Release Blitz: The Lost Macaw by B.L. Bllair

Mystery

Date Published: 12/14/17

The Lost Macaw is the fourth novella in the Lost and Found Pets series. Alexandra Prescott is a licensed private investigator specializing in finding missing animals. Reuniting pet and owner is more than just a job.

A former client hires Alex to find her lost parrot. The bright colored bird has flown away before, but this time there is evidence that Molly was kidnapped. The demand is simple—the bird for the pictures.

When her client suffers a stroke, Alex is left with a ransom note, a missing bird, and some very incriminating photos. She is in a race against time to solve the mystery of the lost Macaw.

Excerpt

“Your little old lady is quite interesting, Alex,” Halie said.

“What do you mean?”

“She didn’t exist until about thirty years ago.”

“What?!”

“I did a preliminary background search on her. In general, she is clean. No debt. The house is paid off as is her car. The one thing that jumped out at me was the fact that she had a safe deposit box at four different banks.”

Luke raised one eyebrow. I got a sinking feeling. I had noted the bank accounts but hadn’t really given them much thought.

“Yeah,” I said, “I saw those.”

“So why does an eighty-year-old woman need four safe deposit boxes?”

“Why does she need more than one?” Luke muttered.

“Exactly,” Halie said. “So I dug a little deeper.”

“What did you find?”

“About thirty years ago, Joseph and Trudy Kearns purchased the house on Carriage. Back then, it was a new neighborhood, and the prices were cheap. They paid cash. They also opened a bank account, and Joe got a job working for the city. Those are the first records I can find for either one of them.”

“Trudy would have been fifty at that time. Her husband probably a few years older. What about birth certificates? Social security cards?”

“They had them, but conveniently, they were issued from a small county in Virginia where a massive flood destroyed all their records. The county office was in the process of moving the old paper records to electronic when the flood hit.”

“Let me guess. The Kearns’s records did not survive the flood.”

“Nope.”

“So the only records for them are the ones they had in their possession.” I paused a moment. “Do they look real?”

“Yes,” Halie replied.

“So they could be authentic.”

“Or really good forgeries. In some ways, it was easier back then.”

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Not really. Like I said, she’s pretty clean. Lives on a fixed income of social security and a small pension from her husband’s job. It isn’t much because he only worked for the city for twelve years before he had to retire.”

“This isn’t looking good.”

“I’ll keep digging. See if anything else turns up.”

“Okay, thanks Halie.”

After ending the call, I looked a Luke. He had a perplexed look on his face that I had a feeling mirrored mine.

“Who the hell is Trudy Kearns?”

About the Author

B. L. Blair writes mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Holton Romance Series, the Leah Norwood Mysteries, and the Lost and Found Pets Mystery Series. She enjoys reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.

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Promo Blitz: Ryan by A.L. Long

Steamy Romance, Romantic Suspense

Jagged Edge Series #8

Published: November 2017

Following the same routine, day in and day out, Charlie Winters was about to give up on getting the break she deserved. Things begin to look up when her brother Nick suggested she to come to New York to work at his landscaping company. Moving from the small town of Cedar Grove to the big Apple was everything Charlie dreamed of, until her brother witnessed a brutal murder, which put his life in danger. Charlie would do everything she could to protect him even if it meant contacting the boy she fell in love with as a teenager.

Leaving the only girl, he had ever loved, the last thing Ryan Hyatt expected was to run into her, especially in Manhattan. Regretting his decision to push her away after he had enlisted in the military, he tried to make it up to her by offering to protect her brother Nick. When tragedy stuck, he soon found that his brother Josh may have been involved. Ryan would stop at nothing to protect the woman he would never stopped loving.

EXCERPT

 Walking over to her, I placed my hand on her flushed cheek and lowered my lips to hers. At first, there was a slight hesitation, but once I dipped my tongue inside the warmth of her mouth, her tongue began to dance with mine. I could feel the vibration of small whimpers escape as I continued my play. Charlie’s arms wrapped around my neck, allowing me to kiss her even deeper. Trailing my hands down her back, I found her butt and cupped her firm cheeks. Just the feel of her this close was making my cock jump with excitement. When I lifted her by the waist, her legs enveloped mine as I carried her over to the small couch that was pushed up against the wall.

