure the bride focuses on her wedding, not them, Kelsey and Zack will have to pretend they’re dating. But when Christmas magic hits the air, there’s no telling which way the sweet wind will blow.

Excerpt ~

The bell above the door tinkled and Kelsey glanced up from the shelf she was stacking jars of local jam on. She loved being able to sell the wares of people who lived in and around town. It worked out for all involved as town folks loved supporting each other.

The navy wool beanie she’d gotten used to seeing appeared above the shelf next to her. Zack grinned down at her.

“Trying to hide and get out of our date tonight?”

Could she? When they’d made arrangements a few days ago to go skating after work, she hadn’t thought anything of it. But now that the time had come, a tiny flutter of nervousness skittered around her stomach.

“Would it work?” Her flip tongue always got the better of her.

“Nope. You said you closed the shop at four on Sunday. So we’ve got plenty of time to skate. I need to get in shape if I plan to infiltrate one of the morning hockey games. Are you almost ready to go?”

“I just need to neaten up this shelf and make sure none of the mix and match candy got mixed up.”

Zack peered into the half wooden barrels at the individually wrapped sweets. “I can do that. Finish up the shelves, and we can go.”

She pointed to the door. “Do you mind flipping the open sign to closed, please?”

He did as asked, then poked through the wooden barrels while she straightened the shelves. It had been a busy weekend and she’d need to contact her suppliers to refill the stock. That always made her feel great when she sold local goods.

“Let me just lock up the back and grab my skates. Do you have a pair?”

“There was an old pair of mine hanging in the barn at my parents’ house. Not sure how sharp they are, but I won’t be going for any hat tricks today, so maybe I’ll be fine.”

Kelsey gave the back room a quick check, made sure the doors were locked, then took her skates, coat, mittens, scarf, and hat. The weather had warmed up to the mid-thirties today, but with the sun going down any second, it would get chillier.

As she entered the store front, Zack backed away from the glass case he’d been drooling over.

“Do you want something before we go? Are you hungry?”

“Haven’t really had anything since lunch. I didn’t want to be late getting here. But I can wait until after we skate. No sense having you open up the register again now that it’s shut down.”

Kelsey laughed and scooped two red velvet cupcakes from the case, then closed it again. “Here. I remember you liked these. It’s on the house.”

“I’ll pay you back later.” The cupcake was gone in four bites.

“You can pay me back with a cup of hot chocolate after we skate. The Boy Scouts sell it by the bandstand.” She took a bite of her own cupcake. He had good taste. The red velvet ones were amazing.

“It’s a deal. Finish that up so we can go.”

Kelsey took her time eating the rest, savoring it, then licking the frosting from her lips. Zack stared at her and his expression was interesting, but she couldn’t quite interpret it. Most likely she had chocolate stuck to the corner of her mouth. She grabbed a napkin and did a thorough wipe. Having a dirty face while seeing other people from town would be embarrassing.

“Am I all clean now?” She smiled at Zack, and he nodded, then tipped his chin at her.

    “How about me?”

There was a tiny fleck of cake crumb snagged in the bristle on his chin, so she reached up and brushed it away. The scruff felt good scraping her fingers, but she pulled them away as fast as she could. This was a fake relationship, and it wouldn’t do to start enjoying touching Zack in any way. 

FIND KARI LEMOR AT:

https://www.karilemor.com

BUY SWEET DREAMS AT:

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GJQGKBX/

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1140172551?ean=2940162584926

iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/sweet-dreams-a-christmas-in-new-england-story/id1586384794

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

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-dreams-a-christmas-in-new-england-story

Books2Read https://books2read.com/b/bWGyNW

Thanks for joining us today!

Needs Me A Little SAND, SALT, AND SPIRITS! ~ KATHRYN HILLS #RomanceGem

 So happy to welcome back the lovely Kathryn Hills with her latest release, SAND, SALT, AND SPIRITS which is a LAST CHANCE BEACH ROMANCE! Now when I hear sand, I think beach. Salt, I think beach and tequila. Spirits? Tequila! But I don't think those are the kinds of spirits Kathy is talking about. Let's find out...

Blurb ~

Can a weekend visit to Last Chance Beach undo decades of brokenhearted memories? Conjuring up some island magic might just be their trick. Or treat!

