Isn't he pretty!!! Yes, I think so too. So I wanted to let everyone know that when they comment on my contest Melissa McClone's EXPECTING ROYAL TWINS, they will be entered also to win a copy of the book. My treat. Contest ends March 01, so hurry!!
Like two friends who should have never dated, that kind of weird, I didn't feel the passion or the desire spark with them. With that being said though, I liked the storyline. I was captured in the mystery of who was trying to destroy Gabe's property and knew that from the beginning that it wasn't the troubled teen that the police were convinced was guilty as sin.
I think all in all that is what kept me going, that and the fact that despite the flat love story I enjoyed the fascinating and alarmingly real characters that were rich in character and charming throughout. Suspenseful and entertaining this wasn't a bad read, so I can't exactly give it a 3, perhaps just me and another reader might like Mattie and Gabe together ? Besides I really did love book 1 in the series, AGAINST THE WIND and can't in good conscious give the books anything less then a 4 because I was in fact riveted and captivated with the mystery embedded in AGAINST THE FIRE.
Once one of the “no-account Raines boys,” Gabriel Raines has pulled himself out of poverty by his bootstraps to become a successful businessman—one who has become the target of revenge…
You can’t fight what you can’t see. And Gabriel Raines can’t be sure just who’s setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it’s personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.
The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who’s been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can’t believe the kid she’s been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.
Determined to convince Gabe that she’s right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who’s putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist’s flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.
I have 3 winners today of A Silken Thread by Brenda Jackson! Congrats to the winners!!
Please send your snail mail info to mailto:bookjunkie@ymail.com dot com. You have seven (5) days to claim your prize or it will go to someone else. Congrats to our winners and I hope you enjoy your prize!
I am thrilled to be apart of the FROM SCOTLAND WITH LOVE TOUR, with authors Kira Morgan and Amanda Scott! Both fabulous authors are celebrating brand new sexy Historicals, not lonly that but both are super sexy Highlander Romances. Seduced by Destiny by Kira Morgan and Highland Master by Amanda Scott are the books to look for if you are in the mood for seductively heartpounding Highlander Romances! Look no further.
Probably some version of the one I always use…How a child model and would-be rodeo trick-rider of Scottish ancestry grew up to be Amanda Scott , Romance author of 56 books!
Can you tell us a little about your newest release HIGHLAND MASTER that isn't in the blurb? HIGHLAND MASTER is Book One in my new Scottish Knights trilogy. It is a Romeo and Juliet story in which Romeo is Sir Finlagh “Fin of the Battles” Cameron, a warrior facing a life-changing dilemma, who meets and falls in love with the daughter of a man he has sworn to kill. Catriona Mackintosh is the Juliet heroine, albeit a feisty type who has earned her nickname as the Mackintosh Wildcat. Fin manages to tame Catriona without changing her, and Catriona teaches Fin a lesson or two in the process. The story takes place in an area in north central Scotland, along the river Spey, known as Rothiemurchus. The primary setting is Rothiemurchus Castle, the ancient seat of the Mackintoshes on an island in Loch-en-Eilein, and the astonishing climax is based on an event in late fourteenth-century Mackintosh history.
What was your favorite scene to write in A HIGHLAND MASTER?
Probably the one where Catriona spies Fin swimming nude in the icy loch at dawn and runs down to saunter on the shore with her wolf hound. But the truth is that this pair was just fun to write about. She is accustomed to fiery, domineering men who issue orders, expect obedience, and react instantly and unhappily to opposition. Fin is thoughtful, insightful, strongly attracted to her physically from their initial meeting, but his methods of dealing with her are very different from those of her brothers, cousins, and father.
Do you usually cast your characters (a mental picture) before or after you have started writing? Does it help inspire you and take the story in a different direction?
I use anything and everything in casting my characters, and I do create the main and secondary characters before I begin writing, but generally I develop them first as brief sketches that include general descriptions (name, hair & eye color, body types, personality traits I want to emphasize, etc). I also create detailed outlines, so my stories rarely take off in different directions, but the characters do suggest the plot twists as I’m developing the outline. In this instance, the name “Fin of the Battles” rose from my own crazy gray cells, but Sir Finlagh Cameron came from Highland History and the most likely clan to have fought the Mackintoshes in the Great Clan Battle of Perth. Sir Ivor Mackintosh, Catriona’s brother, is the finest archer in Scotland (just as Fin is the finest swordsman). Ivor means “archer,” so that was my first and only choice for his name. And Ivor will be the hero of Highland Hero, Book Two in the Scottish Knights trilogy. Catriona’s name came from my decision to make her something of a wildcat. Other names in the story come from Highland lore, Gaelic name forms, and so forth. I used historical events primarily to structure the plotline for HIGHLAND MASTER, then created scenes and events to fill in gaps and develop my characters.
If you could trade places with one of your characters, would you want to and who?
I am my characters when I’m writing them, and they become so real that I miss them when I finish any book, but when it comes to trading places with anyone living in the fourteenth or early fifteenth century, I draw the line at spending my summers in a rustic mountain cabin without electricity, sewer, telephone (some wireless access, but barely), or a road. That’s as primitive as I want to be.
Do you ever run into someone who says, YOU WRITE WHAT !!” ?