Even though this wasn’t the way that I imagined our reunion would be, it really didn’t matter because all I knew was that I needed her and my cock longed to be deep inside her. Placing her gently on the couch, I took a moment to absorb her beauty. Her eyes fluttered shut as I traced the outline of her lips before I swept inside her warmth. Her tongue mingled with mine and our exploration of each other began. Charlie’s body told me she was eager for my touch. Slipping my hand underneath her thin t-shirt, I worked it upward until I reached her firm breast. Lowering the cup of her bra, I could feel the warmth and softness of her breast as I fondled the pea-sized bud between my fingers. Bracing my body above hers with the other hand, I managed to find the clasp of her bra. “God, how I loved the person that created front clasps on bras,” I smiled to myself. Just the feel of her skin under my touch left me needing more. All I wanted was to consume the beauty that was hidden beneath the thin material. With one leg planted on the floor and the other bent between her legs, I grasped the hem of her t-shirt and in one movement pushed it upward, freeing her shirt and her bra from her body at the same time. When her luscious breasts came into view, they were as I remembered, only more beautiful.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I whispered as I lowered my lips to the small bud, nuzzling her breast as I savagely began licking and sucking the tip. Charlie’s moans of pleasure sounded and it triggered my cock to become increasingly more uncomfortable locked away in my jeans. I moved back slightly, resting my upper leg on my butt while gliding my hand down her silky skin, stopping purposely at the waistband of her shorts. With one flick of my wrist the button was undone and the zipper began sliding down as I moved my hand beneath her pretty yellow panties. I could feel the soft curls of her pubic hair as I worked my hand further down. At first I was unable to get where I needed with the restriction of her shorts, and then her butt lifted from the couch, allowing me to easily remove her shorts and take her panties with them.

With her body completely displayed before me, she was even more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. Lowering my body, I trailed light kisses down her body to the apex of her sex. Her womanly scent overflowed as I moved to her folds, which were wet with desire. Lapping up her sweet honey, I could feel her hips move, keeping in rhythm to my play. Something intense flared through my body, reacting to her moans of satisfaction as her body gave way. Exposing my own desire for her, I freed my cock from its confines, encased it with latex, and slowly entered her with gentle, even thrusts. I could feel her body light with pleasure as it clenched around me, coaxing me towards my own release. What had taken me so long to find was finally delivered, sending my body in an upward spiral to heaven and back. Never was I going to let her go again.

About the Author

Award winning Author of the Independent Press Award and NYC Big Book Award.

My love for writing began several years ago after an early retirement from a demanding job that I loved, but also hated because it consumed so much of my time. Now, I am able to focus my time on what I love. Writing romance has been a life long dream and to actually say that I am a published author is beyond what I would have ever expected.

Even though some may say I have a little naughtiness in my books, I look at it as an added bonus for my readers. After all what is a romance book without a little spice.

When I am not writing, I enjoy spending time with friends either at home or out on the town. Mostly, I enjoy a relaxing night at home where I can enjoy a glass of wine in the company of a good book.

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Virtual Book Tour: She Do Run Run by Amy Swifton

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: September 26, 2017

Publisher: Broadback

She Do Run Run is a fast, double-shot-of-espresso read. Its heart-racing story can be consumed in a few quick hours.

Jenny’s life is shattered when her Special Ops husband is killed. To escape the pain, she falls into a dangerous cycle of random sex and booze, and one night she kills a violent man.

She runs off into the unknown, desperate to survive and change her life. That’s when Lieutenant Jon Dowling appears.

About the Author

I'm a Florida-based writer, who loves all things romantic, with a shot of suspense.  I also love to write Time Travel Novels.

When the characters keep me up nights, I feel good about the story.

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Release Blitz: Love on the Edge by Kerry Evelyn

Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Date Published:  December 5, 2017

Publisher:  LLC: Swan Press

Lanie Owens has just survived a horrific attack by a stalker. Her grandfather, a retired army colonel, drives her to a resort in Maine where she can heal in peace while the authorities track down the man who almost killed her. To Lanie’s dismay, he hires a bodyguard to protect her. Lanie’s nightmares are debilitating, but giving up control of her life is unacceptable.

Former Army Ranger Matt Saunders knows all about nightmares. He’s spent the last year recovering from an injury he sustained during his last tour and the hellish events that caused it. Anxious to prove that he is fit to go back overseas, he accepts the bodyguard job. The resort is everything they imagined - tranquil, safe, and a place to heal. Gradually, they open up to each other and realize they have a lot in common – except their future plans. When a resort video goes viral, Lanie's stalker knows just where to find her.

Excerpt

Matt couldn’t help himself. He kissed the top of Lanie’s head again and inhaled the citrus and floral scent that was now a familiar comfort to him. She tilted her head up to him, a lazy smile on her lips.

                “This is heaven,” she stated. “Let’s forget the rest of the world and just be.” Her eyes pleaded with his for understanding. “Like the song,” she murmured.

                He touched his lips to her forehead. “I’d like that.” He pulled his head back to look at her. “But I don’t know how.” He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers.

