Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historical romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Cover Reveal: The Breath Between Waves by Charlotte Anne Hamilton (Adult Historical Romance)

 

The Breath Between Waves
Charlotte Anne Hamilton
Published by: Entangled Embrace
Publication date: August 9th, 2021
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

Penelope Fletcher gave up everything to board the RMS Titanic.

Forced to travel to America for her father’s new job, Penelope left her home in Scotland, her beloved grandmother, and even her girlfriend, who promptly got engaged to someone else. Heartbroken, Penelope isn’t looking forward to the weeklong journey. Or that her parents want her to find a husband in America. To make matters worse, she also has to share a cabin with a complete stranger.

Ruby Cole, her spunky Irish roommate, is unlike anyone Penelope ever met. They become fast friends as they bond over crushing family expectations and sneaking into lush parties together. That Ruby likes women, too, comes as a surprise to Penelope, but she knows their affair can only be temporary. Because as soon as the Titanic arrives in New York, Penelope will have to marry someone of her father’s choosing.

Before long, though, they’ll both have to decide what–and who–is really worth fighting for.

Add to Goodreads


Author Bio:

Charlotte Anne Hamilton is a blue-haired mermaid-wannabe who lives in Ayrshire, Scotland with her two fur-children, Izzy (chocolate lab) and Smudge (queen cat). She is currently studying Astronomy and Planetary Science and in her spare time she enjoys reading and gaming, as well as dabbling in all forms of art and her craft as an eclectic witch. Her main source of inspiration in writing and in life is the popular phrase: "but make it gay".

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


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Thursday, February 18, 2021

BLog Blitz: Olivia and the Masked Duke (Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels, Book 1) by Grace Callaway (Historical Romance)





Title: Olivia and the Masked Duke (Lady Charlotte’s Society of Angels, Book 1)

Author: Grace Callaway

Genre: Historical Romance

Hosted by: Aurora Publicity





Blurb:


He saved her life when she was a girl. Now she is a woman determined to heal his heart…


Spirited debutante Lady Olivia McLeod, cherished daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Strathaven, has two interests: solving mysteries and winning the love of her rescuer and secret crush, the infamous Duke of Hadleigh. When Livy joins Lady Charlotte Fayne’s charity for young ladies and discovers that it is a front for a covert investigative agency, she is thrilled. Livy dedicates herself to solving a deadly case; little does she realize that the path to danger will also lead to her heart’s deepest desire.


Notorious widower Ben Wodehouse, the Duke of Hadleigh, has only one goal in mind: redemption. After his tortured past, he channels his demons toward helping others, and the last thing he wants or deserves is innocence. Yet temptation taunts him by transforming the little girl he once saved into an alluring young woman. A dozen years younger than him and the daughter of his friend, Livy is everything he cannot have…and everything he needs.


Will perilous secrets, past and present, tear Livy and Ben apart? Will succumbing to their forbidden desires lead to their happily ever after? Find out in this steamy, slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance filled with mystery and adventure!



Praise for Olivia and the Masked Duke


“A very hot and perfectly paced page turner, all the way to happily ever after.” –NPR


“An exciting rollercoaster of a love story! This book delivers on a variety of levels. A slow burn, friends to lovers story. The plot is intricate, intimate, and all consuming. The couple’s passion burns through the pages.” –Jenna’s Historical Romance Reviews


“This book has pretty much reduced me to describing it in one-word sentences. RAWR. YUM. YES!! SWEET. MORE… Livy and Ben together were ***swoon***. I really couldn’t get enough of them. The writing, as always with Grace Callaway, was beautiful, heartfelt, and full of emotion. Every time I read something she writes, I can feel it completely. The storyline was fantastic, and I was captivated from beginning to end.” -Candace, BookBub


“Olivia and Ben are so wonderful together. It is rare to find a match where the H & h share such a deep bond…. This book has it all—lead characters you truly love, fabulous side characters, murder, mystery, action, and a generous helping of steam and romance!” -Nazmin, Goodreads