Kyle Worthington hasn’t returned to Last Chance Beach in years. He’s worked hard to prove himself to his overbearing father and the rest of the world. Now it’s October, and the vacation island paradise is celebrating the season with an island-wide Fall Festival. Family obligation demands he participate. Everyone will be there, including the ghost that haunts his grandparents’ B&B.

The running joke that Kyle never sticks with anything—not a career or a woman—will continue to plague him. Unless he brings a knockout of a date to the weekend-long event. Cassandra Corwin fits the bill perfectly. Kyle’s had his eye on his brilliant, beautiful coworker since day one. But Cassie is an enigma, a loner. There’s no room in her life for anyone except Odin, her goofball of a Great Dane.

Will this woman of mystery agree to Kyle’s scheme to impress his family? Can two near-strangers from opposite worlds survive family gatherings and back-to-back Halloween events while pretending to be a couple? Kyle’s father seems hell-bent on derailing everything before they even shout “Boo!”

Or will the island’s magic prove too powerful for them to resist?

The last time Kathryn was here she shared this cover and I think it's one of my all-time favorite covers! And get this...it's only 99¢ right now!

Get your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sand-Salt-Spirits-Chance-Romance-ebook/dp/B096N46PXH/

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sand-salt-and-spirits-last-chance-beach-romance-kathryn-hills/1139677812

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sand-salt-and-spirits-last-chance-beach-romance

Bio~

The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for many of KATHRYN’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts...all sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories involve time travel. And ghosts! Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure.

When not writing, this best-selling author is researching, gardening, or cooking up something special in her chaotic kitchen. She shares her colonial home in the north woods with those she loves most – her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.

Find Kathryn Hills Online



Website * Facebook

Twitter * Amazon Author Page * BookBub

 

 

When It Comes To #RomanceGem Author Nancy Fraser, One Book Is NEVER ENOUGH!

Please welcome back Romance Gem author Nancy Fraser with her newest release, NEVER ENOUGH! 

But before we get to that, let's find out a little more about Nancy...

What is something you struggle with when you write?

Time management and the tendency to over-extend myself and take on too much. I always manage to make the deadline but it can get annoyingly close and leave me with a bad need for a nap, or more coffee.

How do you balance the demands of your everyday life and your writing life?

My everyday life is my writing life. Fortunately, pretty much everyone who knows me accepts the fact that I’m an introvert and would prefer to stay home. Of course, every once in awhile I break out and go crazy.

 

Where do you live? Where would you love to live?

I live in Oromocto, New Brunswick Canada, about 40 minutes north of the Maine border. If I could live anywhere (other than here), it would likely be in Las Vegas. Of course, I’d need a lot of money for that ... but a girl can dream.

Share with us a little about your family. Married? Kids? Pets?

I’ve now officially been divorced longer than I was married and that’s saying a lot since I’ve still got the silver tea service I received for my 25^th anniversary. I have two “really” grown sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and five wonderful grandchildren. I don’t have pets of my own but I do have seven grandpets—one dog, two cats, and four adorable guinea pigs.

 

Just for fun, when trick-or-treating as a kid, was there any kind of candy that you didn’t like to get?

Anything black-licorice-flavored, whether it was actual licorice or jelly beans. Nope. Not for me.

 

Name your favorite children's story.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

What is your concept of a fruitful day?

5,000 or more words written; promotional work done before noon; and that I remember to eat.

 

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Tardiness for no reason other than laziness or inattention. Unfortunately, I have a family full of late-runners. The only one I can truly count on being on time is my youngest grandson. Unfortunately, he’s only 8 so he can’t drive ... which means he’s going to be late because of dad.

 

What are your three favorite smells?

Freshly brewed coffee, fresh lemon, and cookies right out of the oven.

Blurb ~

When Amanda Thorne arrives on San Bella Island, she’s tired and in bad need of a vacation. She’s just finished paying off her late husband’s many debts by selling their home and belongings. On her way to Dallas for a new job in a medical research lab, she’s taking one week to recoup before beginning her new life.

Nicholas Holloway is recovering from a 2-year stint undercover for the U.S. Marshal Service. Ordered to take a vacation to clear his head, he ends up on San Bella at the same time.

