A Governess Should Never... Deny a Duke (The Governess Chronicles Book 2) by Emily Windsor #HistoricalRomance

 

A Governess Should Never... Deny a Duke
(The Governess Chronicles Book 2)
By Emily Windsor 

“So tell me, Miss Beaujeu, why should I employ you as governess?”

A question to rouse fear within the breast of any prospective governess but for Isabelle, a lady with impeccable references and tightly pinned hair, it barely raises a brow.

But this rugged Welsh duke of an employer is unlike any other: dubbed Mean, Moody & Mysterious in gossip columns, he’s known to scowl a path through London society. And why have three governesses fled his employ within the last twelvemonths?

“I appoint you as governess. When can you start?”

Rhys Cadogan, the Duke of Aberdare, never procrastinates. And besides, with a house party to be hosted at his coastal estate, the sole purpose of which is to find him a wife, he’s in somewhat of a rush.

But this drab-gowned paragon of a governess is unlike any other: lauded in her references, she exudes composure and intelligence, a perfect fit for his troubled niece. So why do Miss Beaujeu’s eyes also flash with a wild silvered gleam?

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Emily Windsor grew up in the north of England on a diet of historical romance and strong tea.

Unfortunately, you couldn’t study Regency slang, so she did the next best thing and gained a degree in Classics and History instead. This ‘led’ to an eight-year stint in engineering.

Having left city life, she now lives in a dilapidated farmhouse where her days are spent writing, fixing the leaky roof, battling the endless vegetation and finding pictures of well-tied cravats.

Promenade (The Dark Nocturne, #3) by Morgan Shamy @MorganShamy

 

Promenade
(The Dark Nocturne, #3)
By Morgan Shamy

Publication date: July 26th 2022

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Young Adult

When time isn’t on your side…

With Vincent gone, November is left exposed. Having lost everyone she loves, she’s desperate to find a new life. It could’ve been possible—until a group of Shadow Fae who blames her for Vincent’s death. Now, her only chance at survival is to deliver to them a live Vincent or face her own fate. Problem is, the dead can’t be brought back to life. So her only choice is to travel back in time and find him.

In London, 1901, Vincent and November reunite. But he isn’t who she thought he was. He’s a rake, an aristocrat, with no recollection of her. But that isn’t all her troubles. A Shadow Wraith is on her back, trying to take her back to her own time, and the Shadow Fae are still hunting her down. November must find a way to make Vincent remember who she is and change the future, before time, and her death catches up with her.

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Morgan Shamy is an ex-ballerina turned YA writer. She has been immersed in the arts since the young age of 4, where she performed various roles alongside a professional ballet company for over seven years, and has danced on prestigious stages like soloing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has taught hundreds of girls in her fifteen years of teaching, where some of her students have received full-ride scholarships to schools like School of American Ballet, the Harid Conservatory, Kirov Academy of Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, to name a few.

Morgan discovered writing when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. It was through that experience which instilled the need to share art and magic with children through words on the page.

Morgan is also an accomplished concert pianist. She was the first girl in Utah to receive the 75 pt. Gold Cup in the Utah Federation of Music in piano solo/concerto competition. Morgan currently lives with her X-Games gold-medalist husband and four children in Salt Lake City, Utah.

A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normand. Check out Ascent (House of Normandy Book 1)y Cathie Dunn #HistoricalFiction #Vikings @cathiedunn

Ascent

(House of Normandy Book 1)

By Cathie Dunn

Publication Date: 8th April 2022

Publisher: Ocelot Press 

Page Length: 301 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Viking Fiction

A brutal Viking raid heralds the dawn of a new, powerful dynasty – the House of Normandy

Neustria, Kingdom of the West Franks

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Fourteen-year-old Poppa’s life changes when Northmen land near Bayeux. Count Bérengar, her father, submits to them, and she is handfasted to Hrólfr, the Northmen’s heathen leader, as part of their agreement. 

To her relief, Hrólfr leaves immediately in search of further conquest, only returning to claim her years later. In the face of retaliating Franks, they flee to East Anglia, where she gives birth to their son and daughter.

When Hrólfr and Poppa return to reclaim Bayeux, his new campaign strikes at the heart of Frankish power, and King Charles of the West Franks offers him a pact he cannot refuse. In exchange for vast tracts of land in Neustria, Hrólfr must convert to Christianity and accept marriage to Gisela, the king’s illegitimate daughter. 

