Treachery in spades! #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

The Woman Behind the Mirror by Jan SelbourneBlurb:
Betrothed by her father to a man twice her age, Sarah Forsythe does the unthinkable—she escapes her arranged marriage and runs away with the son of a Methodist minister. Not to Gretna Green, to colonial America—the New World. For Sarah, a “new world” of broken promises, abandonment, poverty and shame. Around her, the American Revolution is quickly developing and the siege of Boston worsens by the day. As British soldiers seek out traitors and treason, a desperate Sarah breaks open a safe looking for cash. Instead, she finds a box holding Bank of England documents. Through willpower, bitter determination, and lying through her teeth, Sarah manages to make her way home to England. What she doesn’t know is that two men follow, and they will do anything to claim those documents.

Bank investigator Neil McAlister faces an almost impossible task—to determine the true owner of the documents by deciding who is lying. Most of all, as danger creeps ever closer, he needs to know who wants the secretive, beautiful Sarah dead.

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
A voice from behind made her jump. “Why aren’t you dancing?”

Sarah whirled around. “Because…” She didn’t know what to say.

“No one asked? I can barely believe it.”

Feeling stupid and awkward, she remained silent.

“Don’t tell me you can’t dance,” Neil taunted.

“Take care of your bank business and I’ll take care of my shortcomings,” she bit back.

“I can’t take care of my bank business if you won’t allow me to take the documents to London.” he said sharply.

“I told you I want a written assurance of a reward. I know and you know I will never see them again.”

Neil leaned closer. “I told you we can apply to the courts for a warrant to seize them.”

“You will seize a pile of ash.”

“You could go to prison,” Neil replied coldly.

“Really? I should have burned them in Boston to keep warm.” She shrugged. “I believe they are quite genuine, otherwise you wouldn’t be in such a fuss.”

“They must be examined properly. Forgeries are the bank’s biggest headache.”

“If they are genuine, the bank can hold them for Claude Westfield and give me an appropriate reward for bringing them safely to you.”

“You are not shy in demanding money,” Neil said caustically.

“No, I’m not. I rely on my brother for a roof over my head and it—” She broke off as her cheeks flushed. “Go and enjoy yourself and leave me alone.”

As she moved away Neil put his hand on her arm. “There is no need to be unpleasant. If they are genuine, we will discuss it further.”

“Nothing more to discuss,” Sarah’s eyes never left his. “Remove your hand.”

Neil’s face hardened. “You think you hold all the cards, madam, but rest assured, until you are more amenable, you’ll get nothing.”

“Neither will you, sir. Beneath your smooth bank exterior, you are no better than your forebears who loaned their gold at outrageous interest.”

Neil’s fingers dug into her arm. “You are no better than a street hawker yourself.”

“Get your hand off me,” Sarah’s voice rose as she wrenched her arm away. “Leave me alone!”

Neil’s expression changed from irritation to disbelief to shock. “Good God,” he breathed. “It was you.”

About Jan:
Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

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Too long apart #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

Naval Maneuvers by Dee S. KnightBlurb:
Men and women of the armed forces experience lust and love pretty much like everyone else. Except, well, there is that uniform. And the hard-to-resist attraction of “duty, honor, service” as a man might apply them to a woman’s pleasure. All things considered, romance among the military is a pretty sexy, compelling force for which you’d better be armed, whether weighing anchor and moving forward into desire, dropping anchor and staying put for passion, or setting a course for renewed love with anchor home. Explore the world of love and the military and see just how hot Naval Maneuvers can be.

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
I loved talking with you face-to-face. I loved seeing your smile. Todd e-mailed almost immediately after their teleconference. Just so you know, this is the first time I’ve ever counted the days until the ship docks in Norfolk.

“You got yourself a beauty there, Todd.” Fred Maxwell, a fellow chief and one of Todd’s best friends came into the mess. He poured a cup of coffee and sat down across from Todd.

