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!

Let's Get To Know GHOST MOUNTAIN RANCH: DARBY ~ by #RomanceGems Author Jan Scarbrough

Welcome to Feature Friday where we have Jan Scarbrough in the spotlight with her book GHOST MOUNTAIN RANCH: DARBY. Let's talk to Jan about it...

DARBY is the second book in The Ghost Mountain Ranch series. Tell us about this series. What ties the books together?

Several years ago, I decided to give a story to Hank, the head wranglers at the Six Buckles Ranch in Montana. The story didn’t have such a happy ending, but it was a way for me to have Hank leave the Dawson family and go to Ghost Mountain Ranch where I knew he would meet his high school sweetheart Darby York.

The three books that I wrote after HANK tell the story of Darby and her two children Slade (named after her first love) and Kelsey. Darby is estranged from her father but comes home to the ranch at the urging of Hank and Kelsey. There she uncovers clues about her mother’s past. The next two stories in the series are complete romance, but they also reveal the mystery about what happened to Darby’s mother.


What's your inspiration for this series?

My husband and I visited a Montana dude ranch in 2016, so the Ghost Mountain Ranch is sort of a combination among several ranches. When I wanted to add a mystery to my new western series, my editor suggested doing something about the anti-war movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I read a few history books on the subject and came up with a complicated back story for Darby, her mother, and Darby’s family.


Tell us more about your heroine, Darby York. What in her past influenced her to be the woman we meet in the story?

Darby was very close to her mother. When her mother commits suicide, Darby feels guilty and thinks she’s somehow responsible. She flees the Montana dude ranch where she grew up and ends up working at a Kentucky horse farm where she meets and marries the wealthy owner. I wanted her life in Kentucky to be happy. She has children and a doting husband who indulges her passion for art. When the story starts, I wanted Darby to resist returning to Montana because of the guilt she’s never resolved.

What about Hank Slade, wrangler at Ghost Mountain Ranch? What's a wrangler? What kind of man is he?

A wrangler is someone who looks after horses or other animals on a ranch. On a dude ranch, a wrangler will get the horses ready and lead trail rides for the guests. Hank Slade is a loner. He’s been a wrangler at the Dawson’s ranch for years. Hank is unlucky in love. He had two loves—Darby and Liz Dawson, the wife of the ranch owner who has recently remarried. Taking the head job at Ghost Mountain Ranch gives Hank a new purpose in life. He doesn’t count on Darby coming back into it.


What inspired you to write about older protagonists?

I understand older protagonists better because I am older myself. I also like to give characters a second or third chance in life. We don’t get our lives right from the beginning. As Hank says, we learn from our mistakes.


Which character in the series is your favorite to write? Why?

I enjoyed writing about Darby and having her come to terms with her past. She runs away from her fears until she must confront the truth and her feelings.


Which character in the series is the hardest to write? Why?

I think Slade was the hardest to write. He’s unsure of himself but becomes a man working at the ranch. I hope I made his growth in self-confidence realistic.

Blurbs ~

HANK:

On Christmas Eve, Hank accepts the job of ranch foreman over the mountains in the Gallatin Canyon, Montana. But something dark is happening at the Ghost Mountain Ranch, where the past is reaching out in dangerous ways to haunt the living.


DARBY:

Thirty years ago, Darby Heston fled her family’s Montana dude ranch. Now she must return to help her father. Would the boyfriend she’d abandoned still be there? Hank Slade has never stopped loving Darby, but is he willing to risk his heart again? Secrets tore them apart once. Given a second chance at love, will more shocking secrets from the past destroy their hopes for the future?


SLADE:

Slade Heston is spending the summer as a hired hand at his grandfather’s dude ranch, trying to figure out life, not fall in love. Laurie Chastain is supposed to write promotions for the ranch, but she has a secret goal. What did a 1970s radical resistance group have to do with her grandfather? Laurie’s only clue leads her to Ghost Mountain Ranch. Will their growing attraction be enough to protect Slade and Laurie from the ghosts of the past?


