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Romantic Reads and Such

~ thoughts on romances

Romantic Reads and Such

Monthly Archives: January 2017

Spotlight – The Lawrence Browne Affair

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Cat Sebastian, The Lawrence Browne Affair

I’m not usually a big fan of relationships built on lies but I just LOVE the sound of this one.  So anxious to find out why Lawrence is thought to be mad!

*****

lawrence-browne-affair-coverThe Lawrence Browne Affair

by Cat Sebastian

Releasing February 7, 2017

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

An earl hiding from his future . . . 

Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down.

A swindler haunted by his past . . .

Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl.

Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives? 

Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30226770-the-lawrence-browne-affair

Buy Links:      AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

Cornwall, 1816

CHAPTER ONE

All this fuss about a couple of small explosions. As far as Lawrence cared, the explosions were entirely beside the point. He had finished experimenting with fuses weeks ago. More importantly, this was his house to burn to the ground if that’s what he wanted to do with it. Hell, if he blew the godforsaken place up, and himself right along with it, the only person who would even be surprised was the man sitting before him.

“Five servants quit,” Halliday said, tapping Lawrence’s desk in emphasis. Dust puffed up in tiny clouds around the vicar’s fingertips. “Five. And you were woefully understaffed even before then.”

Five fewer servants? So that was why the house had been so pleasantly quiet, why his work had been so blissfully undisturbed.

“There was no danger to the servants. You know I keep them away from my work.” That was something Lawrence insisted on even when he wasn’t exploding things. The very idea of chattering maids underfoot was enough to discompose his mind even further. “And I conducted most of the actual explosions out of doors.” Now was probably not the time to mention that he had blown the roof off the conservatory.

“All I’m suggesting is a sort of secretary.” Halliday was dangerously unaware of how close he was to witnessing an explosion of the metaphorical variety. “Somebody to keep records of what you’ve mixed together and whether it’s likely to”—he puffed his cheeks out and made a strange noise and an expansive gesture that Lawrence took to represent explosion—“ignite.”

The Reverend Arthur Halliday did not know what was good for him. If he did, he would have fled the room as soon as he saw Lawrence reach for the inkwell. Lawrence’s fingers closed around the object, preparing to hurl it at the wall behind the vicar’s head. Sod the man for even suggesting Lawrence didn’t know how to cause an explosion. He hadn’t invented Browne’s Improved Black Powder or even that bloody safety fuse through blind luck, for God’s sake.

“Besides,” Halliday went on, “you said you need an extra set of hands for this new device you’re working on.”

Oh, damn and blast. Lawrence knew he shouldn’t have told the vicar. But he had hoped Halliday might volunteer to help with the device himself, not badger Lawrence into hiring some stranger. The vicar was convenient enough, and when he wasn’t dead set on sticking his nose where it didn’t belong, he wasn’t entirely unpleasant company.

“I’ve had secretaries,” Lawrence said from between gritted teeth. “It ends badly.”

“Well, obviously, but that’s because you go out of your way to terrify them.” Halliday glanced pointedly at the inkwell Lawrence still held.

And there again was Halliday missing the point entirely. Lawrence didn’t need to go out of his way to frighten anyone. All he had to do was simply exist. Everyone with any sense kept a safe distance from the Mad Earl of Radnor, as surely as they stayed away from rabid dogs and coiled asps. And explosive devices, for that matter.

Except for the vicar, who came to Penkellis Castle three times a week. He likely also called on bedridden old ladies and visited the workhouse. Maybe his other charity cases were grateful, but the notion that he was the vicar’s good deed made Lawrence’s fingers curl grimly around the inkwell as he plotted its trajectory through the air.

“I’ll take care of the details,” Halliday was saying. “I’ll write the advertisement and handle the inquiries. A good secretary might even be able to manage the household a bit,” the vicar said with the air of a man warming to his topic, “get it into a fit condition for the child—”

“No.” Lawrence didn’t raise his voice, but he slammed his fist onto the desk, causing ink to splatter all over the blotter and the cuff of his already-inky shirt. A stack of papers slid from the desk onto the floor, leaving a single dustless patch of wood where they had been piled. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a spider scurry out from under the papers.

“True,” Halliday continued, undaunted. “A housekeeper would be more appropriate, but—”

“No.” Lawrence felt the already fraying edges of his composure unraveling fast. “Simon is not coming here.”

“You can’t keep him off forever, you know, now that he’s back in England. It’s his home, and he’ll own it one day.”

When Lawrence was safely dead and buried, Simon was welcome to come here and do what he pleased. “I don’t want him here.” Penkellis was no place for a child, madmen were not fit guardians, and nobody knew those facts better than Lawrence himself, who had been raised under precisely those conditions.

Halliday sighed. “Even so, Radnor, you have to do something about this.” He gestured around the room, which Lawrence thought looked much the same as ever. One hardly even noticed the scorch marks unless one knew where to look. “It can’t be safe to live in such a way.”

Safety was not a priority, but even Lawrence wasn’t mad enough to try to explain that to the vicar.

“Villagers won’t even walk past the garden wall anymore. And the stories they invent…” The vicar wrung his hands. “A secretary. Please. It would ease my mind to know you had someone up here with you.”

A keeper, then. Even worse.

But Lawrence did need another set of hands to work on the communication device. If Halliday wouldn’t help, then Lawrence had no other options. God knew Halliday had been right about the local people not wanting anything to do with him.

“Fine,” he conceded. “You write the advertisement and tell me when to expect the man.” He’d say what he needed to in order to end this tiresome conversation and send the vicar on his way.

It wasn’t as if this secretary would last more than a week or two anyway. Lawrence would see to that.

*****

catAuthor Info:

Cat Sebastian lives in a swampy part of the South with her husband, three kids, and two dogs. Before her kids were born, she practiced law and taught high school and college writing. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s doing crossword puzzles, bird watching, and wondering where she put her coffee cup.

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

One eBook copy of THE LAWRENCE BROWNE AFFAIR

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81215/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

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Book Review – Not in Her Wildest Dreams

30 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Book Review, Dani Collins, Not in Her Wildest Dreams, Secret Dreams series

I’m so excited to start off the week with such a great book … and author Dani Collins is helping to get us in the mood with a couple of fun facts!