“Beautiful and smart,” Todd said.

“I don’t know about smart. She says she loves you, right?”

“Prick.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Fred said. “Like I tell my son, ‘Sticks and stones,’ and all that. I will grant you though, she is sexy,” he added. When Todd frowned, Fred held up his hand. “I say that as an impartial observer, not an interested party. I got enough on my hands with my wife, without taking on someone else’s woman. You gonna marry her?”

“I’m going to ask and hope like hell she says yes.”

“Does she know you’re retiring?” Fred eyed him.

Todd frowned again. “No.”

“That’s kind of a big decision to make without talking it through. Will she mind?”

“I hope not. She has years left before she’s eligible to retire and she has a profession.”

“Hell, you do, too. What are your plans?”

Todd checked to make sure he hadn’t received a reply from Carie, and then logged out and closed the laptop kept in the chief’s mess. Hell, when had he started waiting like a high school kid for a return note from a girl? Since Carie.

He got up to pour himself a cup of strong, hot coffee. Navy coffee. “I’ve put out feelers to engineering firms. Already have an offer for a contract job in the D.C. area, so that’s a start.”

“If it’s that easy to get a job, maybe I should think about retiring, too.”

How many kids do you have?” Todd sat down and grinned.

“Hell,” Fred muttered. “Six under ten and another on the way. Damn twins up the number fast.” He took a healthy gulp of coffee.

“And how many Med cruises have we been on together?”

Fred grinned back. “Five. One for each pregnancy. Maybe I should stay home for a while. It’s the going away part that makes us want to screw like rabbits. Hell, we’d probably never have sex if I was there all the time.”

Todd thought about being with Carie. The surge of electric sensations that passed between them when they touched hadn’t let up. He had the feeling they’d be having sex when they were old and gray.

Author Dee S. Knight:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. And all three offer some of the best romance you can find! Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K

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KU books highlighted in N.N. Light’s Kindle Unlimited Bookish Event!

Kindle Unlimited Bookish EventI’m so happy to be part of this new N.N. Light promotional event! Today they’re featuring my book Passionate Destiny.

Enter to win! One person will win an e-book bundle of all 40 books featured in the Kindle Unlimited Bookish Event: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775085

The event is open Internationally and runs November 10 – 15, 2020. The winner will be drawn on November 18, 2020. Good luck!

Passionate Destiny by Dee S. KnightDr. Margaret Amis-Hollings, professor of women’s studies at a small New Jersey college, is a woman who confidently knows who she is and what she expects of life. Until she loses her teaching position and her well-ordered life gets turned upside down. Then, in a subtle stroke of whimsy, fate tosses her a gift in an historic home and property in Virginia.

Harboring visions of Gone With the Wind, she determines to use River Peace as a temporary reprieve from her troubles. Images of Tara quickly evaporate when she arrives to discover the reality of her inheritance, however.

River Peace has history, grace and style going for it. After only one night, Margaret discovers that it also has a ghost. She’s visited by a male spirit from the time of the War Between the States, who knows how to make a woman feel special. And very loved.

Aaron Belton meets Margaret when she first arrives in Virginia. He’s renowned for historic renovations on a multitude of properties, but he’s got a special place in his heart for River Peace. He and his family believe the property always should have belonged to them. In fact, Aaron will do almost anything to make that happen. When his passion for the house changes to a passion for the house’s owner, Aaron’s as surprised as anyone. Can he gain both, the woman and the house? To do so, he’ll have to face a spectral being.

And his own destiny.

What the heck is Women’s Lit, anyway? #MFRWauthor

Is women’s lit a sub-genre of romance? That’s this week’s question.

Writing women's litSomeone asked me a while back if my book, Burning Bridges, was romance or women’s lit? She said the description sounded like women’s lit, and she doesn’t review that genre. Gosh, this was something I hadn’t considered before. I thought of my book as romance. I think of women’s lit as centered around a woman and how she solves her life problems, but with elements of romance. In fact, so many books I read as “women’s lit” were actually (in my mind) romances. The woman’s problem was so often being alone (after a long-term breakup or a failed marriage) and finding a new partner while solving her problems. I fail to see how that is different from most romances.