KELSEY:

Kelsey Heston’s using the skills learned at her family’s Kentucky horse farm to improve tourism at her grandfather’s dude ranch. But what is her old college sweetheart doing here? Max Lee has come to Ghost Mountain Ranch searching for a missing woman. Instead, he finds Kelsey. But old secrets are stirring, secrets someone might be willing to kill to keep. Can they finally lay the old ghosts to rest, or will the echoes of a decades-old murder destroy their second chance at love?

Bio ~

Whether it is the Bluegrass of Kentucky, the mountains of Montana, or Medieval England, Jan Scarbrough brings you home with romances from the heart.

The author of two popular Bluegrass series, Jan writes heartwarming contemporary romances about home and family, single moms, and children, and if the plot allows, about another passion—horses. Living in the horse country of Kentucky makes it easy for Jan to add small town, Southern charm to her books and the excitement of a Bluegrass horse race or a competitive horse show.

Jan leaves her contemporary voice behind with two paranormal gothic romances, Timeless and Tangled Memories, a Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart finalist. Her historical romance, My Lord Raven, is a medieval story of honor and betrayal.

A member of Novelist, Inc., Jan self-publishes her books with her husband’s help.

YOU CAN BUY THE GHOST MOUNTAIN STORIES HERE:

https://books2read.com/HankGhostMountain

https://books2read.com/Darby

https://books2read.com/SladeGhostMountain

https://books2read.com/Kelsey


YOU CAN FIND JAN HERE:

Website http://janscarbrough.com/

Blog http://janscarbrough.com/blog/

Newsletter http://janscarbrough.com/contact/

Amazon Author URL https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Scarbrough/e/B001K8768A

Bookbub Author URL https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jan-scarbrough

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/romancerider

AllAuthor https://allauthor.com/profile/romancerider/

Thank you, Jan, for joining us today and for sharing your Ghost Mountain Ranch series with us!

SECONDHAND HEARTS Will Make Your Pulse Race!

Happy Friday! Today we're featuring Kathryn Hills and her Last Chance Beach novella, SECONDHAND HEARTS! Let's hear more about it...

Blurb ~

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Tasked with convincing her beloved grandmother to move back to the mainland, Kat Worthington returns to Last Chance Beach. This vacation island paradise is filled with cherished memories, and the thought of relocating her loved one weighs heavy on Kat’s heart. Is the alternative to uproot her life, stay on the island, and help run Gran’s charming B&B and antique shop?

Handsome neighbor, Ben Hadley, sure hopes it is. He and his playful pup are doing their best to upend Kat’s plans. Will their efforts convince her to stay?

Or will it require some of Gran’s special island magic?

Excerpt ~

“Look at that… Didn’t even break the pot.” Gran gave her a sassy little wink. “You’ve always been one for divine timing, Kitty.”

“Pot?”

“Yup, I knew I had a matching teapot to the set that came in yesterday.” Gran stood a little straighter and squared her chin. “Besides, I’m not alone. Ben is here.”

“Who the heck is Ben?”

“That’d be me.” A deep, male voice came from behind, startling Kat. Spinning with a gasp, her eyes widened when connecting with six feet plus of drop-dead gorgeous, dark-haired man. He met her stare full-on without so much as a hint of humility, and he nodded a curt greeting.

“Haddie Marshall, are you up to your old tricks again?” Ben brushed past Kat. “I told you to wait and I’d look with you.”

“Well, I didn’t want you fussing. I know you’re busy.”

“Excuse me,” Kat interrupted, not bothering to disguise the irritation in her voice. “Who are you, and why would you allow my seventy-seven-year-old grandmother to climb to the scorching top of a barn and up a ladder for a teapot?”

The man stared at her in silence. One dark brow cocked in obvious annoyance.

“Ben Hadley…meet my first grandbaby, Kitty Worthington,” Gran announced with a proud smile.

“It’s Kat, Gran. Or Katrina,” she grumbled. “No one has called me Kitty since the fifth grade.”

