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New! Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia Terelst

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia TerelseLet Sleeping Dogs Lie

Blurb

Will one of the treasures they find be each other’s heart?

It’s been five years since Tara walked out of Shepherd’s life without a word. Since then he’s spiralled through drugs, alcohol and empty relationships, with Tara on his mind the whole time. Now he wants to win her back, and what better way to do it than by creating a fake scavenger hunt? He knows she won’t be able to resist.

Tara’s lost enough loved ones and she didn’t want to see Shepherd added to that count. So, when she saw him high at graduation, she did the only thing she could – she walked away. When she’s teamed up with him for a million dollar scavenger hunt, the feelings reignite. For a second chance at love to work, she needs to be brave enough to open up to him, to tell him everything she withheld the first time around.

Shepherd didn’t realise how much winning would mean to Tara. He now needs to come up with $3 million for her foundation before the hunt is over. If he can’t he will need to tell her it’s all fake, and he doesn’t know if he can risk that.

Will secrets destroy them a second time around?

Excerpt
Tara
Shepherd and I sat on the couch side by side and watched The Martian while we ate dinner. The warmth from where our arms touched seeped through me. I should have moved away, but I didn’t want to. The spices from the tacos radiated off him. What would they taste like when mixed with the sweetness of him? My eyes were drawn to his lips, the curve of them. I could practically feel their softness.

Shepherd turned his face to mine. My eyes lingered for a moment as I imagined his soft breath brushing my face as he bent his head toward me. My breathing shallowed to the point that it was nearly non-existent, as if I were a starfish. I turned my face away and resumed watching the movie, making sure my hands kept to themselves and my thoughts remained on the man saving his own life on the screen. Matt Damon may have been the most attractive astronaut I’d ever seen, but he was nothing compared to Shepherd.

The movie ended and I sat there while the credits rolled. Our closeness suddenly made me feel like we were in a flux capacitor. Time—five years of it—had been starved, and now it was swallowing me whole. Everything about Shepherd felt like home. Everything. And if I allowed it to, this feeling wouldn’t just swallow me, it would become me.

I jerked away from him, my heart racing, my skin cold, while I broke into a sweat. I couldn’t allow this to happen. Shepherd was no longer my solace. He never truly was because he never knew my grief. My grief over my brother. The feelings of loss at my parent’s death.

No, Shepherd was not my solace. Not then. Not now.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Cynthia Terelse

Cynthia Terelst and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
CT: Ideas come in the most mysterious ways. My daughter had just moved to a new town for work. She told me about how there was a top pub and a bottom pub and at bottom pub people remembered your name. I made a random post about it and one of my friends said it sounded like a puzzle. So I thought, why not write a book revolving around a scavenger hunt.

NA: What sort of research did you do to write this book?
CT: You can’t have a scavenger hunt without places where to find the treasure. So after I decided where I would set the book I needed to figure out where the treasure was going to be hidden. Then I needed to come up with clues to direct the players to that place. It sounds easy. But trust me it’s not. You need to provide enough detail for them to get to the answer but still be vague enough so that can not guess straight away.

NA: A fun fact about writing your book.
CT: Many of the places mentioned in the book I have visited personally, and the ghostly encounter was real!

NA: Do you have a day job? What was your job before you started writing full time?
CT: I don’t write full time, yet. My aim is to be a full-time author at the end of 2023. That is when the project at my day job is scheduled to complete. I intend to write two books a year and build up a loyal fan base in between.

NA: What do your friends and family think about your being a writer?
CT: I have very supportive friends and family who like to say they know a published author. They might get sick of me talking about my launch, the book that I’m working on, but the never say so. And I appreciate that.

NA: The biggest surprise you had after becoming a writer
CT: The support in the writing community. People are open in sharing what works for them and what hasn’t. Many are there to extend a helping hand to you and share their infinite wisdom.

NA: Do you outline books ahead of time or are you more of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer?
CT: I know where my books starts, what I want to happen in the middle and what the ending is. My planning does not go much beyond that. For this book I wrote out index cards for each scene but I only looked at the first few and then my writing just went on its own merry little way.

NA: Do you have quirky writing habits?
CT: Not really. Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I don’t. I hand write my first draft and then type. I guess that is something not all writers do. It helps me think clearer.

NA: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
CT: I don’t have much spare time. I usually just veg out in front of the TV at the end of the night for an hour or so.

NA: Why did you choose the shirt you have on?
CT: Because it was clean and it fits. I’ve put on a bit of weight and not all of my clothes fit at present.

NA: First thought when the alarm goes off in the in the morning?
CT: How much longer I can stay in bed for because I MUST get up.

NA: What errand/chore do you despise the most?
CT: Cleaning is not my thing. When I got a pay rise the first thing I did was get a cleaner.

NA: What are you working on now?
CT: My next novel is a royal romance, with a smattering of polo, rambunctious kids and I’ll throw in a spider and snake, because Australia. Lol.

Teasers

“You’ve got ketchup—” His thumb reached the side of my mouth and wiped across my lips, leaving them heated. It was such a Shepherd thing to do, so natural, I thought nothing of it at first. But we weren’t Shepherd and Tara anymore. We were no longer a consist that couldn’t be separated, that would be useless apart. We were separated, and for good reason. Just because my lips yearned for his in that moment, it didn’t mean I needed to act on it.

***

I looked up at Shepherd. I wanted him to kiss me. My lust was a coiled snake, lifting its head, stretching out towards him. I knew what his lips felt like. I knew what he tasted like. I’d remembered it for five years and now I yearned for it more than ever. Musk from his cologne was sexy as hell. My skin tingled as I breathed it in deeper, drawing it deep into my lungs.
I took a step toward him. As he reached out and curled his hand around the back of my neck, heat surged through my body.