*****

FUN FACTS 

Fun Fact #1:

When Sterling realizes he’ll be stuck in Liebe Falls for longer than a weekend, he decides to move into his grandmother’s old house. I mentally used a bungalow that belonged to family friends. It’s a two bedroom rancher with no bells or whistles, but cozy.

I don’t know why that house jumped into my head, especially because the real one is very well kept while I wanted mine to be terribly run down. Perhaps it was the nostalgia factor. I remember being a kid in that house and I wanted Paige and Sterling to have memories there, too.

The house is situated behind Paige’s, built when hers was a decent middle-class neighborhood. Sterling takes it into his head to renovate, not expecting to uncover family secrets that nearly destroy Paige. Such a modest house to carry so much importance!

Fun Fact #2:

A long time ago, I had a day job at a company that made stair parts. Super fascinating stuff. Not. It was extra super-not-fascinating when we were audited. It was a yearly thing done by the company’s accounting firm, not by the government. I’m the chatty type so I asked one of the accountants how embezzling works. That was interesting, especially since I wasn’t bold enough to say, “Hey, I’m an aspiring author.” Nope, I just looked incredibly suspicious asking detailed questions about how to get away with a serious crime.

When I came to write the book, I had my factory make beds instead of stairs. It seemed sexier. In fact, the working title was Hot Beds, Cold Feet. The second book was called Sweet Dreams, but when I finally got both books rewritten and ready for prime time, I had my reader group help me with new titles. I wanted readers to know they were connected books, which is hard to tell with those old titles, so now they’re Not In Her Wildest Dreams and Only In His Sweetest Dreams.

*****

not-in-her-wildest-dreams600x900Not In Her Wildest Dreams

Secret Dreams, Book 1

by Dani Collins

Book Type: Fiction

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Indie

Publication Date: January 1, 2017 

Blurb:

Paige Fogarty never believed Liebe Falls’ golden boy, Sterling Roy, could want a No Good Fogarty, but one magical night, they kissed—ruining her already murky reputation. Fifteen years later, she’s still shunned, now as a professional accountant auditing Roy Furnishings. It’s a daunting task even before she’s forced to work with him.

Sterling made a fool of himself over Paige once. Never again. He only returns to the factory his mother calls his ‘legacy’ to ensure Paige doesn’t pull a fast one. When their chemistry blazes hotter than ever, he wonders if he misjudged her, but secrets come to light, including an embezzler she tries to protect, proving she’s still the wrong girl. So why does holding onto her feel so right?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33151365-not-in-her-wildest-dreams

Buy Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hTy6ru

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N586MIL/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N586MIL/

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N586MIL/

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-in-her-wildest-dreams-dani-collins/1125253770?ean=2940153881652

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/not-in-her-wildest-dreams

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/book/not-in-her-wildest-dreams/id1180380070?mt=11

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Dani_Collins_Not_In_Her_Wildest_Dreams?id=y_CWDQAAQBAJ

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/685502

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES

only-in-his-sweetest-dreamsOnly In His Sweetest Dreams

Secret Dreams, Book 2 

Blurb:

When Mercedes takes in her confused niece and nephew, jeopardizing the job she loves at a retirement community, she turns to the new handyman for advice. L.C. can fix anything and he’d love to be part of this misfit family, but he has a secret back home that Mercedes will never forgive. 

Available on February 1, 2017

Pre-order Buy Link:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iO8Gei

nihwdgraphic1

*****

Review:

I have to say this one really didn’t go the way I guessed it would.  But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing  🙂  I thought that Paige and Sterling’s aborted romance – the whole wrong side of the tracks thing – would have been a bigger deal than it turned out to be.  I mean, yes it did leave some scars, as most traumatic childhood events do, but there is so much more to their problems than that.

Thanks to a screwy childhood, Paige is an enabler and spends way too much energy trying to fix everything for her loved ones.  Which means that she somehow finds herself back in the small town that she grew up in, trying to make everything right, and having to face a lot of her demons … including Sterling.

Sterling is also is dealing with family issues thanks to his parents.  He’s got one of those moms – overbearing, manipulative, all about appearances and wearing blinders.  And she’s pushing him to move home to run the family business.  He’s got his own bones to pick with people in the town and being in such close quarters is sure to stir things up.

I get why Paige is so hesitant to get involved again – it is horrible what she went thru at such an impressionable age – but I have to admire Sterling for sticking with her.  He’s not perfect, which is on display with his relationship with his parents and the fight that is still going on with Paige’s brother, but he’s truly a good guy.

I like these two and I enjoyed all of their crazy friends & family.  Not to say that all of them are likeable, but they are fun to read and help keep the pages turning.  All of the hurt feelings, family drama, and personal issues are dragged out & put on display.

Secrets are revealed, the truth finally comes out, and some demons are laid to rest … all in a days work for a small town full of drama.

nihwdgraphic3

*****

dani-collins-headshotAuthor Info:

USA Today Bestseller Dani Collins is the author of thirty romances for Harlequin Presents, Montana Born and herself. Dani lives in Canada with her high school sweetheart. Join Dani’s newsletter and receive Cruel Summer, a short ebook romance, as a welcome gift: http://danicollins.com/free-book/

Social Media Links:

Website: http://danicollins.com

Blog: http://blog.danicollins.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaniCollinsBook

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DaniCollinsBook/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6572063.Dani_Collins

Instagram: http://instagram.com/danicollinsauthor

GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/b/104569336188481850840/+DanicollinsAuthor/posts

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dani-Collins/e/B009RC6AAG/

*****

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Giveaway:

January 16 – 30, 2017

1 Winner: $10 Amazon Gift Card + FREE eBook of Only In His Sweetest Dreams (Secret Dreams, Book 2)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5ddfc19f28/?

