Apollo’s Raven (Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 1) by Linnea Tanner #Historical

Apollo’s Raven

(Curse of Clansmen and Kings, Book 1)

By Linnea Tanner

Publication Date: 20th January 2020 (3rd Edition)

Publisher: Apollo Raven Publisher, LLC

Page Length: 394 Pages

Genre: Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction

A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people.

 

AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.

 

Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse. Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?

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Apollo's Raven ♥ Dagger's Destiny ♥ Amulet's Rapture ♥ Skull's Vengeance (coming soon)

Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), and Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3). Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4) is anticipated to be released in late 2021 or early 2021. 

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

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Loving Dark Men by J.A. Huss @JAHuss

 

Loving Dark Men
By J.A. Huss

Publication Date: July 26th 2022

Genres: Adult, Thriller

A man lures a woman into the woods.

Another ruins the life of his best friend.

And yet another strings them along like puppets.

Dark men.

They are intriguing, and charming, and powerful.

They are changing the world.

They are changing themselves.

They are playing with lust, and love, and fear, and loathing.

Addicted to each other, to their secret, to the seduction, to the sex.

It’s a crash in the making.

And yes, it’s on purpose.

These men are dark.

And this is the messy story of how Nova Ryan loves them.

Loving Dark Men is a seductive romantic thriller that will have you turning pages well past your bedtime. A standalone book by New York Times bestselling author, JA Huss.

 

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JA Huss is a New York Times Bestselling author and has been on the USA Today Bestseller's list 21 times. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings. Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world. Her book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017. Her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Her book, Total Exposure, was nominated for a RITA Award in 2019. She lives on a ranch with her family, dogs, cats, birds, chickens, horse, donkeys, and goats in Colorado.

#BlogTour - Emerald Eyes by Aurelia Yates #Romance #Giveaway

Emerald Eyes
By Aurelia Yates

Publication Date: August 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

After the death of her mother and losing her job, Sarah realizes there’s nothing keeping her in the small town where she grew up, and she travels to New York to stay with her best friend. Upon her arrival, she literally falls for a sexy, dark man with mesmerizing emerald-green eyes.

Chance encounters continue to bring them together, and Sarah finds herself drawn into a sinful world she’s never known. Wilder is unlike any other man, and although she tries, she can’t resist him or his dominating temperament.

Try as she might, Wilder will not let Sarah escape him, and with a stalker coming after her, he is determined to protect her with everything he has—even when he has to punish her in the bedroom for disobeying his commands.

 

EXCERPT

I’m about to ask my driver to go to Red when all of a sudden, I spotted her in the window. She’s coming out of the building. It’s at that moment I feel as if I am not breathing. Time seems to stand still as I moved closer to the vehicle’s window. I can see she is just as I remember—stunning. Her hair is down, and the wind is lightly blowing it, giving off the illusion that she is floating. She’s wearing a smile that would brighten the Devil’s day. I take in the sun-dress she is wearing, the slightly fitted top of the dress showing the outline of her full breasts. Instantly, my soldier in my pants comes to attention. Then, as my smile appeared, it disappeared.

When she turned around to look back at the front door, a young man appeared. He takes her by the hand, then leads her down the sidewalk. My jaw goes stiff. My vision started to fade. I wanted to murder that mother-fucker for touching what’s mine. Before they get out of my view, I take a picture, then send it to Blaze.

“Blaze, find out all the information you can about this fuck-tard.”

Blaze sends back a text. “On it.”

Seeing Sarah with another man makes my blood boil. I’m enraged. I don’t want any man touching what is mine. I tell Finn, my driver, to follow the pair but to stay discreet. A couple of blocks, later they entered a coffee shop. Through the dingy front window, I see their silhouettes as they sit down in a booth at the front of the shop. I’m barely able to make anything out because the windows look so grungy. I shiver to think how clean the shop actually is.

I’m observing their interaction, trying to see if she is into him. When he reached over to take her hand, I checked out. I feel the anger seeping through me like I’m about to blow. I know the outcome will be catastrophic. I sensed my body moved but can’t stop my actions. It’s when I opened the door to the coffee shop that I realized where I’m at.

I squinted my eyes as I looked upon him. The man she is sitting across is holding her hand. He noticed me and his eyes rounded, as if he sensed I’m about to rip his appendages from his body. Sarah turned in her seat to face me. I’m in motion to start making my way over to her. I feel my phone vibrate. I take it out, viewing the caller ID—Blaze. Fuck!