Poppa’s world shatters. She remains in Bayeux, with her daughter, Adela. When Gisela arrives one day, demanding she hand over Adela, to be raised in Rouen, Poppa’s patience is at an end. But Gisela makes for a dangerous enemy, and only one woman will survive their confrontation high up on the cliffs. 

Will Poppa live to witness the dawn of a new era?

ASCENT is the first in a new series about the early women of the House of Normandy – women whose stories have been forgotten. Almost!

Excerpt

Biting her lip, Poppa focused on Father Peter’s ramblings, trying to identify words she recognised, and their meaning. It whiled away the time. Surreptitiously, she changed her weight again. 

Moments later, as everyone watched the priest who had paused in his sermon, his head cocked to the side like a bird’s, a sound of raised voices reached her ears. It came from outside. Shouts, which grew steadily closer. But with most of the inhabitants of Bayeux attending church, what could make such a growing noise?

Father exchanged glances with several men in the crowd. An imperceptible nod from him, and they slowly edged closer to him. He spoke in a hushed tone, but Poppa could not hear his words.

More urgent shouting reached her ears, followed by screams that pierced the silence. 

Around her, men and women glanced around nervously. Father Peter tried again to read from the Scriptures, clearly in an attempt to distract everyone. It was in vain. 

“With me!” Father’s voice cut through the murmurs. The men of Bayeux huddled around him.

Poppa grabbed his arm. He looked at her, giving her hand a squeeze, his expression grave. “Go to Father Peter! He will take you to safety.”

Her eyes widened as he pointed towards the altar. “But Fa—”

“Go, Poppa!” Then he turned his back on her. “Come, men of Bayeux!” he ordered and pushed his way outside. Every boy and man of fighting age – unarmed, their weapons left outside the doors, as was the custom – followed him. After they’d departed, the oak door fell shut with a thud. 

Her mouth too dry to speak, Poppa stood still, unable to do as her father had bid. Time seemed to slow to a halt, as silence descended.

Then a woman to Poppa’s left screamed, her voice high-pitched, her eyes wild, unfocused. Immediately, others joined her. The moment of deceptive calm was broken.

Poppa stared around in bafflement. Was her home under attack?

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This novel is FREE to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription

Cathie Dunn writes historical fiction, mystery, and romance. 

She loves historical research, often getting lost in the depths of the many history books on her shelves. She also enjoys exploring historic sites and beautiful countryside. 

After having spent many years in Scotland, Cathie now lives in the south of France with her husband and two rescue pets: Charlie Cat and Ellie Dog. 

Cathie is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and the Historical Novel Society.

If you would like to connect with Cathie you can find her at the following places:

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The Saxon Wolf (Fire Born Book 2) by Angus Donald #HistoricalFiction

The Saxon Wolf
(Fire Born Book 2)
By Angus Donald 

Publication Date: 13th January 2022

Publisher: Canelo Adventure 

Page Length: 399 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction / Vikings

March, AD 773. 

Bjarki Bloodhand is now Fire Born – a legendary berserker inhabited by the ferocious spirit of a bear in battle. Yet he has sworn never again to allow that sacred rage to possess him, lest he for ever lose himself in the madness like his father.

Tor Hildarsdottir yearns to save pagan Saxony from the grip of the Christian Franks, who now occupy half the region. But she also has serious problems closer to home with her fast-growing pet bear cub, Garm, and, worse, she seems to be falling in love.

Widukind, new lord of the Saxons, is on a mission to reconquer the lands of his fathers from the Franks. He will stop at nothing to win the hearts of the men and women of the North, and bind them to his cause. But will they follow the Saxon Wolf in an unwinnable war? And will Bjarki join them?

Amazon

Angus Donald is the author of the bestselling Outlaw Chronicles, a series of nine novels set in the 12th/13th centuries and featuring a gangster-ish Robin Hood and his loyal lieutenant Sir Alan Dale. His latest Outlaw Chronicles instalment is "Robin Hood and the Caliph's Gold". Angus has also written the Holcroft Blood trilogy about a mildly autistic 17th-century artillery officer, who was the son of notorious Crown Jewel thief Colonel Thomas Blood, and an epic Asian fantasy novel "Gates of Stone" under the pseudonym Angus Macallan. 