So maybe if the book is about a woman (or women) andPlanning a women's lit book there is very little romance or bonding with someone else? Is that women’s lit? Goodreads lists The Joy Luck Club, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’ Diary and others as women’s lit books. So, okay, I see the difference. These are not considered romances (although maybe Bridget Jones disagrees?), and they are by and about women. But they follow a romance arc and many of these books do end with a love bond that provides a HEA, so… I’m still kind of confused. I will take a firm stand however, and say that true women’s fiction is not a sub-genre to romance but that some books cross over into both genre. There. That should settle the question.

What do you think?

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee

Burning Bridges by Anne Krist (that’s maybe women’s lit)
One Woman Only
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

Prizes! Fun books! KU Bookish Event with N.N. Light!

Kindle Unlimited Bookish EventI’m so happy to be part of this new N.N. Light promotional event! Today I’m here as Anne Krist and featuring my book Burning Bridges.

Enter to win! One person will win an e-book bundle of all 40 books featured in the Kindle Unlimited Bookish Event: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db775085

The event is open Internationally and runs November 10 – 15, 2020. The winner will be drawn on November 18, 2020. Good luck!

About Burning Bridges:
Burning Bridges by Anne KristNot your typical “secret baby” book! This Southern romance packs in the emotion.

Letters delivered decades late send shock waves through Sara Richards’s world. Nothing is the same, especially her memories of Paul, a man to whom she’d given her heart years before. Now, sharing her secrets and mending her mistakes of the past means putting her life back together while crossing burning bridges. It will be the hardest thing Sara’s ever done.

Please! Desire Me Again… Anthology of second chances

Desire Me Again anthologyThe hopeless romantic believes that a soulmate exists for each of us. That there is one person who makes us feel how good it is to love them. For some couples, things trigger them to push that love away. They find out too late they’ve lost true-love. Sometimes genuine love deserves a second-chance at the happy ending that eluded them the first time.

Desire Me Again is an eclectic assortment of short stories exploring a second-chance at love. The collection is as diverse as the authors who wrote them. Here’s a chance to read the work of talented writers you may not have read before. Within these pages, there are blends of tender, often moving and thought-provoking stories.

Featuring: Annabel Allan, Patricia Elliott, R.M. Olivia, Carol Schoenig, Virginia Wallace, Gibby Campbell, Dee S. Knight, Alice Renaud, Jan Selbourne, Zia Westfield

MFRW Book HooksSecond Chance blurb:

Sandy Henderson had been a sweet, wholesome girl in her first year of college, sure of herself and totally in love with her high school sweetheart, Tom Pritchard. Then something happened that shattered her dreams, her confidence, her will to live. When she meets Tom again many years later, she resists taking a chance on love because of her secret, but Tom won’t give up on her. On them. Or will he, once she tells him about her past?

Buy link:
Amazon US https://amzn.to/34NstC7

Second Chance by Dee S. KnightSecond Chance Excerpt:
Cafeterias are big deals in the South–or they used to be. Going out to a good cafeteria was always a treat to my aunts and grandmother.

“Tom,” Mrs. Henderson exclaimed. Like everyone he knew in their town, she stretched the one-syllable word into two. Tah-um. Until he’d joined the Corps he didn’t really know what people meant when they talked about southern accents. Now he considered the soft consonants and extended vowels charming. Part of being home.

Glancing over her shoulder, Tom saw Sandy stick her head around the kitchen wall. “Hey,” he called out to her. Then concentrating on her mother, he held out a bouquet. “These are for you, Mrs. Henderson.”

She flushed like a schoolgirl when she took the flowers. “How did you know that tulips are my favorite?”