Will these two battle-scared souls find peace in the other’s arms? And, will they be able to walk away at the end of their one-week fling?

Caution: This book contains love scenes and language some may find offensive. Or hot!

Excerpt~

Montauk, Long Island

Saturday Morning

Amanda Thorne turned full circle in the three-story entryway, her sensible two-inch heels clicking against the expensive slate flooring. Sparing one last, longing glance at the great room to her right, she engaged the alarm, closed the door behind her, and dropped her keys in the realtor’s lockbox.

The past eight years of her life—the last vestige of her inheritance—gone.

Right on time, the taxi pulled into the long, winding driveway, stopping just inches from where she waited. The driver, a short, stocky man who reminded her of her maternal grandfather, took her single suitcase and placed it in the trunk.

“Where to, Miss?” he asked.

“LaGuardia, please. Domestic terminal.”

He held the door open and waited for her to settle into the seat before slipping behind the steering wheel and shifting his weight to get comfy.

“Going to visit family?” he asked, casually starting up a conversation.

“No,” she said softly. “I’m relocating.”

He shot her a quick glance over his shoulder before pulling the car into gear and starting out across the inlaid brick drive. “You’re moving away from Long Island?”

His question sent a sharp pain through her chest. After all, who in their right mind would leave Long Island, especially the beautiful area of Montauk?

It’s not like you had a choice, now did you?

Amanda bit back an angry curse, willing her conscience back into its allotted corner of her mind. Suddenly remembering the man’s question, she told him, “I’m taking a job out of state. As much as I’ll miss parts of New York, I won’t miss the winters.”

“Ah,” he said, chuckling. “You’re relocating somewhere warm.” He paused, then asked, “Were those your three moving vans I passed on the way from the highway?”

Three vans? Not hardly.

The single small load truck she’d hired had held everything she owned, save for what she’d packed for her trip. So, if there was a caravan of trucks, it wasn’t hers.

“No, not mine,” she acknowledged finally.

He turned the taxi onto the highway leading to the airport. “Good luck to you, wherever you’re headed.”

“Thank you.”

Sliding her fingertips over the screen of her cell, Amanda pulled up her reservation-- the short vacation a gift from the real estate agent who’d benefited greatly from the sale of her home.

Diamond Key Resort, San Bella Island. An island paradise, or so the brochure claimed. All she wanted was time to recoup, a handful of days to reset her emotional clock and prepare herself for her new life.

A week alone... away from the cloying pity of her so-called friends and family.

Find out how that week goes by purchasing NEVER ENOUGH at one of these places:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096MXVM4Y/

ASIN: B096MXVM4Y

Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/never-enough/id1570899435


B&N (Nook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-enough-nancy-fraser/1139637631

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/never-enough-50

Universal: books2read.com/u/bzeNJ2

Custom: books2read.com/NvrNuff

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58717394-never-enough

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/never-enough-a-later-in-life-steamy-romance-never2late4love-book-1-by-nancy-fraser

Bio~

NANCY FRASER—Jumping Across Romance Genres with Gleeful Abandon—is an Amazon Top 100 and Award-Winning author who can’t seem to decide which romance genre suits her best. So, she writes them all.

When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy dotes on her five wonderful grandchildren and looks forward to traveling and reading when time permits. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.

Find Nancy here:

Website: www.nancyfraser.ca

Blog: https://notesfromaromanticsheart.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nfraserauthor @nfraserauthor

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/profile/nancy-fraser

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Fraser/e/B004AOL61Y/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7206382.Nancy_Fraser

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3gC68iMStwKCr4v_S6fMIA

Newletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bxkKvD

Thank you for joining us today, Nancy, and for sharing NEVER ENOUGH with us!

A Pride Of Brothers: Aiden, A Book To Be Proud Of From #RomanceGem Author Peggy Jaeger

Good morning! I have Peggy Jaeger on this morning with her newest release A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN! But first, Peggy's going to talk about using pets as secondary characters. Let's see what she has to say...

The “character” of Bronte in A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN was truly a joy for me to create and write about.

I love dogs.

I love cats, too.

In fact, I love most animals of the warm-blooded type. (I could do without snakes and insects, but I realize they are vital to the ecosystem, so I tolerate them – I just don’t write about them!)