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Aurelia writes contemporary romance and enjoys reading it just as much! She lives in Alabama with her husband, daughter and fur babies. She spends most of her time taking care of her loved ones And plotting stories. Excited to begin this new journey, she’s looking forward to sharing her stories.

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#BlogTour - Where You Are by Felice Stevens #Giveaway @FeliceStevens1

Where You Are
By Felice Stevens

Publication Date: August 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Former model and B-list actor (B meaning really bad) Isaac Seidel is now a NYC firefighter on special assignment in the one-horse town of Serenity, Pa. But all work and no play makes Isaac a dull boy, and when he hooks up with the most explosive one-night stand he’s ever had, it looks like country life might not be so boring after all.
Especially when the guy he thought he’d never see again turns out to be one of the volunteer firefighters he’s expected to train.
Levi Everett is a master at pleasing everyone—except himself. He’s spent his whole life hiding who he is and what he wants. It’s a lot more complicated now that he’s going to be seeing gorgeous Isaac Seidel every day. How is he supposed to pretend he’s straight when he and Isaac can’t keep their hands off each other?
Isaac has made it clear he’s only interested in friends with benefits, so when he returns home to NYC, Levi knows he’s gone forever.

Until he isn’t.

Trust doesn’t come easily to Isaac—he’s been hurt and used before. But Isaac is unable to forget the man he left behind, and in a shocking move, he makes Levi an offer that could change their lives forever. Now it’s up to Levi to put himself first, risking the love of his family, to go after his dreams—dreams that were unimaginable before Isaac but are now within his reach.

Because love is wherever Isaac is, and it’s the only place Levi wants to be.

Where You Are is a sweet and steamy, age-gap MM romance featuring two smoking hot firefighters who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other or their clothes on whenever they’re together. It’s filled with found family, first time love, a swoony happily ever after, a well-meaning but nosy mother, and plenty of good old country fried chicken.

EXCERPT

“Is this seat taken?”

Levi’s grip tightened on his bottle of Stella before answering the man who stood by his side. He was gorgeous—tall and dark-haired, with a gleam in his blue eyes and a slightly wicked but charming half smile tugging at his lips. He looked somewhat familiar, but Levi knew if he’d ever met him, he would’ve remembered.

“No. It’s not.” Anxiety sang through his blood as the man slid into the empty seat next to him.

“Great. My first time here. Seems like a cool place. Not many like it, I’m gathering.”

Levi swallowed. “Uh, yeah, me too. And I don’t think so.” Nervous and unsure what he should say or do, he kept quiet.

“Hey. Don’t worry. I’m not a serial killer or anything.” The man appeared to be nice, but Levi wasn’t taken in.

“Would you tell me if you were?”

The man laughed. “No, I suppose you’re right.” He pulled out his driver’s license and held it up. “See? That’s me.”

Isaac Seidel.

Levi noted the address in New York City and wondered what he was doing in the middle of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “I wasn’t fishing for information. My name’s Levi, by the way.”

“I know you weren’t.” Isaac signaled the bartender. “Another beer, Levi?”

Levi shrugged. “Sure. Thanks.”

He watched Isaac chat easily with the bartender as he opened their bottles of Stella. And despite his teasing about serial killers, Levi couldn’t help a frisson of fear. Was he crazy to do this? Maybe there was someone in town.…God, he hoped he wasn’t going to throw up from nerves. He hadn’t done that since he was a little kid.

“Here’s to new friends,” Isaac said, then raised a brow. “And maybe more?”

“New friends. And maybe.” He clinked Isaac’s bottle and took a swallow. Warmth settled in his belly, and he took another sip, feeling Isaac’s steady blue eyes on him. Seemed like Isaac had the same thing on his mind, and a thrill built up inside Levi at the thought of Isaac being his first.

“What do you do, Levi?” Isaac’s appreciative gaze ate him up, and Levi’s breathing accelerated. “You’re in fantastic shape.”

“I own a bar with my brother, so lifting all those cases of beer and liquor helps.”

“I’ll bet. No need for the gym.”

“We don’t even have one in my little town. You’d have to travel a few miles to get to one. But most of the young guys who work on the farms don’t need it, or they lift at home.”