                Lanie reached out her hand and placed it on his cheek. She turned his face back to her. “I do,” she whispered. “Even if only for a moment.”

                Matt froze as she pulled his head down toward hers and gently kissed his lips. Shocks he could only describe as lightning shot through his every nerve. He sat still, stiff as the igneous rock beneath him, paralyzed with awe and fear.

Lanie was so beautiful, and so trusting. She was facing her fears head on and working through her pain in her effort to return to normal. He knew that was a myth. You couldn’t go back, only create a new normal. Why couldn’t he push past his barriers like she was doing? Why was he so messed up he couldn’t enjoy a kiss from a woman like Lanie? Why couldn’t he even kiss her back? He wanted to, more than anything. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he trust himself? She drew back and searched his eyes.

                “Lanie.” He pulled away. He hoped she couldn’t hear the anguish in his voice. “We can’t—”

                “I know,” she replied, her eyes cast downward. “I got caught up in the moment. But what if we could get lost here?” She turned and scooted away from him. She pulled her knees up to her chin and hugged them. “Just disappear.”

About the Author

Kerry Evelyn has always been fascinated by people and the backstories that drive them to do what they do. She graduated from Bridgewater State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and Sociology. A native of the Massachusetts South Coast, she taught in an inner city elementary school before moving to Florida to teach in a rural setting, and then in her own neighborhood. Fast forward a few years, and she's now a crazy blessed wife and homeschooling mom to the two sweetest kids you'll ever meet (she's also super biased). When she's not homeschooling or writing, she's mentoring moms through Mom Mastery University, sharing essential oils, and planning super fun events for her kids and their friends (although her own kids have yet to be impressed, being that every event has some sort of learning snuck in to it). She loves God, books of all kinds, traveling, taking selfies, and escaping into her imagination, where every child is happy and healthy, every house has a library, and her hubby wears coattails and a top hat 24/7.

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Book Reviews for 3 Christmas Tales

Three Lovely Christmas Tales

Homecoming in Christmas Falls by Ciara Knight

Publisher & Release: Hatco Publishing, October 23, 2017

Time and setting:  Present Day, Tennessee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length: 166 pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Eight years after fleeing Christmas Falls because of a high school prank gone wrong, Ashley Brooks receives a mysterious letter from her mentor asking her to come home. She arrives to face all she left behind—her family, her friends, and the rich boy she’d loved who would never date the girl from the wrong side of town.

Brent Donnelly, high school jock, brainiac, and dutiful son did everything right until the day Ashley returns to Christmas Falls. With one look at the girl who got away he questions all his life choices, including following in his father’s footsteps in the family business.

Faced with a potentially devastating decline of tourism in their hometown, Brent and Ashley must work together to save the magic of their town, but when Ashley discovers he still has feelings for her best friend she must finally face the real reason she left Christmas Falls—to try to heal her broken heart.

Seven fabulous authors bring you this holiday romance series about a group of special friends returning to their hometown at the request of their high school mentor. Each book is a standalone, but read them all to fully enjoy the journey of these remarkable women and their emotional reunion with their mentor, an incredible woman who changes their lives and helps save a small town community forever.

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Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Homecoming-Christmas-Falls-Return-Book-ebook/dp/B076C8V8QK

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36413101-homecoming-in-christmas-falls

Vikki’s Musings

I always enjoy Ciara Knight’s heart-warming love stories. Homecoming in Christmas Falls is definitely that. I want to thank the author and Net-Galley for the opportunity to read this delightful tale.

This is a unique series where several authors have joined forces and each written a romance about a group of friends who made a pact as children.

Now they are all adults and come together for their beloved music teacher who is fighting a life-threatening disease.

Homecoming in Christmas Falls is the first book in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The characters are real with flaws, especially the heroine, but that just makes her more endearing.

The premise of this story is intriguing, so I enjoyed the plot a great deal. If you like Christmas tales that will put joy in your heart, then you will love Homecoming in Christmas Falls. Happy reading!

Forever Yours in Christmas Falls

Publisher & Release: Hatco Publishing, October 23, 2017

Time and setting:  Present Day, Tennessee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length: 164 pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Morgan Reed is excited to return to her hometown of Christmas Falls and open her beauty salon, but when she arrives at her rented business space she’s shocked to find it already occupied by Dallas Parker—her brother’s best friend, the guy she had a childhood crush on, and the one her mom blames for their family’s greatest tragedy.

With their landlord out of the country and unreachable, Morgan and Dallas must open their businesses together. But, no worries, all small towns need a combo furniture store/beauty salon, right? Ugh. As they work together, Morgan tries to keep her emotional distance but time and off-the-charts chemistry soon turn a childhood friendship into a blossoming romance.