He hadn’t.  He’d asked the florist to put together something cheerful that an older lady might like. He hoped the brightly colored blooms might bring a smile to Sandy, too.

“Just a guess,” he answered.

“Come in, come in,” Mrs. Henderson backed up and held the door wide.

He stepped into a living room that had seen very little change in the last two decades. It was neat but held a slight whiff of shabbiness. Mrs. Henderson would probably call it comfortable rather than shabby. Tom wondered what Sandy thought of it.

Finally, the woman in question emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. The night was warm and she looked as though she’d just finished doing dishes. Her hair was damp and stuck to her forehead, and a light sheen of sweat clung to her cheeks. His groin tightened when he noticed that her shorts hugged her hips and her sleeveless blouse was slightly dampened, too, showing her white bra through the thin fabric. His mind filled with ways he could make her body slick with sweat, the ways he could make her much more than warm.

“I know I said we should try to get together before I leave, but I didn’t actually mean tonight.”

“I’m sorry to barge in, but I wanted to ask you to dinner tomorrow night.” Before Sandy could form “No, thank you,” as her lips where shaping up to do, he interjected, “And your mom, too.”

Her mother’s eyes widened and she slapped the hand holding the tulips to her chest. “Oh, my! Sandra, we have a beau!”

Sandy smiled. Then she turned to him. “I don’t know. We have so much to do here.”

“Sandra, please. It will be so much fun. I haven’t had dinner out since your father last took me, and that’s been…at least three years.” She turned to Tom. “Could we go to that cafeteria up on the highway?”

Tom laughed. “We can go anywhere you want.”

Mrs. Henderson snapped her head back toward Sandy. He knew the minute Sandy gave in. Her shoulders slumped slightly, but she smiled at her mother. “If Tom is willing to make every other man in town jealous by escorting the lovely Henderson women out to dinner, who am I to stand in his way?”

Dr. Brogan Corkie is back! Don’t Mess with Christmas by Linda O’Connor

Don't Mess with Christmas by Linda O'Connor

I’m excited to share the release of Don’t Mess with Christmas, the fourth book in the Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor series. All the books in the series are stand-alone stories, but Brogan Corkie’s own romance arcs throughout the series, so it is preferable to read them in order. I think it’s rare these days to come from a large family. I thought it would be fun to write a story about a woman who grew up smack dab in the middle of four brothers – and imagine how that would affect her perception of men. Parker Roy owns a hydroponic business, runs a Christmas Shoppe, plows snow in the winter, and volunteers as a set designer for the local theatre. She’s self-sufficient and independent – and falling in love is not on her bucket list. So what is she going to do when the very sexy, very determined, very interested Julian Murphy wants to change her mind?

This book has a Christmas theme. I find the Christmas season hectic, and I love to read to unwind and relax. I hope that this story finds itself in reader’s hands – and that they can take a moment for themselves to sit, relax, laugh, and escape from the hustle and bustle of the season.

Don’t Mess with Christmas
Dr. Brogan Corkie is happily semi-retired from medicine and now has time for other hobbies. Her passion for food is second only to her skill at matchmaking!

Parker Roy grew up in the middle of four brothers and has lived with enough testosterone to last her a lifetime. She’s finally moved out and made a life of her own. Between putting the finishing touches on the set for Mapleton’s Christmas play, plowing snow, and transforming her hydroponic greenhouse into a Christmas wonderland, it’s ramping up to be a hectic season.

Dr. Julian Murphy, the only allergist in town, has his eye on the woman behind the set design of the holiday play. He’s volunteering backstage in the hope of getting to know her. There’s a bit of a snag when she’s referred to his clinic for a rash – doctors aren’t allowed to date their patients – but Dr. Brogan Corkie doesn’t see it as an insurmountable problem and steps in to give their romance a nudge. She’d better be right because, if not, it could seriously mess with Christmas.

The allergist or the rash– which itch does Parker want to scratch?