“Makes sense. All that country living.” Isaac finished his beer. “In the city we can run in the park or work out, but most people belong to a gym.”

Figuring he needed to add something to the conversation to let Isaac know he was interested, he cleared his throat. “You’re in pretty good shape yourself.”

Isaac let loose that crazy, sexy smile. “Thanks for noticing.”

About to ask what Isaac did for a living, Levi froze when Isaac set his bottle on the bar and leaned in close. The cool scent of his aftershave sent a hot punch of lust through Levi, and he found himself swaying toward the man until their lips almost touched.

“Care to take a walk with me?”

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Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice's Breakfast Club.

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A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1) by Mercedes Rochelle, #Audio narrated by Kevin E. Green #HistoricalFiction

A King Under Siege

(The Plantagenet Legacy, Book 1)

By Mercedes Rochelle

Audio Narrated by Kevin E. Green

Publication Date: 5th January 2019

Publisher: Sergeant Press

Page Length: 313 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Richard II found himself under siege not once, but twice in his minority. Crowned king at age ten, he was only fourteen when the Peasants' Revolt terrorized London. But he proved himself every bit the Plantagenet successor, facing Wat Tyler and the rebels when all seemed lost. Alas, his triumph was short-lived, and for the next ten years he struggled to assert himself against his uncles and increasingly hostile nobles. Just like in the days of his great-grandfather Edward II, vengeful magnates strove to separate him from his friends and advisors, and even threatened to depose him if he refused to do their bidding. The Lords Appellant, as they came to be known, purged the royal household with the help of the Merciless Parliament. They murdered his closest allies, leaving the King alone and defenseless. He would never forget his humiliation at the hands of his subjects. Richard's inability to protect his adherents would haunt him for the rest of his life, and he vowed that next time, retribution would be his.

Excerpt

Ten thousand or more crowded the banks of the Thames near the king's manor of Rotherhithe, shrieking and howling like the demons of hell. The royal barge, hung with the Plantagenet lions, floated safely in the middle of the river, while King Richard gripped his sword, trying to emulate his royal forefathers. His elders would agree that the fourteen year-old monarch looked every bit the Plantagenet successor; he was tall for his age, with delicate features and red hair like his father. Richard was born to be king and now he must prove it—though at the moment he felt more like a lamb than a lion.

He waited for the frenzy to exhaust itself. "Why are you here and what do you want?" The young voice, clear and shrill, reached its listeners who broke out once again into a clamor, shaking their farm tools and rusty old blades. 

"Come to the shore!" One voice carried over the din. "Speak with us in person!" 

Standing under a large red canopy with his counsellors, Richard glanced upriver at the four smaller barges serving as his escort. The boats had hung back, not daring to come any closer. This was a sorry plight his advisors had led them into! Sighing, Richard turned to Archbishop Sudbury; he could see the terror in the prelate's face. This wasn't helping.

"I p-promised I would speak with them," the king said uncertainly. "I must at least try.”

Bristling under two great banners with St. George's cross and forty pennons, the mob continued its uproar while the king turned to his other advisors. Sir Robert Hales, England's treasurer, stepped up beside the archbishop. "We can't expect any mercy from them. They are out for blood." Richard frowned, dissatisfied. Hales might be Lord Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller, but today his courage seemed to have fled. The man's eyes were almost bulging from his head. 

Richard then turned to the Earl of Salisbury, the most experienced soldier on the barge. "And what is your advice?" he asked, trying to keep a brave face. 

"You cannot go ashore. They might restrain you—hold you hostage, or worse. This is an undisciplined rabble." 

This was the best counsel they could give him? He had to do something, though his advisors would probably criticize him for making the wrong choice— with the utmost courtesy, of course, and polite language. Taking a deep breath, Richard turned back to the crowd. He hoped he could control his stutter. "What is it you want from me?" he shouted. "Tell me, now that I have come this far.”

He stood, arms crossed, while the men closest to the river conferred with each other. Finally, coming to a decision, the apparent leader got into a boat with a couple of rowers. They brought their craft as close as they dared. "Here is what we want," the man called. "We demand the heads of John of Gaunt, Archbishop Sudbury, Treasurer Hales, Chief Justice Robert Belknap, Robert Plesington Baron of the Exchequer, John Legge and Thomas Brampton.”