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the blog tour

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Book Review – Wed to You

27 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Jenna Harte, Southern Heat series, Wed to You

cover105693-mediumWed to You

Southern Heat Series Book 3

by Jenna Harte

Irresistible playboy, Jagger Talbot left his flashy life in New York to properly take care of Kaden, a little boy he vowed to raise, gaining custody when the Kaden’s father died and his mother ran off with another man. Starting over in Virginia seemed like the perfect beginning. But when the boy’s mother comes back, clean and sober, fighting for custody, Jagger knows he needs a miracle to prove he’s what the child needs.

That miracle is Chelsea Beemer, sweet, perky kindergarten teacher. Down and out, and no stranger to tragedy, Chelsea is on the verge of losing her family home. She’d do anything to save the house—and herself—even marry the sexy playboy. Now it’s up to them to “play house” and convince everyone that they have perfect little family. But are any of them really pretending?

So you read the blurb and think – typical marriage of convenience with a little rich man/poor girl fish-out-of-water thrown in.  And you’d be right … but that SO doesn’t stop it from being enjoyable!

I liked Jagger and felt so bad for the start in life he got.  Neither his dad nor his mom wanted him, raised by a nanny, and pushed into a shallow life that he didn’t like.  But he was saved by a young boy.  A young boy who is now in danger of being taken away from him.  To Jagger, Kaden is the only good thing in his life and he would do anything to save him, even marry someone he barely knows.

Chelsea’s big heart gets her into a little trouble here, but she lost everything when her brother and mom died.  To see Jagger’s pain at the thought of losing Kaden makes it really hard to turn down his offer.  But that soft heart is her biggest fear in this relationship – she’s already attracted to Jagger, a fake marriage might start feeling too real.

There were a couple of moments where a little bit of honesty would have cleared up a lot of misunderstandings and hurt feelings, but it’s definitely not easy to reveal that much of yourself to someone else.  I think that Harte handled it really well, all the way through.  While the story might seem familiar, she gives her readers interesting people and a lot of emotion & depth.  It keeps you involved even when you know where things are going.  It makes getting there very enjoyable.

(While this book can be read on its own, there were references to other people that I didn’t understand.)

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Book Review – Daring to Fall

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

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Book Review, Daring to Fall, Hidden Falls series, T.J. Kline

We saw the start of this series a few months ago with Making the Play.  Since then I’ve been looking forward to seeing more of the McQuaid siblings and we have so much going on today!  First, T. J. Kline stops by to answer a few questions, then we get a little peek at the book, and then I get to tell you what I think about it  🙂  *hint: Ben is as sexy as Grant*

*****

Q: Can you tell us a little about your book?

DARING TO FALL is the second in the Hidden Falls series. It’s a small-town, family saga following the McQuaid family, all seven siblings. This story centers around Ben McQuaid, the second oldest, a Hidden Falls firefighter who finds himself torn between his duty to protecting the town and his desire to protect a woman who might be threatened by the people of Hidden Falls. Emma Jordan, on the other hand, is returning to Hidden Falls and her father’s wildlife rescue, after his sudden death, to find that not everyone is excited about her return, or the fact that she’s taking over the sanctuary.

Q: How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

With the Hidden Falls series, I knew I wanted a family saga but I wanted a diverse family unit that, at first glance, seemed so complex they couldn’t possibly be as close as they are. The McQuaids were born. Ben has always been the “responsible” guy, the Jiminy Cricket to the rest of his brothers, and exactly the kind of guy who does you expect of a small-town hero. He needed a woman who would appreciate those aspects of him, even if it meant fighting her attraction to them.

Emma Jordan sort of created herself. The same things that draw her to Ben, frighten her and, oddly enough, are the same things putting her into the predicament she finds herself in. She’s tenacious, loyal and a hero in her own right. Determined to save others who can’t save themselves. However, the idea for an animal sanctuary came because, in spite of all my ambitions to be a writer when I was young, this was the other job I wanted to have – saving (or training) wild animals.

Q: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I loved the research for this book. As a kid, I spent hours reading about a wide variety of animals, sure that one day that information would serve me. It did, in DARING TO FALL. I would spend one day researching bobcats and the next figuring out exactly which type of dart gun and dosage of medication should be used. Not to mention that I was able to reach out to wildlife rescues, trainers and fireman. What could be better than that?

Q: What gave you the most trouble with this story?

Staying concentrated on the external conflict of their situation. I had a hard time with these two characters not wanting to keep their hands off one another. They have a great chemistry – it burns hot but both have reasons to hold back – and it meshed together well to create a very “real” couple with ups and downs. Unfortunately, if I’d left them to their own devices, I’m not sure the animals would have ever gotten fed.

Q: Name one thing you won’t leave home without.

Easy! My cell phone. I live on it. I made sure the last time I upgraded that I purchased one that would serve me, and my writing, on the go. I do everything from it – reading, emails, texts, appointments, even writing. I can even set my home alarm from it. I even use it to set up playlists for while I’m driving. I’d be lost without it (which is why it has frequent backups!)

Q: What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?

The best? The fact that, most days, I don’t even have to brush my teeth if I don’t want to. I do, every day, I swear! But I don’t HAVE to. I have the freedom to style my hair or not, wear PJs all day or dress up. I can set a doctor’s appointment whenever I want to rather than in limited “free” time. I work around vacations and trips, around my kids’ schedules and when I want to. Being a writer has given me more freedom than any job I could ever imagine.

The most challenging? The freedom. When you don’t HAVE to do anything, you have to be self-disciplined to still get up every day and do what needs to be done. There are times, under deadline, when I’ve planned poorly and forgo a trip to the movies. Or, even more difficult, when I’m not under deadline to actually sit in the office chair and put words on the page knowing no one is keeping tabs and I have an entire season of Hart of Dixie waiting for me on my DVR.

Q: What do you do when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing, you can either find me hanging out with my husband and kids (two- and four-legged). If I’m not out working with my horses – is it work if it’s something you LOVE to do? – the family loves being outdoors. We’ll take off and go to the beach for the day, hiking in the mountains, or playing in the snow. Living in California, we can pick from all three, in the same week even, and I’ll be taking pictures the entire way. If weather doesn’t permit, you can find us watching movies together with popcorn, pizza, candy and sodas.