Buy Link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L1DHDMS

Don't Mess with Christmas by Linda O'ConnorExcerpt Don’t Mess with Christmas:
“Pleased to meet you, Julian Murphy.” His hand was warm around hers, and when he moved his thumb in a subtle caress, a shiver went down her spine. “Julian Murphy,” she murmured. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you a doctor?”

Julian nodded. “I am.”

“An allergist at Gateway General?”

“Guilty.”

Parker pulled her hand back and put her hands on her hips. “I tried to get a referral to see you. You refused.”

His lips twitched. “Yes, that’s true.”

“Why? Dr. Corkie said she’d never seen it in all the years she’s practiced medicine.”

Julian put his hands in his pockets. “Well, there’s a rule against doctors dating patients. It’s ill-advised and frowned upon by the College of Physicians of Ontario.”

Parker scoffed. “Well, good for you. What does that have to do with me?”

“Parker, would you like to have dinner with me?”

Bio:
Linda O'ConnorAward-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.

Website https://www.lindaoconnor.net
Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA

Far away, far from home #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

Desire Me Again anthologyBlurb:
A Convict’s Prayer in Desire Me Again
Famine, disease, poverty and crime dominates 19th century Ireland, and Eleanor Craddock is just one of the thousands convicted of stealing to survive. However, it is her brother Thomas’s treachery that sentences her to transportation to Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania, Australia) for fourteen years. The only thing that keeps Eleanor going is her prayer that one day she will earn her ticket of leave, because only then can she apply for her two children to join her on the free emigration scheme. This prayer is sorely tested during the long 13,000-mile journey on the convict ship Hope, the brutal Hobart Cascades Female Factory and her years as an assigned servant to the wealthy Ian Franks. Richard Barnett, horse trainer for Franks finds it almost impossible to break through Eleanor’s hard defensive wall until a theft of important documents. This is a true story of two people finding love again.

Buy link:
Amazon US

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
December 1841
Loughrea Quarter Sessions
Galway, Ireland.

The clock above the magistrate’s bench ticked closer to three o’clock and the witnesses for the tenth case of the day had given their evidence. Voices in the crowded courtroom grew louder when a frightened fair-haired woman wearing a stained brown dress was led across the floor to the witness box.

Scowling, the magistrate rapped out, “Silence!”

The Clerk of the Peace placed documents in front of him and the room went quiet.

“You are Eleanor Craddock, of Ballinasloe, in the county of Galway, widow of James Stanford?”

“Yes, your honour.”

“You have been charged with receiving ten sovereigns from the child Mary Ward. That you and your brother Thomas Craddock corruptly influenced Mary Ward to steal the box holding twenty-seven pounds from her grandparents, Laurence Ward and Margaret Ward.”

Eleanor’s sweating hands gripped the front of the witness box.

“That you abandoned your two children, Richard Stanford and James Stanford while you and your brother conspired to steal this money,” the magistrate continued.

Eleanor shook her head. “No! I did not abandon them sir. I’m a widow without money or support. They were taken in by their grandmother while I walked from Ballinasloe to Kilconnell to beg help from my brother.”

The magistrate’s cold eyes met hers. “We have heard sworn evidence from Margaret Ward and Laurence Ward that”, he squinted at the document in front of him, “they had by care and industry saved a sum of twenty seven pounds in sovereigns and guineas, and that the box was in their house, under lock and key. That you and Thomas Craddock convinced their granddaughter Mary Ward with false promises to steal the key and open it. That Thomas Craddock instructed Mary to give you ten sovereigns and you received those sovereigns for your own dishonest gain. How do you plead?  Guilty or not guilty?”

The courtroom swam before Eleanor’s eyes.  “Guilty, sir.”