Unfortunately, just when their relationship develops into something deeper, an unexpected crisis re-opens her family’s old wounds and the blame is on Dallas once again. Will Morgan’s sadness and fear pull them apart, or make her realize Dallas has always been her heart’s true safe harbor?

Seven fabulous authors bring you this holiday romance series about a group of special friends returning to their hometown at the request of their high school mentor. Each book is a standalone, but read them all to fully enjoy the journey of these remarkable women and their emotional reunion with their mentor, an incredible woman who changes their lives and helps save a small town community forever.

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B076CHRQBY/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36414838-forever-yours-in-christmas-falls

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Halter, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I want to thank the author and Net-Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this heart-warming holiday romance.

The interaction between Morgan and Dallas is great, and I truly enjoyed the story-line. The characters are real, and even though this is a short book, the character development is good. The romance is sweet, and I really rooted for them to find their happy ending.

If you are looking for a lovely holiday read, then you will enjoy Forever Yours in Christmas Falls. The lively secondary characters will steal your heart, along with the hero and heroine. Happy reading!

Christmas at the Second Chance Chocolate Shop

Publisher & Release: Harper Collins Publishing, November 5, 2017

Time and setting:  Present Day, England

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length: 200 pages

Heat Level: 1 flame

Rating: 4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

’Tis the season for second chances…

Serena Hunter loves her new life in the sleepy Devonshire countryside! It’s a world away from her crazy past as the wife of American bad boy rock star, Ritchie Dangerfield.

Now she spends her days making delicious chocolate using milk from the local dairy and she finally feels that everything is back on track. That is, until her handsome ex-husband arrives in the village to win her back…

Away from the limelight, Serena gets to know Ritchie all over again and realizes that maybe a second chance at love is the Christmas miracle she’d been dreaming of all along?

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Christmas-Second-Chance-Chocolate-Rabbits-ebook/dp/B072S4WSJL

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35626672-christmas-at-the-second-chance-chocolate-shop

Vikki’s Musings

This is another delightful holiday romance. This is the first book I have read by Kellie Hailes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I want to thank the publisher and Net-Galley for the opportunity to read this engaging story.

I always enjoy second chance romances, and this is a lovely one. The characters drew me in from the first page and kept me engaged from the first page to the last. The plot is unique, involving a rock star and his wife. She left him and returned to her hometown and opened Sweet Things, a chocolate shop.

Ritchie, the hero, finds he can’t write his music without her and comes to Rabbit Leap, hoping to find his muse. What he finds is the woman he loves. I love how he goes about winning her back. He is willing to sacrifice his music for her. The biggest reason she left him was that he kept a very big part of him concerning his past, closed up. At last, he opens up his past and why he hates Christmas.

Serena’s character is feisty and independent. She leaves Ritchie because she craves that independence. She took a chocolate-making class and it becomes her passion. Although she loves her husband, she can no longer be his eye-candy on his arm. I loved her character and could feel her pain over her decision.

I’m so glad the hero and heroine found their happy ending. The ending of this tale brought tears to my eyes. If you enjoy heart-felt holiday romances, then you will love Christmas at the Second Chance Chocolate Shop. Happy reading!

Virtual Book Tour: Thicker Than Blood by Anne Marie Citro

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: May 1, 2017

Every paramedic’s worst nightmare is to arrive at the scene of a horrific accident and find out that the victim is someone they love. Or, in Caden Ross’s case, the woman he used to love. It took two years to finally get over Dakota and move on with his life, or so Caden believed, until he has to face the thought of a world without her. Nothing could have prepared the handsome, headstrong off-duty paramedic for the emotional upheaval of keeping the woman he once thought would be his forever alive.

Dakota Martineau appeared to have the world in the palm of her hand. She is beautiful, kind, has an adoring family, including her best friend and identical twin sister. She has a passion for incorporating her love of life, family, and her cultural background into her dream job with special needs kids. Then, in a life-altering crash, she discovers just how fragile life is. Thankful to be surrounded by an incredible group of friends who will help heal, not just her body, but also her soul, she knows she should be happy she is alive and on the mend, but Dakota is still tormented by the loss of her one true love.

How can you feel safe with the one person who hurt you the most? What road will Caden and Dakota take when they discover fate wreaked havoc on everything they thought was true?

