You'll Be In Luck With LILY'S LUCK ~ From Romance Gem Nancy Fraser

 Happy weekend, everyone! Please help me welcome Nancy Fraser back to visit us with her newest release, LILY'S LUCK. Isn't this a lovely cover? I mean, I really love it! Nancy is one of my favorite writers. Her writing is smart and fluid which makes reading her books a pleasure. Let's find out a little more about this book...

Blurb~ 

Lily O’Halloran is the eldest daughter of Boston elite, and so outspoken she has as yet to find a suitable husband. At twenty-six, she’s considered a spinster. Unlike her more docile younger siblings, Lily longs for adventure. Excitement. With her parents breathing down her neck to accept a proposal from a man she abhors, Lily decides to take matters into her own hands. An advertisement for Miller Matrimonial Services outlining their search for mail-order brides for the upcoming land run sparks Lily’s interest. Surely, considering marriage to a total stranger can’t be any worse than the horrid man her mother has chosen for her. Using a portion of her trust fund, Lily books rail passage west to Wichita.

Brendan (Bren) MacKinnon is eager to begin a new life away from the Kansas farm where he was raised by a beloved uncle. When his uncle passes, Bren sees this as his chance to do what he’s always wanted to do... become a cattleman rather than a wheat farmer. He sells the farm and all that comes with it to fund his dream of setting out on the next Oklahoma Land Run to claim himself a proper homestead. However, he knows the best chance he has of making a go of it is to have someone by his side. A partner. Maybe even a wife.

Will the cowboy and the socialite be a match made in Heaven, or the worst decision either has ever made?

Excerpt~ 

 

Bren stood off to the side of the nearly-empty room. There were less than a dozen people left, five women and six men by his count. The men were all considerably older than his twenty-nine years. Unfortunately, so were the women.

Two widows with grown children, two former saloon workers, and a very stark looking schoolmarm. At least that’s what the listing he’d been given said. Given there were two names on the list that hadn’t shown up, Bren couldn’t help but wonder if they’d met earlier and decided to skip the whole greeting process.

The entryway door opened, the loud click drawing his attention, as well as that of every other person in the room. The woman who stepped through was tall, slim, and at least a dozen years younger than any of her counterparts.

He pushed himself away from the wall and joined the queue of men who’d also noticed the late arrival. Picking up his speed, he closed the distance between them a half-dozen long strides.

Lily O’Halloran. The name badged pinned to the bodice of her plain brown jacket listed her age as twenty-six. She glanced from side-to-side, offering each of the men before her a cautious smile. The closer Bren got, the more he realized she was as nervous as he was—her eyes wide with fear—her pulse beating rapidly at the side of her long, elegant throat.

Bren’s breath hitched. Her skin—what little he could see of it in her buttoned-up suit—was like alabaster. Obviously, Miss O’Halloran wasn’t used to working in the sun. If her delicate hands were anything to go by, she probably hadn’t done a hard day’s work in her life either.

Definitely not what he was looking for in a wife, a partner. Still, he couldn’t help himself when his turn came for an introduction.

“Mister Brendan MacKinnon,” Missus Miller began, “may I introduce Miss Lily Marie O’Halloran from Boston.”

Bren brushed his hand across the leg of his trousers and offered it to her. “Hello, Miss O’Halloran. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”

She placed her hand in his, the touch of her soft skin sending his senses sideways.

“It’s lovely to meet you too, Mister MacKinnon.”

“Would you like some punch?” he asked, the simple words tangling on his tongue.

“No, but thank you for offering. I’d much prefer to talk, if you’ve got a few minutes.”

“I’ve got all the time you need.”

She gave him a coy smile that set his heart pounding.

“Good. I guess, first of all, I should ask—what are looking for in a wife?”

Bren did his best to recall the long list of attributes he’d thought of the day before, but all that currently came to mind was tall, redheaded, with skin as soft as a newborn lamb. Swallowing back the sudden dryness in his throat, he told her, “Obviously, someone who doesn’t mind marrying a total stranger.” Once the first sentence came out, mostly in some semblance of order, he relaxed a bit and added, “Someone who doesn’t mind the thought of taking part in the land run over rugged territory. A woman who can handle hard work, can cook a decent meal over a campfire, and...”

His words stalled when her complexion paled, the slight change accentuating a spray of freckles across her high cheekbones.

Why hadn’t he noticed those before? The cheekbones, and the freckles.

“Have I said something wrong?” he asked.

She shook her head, the tightly coiled hair she’d pinned at her nape coming loose enough to send a few stray tendrils flying across her cheeks. The beat of his heart picked up speed.

“No, of course not. It’s just that your list is far longer than the few men in line ahead of you.”

Her honesty drew his laugh. “I’d reckon those old codgers would say almost anything to get a young woman like you into their bed.” He immediately regretted the insensitive remark when her face flushed a bright shade of pink. “My apologies. That was rude. I’m truly sorry.”

“Is it rude and insensitive of me to say I agree with you?”