“Ben and Olivia’s friendship is detailed through the years, and you can’t help falling in love with them and rooting for a happy ending. There’s a mystery that finally helps bring Ben and Olivia together (I don’t want to give out any spoilers). There are some hot scenes between the two and lots of ups and downs in their relationship. If you love great character development, mystery, and a hot love story then this book is for you.”-Rhonda, Goodreads


“This book was sexy, heartfelt, and exciting. Ben, the Duke of Hadleigh, may be Callaway’s darkest hero yet… Livy has loved him since he saved her life when she was twelve years old. She’s the one person who sees him as completely good and lovable. Grace did a great job of redeeming Ben. This book has Grace’s signature sexiness and suspense that she’s so great at writing.” -Nancy, Goodreads


“This was another engaging and action-packed read that delivered likeable and interesting characters, mystery and intrigue, and steamy goodness galore!” -MG, Goodreads


“The platonic friendship between the two main characters was haunting and beautiful at the same time. The friendship defined both their lives. Watching the platonic love blossom into romantic love was breathtaking. Both characters had such an emotional journey.” -Jenna, Goodreads


“Despite the age gap, Ben and Livy’s friendship is so natural. Their friendship never feels awkward and the transition from friends to lovers is done tastefully (and steamily). Grace Callaway is always reliable when it comes to writing romances that are both romantic and steamy.” –Romance Library


“Get out the high velocity fan because you will need it while reading this story. It is hotter than hot, I am not kidding. I love a tortured hero and if you do also, then grab this story right away…I love how Grace can pull you into the story of these characters and make you feel as if you are there with them. I was totally enthralled with reading, and I swear I felt as if I was in their dilemma. Astounding storytelling.” -Angela, Goodreads



Author Bio:





USA Today & International Bestselling Author Grace Callaway writes hot and heart-melting historical romance filled with mystery and adventure. Her debut novel was a Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Finalist and a #1 National Regency Bestseller, and her subsequent novels have topped national and international bestselling lists. She has won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, the Maggie Award for Excellence in Historical Romance, the Golden Leaf, and the Passionate Plume Award for Historical Novel, and her books have been shortlisted for numerous other honors. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan and lives with her family in a valley close to the sea. When she’s not writing, she enjoys dancing, exploring the great outdoors, and cheering on her favorite basketball team.


Author Links:


NEWSLETTER: https://www.gracecallaway.com/newsletter 

Friday, December 4, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway: O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales by Kathryn Le Veque, Caroline Lee, Chasity Bowlin, Collette Cameron, Hildie McQueen, Maggi Andersen, Mary Lancaster, Meara Platt & Violetta Rand (Adult Historical Romance)

 

O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales
Publication date: December 17th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance, Romance

A MASTERPIECE OF HOLIDAY STORYTELLING…

Enjoy this stunning holiday collection from some of your favorite Dragonblade Publishing authors in this collection of never-before published seasonal tales!

Imagine, if you will, that it is Christmas Eve.

The candles are guttered, one by one, and a hush falls over the parlor. The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.

A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…

The clock on the wall chimes midnight.

Now, the magic happens.

From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.

USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

This collection includes:

Twas the Executioner Knight Before Christmas by Kathryn Le Veque

A medieval version of the Ghost of Christmas Future…

No one survives an Executioner Knight and least of all, Maxton of Loxbeare. But when he married his wife and had children, three little girls right away, Maxton grew a heart. He became a devoted and dedicated father who loved his children dearly. But the Executioner Knight in him still lived. So after a very bad dream, Maxton sees that, for his daughters’ sake, he must change.

Learn more about Kathryn Le Veque: https://kathrynleveque.com

The Laird’s Yulebringer by Caroline Lee

The Mackenzies are in mourning… none so much as their laird. Since the loss of his wife, leaving Callan to raise a young son alone, he believes he’s lost his chance at happiness. As his extended family gathers to celebrate the Yule together, they can do naught to raise his spirits… until a midnight visitor—of the ghostly variety—brings him hope for the future.