Before becoming an author, Angus worked as a fruit-picker in Greece, a waiter in New York and as an anthropologist studying magic and witchcraft in Indonesia. For many years he was a journalist in Hong Kong, India, Afghanistan and London. He is married to Mary, with whom he has two children, and he now writes full time from a medieval farmhouse in Kent.

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This is the story of one woman’s determination to find her place in a world that men are threatening to tear apart. Echoes of War by Tania Blanchard

Echoes of War 

By Tania Blanchard

Publication Date: 29th September 20221

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Genre: Historical Italian Fiction

Set in Mussolini’s Italy amid great upheaval, this is the story of one woman’s determination to find her place in a world that men are threatening to tear apart. Another heart-rending novel inspired by a true story from Australia's bestselling author of The Girl from Munich.

Calabria, Italy, 1936

In a remote farming village nestled in the mountains that descend into the sparkling Ionian Sea, young and spirited Giulia Tallariti longs for something more. While she loves her home and her lively family, she would much rather follow in her nonna’s footsteps and pursue her dream of becoming a healer.

But as Mussolini’s focus shifts to the war in Europe, civil unrest looms. Whispers of war are at every corner and her beloved village, once safe from the fascist agenda of the North, is now in very real danger.

Caught between her desire to forge her own path and her duty to her family, Giulia must draw on the passion in her heart and the strength of her conviction.

Can she find a way to fulfill her dreams or will the echoes of war drown out her voice?

Praise

‘Richly imagined, heartbreaking and utterly captivating, Echoes of War is yet another outstanding piece of historical fiction from Blanchard, cementing her place at the top of this genre.’ 

Better Reading

‘This is emotional reading for anyone born of immigrant stock as it explores the pain of leaving your homeland and your family to find opportunity elsewhere … Echoes of War is an entertaining tale of fiction that will make your heart melt and sing and shatter.’ 

Glam Adelaide

 

‘Echoes of War is a powerful novel about powerful women … a powerful evocation of a time, a place and a cultural vision which provided a significant boost to Australia’s population and its development as a multi-cultural destination of choice for refugees – both voluntary and choiceless.’ 

Carpe Librum

Pick up your copy at your favourite online bookstore - HERE!

Tania Blanchard is an author and writes historical fiction inspired by her family history. Coming from a family with rich cultural heritage, stories have always been in her blood. She grew up listening to her grandparents’ fascinating tales of life during World War Two and migration to Australia. So it comes as no great surprise that besides writing and reading, her other great passion is history.

Her first novel, 'The Girl from Munich', was a runaway bestseller and shortlisted for the ABIA New Writers’ Award. Her other novels, 'Suitcase of Dreams' and 'Letters from Berlin', followed soon after. Her fourth book, ‘Echoes of War,’ will be released in September 2021. All her novels are inspired by family stories.

Tania lives in Sydney with her husband and three children where she can often be found in the kitchen, cooking up a storm for her family, including her two cheeky but lovable dogs who think they’re human too.

To find out more and for all the latest news visit Tania's:

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Blog Tour - Double Dog Dare (Milwaukee Growlers, #2) by Tracy Solheim @TracyKSolheim

Double Dog Dare
(Milwaukee Growlers, #2)
By Tracy Solheim

Publication Date: July 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

They say he who dares wins…

Luke Kessler is known for his daring play on the field and his carefully scripted life off it. The Growlers’ wide receiver has a strict rule of dating one carefully chosen woman per season, then letting her down gently. After all, his game is football, not love. That is until his dopey mutt falls for a French bulldog owned by a hot mess of a woman whose sassy mouth and mind-blowing curves have him fumbling his best laid plans.

After a humiliating concert performance played out in front of the world on social media, cellist Summer Pearson has sworn off a career in music. Forever. She’s hiding out with her grandparents in Milwaukee, licking her wounds and preparing for a predictable, if not boring, law career. The last person she needs challenging her life choices is a sexy, dog-rescuing jock who loves his grandma as much as he loves a good dare.

Especially when that same guy is dating her perfect cousin.

This fun, flirty sports romance delivers a happily ever after that will have you laughing, crying, sighing, and cheering in the endzone. One-click it now for doggy hijinks, senior citizens bent on shenanigans, sexy ax-throwing, locker room bromance, steamy private cello performances, and all the feels as two people discover they are worthy of love.

Double Dog Dare is book 2 in the Milwaukee Growlers Football series but can be read as a standalone with no cliffhangers.

 

EXCERPT

The doorbell rang.