"Why, you seek to deprive me of my chief ministers," Richard cried. Behind him, he could hear Sudbury calling down God's curses on their heads. 

"We seek to save you from corrupt officials," the rebel shouted back.

"By killing them all? How would that help me?”

"They are destroying the country with their dishonest administration." 

"This is too dangerous," Salisbury spoke in Richard's ear. "We must leave.”

Nodding in agreement, the king tried one last time. "If you wish to continue negotiations," he called, less sure of himself, "you may do so at Windsor on Monday next." While he was speaking, the barge was already turning around. Stunned at losing their advantage, the crowd howled in anger and the rebel boat fell back in confusion. But Richard no longer cared. He was headed for the safety of the Tower, though for the first few minutes they were at the mercy of any archer who might choose to draw his bow. Fortunately, nothing happened aside from the shouts of "Treason! Treason!" that diminished as they gained speed. 

The king stared at the receding mob, biting his lip, until they were out of range. He had never felt so alone. This debacle was not of his making, yet everyone was looking to him for a solution. It just wasn't fair. Even though he had been king for four years, he was in leading reins just as assuredly as any young horse. He sat in council meetings—even presided at Parliament—but his opinions were politely dismissed. They said he was too young, too inexperienced to make decisions. He was expected to watch and learn while his chief ministers made a mess of things. Well, they certainly taught him what not to do! And now, with half the country in an uproar, all they could do was dither. No one had taken the rising seriously enough to gather a force to confront the rebels, and now that the angry multitude was at the gates of London, no one had a suggestion what to do about it. Obviously, this attempt had failed disastrously. But at least he had tried.  

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Mercedes Rochelle is an ardent lover of medieval history, and has channeled this interest into fiction writing. Her first four books cover eleventh-century Britain and events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. The next series is called The Plantagenet Legacy about the struggles and abdication of Richard II, leading to the troubled reigns of the Lancastrian Kings. She also writes a blog: HistoricalBritainBlog.com to explore the history behind the story. Born in St. Louis, MO, she received by BA in Literature at the Univ. of Missouri St.Louis in 1979 then moved to New York in 1982 while in her mid-20s to “see the world”. The search hasn’t ended! Today she lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with her husband in a log home they had built themselves.

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#BlogTour - Fire Within (Beyond The Stage) by Nicki Rae #Romance @authornickirae

Fire Within
(Beyond The Stage)
By Nicki Rae

Publication Date: October 20th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Music brought us together six years ago. Our love existed between guitar strings and every beat of the music. Song lyrics spoke the words of our souls – words only meant for us.

He was a coworker at my first job – a record store. So many great songs surrounded us. But I was only interested in what our song would become.
With Kelley Shane, I found the first love song that filled my soul with fire. But he also introduced me to my first sad song – heartache that filled my veins with ice water.

Marketing a new band has brought us back together. Going on a three-week tour with Kelley is not how I pictured our reunion. I’m not sure I can trust him to have my back, let alone to confide in him.
But what worries me most? What if my heart decides to trust him without my permission?

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Nicki is the author of The Moore Love Series: Lather and The Date: A Moore Love Short Story, The Perfection Series: Damaged Perfection and Resisting Perfection, Broken Minds, and Angel Face. She is a born Buckeye turned Hoosier who loves to spend time with her family. Along with being an avid reader, she also loves her animals and the Indianapolis Colts!

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#BlogTour - Bratva Treasure (The Ivankov Brotherhood, #3) by Sabine Barclay #Romance

Bratva Treasure
(The Ivankov Brotherhood, #3)
By Sabine Barclay

Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: September 20th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mafia, Romance

She has no idea what she agreed to…

My printsessa thinks she’s taken a regular job for a regular lawyer.

She doesn’t know the devils that lurk below the surface now that she’s in my world. The bratva world.

Innocent, sweet, and trusting.

All the things I am not. All the things I never knew I wanted.

But I do now. And she’s mine.

Let someone try to take her. I’ll burn the world down around them to keep her. She’s my soulmate.

She doesn’t know her limits yet. I’ll take her there, then bring her back with my touch and my love.