Learn more about Caroline Lee: https://collettecameron.com

Making Spirits Bright by Chasity Bowlin

After a lifetime of secrets, scandal, and disappointment… Elizabeth doesn’t believe in happy endings, at least not for herself. But an unconventional nobleman, with the help of a novice Spirit of Christmas, may just change her mind…

Learn more about Chasity Bowlin: https://chasitybowlin.com

The Haunted Scot by Hildie McQueen

The allure of a reformed rake…

She’s as determined to pursue him as he is to keep his distance. After a heartbreaking debacle, Thomas Sullivan decides to give up his roguish ways and considers the priesthood. Unfortunately, the beautiful arrival gives him second thoughts. Mary Asher is not sure why the handsome new driver tries to avoid her at all costs. After being told he follows her every move, Mary decides to test him.

Learn more about Hildie McQueen: https://www.hildiemcqueen.com

Never Keep a Secret at Christmas by Maggi Andersen

’Tis not the season to be surreptitious…

Alice Dountry’s father has gout, and she must spend Christmas with her sister, Marian, Lady Belfries. Their neighbor, the gruff, bad-tempered Earl of Hawkinge, refuses Marian’s invitation to Christmas dinner.

While chatting with him over the garden wall, Alice suspects something deeper lies beneath his humbug opinion of Christmas. Hawkinge and his grandson, Hugh Gifford, are at odds. Alice writes to Hugh but must keep it a secret from her sister.

When the handsome Lord Gifford arrives, there is an immediate spark between them. But Lord Hawkinge is hardly welcoming, and now, Marian and her husband argue over the secret letter.

Learn more about Maggi Andersen: https://maggiandersenauthor.com

Her Star from the East by Mary Lancaster

Miss Emma Sayle has enjoyed two London seasons and rejected many suitors. Her heart was given long ago to an exciting prince of the east, a man of another country and another faith. As Christmas approaches, she daydreams of what her life with him might have been – until his ghost walks out of the freezing fog. But is it the ghost of his past or her future?

Learn more about Mary Lancaster: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lancaster.1656

The Remembrance of Love by Meara Platt

Hyacinth Farthingale has known and loved Lord Innes Buchan since the day she was born. She is now in her debut season, and as Christmas approaches, it is high time this aloof and lonely lord realized his happiness depends on marrying her.

Learn more about Meara Platt: http://www.mearaplatt.com

How to get an Earl of Christmas by Violetta Rand

Learn more about Violetta Rand: http://www.violettarandromance.com/

Yuletide at Gillingham by Alexa Aston

A lonely holiday…

One boy abandoned by a greedy gambling father. Another boy watches his father slowly dying. A lasting friendship that will see them through the hard times—and beyond…

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Can two lonely boys draw strength from one another during a Yuletide season that only promises heartbreak?
Learn more about Alexa Aston: https://alexaaston.com

A Thrill of Hope by Anna Markland

Foiling an attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria earns Parker a medal and royal gratitude. The lunatic’s bayonet plunged into his thigh leaves him with a pronounced limp and reassignment to a small constabulary. Particularly trying is having to spend Christmas Day with his

miserly uncle.

During her family’s Yuletide celebrations, Samantha discovers she doesn’t love her straitlaced fiancé. A bleak future looms large.

Neither realize that anarchists are plotting to blow up a newly-constructed railway bridge—although Parker might if he’d heed the mysterious warning voices he hears.

A tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Learn more about Anna Markland: https://www.annamarkland.com/

A Gift for Agatha by Anna St. Claire

A visit and a warning…

Years after her husband’s death, Lady Agatha Wendt has become a surly, cold-hearted miser, increasingly left to her own company. Childless and with little family, the wealthy widow fears

falling into poverty and spurns even the smallest gestures of Christmas giving. A determined spirit visits the wealthy widow and warns her change must happen.