No one who has used those actual words, but I have often felt as if I were defending Romance. I do that whenever someone tells me that my books aren’t really Romance, because they are “complex” or whatever qualifier the person adds at that point. My primary goal is to write a good story that readers will enjoy and to create characters they will love and want to know more about. The history is also a huge thing for me. I do tons of research and try to get the facts right. I was a historian before I began writing, so that is important. But I do write romance. So did Shakespeare— Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night, and lots of others—so I’m in good company.
The house is on fire and you only have time to grab one book …… which do you take with you? Right now, whatever book I’m working on. I have entertained myself since childhood by taking long walks and telling stories in my head. I can’t think of a single book that would replace that. I’ve answered this question before by saying that I’d take the Oxford English Dictionary in its one-volume edition and the thick magnifying glass that goes with it, but I had a friend who escaped from the Pebble Beach fire many years ago. Her sister was angry that Sue hadn’t taken the family silver when she left her house. Sue’s reply has stuck with me: “Ashes were falling on my porch, so getting out was the only thing. I took my trenchcoat, my purse, and my car keys. If I’d stopped to think about what else I should take with me, or what others might think, I’d be under the ashes now.” My own son is a fireman. He approves of Sue’s advice, and I would follow it. We have a small file of things that we’d take (old pictures, passports, etc), but any book that I might take, other than my own work in progress, I could probably replace at the nearest Borders or through Amazon.
What was the most challenging thing you’ve done in the name of research that might have been out of your comfort zone?
I haven’t really found anything that was out of my comfort zone. When it comes to research, I’m not even sure that I have a comfort zone. I just do what I need to do to get the images, facts, and historical or geophysical details that I need. If it means breathing the air, traveling the roads, or standing on a mountaintop or at a castle window to see what I can see, I go there. I’ve surveyed the surrounding hills and streams at Hermitage Castle, climbed the ruins at Doune Castle and Crichton, and wandered all over Stirling and Edinburgh castles, among many, many others, to look out what’s left of their windows or just to see what my characters might have seen. Much of the landscape in those areas is as it was then, which is great. Also, although I’m practically a recluse by nature, I’ve accepted invitations from strangers to stay with them in foreign countries, all in the name of research. And I’ve been delighted by the results every time. The people I’ve visited have taken me under their wings, gathered friends and experts to help me, and taken a direct interest in what I write. Nowadays, I can do a lot of the same thing online, through email, and so forth, but nothing beats being there.
Please share with us something that readers would be surprised to learn about you.
I may already have done that in the previous answer by labeling myself a near-recluse. I grew up in a political family, so I’m good at playing the confident, friendly role when it is necessary. But I begin to get very antsy and to yearn for solitude if I have to play that role for long. My husband was shocked to learn after we married that I am not gregarious by nature. Most authors aren’t. If you stop and think about it, anyone who can spend hours, days, months alone, just typing long stories, probably has a screw loose somewhere!
How can the readers stay in touch with you online?
amandascott@att.net or the link on my website http://www.amandascottauthor.com/
If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?
Always the same thing, although I’ve phrased it in many ways…if you could describe your favorite kind of scene in your favorite kind of book, how would you describe it? Put another way, if you were to write the “log line,” the one-liner that a story developer gives a potential producer of a movie or TV show to describe your favorite book, what would you say? For example, “The Scarlet Pimpernel Tames the Shrew” was the “log line” that sold my book, Dangerous Angels, to the editor. I’m always looking for new seeds from which to grow books, so I’ll gladly give credit to anyone who suggests anything that I use for a book, right in that book’s author’s letter. I’ll also send that reader an autographed copy of that book.
DONT FORGET TO CHECK OUT WE LOVE SCOTLAND Bonus Content
***GIVEAWAY***
With many thanks to Anna @ Hachette I have 3 copies of each to giveaway. There will be 3 winners!
MUST leave your e-mail
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Winner Chosen 03/16
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If you haven't had a chance to check out Lila DiPasqua's THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED then you are really missing out on a decadently seductive twist on three wickedly naughty fair tales. Check out Lila's new Book Trailer for THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED.
You can also check out my reviews for both of Lila's books HERE: THE PRINCESSS IN HIS BED & AWAKENED BY A KISS
You can also check out my reviews for both of Lila's books HERE: THE PRINCESSS IN HIS BED & AWAKENED BY A KISS
This was my first read by Abby Wood and after reading Consent to the Cowboy I am a dedicated fan. Already buying several of her books. This is also one of the first releases from Carina Press, I am just sorry I didn't read it earlier!
What I like about this book first and foremost was that although there was BDSM it wasn't so in your face as some of the other books that I have read with the genre.
Daphne also isn't some weak woman, confused as hell and scared of loving Will and giving herself to him 100% yes. Their relationship ignites the pages almost from the beginning. I must admit though that one of the things that did bother me about Daphne was that she constantly pulled away, if I were Will, I am not so sure I would have kept putting up with it. Either that or given her an ultimatum, but the man had a patience of a saint that is for sure.
Not just sexy and the post boy for Alpha Male, Will will undoubtedly win your heart. It was really a heavy journey for Daphne finally giving up all her wanton desires for one man. One man as powerfully sexy and downright lustful as Will is, he have given her his whole heart and wants her in his life, the real problem is that he just has to convince her he wants her in his life forever and not only that, but not to be afraid of her desires and sexual needs. Most definitely a story rooting in human emotion that will take you on a journey of love, longing and passion beyond your own boundaries.