“Oh no,” Lizzie cried. “I’m not ready yet.” She snatched the earrings from Summer’s hand. “You have to stall him. I still need to finish my hair.”

Summer looked down at the baggy flannel boxers she’d pulled on earlier when she got home from making the final preparations in her classroom. Had she even remembered to shave her legs today? Yesterday? The T-shirt she wore was tied in a knot at her waist, revealing the Ben and Jerry’s induced swell of her belly. No way was she dressed to greet anyone, much less a hot jock.

“Oh no,” she said. “I’m locking myself in my bedroom until you leave.”

“I just agreed to your big ask,” Lizzie hissed. “This is mine in return.”

She slammed the bathroom door in Summer’s face and locked it. Milli was barking like a fiend in the living room when the doorbell rang again. Crap. There was no time to wrap herself in a Snuggie.

Or refill her wine glass with liquid courage.

With a resigned sigh, Summer made her way to the front door. Milli’s toenails were tapdancing on the oak floors as the dog prepared to launch herself at whoever was on the front porch. Summer positioned her leg awkwardly to prevent Milli from escaping and opened the door, revealing an unexpected familiar sight—none other than Monty’s owner. She bit back a groan at the sight of the mouth she’d been having some serious dreams about last night. The eyes she’d been wondering about yesterday were hazel. And currently very bemused.

“You,” she said, sounding just as priggish as she had the day before.

Monty’s owner shoved his hands into the pockets of his sharply pressed khakis. “Uh, I hope I’ve got the right address. I’m looking for Elizabeth Pearson.”

Of course, he was.

Summer was suddenly appalled she’d been fantasizing about her cousin’s date.

“She’s expecting a football player.” In for a priggish penny, in for a priggish pound.

He rocked back on his heels. “Number eighty-one in your Growler’s program and number one in fans’ hearts. And the league’s leading receiver, two seasons in a row.”

“Wow.” That explained Papa Harry’s “big fan” comment from yesterday.

Milli whimpered as she clawed at Summer’s leg to escape. No doubt the silly dog wanted to roll over and expose her lady parts to her lover’s owner.

“Asseyez-vous et comportez-vous, Milli,” Summer commanded. The dog neither sat nor behaved. Instead, the wee beast continued to struggle to get free.

Number Eighty-One chuckled. “I’m pretty sure the only French that dog understands is French fry.”

Summer bristled with indignation. How dare he fat-shame her grandmother’s adorably pudgy dog. “I’ll have you know that Milli Chanel understands French perfectly. She’s brilliant.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You don’t say.”

Crouching down on his haunches, he stared into Milli’s eyes. Summer swore the dog sighed.

“Voulez-vous manger vieilles chaussures, Milli?”

Mother of God. The man was fluent in the language of love, not to mention bread and chocolate. Summer was shocked her panties hadn’t spontaneously combusted as the perfectly accented words sensuously rolled off his tongue.

Milli seemed to be having the same reaction. The dog’s eyes practically rolled back in her head as though he’d asked if she wanted cheese on her burger rather than if she wanted to eat old shoes.

Satisfied he had proved his point, he stood up with the lithe grace of a natural athlete and smirked at her. “I rest my case.”

Milli whimpered at the loss of Monty’s owner’s undivided attention.

“Oww!” Summer yelped when the dog’s claws broke the skin on her leg.

She hopped on one foot to the kitchen, leaving the guy to fend for himself with the little hussy that was her grandmother’s dog. She snagged a paper towel and held it to her shin while pouring herself another glass of wine with her other hand. Who said she wasn’t talented?

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USA Today bestselling author Tracy Solheim writes books with shirtless men on the cover. Some of them are actually best-sellers. The books, not the men. When she's not writing, she's practicing her curling. . . bottles of wine, that is. She's been known to cook dinner but no more than two nights in a row. Most days, she'd rather be reading, which to her is just necessary research. She lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her husband and a neurotic Labrador retriever. Her two adult children visit but not often enough. (See the note above about cooking.) Check out her romantic suspense series featuring the Men of the Secret Service--shirtless, of course! See what she’s up to at www.tracysolheim.com

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He stole her locket … she stole his heart. The Bushranger's Wife by Cheryl Adnams #HistoricalFiction

The Bushranger's Wife 

By Cheryl Adnams

Publication Date: 19th April 2022

Publisher: Mira Books 

Page Length: 352 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

He stole her locket … she stole his heart.