A Convict's Prayer by Jan Selbourne

About Jan:
Jan Selbourne was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia and her love of literature and history began as soon as she learned to read and hold a pen. After graduating from a Melbourne Business College her career began in the dusty world of ledgers and accounting, working in Victoria, Queensland and the United Kingdom. On the point of retiring, she changed course to work as secretary of a large NSW historical society. Now retired Jan is enjoying her love of travelling and literature. She has two children, a stray live in cat and lives near Maitland, New South Wales.

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Secrets that change a lifetime #MFRWHooks

This is a blog hop. Be sure to check the link at the bottom to see posts from other authors!

 Desire Me Again anthologyBlurb:
Second Chance in Desire Me Again
Sandy Henderson had been a sweet, wholesome girl in her first year of college, sure of herself and totally in love with her high school sweetheart, Tom Pritchard. Then something happened that shattered her dreams, her confidence, her will to live. When she meets Tom again many years later, she resists taking a chance on love because of her secret, but Tom won’t give up on her. On them. Or will he, once she tells him about her past?

Buy link:
Amazon US

MFRW Book HooksExcerpt:
“Sandy Henderson, as I live and breathe. Can that be you?”

Sandy looked up and up, into the richest, deepest brown eyes she’d ever known. They affected her just as they had since she was fifteen, sending tingles and warmth all through her. Fifteen had been fifteen years ago, but two lifetimes. When she first fell in love with Thomas Pritchard she’d enjoyed an age of innocence she barely remembered, but one he brought home now with just one look, one smile.

“Tom. Gosh, it’s so good to see you.” Sandy didn’t really mean that, but it was the polite thing to say. In reality, she’d hoped she could slip into town, take care of her dad’s estate and pack up her mother’s things for the move back to Idaho without meeting anyone from her former life.

Still, of everyone she hadn’t wanted to run into, Tom Pritchard. Her stupid heart skipped a beat. It was hard seeing him, remembering him. Remembering herself.

“You, too. I could hardly believe it was you. What’s it been? Since graduation?”

“Yes, I think so. Hard to believe, huh?” So hard to believe she’d ever been that happy, naïve girl who’d graduated top in their 300-student class and skipped off to college in Florida, thinking life would always be so free and simple.

“It is hard to believe.” Tom’s eyes studied her face. He hadn’t looked at her as so many men had for years, that up and down leer, like a hungry lion scoping out where he planned to start eating the gazelle. No, his gaze sought out her depths, her secrets.

“Are you back in town for a while?”

“No,” she said, subtly moving the grocery cart between them. It served as a shield from his examination and also as a layer of protection. The years had taught her that men—all men, even those who seemed friendly and safe—were not to be trusted.

“Dad died last year—”

“I remember. I’m really sorry.”

“Thanks. Mom isn’t really able to stay alone anymore, and she’s agreed to move closer to me. I came ho—back to move her.” She’d almost said that she’d come home. Whitley, North Carolina hadn’t been home for a very long time. Sometimes life here seemed like a dream.

“Ah. I’m going to miss your mom. Not that I saw her all that often.”

“She told me that you would come by every now and again to see if she needed anything. That was nice. She appreciated it, and so do I.”

Tom shrugged. “It wasn’t anything.” He looked into her cart. “You don’t have anything that needs to be refrigerated”—he held up his handbasket—“and neither do I. Want to grab a cup of coffee and catch up? The Whitley Diner is just a couple of doors down and has the best coffee in town. My treat.” He smiled. Sandy had to grab a breath at the sight.

“I really can’t,” she said. “I told Mom I’d be home for lunch. But thanks. Let’s get together before I leave.”

Holding her hand up in the way country people have of saying hello or goodbye, she spun around and headed for the checkout. She hadn’t finished shopping, but she’d come back later. Or maybe she’d head to the Piggly Wiggly over in Petersburg, a few towns over, in order to avoid running into Tom again. Or anyone she knew from her previous life.

Whitley had grown to a town of over forty thousand. How could she have met up with someone she knew in the first week she’d been back? And Tom, of all people.