Q: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Be prepared for the “real” life of writing. It’s not all fun and games, pajamas and book signings. Most days, it’s ugly, hard, gut-wrenching work. You will doubt yourself, listen to people rip your work apart and feel like you are crazy for attempting to make this your life. It’s okay…we all live there. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve written one book or nearly twenty, writing is always hard work. But, as I said earlier, is it really work if it’s something you love to do? Never give up on what you love to do, whether it’s writing, painting, acting, debate, mathematics, history, woodworking…do what you love and it will show in the results.

*****

daring-to-fall_coverDaring to Fall

Hidden Falls #2

by T.J. Kline

Releasing January 17, 2017

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

T.J. Kline returns to Hidden Falls with the sweet and fun story of a small-town firefighter and the stubborn woman who refuses to fall for his charms.

Emma Jordan has returned home after her father’s death to run the animal sanctuary that had been his legacy. But strange things start happening, and it seems that someone is out to shut her down, someone who doesn’t mind putting lives in jeopardy to see it through. When Hidden Falls’ sexiest fireman starts to ask questions, Emma needs to make sure his charm doesn’t distract her from keeping her dreams alive.

Ben McQuaid has an obligation as a local fireman to protect the community, even from a well-meaning wildlife veterinarian who’s in way over her head. But, it’s becoming hard to keep his loyalty to the town and his desire for the pretty vet separate. As Ben and Emma become caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, their feelings for each other are growing.

Will they let duty drive them apart or will they dare to fall?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30166231-dare-to-fall

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/181009-hidden-falls

Buy Links:      AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

“Hey, Ben, I have a favor to ask.”

Ben McQuaid rolled his eyes skyward. Of course, his brother Andrew needed another favor. Lately, Ben seemed to be the one doing the favors more often than receiving any. But, that’s what brothers did for one another, right? And with six siblings, most of them younger, that added up to be a lot of favors.

“Make it quick, I’m on my way into the fire station for my shift.”

“Good, because this is more of an official call than a favor anyway. I need you to head down to the Quinn place on Mosquito Road. Apparently, there’s a cat stuck in a tree. It seems stupid to call it in to the firehouse and drag the engine out for a cat. See? I’m actually doing you a favor and saving you all that cleaning and polishing you have to do just for driving a truck out of the garage.”

They’d be cleaning the engine anyway. Plus, without an engine, Ben had no ladder to get up the tree. “So, what you’re suggesting is that I shimmy up the tree the way I did when we were ten to get the football you and Grant would get stuck.”

Andrew’s chuckle sounded through the receiver. “Pretty much. Look, the call just came in from dispatch and you’ve got to drive by there on your way into town anyway. No sense in making it an official call.”

There was nothing about this that was a favor for Ben. “What’s wrong, is there an apple fritter with your name on it? This way you save yourself the effort of having to fill out another police report, right?” Andrew wasn’t fooling him.

“There’s that too.” Ben heard Andrew address someone else in the background. “Hey, I have to run. There’s a domestic dispute at the winery. You got this, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll take care of it,” Ben said with a sigh.

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

“One?” Ben muttered to himself as the receiver disconnected in his ear and he took the turn off onto Mosquito Road. “You owe me more than that.”

He wasn’t looking forward to this. Hollister Quinn was one of those old guys who spoke his mind, loudly and often. He’d been the first in line to protest the latest upgrades being done to spruce up their small foothill town. Said he liked it rustic, the way it’d been for years and that it should stay that way. However, now that there was talk about Hidden Falls trying to become more of a tourist attraction along the way to Tahoe, an idea that would bring higher profits for local businesses which, in turn, kept the town thriving, Quinn was complaining even more. A visit with Quinn, even to retrieve a kitten, was sure to bring a lengthy lecture about how the people of Hidden Falls were selling out. Ben rubbed the knots of tension already building at the back of his neck.

Pulling into the circular driveway in front of the Quinn house, he maneuvered his pickup between several other vehicles, none of which were Hollister’s. A crowd was already gathered under one of the tall pines in the front yard.

“Great,” the old man complained as Ben edged closer to the chaos. “Please, tell me you’re here to do something productive, not just here to gawk like everyone else. I need someone to get that damn thing outta my tree.” He pointed to where a tabby kitten yowled loudly from a high branch on the tree.

Ben squinted, following the old man’s gaze. “Are you sure that’s a cat? It doesn’t look—”

“What else would it be?” Quinn rolled his eyes before glaring at Ben and shoving him toward the god-awful howling the cat in the tree was making. “Do your job, fireman, and get that thing down.” He turned away, muttering something about the woman running the animal sanctuary down the road but Ben didn’t quite catch it and he wasn’t about to risk having the old man rip him a new one again.

“Sure thing, Mr. Quinn,” Ben agreed, wondering again why he’d wanted to be a firefighter. Sweating it out with the cattle on his parents’ ranch sounded a hell of a lot better right now than climbing a tree to get the shit clawed out of him by a frightened kitten.

He glanced around at the large group of neighbors that had come to watch, curious at the interest for a simple kitten stuck in a tree. It wasn’t a big enough deal to warrant this sort of hullabaloo. The kitten yowled louder and Ben had just lifted his foot onto the ladder Quinn had left braced against the side of the tree when Ellie Quinn, the old man’s daughter, hurried to his side.

“Ben, I’m sorry. I tried to get my dad to just leave the poor thing alone, but you know how he is.” She shot him a coy smile and her eyelashes fluttered.

Ellie was a nice woman. The same age as his younger sister and obviously interested in him. She was sweet, kind to everyone she met, a member of the local women’s shelter planning committee and generous to a fault. In fact, she was exactly what he wanted in a woman, plus she had a “girl next door” quality that made her adorable. His mother had been trying to set them up for months, reminding him that he should be giving her grandchildren before she was too old to enjoy them. The problem was, Ben wasn’t attracted to Ellie at all. He wanted to be, but every time he was around her, there was no stirring in him, no warm fuzzies like he’d had with other women. Nothing to get a rise out of him, so to speak, at all. It was almost like he wanted to continually find himself getting screwed over by crazy women. “Don’t worry about it, Ellie,” he said, waving a hand in her direction and looking up the tree. “I’ll just get this guy down and he’ll take off back home.” Ben wasn’t nearly as confident about his ability to get the cat down as he sounded but Ellie was sweet. He couldn’t blame her for her cantankerous father.