Charles Bentley, her butler, sees goodness in her, and finds himself attracted to the real Agatha—despite knowing they could never be.

Can the spirit awaken Agatha to her real fears and help her to overcome them in time to realize the gift she has always wanted?

Learn more about Anna St. Claire: https://www.annastclaire.com

The Heart is Never Silent by Aubrey Wynne

Miss Etta Rose Comden is desperate to protect her younger sister, Horatia, after the death of their father. When the heir—and Tia’s new guardian—finds out his ward is deaf, he makes plans to send her away and marry Etta. With no one to turn to, the sisters flee in the middle of the night.

Dr. Gus Wharren, disillusioned with his practice in London, retreats to his late grandmother’s estate. Instead of a much-needed respite, he finds two lovely females stranded along the road.

Two sisters on the run. A London physician who has given up on humanity. The spirit of a loving grandmother. The stage is set for a holiday full of coincidence, a little Christmas magic, and a happy ever after.

Learn more about Aubrey Wynne: https://www.aubreywynne.com

Of Christmas Past by Charlotte Wren

Pride and promise before forgiveness

At the volatile age of seventeen, Percival Josiah Northcott storms out of Highfield Hall on Christmas Eve, vowing never to return. It is a vow supported solely by pride, which, as the old adage goes, generally comes before a fall.

Five years later, Percival has fallen about as low as a man can get. He secretly longs to return home, but pride and fear stand in his way. That is, until he’s visited by someone from his past, someone who gives him the courage to seek his family’s forgiveness.

But first, he must promise to complete a very special task.

Learn more about Charlotte Wren: https://www.facebook.com/Wrenbook/

Tidings of Comfort by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

A boy with a remarkable talent…

In the lead up to Christmas, Captain Kit Hardacre is in London looking for his long-lost parents. After a disappointing initial search, he finds himself in the city alone. Bringing him out of his self-pity is a call to help in a search for a missing little boy. But which one of them is more lost?

When Kit finds Pip, he discovers a youngster with a remarkable talent for going directly into the heart of those he meets. After seeing Pip safely returned, Kit’s faith in family is restored and a kind word gives him the courage to continue his search.

Learn more about Elizabeth Ellen Carter: https://eecarter.com

A Christmas Miracle by Elizabeth Johns

Alex Hartmere, Duke of Frompton, has endured enough heartache to make any man bitter.

Having lost his wife and child in the war in Canada, he returns to England, only to inherit a dukedom from a father who dies in a scandalous duel soon afterwards.

Repairing to his family estate for Christmas, Alex finds his first love now widowed and penniless. Can a Christmas miracle, in the form of a crippled little girl, bring them the happiness which was once stripped away from them?

Learn more about Elizabeth Johns: https://www.elizabethjohnsauthor.com/

Her Christmas White Knight by Elizabeth Keysian

England, Yuletide 1587

The dice have really been loaded against Mistress Julia Wentworth. Little wonder she no longer trusts a soul—except for the urchin she rescued from the poorhouse. Having fallen in love with—and been abandoned by—a murderous traitor, Julia’s been turned out by her family and left to scrape what living she can on the brutal London streets. When a goose strays into her yard, it looks as if she’ll at least have something to feast on at Christmas.

Exploding into her life in pursuit of his goose is Myall Farrar, a scarred nobleman who loathes his miserly father and can’t afford to lose the fowl for which he’s scrimped and saved all year.

Can there be any common ground between the mismatched Myall and Julia? Is there any hope of goodwill within their families? And—perhaps more importantly—will the goose prove itself worth saving from the butcher’s knife?

Learn more about Elizabeth Keysian: https://elizabethkeysian.com/

Always the Mistletoe by Emily E K Murdoch

When a woman loves a man, it’ll take more than a little Scrooge like behavior to stop her standing by him. Her family, on the other hand…

Learn more about Emily E K Murdoch: https://emilyekmurdoch.com

A Libertine’s Christmas Miracle by Emily Royal

Christmas is a time for miracles

Alice and Ross Trelawney are enjoying a quiet Christmas in Cornwall, until their daughter Amelia strays onto the nearby estate of Mr. Scrimgeour, the infamous Beast of Boscarne. When Amelia comes home in tears after a terrifying encounter, Alice resolves to teach the Beast a lesson.