Central Highlands of Victoria, 1861

Jack the Devil's reputation precedes him. The most notorious bushranger on the Central Highlands, nothing throws him off his game ... until he holds up Prudence Stanforth and her grandmother. Jack can't help but be captivated by the feisty Pru, with her sweeping red hair and complete lack of fear.

Weeks later, Pru crosses paths with the respectable businessman Jack Fairweather, and it's not long before she recognises him as the bushranger who stole her beloved necklace. His price for the locket's return is her silence ... and a kiss. A kiss that sparks something inside them both.

When Pru discovers her grandmother has been keeping a devastating secret, running away with Jack the Devil is the perfect escape for her broken heart. The dangerous nature of his less-than-salubrious occupation is a poetic contradiction to her sheltered upbringing and only fuels their passion. Until that danger becomes a reality. Between the return of dark elements from Jack's past and authorities intent on his capture, Jack and Pru must fight for their future together ... or risk losing everything.

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Photograph by Nicole Weston

Cheryl Adnams lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She has published four Australian rural romance novels and a Christmas novella. Cheryl has a Diploma in Freelance Travel Writing and Photography and has lived and worked in the United States, Canada and spent two years with a tour company in Switzerland and Austria. Her passion for Italy, volcanology and cycling have made their way into her stories and her favourite writing retreats include Positano on the Amalfi Coast and Port Willunga Beach just south of Adelaide. When she’s not writing, Cheryl is still creating in her busy full time job as a trainer and learning designer.

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Carolina Built: A Novel by Kianna Alexander #AmericanHistoricalFiction #BiographicalFiction

 

Carolina Built: A Novel 

By Kianna Alexander 

Publication Date: 22nd February 2022

Publisher: Gallery Books

Page Length: 327 Pages

Genre: Black & African American Historical Fiction / Biographical Fiction

This “exuberant celebration of Black women’s joy as well as their achievements” (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author) novelizes the life of real estate magnate Josephine N. Leary in a previously untold story of passion, perseverance, and building a legacy after emancipation in North Carolina.

Josephine N. Leary is determined to build a life of her own and a future for her family. When she moves to Edenton, North Carolina from the plantation where she was born, she is free, newly married, and ready to follow her dreams.

As the demands of life pull Josephine’s attention away, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to pursue her real estate aspirations. She finds herself immersed in deepening her marriage, mothering her daughters, and being a dutiful daughter and granddaughter. Still, she manages to teach herself to be a businesswoman, to manage her finances, and to make smart investments in the local real estate market. But with each passing year, it grows more and more difficult to focus on building her legacy from the ground up.

“Filled with passion and perseverance, Josephine Leary is frankly a woman that everyone should know” (Sadeqa Johnson, author of Yellow Wife) and her story speaks to the part of us that dares to dream bigger, tear down whatever stands in our way, and build something better for the loved ones we leave behind.

Praise

“Kianna Alexander breathes life into forgotten historical matriarch Josephine Leary, a budding entrepreneur born into slavery and raising herself to power after the Civil War as a community investor and savvy businesswoman. Josephine's moving struggle to build family and fortune will strike a chord in a story that is both timely and timeless—Carolina Built is an exuberant celebration of Black women's joy as well as their achievements!”

Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code

“In Kianna Alexander's moving Carolina Built, readers are afforded a look at the life of newly emancipated Josephine Leary and her courageous efforts to build a real estate business in post-Civil War North Carolina, all the while balancing the ever-increasing demands of her traditional responsibilities.”

Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie and Her Hidden Genius

“A beautiful, heartfelt story of an extraordinary woman too long forgotten to history. Kianna Alexander has recreated Josephine Leary's life with wonderful historical detail and obvious care that shines through on the page. Josephine's strength, determination, and ambition will an inspiration to any woman.”

Julia Kelly, international bestselling author of The Last Garden in England

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Like any good Southern belle, Kianna Alexander wears many hats: doting mama, advice-dispensing sister, fun aunt and gabbing girlfriend. She's a voracious reader, an amateur seamstress and occasional painter in oils. Chocolate, American history, sweet tea and Idris Elba are a few of her favorite things. A native of the TarHeel state, Kianna still lives there while maintaining her collection of well-loved vintage 80's Barbie dolls.