Since I started writing I’ve included pets in my stories because I feel they are integral parts of a human character’s storyline. When a hero has a pet, be it a 150-pound St. Bernard or a 4-pound calico cat, it says something about his internal makeup. He may have an alpha hard shell that he exhibits to the world, but under that shell is a man who loves, cares for, and shares his home with an animal.


The heroine may be snarky and even klutzy, but she is devoted to her three-legged cat or one-eyed parrot, or anxiety-prone Labrador. That shows she is a nurturing woman who can tame a reluctant hero.


Bronte is a chocolate Labrador service animal. When you read the book you’ll discover why Aiden needs a service dog. But she is so much more to him than just a working part of his life. She is his best friend, his constant companion, and his emotional anchor. Bronte goes almost everywhere she can with Aiden and acts as his protector, confidant, and support system. Once Lexi comes into Aiden’s life, Bronte adopts her, too.

Thank you, Peggy! Now let's hear a little more about the story...

Blurb ~

Lexi Buckley wants answers about her younger sister's death. The police have labeled it a suicide, but Lexi doesn't believe it. Stymied in her investigation, she doesn't know where to turn next. After a chance encounter with a private investigator, she thinks her prayers have been answered.

Aiden Keane has never been an answer to a prayer before, but he agrees to help Lexi. A quirky combo of brains and beauty, the pixie blonde makes him feel things no professional ever should for a client.

When their investigation puts Lexi's life in jeopardy, her safety becomes his number one priority. The hard part is not falling for her.

Excerpt ~

"Were you close with your sister?” Aiden asked.

Not the way we should have been. Not at the end.

“We had a sizable age difference between us. Almost ten years. I was the big sis. The oldest.” Her lips trembled when she pulled them into a sad line. Rolling her eyes she added, “The bossy one, according to her. She was the baby and took full advantage of her status from the moment she realized it.”

“And rightly so.” The corners of his eyes crinkled. “I’m the youngest of my brothers and I can tell you with one hundred percent honesty, my oldest brother is the bossiest one of us. I think it comes with birth order. Although he takes his so-called right uber-seriously. Especially at work.”

This time her grin was steadier. “What kind of business do you all own together?”

“We run a private security company.”

“Security?”

“Personal bodyguards, if a client needs protection from something. Background checks for employers. Mostly we do investigations.”

“What, like private eyes? Like on television?”

He laughed. “Nothing so glamorous. The fast cars and hot babes are all fantasy. It’s a lot of boring research, computer work, and surveillance, but yeah, you could say I’m a private eye.”

Lexi’s entire mood turned on his words. The sorrow flew, the hurt dissolved. Even her nervous trivia-speak went dormant. She sat bolt upright, her knees bumping against the tabletop when she shifted. Excitement shot from her system as she turned her body, placed a hand across his forearm, and declared, “Oh, my God. You’re the answer to my prayers.”

Purchase PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN here~

 https://books2read.com/u/braGJZ

Bio ~

Peggy Jaeger writes contemporary romances and rom coms about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them.

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, Peggy brings all aspects of life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness, and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she has created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"

 

Website/Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggyjaeger_author/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger

You-Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR8RRIlssIyS0FYZWeGqsg/videos?view_as=subscriber

Thanks for sharing your work with us, Peggy!

 

WARNING: This Book May Cause You To BLUSH! ~ #RomanceGems Author, Lucinda Race

I'd like to welcome back Romance Gem author Lucinda Race with her newest release, Book Four in her CRESCENT LAKE WINERY SERIES, BLUSH! (You may remember when she was on with her second book in the series, BREATHE). Let's hear all about BLUSH...

Blurb ~

Friends to lovers to friends…to lovers?

For Peyton Brien, working as the manager of the tasting room at Crescent Lake Winery is more than a job. It’s her passion. The single mother’s other passion is her seven-year-old son. Years before, she’d had those same feelings for the winery owner’s son, Jack. She’d thought they had a forever kind of love—until he moved away and broke her heart. But now he’s back. Friends to lovers to friends again. They’ve agreed the past is the past. But is it?

Jack Price ran to California to escape from the future his father saw for him. His passion isn’t business; it’s working about the grape vines. The years away didn’t change that, and they didn’t change Jack’s love for Peyton. And now her hero-worshipping son is wrapping himself around Jack’s heart as well. But just as Peyton and Jack’s relationship begins to sprout new tendrils of hope, a secret from Jack’s past threatens to destroy his dreams.