There it was again, her unbridled truthfulness. An attribute he’d not even put on his list, but one he truly valued. “How about you, Miss O’Halloran? What are you looking for in a husband?”

She made a show of glancing around at the men who now stood off to the side, their narrowed stares shooting daggers in his direction.

“Someone far closer to my age than those fellows.” She raised her head, meeting his gaze. “Your age, perhaps. Also, a man who has a plan for this land run over and above just staking his claim to a piece of the Almighty’s fine earth.”

His offered her a tentative smile. “That would be me, then. I’m planning to become a cattleman. I even know exactly which section of land I want, and why.”

“You’ve obviously put some thought into your plan. I like that. The only other things I need in a husband include him being a kind and honest Christian man.” She paused, as if gauging his reaction, then added, “It would also be helpful if he wasn’t absolutely set on those cooking skills you mentioned.”

“Something tells me, Lily Marie O’Halloran, that I’d find it most pleasurable teaching you to cook.”

Her coy smile came again. And, as it had before, it nearly undid what little was left of his composure.

TO PURCHASE LILY'S LUCK:

 Amazon/Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WDJMB1Z/

Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XBFXX3X


Puzzle Links:

Simple Link: https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=0d4684177be7

Bio~ 

Nancy Fraser is a best-selling and award-winning author who happily jumps across multiple romance genres with gleeful abandon.

She's also the granddaughter of a Methodist minister known for his fire-and-brimstone approach to his faith. Nancy has brought some of his spirit into her Christian romances. And, her own off-beat sense of humor to her clean & wholesome books.

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.

YOU CAN FIND NANCY HERE:

Website: www.nancyfraser.ca

Blog: https://romancesweetreads.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/nancyfraserauthor

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

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B09FTH655Z

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

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

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


Thank you so much for joining us, Nancy, and best wishes for LILY’S LUCK!

To Be A Cowboy, Or Not To Be A Cowboy? by Romance Gem Kathleen Lawless

Hi, all! We have a guest post today from Romance Gem friend Kathleen Lawless, so without further ado...

When is a Cowboy not a Cowboy?

Merriam Webster defines ‘cowboy’ as an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks.

Then I saw this other definition: One having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys.

Lightbulb Moment!

Thus inspired, I created Blaze, a daredevil stuntman who wears leather chaps and rides a Harley instead of a horse. And like any cowboy who loses his ability to rope and ride due to an accident, Blaze has to reinvent himself after a failed stunt nearly kills him. Which is when we meet him.

Excerpt ~ 

“You’re early.” Kaitlin opened the door to see a man clad in dusty, formfitting leather, his shaggy caramel-colored hair badly in need of a trim. She stepped back a pace. “Come on in. Let’s see what you look like under all that road dust.’’

The stranger stepped past her and into the front hall. “You must be Kaitlin. Steve said—’’

“My brother knows I can’t resist a challenge.’’ Kaitlin circled the man, eyes narrowed as she inspected him from all angles. Actually, in the right clothes, this one should clean up quite nicely. And he did possess a certain undeniable something.

“One good thing. We should be able to fit you off the rack. There’s no time to wait for custom-tailoring.” Broad shoulders tapered to lean hips, which were hugged by a modern-day version of cowboy chaps in supple-looking black leather.

“But those chaps. The look is all wrong unless you’re auditioning for a cowboy commercial.” The garment in question sheathed him like an intimate glove, up over snakeskin boots to hug an impossibly long length of leg, before ending in a V of faded denim below his belt. The scrap of exposed denim was the exact same shade as his eyes. Realizing where her gaze lingered, she looked away and hoped she wasn’t blushing.

He rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms over his impressive chest. One side of his mouth quirked up in an endearing half-smile. “I wasn’t expecting an audition.”

Dead silence hung between them and Kaitlin felt herself flush. Weren’t people supposed to outgrow adolescent blushing? Apparently not her. Even her ears were burning. “Somehow, I get the feeling you’re not my brother’s friend/wannabe model I was expecting.”

“Is that what he told you?” The newcomer braced one shoulder against the doorframe as if he had every right to be there, thumbs hooked in the pockets of his jacket. His half-smile turned into the real thing. The change in expression deepened the grooves in his cheeks and gave him a lazy look that matched his careless pose.

His smile was addictive and Kaitlin caught herself starting to smile back.

“How about I introduce myself properly? The name’s Blaze.” Lazily his right

hand stretched toward her, broad and sun-browned with a faint line of scars

visible across the first two knuckles. “I’m your date for the weekend.”

One Fantasy Fall is on sale in the US for only 99cents this week. Grab your copy here!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096CRGV1L/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i3


Oh, my gosh! If that isn't the best tease ever! I'm going to get my copy; you should too!


Here's the official blurb...

Blurb~

He’s every woman’s heart throb, and all wrong for her.

When a world-famous stuntman shows up at her door, Kaitlin is taken aback to learn Blaze is her ‘fake date’ for a charity fundraiser. She feels like the true charity case, for she’s been dreading attending the event where she’s sure to run into her ex-husband and his girl toy. But showing up with Blaze? On the other hand, being seen with him could do wonders for her new PR career. The press is hungry for an update on what he’s been up to since his last stunt ended in disaster.