***

So, as much as I wanted to stay away from Shepherd, I couldn’t. The chance of winning three million outweighed my wants. How much I once loved him did not matter. I couldn’t afford to think about it. And I needed to rein in any residual feelings…for eighteen more days.

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Author Bio

Cynthia TerelstCynthia Terelst is a project officer by day and a writer by night. She is a contemporary romance writer who likes to share a little bit of history, some Australian scenery and a whole lotta love. Cynthia does not shy away from difficult topics, as she feels that they should not be ignored.
She lives in Queensland, Australia, where the sun shines at least 283 days a year.

Read Cynthia’s previous blog post, The Cat’s Out of the Bag!

Social Media Links

Website http://cynthiaterelst.com/
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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Terelst/e/B07ZCTX8SB/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/cynthiaterelst
Linktree https://linktr.ee/cynthiaterelst

Charity Sunday: Homes for Our Troops

Charity Sunday: Dee S. KnightHow Charity Sunday works: for every comment made on this blog post, I will donate money to the charity named. Thanks for your help and your participation!

Homes for OUr TroopsWelcome to this month’s Charity Sunday! This month I’m highlighting Homes for Our Troops https://www.hfotusa.org/ . The mission of Homes for Our Troops is this: “To build and donate specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.”

Even if you’ve had only a broken leg (or hip or arm or had knee surgery) you can appreciate the barriers posed in our homes. If your home has steps, for instance, think of the handicap injured or wounded folks have in getting around. Homes for Our Troops takes into consideration not only steps, but height of a stove or sink, whether a shower is handicap accessible, etc. These can be priceless accommodations for the man or women who wants to be independent. I hope you will take a look at their website and see what all they do.

Burning Bridges by Anne KristI’d like to share an excerpt from Burning Bridges, where the hero is a sailor on his way to the war in Vietnam.
Blurb:
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.

Buy link: Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt:
Sara stared at the letters arranged before her in numerical order. The moment in time she and Paul shared was long ago, yet her dream had conjured his presence as though she’d just seen him. In her mind, his blue eyes darkened with passion before his lips captured hers, and he moaned his appreciation when their tongues met. She tasted his sweetness and knew the steel of his arms as he held her. How many nights had she put herself through hell reliving those memories? Too damn many.

After the concert, they’d met clandestinely on weekends, mostly at Sandbridge, where they could walk and talk undisturbed. With each meeting, stirrings built deep in Sara that pushed her to want more, but Paul insisted they restrain themselves because of her age.

Then the weekend before he shipped out, she’d planned a surprise and her life changed forever.

The kettle screeched, bringing her back to the present. Sara prepared a cup of tea and then picked up the envelope marked twenty-eight. At one time, she would have given her right arm to hold this letter. Now, curiosity and the desire for a brief escape drove her more than the passion of youth. Blind love had faded when she’d had no word to bolster her during the long weeks after the ship left.

First had come the waiting. No letters arrived, even though she wrote him daily. There were no phone calls, no notes, no anything, for days that dragged into weeks then crept into months.

Anticipation morphed into anxiety. She worried he was sick or hurt and unable to write.

One day she admitted that Paul must be afraid to write for some reason, and she feared what he would say if she did receive a letter. That their time together had been a mistake, that she was too young to be in love. That he really loved someone else and Sara had been only a stand-in while he was in Virginia. Perversely, she began to sigh with relief when she arrived home and found no word.

Now, knowing why she hadn’t received mail, what would she feel if she opened this letter and her old fears proved to be true?

“Nothing,” she murmured. “Paul’s dead. He can’t hurt me anymore.” At the very least, his letters might allow her to put his ghost to rest. For that reason alone, she had to read them.

She slid her thumb under the flap and ripped the envelope open. A single sheet held his hurried scrawl.

New! Pre-order Dare to Hope by Madison Michael

Dare to Hope
Double Dare Romance Series (Book 1)
By Madison Michael
 
♥♥GiveAway♥♥
Maddy is offering a few lucky readers the chance to win an ebook of Dare to Hope from ibooks or another ebook format. Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter! You may enter each day for a chance to win so be sure to follow along with us on the Pre-Order Tour.
 
♥♥Pre-Order Details ♥♥
 
Dare to Hope is now available for Pre-Order on B&N, Apple Books or Kobo. After it’s release it will only be available on Amazon, so Hurry! Go Pre-Order your copy if you prefer these formats for reading.

About Dare to Hope: 

She’s Betting on Love and the Stakes are High

 The “Crazy Eights,” eight women who have been friends for 30 years, have a powerful connection yet rarely see each other. At a pivotal time in their lives, they create a way to remedy this predicament, an audacious dare contrived to bring them together for weddings – each participant must get married within twelve months. The stakes are high. Win the bet and lose your heart; or lose the bet and perform a personally mortifying task.

 In the first of their stories, we meet Eliana, beautiful and brilliant, but starting over, focused on her career, not on some foolhardy dare. Longing for a family but recently divorced and on her own, Eliana sets her sights on a new job, a new home and accepting her single, childless status. Independent and determined, she has no idea that in less than six months she will both win and lose her heart’s desire.

 Jeremy Klein, genius engineer and inventor, is also making life changes. He’s sold his startup to a major medical device company, becoming President and CEO, and a billionaire before he is forty. Although he’s gun-shy about the dating game, Jeremy knows it’s time to apply his smarts, sex appeal and new-found success to finding true love.