Surrounded by beer-swilling, skirt-chasing cowboys her whole life, barmaid Daphne Norris has no intention of ever settling for any of the men in her Podunk hometown. So when bronc rider Will Hanson sends shock waves to her core with just one glance from his striking green eyes, no one is more surprised than her.
But Will is no ordinary cowboy, and he can see that Daphne is no ordinary small-town girl. He can sense in Daphne the quiet strength and devotion needed to satisfy a man like him, a man who needs to be on top, in every aspect of his life.
Daphne hasn't ever succumbed to her submissive desires before, and Will awakens her in ways she never imagined. While she's not prepared to give him her heart, she agrees to Will's offer of three days of intense pleasure, and then she's walking. But Daphne falls hard and fast, and now she has a decision: return to a normal life, or give up
Today I would like to welcome to Book Junkie my Guest Author Molly Harper with a really fun interview. She is here to help celebrate the release of her latest book HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF .You may already be a fan of her Nice Girls Don't series; NICE GIRLS DON'T HAVE FANGS, NICE GIRLS DON'T DATE DEAD MEN, and NICE GIRLS DON'T LIVE FOREVER. If you are you won't be dissapointed in this hilariously clever paranormal romance that will make you laugh, make you cry and make you want to run to the bookstore for book two in Molly's new werewolf series, THE ART OF SEDUCING A NAKED WEREWOLF.
I am a fly on your wall, what do I see as a day in the life of Molly Harper?
I wake up around 5:40 or whenever the two year old down the hall decides his pull-up is too wet to continue sleeping. I get the kids up and drive them to school. I get to work by 8. I work as editorial assistant at a medical society until 5, then pick up my son from preschool. By the time I get home, my husband, David, has picked our daughter from elementary school and started dinner. We do all the things that families do in the evening, dinner, bath time, homework, tricking the kids into bedtime. I spend a little time with David so he doesn’t feel totally abandoned. Then I sit on the couch and write from nine to midnight or so. I go to bed and start all over again the next morning.What was the inspiration behind HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF?
I wrote a good bit of the initial notes for HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF during the January 2009 ice storm. Thousands of homes in Kentucky, including mine, lost power. And you have to understand that in my hometown, one flurry fluttering through the sky sends people into a “Must hoard milk and bread!” panic. With no light, heat or hot water, my family had to camp out at my inlaws’ house in front of their fireplace. David is a police captain and was working twelve-hour emergency shifts. This left me with our six-month-old and five-year-old. All day long. They were cold and fussy and bored. And my daughter seemed to think I was an idiot because I wouldn’t turn on the TV. It was either come up with a new book or just go crazy. By the time the power came on a week later, I had about 20 pages of notes for HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF.If you could trade places with one of your characters, would you want to and who?
Probably Mo from HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF. I do some pretty awful things to my characters sometimes. In NICE GIRLS DON’T HAVE FANGS, Jane James was fired, mistaken for a deer and shot by the town drunk before a vampire turns her to keep her from dying. In AND ONE LAST THING, Lacey finds out her husband is cheating on her and the whole town knows. Plus there’s an incident involving accidental skinny-dipping. With Mo, the humiliations are fewer and she’s strong enough to hold up to the really bad stuff. She has friends, a job she’s good at and she’s happy. Sounds good to me!What was your favorite scene to write in HOW TO FLIRT WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF?
The scene in which Mo helped Cooper recover from having the bear-trap on his ankle was hard to write because I was trying to balance this revelation that Cooper’s a werewolf with humor and Mo’s natural disbelief, not to mention the romantic chemistry. I remember I sent it to my agent and she wrote back, “Oh, my Gosh, you’ve made Cooper so hot!” And I’ve never had that reaction from her before, so I knew I had something good going. But I think my favorite scene was their first love scene. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s very intense and a lot of clothing gets destroyed. I’ve never written one of my heroes as behaving quite so predatory. (In a good way, not the Dateline with Chris Hansen way.) So it was new and exciting for me.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve done in the name of research?
I married a cop so I would know how to write retired police officer Monroe in AND ONE LAST THING. Just teasing. Though a lot of Monroe’s characteristics are based on David.
I’m more of an academic researcher. I look up weather patterns at noaa.gov, read guide books on my settings’ flora and fauna, that sort of thing. Once, I was looking for a fast-acting poison that could be absorbed through the skin, to make one of my characters sick. We were at a bookstore and David found me looking through this reference book. I think it was called The Big Book of Deadly Poisons, or something like that. He looked at the cover, looked at me, and said, “Is this about me forgetting to take out the garbage? Because I think you’re over-reacting.”
Sometimes, I feel sort of bad that he has to put up with my shenanigans.
What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?
Finding enough hours in the day is frustrating. Between writing, work, raising two kids, being married and trying to keep the household going, I feel stretched pretty thin sometimes.The most rewarding part is knowing that I’ve shared my characters with readers, that there are people out there who enjoy my work and laugh at my silliness.
What accent inspires you to do naughty things?
Scottish. Oh my Lord, a down-and-dirty Scottish accent makes my knees go weak. I think it’s why I’ve willingly sat through so many of Gerard Butler’s awful, awful movies.Please share with us something that readers would be surprised to learn about you
I have coulrophobia, a terrible fear of clowns. I wasn’t allowed to see IT when I was a kid. I wasn’t traumatized at a circus. But for some reason, even a picture of a clown makes my blood run cold. The problem with being afraid of something funny, is that other people think it’s hilarious to confront you with that thing because “you’re just being silly!” The only person who truly understands is my friend, Erin, who is afraid of snowmen. How can the readers stay in touch with you online?