When Blaze’s stunt career is stalled by a life-changing accident, he’s wary of the press in general and PR people in particular. But he has a soft heart for the underdog and something about Kaitlin sparks feelings, especially when they join forces to find a housing solution for a group of young people with no other place to go.

Because of her past, Kaitlin avoids anything that smacks of extreme sports, and Blaze represents everything she dislikes about the risk-taking lifestyle. But when a catastrophe with their housing project sees him once more put his life on the line to perform a death-defying stunt, she has to decide. Will her fears hold her back or can she leap alongside him into the future?

Bio ~

USA Today Bestselling author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.

Her hero, Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called Steel— while he’s not a cowboy, he is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After.

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1



AMAZON | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB


Thank you so much for guesting today, Kathleen!

It'll Be Your Good Fortune If You Download FELICITY'S FORTUNE ~ New From Kara O'Neal

Please welcome the wonderful Kara O'Neal with her latest, FELICITY'S FORTUNE! 


I could hardly wait for the second book in my Gamblers and Gunslingers series – FELICITY’S FORTUNE – to release!

When we visited St. Joseph, Missouri, we had to stop at Jesse James’ house. While I was walking through those rooms, I wondered about his wife.

She’d set up a house, cooked meals, raised children…and her husband was an outlaw. She knew what he was, and that surprised me. Of course, who knew how she felt about his choices, and I’m sure it was hard to leave him since she loved him.

But I thought…what if she hadn’t known? What if a woman had married a man who was an outlaw, and she discovered it…

And turned him in.

So…FELICITY’S FORTUNE was born.

I had to give her a mighty hero, and so Butch Wilder grew in my mind’s eye. And he’s a good one. He had to be a little sinful, though, but he’s got a big, big, big heart!

I loved writing this story. Felicity’s daughters are the cutest little things.

I also enjoyed sending Felicity to Hell’s Half Acre, because God bless Texas, but that place was scary. It belonged in a book.

You know, that’s the best thing about being an author. You get to put cool places, events and people in your books.

I hope y’all enjoy Felicity and Butch’s story as much as I did! Happy reading!

Blurb ~

Felicity Capwell Archer had no idea she'd married a thief and a killer. And even though she's the one who turns him in, people still think she helped her former husband steal and is now hiding the money. To protect herself from the repercussions and attacks, she hires Butch Wilder. Gambler. Gunslinger. And a giant who hides a heart of gold.

Butch Wilder grew up on the streets of New Orleans, learning how to fight, how to gamble and how to use a Colt .45 with deadly precision. When Felicity begs him to protect her family, she's too damned pretty and too intriguing to turn down. Determined to avoid any emotional attachments and to keep it purely professional, Butch takes the job. But he finds himself sitting down to nice meals, walking her children to school and being part of a family for the first time.

Only by finding and returning the stolen loot can Felicity and her daughters ever truly be safe. Following clues she deciphers from her former husband’s letters, Felicity and Butch travel to the outlaw-infested Hell's Half Acre. It's madness, but Butch will do anything to protect Felicity. Even if it means his life.

Excerpt ~

When Butch reached Rickman’s office, he tried to see through the windows to the inside, but the grimy panes allowed for nothing. Cautious but unafraid, he walked in without hesitation.

But when he found who had come calling, he about swallowed his tongue. He stopped short, his hand on the knob, his mind devoid of all thought.

“Are you Mr. Wilder?”

Her honey voice poured through him, grabbing hold of his senses.

She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to interrupt your work, sir, but I’m looking for Mr. Butch Wilder. Are you he?”

Snap out of it, man! Butch blinked then cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. Yes. I’m Butch Wilder.” He shut the door.

She looked him over.

He steeled himself against the fear he might see in her eyes due to his size, but when her gaze touched his face, what he found was desperation. Confused and a little nervous, he wrapped his thumbs around his suspenders.

“Do you know who I am?”

Would it upset her if he did? But he couldn’t lie to her. Somehow she’d know if he did. “Yes.”

She twitched her lips as if frustrated by her infamy. He couldn’t blame her.

After letting out a slow exhale, she said, “My home, and by that I really refer to my children, my housekeeper and myself, has been under attack since my former husband was arrested and tried.”

So…she had gotten divorced. Or was it an annulment? He stayed quiet, not knowing what she wanted or if he was allowed to respond.

“We need constant protection until this is settled.” She waved a hand in the air. “Until either the…the hanging or…” She paused, and her gaze went distant.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. What bothered her? The event she hadn’t mentioned or the hanging?

She shook her head. “I apologize. The last weeks have been rather harrowing.”

He could imagine. From the arrest, to the trial, to now…

A portion of what she’d said registered in his mind. “I’m sorry, ma’am. But why are you here? You mentioned…protection?” Hell. Was she going to ask him to…

“Yes. The sheriff’s office can’t provide anyone, so he suggested I hire you.”

Butch’s mind whirled with the implications.