“Oh, shush, child. You’ll always be Kitty to me and Grandpa Mike.” The elderly woman’s smile fell away. She took a wobbly step forward to hand Ben the box. “Be a love and take this down for me. I think I’d better hang on extra tight to the railing after all this excitement.”

“I’ll take the box,” Kat snapped. “You help my grandmother back to the house, where we can turn on some air conditioning.”

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

Now I'm going to give you a bonus peek at Kathryn's next book in the series...

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?

Coming September 2021!

Thanks for visiting with us, Kathryn!

I Enjoyed Reading Nancy Fraser's Novella So Much, I'd DO It AGAIN!

Hey, all! Have I got a treat for you! Romance Gems author Nancy Fraser has joined us today with her new release I DO...AGAIN, a Return to Last Chance Beach novella. I had the good fortune to read this one and Nancy gives you smart writing that pulls you in and flows so smoothly it just carries you on to the end. Truly a pleasure to read! She was nice enough to answer a few questions for me...

What is the best thing you’ve learned about writing and/or the publishing business?

That a writer needs to develop a thick skin. And, while you should take your craft seriously, the opinion of others only matter if they control your career (e.g., editor, publisher, agent). If you learn how to handle both criticism and rejection early, it will make your writing journey much easier.


I may or may not still be working on that... ;) That's something that transfers over to everyday life, too. What is something you struggle with when you write?

It may seem trite ... but the writing. I always wonder if my current book will be my last. Will I run out of ideas? Let’s face it, romance follows a formula. There are not that many tropes that haven’t been done to death. As well, if you write in one particular genre, how do you keep from repeating yourself over and over again? That’s probably why I genre jump. It helps me from getting stale and – hopefully – there will be at least one more book in there somewhere.


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

I live in Atlantic Canada, in New Brunswick, along the beautiful St. John River. If I were going to move, I wouldn’t go far. Just one province over to Nova Scotia, specifically Cape Breton Island. Or ... if I had the money, Las Vegas. Something tells me I’d be broke quickly.


Yes. Always that possibility in Vegas. Share with us a little about your family. Married? Kids? Pets?

I am divorced and, as of this past September, divorced as long as I was married. I’ve been blessed with two wonderful sons who were both smart enough to marry equally wonderful women. Between them, they’ve given me five grandchildren. And, given we live within twenty minutes from the farthest points, we’re very close. As for pets, I have grandpets. One rescue husky, two cats, and four guinea pigs.


Grandpets are the best! What was one of the best Christmas presents you ever received?

That’s easy. Christmas of 1970 (well, a couple days early). My first son. Nothing will ever top that.

What CD is in your CD player right now? Or what was the last song you listened to in your digital library?

Surprisingly, I still have CDs. On both my phone and in CD player, Pentatonix latest album, The Lucky Ones. Of course, I do occasionally swap out the PTX CD for the Elvis 75.


Name your favorite children's story.

I was hooked on the Nancy Drew mysteries growing up. However, as a Grandmother, I have to say Robert Munich’s “Love You Forever”. I’ve read it to all five and I’m moved every time.


It's amazing how many writers were Nancy Drew fans! What is your concept of a fruitful day?

At my age – just waking up. Getting out of bed is a great bonus. Of course, after one or two cups of coffee, my writing day begins. At that point, it’s all about the words. I write full time, Monday through Friday, three weeks of every month. My goal is always 3-5K, depending on the complexity of the book. In the fourth week, I do extensive edits and catch up on other tasks. Weekends are split between family and updating my website and blog.

That sounds like a great schedule! Thanks for sharing yourself with us. Now let's share a little bit about I DO...AGAIN...

Blurb ~

Thirty-five years earlier, Lily Abbott and Mitch Colby exchanged wedding vows in a quaint ceremony attended by a small crowd consisting of four Micronauts, a one-eyed pet rock, two special-edition Barbies, and an assortment of stuffed animals. Officiated by Stretch Armstrong, it was the social event of their 8^th summer.