My website: http://www.mollyharper.com/, My Blog: singleundeadfemale.blogspot.com, Twitter: www.twitter.com/mollyharperauth, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/molly.harper1If you could ask the readers one question what would it be?
What is romance novel cliché that you would like to see die away completely?
A SILKEN THREAD by Brenda Jackson is set to release Feb 22 from Harlequin’s Kimani Press and I am thrilled to be apart of the celebration. It has a pleasure once again reading a Brenda Jackson book and this was a great way to touch base again with one of my favorite authors.
Brenda Jackson has really masterminded a page turner with the passionate and powerful story of betrayal. I say that because in this story a mother will go to great lengths to get what she wants, even at the expense of her own daughter's happiness. No matter Karen's intentions what she puts Erica and Brian through is completely unforgivable. From the beginning it is evident that Erica and Brian have a bond and a love that is like no other, so it was hard to read on and on why everyone it seemed were out to destroy them. And to be honest, I get it. She wants what is best for Erica, but there is a point where, to the level that Karen went to, it becomes entirely selfish. It is no longer about her daughter's happiness as it is about Karen and her happiness. Even if it breaks her daughter's soul and shatters her heart. You have to ask yourself in the end, was it worth it?
All the characters came to life and really jumped off the pages to me. Mainly because this story just seemed to real, it could happen to me or to you, therefore really hitting home in so many ways. This is a story that is so deeply rooted in love, longing and pain of compromise. Erica and Brian could have called it quits right at the start when all the secrets started to unfold themselves in Erica's lap, and I have to admit I felt for Erica and at times thought she should kick him to the curb and forget about him all together. But then throughout the story as you get to know Brian you realized as does Erica that with every secret and deception there are many layers. Layer of truth and lies that have molded into a beast of it's own by the time they are discovered.
What struck me the most was how powerful Erica was as a person, I felt like she really got dragged through the mud, emotionally that is. Especially by her mother Karen from time to time. No matter the intention this is her life and not Karen's.
A Silken Thread is filled with memorable, emotionally rich characters that are so real and genuine that you could swear that you know them personally. This story is such a character driven contemporary romance that will ensnare you with every chapter into the heavy drama of love, passion and the web of deceit that only dark secrets can reveal. Bravo to Brenda Jackson and producing another captivating read.
For Erica Sanders, finding a soul mate was the easy part. Brian Lawson is the man she wants, and everyone agrees they're the ideal couple. Almost everyone. The one exception is Erica's mother, Karen, who prefers her daughter marry another man. Karen even hires a private detective to investigate Brian, but the truth he uncovers is the last thing she expected - a devastating betrayal that rips both families apart.
Convinced that her relationship can't be salvaged, Erica ends her engagement. Yet she has lingering doubts over her decision, especially once Brian's attractive single neighbor starts pursuing him. A chance meeting proves that the passion between Brian and Erica hasn't dimmed - but neither has the determination of others to keep them apart, or the shocking lengths Karen will go to in order to undermine her daughter's relationship.
As secrets old and new are revealed, Erica and Brian find themselves caught between the bonds of the past and an uncertain future, each making painful discoveries about who to believe and trust. Masterfully told and laced with the sensuality and drama that Brenda Jackson does best, this is an unforgettable story of relationships at their most complex, and how hard it can be to choose between living separate lives - or holding fast when love hangs by a silken thread.
Read an EXCERPT
About the Author:
Brenda Jackson has been a trailblazer in African-American romance as the first African-American romance writer to make USA Today’s and the New York Times’ bestseller lists for the series romance genre. The author of more than eighty books, she is the recipient of countless awards, including numerous Romance in Color Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Emma Awards, and eHarlequin Reader’s Choice Awards. She has lived her entire life in Jacksonville, Florida, and has been married to her childhood sweetheart, Gerald, for thirty-nine years. Visit her at http://www.brendajackson.net/.
Purchase Links:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/15166377
http://www.amazon.com/Silken-Thread-Brenda-Jackson/dp/0373534264
***GIVEAWAY***
With many thanks to Mark @EMGpromotions I have 3 copies of A SILKEN THREAD to giveaway to 3 lucky commenters.
Rules:
MUST be a follower or become one
MUST leave e-mail
Winner Chosen 02/23
I have three winners of Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt, Congrats & they are......
Please send your snail mail info to mailto:bookjunkie@ymail.com dot com. You have seven (5) days to claim your prize or it will go to someone else. Congrats to our winners and I hope you enjoy your prize!
Dakota is for an adventure of a lifetime, on a week long vacation but it is never fun being the third wheel, and that is exactly what she is when she takes off on vacation with her best friend and her boyfriend. So what is a girl to do, go on a week long wilderness adventure with one heck of a sexy guide.
So being stuck in a cabin while the snow falls turns out to be one of the best few days of her life. The strange think is that there is this pesky cougar who is part of their vacation as well. Surprised that she isn't deathly afraid of this powerful and stunning beast is something new for Dakota. But she is having the time of her life, so questioning it and the feelings that she is quickly feeling with Axel is completely indescribable. At least to her.