Haunted by his late wife’s ghost and taunted by the locals, Edward Scrimgeour hides away in his crumbling mansion. His peace is shattered when his neighbor’s hellion of a wife storms into his home on Christmas Eve. But she’s no ordinary trespasser. When events threaten to take a tragic turn, Edward is given a chance at salvation, showing that miracles can occur in the unlikeliest of places.

Learn more about Emily Royal: http://www.emroyal.com/

Past, Present, Future by Lynne Connolly

Rhona sent the love of her life away once, but now Frederick is back. He doesn’t care that she’s a housekeeper, and he’s a wounded soldier and the brother of a duke. For the three nights of Christmas, he’ll give her three gifts; wooden figures he carved for her in the long nights before his last battle. They represent their past, their present, and what they could have in the future. If she doesn’t accept his love this time, he’ll leave for good.

Learn more about Lynne Connolly: https://lynneconnolly.com

A Yuletide Yearning by Maeve Greyson

Regret is a sly enemy…

Captain Tait Mackenzie doesn’t regret a life of pirating, but it’s Christmas and he’s lonely. Thoughts of dying alone trouble him. What woman would settle for a life with a pirate lord?

If wishes and dreams were oceans and streams, she’d sail her way to happiness…

Ellie has always loved Tait, but he politely ignores her. She intends to change that with a little help from the North Star.

Can three pirate ghosts on Christmas Eve scare some sense into a Scottish rogue and make him see that the love he needs has been right in front of him all along?

Learn more about Maeve Greyson: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

A Strange Christmas Game by Whitney Blake

Mr. Charles Mason doesn’t expect a December summons to end in his own love story…

Learn more about Whitney Blake: https://www.whitneyblakeauthor.net


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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Pistols in Paradise by Katherine Kayne (Romance, Women's Fiction, Historical Romance)

 

Pistols in Paradise
Katherine Kayne
Publication date: November 18th, 2020
Genres: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Be swept away by the romance of old Hawaii.

On the run for a crime she did not commit and abandoned by all who should cherish her, Agnes Todd has learned the hard way not to trust anyone. After finding refuge on a remote island ranch five thousand miles from her homeland, Agnes hopes for a new life free from fear and judgment—hard to come by for a single mother in 1905. Armed with only her wits and her grandmama’s pearl-handled pistols, she’s become rather skilled at protecting herself and her young son, Johnny.

But when her pursuers catch up with her, she must flee again—straight up the side of an ancient volcano and right into the arms of George Lang, a gentle giant of a man with a gift for fixing things. That is, everything but his own fractured heart. Will Agnes and her pistols blaze their way into his love?

A prequel to Katherine Kayne’s award-winning Bound in Flame, this sharpshooting novella revisits the early lives and hard-won romance of two beloved characters.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

He settled her deeper against his chest, feeling the natural body heat building.

“I don’t think you can run forever.”

“Running is the only way to keep Johnny safe.”

“Are you sure?”

“No. But it’s all I have to go on.” She slumped against him as if in defeat. The braid of her hair fell to the side, exposing the pale nape of her neck. He leaned forward and kissed it. She tensed and then softened as he spoke again.

“Then you will do what you believe is best. That’s all you can do.”

Just as he had done what he thought was best. Positioning the fire so that it might be seen. She would never forgive him. Never.

He should not care, but he did. Deeply.

Her chin rested on the arm encircling her. “Thank you for not telling me I’m an idiot female.”

“You may be many things, Agnes, but a fool is not one of them.”