They’re long past the sweet blush of first love. But just as red and white wines blend to form a blush wine, can Peyton and Jack find a way to blend their pasts and their present to create a rosy new future?

Bio ~

Award-winning author Lucinda Race writes about family, love and happily ever afters.

Award-winning author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of romantic fiction. As a young girl, she spent hours reading romance novels and getting lost in the hope they represent. While her friends dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers, her dreams were to become a writer—a romance novelist.

As life twisted and turned, she found herself writing nonfiction but longed to turn to her true passion. After developing the storyline for The Loudon Series, it was time to start living her dream. Her fingers practically fly over computer keys as she weaves stories about strong women and the men who love them.

Lucinda lives with her husband and their two little dogs, a miniature longhair dachshund and a shitzu mix rescue, in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. When she's not at her day job, she’s immersed in her fictional worlds. And if she’s not writing romance novels, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on. It’s too bad her husband doesn’t cook, but a very good thing he loves takeout.

Please visit her website lucindarace.com and sign up for her newsletter and don't forget to follow her on social media.

Here's where to purchase BLUSH:

https://books2read.com/u/3JXYeK



Here's where to find Lucinda:

https://twitter.com/LucindaRace

FB https://www.facebook.com/LucindaRaceAuthor/

https://www.instagram.com/lucindaraceauthor/

Goodreads – Lucinda Race- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10174985.Lucinda_Race

Book + Main Lucinda Race https://bookandmainbites.com/search/Lucinda%20Race

Youtube Lucinda Race https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lucinda+race+author

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

Universal Link https://books2read.com/ap/xyYO2g/Lucinda-Race

Bookbub Lucinda Race https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lucinda-race

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Lucinda-Race/e/B00Q0MMNUM

Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/118597305361578

https://lucindarace.com

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/feed/6

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful weekend!

The Return of Romance Gem Author Nancy Fraser and her RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE!

Ladies and gents, please help me welcome back the lovely and prolific, Nancy Fraser! It's been forever since her last release. Like, four whole weeks! And, if you're thinking she's must not put out quality work at that rate, you're wrong. Her work is fun, smart, and well-edited. This month's release is a Last Chance Beach romance, RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE. Not only is she a fantastic writer, look at the visual images she creates. This is her kick-butt cover!

Nancy brought along Jared Wilson, considered by some to be the second hero of RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE.

Jared, to start off with, tell me about yourself? What is your occupation? Why? What are your strengths & weaknesses?

I have the honor of being best friends with Chase and Emily. I was supposed to be the best man at their wedding. At least until Emily ran away and left my good buddy at the rehearsal altar.

Now, five years later, Chase and I have gone into business together and own Sink and Swim Scuba and Land or Leap Parasailing. With Emily back as well, things are sure to be exciting.

As for strengths ... Basically, I’m a really good person. I care for my friends and all of Last Chance Beach. While both Chase and Emily left, I stayed behind and held down the fort, always expecting they’d return.

As for weakness ... I’m hiding a secret from my best friend. One that could end our friendship if he ever found out. Hint: I might have had a part in why Emily bolted on the eve of her wedding.

Whoa! Do tell! What is your earliest childhood memory?

My earliest and fondest childhood memory was my first day of kindergarten. It was also the day I met both Chase and Emily. I remember Emily fell off the monkey bars and Chase and I both rushed to help her. It was magic ... that first meeting morphed into all these years of friendship and togetherness.

What do you like about the heroine?

Emily? She’s the best. Not just a good friend, but a confidant. Despite running out on her wedding, she’s really a kind person. I'm confident that with her return to Last Chance Beach, she’ll realize coming home is exactly what she needs.

What is it that you want out of life?

Happiness. A great relationship, like Chase and Emily once had. Success. I want our businesses to thrive so that we can expand and never have to leave Last Chance Beach.

Has life handed you any major disappointments?

A few. Estrangement from my parents really hurt. Yet, as much as I want to fix that, it may not be possible. Having both Em and Chase leave me behind hurt for a while as well, but we’re working on it now that they’re back.