 When Eliana meets Jeremy, they bond quickly. The couple has so much in common and a chemistry that sizzles. Winning Eliana feels like a fantasy come true to Jeremy. Their attraction is immediate and electrifying, and a one-night stand morphs into planning a future. But plans change. On track to wedded bliss, baby and all, Jeremy and Eliana are derailed by accusations that threaten their relationship, Eliana’s career and Jeremy’s future as CEO.

 Spies, lies, allegations and misunderstandings abound, threatening to destroy their happiness. That is, until those “Crazy Eights” get involved, scheming and manipulating to win Eliana her happily ever after. Can a group of determined friends help Eliana and Jeremy hold onto love?

 In the tradition of The Beguiling Bachelor Series, Madison Michael creates a romance series about independent and sassy women, sexy and successful men, true love, and lasting friendships.

 Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance

 Buy Links:


 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~

An Excerpt from Dare to Hope:

His grin was devastating up close – wide and welcoming, with a hint of naughtiness and the promise of shared pleasures. But it was his eyes, deep coffee brown and fringed with long dark lashes that were his best feature; piercing, intelligent and inquisitive eyes, trained on her.
Please, God, Eliana prayed quickly, do not let this man be the new sales manager. It would be lamentable if she had to keep him at arm’s length. He was the first man Eliana had felt drawn to since Nico. If she was honest with herself, he was the first man she had ever felt this attracted to so immediately. It was enough to make her believe in love at first sight or fate.
“Hi,” he stepped closer, ignoring the empty stool beside her to halt just inside her personal space. Usually, Eliana would have reflexively backed up, but she savored his closeness, the power emanating from his presence. Even in this stuffy bar, he smelled good – fresh, like soap and good whiskey. And up close, his eyes were more magical – a hint of gold dancing in their depths.
“Hi,” she responded on a breath, letting the single word hang there for a moment before adding “You aren’t in sales, are you?”
“Nope.” If he thought it was a strange conversation starter, he kept it to himself. “Engineering and design, although I have dabbled in sales. I could be in sales for you,” he offered in a voice smooth as brandy, redolent with sexual promise and a hint of curiosity. She laughed at his offer. “Are you in sales?”
“Yes, I am. I was thinking of what a crime it would be if you turned out to be my new boss. I’m meeting him tomorrow.”
“Jeremy,” he responded, extending his hand to shake hers. “Not in sales. Is your boss named Jeremy?”
“Thankfully, not.” Eliana extended her hand, savoring the moment as Jeremy wrapped his long fingers around hers. She noticed there was no wedding band as she admired the strength and length of his fingers, the fine hairs on the back of his hand, and his grip – warm and dry. His skin was soft over fine bone and healthy muscle. Everything about him captivated her. “Eliana.”
Jeremy seemed in no hurry to release her hand, but after several beats too long for politeness, Eliana pulled hers from his. “Is this seat taken?” he asked, already sitting down, not thinking twice about it. “Or perhaps that table against the wall? I am anxious to learn why you don’t know who you work with, Eliana.”
Eliana laughed and watched as Jeremy’s breath stopped. His every emotion was transparent, especially the desire flaming in his eyes right now. A passion she reciprocated. Wholeheartedly. She couldn’t remember such an instantaneous attraction. But with Jeremy, she felt electricity and lust move through her entire body, just from the touch of his hand and the sound of her name spoken in his rich baritone.
“Eliana,” he rolled the word around his mouth as if tasting a fine wine. “What a lovely name.” Eliana panties dampened. He was just saying words, but their underlying promise was undeniable. She wanted to be alone with him. She wanted to be naked with him. And all she knew was his first name.
Eliana nodded toward the table, questioning her sanity. She was sure about what this man wanted, but after only minutes, her body governed her head. Jeremy spoke briefly with the bartender, passed him a fifty like it was a single, and motioned for her to lead the way to the empty table. Before they had settled in their chairs, both had fresh drinks. Earlier, the bartender had responded to her beauty with decent service and half-hearted flirting, but he reacted with alacrity to the big tip.
“So, spill,” Jeremy directed, leaning forward on his elbows and putting his mouth dangerously close to hers. Just a few inches, Eliana imagined, and they could be kissing. “I am dying to hear your story. I want to know absolutely everything about you.” The way he lingered on the word ‘everything’ made Eliana wetter still. Oh man, she was in way over her head.
 ~♥~♥~♥~♥~
 

Meet Madison Michael:

Madison Michael loves to binge news, movies, books, Oreos and romance – reading romance novels, writing romantic stories, watching Rom-Coms over and over. Maddy has spent her self-isolation fretting about the health of her friends and neighbors and catching up on TV programs from ten years ago. Hunkered down with her cat, Gracie, and a Zoom life-line to the world, she is wondering how people date and social distance, how much junk food she can consume in a day and why Gracie only wants to play when Maddy needs to work.

 Oh, and Madison is also hard at work on the rest of the Double Dare Romance series. Watch for more of the series in Autumn and Winter, 2020.

Madison’s Social Links:

All Caught up on Madison’s Books?

The Beguiling Bachelor Series – 
Four Successful, Sexy Men meet their matches – and how!
The B&B Billionaire Books – Second Chance at Love stories set in small town America
Standalone Stories – from Sweet Time Travel to Sexy May-September Romance
(available only when you sign up to be an Insider)

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Fate or luck? #MFRWHooks

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

Passionate Destiny by Dee S. Knight

Blurb:
Dr. 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.