At that she twisted, looking up at him. Her features a soft pearly blur in the firelight. Inviting. He leaned in. It had been a long time since he’d kissed a woman in tenderness. But some things you don’t forget how to do. She settled back against him, truly relaxing for the first time. And slept. He did not.

Author Bio:

Katherine Kayne now writes the romances she only dreamed of reading as a girl. With horses and magic and happily ever after . . . and heroes strong enough to follow their heroine's lead. Counting herself fortunate to live in Hawaii a part of each year, Katherine created the world of the Hawaiian Ladies' Riding Society to tell the stories of the fearless horsewomen of the islands' ranches. Because who doesn't love a suffragist on horseback? With a bullwhip? Wearing flowers? If you come along for the ride, be prepared for almost anything to happen. Katherine can promise you fiery kisses, charming cowboys, women who ride like the rainbow to save the day, and that rarest of beasts--handsome men who like to dance.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Release Blitz: The Bachelor Duke (The Bachelor Series) by Cecilia Rene (Historical Romance)


Title: The Bachelor Duke
Series: The Bachelor Series
Author: Cecilia Rene
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: July 25, 2020
The Bachelor Duke meets a beautiful, curvaceous lady.
Remington Warren, The Duke of Karrington, lives his life by the name society has thrust upon him. Having witnessed cruelty against the fairer sex with his own eyes, he vows never to marry to prevent himself from becoming like the monster who raised him. After ten years of being The Bachelor Duke, his life is irrevocably changed when he sees Lady Olivia St. John across the ballroom floor.
Having lived a sheltered, pampered life, surrounded by her loving family, Lady Olivia St. John longs to know passion and love. She is beautiful, bold, and has a rather large dowry. According to society, she would be a diamond in the first water of this season if it wasn’t for her one flaw.
Will she find all she longs for and more in the arms of The Bachelor Duke, or will heartbreak be her demise?
The music began, and his gaze never left Lady Olivia’s. He placed his hand on top of hers. The same feelings he had the last time he danced with her washed over him, causing him to curse himself for even trying to stay away. Her touch felt like fresh sunshine warming his face after days of darkness. A small part of him wanted her light to guide him out of the dark hole he had created for himself.
Cecilia Rene is a creative, happy, and outgoing Detroit native who majored in Broadcast Communication at Grambling State University. Immediately following her graduation, she started her new life in New York City. As a self-proclaimed New Yorker, her stimulating and diverse career in advertising sparked a drive for hard work and dedication. Her love and passion for writing followed her from childhood through adulthood, where she wrote short stories, poems, and screenplays. Always an avid reader, she stumbled across a book that ignited a deeper need for more and joined a fandom of like-minded individuals. Cecilia and her family made a huge move five years ago to the great state of Texas, where she currently lives with her loving husband, wonderful son, and spoiled fur baby, Sadie. Cecilia Rene loves romance, humor, and all things spicy. For this reason, she will always give you a Happily Ever After.
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Monday, March 30, 2020

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Keep Forever by Alexa Kingaard (Historical Romance / Women's Fiction)