She cocked her head and gave him a confused look. “Oh. Um, okay.”

Putting one foot over the other as he climbed the ladder, trying to ignore the jeers and shouts from below, Ben pulled himself into a fork in the tree, hanging his legs over the branch as he straddled it. He could barely see the spotted fluffy coat of the kitten but, from what he could see, it was definitely young. He’d never understand how a stupid animal could get itself into a tree but couldn’t get back out. Then again, it wasn’t like people didn’t get themselves into some pretty precarious positions they couldn’t figure their way out of.

Tucking his feet under him so he was squatting on the limb, grateful for the heavy tread of his work boots, Ben reach for a thick branch to his right, using it to swing him to the V beside where the cat was hiding. The gasp from the onlookers below nearly made him laugh. Sure, falling would be painful but the fifteen-foot landing into mulch couldn’t hurt any more than the second story floor of an old farmhouse collapsing from under him during a call and dropping him into the concrete basement below. Those two fractured ribs had hurt like hell.

Straddling the second branch, he watched the kitten for a moment. The poor animal was scared out of its mind. Its big blue eyes were round with fear and, from this vantage point, he could see that it was a matted mess. Tiny claws clung to the rippled bark of the tree and he wondered how he was possibly going to convince the frightened animal to let go without his very vulnerable bare arm replacing the tree trunk under its claws.

“Here, kitty,” he called quietly. The cat turned toward him and he saw the unmistakable black tufts over the kitten’s ears. It turned away again, edging out onto the branch and he saw the stubby tail.

Holy crap, that is not a cat. It’s a freakin’ bobcat kitten.

“Shit,” he muttered. “That damn brother of mine owes me big time.”

*****

Review:

Ben is a good match for Emma.  As a firefighter he’s going to understand about her having a dangerous job but that with proper training and care things will be as safe as they can be.  He’s also got a big heart which goes well with her own.  Up to this point his romantic life has always been about being the big, strong hero so of course he falls really hard for someone who can take care of herself!  Now he just needs to learn that he can be supportive without sweeping in on his white horse to rescue her.

Emma’s world is already a mess when Ben comes storming in with his rescued bobcat kitten.  He’s definitely a distraction she doesn’t need, and her past has taught her that men can’t handle a strong woman whose whole life is centered around wild animals that could seriously hurt her.   Not used to leaning on anyone, it’s hard for Emma to let Ben in to help.  Too bad that the man is too stubborn to just go away.

Kline doesn’t really do much to hide the who and what behind the trouble that Emma experiences.  After a bit it becomes obvious who the choices are for the culprit but the how of carrying out the plan does keep you guessing.  And really it’s mostly about the romance  🙂

*****

tj-klineAuthor Info:

T.J. Kline was bitten by the horse bug early and began training horses at fourteen—as well as competing in rodeos and winning several rodeo queen competitions—but has always known writing was her first love. She also writes under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her spare time, she can be found spending as many hours as possible laughing hysterically with her husband, teens, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California. That is, when she isn’t running around the California Gold Country researching new stories.

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

3 print copies of MAKING THE PLAY: Hidden Falls #1 by T.J. Kline (US Only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81208/

*****

Click on the link below to check out the rest of the series

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Spotlight – Sweet Pursuits

25 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Pauline Wiles, Saffron Sweeting series, Sweet Pursuits

Y’all, this has got to be one of the best covers I’ve seen in ages … and it is getting reviews over on Goodreads that are just a fantastic!

Releasing this week, make a note to get your hands on a copy – guaranteed to give you cravings 🙂

*****

sweetpursuits051mediumSweet Pursuits

a Saffron Sweeting novel

by Pauline Wiles

Blurb:

What’s the recipe for a second chance at love?

After six blissful years with scientist boyfriend Owen, Bella Beecham was convinced he was about to pop the question she’d been longing to hear. Instead, he accepted a prestigious job in California and left England without a backwards glance. Now, Owen’s back in the village of Saffron Sweeting, and appears to be more eligible than ever. Bella’s determined that the man of her dreams won’t slip through her fingers again.

But her plans to tone up, trim down, and tempt Owen back into her life prove bittersweet. Although Bella’s talent for baking wins her new friends, her tasty treats have a disconcerting tendency to sabotage her own intentions. And as her increasingly bold attempts to recapture Owen’s heart stumble, Bella must question whether she’s chasing a guy who wants to be caught.

A British romantic comedy featuring both familiar characters and fresh faces, Sweet Pursuits explores how a young woman seeking her soulmate must first learn to love herself.

Where to Find a Copy – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0SCKLJ/  or http://mybook.to/sweetpursuits

*****

Excerpt:

With hindsight, buying my dream wedding dress before Owen had actually got down on one knee may have been a mistake. But it was so exquisite, and such an incredible bargain at sixty per cent off. And I was so certain that one day soon I would be walking up a peony-scented church aisle towards him, that I took the gamble. It was the sensible, economic thing to do, after all. Weddings are expensive and, on his meagre academic salary, I knew Owen would appreciate my thriftiness.

Except appreciative didn’t exactly describe his reaction.

‘Bella, what in the name of God is that?’ He threw the Vera Wang gown, still in its garment cover, on our bed.

‘Oh!’ I was admittedly unprepared for this conversation. He rarely, if ever, delved into the airing cupboard. ‘You’ve found it.’

‘It looks,’ he said, backing away as if it were a white tiger which might spring up and attack him, ‘like a wedding dress.’

‘Er, yes.’ I sensed from his tone that the timing of this momentous discovery might be off. I attempted distraction. ‘What were you doing in the airing cupboard?’ Ironing pillow cases and placing them neatly on the slatted shelves next to our aging boiler was not Owen’s scene.

‘Looking for a suitcase,’ he said, his face as pale as the dress.

‘Why do you need a suitcase?’

By now Owen was pressed against the wall, in a curious impression of a man on a cliff ledge. ‘Job interview.’ He’d barely taken his eyes off the gown.