Bratva Treasure is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book three in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

 

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Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast with her husband and sons. Growing up in the Midwest, Sabine enjoyed spending as much time in and on the water as she could. Now she lives near the beach. She's an avid swimmer, a hopeful future surfer, and a former rower. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

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#BlogTour - Véronique’s Journey by Patti Flinn #Giveaway #HistoricalFiction

Véronique’s Journey
By Patti Flinn

Publication Date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Historical

In 18th century France, the choices for a young black woman of modest means are slim.

Véronique Clair loves her parents and their small home in the countryside of Burgundy but dreams of using her talent for sewing and embroidery to make her own way, without having to rely on a man.

When Véronique’s well-meaning parents find her a suitor of elevated station their happiness turns into her despair. Véronique must make the difficult choice between agreeing to an arranged marriage–with its promise of elevated status in society–or embark upon an unpredictable journey across France and into a world she’s never known.

…for a young woman of honor, only the heart can guide the way.

EXCERPT

The pastor began to speak but was interrupted as a former childhood friend of mine entered behind us, causing many of us to turn around and look. She was red-faced with embarrassment. Big with child and holding onto the hand of two small children on either side of her and sporting a freshly blackened eye. She held her chin up and hustled her babies into a seat as her husband came in behind her, his face a mask of arrogance, daring anyone to say anything. He took the seat beside his family, slouched in the chair like a pouting child.

I leaned to whisper to my mother, eyes still on the man. “He will beat or breed her to death. The bastard. When he was courting her he had nothing but fine words about how well he would treat her. Now she is stuck with him, forever.”

“Oui,” Maman nodded, her pretty features turned down in a frown. “It is a shame. He is angry that he is a married man…”

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#BlogTour - Wrapped Around My Heart (The Kincaid Brothers, #1) by Heather Alexander #Giveaway #Romance @booksbyha

Wrapped Around My Heart
(The Kincaid Brothers, #1)
By Heather Alexander

Published by: The Wild Rose Press
Publication Date: August 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Savvy New York designer, Emma Cole, inexplicably falls through time and into the arms of the most intriguing man she’s ever met—Wyatt Kincaid, a hunky cowboy living in 19th century Montana. Their attraction is instantaneous, but the secrets they each carry may keep the two apart.

When a mysterious string of fires set off a chain of events, the couple must come together to uncover the perpetrator.

Fate brought them together through time, but will their love be strong enough to keep them united through the centuries?

EXCERPT

A sudden crash outside the garage sounded like a car wreck at high speed or, more precisely, a head-on collision. The ground beneath Emma’s feet shook. She lost her balance and stumbled toward the door. Outside, she expected to see a horrible motor vehicle accident and bodies strewn everywhere.

But there was no crash.

No cars.

No one.

Nothing else, except the house and…

She turned back to the garage. Her breath caught in her lungs. What had been the spotless three-car garage was now a two-story wood barn. A buckboard sat to the side. A tall windmill towered behind the wood structure; on the opposite side, a horse grazed in a paddock.

And one very tall and handsome man with piercing blue eyes that rivaled the Montana sky stood before her. His thick blond hair caressed his forehead. He wiped his hands on a rag, then tucked it into the side of his denim overalls. His rolled-up shirt sleeves exposed tanned muscular forearms. Where did he come from?

She glanced at the house, at him, then back again, and trembled involuntarily. The house had suddenly changed. It looked different—the roof had shingles. Smoke billowed out of the chimney, the smell filling her head.

“Ma’am?” The man’s gaze swept over her from head to toe; a gentle smile touched his lips. Something akin to recognition flickered in his eyes. “Are you…lost?”

Who is this guy, why is he here, and how the hell did my life just get turned upside down?

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Heather Alexander writes time-travel, contemporary, and historical romance.

Since she was a child, Heather has been fascinated with time-travel stories and the Old West. After visiting several ghost towns in Montana, she was inspired to combine the two and wrote her first time-travel romance, Wrapped Around My Heart. A Long Island native, she now lives in the south with her family and spends all her free time with her two beloved fur babies. She is currently working on the next book in the Kincaid Brothers series. More information about Heather and her writing is available at booksbyha.com.

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#BlogTour - The Selective Mute Princess by Samantha Jayne Grubey #Giveaway

The Selective Mute Princess
By Samantha Jayne Grubey

Publication Date: August 29th 2022
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Princess Amelia has been silent for ten years, ever since Amelia and Ava were kidnapped. One returned home the other did not. Amelia has always kept herself guarded with her twenty-first birthday approaching things are going to be changing.