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited 

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
Among the standard collegiate notices and envelopes, she found two official-looking envelopes. Both had been signed for by the department secretary. Using her letter opener, she cut a slit along the flap of the larger brown envelope marked Personal and Confidential.

The letter she pulled out was notification that the papers making her divorce from Jackson Hollings final and official—sanctioned and approved by the state of New Jersey—were ready for her to sign.

Funny, she had just commented to him a few minutes ago that the papers were due any day, and they had been sitting in her briefcase, waiting for discovery.

Although she had initiated the proceedings and had fully expected the paperwork, actually seeing the words in black and white caused her stomach to drop and tears to come to her eyes. For six years she and Jackson had shared their lives. But for her eye-opening visit to his office one afternoon last fall they might still be. He was basically a good man, although not a particularly faithful one, and at one time she had loved him fiercely. But now she needed to move on with her life.

She put the letter aside and picked up the second envelope. It was addressed using her full name. Very formal. She glanced at the return address: Ronald Gibson, Esquire, Palmyra, Virginia.

Wrinkling her brow, she tried to figure out who she knew in Virginia. She slid her thumb under the flap and slipped out the sheets of paper. Her eyes widened as she read that she had been named sole beneficiary in the will of one Maude Rawling. Margaret looked at the second page of the notification. She had apparently inherited an antebellum house, with all furnishings and one hundred fifty-three acres, in Virginia.

Images of Gone with the Wind sprung to mind. She pictured a large, columned home commanding an expanse of lawn edged with azaleas and magnolias, and a circular drive around which carriages drove to discharge hoop-skirted passengers. With a grin, she shook her head to dismiss the illusion.

Mr. Gibson urged her to contact him as soon as possible to discuss disposition of the property. Whether she planned to sell or live in the house, he advised, repairs had to be made. He recommended a contractor named Aaron Belton for the work, both for his expertise and knowledge of authentic reconstruction. Margaret reread the letter, wondering who Maude Rawling was, and why Maude would leave anything to her. She almost wished Jackson had come over after all, to sort through this with her.

Picking up the phone, she dialed her mother.

Patricia Ackerman, a vivacious, beautiful woman, was a most unconventional mother. Only eighteen years older than Margaret, she had just turned fifty-one at the end of the previous month. Married three times, although never to Margaret’s father, Patricia had shared their various homes with several lovers. Living what she laughingly called an eclectic lifestyle, she’d built up quite a large bank account, as well as a strong network of friends. Although she was currently unmarried, even now she had a man firmly in the palm of her hand, and Margaret fully expected to be invited to another wedding in the near future.

When she promised to love Jackson until death, Margaret had tried to keep the specter of her mother’s love life out of mind. Then, after the separation, she had hoped more than anything that the inability to have a truly loving relationship wasn’t a part of her genetic makeup. Or at least that the inability to find a true man wasn’t. But she somehow thought it was. She’d never had a relationship last. Jackson had been it, the longest, the one she’d committed to, and still she’d been disappointed in love.

About Dee:
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 (www.nomadauthors.com). Fortunately, Dee’s high school sweetheart is the love of her life and husband to all three ladies! Once a month, look for Dee’s Charity Sunday blog posts, where your comment can support a selected charity.

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A mysterious proposition—Jan Selbourne #MFRWHooks

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

The Proposition by Jan Selbourne

The Proposition
Blurb:
They met on the eve of a battle. One enlisted to avoid prison, the other enlisted to avoid the money lenders. On the bloodied fields of France, Harry Connelly collapses beside the corpse of Andrew Conroy. It is a risk, a hanging offence, it’s his only hope for a future. Harry swaps identity discs.

Now Andrew, he is just another face in post war London until a letter arrives with a proposition. Accepting is out of the question, refusing pushes him into a nightmare of greed, blackmail and murder. To survive he must live this lie without a mistake, until Lacey, her secrets and the truth.

Buy link:
Kindle Unlimited

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
“Excuse me, call of nature.”

The niggling coil of unease had been growing and now, as Andrew watched the dining room door close behind Elliot, his instincts were jabbing at hm. His host had been charming and hospitable. Last night, after a delicious dinner at Browns Hotel, they’d touched on their family connection, unsure of what to say without offending the other. Elliot had twirled his glass between his fingers. “My grandparents made a lot of money from the textile industry, my father sold seventy percent of those businesses and invested in other profitable enterprises. To put it simply, he was a very astute, successful businessman, but I’m afraid he was not a good husband and father. He cared little for us and it distresses me that he cared even less for you and your mother.”

Today, Elliot had proudly introduced him to his pride and joy, a dark grey Austin-20hp, motoring smoothly out of London and onto the soft Essex countryside. When they’d stopped at Thaxted’s Swan Inn for lunch, Elliot had commented, “Every spare acre in Essex has been growing vegetables, doing their bit for the war effort and rationing.” When they continued on to Saffron Walden, he’d pointed to his left, “Railway station, a branch line from Audley End. Made a big difference to this town.”

They’d stopped briefly in High Street, then through the marketplace, bumping over cobblestones to a wider road and finally stopping at the entrance of a large Victorian house. He’d been shown to his room overlooking the rear of the house with its garden rows of vegetables. Elliot had apologized again, business to attend to and please make himself at home. Not used to the substantial meals, he’d slept until five pm. At seven pm, he’d joined Elliot in the dining room where silver serving dishes containing roast beef, baked potatoes and green vegetables sat on spirit warmers.

“Very informal this evening,” Elliot had said breezily. “I asked my daily help to prepare something easy for us, so please, help yourself.”