That is because Axel and his twin Gunner has smelt their mate, and that would be Dakota. So worried that they can not rush her or scare her away they fight with their own emotions and inner cougar's determination to claim it's mate. Exposing their clan and who they are to the world is their worst fear come alive so they have to be perfectly clear that Dakota is the right one and that when they do expose who they are that she will not go running for the hills or tell anyone who will listen all about the shifters.
I can't wait to read the other books that are sure to come in this new series and if they are anything like Falke's Peak they won't disappoint. A fun and sexy shifter story that will make you only wish for more with an entertaining plot, fun characters that will draw you in, then the love story begins and you are hooked !
She couldn't believe her eyes.
Stressed out ad-exec Dakota wandered into Catamount Outfitters in search of a guide for a wilderness excursion. She didn't expect to be greeted by not one, but five of the most ruggedly delicious-looking men she'd ever seen. Not to mention a live cougar guarding the shop.
The Falke brothers have more than just good looks in their genes.
Eldest brother Axel agrees to guide Dakota on her mountain trek. In cougar form, Axel's twin, Gunnar, was there as a protection from predators—but he had his eye on the sexy client instead.
Into the wild...
While the rule with clients was "paws-off," both Axel and Gunnar couldn't resist Dakota's seductive Native American beauty and determination. As cold days led to hot nights in the cabin, Axel and Gunnar wondered if they'd finally found a woman strong enough to tame them...
Deadly Lies is an adrenalin packed book that you can surely stand on it's own. You can even go back and read the first two after and it won't ruin the story. The chemistry between Samantha and Max really lights the pages on fire. Although I loved all the main characters in each of the first two books I have to admit I felt more of a connection to Sam and Max. They really each got under my skin and really came alive for me. I loved the storyline, it was intriguing and as I read each page the action scenes really jumped from the pages, almost like while I was reading the words a mini movie was going in my head. This is a story that doesn't disappoint.
She wants to hide the past
FBI Special Agent Samantha Kennedy is haunted by memories of the serial killer who abducted her. To keep the darkness at bay, she pretends to be a different, more confident woman. This Samantha doesn't fear every unknown face. So she throws caution to the wind and shares a night of unbridled passion with a handsome stranger.
He needs to uncover the truth
One night isn't enough for successful entrepreneur Max Ridgeway. He wants more of the sexy, smart, mysterious woman who slipped away before dawn. When they meet again, their attraction is undeniable-until his stepbrother goes missing, and Max realizes that Samantha isn't who she seems. But they must trust each other to trap a ring of bloodthirsty kidnappers before the nightmares that terrorize Sam become irrevocably real.
As a merciless criminal spins a web of . . .
DEADLY LIES
***GIVEAWAY***
With many thanks to Anna @ Hachette I have 6 books to give away.
The giveaway will consist of BOTH titles, Deadly Heat and Deadly Lies
*** guidelines ***
3 Copies of each book to giveaway (package deal): 3 winners!
Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win (sorry publisher's rules)
Winners Chosen 03/05
Winners Chosen 03/05
Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail.
Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from Publisher.
He thought as a teen he found the love of his life, but she thought she could find better and left their sleepy little town for bigger and better things in search for a better life starting with college.
Now back with her little girl in tow, Sarah is seeking a new life, by moving backwards. She is beyond broke, with little money left to support herself and her daughter she rents a cottage when the death of her husband leaves her all but homeless. Murdered, her husbands death hangs over her head especially by a woman hating cop who is out to prove that she is guilty of his murder.
That is the least of her problems, Jackson. Talk about tall, dark and handsome, that man is one sexy cowboy if I have ever read about one. His heart belongs to Sarah, it always has, but his heart is now covered in ice after all these years of anger and hatred for her. She only wanted money and all that it could buy her and now look, she is poor and on his land. With every day that passes though Sarah and her daughter warm his cold heart and before long Jackson can't help but want Sarah in his life.
Sarah, loved her. Yes she was the small town girl who wanted more, she wanted to go to college and a better life than the one she grew up with. But money couldn't buy her love, he bought her an abusive husband and now with his murder looming over her head and a daughter to feed Sarah knows what she gave up with she left Jackson for all her big city dreams.
From the moment Sarah lands on Jackson's ranch to the final words when her past and all her decisions have come full circle I couldn't help but feel that Sarah could be any of us. She felt so real to me it was easy to open up my heart to her and her pain and see past her immature decisions she made so long ago. Only wanted to see her get her own happily ever after.
Unable to resist trouble the "no account Raines boy", Jackson Raines finds himself entangled with the high school beauty who humiliated him so many years ago. Enemies of her dead husband bring trouble. And despite their history, Jackson is the one man who can save her and her daughter ...
Secrets don’t stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah Allen,the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldn’t wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds herself on Jackson’s ranch.
Despite everything, Jackson is reluctant to get rid of her. He can’t resist trouble, and Sarah brings her own special kind. Enemies of her dead husband show up on the ranch making threats, thinking she has something they’re owed. They’re not taking no for an answer, but what they will take is the one thing she has left—her daughter—and Jackson may be the only hope she has of getting little Holly home alive.
Format: Paperback, eBook
Page No.: 400
ISBN: 978-0778329305
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: December 28, 2011
Pinky and Bear ....... I don't even know what to say! Hilarious and addictive these two kept the story flowing along while the murder mystery unfolded in front of you. The relationship between the to was genuine. The Big Show Stopper happens to be the second book in the Pinky and the Bear series with The Bloody Birthright being the first book. I have to say I haven't read that one but now I want to go back, even though I have happily say that this book could stand on it's own it would be great to check out a the beginnings of Pinky and Bear.