“I will pay you well, plus meals, because I would prefer it if you moved into my home. People come at all times of the day and night. I’m fearful of what has occurred in my absence for the last few hours.” She pressed two fingers to her temple and rubbed. “Not that I can do anything about it,” she muttered. She let out a weary exhale.

While she struggled with exhaustion, he tried to make sense of what she was offering. It was ridiculous. Him? Butch Wilder? Protect her? And her family?

Hell. That was damned laughable.



PURCHASE FELICITY'S FORTUNE HERE:

https://amzn.to/3MXKUa9

Bio ~

Award-winning author, Kara O’Neal is a teacher and lives in Texas with her husband and three children She write stories with strong family ties, lots of romance and guaranteed happy endings! Please visit her at www.karaoneal.com.


FIND KARA HERE:

Website – www.karaoneal.com

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kara-o-neal

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Kara-ONeal/e/B00FL19TH8/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1465007993&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/kara+o'neal?_requestid=845025

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KaraONeal84/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KaraONealAuthor

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/karaoneal7/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278350.Kara_O_Neal

Blog -- http://www.karaoneal.com/blog

Blog – The Story Continues -- http://www.karaoneal.com/the-story-continues

Thank you, Kara, for joining us today! It looks like you have another incredible book on your hands. Can't wait to read it! It's ready on my Kindle.

Liz Flaherty Is REINVENTING RILEY And She Needs You!

Hi, all! I have the lovely Liz Flaherty here again today to tell you about her newest release, REINVENTING RILEY. Take it, Liz!

Living in Central Indiana among a gathering of small towns, one of the fun things for me about visiting cities is their tall buildings. I find them amazing and exciting. I like craning my neck in search of the sky, eating at restaurants not available in cornfield communities, and walking everywhere. And then I can’t wait to get home, where the tallest building in all those small towns is three stories, the sky is big and beautiful, and “everybody knows your name.”

But it’s the buildings I’m thinking about today, the ones that hold place of pride on corners or stand in groups in the middle of the block, their facades corniced and bracketed. They’re brick and most of them have had windows and doors and purposes replaced over the years. Many of them have been painted in colors more welcoming than the old brick.

Reinventing Riley is a sweet romance between a rock-and-roll playing pastor and a savvy businesswoman. Their story shouldn’t have anything to do with buildings, and yet it does. When Rye, who’s just sold a business and has absolutely no interest in buying another one, sees the Culp Building in downtown Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, it speaks to her. Like all old buildings, it has stories to tell.

Reluctantly, she listens.

Now let us listen to Liz as she tells us more about her story...

Blurb ~

He’s afraid a second time at love wouldn’t live up to his first. She’s afraid a second round would be exactly like her first.

Pastor Jake McAlister and businesswoman Riley Winters are in their forties and widowed. Neither is interested in a relationship. They both love Fallen Soldier, the small Pennsylvania town where they met, even though Rye plans to move to Chicago, and Jake sees a change in pastorates not too far down the road. Enjoying a few-weeks friendship is something they both look forward to.

However, there is an indisputable attraction between the green-eyed pastor and the woman with a shining sweep of chestnut hair. Then there’s the Culp, an old downtown building that calls unrelentingly to Rye’s entrepreneurial soul. And when a young man named Griff visits Jake, life changes in the blink of a dark green eye.

YOU CAN BUY REINVENTING RILEY HERE:

  https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Riley-Second-Chances-Book-ebook/dp/B0B2FT1JLR

YOU CAN FIND LIZ HERE:

http://lizflaherty.net/

http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty

https://twitter.com/LizFlaherty1

http://wordwranglers.blogspot.com/

http://windowoverthesink.blogspot.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Liz-Flaherty/e/B001J919R4%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3336348.Liz_Flaherty

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liz-flaherty

https://www.instagram.com/lizkflaherty/?hl=en

Excerpt ~

Rye had loved it when Granny cleaned the bookstore just two bus stops from where they lived. She couldn’t remember the name of the store, only that she’d always called it the reading room. Her grandmother had fretted because no matter how laboriously she cleaned, the shop always smelled like dust to her. Rye, sitting on the rug in the corner that held the children’s books, thought that meant heaven must smell like dust.

She wondered if the owner of Have A Cup would be interested in a satellite location. Or maybe he’d prefer the competition of another coffee shop. It was funny how coffee shops and bookstores belonged together.

And music.

She didn’t know of any venues in town. No one had mentioned any, although musicians had played at the Dockside at the rehearsal dinner.

Every town needed music, didn’t it?

She texted Jake. Is there anywhere in town to listen to music?

His answer made her laugh. My house, but it’s dusty here.

Dust. Like a bookstore, or a stage, or the underside of coffee shop chairs where people sat and read or worked on laptops or wrote in coil-bound notebooks. Bookstores felt like hope. So did live music and fragrant, rich coffee.

The Reading Room.

Oh, good heavens, she could even envision the sign above the entrance that would lead straight upstairs. Actually, there wasn’t an entrance now. That would require some design changes unless she wanted to put the door in the back on the alley. Not a good idea.