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Blog Tour - Yearning to Live (Finding the Strength, #4) by Shirley Anne Edward @ShirlAwriter

Yearning to Live
(Finding the Strength, #4)
By Shirley Anne Edwards

Publication Date: July 24th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance

A self-proclaimed ordinarily average girl meets the one larger than life person who will make her yearn for so much more.

Natalie Benton has nursed enough heartbreak in her twenty-one years. But she doesn’t like to complain even though her parents’ marriage might be falling apart, and she’s still mourning her brother, who committed suicide five years ago. On top of that, she was recently ghosted by her lover, an emotionally detached tattoo artist who ran off to California. She’s ready to graduated college in a few months but she’s not sure what her next steps will be. For now, she’ll take each day as it comes, which has become her mantra as an ordinary, average girl in Albee, Pennsylvania where nothing exciting ever happens.

But fate has other plans for Natalie, when a very not ordinary average girl enters her life. It’s the larger than life Gem Grove, one of the most popular singers of the past decade. Gem’s been hiding out in Albee while she also tries her best to take each day as it comes, but her addiction to bigger fame and fortune could lead to her downfall. The public may think she’s entitled and spoiled but she’s ready to prove them all wrong. She’s more than just a singer who performs on demand. She wants to create art with her songs and gain the respect she has always wanted.

Natalie and Gem shouldn’t fit together but they do. The ordinary average girl and the larger-than-life diva might be destined for more, but only if they can achieve it together.

EXCERPT

“How did you know I’d be here?” I finished my juice with a loud pull on my straw.

She tapped her now painted silver thumbnails together. “Yesterday morning I went back to your work to check on the dog but then I saw you get in a car with some guy. I, ah, followed you home. After your boyfriend dropped you off and you walked inside your house, I was going to ring the doorbell, but I didn’t want you to think I was a stalker.”

“Israh’s not my boyfriend. He’s my best friend and next-door neighbor who—” I shut up before I told her too much about him, and me. “But you knowing I’m here now isn’t being a stalker?”

She stopped fidgeting with her fingers and stared out the window. “I drove away and decided to stop by your house again this morning. But then you were walking on Main Street, and I saw you come here.” She turned back to me with a confused expression. “You really do like to walk instead of driving?” Her eyes widened dramatically. “Unless you don’t have a car? But you live in a nice neighborhood in what I would say is an expensive house for this type of small town.”

The front door opened, and the bell rang. She slouched in her seat and tugged down her hood. She looked nervous, and even though I should have been offended by her rambling speech, I grew concerned. She was too twitchy and perhaps scared? She was really paranoid about being spotted.

“You’re that worried someone might recognize you and rat you out to the press? Why do you think it would happen here, in such a small town like Albee?”

“I’ve been hounded by the press since Gio and my first album was released. It’s been nonstop for twelve years.” She hugged herself and glanced out the window again when Savannah came over.

“You and your friend ready to order?” She focused on me first, not appearing to recognize Gem.

“I’d love another juice. My friend is still deciding what she wants.” I expected Gem to face me, but she kept staring out the window.

“Sure. Take your time.” She grabbed my glass and left.

Gem exhaled and gave me her attention.

“See? Savannah didn’t recognize you. This is a safe place.” I tapped her shoe with mine.

“Guess so.” She stared at the meu. “What’s good here?”

“The pancakes.” My stomach growled, but Gem didn’t seem to notice.

“Too many carbs and too much sugar.” She turned the menu over. “I ate breakfast already, but I’d kill for a chai tea.”

“Sorry, only regular coffee here.” I thanked Savannah when she brought my juice.

“I can’t sit here while you eat and I don’t.” She held up her hand as I started to speak. “I can’t drink any type of coffee. I have standards.”

I paused in taking a sip of my juice, afraid it would go down the wrong way or I’d spray it on the table or on Gem.

“Unless you have something important to tell me, I’m staying and enjoying my banana pecan pancakes I have every Sunday.” She might be used to people doing what she wanted, but I was sticking to my routine.

She checked behind her when the door opened, and a group of six girls around my age came in. She cursed under her breath and turned back around. “I want to explain why I left so suddenly after the phone call Friday night, but I’m really not comfortable talking here. Can we go somewhere more private? Please?”

The pleading tone in her voice, and her use of the word please, which I had a feeling she rarely used, stopped me from telling her no. But I was curious, well more than curious.

A waitress brought over the meals to the table nearest us. I watched the couple dig into their breakfast, and I sighed.