 

Lily never forgot the childhood ceremony. Or the fact her best friend and first love had left her behind and relocated to Boston to pursue an Ivy-League education. Now a divorcee, with college-bound twin daughters, Lily’s moved on and put the foolishness of first crushes and the childish dream of true love behind her.

 

At eighteen, Mitch had never wanted the expensive education his father mapped out for him. He’d have been perfectly happy to stay in Summerville, marry the love of his life, and settle down. However, when push came to shove, he’d not wanted to upset his ailing mother, and had left everything...and everyone...that he’d wanted behind.

 

The 25^th reunion of the graduating class of Summerville High has brought Lily and Mitch back together at The Sands, a seaside resort on Last Chance Beach. Will one weekend together be enough? Or, is there a possibility for more?

Excerpt ~

The soles of her sandals skittering across the wet surface, Lily Abbott landed on the weather-worn dock with a loud thump, her backside slapping against the damp slats in the same way a fish flops around on the ground after being pulled from the lake.
 
So much for a graceful entry.


She glanced from side-to-side, wondering if any of her former classmates had seen her awkward faux pas. Gracie Potts and Shep Warren stood off to the side, more engrossed in each other than those around them. Ellie Cabot was stoking the campfire, poking at it with angry jabs and then letting loose a string of curse words when the embers jabbed back.


At least half of the varsity football team were huddled around two well-stocked coolers, chugging beers and laughing about past victories.


Off in the distance, laughter, mixed with strains of Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything for Love, floated across the warm night air from the hotel’s patio. Nostalgic music from their senior year...as if time could be turned back, memories either revived or erased.


Settling more comfortably on the edge of the dock, Lily removed her sandals, and dangled her legs over the side, her toes flirting with the water. Closing her eyes, she welcomed the breeze wafting across her face.


“So, this is where you’ve been hiding.”


Lily startled at the sound of the deep, male voice. She didn’t need to look to know who was speaking. The intervening years weren’t nearly long enough to wipe away the familiar sound.


“I’m not hiding,” she insisted. “I’m relaxing.”


“If you say so,” he countered, the sarcastic tone of his comeback sinking into her senses.


Mitch Colby. Her best friend, her first love, the one that got away. Or, more precisely, the one who left her behind.


“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said truthfully.



Turning slightly and tilting her head, she met his gaze, then wished she hadn’t. He smiled down at her, his familiar smirk ratcheting up her heart rate. As her late Aunt Ethel had once observed, ‘The good Lord had surely taken his sweet time with Mitchell Colby’. Twenty-five years hadn’t altered Ethel’s keen observation one iota. He was still a breathtakingly handsome man.

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.

 

Like most authors, Nancy began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.

 

Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published over thirty books in full-length, novella, and short format.

 

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 Fraser Online

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bookbub

Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube

 

  

To purchase I DO...AGAIN:

Universal link ~ 

https://books2read.com/IDoA 

Thanks for sharing yourself with us here today, Nancy!

A Cover To Be Proud Of ~ A PRIDE OF BROTHERS:AIDEN by Peggy Jaeger #RomanceGem

 

Good morning, all! I'm very happy to have Romance Gem author Peggy Jaeger on today with her cover reveal for A PRIDE OF BROTHERS:AIDEN, and it's a beauty! But first, let's get a look at the cover that precedes it in the series.

I absolutely love these covers. I think they're sharp. I love the title, series, and tagline placement. I love the back to back pose.... Just to tease you a bit further, let me give you the blurb for Aiden's book...

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.




And here it is!

A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: AIDEN

Book 2 in the series

Romantic suspense

Coming soon!

Doesn't that sound good? And now, to entice you further--because I'm like that--here's an...

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’ll 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 a 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.”

 

A PRIDE OF BROTHERS: RICK is available now across all digital media and in print: https://books2read.com/u/38RV7O

 

 And now, once again, in all its glory...

 I love the muted colors! Well, what are you still doing here? Hop on over and snatch this up! ...and then come back and comment. (Bossy, much? ;) )

Thanks for reading and have a fabulous Tuesday!