What was she thinking?

“Where do you buy books?” she asked Lucy when her neighbor tapped on the kitchen’s French door and walked in carrying a steaming tea kettle.

“Ricky hates tea and I had the water hot before I realized I didn’t want to drink alone,” she explained. “Earl Grey all right for you?”

“Perfect.”

Lucy poured water into the blue-and-white teapot Rye set on the table and snugged a crocheted cozy over it. “Online, usually. Or from the library. Usually I buy them and then donate them to the library.”

“No electronic reader for you?”

“Only when I travel. I like to smell the ink, I guess.”

“What would you think of a bookstore in Fallen Soldier?”

“New or used?”

Oh. She hadn’t thought that far. So much for business acumen. “Yes. Plus an area for live music or readings or other artistic demonstrations. And some kind of coffee and tea shop. Called the Reading Room. Upstairs at the Culp.”

Lucy didn’t hesitate. “Sounds great to me.”

“It might fail.”

“Might.”

“But it might not.”

Bio ~

USA Today bestselling author Liz Flaherty started writing in the fourth grade when her Aunt Gladys allowed her to use her portable Royal typewriter. The truth was that her aunt would have let her do anything to get her out of her hair, but the typewriter and the stories it could produce caught on, and Liz never again had a day without a what if… in it.

She and Duane, her husband of at least forever, live in a farmhouse in central Indiana, sharing grown children, spoiled cats, and their grandkids, the Magnificent Seven. (Don’t get her started on them—you’ll be here all day.) To find out more about her, stop by http://lizflaherty.net/ or sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/df7dhP.

Thank you for joining us, Liz! Always a delight to have you!

New Release from Author Lucinda Race ~ SUNDAES ON SUNDAY ~ Sweet!

Good morning! Romance Gem author Lucinda Race has joined us with her newest romance, releasing today, SUNDAES ON SUNDAY! Let's take a look...

Blurb ~ 

Although her husband died a year ago, first grade school teacher Lisa Peck is keeping one tradition she shared with him: sundaes every Sunday at their special place, Seaside Scoops. It’s there that she meets a precocious five-year-old, Allie, and her handsome, dark-haired father, Hunter.



Airline pilot Hunter Adams has been a single dad since his wife died when Allie was a baby. He has his life perfectly arranged. Allie stays with her grandparents during the week while he flies, then he spends weekends with his daughter, including taking her for sweet treats at Seaside Scoops. But Allie has never before been drawn to someone as quickly as she’s drawn to Lisa. Is it just a little girl interested in a pretty woman, or is it fate pulling Lisa and Hunter together?



Lisa is cautious, but maybe it’s time to move on from the past and take a second chance on love. Everyone is encouraging Hunter to do the same, but will Lisa think he’s just trying to find a mother for his child? Maybe Allie is wiser than the adults in her life. Will their sundaes on Sunday lead to true love every day of the week?

Excerpt ~ 

Lisa sat alone at a table for two. Seaside Scoops had been their special place every week for the last four years where they could relax and gear up for the week ahead. She smiled in spite of her sadness when she thought of what Brian used to call their standing date, sundaes on Sunday. A year ago, he would have been sitting across from her in the quaint seaside town, wearing a silly grin with a dab of whipped cream on his nose, all in an attempt to make her laugh. It was corny but what she wouldn’t give to see it one more time.

The last time they had been there he’d had a hot fudge on coffee. It’s funny how some things just stick. Like the fact he always took her cherry since she hated them and he loved them which is why she always ordered one. It was one of the small ways they fit together like two halves of a whole.

She looked across the narrow strip of sand to the Atlantic Ocean. Traffic was almost nonexistent on this early Sunday afternoon. The mid-spring sun was warm without the need for the pink and white umbrella to be raised. Few people were sitting outside; tourists hadn’t started to show up yet, but it was just a matter of time, and then she’d adjust to coming just before dinner—that too had been Brian’s suggestion.

As she spooned the last of the now-melted strawberry ice cream from the silver dish, she noticed a man and a little girl sitting two tables over. She was wearing a sweet yellow jumper and a white shirt with bright-red Mary Jane shoes. She couldn’t have been older than four if Lisa had to guess. She was younger than her first-grade students.

Her sweet voice caught Lisa’s attention; it held a soft Southern drawl. “Daddy, how come we can’t have ice cream every day? It’s so good. I really like strawberry ice cream the best, even better than hot dogs.” She looked up at him with big cornflower-blue eyes and her medium-length dark hair was pulled to the side of her face with a butterfly barrette. She was adorable but looked nothing like her dad except her deep dimples; she must favor her mother.

Her father smothered a chuckle. “Ice cream is a treat, Allie, which is why we have it on the weekend.”

He lifted his eyes and gave Lisa a smile and half nod. She quickly looked away, embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping. If only her life had turned out differently.

A short time later the dad wiped his daughter’s hands on a napkin as best he could and placed the dishes in the container on the metal stand. Lisa held an open book in her hand but wasn’t reading it. Instead, her eyes were closed as she listened to the soothing sound of the waves crashing on the shore.