Ethan Sparks is on his first assignment, guard the Princess in the Palace. The longer he’s there the more he finds himself being drawn to Princess Amelia, he can see she’s drowning and he wants to help.

Romantic interests stirs in a mixing pot of emotions as Amelia and her family recover from the kidnapping and murder of her sister. Unsure what to feel or who to believe, Amelia needs to find her truth, as she deals with her trauma and finally brings her family to mend. Along the way they find themselves hitting challenges at every wall. So many questions left unanswered by the kidnapping and murder, can she finally find the answers she’s searching for? Can Amelia finally allow herself to live and be freed from the guilt she feels? Can Ethan survive the challenges that come with falling for a Princess in line for the throne?

—

EXCERPT:

I sent him a small smile and walked through the halls, entering the cinema room and grabbing the remote. Ethan shut the door, and I patted the seat next to me. I flicked through one of the many streaming services, finding Harry Potter.

“Which one is your favourite?”

I held my hand up, signalling five.

“Really? Some people think that is the worse one; it comes in at number three on my list of best Harry Potter films.”

I chuckled, laying my head on his chest. I was determined to make it through all eight films, and I hoped I could binge watch them all in one day. I pressed the first film, and it began to play. I had yet to find something better than watching a film with Ethan by my side.

The first film finished, and I lined up the second one, hitting pause. “Do you know sometimes I wish we could order a takeaway to the palace?”

Ethan laughed.

“I’m serious.”

“I know you are.” He laughed. “You could have it ordered, but by the time it’s gone through all the checks, it’d be cold. What are you fancying?”

“Chinese. I know the chef can cook, but sometimes a takeaway is needed,” I muttered. “Why?”

“I’ll go get us some. I should see if Katie wants anything.”

“You could invite your sister to watch films with us too, you know,” I said pointedly. “I don’t think I’ve actually gotten to spend time with her other than our initial meeting.”

“She’s being a brat,” Ethan muttered sourly.

“Ethan.”

He rolled his eyes. “She’s not opening up, and I don’t know how to deal with teenage Katie. I’m way out of my depth here… like oceans away out of my depth.”

“Teenage years are hard,” I told him. “Maybe all she needs to know is that you love her still. Have you told her lately?”

“She knows.”

“Ethan, teenagers always know, but have you said the words?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Have you told her lately? She’s clearly going through a lot, ignoring the fact that she can’t speak.”

“Okay, I’ll see if she wants to come with me,” he said. “What do you want?”

“Egg fried rice, chicken chow mien, vegetable spring rolls, Hawaiian chicken, and chicken balls,” I said as I watched him type it on his phone.

“I’ll be back soon. I’ll post a guard outside your door.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes slightly. He left the room, and I sighed. I wondered if it was time I invested in a phone. I stood up, opening the door and made the short walk to my room, ignoring the guard following me. If I ignored them, then I couldn’t see their looks. I grabbed my blanket and Mac and made my way back to the cinema room, waiting for Ethan to return.

I wrapped myself in the blanket and switched on the Mac. I loaded up Google Chrome and stared at the blank search engine. I still had no idea what my project would be. I suppose part of that was due to the fact that I knew nothing. Maybe it was time to go back to school. I typed in universities and began scrolling through them. I had no idea what I was even looking for. If I was going to take over as queen, then I should at least know more about our history. I mean, our history books were fine, but I didn’t want to just stick with what we had. I wanted to experience the outside world, and I knew convincing my parents would be the hardest part.

“I’m back.” I jumped a mile, shutting the laptop quickly. Holding a hand to my chest, I glanced at the clock and saw half an hour had passed. He chuckled. “You must have been really deep into whatever you were doing.” I held onto my chest, trying to calm my breathing. I had completely gotten lost in my research.

Ethan sat next to me, and I looked to see Katie had sat on the other side of Ethan. I waved, and she smiled and waved back.

“What were you looking at?” Ethan asked curiously.

I shrugged.

“If you won’t tell me, I’ll just assume it was porn. You naughty, naughty princess.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. Ethan was definitely something else. He sat next to me, handing me a plate with a lot of food and handed Katie hers, then he pressed play on the film. It had been so long since I had takeaway food. My parents tried to limit us, but every now and then, we managed to convince a nanny to sneak us out of the house. I picked up a vegetable spring roll and began to eat it as I concentrated on watching the second Harry Potter film.