Gem curled her fingers around mine holding my glass. “Pretty please?”

“Not many people say no to you.” I finished my juice, even though she kept her hand on mine. I should have told her to let me go, but having a celebrity like her touch me was something I’d never expect in a million years.

“I can’t remember the last time I was refused something I wanted.” She pressed my hand and let me go.

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Shirley Anne Edwards is a Northeast girl who first found her love for books when she read Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock Tower at thirteen. Shirley found her love for writing at a very young age, and since then has let her imagination run wild by creating quirky characters and vast worlds in her head.

Shirley lives in New Jersey and works in the entertainment industry in New York City.

In the immortal words of Mark Twain: “Life is short, Break the Rules. Forgive quickly, Kiss SLOWLY. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably and never regret ANYTHING that makes you smile.”

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Eternal by Lisa Scottoline #HistoricalFiction #Womensfiction

 

Eternal
By Lisa Scottoline

Publication Date: 20th January 2022

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Page Length: 480 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction / Women's Fiction

What war destroys, only love can heal.

Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as the best of friends despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist; Marco the brash and athletic son in a family of professional cyclists; and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy, kind-hearted and thoughtful, the son of a lawyer and a doctor. Their friendship blossoms to love, with both Sandro and Marco hoping to win Elisabetta’s heart. But in the autumn of 1937, all of that begins to change as Mussolini asserts his power, aligning Italy’s Fascists with Hitler’s Nazis and altering the very laws that govern Rome. In time, everything that the three hold dear–their families, their homes, and their connection to one another–is tested in ways they never could have imagined.

As anti-Semitism takes legal root and World War II erupts, the threesome realizes that Mussolini was only the beginning. The Nazis invade Rome, and with their occupation come new atrocities against the city’s Jews, culminating in a final, horrific betrayal. Against this backdrop, the intertwined fates of Elisabetta, Marco, Sandro, and their families will be decided, in a heartbreaking story of both the best and the worst that the world has to offer.

Unfolding over decades, Eternal is a tale of loyalty and loss, family and food, love and war–all set in one of the world’s most beautiful cities at its darkest moment. This moving novel will be forever etched in the hearts and minds of readers.

Praise 

“An accomplished historical novel that is both steeped in period detail and full of relatable characters…. Scottoline is a master at ramping up the suspense.”

Washington Post

“In this book of her heart, Lisa Scottoline delivers what her readers expect and so much more, fast-paced intrigue, but also an authentic, tender coming of age tale of three best friends navigating the complexities of fascism, war, political and family strife and romantic competition.”

Lisa Wingate, author of Before We Were Yours and The Book Of Lost Friends

“Eternal feels so real you can almost taste the cappelletti, as you get lost in the pages on your glorious and heart-wrenching trip to Italy.”

Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls and Sunflower Sisters

Amazon

Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times–bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author of thirty-three novels. She has thirty million copies of her books in print in the United States and has been published in thirty-five countries. Scottoline also writes a weekly column with her daughter, novelist Francesca Serritella, for The Philadelphia Inquirer, which has been adapted into a series of memoirs. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets.

Connect with Lisa:

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Author Photo: © Jeff Wojtaszek

Book Cover Reveal - Bar Down, Baby (Rose City Rendezvous, #1) by Georgia Royce #Romance

Bar Down, Baby
(Rose City Rendezvous, #1)
By Georgia Royce

Publication Date: August 2nd 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Extra spicy with a sweet happily ever after, BAR DOWN, BABY is not your average surprise pregnancy love story.

Things were finally looking up for Megan Massey. She moved out of her toxic ex’s apartment. The online store she’s been managing is finally taking off. And she just took a road trip with her new (amazing!) roommates—and had the hottest hookup of her life with Derek Carroll, head coach of Portland U’s men’s hockey team. She’s truly living her best life.

Except now she can’t keep her lunch down. She’s tired all the time and come to think of it, it’s been. . . a while since her last cycle. A baby is the last thing either of them expected, but Derek surprises Megan by committing to co-parent—platonically.

As they navigate the pregnancy together, Megan can’t help but wonder if there could be more between them. Her pregnancy hormones are definitely getting in the way of this whole ‘taking it slow’ thing. And his longing stares and lingering touches aren’t helping. But even as they grow closer, she can feel him pulling back, like there’s something he’s hiding. What could be worse than falling for your commitment-phobic baby daddy?