Keep Forever
Alexa Kingaard
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 28th 2020
Genres: Historical Romance, Women’s Fiction
“Unlike some war stories that focus on intense, harsh and graphic depictions of post-combat trauma, this tale unfolds gently, like an Edna Ferber novel, spread across many decades, detailing the impact this soldier’s illness has on an entire family, including children and grandchildren. KEEP FOREVER is a wonderful, emotionally satisfying read that I highly recommend. ”
GARY SEIGEL, author of “Haskell Himself”
Paul O’Brien’s idyllic childhood in Southern California comes to a halt when his mother dies in the summer before his senior year of high school and a very different persona of his father emerges – isolating himself inside the house, turning to alcohol for comfort, and barely noticing his only child. Simultaneously, the war in Vietnam is sending shock waves around the world and young men from one coast to the other are being called upon to serve. Paul enlists in the Marines before receiving his draft notice.
Elizabeth Sutton is eager to gain some independence from her father’s old fashioned notions and looking forward to her first year in high school. At fifteen years old, tragedy strikes with the loss of both parents in an auto accident, turning her childhood into one of responsibility and worry overnight. The four siblings are scattered when her nine-year-old twin sisters are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle on Nantucket Island, and Elizabeth is left behind in Boston with their grandmother. Her older brother, Sam, enlists in the Marines, eager to join the conflict a world away as opposed to dealing with the one unfolding at home.
A bond develops between Paul and Sam in Vietnam, and both are injured in a bloody battle that costs Sam his right hand and sets the stage for a lifetime of nightmares and sleepless nights for Paul. Matched by similar tragedies at a young age, Elizabeth and Paul’s first introduction by Sam upon their return from Vietnam is the beginning of friendship and love that survives five decades.
After marrying, welcoming their first child, and inheriting a small beach house, the couple adapts to their new surroundings, but distant memories of Vietnam continue to haunt Paul. In an era when veterans refuse to speak of their pain and the government denies that thousands of soldiers are coming home irreparably damaged, he is left to deal with the challenge of caring for his loved ones amidst his his erratic flashback episodes and moods. As their lives unravel from the lingering effects of PTSD, Elizabeth learns to accept the burden that Paul brought home, and together they make their own memories to keep forever.
Inspired
By
A True Story
EXCERPT:
“Anything you can give me for this headache?” Paul clenched his teeth, hoping to reduce the lightning bolts behind his eyes. He tried to remember how delicious it felt to be pain-free.
“We’ll get you something.” Dr. Shapiro turned to his nurse. “I’m ordering a mild sedative for Paul so we can remove the shrapnel. When we’re done, find him a spot in the ward and—”
Paul interrupted. “I have a friend who was wounded. I think he was on the chopper with me. Do you know if Sam Sutton is here?” He looked at the doctor for reassurance.
Dr. Shapiro knew who Paul was talking about. He laid a hand on Paul’s arm. “He just got out of surgery. I’ll see if I can get him a bed next to you once the anesthesia has worn off.”
“Will he be okay?”
“Yes, we treated his hand.” That’s all Doctor Shapiro would share with Paul. He stood up and moved to the next patient in line. Paul struggled to prop himself against the wall, comforted only by a small pillow for his head and a thin blanket to minimize the shaking he couldn’t repress. He surveyed the scene that unfolded before him and waited for Sam to join him. The room was filled with muffled groans from dozens of young men, many in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, mutilated limbs, and grotesque facial wounds that replaced the once handsome, strong, vigorous appearance of youth. Some
screamed in agony as young nurses did their best to scrub lacerations and change dressings, while others lay silent with nothing more than a vacant, faraway look.
Paul watched a trim and confident nurse, her chestnut hair securely pulled away from her face in a tight bun that showed off her high cheek bones and almond-shaped eyes—rich, like the color of chocolate. She wrapped the final piece of clean gauze around the head of a distressed young soldier and whispered something in his ear. Whatever she had said appeared to relieve his agitation as a slight smile crossed his face and he surrendered his broken body to sleep.
The nurse walked over to Paul, pulled up a chair, and introduced herself. “Hello. My name’s Diane. Feeling okay? Any pain? It’s almost time for another dose of medication.” Amidst all the suffering, she smiled and waited for Paul’s response.
“Hey, hi, I mean hello, Diane. My name’s Paul. Waiting for my friend, Sam Sutton. Doc said they would bring him out soon. Ya know if his hand’s okay?” He hoped Diane might have more information about Sam’s condition, but she politely excused herself as she rushed to meet two medics entering with Sam, still groggy from surgery. They inched closer to Paul and the empty cot next to his. Diane’s gentle hand guided the corpsmen as they lifted Sam from the stretcher to make his transition to his bed as comfortable as possible.
Paul gasped aloud. He couldn’t help it. There was no way to silence the sound that rose from his throat when he saw his friend beside him, his right hand thick with bandages, wrapped as if to protect something that was no longer there. Paul slowly brought his hands to his face and felt the layers of soft bandages, only his eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. His head pulsated and his face felt tight and swollen. With crystal clarity, his mind flashed back to the instant when his life, when Sam’s life, were forever changed. His body tensed with the memory—the sounds, the heat, the explosions, the cries for help, and the smell of death all around them. He choked back tears and resolved to remain stoic and grateful that his wounds would soon be invisible. Unlike Sam, he had escaped a lifetime of disfigurement and the constant reminder of his brush with death.
Diane hovered over Sam as he stirred. She had played this part too many times the last nine months, soothing traumatized young men, convincing them that everything
would be just fine, even though it was not always the truth. She knew he would need a voice of reassurance when he realized where he was and the severity of his injuries. Sam’s eyelids fluttered. He tried to focus on his surroundings and take in the foul odor and musty smell of the tent, lined from one end to the other with broken bodies. The stench of disinfectant, humidity, and soiled linens stuck to the canvas walls of the makeshift hospital like glue, and he swallowed hard to prevent the nausea from taking hold of his body. Sam rolled his head to one side and looked at Paul, who appeared composed, determined, and calm.
“You made it, buddy. We made it,” whispered Paul.