If you had an unexpected free day, what would you do with it?

That’s easy. I’d go cave diving. We dive nearly every day with customers, but that’s business and we only go as deep as the caverns – where you can still see the surface of the ocean. The real excitement is diving down into the underground caves. There’s nothing more relaxing, or reviving.

What is on your iPod right now?

I’m a mid-90s baby, but love music from the late 60s and onward. On my iPod at the moment ... a mixed tape of songs from the two Guardians of Galaxy movies. I get the best music of four decades all on one stream.

Hmm...interesting. Well, let's tell folks a little more about RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE...

Blurb ~

Five years earlier, Emily Bennett ran out on Chase Michaels on the eve of their wedding. At twenty-two, she wanted more than the island of Last Chance Beach could offer. Intent on making a name for herself as a world-class journalist, she left to take a job with a big city newspaper.

Heartbroken, Chase left Last Chance Beach and joined the Coast Guard in an effort to rebuild his life. Returning four years later for a family emergency, he decided to stay and go into business with his best friend.

Emily’s returning as well. Not as the journalist she’d hoped to be but as a bestselling romance author. One of her books is about to be made into a movie, and filming will take place on Last Chance Beach and in the nearby town of Summerville.

Will Emily’s return give them a second chance at the love they once shared? Or, will her ‘other’ reason for leaving put a wedge between three best friends that can’t be healed by time or intention?

Excerpt ~

Last Chance Beach Wedding Chapel
Five Years Earlier

Chase Michaels stood at the front of the non-denominational chapel, in muted conversation with the justice of the peace. He turned slowly, surveying the half-dozen guests who’d been invited to the wedding rehearsal.

The only persons missing were his best friend Jared, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and Emily, his bride-to-be.

Carly and Becca, Emily’s bridesmaids, hovered nearby.

“I’ve heard of a bride being late for the wedding before,” Carly whispered, “but the rehearsal?”

“You know Emily,” Becca responded, shaking her head in teasing resignation. “She does like to make an entrance.”

When the back door of the chapel opened, everyone raised their gazes in anticipation. Rather than the blushing bride, it was Jared Wilson, Chase’s best man, who entered the sanctuary and made his way down the narrow aisle.

Stopping just short of the flower-covered altar, he pulled Chase aside.

“She’s gone,” Jared said, his words falling like a lead brick on Chase ’s ears.

“What do you mean ‘gone’? Gone where?”

“Mrs. Bennett said Emily packed her suitcase, gassed up her car, and left. She’s on her way to Boston for a job interview.” Jared stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a velvet pouch. “She left this for you.”

Chase didn’t need to look to know what was in the bag. After all, he’d been the one to give the modest ring to Emily in the first place. Drawing a deep breath, he spun around and faced his friends and family.

“Thank you all for being here for the wedding rehearsal.” Blinking back the threat of tears, he met his mother’s worried gaze. “However, there will be no need to practice. The wedding’s been called off.”

“Called off?” Carly asked. She and Becca exchanged glances and then closed the distance between themselves and where he stood. “If Emily’s got cold feet, we’ll straighten her out.”

Chase gave a quick shake of his head and bit back the string of curses welling up from within. “Emily’s gone. She sent back the ring and, as we speak, she’s on her way to Boston, eager it seems to put both me and Last Chance Beach in her rearview mirror.”

One-by-one, the guests slowly filtered out of the chapel, Carly and Becca giving Chase a hug of support. His mom wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed, nearly drawing the tears he was fighting so hard to contain. Within minutes, he was left standing at the altar alone, but for the best friend he’d known since kindergarten.

“Are you okay, Chase?” Jared asked.

“No, but I will be. Just not anytime soon.”

Whoo! I don't know about you, but I'm already invested in this story! It may need to be bumped up on the to-be-read pile! 

Here's where you can get RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094TQVB28

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1567305673

B&N (Nook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-runaway-bride-nancy-fraser/1139455089

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/return-of-the-runaway-bride-2

Universal Custom: https://books2read.com/RunBride


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58049814-return-of-the-runaway-bride


BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/return-of-the-runaway-bride-last-chance-beach-romance-by-nancy-fraser

 

Thank you so much for joining us, Nancy, and for bringing along Jared! I can't wait to dip my toes in the waters of Last Chance Beach!