Getting her mother packed and on the road to Idaho couldn’t happen soon enough

Second Chance by Dee S. Knight

Author Dee S. Knight:
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex.

After a while, Dee split her personality into thirds. She writes as Anne Krist for sweeter romances, and Jenna Stewart for ménage and shifter stories. All three of her personas are found on the Nomad Authors website. And all three offer some of the best romance you can find! Also, once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

Website: https://nomadauthors.com

Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Sweet ‘n Sassy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K

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Review of Desire Me Again, BVS’s newest anthology!

Desire Me Again anthology

I adored this book! I’m giving Desire Me Again a 5-star rating. It’s sometimes hard to put together a great anthology collection, but overall, the stories in Desire Me Again are superb! I am, of course, not reviewing my own story, but I hope readers like it!

Renewing Forever
Virginia Wallace
David, all human, is married to Jillian, all wolf-shifter, but lately he’s been unsettled. He moved from his home in upstate New York thinking Virginia would be sunnier in the winter, he gave up his beloved Camara for a station wagon when they started a family, and now Jillian seems to be moody all the time. He’s pretty convinced she’s going to leave him. He hopes she and her family don’t eat him in the process. I really liked this story. It’s about a human/shifter marriage but it’s really a treatise on marriage itself—especially a blended or mix-marriage. Insecurity, doubts, fears, they all play a part in this story. As they do in real life. Kudos, Virginia, for this second chance between a married couple who find what it means to love forever!

Temperance
Gibby Campbell
Dominant Pete took a chance with his tarot-reading submissive, Lexie, years before and lost her. Now, long after she’d given up on seeing Pete again, the King of Swords keeps popping out of her tarot deck. The card symbolizes change. Sure enough, like the card, Pete pops back into her life. He’s successful—as is she—and seems to have matured. But can Lexie trust that a second chance will mean Pete will take better care of her heart? I loved the slight paranormal aspect of this story and the twist that using tarot cards adds. Gibby knows her stuff—both in reading the cards and writing a wonderful story that explores the D/s world.

Desire Me Again anthology

Lost and Found: A Soldier’s Return
R.M. Olivia
Kasey is a wife who’s unsure if she wants her husband to come home from Afghanistan. Oh, she wants him alive and well, but maybe not at home with her and their two daughters. He’s been gone two years on his deployment, and part of that time he was MIA. Before he left the last time, he’d displayed horrifying behavior of PTSD—locking himself in their bedroom with his pistol. But he refused to get help. She doesn’t know now who might be coming home. Add to it, their daughters are young and demanding (as children are), and her mother-in-law has been living with them to help out with the girls. It’s no wonder Kasey needs a time-out. This tender story struck home with me as a Navy brat who saw first-hand the trials military families often face with long separations and then the coming home, which always changes things. Add the horrors of war, and a second chance at a loving relationship is harder. Well done, R.M.!

A Convict’s Prayer
Jan Selbourne
This story will blow you away, especially since it’s based on one of Jan’s ancestors!
In 1841, Eleanor Craddock is transported from Ireland to Van Dieman’s Land (now Tasmania) for the crime of stealing 10 sovereigns. Her children were starving and what’s a desperate mother who can’t find work to do? For that, she was stripped from her family and home. For some, transportation was a death sentence. For others, it’s a second chance. Which will it be for Eleanor? Jan brings this tale to life with her great writing and attention to historical accuracy. It’s a touching story that shows how hope can change one’s life. I loved it!