Author Bio:
ALEXA KINGAARD was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of a son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders.
Her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, was inspired by her late ex-husband who batted the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return. The burden he brought home is shared by combat veterans of all conflicts, and her fictional account highlights the collateral damage encountered by family members and loved ones living with PTSD in their midst.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, departs from her personal experiences and focuses on the collective memories of her generation. She loves writing about nostalgia and the human condition, the common denominator of our lives.

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Friday, May 3, 2019

Release Blitz: Viking's Claim (Kilts & Kisses #4) by Madison Faye (Wildly Historically Inaccurate Highlander Historical Romance)




Title: Viking's Claim
Series: Kilts & Kisses #4
Author: Madison Faye
Genre: Wildly historically inaccurate 
Highlander historical romance
Release Date: May 1, 2019



Blurb

Never kiss the devil. Not even if he’s sinfully gorgeous. Or impossible to resist.
And certainly not when he’s got you tied and bound, and completely at his mercy.
Uh oh.

thought I had it bad when I was on my way to be married off to some weasley little lord to appease my family. But that’s before I’m taken by the most fearsome, vicious, alpha Viking to sail the seas.

Tor Odinson is a beast of a man. A savage. A bloodthirsty warrior and ravager. Huge, growly, dominant…and completely and utterly beautiful. I’m supposed to fear him, not want him. I’m supposed to resist him, not crave him.

…Yeah, whoops.

Because once he throws me over his shoulder, and lays his hands on me, and ties me to bed, and makes me feel things I’ve never even dreamed of, I know “what I’m supposed to do” is the last thing I’ll be doing when it comes to Tor.

I know it’s wrong to desire a man like him. But if this is a sin, I’m already damned.

I fell for the devil, and now I want it all.


Completely over the top, growly af, tropes for DAYS, and wildly historically inaccurate. As in, if you’re a history major, I’m so, so sorry. Warning: not responsible for lost or ripped bodices. Reader beware.

As with all my books, this one is safe, with no cheating, and a HEA guaranteed.







Purchase Links

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99c for a limited time!!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited



99c for a limited time!!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited



99c for a limited time!!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio

USA Today and #1 bestselling contemporary romance author Madison Faye is the dirty alter ego of the very wholesome, very normal suburban housewife behind the stories. While she might be a wife, mom, and PTA organizer on the outside, there's nothing but hot, steamy, and raunchy fantasies brewing right beneath the surface!

Tired of keeping them hidden inside or only having them come out in the bedroom, they're all here in the form of some wickedly hot stories. Single-minded alpha hero, sinfully taboo relationships, and wildly over-the-top scenarios. If you love it extra dirty, extra hot, and extra naughty, this is the place for you! (Just don't tell the other PTA members you saw her here...)

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Author Links