‘Where?’ I asked, at precisely the same moment he said, ‘Is it yours?’

‘Well, yes,’ I laughed. ‘With two bachelor brothers, it’s not like I’m storing it for them.’

I saw him swallow. Twice.

‘So, where did you say?’ I asked again, thinking he wouldn’t need to stay the night in London or Oxford, so it must be further, like Manchester or Leeds. I wasn’t sure how I felt about moving away from Cambridge.

He didn’t answer.

‘Owen,’ I tutted. ‘You’re being all strange. Where’s your job interview?’

Finally he looked at me, his expression a blank mask. ‘California.’

*****

Author Info:

British by birth, Pauline is now a contented resident of California, although she admits to occasional yearnings for afternoon tea and historic homes.

Her work has been published by House of Fifty, Open Exchange and Alfie Dog Fiction. Her debut novel, Saving Saffron Sweeting was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and a number one Kindle best seller.

Contact the Author

email            web@paulinewiles.com

phone           (650) 260-5560

web              www.paulinewiles.com

twitter          @PaulineWiles

facebook      www.facebook.com/scribinglimey

*****

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Spotlight – Quinn’s Honor

24 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

MacLarens of Boundary Mountain series, Quinn's Honor, Shirleen Davies

We’ve seen this series before (with Brodie and Colin) and I think Shirleen Davies is one of my favs for historical western romances.

*****

shirleendavies_quinnshonorQuinn’s Honor

Book Three of MacLarens of Boundary Mountain

by Shirleen Davies

Historical Western Romance Series

Blurb:

“Every book of Shirleen’s never fails to draw me in and make it impossible to put down until I devour it!”

Quinn MacLaren has one true love…Circle M, the family ranch. He makes it a habit of working hard and playing harder, spending time with experienced women who know he wants nothing more than their company. He buries the love he feels for one woman deep inside, knowing he’ll never be the man she needs.

Emma Pearce is a true ranch woman, working long hours to help keep the family ranch thriving. Feisty, funny, and reliable, she’s the girl all the single young men want—after they’ve sewn their wild oats. Few know Emma has her heart set on one man. A man who may never grow up enough to walk away from his wild ways and settle down.

When tragedy strikes, Quinn’s right where he doesn’t want to be—as temporary foreman of the Pearce ranch. Stepping in to fill Big Jim Pearce’s shoes isn’t easy. Neither is keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his hands to himself. Honor-bound to do what is right, Quinn meets the challenge, losing Emma’s friendship in the process.

Adding to Quinn’s worries, something sinister is working its way through the thriving town of Conviction. Unforeseen forces are at work. Debt builds, families lose their ranches, and newcomers threaten to divide not only the land, but the people—including the Pearce family.

As events unfold, Quinn faces the difficult challenge of keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his honor intact. Doing what he believes is right couldn’t feel more wrong.

After all, what’s a man without honor?

Quinn’s Honor, book three in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain historical western romance series, is a full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

Buy Links – Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Google Play | Kobo | Amazon UK

And Find it on Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

“I wondered if you’d decided to quit.”

Quinn spun around. Emma stood not six feet away, wrapped in a thin coat, her arms crossed. He took a couple steps toward her, surprised she’d gotten so close without him knowing.

“I didn’t hear you come in.”

She walked closer, closing the distance until they were a foot apart. She hadn’t seen the complete exhaustion on his face or the slump of his shoulders until now. He’d been working from dawn until late each night, doing what her pa hadn’t been able to do since Jimmy’s death. The ranch was in better shape than ever, the ranch hands having a competence they lacked before Quinn arrived. Even though she still felt some justification for her actions, all she’d done was make his life harder.

Reaching up, she swiped an errant strand of hair from his forehead. The rush of feelings when her fingers touched his skin, caused her face to heat. She licked her lips as a pulsing sensation rushed through her. Dropping her gaze to his eyes, her heart tripped at the intensity of his stare. His gray-blue eyes turned stormy, the color of the night sky when lightning ignited the heavens.

Her stomach fluttered and heart raced when he said nothing, continuing to study her. Before she could step away, Quinn’s hand came up, his fingers wrapping around her wrist, pulling her close.

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t try to pull away or break her gaze. Instead, she leaned forward, almost touching his chest.

“Emma…” He breathed her name out, almost as a prayer.

She could see the vein in his neck pulse, hear the almost desperate agony in his voice. Still, she didn’t move away.

“What is it, Quinn?”

Searching her face, he sucked in a shaky breath, seeing trust and so much more. Lowering his head, he stopped an inch from her mouth, wanting her to pull back, needing her to meet him.

Lifting her chin, she placed her other hand on his chest, splaying her fingers wide. Her lips parted an instant before Quinn’s touched them.

His actions were gentle, a mere caress before becoming more urgent. Letting go of her wrist, he wrapped his arms around her, aligning her body with his. Melting into him, she lifted her arms around his neck, drawing him down on a deep sigh.

*****

shirleenProfile1Author Info:

Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance.

She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

Email | Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | LinkedIn | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a gift card and ebooks!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/80af10c268/

*****

Tour brought to you by Red Moon Book Tours.  Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour.

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Book Review – To Win Her Back

23 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Tags

Book Review, Mackenzie Crowne, Players series, To Win Her Back

cover101025-mediumTo Win Her Back

Players series

by Mackenzie Crowne

Will the mistakes of the past ruin their future?

As public relations coordinator for the Manhattan Marauders pro football team, Victoria “V” Price has the wealth, prestige, and glamour she only dreamed of growing up. All she’s missing is a man to share it with. V thought she gave up her shot at love when she left her childhood sweetheart in the dust of her rural Texas town, along with the painful secrets of her family life. But the past comes roaring back when Sam Fitzpatrick, the only man she ever loved, is hired as the Marauders’ new offensive coordinator.

Despite Sam’s reluctance to work alongside V, his distrust of the woman who broke his young heart is no match for their swiftly rekindling passion. Yet even as V’s tough PR persona gives way to her softer side, Sam wonders if their chemistry is enough to overcome the wounds left unhealed between them. But when the devastating truth of V’s past is exposed, threatening both her career and their second chance, Sam finds himself asking a different question: does he have what it takes to win back her love?