With a fun murder mystery and such wonderful character this is a can't miss. The addition of Flo who helps in the investigation with Bear and Pinky on who killed the concert performer Brady Blackstone.
The author has really developed some realistic and bodacious elements that crafted seamlessly into the lives of these characters, making the reader feel a part of the action. You will have fun reading this book, you will be laughing out loud at the banter between all the characters wishing you were right there with them!
Ken Dalton's Bio:
Ken Dalton was born in 1938. In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken. At the end of World War II, Ken's family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer's brat on a base called Fort Warren.
By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken's luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.
In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.
In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.
With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.
Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.
Then, ten years ago, in a moment of madness, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.
After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.
Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world's latest overnight sensation.
Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: Different Drummer Press (September 16, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0578054590
ISBN-13: 978-0578054599
Julia isn't telling the truth about her return to her hometown after so many years and sparks begin to fly and really start to light the pages on fire.
A clever story made deliciously seductive with with quick wit, one heck of a sexy hero out to rescue his long lost love. Makes for one steamy read that won't disappoint, so curl up on your couch, cover up with a cozy blanket on these cold winter nights and snuggle up to Winter's Shadow just what you need to keep you warm tonight!
Living for years amidst a whirlwind of fear and danger, Julia Farris finally snaps free from the bonds that kept her in Arizona. But when she arrives in her hometown of Edinboro, Pennsylvania, she realizes she’s jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.
With the death of his parents, Mark Webb went to part time at the local police department to run his parents’ bed and breakfast, a job he’s begun to think very lonely until his old high school flame shows up.
As Julia tries to seize control of her life, she finds herself intrigued with the possibilities presented by Mark’s presence. But getting closer to Mark might spell disaster. What’s a girl to do when one ex might be dead and the other wears a badge?
Today I would like to welcome author Melissa McClone to Book Junkie. She is here today celebrating her latest Harlequin Romance release, Expecting Royal Twins, a sweet contemporary romance novel. Enjoy the interview and don't forget to enter the contest!
Melissa McClone never planned on being a writer. Thanks to taking A.P. English in high school, she tested out of the freshman English requirement in college and never took one writing course while at Stanford University. That same high school class introduced her to category romance, Harlequin Romance novels to be exact. Reading romance novels led Melissa to want to write one. So much so she quite her engineering job even though she'd received only rejection letters on her submissions. But following her passion for writing proved fruitful. The first manuscript she wrote full-time was the first she sold. Since then she's written books for three different Harlequin/Silhouette lines and given birth to three children. Hers is a story of perseverance and patience. And lots and lots of chocolate.
Can you tell us a little about your newest release EXPECTING ROYAL TWINS that isn't in the blurb?
The idea for what would eventually become Expecting Royal Twins first came to me in 2007. The idea of discovering you're-not-really-who-you-think-you-are sparked my interest in writing the book. My editor asked to see a proposal, but other projects and scheduling issues got in the way of my writing. I finally had the chance to write it in 2010. I'm actually happy it took so long because the idea had lots of time to percolate in my imagination. The story changed from what I originally proposed, including the setting, heroine and overall plot line.
The book is a modern day fairytale with a touch of Cinderella, including a makeover for my mechanic turned princess. There are actually two princesses in the book, one who is a reluctant Cinderella type and another who takes on the role of Fairy Godmother. The other princess, Julianna, made an appearance in my first Silhouette Romance titled If The Ring Fits… She'll get her shot at a happily ever after in Not-So-Perfect Princess, my July 2011 release.
What was your favorite scene to write in EXPECTING ROYAL TWINS?
The scene in Chapter Six where Izzy heads down to the castle's kitchen in the middle of the night for a taste of chocolate cake was my favorite scene to write. Even though she's there alone, the prince soon finds her. I had so much fun with them trying to find a way of "killing" her without a body being found. Plus it's the first time the two feel like partners in crime.
Do you usually cast your characters (a mental picture) before or after you have started writing? Does it help inspire you and take the story in a different direction?
I always have a mental image of my characters when I'm thinking of a new book. I'm a very visual person. Ideally, I like to find a physical representation of the characters (either in a magazine or on the Internet) before I start writing, but in a couple of books I never did find a picture so relied strictly on my imagination.
When I use a picture of an individual, the image provides a starting point as well as inspiration. The character, however, is never that specific person. An example is my hero in Expecting Royal Twins! Prince Niko emerged from Jake Gyllenhaal's character in the movie, Prince of Persia. I never saw the movie, but watching the trailer provided more than enough inspiration and led to a few things I hadn't anticipated.
If you could trade places with one of your characters, would you want to and who?
Interesting question! I try to step into my character's shoes when I'm writing and have fallen in love with each of my heroes so being one of my heroines would be pretty nice. But I'd still have to say no to trading places. I'd miss my own family and pets way too much. But if I could take all of them and move to one of my fictional settings, Hood Hamlet, Oregon on Mount Hood, I would in a heartbeat.
Do you ever run into someone who says, YOU WRITE WHAT !!” ?
People are often surprised, sometimes even shocked, to find out I write romance novels. Most people see a busy mom with three active kids, not a published writer. The question of sex in the books usually comes up, and I have a quick little spiel on the traditional or "sweet" romances I write.