The only time his host’s friendliness disappeared was when the daily help tapped on the door to tell him she’d answered the phone and left the message on the phone pad.

Something was very wrong, or perhaps he was too jumpy from living on this tight rope of lies. The door opened again.

“Much more comfortable,” Elliot grinned and sat down. “More wine?”

“No thank you, I might not be able to climb the stairs, but I must thank you for another very pleasant evening.”

Elliot’s grin disappeared. “It’s time to discuss the business proposition which will give us both what we want.”

“I confess I was intrigued when I received your letter,” Andrew replied guardedly.

“You will perform a service and if that service is completed satisfactorily, I will pay you three hundred pounds and pay your outstanding debts.”

Andrew went perfectly still. “Perform a service?”

“You will impregnate the woman I married.”

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.

Contact Jan:
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Are you listening? #MFRWHooks

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

Only a Good Man Will Do by Dee S. KnightBlurb:
Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. For years he has striven for perfection, fighting for the pinnacle achievement in his world of academia, Headmaster of Westover Academy. Westover, established before the American Revolution, is still one of the most prestigious schools in the country. They accept only boys whose parents fit a certain mold and only those teachers who hold to a stringent set of mores, on and off campus. His brother Jonah considers Daniel a prig. Daniel sees himself as doing his best to serve his students. How much better can he serve them as headmaster? That is what he seeks to find out.

Suddenly, into his cut and dried, strictly black and white life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Bad enough that she’s enrolled her son in Westover Academy under false pretenses. More, she runs the town’s most disreputable bar. Worst, much to Daniel’s dismay, he finds himself drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.

Buy link:
Amazon Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/2q7ovi4

MFRW Book Hooks

Excerpt:
“Daniel, am I talking to myself, here?”

“Oh, no, I’m…” He chuckled an amused admission. “Tell me what you said again.”

He could almost hear Eve smile. “I said, you called at four-thirty on Saturday and Sunday, so I took a wild leap that you would today, too.”

“Ah.” Smiling to the empty room, he squirmed to get into a more comfortable position. “A woman of logic.”

“Absolutely. You don’t want to play me in chess. I think five or six moves ahead.”

“I’ll remember that. There’s nothing worse than seeing a guy cry when he’s been beaten at chess by a girl. Now tell me why you’re upstairs. I know you don’t have a lot of help this time of day.”

“I’m paying Jed extra to come in a bit early.” Her voice was low, as though she didn’t really want to tell him. The words struck his heart.

“You don’t have money to be paying Jed extra, Eve. I’ll start calling later, after dinner and before I grade papers.”

“No, don’t. It’s quiet this time of day and I want these few minutes to myself. Jed doesn’t mind, and he can use a few extra bucks.”

“Well, okay.”

“Besides, you won’t be calling forever. Soon you’ll be head of the school and won’t have free time for the likes of me.”

Daniel hadn’t promised her on Friday that he’d call. He’d simply felt the desire and acted on it. Then, by unspoken agreement, they hadn’t mentioned what might happen next in their relationship. They’d spent time sharing that day in their respective worlds.

Today, he’d discovered the desire to talk to Eve wasn’t an “at loose ends” feeling that sometimes came over him on weekends. After his dorm assistant had arrived, Daniel had locked his doors, put his books and papers away, and picked up the phone. Only after they’d been well into the fantasy did he remember he hadn’t even removed his gown and jacket before pressing her number. He’d wanted to hear her, find out what her day had been like and communicate his own. He felt seventeen again, with an infatuation about to drive him crazy. Except men his age didn’t have infatuations. They had obsessions.

“Hey,” Eve charged, “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, like I was hunting for compliments or reassurances. I was simply stating a fact, the way we both know it to be. I want this to be short term as much as you do, so don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.”

But he was. How long did obsessions last, anyway? Daniel had never allowed himself to be distracted by a woman or anything that might waylay his goals.

Until now.

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Shriners Hospitals will always be my favorite charity #MFRWauthor

Shriners
Funny people doing serious work

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I was struck with polio when I was a baby. I understand that the epidemic was one of the last large polio epidemics and a record for the residents of Sioux City, Iowa in 1952. Not a record I wanted to take part in, believe me!

Mom said I’d started walking at 9 months and had already been getting into things, when one morning she woke to my screams and I couldn’t stand up in my crib.  So many people were affected, they read the names of those admitted to the hospitals on the radio, which is how my grandparents heard that I’d been admitted to St. Vincent’s. No one could figure out how I’d caught the virus. I was too young to go to the pools in town, and I never went anywhere without my mom or grandparents, none of whom got sick.

Teenage girls
LOL, not me!

I was lucky—I lived. And luckier still when Mom knew a man who was a Shriner. He sponsored me and got me into the program when I was old enough. We started taking the 275-mile trip to Minneapolis, which had the closest hospital every few months. When we moved to Alameda, CA, I went to the hospital in San Francisco, and later, when we moved to Virginia Beach, VA, we had the long trek to the hospital in Greenville, SC. But those trips were worth it! Through years of braces, surgery, and endless (it seemed!) physical therapy and nightly exercises, I was able to end my time with the Shrine group a teenager who could walk, dance, ride a bike, and do most of the things any teen could do. They worked a miracle, and they didn’t charge a dime.

That’s why—with all the very worthy charities there are out there—Shriners Hospitals for Children  will always be my favorite. And, they spend the money donated well. They’re highly rated for using their donations where they’re supposed to.

Who do you routinely donate to?