A gutsy, tenacious heroine with a chip on her shoulder. A hockey coach with a secret, looking for redemption. Bad bachelor party favors, weird ice cream flavors, and ALL. THE. FEELS.

TW/CW: Contains mentions of (off page) pregnancy loss, drug abuse, and suicide.

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Georgia Royce

Georgia Royce writes kissing books when she’s not downing coffee, refusing to use an umbrella in the rain, or stepping on rogue Lego. She lives in Portland.

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Blog Tour - Love You Again (Love You, Maine, #2) by Julia Kent #Giveaway #Romance @jkentauthor

Love You Again
(Love You, Maine, #2)
By Julia Kent

Publication Date: July 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Set in the woodsy small town of Luview, “Love You,” Maine – a tourist favorite where every day is Valentine’s Day – local police officer and single dad Luke Luview has spent the last two years making his young daughter his priority after his wife’s death. When first-love Kylie Hood comes back into town under bizarre circumstances, he learns that nothing’s a coincidence – and maybe second chances are possible after all.

If you’re looking for a fun read about first kisses, second chances, featuring a hot single dad small town police officer and his accidental nanny, set in a small town in New England, with a golden retriever named Jester, a heroine whose dream in life is to run a fairy camp, and a hero who wants to build a place where everyone belongs – then this is your book.

Grab a cup of coffee, tea, and maybe some edible glitter, and get your happy meter ready as you read the second book in the Love You, Maine series – where love isn’t just a feeling – it’s a way of life.

✓Single Dad
✓Second chance
✓Small town romance
✓Local police officer and his last-minute nanny
…and a Golden Retriever named Jester

EXCERPT

A white puff of air filled the space between him and the steering wheel, and he realized he’d sighed. How long had he been sitting here, mind and memory in the past? Shoving his hands into gloves, he opened the rear door, grabbed the white plastic bag, and made his way to the front of the bin.

Determined, focused, and grim: That was Luke Luview these days. A bad match for a town that existed to make people feel good about love.

Living in Love You, Maine–heck, being a Luview–was never harder than when you had a broken heart.

Time to let go of some of the pain.

“AAAAAAooooooooo,” called out a band of coyotes in the distance, making Luke jolt. His personal weapon was at home. He didn’t carry it in the glove compartment or on his body when he was off duty, but as the coyote population grew in the area, maybe he should.

A few feet from the donation bin’s front, he looked at the lever to pull down, squeezing the bag slightly. A whiff of Amber’s perfume caught his nose, so faint he almost imagined it.

Colleen had washed all the clothes a few weeks ago, so he knew he imagined Amber’s scent. Didn’t matter. He’d take the illusion. That was how much he hurt.

A skitter inside the box made him frown.

Damn animals. They got in those bins all the time. He felt sorry for the poor sap who emptied these metal boxes, carting all the goods to the warehouse in Manchester where they cleaned and sorted, getting it all ready for the second-hand retail stores.

Just do this, he thought, swallowing hard as the coyotes mated in the distance. The sound was violent and creepy, but for whatever reason, it felt fitting.

Throwing the tangible reminders of that terrible day into the donation box felt dangerous, too.

“I love you, Amber,” he murmured. “But I have to let you go. Have to let that day go. Harriet needs a daddy who isn’t tied down by grief. Just because I’m doing this doesn’t mean I love you any less, though.”

Tears pricked his eyes. “Why is this so hard? Because it’s hard,” he said with a huff. “That’s what you would say if you were here. You’d hug me and comfort me and tell me feelings are meant to be felt or they’d be called something else. You’d have all the right words. I don’t have any. I just have a big hole in my life, Amber. And you’re never going to fill it. Colleen says I can’t feel guilty for moving on. I don’t. But I sure do feel weird.”

And then he reached for the handle, pulled it down, and threw the bag in while calling out loudly, “I love you.”

To his utter shock, she replied from the darkness of the box, “I’m in here!”

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. Since 2013, she has sold more than 2 million books, with 4 New York Times bestsellers and more than 21 appearances on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into French, German, and Italian, with more titles releasing in the future.

From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire she met in a romantic comedy).

She lives in New England with her husband and three children where she is the only person in the household with the gene required to change empty toilet paper rolls.

She loves to hear from her readers by email at julia@jkentauthor.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, on Facebook at @jkentauthor, and on Instagram @jkentauthor. Visit her at http://jkentauthor.com

 

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