The reactions about writing romance vary. Some people think it's cool. Other people ask me for a free book. Many people tell me they want to write a book someday. And there are always a few who want to know when I'm going write a real book.
The house is on fire and you only have time to grab one book …… which do you take with you?
Whatever book I'm currently writing. I hope that counts as a "book." Any other book I could buy elsewhere, and my family and my best friend have all my backlist that's out of print, but no one but me has the latest work in progress! I'm not as good as I should be about backing things up.
What was the most challenging thing you’ve done in the name of research that might have been out of your comfort zone?
In 2007 while I was researching mountain rescue and climbing for a Christmas book, I met some Pacific Northwest climbers as well as a few members of Portland Mountain Rescue. Two of these people became my go to guys for questions. Separately, they told me I should try climbing if I was going to write about it.
Yeah, right. I'm scared of heights. But they kept talking to me about learning to climb until I finally gave it a try. I learned to climb and fell in love with the sport, but I was definitely out of my comfort zone there. They also convinced me to let my husband climb Mount Hood, something he'd wanted to do since we moved to Portland, Oregon in 1997. I made my rescuer friend promise he'd go get him if anything happened.
Please share with us something that readers would be surprised to learn about you
My heroine Izzy wanting to be on a pit crew didn't come out of thin air. I used to be into car racing. The propulsion engineer in me loved the engines and cars. I worked for an airline so had flight benefits. A co-worker and I would travel to see as many races as we could each season. We even attended the Indy 500 one year. A mechanic took pity on us standing outside the fenced area staring into Gasoline Alley. He got us passes so we could come inside and check out all the garages. Talk about a total thrill. I also attended the Jim Hall Kart Racing School and worked on a pit crew during an SCCA race at Sears Point Raceway.
How can the readers stay in touch with you online?
On my website, I have a blog where people can comment and a contact page if readers want to email me. I'm also on Facebook and Twitter.
If you could ask readers any one question, what would it be?
What makes an author an automatic buy for you?
Suddenly a Princess...
It's not every day that a tall, dark, handsome prince strides into your workshop and announces he's your husband! Mechanic Izzy nearly drops her wrench. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she'd become a princess!
Independent Izzy struggles with exchanging her oil-stained overalls for silken gowns, let alone becoming responsible for an entire country! Yet her attraction to Prince Niko tempts her further into the fairy tale. And then two small surprises change all the rules of the game....
EXCERPT 1
Nikola Tomislav Kresimir, Crown Prince of Vernonia, strode past his father's assistant and the two palace guards standing watch. As soon as he entered the king's office, Niko heard the door close behind him.
He grimaced.
Niko didn't have time for another impromptu assignment. His in-box was overflowing. The upcoming trade conference was turning into a logistical nightmare. Princess Julianna of Aliestle was patiently waiting to have lunch with him.
He was used to juggling competing demands, thrived on them actually, but the collar of his dress shirt seemed to have shrunk two inches since he'd left his own office three minutes ago. He tugged on his tie.
Not that it lessened his frustration level.
A summons from the king trumped everything else and often messed up Niko's schedule for the rest of the day, sometimes week. Not to mention the havoc royal protocol played with his priority of turning their provincial country into a modern nation. But he followed his father's orders out of respect and for the good of the country.
King Dmitar sat behind his large mahogany desk staring at a manila file folder in his hands. His once dark hair was now as white as the snowcapped peaks of the Balkans and Carpathians. His face, like Niko's own, was as rugged as those same mountain ranges. His wire-rimmed reading glasses rested low on his nose, making him look more like a professor than a soldier or a king who had spent the majority of his rule trying to unite his country against all odds.
Niko stood ten feet away, waiting.
A breeze blew through an open window, carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers from the royal gardens. A vast improvement over the acrid smell of gunpowder and sickening scent of blood that used to taint the air around here.
Five years had passed since the ratification of the peace treaty. Tensions between the two warring factions erupted occasionally, but peace prevailed. Niko intended to ensure it always would. A totally united Vernonia, however, seemed like a far off dream. A fairy tale, really.
Not wanting to waste more time, he cleared his throat. His father looked up. Dark circles ringed his eyes. "You sent for me, sir," Niko said.
The lines on his father's face seemed deeper, more pronounced, than they used to be. The conflict had aged him; so had grief. But still the corners of his mouth curved upward into a rare smile. "I have good news, my son."
The best news would be that Vernonia had been accepted into the European Union, but Niko knew they still had too many improvement projects to complete first. He stepped closer to the desk. "I've spent the morning wading through the demands of the trade delegations. Good news will be a welcome relief, Father."
"Your bride box has been located."
Not located. Found.
The unexpected news sunk in. Niko respected the past, but the fact something as important as his marriage was dependent on such on antiquated custom as presenting his wife a family heirloom on their wedding day irritated him. Traditions could only take his country so far. "You are certain it is mine?"
"As certain as we can be until we have the box in hand."
His bride box hadn't been seen in over twenty years. Not since the collapse of the Soviet Union brought turmoil to many Balkan countries. Vernonia had avoided the ethnic strife that ravaged many of its neighbors, but terrorist acts had led to a deadly civil war that tore the country apart and nearly destroyed its economy. "Where is the box?"
"The United States." His father adjusted his glasses and studied the folder. "Charlotte, North Carolina, to be exact."
"A long way from home."
"Yes."