“Daddy?” Allie whispered loudly. “Do you think the pretty lady is sleeping?”

Lisa opened her eyes and gave her a small smile. “No. I’m listening to the ocean.”

Her mouth dropped open, and then she walked over to where Lisa was sitting and climbed onto a chair next to her as if they had known each other forever.

“If I close my eyes, can I hear it too?”

Her dad said, “Allie, let’s leave the lady alone; she seems to be enjoying her day.”

Lisa’s heart cracked a little. Every Sunday was the same, as if on repeat like an old movie. “I’d like the company if it’s okay with you.”

He pulled out a chair. Taking his daughter’s hand, he relented. “Just for a minute, and then we need to go.”

She couldn’t help but notice his soft-brown eyes and thick dark hair, cut short for what she guessed was ease of maintenance. He wore khaki shorts and a faded blue tee and flip-flops. Sitting across from her, he was taller by a full foot. But it was his warm smile that made her heart rate tick up in an unexpected way.

She held out her hand to the child. “I’m Lisa Peck.” Her eyes drifted to the dad.

“I’m Allie and this is my daddy.”

He gave her another warm smile. “Hunter Adams, father to a very precocious daughter.”

“It’s nice to meet you both.” She focused her attention on Allie. “Close your eyes and really think about listening to all the sounds around you. I’ll bet you can hear the waves crashing on the shoreline.”

She immediately closed her eyes and her dark lashes fluttered over her cheeks, so sweet and trusting.

“Tell me what you hear.”

Her eyes popped open, and she said, “You talking.”

Lisa laughed. “Fair enough. Let’s try it again and I’ll close my eyes too.”

Allie tipped her head. “You too, Daddy. You wanna hear the waves, right?”

He was still holding her hand. “I do but don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

“I won’t.”

Lisa set the book down and folded her hands in her lap. “I’m closing my eyes now.”

“Me too.”

They sat there quietly and the waves continued their steady rhythm of kissing the shore and slipping away.

“Daddy, do you hear it?”

Lisa opened her eyes and was surprised to see Hunter watching her.

“I do.”

“Can we go see the ocean, pretty please?”

Her big blue eyes were open wide and if she were Lisa’s daughter, it would be tough to say no. But Hunter must be used to it.

“How about we agree to walk along the sidewalk on the way to the car and we can see the waves. I wouldn’t want you to get your pretty dress all sandy before we get to Grandma’s house.”

She looked down and nodded. “I can’t get my Dorothy shoes dirty.”

Hunter leaned across the table. With a conspiratorial wink, he said, “Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.”

“I see.” She gave Allie a smile. “You look very pretty to go see your grandmother.”

“Thank you.” She slipped off the chair. “Come on, Daddy.” She gave Lisa a little wave. “Bye, Lisa.”

“Bye, Allie.” She smiled at Hunter. “She’s adorable.”

“Thanks for indulging her.” He scooped up Allie in one arm. “It was nice meeting you.”

Hunter left the ice cream shop and as promised, he carried Allie across the narrow two-lane road to the sidewalk.

She raced to the rail and climbed up on it. “Look, Daddy. The waves are huge. Can we play on the beach today?”

“Not today, peanut, but someday soon we can.” He looked over his shoulder but he couldn’t see Lisa from this vantage point. She had looked isolated; that was the only way he could think to describe it until Allie interrupted her day.

She had a sixth sense when someone needed to be comforted. It had been like that from the time she was little, long after her mom had died. Allie didn’t have any memories of Judith even though she had a framed photo of her mom next to her princess bed.

After a few more minutes, he said, “Ready to go to Grandma’s?”

“How many days before you come home?”

He held up two fingers. “We’ll mark it on the calendar, okay? It’s just two overnights at Grandma’s this time.”

He loved being a pilot. It had been his passion for fifteen years, but he hated leaving his little girl. What choice did he have unless he wanted to step out of the cockpit permanently and train for a different position within the airline industry? But giving up seniority was tough to swallow and it had its perks. He liked flying in and out of Logan and it had a more flexible schedule along with making an excellent living. It had been especially tough when Judith got sick, but the cancer took her quickly. It wasn’t like he had time to adjust to being a single parent. She made it look easy, taking care of Allie while he jetted off to the next city, state, or even country. Moving back to the Northeast had been the right thing for both of them.

“Daddy, I don’t want a trip gift this time.”

He smiled. “You don’t want me to bring home a little something?”

She shook her head. “Nope, just you.”

That melted his heart. “I promise I’ll be home as fast as I can.”

She put her tiny hand in his. “That lady was pretty.”

“Who?”

“The lady eating ice cream. I wonder where her little kids were.”

“I don’t know, honey. Maybe she doesn’t have any.”

“I bet if she has kids we could play together. She was nice.” Allie frowned. “We should have asked her to come see the waves with us.”

“I’m sure she had other things to do.”

Allie looked up. “Daddy, she was taking a nap.”

He laughed softly. “She was enjoying her afternoon and there is nothing wrong with relaxing after a busy week.”