The Hand-cuff Proposal
Patricia Elliott
Long-time friends Jason and Cora share a house. Well, it’s actually Jason’s house. He’s a cop and can better afford to offer Cora a place to stay. Cora waitresses—normally. Just that day she lost her job. Then she came home to find that Jason had eaten her last ice cream drumstick (yum! I like them, too!). Bad things come in threes, so what else is about to happen? Jason and Cora have both developed feelings for the other way beyond BFFs, but neither is willing to take the chance of losing their friendship to bring up the matter. Until Cora lands on a plan. When looking for work, she finds an ad for a local strip joint. She can take a job there, wait for Jason to stop by on his rounds, be swept home in a wave of male protective traits and then swept into bed. It’s a great plan, right? What was that about bad things coming in threes…? This second chance will take a bit of work. Patricia really brings these characters to life. I couldn’t help but feel for them while they tried to feel their way to each other. And watching Cora work through her plan? I just wanted to nudge her around the strip joint and to some nice, family diner.

Desire Me AgainFlight to the Stars
Zia Westfield
Talon is a man under a curse. He has a connection to a falcon, but is unable to shift, something that tears at his soul. Plus, his family is under a curse. For the last five generations, the oldest son has died on his 30th birthday. Talon’s birthday is that weekend. An emergency among the paranormal entities has brought Talon back together with his former love, Vega. With her talents, Talon hopes to find the source of the trouble and end it. Trouble is, nine years ago, Talon turned his back on her and walked away. He didn’t want her to have to face the consequences of his curse. Now, however, with only a day left, he wants a second chance to spend every moment in her arms. I loved this story! With the combination of a crisis and mystery, and the clock ticking, plus some nice comedic moments, this is a fine tale and great writing.

Together at Last
Carol Schoenig
Seconds after she hears barking, Grace is pushed into the freezing lake by a huge dog. Fortunately, the dog’s owner jumps in to save her. Battling hypothermia, they both nearly drown before Joe drags Grace from the lake and breathes life back into her. Not knowing what else to do, he carries Grace to his truck and takes her to his grandfather’s house, where he warms her before the fire and then hands her over to the care of his grandfather. When Grace opens her eyes, she thinks she’s seeing a ghost. Ian stars back—the first time she’d seen him in years. She’d been in high school and he in college when they broke up in a violent encounter. Since then, they’d married others and raised children. Are there too many years between them to find a second chance? This is a sweet and warm story that proves that where’s there’s true love, there’s always a way.

Xposé
Annabel Allen
I liked this title because it represents two things in the story: Xposé as the swinger club’s dungeon and exposé as a reporter.
Arianna is a member of a swingers’ club but we find out at the beginning that she has a reason for it beyond the erotic adventure. When Arianna is invited to join Master K in the dungeon, she thinks she’s going to find the answer to why several women have disappeared from the club and make her bones as a reporter. Instead, she gets the shock of her life when Master K turns out to be her high school love, Koran. He sure didn’t have all those defined abs in high school, or really the ability to make her want to climb him like an animal longing to have wild monkey sex. She also didn’t expect to be one of the women being snatched from the club! If something good doesn’t happen soon, she and Koran will miss their second chance! I liked that Annabel had Ava Goode and Reichen make cameo appearances in this story. Well done, well-written story with mystery and a bit of BDSM!

The Holiday Mermaid
Alice Renaud
Adam is stunned when a gorgeous, bikini-clad wonder comes up to him on the beach and invites him to take her for a drink. That moment leads to a month of heaven, and then he wakes one morning to find her gone. Now, at Christmas, Rowena has returned. She hasn’t been able to forget him, despite knowing that love between a mermaid and a human can’t be. When Adam finds her, she’s injured. He cares for her and they rediscover their love. But let’s face it, love is hard enough to negotiate without throwing in the complication of a different species! She has to return to the Morvann Islands once more, to ask for advice and help, but then she hopes to come back to Adam for good. Can they find their way to a second chance? This delightful story is the end to Alice’s Sea of Love series. I’ve enjoyed each and every book, and this story of a mermaid finding love while on holiday is a fitting tribute and great ending!

As I said at the beginning, I enjoyed all of the stories in this 5-star collection, Desire Me Again. BVS puts together wonderful anthologies, from the fabulous covers (by Jessica Greeley) to the compilations themselves. I’m proud and honored to be among the authors selected for these books.