As I looked at Ethan, I noticed our legs had become intertwined as they laid out in front of us. I couldn’t help but smile; everything felt easy with us. I didn’t know if that was good or bad, but Ethan made it easy.

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Samantha Jayne Grubey is an author of new adult romance.

When she's not writing, reading, you can probably find her heading back to university for teaching training. If she's not doing any of that then she's probably playing sims (sims 3&2 are the best out of the franchise) or colouring.

Follow her on social media, learn all about the books at: https://www.samanthajaynegrubey.com

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John Brown's Women: A Novel by Susan Higginbotham. #HistoricalFiction

John Brown's Women: A Novel 

By Susan Higginbotham

Publication Date: 7th December 2021

Publisher: Onslow Press

Page Length: 402 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

As the United States wrestles with its besetting sin—slavery—abolitionist John Brown is growing tired of talk. He takes actions that will propel the nation toward civil war and thrust three courageous women into history. 

Wealthy Brown, married to John Brown's oldest son, eagerly falls in with her husband's plan to settle in Kansas. Amid clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, Wealthy's adventure turns into madness, mayhem, and murder.

Fifteen-year-old Annie Brown is thrilled when her father summons her to the farm he has rented in preparation for his raid. There, she guards her father's secrets while risking her heart. 

Mary Brown never expected to be the wife of John Brown, much less the wife of a martyr. When her husband's daring plan fails, Mary must travel into hostile territory, where she finds the eyes of the nation riveted upon John—and upon her.

Spanning three decades, John Brown's Women is a tale of love and sacrifice, and of the ongoing struggle for America to achieve its promise of liberty and justice for all.

Excerpt

Betsy had told Mary that Mr. Brown had taken his wife’s death hard, even though gossip had it that Dianthe had not always been in her right mind. One time the Browns had attended church with the Delamaters, whom Mary had happened to be visiting, and there she had seen Dianthe, a small, plain woman. Mary couldn’t say that she was cracked, but there had been something about her. She had a lovely singing voice, but she had sang with a fervor that was somehow disturbing. Afterward, she had come out, wearing a pretty woolen cloak that she must have made herself and taken pains over. It had fallen off her shoulders, and Mr. Brown had tenderly settled it back upon her. She had thanked him, and then, not five minutes later, it had fallen again. Mary was sure that

she’d swept it off herself. She had walked placidly on, while little Ruth cradled the cloak

in her arms.

After Dianthe died, taken by the childbed fever, Mr. Brown had taken his motherless children and gone to stay with one of his tannery employees. But the employee was a newlywed, and Mr. Brown hadn’t wanted to overstay his welcome. So he had brought the children back home and, through the Delamaters, had found Betsy to care for them and the house—a rehearsal, one could say, for their marriage. So far the rehearsal appeared to be going well. The children munched their bread contentedly and kicked each other under the table cheerfully, and everything in the modest house shone with cleaning.

Except, Mary found, for the spinning wheels—a great one for wool and a smaller one for flax. Dusty and forlorn, they sat in a corner, not touched since poor Dianthe had felt the first pangs of labor.

Mary felt a little strange about taking this dead woman’s place at her wheel, so she waited until the three older boys had started off for school, then scooted the wool wheel over to another part of the room, where it at least didn’t radiate so much Dianthe. With that out of the way, she set to work. Some women found spinning tedious and tried to do it only in the company of others to better while the time away, but Mary could spin for hours in utter silence and only know that time had passed by the setting of the sun.

She was still at work, pacing back and forth alongside the great wheel, when Mr. Brown came home. “Ah, I’ve missed that music.”

“Music?”

“The music of the wheel. Hard work has its own special music, I think. And it looks like you’ve been quite productive.”

Mary nodded shyly.

“Well,” said Mr. Brown after a long pause. “Carry on, Miss Day.”

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Susan Higginbotham is the author of a number of historical novels set in medieval and Tudor England and, more recently, nineteenth-century America, including The Traitor's Wife, The Stolen Crown, Hanging Mary, and The First Lady and the Rebel. She and her family, human and four-footed, live in Maryland, just a short drive from where John Brown made his last stand. When not writing or procrastinating, Susan enjoys traveling and collecting old photographs.

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