She squinted her eyes and tipped up her chin. “How do you know she was busy?”

“Most adults are; it’s just how we roll.” He scooped her up and tickled her until she squealed, causing a flock of seagulls to take flight.


YOU CAN PURCHASE SUNDAES ON SUNDAY HERE:

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WM1SSJV

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60707079-sundaes-on-sunday

https://www.bookbub.com/books/sundaes-on-sunday-book-7-the-sandy-bay-series-a-clean-seaside-second-chance-romance-by-lucinda-race

Bio~ 

Award-winning and best-selling 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 she weaves stories about strong women and the men who love them.

Lucinda lives with her two little dogs, a miniature long hair 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.


YOU CAN FIND LUCINDA HERE:

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

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


Thank you for joining us, Lucinda! And best wishes for SUNDAES ON SUNDAY!

Romance Gem Liz Flaherty Is Bringing Color To Our World With LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR WHITE WALLS

Good morning, all! What crazy weather have you got cooking today? We've had a little bit of everything lately--rain, snow, hail, high winds... Well, luckily we have books to distract us from such things. I speaking of books, (see that smooth segue?) today the wonderful Liz Flaherty is joining us with her new release, LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR WHITE WALLS. We'll find out more about that, but first, let's get to know Liz better.

[Make sure to enter her giveaway below!]

When did your love for writing start?

I always said it started when I was nine and my aunt let me type on her portable Royal typewriter. I created a terrible story in which I misspelled consciousness. However, it has lately come to me that in the first grade, I felt a story in my Dick and Jane reader ended incorrectly and that my ending would have been much better. I still think it would have been, so, to answer the question, I was six.

What is something you struggle with when you write?

I struggle most with freshness. Since I like the sound of my own voice—gasp!—I think I don’t try to improve it or change it up. While I like it to be recognizable by readers, I truly fear Good grief, all her books are alike! Syndrome. (It’s a real thing—I just made it up.)

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

I live in the cornfields of central Indiana, five or six miles from where I grew up. I love it here, politics aside (way aside.) That being said, on my first trip to Vermont after our youngest kids moved there, I knew I was home. I’m convinced it’s where I was meant to live, but someone took a wrong turn somewhere. If I had no one but myself to consider, I would move there tomorrow. However, I like having people besides myself to consider, so it’s not happening.

If you owned a CB radio what would your "handle" be?

I used to have one! Prior to cell phones, I had a CB because I drove 20-some miles to work and my husband worried less if I was “online.” My handle, since I was a postal worker, was Letter Lady.

What was the last song you listened to in your digital library?

“Sweet Baby James.” I love James Taylor. A lot.

What one thing (modern convenience) could you not live without?

No question about it—the computer. I’ve written 20-some books. Without the computer, I undoubtedly would have stopped midway through the first one. Oh, I would have a ton of handwritten manuscripts under the bed, but even in the last century, I don’t think there was an editor alive who’d have welcomed them. 😊

Thanks for sharing yourself with us, Liz! Now let's find out more about LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR WHITE WALLS...

I worry a lot about my stories sounding alike, my heroines being paper-doll-cutouts of each other. I’m afraid I’ve written too many heroes with dimples in their left cheeks. Do I have too many people with crooked grins, one raised eyebrow, or a shrug that somehow defines their personalities?

I hope not, but a few of the things that are the same from book to book are starting over, new beginnings, home, friendships, tenderness. And I’m good with that.

They are there in Life’s Too Short for White Walls, when forty-something Joss Murphy and Ezra McIntire find themselves in the same place, but searching for different things. They know a few things about themselves by now—Joss is determined she will have color wherever she goes and Ez is committed to always being one step ahead of things that are dangerous or hurtful to anyone around him. 

Blurb ~

Still reeling from her divorce, Joss Murphy flees to Banjo Bend, Kentucky, where she'd been safe and happy as a child. The family farm is now a campground. Weary and discouraged, she talks owner Ezra McIntire into renting her a not-quite-ready cabin.

With PTSD keeping him company, Ez thrives on the seclusion of the campground. The redhead in Cabin Three adds suggestions to his improvement plans, urging color and vibrancy where there was none.

Neither is looking for love, yet the attraction they share is undeniable. Can the comfort of campfires, hayrides, and sweet kisses bring these two lost souls together?

Excerpt ~

Joss stopped under the canopy of trees that led back to the campground, opening her car window so she could breathe in the scent of early autumn. It was a hard thing for a person as busy as she’d always been to stare the future in the face with no idea what she was going to do with it. She would give herself time to decide, time to take more deep breaths and get over the feeling of dread that seemed to accompany her everywhere. Although she didn’t have enough money to last forever, it would carry her for a while.

She looked up at the trees, noting that the colors of the leaves were already changing and that the air smelled different—it wasn’t just the day’s lack of humidity. It was, she supposed, the scent of things dying, but she wasn’t going to think of it that way. To her, it was going to be all about starting over. Starting new in this beloved place that still felt like home.

HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN BUY LIFE'S TOO SHORT FOR WHITE WALLS:

B & N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lifes-too-short-for-white-walls-liz-flaherty/1140917290?ean=2940160796727

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QXPBGG2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/lifes-too-short-for-white-walls/id1606569657

Bio~

Liz Flaherty is rather bewildered by where she’s at in life. She doesn’t feel…er…elderly, but the truth is that she is. The Magnificent Seven grands have grown up on her, her own kids are all now older than she is, and her husband Duane has the same firm hold on her heart he’s always had. And it’s all good.

HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN FIND LIZ:

http://lizflaherty.net/

http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty

https://twitter.com/LizFlaherty1

Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/df7dhP

Giveaway ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SHAMROCKS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND from Romance Gem Lucinda Race

Top o' the mornin' to ya! And talk about the luck of the Irish, lucky you is getting a chance to go back to Last Chance Beach with Romance Gem Lucinda Race's SHAMROCKS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND! Let's find out more...

Blurb ~

Battered, broken, and looking for solitude smoke jumper Tric heads to Last Chance Beach and without warning walks into Kelly's cottage. She knows from experience this is the best place for him to recover and she'll share her safe haven with him. Will a bit of Irish luck and a matchmaking uncle give them a chance to find love?



Tric Ryan has spent the majority of his adult life jumping out of airplanes and into infernos. That is until a fateful jump nearly ends his career as a smokejumper. Badly in need of a change, he drives to Last Chance Beach to recover. A short respite at Shamrock Cottage promises him the solitude he needs to recoup or to figure out how he’ll face a future without the dangerous job he loves.

Kelly O’Malley moved to Last Chance Beach after a broken heart. She’s living in her uncle’s rental, Shamrock Cottage, after a fire destroys her home. Brandishing a skillet she’s ready to defend her safe haven from the battered and bruised man in her living room. A quick call to her uncle confirms the mix-up, and that he’s accidentally rented the cottage to both Tric and her for an open-ended stay. When they both agree they can share the spacious vacation home, sparks are sure to fly.

Kelly helps Tric recover with easy walks on the beach and friendship. Will the magic of Last Chance Beach, with a dash of luck from the Irish, heal the heartaches Kelly and Tric carry and help them find the love and a future they both deserve? After all, Shamrocks are a girl’s best friend.

Excerpt ~

Kelly O’Malley crept down the hallway of Shamrock Cottage, her heart pounding in her chest. The early morning sun streamed through the skylights and the hardwood floor was cool against her bare feet on this late-January morning. The weight of her cell phone was comforting in her sweatpants pocket.

Who the heck was in her house?

She slid along the wall like she had seen in those movies on television where the girl sleuth was stalking the unknown. Dramatic much? When she reached the end of the hall, she peeked around the corner, her gaze sweeping the open space of the living and dining rooms and kitchen. Standing in front of the sliding glass doors, looking out over the ocean, was a very tall man, even by her standards, as Kelly was tapping six feet herself. With a backpack over one shoulder and an enormous canvas duffel bag at his feet, he leaned heavily on a cane.

She tiptoed to the counter and grabbed the cast iron skillet, being careful not to make a sound. If he’d heard her, he hadn’t moved.

She raised the skillet to shoulder height, clutching it with two hands for good swinging leverage. “What are you doing in my house?”

The man slowly turned, grimaced, clutched his leg, and held up his other hand with the cane dangling from it. “What are you doing in my rental?” Confusion and pain clouded his eyes. “I promise I can’t hurt you.” He gestured to his leg. “Recovering from surgery and exhausted from a long drive.”

She didn’t lower her makeshift weapon but instead looked him over from head to toe. He was ruggedly handsome but did look road weary. “Rental?”

“Yes, well, actually this place belongs to a friend of my uncle, who’s a fire chief in Chicago. I signed the agreement on Rental Direct.” He shifted his backpack on his shoulder. “I can show you the agreement on my laptop.”

Well, that was the company her aunt and uncle used to rent their cottage, but that was before her house had burned to the ground in November and left her homeless.

“Who’s your uncle?”

He’d better come up with the right names or she’d call the police to escort him out and then change the code for the door lock. That thought caused her to frown; she’d changed it at the beginning of December.

“John Bannon, and he’s friends with Kevin O’Malley and his wife. I can’t remember her name.”

Well, that was her uncle. She kept holding the skillet with one hand and with the other withdrew her cell. “Joan. Her name is Joan. I’m going to give him a call and I’ll put it on speakerphone.”

“Good idea.” He took a slow, halting step toward her and a flash of agony washed over his face.

She softened but still brandished the skillet even though her arm was beginning to tremble. She lowered it. “No funny business.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Promise.” He gestured to a chair. “Mind if I sit?”

She pointed to a stool on the other side of the breakfast bar. Kelly didn’t want to look like she was a pushover, but his face was stark white and the last thing she wanted was for him to collapse.

TO PURCHASE SHAMROCKS ARE A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND:

https://books2read.com/Shamrocks

Bio ~ 

Award-winning and best-selling 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 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.

Thank you for joining us today, Lucinda! It's been great having you!