About the Author

Anne Marie Citro grew born and raised in the greater Toronto area of Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a large, loving family. Anne Marie is married to a very patient man. He is the love of her life. They have four very cool sons, and the girls they brought into their family that have become daughters of her heart. She has been blessed enough to finally have a beautiful granddaughter after four sons. She has her own personal gaggle of girlfriends, who enrich her life on a daily basis and make her laugh. Caesar Friday is her favourite day of the week. Caesars with the girls and date night with her hubby. She works with special-needs teenagers, that have taught her how to appreciate life and see it through gentler eyes. Anne Marie was encouraged by her husband to follow her lifelong dream to write. She loves the characters that take over imagination and haunts her dreams. She loves the arts and she has tried her hand at painting, wood sculpting, chainsaw carving, wood burning, metal and wire sculptures. Yes, her husband is a very patient man! Anne Marie is an avid reader and enjoys about three books per week. But nothing makes her happier then riding on the back of her husband's Harley and throwing her arms out and feeling the wind race by. Anne Marie and her husband take a few weeks every year to travel to spectacular destination around the world. Anne Marie is excited and can't wait to see what the next chapter holds for her life.

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Promo Blitz: She Do Run Run by Amy Swifton

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: September 26, 2017

Publisher: Broadback

She Do Run Run is a fast, double-shot-of-espresso read. Its heart-racing story can be consumed in a few quick hours.

Jenny’s life is shattered when her Special Ops husband is killed. To escape the pain, she falls into a dangerous cycle of random sex and booze, and one night she kills a violent man.

She runs off into the unknown, desperate to survive and change her life. That’s when Lieutenant Jon Dowling appears.

Excerpt

Enraged, KC bounced off the bed, faltered, then whirled about to face me.  He broke for me, spitting threats and curses, his giant shadow of a body charging.  I felt a twist of terror in the pit of my stomach.

I slipped the Luger from my purse easily—feeling the cool, sticky grip.  There was no time to shout out a warning.  He was coming—a charging, killing animal.  I squeezed off two shots.  The impact stunned him, jerked him erect.  Froze him.  I could see his eyes, wide in the bright flash of yellow neon.  He heaved out a loud breath, like a snort.

“You shot me, you bitch!  I’ll kill you!  You fuckin’ shot me!  I’ll kill you!”

He came at me, a big angry bear reaching.  I fired two more shots.  I watched in horror as he teetered, and stumbled backwards off-balance.  He bounced off the wall, face blank, and dropped like a heavy sack.  I felt the thud of his body shake the floor under my bare feet.

I stood breathing, sweating, heart kicking.  I knew he was dead.  I didn’t need to check.  I mean, I shot him four times, for Chrissake!  Did anyone hear the shots?  I strained my ears.  Dead quiet.  Were there people next door?  Would someone call the police?

Strangely, I felt calm—incredibly calm.  Where was the shock?  Methodically, I slipped the handgun back into my purse.  Then I realized I was naked.  I found my clothes, slipped them on, turned the room lights on dim and searched the room, refusing to look at KC, making sure I hadn’t left anything: still had my earrings, watch, phone, purse.  Would there be finger prints?  Maybe.  I knew, from some of Kyle’s police buddies, that prints were hard to find.  I hadn’t touched many things.  I hadn’t even drunk from a glass or used a towel.  What about hair in the bed?  A broken nail?  No time to search.  Impossible anyway.

I turned off the lights and slipped out of the motel into a dark humid night.  The motel office was 70 feet or so away and, fortunately, I hadn’t stepped inside the office with KC when he registered.  I had not been seen.  I listened for police sirens.   Nothing.  Strange.

We had come on KC’s motorcycle, leaving my car in the bar’s parking lot.  I’d have to walk the five miles or so, and I did, keeping my head low, edging along in the shadows.

When I arrived back at the bar, the parking lot was still bloated with motorcycles, trucks and old dinged up cars.  I glanced about, saw a couple locked in a kiss near the front door, climbed into my car, cranked the engine and drove away, still feeling oddly calm.  Why?  I had just killed a man.

The police would soon be looking for the killer, of course.  The bartender had seen me, and the man who had moved to give me his barstool, had seen me.  Would they remember what I looked like?  As far as I knew, they were the only ones.  No one knew my name or anything else about me.  Still, there was no doubt the police would find some evidence.  If there was hair in the bed, they’d run a DNA test.  This was Florida after all, and Florida cops weren’t stupid, at least not the ones Kyle and I had known.

So, what now?  I drove, and drove, and kept on driving.  I lost track of time and place, my mind soon entranced by the blurring white lines of the road, by the hum of the car engine and the expanding, chilling realization that I’d just killed a man. 

About the Author:

I'm a Florida-based writer, who loves all things romantic, with a shot of suspense.  I also love to write Time Travel Novels.

When the characters keep me up nights, I feel good about the story.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon

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