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

Dee
Burning Bridges by Anne Krist: old letters put the lie to Sara’s life. Now, mending her past mistakes while crossing burning bridges will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

One Woman Only
Only a Good Man Will Do
Naval Maneuvers

New! Second chances–for people and pets! Gayle Irwin

Finding Love at Compassion Ranch by Gayle IrwinShe crouches then pounces upon the enticing mouse like her cousin the bobcat. His tail swishes as he stares and then stalks the feather on the floor like his larger brother the tiger. Domestic cats, like their wild relatives, enjoy the hunt and chase. They entertain their human companions, bringing smiles and laughter. Their purrs soothe stress, and their company delights days.

June is Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month, and in my recently-released book, Finding Love at Compassion Ranch, my main character, Erin, adopts two cats. This clean, contemporary romance is a second-chance story, for the human couple and for the animals featured in the book. Here’s an taste:

That afternoon, as Erin played with the cats, she focused again on the two yellow tabby brothers, Ricky and Rocket. The more she engaged with them, the more certain she was that her daughter would enjoy these kitties. She watched Rocket refocus his attention on a sunbeam dancing across the nearby wall. She laughed as the tabby leaped, as if trying to catch the light. Another sunray on the floor captured his interest, and the cat began zooming around the room. With her cell phone, Erin snapped several pictures of Ricky playing with a catnip mouse and others of Rocket pouncing on rays of sunlight. A few moments later she texted the photos to Brittany along with this message: “I think I’ve found the purr-fect cats for you! Two brothers, about two years old. Playful, fun, and friendly. We already know they get along, they are healthy, and they like people. What do you think? Want me to adopt them for you?”

As she waved a feather toy in front of the tabbies’ faces, Brittany responded with a text: “YES! I already love them. Do they get along with Winston?”

Erin responded, “I’ll plan a sleep-over to find out. Potential adopters can do that here, just like at Best Friends Animal Society.”

“Super!” came Brittany’s response. “Let me know how everyone does.”

Two cats share my house. I adopted them when they were 10 weeks old; they will be 15 years old in August. Murphy and Bailey are sisters, although to look at them you couldn’t think so. Murphy is a long-haired black and white (often called ‘tuxedo’), and Bailey is a short-haired tortoiseshell (black, orange, and white). Their mother was a medium-haired, cream-colored Persian-looking cat. Only two of the six in the litter looked alike, and they were black and gray tabby cats. I’ve been a cat person since I was a child. My first was a calico who followed me home after school when I was nine years old. I named her Precious and she was my companion for more than 10 years.

Buy links:
Amazon ebook
Amazon print
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

Bailey and Murphy catsI weave pet rescue and adoption into my romance stories because that topic is something I’m passionate about. The second book in the series, Finding Love at Compassion Ranch, sees my main character, Erin, volunteering at Compassion Ranch, a sanctuary for former research animals. The fictional sanctuary is based on a real facility called Kindness Ranch. In the book, Erin reconnects with a man she knew in high school when she shows up to volunteer. Both she and Mike, my primary male character, have lost their spouses. Sparks ignite, especially after Erin helps Mike save the life of an ewe and her lamb. However, Erin wonders if she gives her heart to Mike, will she be betraying her late husband and her two grown children?

Pick up your copy of Finding Love at Compassion Ranch, available as an e-book through Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Amazon, and available in print format through Amazon. You can also obtain my first book in this Pet Rescue Romance series, Rescue Road, in which the character of Erin is introduced, through the same outlets.

I encourage you to support your local animal shelter, humane society, or pet rescue organization. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), each year nearly 3.2 million cats and kittens enter animal shelters and humane societies across the United States. Sadly,Rescue cats more than 850,000 are euthanized due to illness, owners not claiming their lost/stray animals, and overcrowding due to lack of adoptions and reclaims. Whether through adoption, fostering, donations of supplies or money, or volunteering, these groups need our help to help the animals they serve.

When people purchase my books, I donate a percentage of sales to pet rescue organizations. I also volunteer for a few groups. In fact, the two cats in my story, Ricky and Rocket, are based on two cats I met at a rescue. Their picture is above.

Happy reading!

Blurb:

A ranch like no other …

Erin Christiansen is still adjusting to life as a widow. She seeks additional healing by volunteering at Compassion Ranch, a sanctuary for former research animals. Upon arrival at the majestic and unique northwestern Wyoming ranch, she meets Mike, a man she knew in high school, whose compassion for animals and people might be the balm Erin needs.

Retired veterinarian Mike Jacobs is no stranger to loss. Five years after the accidental death of his wife, he now serves as ranch manager of Compassion Ranch. He not only fixes fence and provides tours, but he applies his veterinary skills and his heart for animals to his work. Upon recognizing Erin from high school, he can barely believe his first love will spend a few weeks at the sanctuary.

Can Erin and Mike span the years since they have seen each other or do they, like many of the rescued animals, have wounds that run too deep to trust and love again?

Yellowstone Lake
Much of the story takes place here, at Yellowstone Lake

Excerpt:

That evening before sunset, Mike secured wire to a wooden post a few feet from the barn. More fencing to his left helped create a new corral, the project he’d been working on all day. He didn’t hear Erin walk up until she called out, “Hi, there, busy guy!”

He stopped his work and looked at her. Her large smile brought one to his face.

“Hi, yourself.”

Mike noticed Winston beside her. He squatted down and said, “Hey there, fella. How are you and those cats doing?”

Winston, his tail wagging, sauntered up to Mike, and the ranch manager patted the little dog’s head.