Return of the Runaway Bride Jigsaw Puzzle

Oh, Baby, Have I Got a Book For You! SANTA BABY, from Romance Gem Author Peggy Jaeger!

We've made it to Friday which means we get a little treat, a peek at my friend and fellow Romance Gem author Peggy Jaeger's Christmas in July release, SANTA BABY!

Blurb ~

It’s Christmas Eve morning in the tiny New England town of Dickens.

Santa’s arrival is imminent, and a hint of snow is in the air.

Amy Dorrit is just about to open her popular diner for the breakfast rush when she discovers an abandoned baby on her back doorstep.

Amy knows she should call the authorities and turn the infant over to them, but she just can’t. Thoughts of her own abandonment as a baby flood through her and she wants to keep the little one out of the hands of the authorities until the mother – hopefully –returns.

But will the mom come back? And if she doesn’t, what is Amy prepared to do about the baby who has, already, claimed her heart?

 

Excerpt ~

“What in the name of all that’s holy are you holding, Amy Dorrit?”

Willie Jackson stood at her office door, a lit cigarette dangling from a corner of his mouth, his leather jacket hanging open and his eyes as big and round as his county-famous blueberry pancakes.

“What does it look like?” Amy dug around in the carrier searching for a bottle, pacifier, something, to soothe the baby’s cries. “Lose the cigarette. It’s a baby and I’m pretty sure it’s hungry.”

He lifted those shocked eyes to Amy’s face. “Girl, you been keeping secrets from ol’ Willie?”

“Oh for Pete’s sake. Are you nuts, William Jefferson Jackson? It’s not my baby. I found it at the back door when I came downstairs.”

“Whose is it?”

“No idea.”

“What is it?” Holding the small bundle like a football in one arm, she shoved the piece of paper she’d found at him. “Same answer. I haven’t looked yet. Here, read this. I found it tucked inside the blanket.” Once he had it, Amy placed her pinky finger over the baby’s lips. It immediately rooted, then latched on to suck.

“I knew it. It’s starving.”

“ ‘I’m sorry,” he read aloud, ‘but I can’t take care of her—’ well, we know it’s a girl –‘I have no job and no way to hold on to one with a baby. Please forgive me for leaving her like this, but I saw how kind you were yesterday and I know you’ll take care of her like I can’t.’” Willie scratched his head. “Well, shit. We got us a real abandoned baby, here, Ames ol’ girl.”

“Don’t curse in front of her.” She shot him an annoyed glare, her left eyebrow inching up her forehead to her hairline.

“It ain’t like she can understand me. She’s a baby, fer Chri-” Her other eyebrow followed its twin. “Er, pity’s sake.”

“I need something to feed her with.” She glanced around her office. “Can you get me one of the cake decorating bottles? The ones with the plastic tip? I think that’ll work.”

“What’a’ya gonna feed her? Frosting? You ain’t got no mother’s milk and you can’t feed her coffee creamer.”

“Dam-I mean, drat. You’re right. I can give her a little water to hold her over until I can run out and get her some formula.”

“Shouldn’t you call the police? I mean, she’s been abandoned, ain’t she? You can’t just keep her.”

You can buy SANTA BABY here:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3R8lVG


Add it to your Goodreads WANT TO READ list:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57957986-santa-baby


RECOMMEND IT TO OTHER READERS on Bookbub page:

https://www.bookbub.com/books/santa-baby-a-dickens-holiday-prequel-dorrit-s-diner-by-peggy-jaeger

Bio ~

Peggy Jaeger is a contemporary romance writer who writes Romantic Comedies about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer!

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, she brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go "What??!"


You can find Peggy here:

Website: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Blog: http://peggyjaeger.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peggy-Jaeger-Author/825914814095072?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478796.Peggy_Jaeger

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/peggy-jaeger

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDR8RRIlssIyS0FYZWeGqsg/videos?view_as=subscriber


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggyjaeger_author/

Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/peggyjaeger/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggy-jaeger-296ab878/


Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00T8E5LN0

Authors database: https://authorsdb.com/community/15814-peggy-jaeger

Triberr: https://triberr.com/tribe/strong-women--loving-men

Thank you for joining us today, Peggy and for bringing along your baby, SANTA BABY!