I have to be honest … for some reason I just didn’t want to read this book.  I got it because it is written by Mackenzie Crowne and part of the Players series, but I just knew that the angst would get to me.  Oh, how wrong I was!!  Once again Crowne’s deft writing and finely crafted characters caught me from the first page and wouldn’t let go.

These two have so much baggage that they are going to need a cart when they meet up again.  They had that amazingly perfect young love … until it all fell apart.  Unfortunately when things went bad, they were very, very bad and they’ve let it impact things (even if they won’t admit it to anyone) for over a decade.  Being forced to work together, though, means they have to get their acts together, fast.

Part of me thinks that Sam got over it a little quick but MOST of me enjoyed the lack of drama.  As I mentioned, I wasn’t looking forward to a whole book of his hurt pride (although I’m pretty sure that Crowne could make even that good!) but luckily we didn’t have to deal with that.  Instead, with a little help from their friends, they reflected on their past, addressed it and then moved forward.

Now, there were a couple of moments when I wished Sam had stepped up.  First, he allowed everyone to say nasty things about V in their home town, which made it uncomfortable for her to come see her mom.  Granted, her relationship with her mom isn’t the best and she didn’t want to go home, but he could have manned up at some point and been all “we were young and did stupid things”.  Instead he waited 15 years, and for them to start having to spend time together, to do anything about it.

The other thing was the fact that he buried his hurt feelings in other women and became a man-whore.  Now, I’m all for reformed rakes making the best husbands but his seemed a little petty.  And it was made all the worse by the fact that V reverted to being celibate.  Again, she had her reasons for not getting involved with anyone (and it wasn’t necessarily that she was pining for him), but some readers may have a problem with the double standard.

Personally, I like how Crowne gives both of them intriguing motivations for their actions and pulled it together with their second chance romance.  Their love story is complicated for a lot of reasons but characters with depth and a hard to put down storyline made it … well, hard to put down 🙂

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Cover Reveal – Only a Mistress Will Do

20 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Jenna Jaxon, Only a Mistress Will Do, The House of Pleasure series

I don’t usually do cover reveals but there’s something about this story that struck my fancy!

*****

mistress-banner

Only a Mistress Will Do

by Jenna Jaxon

ISBN: 9781516102822

Publish Date: 4/4/2017

Format: ePub

Genre: Historical Romance

Blurb:

The man of her dreams . . . belongs to another woman.

Destitute and without friends, Violet Carlton is forced to seek employment at the House of Pleasure in London. She steels herself for her first customer and is shocked when the man rescues her instead of ravishing her. A grateful Violet cannot help but admire the handsome Viscount Trevor. But she must curb her desire for the dashing nobleman she can never have because he is already betrothed to another . . .

Tristan had gone to the House of Pleasure for a last bit of fun before he became a faithful married man. But when he recognizes the woman in his bed, he becomes determined to save her instead. Now, his heart wars with his head as he falls for the vulnerable courtesan. Unable to break his betrothal without a scandal, Tris resolves to find Violet proper employment or a husband of her own. Still, his arms ache for Violet, urging him to abandon propriety and sacrifice everything to be with the woman he loves. . . .

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31816196-only-a-mistress-will-do

Amazonkindle: http://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=9781516102822

Apple: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781516102822

Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9781516102822&c=books

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9781516102822

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9781516102822

*****

Author Info:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise—so expect her to incorporate these elements into her work! She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets where she is currently working on the next House of Pleasure book, Only A Mistress Will Do, as well as a Regency series. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage when she writes. Jenna equates her writing to an addiction to chocolate—once she starts she just can’t stop!

Website- https://jennajaxon.wordpress.com/

Newsletter- http://wordpress.us10.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=74b5dadb660736c92c1296469&id=f5ab86fce5

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/jenna.jaxon

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Jenna_Jaxon

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Jaxon/e/B005CHPBD2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1484870079&sr=8-1

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4960704.Jenna_Jaxon?from_search=true

*****

And here it is!  Absolutely love, isn’t it?

only-a-mistress-will-do-final

*****

Brought to you by:

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Book Review – The Cowboy and the Kid

19 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Anne McAllister, Book Review, Tanner Brothers series, The Cowboy and the Kid

cover101903-mediumThe Cowboy and the Kid

The Tanner Brothers, Book 4

by Anne McAllister

Having a father is a big responsibility.

And finding him a wife is a challenge eight-year-old Becky Jones takes seriously. Ex-rodeo cowboy Taggart Jones is adamant. No marriage. Been there. Done that.

Not even if Becky’s dream candidate is her beautiful, blonde teacher, Felicity Albright, who knows about barrettes, patching up scrapes, and hates carrots as much as his daughter. Taggart’s still not interested. Much.

What’s a daughter to do? Becky’s nothing if not ingenious, and she’s determined to convince a stubborn Taggart and a bemused Felicity that they really have met their match.

I get the little girl as a cute driver for these two getting together – she’s adorable and having grown up with an unusual childhood it’s easy to see why she turned into a little bundle of awesomeness.   But in her overzealous campaign to get a mom, she might be a little too adorable for some 🙂

Taggart definitely needs that push because after his disastrous marriage he’s not getting involved again … then he meets his daughter’s new teacher.  Running scared doesn’t stop his hormones from making themselves known but he’s not going to give in.  Nope, definitely not!

I understand his reasons for avoiding commitment but I kinda wish there’d been just a little more about how his first wife had treated him to get the depth of those scars.  He’s not the first to fail at a relationship and, while I felt a little of his pain, a little more of his first wife might have made it more traumatic.  Worthy of his dedication to staying single.

I still enjoyed these two together.  Even though Taggart is your typical commitment-phobe, he’s a very caring father and a good teacher.  Felicity is also a good teacher and dedicated to reaching all her kids.  She’s got a sense of humor and fun, which she’ll need going up against Taggart’s fear 🙂  It’s not going to be easy because you know he’s going to screw things up.  But with patience, perseverance, understanding and forgiveness, they might be able to figure it out.