“They’ve done very well,” Erin responded as she walked closer. “A few hisses and growls by the cats at first, but with Winston’s gentle, sweet personality, the Ricky and Rocket adjusted pretty quickly. Winston learned about cats while at Rhiann’s sanctuary, so he knows not to push the limit.

They all took about a thirty-minute nap on the couch before supper. I think Brittany’s going to be quite happy with the boys.”

As Mike drew to his full six-foot-one height, he noticed Erin held a cloth bag in her hand.

“You don’t have the cats in there, do you?” he asked in a teasing voice as he pointed to the sack.

She laughed slightly and held up the bag. “I think you’d hear a lot of fussing. No, silly. I brought your supper. I’ve been hearing the pounding of nails all afternoon and saw you putting those posts in the ground earlier. I figured you could use a break.”

She opened the container, which held two sandwiches, a small bag of potato chips, and a covered glass pitcher of lemonade. Her kindness startled him. Not that Erin wasn’t thoughtful, but in the midst of her own busy day, settling in two cats, the thought that she would notice he hadn’t taken a break in several hours touched his heart.

“Thank you, Erin. I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” he said in a sincere voice.

She smiled and handed Mike the bag. He reached for the lemonade first and poured a cup from the small thermos. After consuming the tart liquid, he said, “Ah! That hits the spot.” He smiled. “I knew you were a good woman, Erin, I just didn’t realize how much of an angel until now.”

Author Bio:

Gayle IrwinGayle M. Irwin is an award-winning author and freelance writer, being recognized by Wyoming Writers, Inc., and the Wyoming Press Association for several of her works. She is a contributor to seven Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the author of many inspirational pet books and stories for both children and adults. Her first novel, a clean, contemporary pet rescue romance titled Rescue Road, released November 8, 2019; the second book in that series she calls Pet Rescue Romance is titled Finding Love at Compassion Ranch – the book released in May 2020. Gayle subtly weaves important life lessons within the lines and pages of her stories, including the importance of pet rescue and adoption. An animal advocate, she volunteers for various dog rescue and humane society organizations and donates a percentage of all book sales to such groups. Gayle resides in Wyoming with her husband and their adopted animals. Learn more about the author, her writing endeavors, including a weekly blog, and her pets, and receive free stories and resources by visiting her website: www.gaylemirwinauthor.com.

Nostalgia, in a time when we need it! Jan Selbourne

Reading Dee’s blog post, Making Changes, made me smile. It  took me back a LONG time, to when I was a young kid.

Jan Selbourne's dad
My dad, digging stump holes. Our Collie dog Sandy would drop his ball into the hole, wait for dad to throw it, and off he’d go to fetch and bring it back – again and again.

My parents had scraped up just enough money to buy a block of land in a country town east of Melbourne, Victoria. There was one main road through the town and our road was unsealed. Dust in the summer, mud in the winter. Our block sloped steeply back from the road with plenty of ti-trees and eucalyptus trees at the bottom. The plan was to live in a small fibro bungalow while my parents and older brother Don built the house. A small loan from a building society and that’s what they did, starting with a thick carpentry how to do it book, basic tools and now I look back, a lot of courage.

Electricity wasn’t connected until the house was built, so we lit ‘Tilly” lamps at night, we had a wood burning stove for cooking and heating water for a bath, which incidentally was a galvanised iron tub in the kitchen. We had an ice chest to keep food cold, the ice truck delivered blocks of ice weekly in winter, twice weekly in summer. The ice-man wore thick leather gloves and a thick leather shoulder pad. He hooked his pick into a block of ice, up onto his shoulder and with a curt g’day to mum, carried it into the house to deposit it into the chest. No time to talk, especially in summer.

At the back of the bungalow was the outhouse – the “dunny”. The ‘nightmen’ in their truck collected the full pan twice a week, replacing it with a clean pan reeking of the eye-watering strong disinfectant Phenyl. To this day, the smell of Phenyl reminds me of the dunny and country railway toilets.

It was a very bushy area, plenty of blue tongue lizards, a lot of native birds, especially bell birds, and thankfully we didn’t see any snakes. I clearly remember a swagman camped at the bottom of our block because there was a small creek and plenty of open land beyond. Mum made sure he was okay and didn’t need anything. He’d light his fire, cook his food and boil his billy, and a few days later he moved on.

The floor plan for our new house was laid out on the ground with wood stakes and string. Armed with shovels, my dad and my brother Don dug every stump hole by hand. In went the redgum wooden stumps. Then the flooring joists. My job was to help paint the weatherboards with pink primer, which I did until my hands ached. Up went the house, bit by bit, because dad and Don worked weekdays. Then the inspection by the municipal building inspector. Was the house built to satisfactory standards? Yes, it received a big tick. Time for the tradies – the plumber, the roof tiler and the electrician. And – at last – we were able to move in. My brother had his own bedroom. I had my own bedroom. Mum had an electric stove. And we had a real bathroom with an inside toilet! But we kept the ice chest, what money was left didn’t stretch to a refrigerator. We now see ice chests in museums but believe me, they are as almost as efficient as a fridge – minus the freezer.

Looking back, it was a perfect life for kids. Sure we walked the mile or more to school and back every day, in the rain or the summer heat, so did all the other kids. There were no luxuries but we had a lot of fun and the best games playing in the bush at the back of the block. I admit I had it easy compared to my brother who was nine years older than me, but that four inch paint brush and endless weatherboards was hard work!

I can still see that carpentry book, and the spirit level, dad used it while digging the stump holes and the floor joists. Heck, a book and a spirit level, dogged determination and hard work built a house…

Jan SelbourneJan 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.