The location wasn't really important. Niko would have the box back. Tradition—and his father—would be satisfied. Nothing would stand in the way of Niko's marriage to Julianna. He could finally fulfill his duty as his parents and people wished him to do. The marriage would give him the means and opportunity to do what he wanted—needed—to do with Vernonia.
Plans formed in his mind, but he couldn't get too far ahead of himself. Nothing could happen until he had possession of the box. "How was it discovered?"
"The internet." His father shuffled through papers in the file. "Someone posted on an antiques forum looking for the key. After a few exchanges verifying the seriousness of our interest, we were sent a picture that confirmed our suspicions. The box is yours."
"Incredible." Niko considered the number of private investigators and treasure hunters hired to find the heirloom. He laughed at the irony. "Technology to the rescue of an Old World custom."
"Technology may be useful at times, but our people desire tradition. You must remember that when you wear the crown."
"Everything I've ever done has been for Vernonia." Niko's family had ruled for eight centuries. The country was in their blood and hearts. Duty always came first. "But we must modernize if we are to succeed in the twenty-first century."
"Yet you have agreed to an arranged marriage."
He shrugged, but the last thing he felt was indifference. His marriage would act as a bridge between the past and the future. He might not be the United Kingdom's Prince William, but Niko had the attention of royal watchers. The publicity surrounding a royal wedding would be good for his country's nascent tourist industry. He would use whatever he could to Vernonia's advantage. "I may not be a stickler for tradition, Father, but I will always do what is best for the country."
"As will I." His father placed the folder on his desk. "You have the key."
"Of course, sir." Niko always had the key. He had been wearing the damn thing ever since the decree that he could never take it off twenty odd years ago. The only thing that had changed since then was the size of the chain. He pulled the thick silver one from beneath his shirt. A key that looked more like a cross and heart welded together dangled from his fingers. "Can I finally stop wearing the necklace now?"
"No." The word resonated through the spacious office until the tapestries on the wall swallowed the sound. "You will need the key when you go to North Carolina tomorrow."
"Send Jovan. I can't travel to the United States right now. I'm needed here," Niko countered. "My schedule is full. Princess Julianna is here."
"The box is yours," his father said. "You will be the one to bring it home. The travel arrangements have already been made. Your aide will be provided with an itinerary and the necessary information."
Niko bit his tongue. Further resistance would be futile. The king's word was final even if it made little sense under the current circumstances. "Fine, but you do realize I have never seen the box."
"You have seen it. You were a child, so you don't remember."
What Niko remembered from his childhood and early adulthood was war, the one thing he wanted and hoped to forget. Keeping peace and modernizing Vernonia were his main goals now. Though the parliament wanted him to provide an heir. Might as well get on with that, now that nothing stood in his way of marrying. Speaking of which…
"Do you wish for me to propose to Julianna before I leave for America or upon my return, Father?"
The king's face reddened. "There shall be no official proposal."
"What?" Niko remembered the open window and the people on the other side of the office door. He lowered his voice. "We've spent months negotiating with the Council of Elders in Aliestle. Even the Separatists are in favor of the marriage since King Alaric supported them during the conflict. The only obstacle to marriage has been the bride box. A delay will send the wrong—"
"No proposal."
Frustration mounted. Niko had searched for a suitable bride for almost a year. He didn't want to have to start over. "You agreed Julianna is an excellent choice for a wife and the future queen of Vernonia. That is why finding the bride box has been a priority."
"Julianna is more than suitable to be queen, but…" His father removed his glasses and rubbed his tired-looking eyes. "Are you in love with her?"
Love? Niko was surprised his traditional father had broached the subject. His parents' marriage hadn't been a love match. Niko had never expected one for himself after his older brother, Stefan, had been killed during the conflict.
"We get along well. She's beautiful and intelligent. I will be content with her as my wife," Niko stated honestly. He'd always known as crown prince he would marry for Vernonia's good, not his own. "The publicity surrounding a royal wedding will increase our visibility to the tourist industry. Most importantly, an alliance with Aliestle will give Vernonia the capital it requires to complete rebuilding. That will help our efforts to join the European Union."
"You've looked at all angles."
Niko bowed his head. "As you taught me, Father."
"And Julianna. Are her feelings engaged?"
"She.cares for me," Niko answered carefully. "As I do for her. She understands what is expected."
"But is she in love with you?"
Uncomfortable, Niko shifted his weight between his feet. "You've never spoken about love before. Only duty and what a state marriage would entail."
"You are old enough to know whether a woman has feelings for you or not. Answer my question."
Niko considered his outing with Julianna yesterday afternoon. They'd left their security detail on the shore and sailed on the lake. He'd kissed her for the first time. The kiss had been…pleasant, but Julianna seemed more interested in sailing than kissing him again. "I do not believe she is in love with me. In fact, I'm certain she isn't."
"Good."
"I do not understand what is going on, sir. If something has changed with Vernonia's relationship to Aliestle—""Nothing has changed there." His father's drawn out sigh would have made the parliament members' knees tremble beneath their heavy robes. "But a slight…complication in regards to you marrying Julianna has arisen."
Niko's muscles tensed. "What kind of complication?"
***GIVEAWAY***
Melissa has offered to giveaway $20 Amazon.com GC to one randomly drawn commenter on her tour. To enter all you have to do is answer her question above and leave your e-mail.
Contest ends March 01 and open to all.
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