(This is the first in the series that I’ve read but can easily stand on its own.)

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Spotlight – Club Raven

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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BA Tortuga, Calling His Bluff, Club Raven series, Happy Medium, Julia Talbot, Kiernan Kelly, Wishful Thinking

Oh, do I have a treat for you today 🙂  The awesome BA Tortuga is here to share how (in the awesomest way possible) the Club Raven series came to be … after reading this I’m thinking I want to be BFFs!!

*****

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and post-Civil War historian (I shit you not).

When I was in college, I was a triple major. You see I had a history scholarship, I worked as an illustrator/graphic artist, and I love to read.

In other words, I have the attention span of a gnat on crack. Go team me!

I took my English history, I took my medieval history, I took a class on Egyptian history, then I discovered my weird passion – post-Civil War Industrial America. I love it. Don’t ask why, perhaps too many times reading Little Women, maybe.

At any rate, that was a very, very long time ago and it’s not often I get to pay a gentle homage to historicals.

I came up with the idea of writing a totally alternate universe set in the 1870s a few years ago. I pitched the basic idea to my wife, Julia Talbot, because she’s usually the one that writes historicals. I like to play fast and loose with the details to suit the story, you see. She loved the idea of a place where kink and paranormal activity met with day suits and spiffy top hats and white gloves.

The idea came up, every now and again, then at a con (possibly the DSP meet-up, maybe at RT, the details, they are fuzzy), we hooked Kiernan. Okay, it wasn’t hard to do, but still… 😉

I said I want this in the US, not in England. Julia suggested Baltimore instead of New York City, then Kiernan said, “What about a crazy, built over ley-lines gentlemen’s club?”

Boom.

Club Raven.

Now there are three novels. Demons, psychics, a weird little librarian, orgies, spankings, moving walls, a billiards room.

A whole universe.

Pure insanity.

And, I admit, we love it.

I hope all y’all do too.

Much love, y’all,

BA

*****

 

callinghisbluff1400x2100Calling His Bluff

Club Raven Book 1

by BA Tortuga

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: January 17, 2016

Pairing: M/M

Genre/Tags: Romance, Paranormal, Historical, Alternate Universe, Spanking, Mediums, Mind Readers

Blurb:

After his twin dies in battle, it’s Patrick Daniels’ duty to marry his brother’s fiancée. Too bad he can’t make himself do it, and in his distress, he manifests a psychic talent that’s stronger than the tornadoes in his native East Texas. Then a mysterious man from a place called Club Raven steps in and sweeps Patrick off to the booming East Coast city of Baltimore.

Club Raven veteran Remy Blanchard sees Patrick and knows, even though Patrick is very ill, that this is the challenge he’s been waiting for. He nurses Patrick back to health, and begins to teach Patrick to control his talent. His methods might be unconventional, and Patrick might be new to the kinds of sexual games Remy knows best, but the two of them find something in each other that might be just as magical as the gentleman’s club where they meet.

Add Calling His Bluff to Goodreads

happymedium-1Happy Medium

Club Raven Book 2

by Julia Talbot

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: January 17, 2016

Pairing: M/M

Genre/Tags: Romance, Paranormal, Historical, Alternate Universe, Spanking, Mediums, Mind Readers

Blurb:

Andrew is out to debunk Max as a medium, not make love to him…

Max Bellame is working his way through 1870s Baltimore as a medium, even if he knows nothing about spirits. He uses the power of his mind to move objects, convincing his clients he’s the real thing.

Andrew Meechum works for Club Raven, a gentleman’s club that doubles as a paranormal research facility. He sets out to debunk Max, only to be fascinated by the man. Can Andrew convince Max to take a chance on love, and to find his true calling as a medium, or will their personal demons force them apart?

Add Happy Medium to Goodreads

wishful-thinking-200x300Wishful Thinking

Club Raven Book 3

by Kiernan Kelly

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: January 17, 2016

Pairing: M/M

Genre/Tags: Romance, Paranormal, Historical, Alternate Universe, Spanking, Mediums, Mind Readers

Blurb:

Tony Brazzio, co-owner of Club Raven, Baltimore’s premiere men’s club in 1875, has a pocketful of cash and a chip on his shoulder. He’s out to prove to his co-owners — and himself — that he’s not a fluke, that anyone can be successful give the opportunity, no matter how poor his beginnings.

Bull O’Brian and Dandy Gilroy are two hoodlums from the rough streets of New York’s Five Points. They’re pickpockets by trade, and both possess psychic talents that make them two of the best. When Tony offers to bring them to Baltimore and give them the chance at a life of riches in polite society, they jump at the chance, if only to steal the members of Club Raven blind.

The best of plans rarely work the way they’re intended, and things swiftly go from bad to worse for Dandy and Bull. There’s murder afoot and a detective on their trail, and not even copious amounts of hot, sweaty sex can ease their fear or guilt.

As for Tony, he’s faced with admitting his experiment is a failure, something he’s loathe to do. It’ll take a great deal of persuasion, a little luck, and a lot of lube to make sure his plans for Dandy and Bull become more than just wishful thinking.

Add Wishful Thinking to Goodreads

Purchase all three Club Raven novels below!

Calling His Bluff: Evil Plot Bunny

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Wishful Thinking: Evil Plot Bunny

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Author Info:

BA Tortuga

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting, and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

You can find out more about her by following her online.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Julia Talbot

Julia Talbot lives in the great Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Samhain Publishing, Dreamspinner Press and Changeling Press. She believes in stories that leave a mark, and that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved.

You can find out more about her by following her online.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Kiernan Kelly

Kiernan’s award-winning stories of gay romance envelop diverse themes, varying from paranormal, to fantasy, and science fiction to contemporary romance. She has over eighty titles in ebook and print, published through a variety of houses. Her horror short story release, “Cletus,” appears in the Coscom Publishing’s book “Bits of the Dead.”

Kiernan also writes young adult GLBT fiction under her Dakota Chase pen name. As Dakota, she currently has three novels and several shorter works available in print and ebook. Mad About the Hatter, her YA gay romance, is a finalist for the American Library Association book list for 2017.

You can find out more about her by following her online.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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