Contact Jan:
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New release! Enjoy a few Invincible Dreams with Denise Devine

Invincible Dreams anthology: Denise Devine

Denise Devine and a few of her friends would like to share their
Invincible Dreams in a convenient boxed set!

Authors participating:
Tamara Ferguson
Jen Talty
Denise Devine
Natalie Ann
Stacy Eaton
Nancy Radke
Jennifer St. Giles
Suzanne Jenkins

Blurb:

Freedom has a price, and sometimes the past and present collide. Our heroines are determined to reach the goals they’ve set for themselves and fight for their dreams to come true. It might require them to start over, forge a new path, or even change directions along the way. Sometimes they might get more than they’ve bargained for…

RESTORATION (New): Tamara Ferguson, USA Today Bestselling Author
AFTER THE FIRE (New): Jen Talty, USA Today Bestselling Author
GUARDING THE BOOTLEGGER’S WIDOW (New): Denise Devine, USA Today Bestselling Author
ALL THE WAY: Natalie Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author
YOU’RE NOT ALONE: Stacy Eaton, USA Today Bestselling Author
THE SUNNIEST GAL FROM TENNESSEE: Nancy Radke, USA Today Bestselling Author
THE MISTRESS OF TREVELYAN: Jennifer St. Giles, USA Today Bestselling Author
FRIENDS TO LOVERS: Suzanne Jenkins, USA Today Bestselling Author

INVINCIBLE DREAMS – 99 cents on Kindle and available on KU.
Order now! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088C3L5JD

About Guarding the Bootlegger’s Widow by Denise Devine:

It’s 1926 in St. Paul, Minnesota and Prohibition is in full swing. A woman can vote, work full time, show her legs in public and cut her hair but she can’t enter a speakeasy without a man by her side…

Charlotte LeDoux is struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her late husband, Gus, has left her a lot to deal with—his sprawling business empire, his enemies and an ex-mistress who desperately needs a friend. It’s tough for a woman to compete in a man’s world and even though it’s a never-ending uphill battle, she is determined to succeed.

Char gets a new Model T and is excited when William Van Elsberg offers to give her a driving lesson. She’s attracted to the handsome private detective, who, in many ways, is the polar opposite of Gus. Will takes her out for a spin in the car and instructs her how to drive, but at the same time, teaches her how to love again. She’s never been so happy!

Meanwhile, Gus’ enemies are circling like vultures. An anonymous note threatening Char’s life forces Will to become her personal bodyguard. He’s highly qualified, but Char’s stubborn belief in her own independence makes it the most difficult job he’s ever taken. Can he keep her safe or will he lose her in the most dangerous fight of her life?

Excerpt:

Prologue

According to the gossip on the streets of St. Paul, my late husband was a man of many secrets. One of the most widely spread stories I found intriguing, but also amusing, involved a secluded hideout where he supposedly had a wall literally lined with stacks of cash. If he did, Gus had taken this information to the grave because he’d never shared it with me.

Gus had been a bootlegger who’d made his fortune running “Minnesota 13,” the Dom Perignon of bootlegged whiskey from two Minnesota counties—Stearns and Morrison—to distributors in the Dakotas and Chicago. Ruthless and powerful, “Lucky” Gus LeDoux had earned an unfathomable amount of money and gained a notorious reputation, but made permanent enemies along the way. I always knew someday he’d die a violent death. I just never envisioned it would be by my hand.

I hadn’t planned to shoot my husband; I’d acted purely in self-defense. It did no good to dwell on it, but the memory of that horrific, life-altering day still haunted me…

Desperate to escape his life of crime, I’d run away from my husband and found refuge working as a domestic servant in the home of a private investigator. Gus eventually found out and stormed my place of work, forcing me to leave with him. As Federal agents surrounded the area, two men tried to apprehend him and he gunned them down—while I helplessly watched. My husband had a reputation for brutality, but to witness it firsthand horrified me and caused me to fear for not only my own safety, but also the well-being of my unborn child. I refused to go on and told Gus I wanted nothing more to do with him. He roared that if he couldn’t have me, no one would, and he tried to choke me.

Determined to save my baby, I grabbed his gun. We struggled. The gun went off. The memory of that deadly, piercing sound still left me numb; a stark reminder that my son, now three and a half months old, would never know his father. And I was to blame.

Only one other person saw what happened, but I knew Will Van Elsberg would never divulge my secret to anyone. To rescue me from the fray, he had lifted me in his arms and carried me to a secure place to keep me safe, proving himself to be the only true hero I’d ever known.

The events of that dark, rainy afternoon altered my life forever. As Gus’ widow, I inherited a fortune and became the sole parent to my newborn son. Though I was on my own for the first time in my life, I felt safe. I was free.

Then fate pulled me back to the dark side of Gus’ world, the most dangerous place I could be.

Invincible Dreams anthology: Denise Devine

Denise Devine:

Denise DevineDenise Devine is a USA Today bestselling author who has had a passion for books since the second grade when she discovered Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at age thirteen and has been writing ever since. She loves all animals, especially dogs, cats and horses, and they often find their way into her books.

She has written twelve books, including books in the Beach Brides Series, The Perfect Match Series and the Hawaiian Holiday Series. Her books have hit the Top 100 Bestseller list on Amazon and she has been listed on Amazon’s Top 100 Authors.

If you’d like to know more about her, visit her website at https://www.deniseannettedevine.com or join her VIP list today to get the scoop on free books, new releases and lots of goodies at http://eepurl.com/csOJZL