Author Nana Prah ('Love Through Time') on the existence of soulmates

Do you believe in soulmates? Have you found yours? Romance writer Nana Prah tackled this topic in her debut novel 'Love Through Time.' Here, she shares her feelings on this topic. Be sure to leave her a comment or question below!

Do Soul Mates Exist? by Nana Prah

Thinking about soul mates makes my scalp get all tingly. There are many ways the term can be taken, but I like to think of it romantically as meeting someone you were always meant to be with, because your souls made an agreement to love each other in this life, maybe more. I love the notion of knowing that two people were made for each other.

Do I believe in them? I’d like to, I really would. The thought of having a soul mate appeals to me and makes me happy, but I think it’s a rare gift to actually find a soul mate.

In novels I suspend reality so the idea is acceptable and I even anticipate it, but I know that real life is not a novel. I do believe that soul mates exist, but I don’t think most of us ever find ours. Perhaps we get to know our soul companions instead. I just made that up to help us all feel better.

The potential of having a soul mate impresses me so much I couldn’t resist writing about it in my debut novel, Love Through Time. Jasmine and Sean are destined loves who have known each other through many lifetimes. Jasmine is privileged to remember a few of these shared lives through daydreams while Sean only gets the instinctual aspect of their shared experiences.

If I ever meet my own soul mate I’ll definitely sing another tune about their existence and frequency of occurrence, but for now, reading and writing about it in romance novels is the closest I’m going to get.

Love Through Time
by Nana Prah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:

Defending her family – no problem. Recalling past lives – maybe just a small problem. Taking a chance on love again – well…

Jasmine Gibson has her world turned upside down when she meets gorgeous Sean Taylor. He’s the first man she’s been attracted to since her fiancé dumped her two years ago. But when the disturbing daydreams start, Jasmine begins to fear that her actions in a past life may have finally caught up with her.

Sean finds it impossible to stay away from Jasmine even though he can’t shake the inexplicable feeling of betrayal, simmering deep inside him every time he sees her.

To complicate things, someone is out to hurt Jasmine and every time she and Sean are together, the police have to be called. Even if Jasmine can make Sean trust her, the two of them may not stay alive long enough to enjoy their love this time around.

Read an excerpt:

Jasmine stepped back but remained within his embrace. She didn’t look up into his face. “Thanks,” she said, wiping her cute nose on her sleeve for lack of a tissue.

“No problem. It’s been a rough day, you’re allowed to cry.” She fit into his body as if she’d been carved from him. It was such a peaceful embrace, a perfect fit of two bodies in sync, two souls in harmony with each other. Sean felt the most at home he’d ever felt with anyone. He knew her and somehow he could sense that she knew him, even though they were total strangers.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently.

“Embarrassed, but I’m better.” She stepped out of his embrace and started walking again.

They walked for a little while without speaking. “Why don’t you ever look at me?”

“What?” She kicked a rock but continued walking.

He grabbed her arm to turn her around. “Why don’t you ever look at me? It seems as if you’ve been going out of your way not to look at me.”

Her head was down as she gave a slight shrug of her slim shoulders.

“Will you please look at me?” His voice was calm even though he felt desperate with the need to gaze into her beautiful brown eyes once again.

“I’m afraid,” she mumbled.

“Of what? Am I so ugly that you’ll turn into stone?”

Her full lips curved into a small smile. “Not at all.”

“What are you afraid of?”

Buy links

Also available at All Romance

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Nana Prah was born in Ghana, West Africa, raised in the US and currently resides back in Ghana where she loves her job as a writer and nurse educator. She has been writing since she can remember (in her journal) and has been an avid reader of romance novels since the eighth grade. She has finally been able to utilize the years and years of inadvertent research into writing her own romance novels where love always conquers all.

Contact info:

Blog : www.nanaprah.blogspot.com
Facebook: Nana Prah, Author
Twitter: @NanaPrah

Nana will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. Follow the tour for more chances to win!
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Author Susanna Fraser (Twelve Days of Christmas Past) talks about the challenges of writing a novella

Writing a novella requires a different mindset than writing a short story or a novel. Today, author Susanna Fraser shares with us her thoughts on crafting a novella. Be sure to check out her contribution to the Twelve Days of Christmas Past collection!

The Challenges of Writing a Novella

I’d finished four novel-length manuscripts (three of which are now published) before I ever attempted a novella. Novels are my imagination’s natural groove—when I think of a story idea, the time frame, character development, and level of conflict just seem to fit 80,000-100,000 words.

Despite that, I decided to teach myself to write novellas. Since I have a nagging shoulder injury that keeps me from being the fastest writer ever, I wanted the option of being able to produce shorter works to intersperse with my novels and, hopefully, keep my readers from having to wait too long for their next Susanna Fraser fix!

Unfortunately my first few attempts at the shorter length fell flat—so flat that I never even completed them or submitted them to an editor. Looking back, my problem was that the ideas I attempted weren’t so much naturally suited to the shorter length as they were full-length novel ideas I wasn’t quite 9 months of my life and 90,000 words worth of interested in. Once I realized what I was doing, my reason for failure was blindingly obvious. I had to find ideas I loved that belonged in a novella format.

At its heart, the job of a romance story of any length is to convince the reader of the happy ending. No matter the internal conflict and external barriers keeping the hero and heroine apart on page one—and there had better be some significant conflict there, or the story will fall flat—by the time the reader reaches the last page she has to believe these people are meant for each other, and that all of those conflicts have either been resolved or rendered insignificant by the strength of their love.

It’s much easier to do that in 90,000 words than in 15,000. The characters have six times the space to defeat their inner demons and face down whatever enemies stand between their happiness. They have chapters and chapters more to show their chemistry through witty dialogue, hot sex, or both.

After looking at novellas that worked for me as a reader, I realized that almost all of them started with a hero and heroine who already had a history together, and that the conflict keeping them apart was relatively straightforward—not slight, because then you don’t have a story, but simple enough to solve in a shorter page count.

Based on that insight, I’ve now completed and sold three novellas—two that are already out, and another for Christmas 2014. The first, A Dream Defiant, is a marriage of convenience story with two friends forced to marry quickly and build a love from there. And my Christmas 2014 story is a reunion romance about a star-crossed pair torn apart as young lovers who meet again just a week before the heroine’s planned wedding to another man.

In Christmas Past, my story in The Twelve Days of Christmas Past anthology, the hero and heroine don’t have a long history with each other. Sydney, the heroine, is a PhD student from 2013 who’s only been back in 1810 for a few weeks on a research assignment. Despite rules that dictate she should avoid getting too close to the locals, she’s been flirting with handsome soldier Miles. When her time machine breaks, stranding her in the past, and he discovers her secret, he has to convince her to make her home in the past with him rather than sacrificing herself to protect the timeline. The story covers less than 24 hours, and it’s a snapshot of two people deciding to act on their attraction, with the ending a Happily For Now (with strong likelihood that they’ll choose a Happily Ever After down the road).

As challenging as novellas are, I’m going to keep writing them. At the moment I’m working on a full-length novel and enjoying stretching out into my longer word count and writing a BIG story…but I’m also looking at the hero’s younger sister and thinking about the novella I could write for her next.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Past: An anthology of four historical novellas

Publisher: Entangled
Genre: Historical Romance

The Countess's Groom
by Emily Larkin

Rose, the Countess Malmstoke, is trapped in a marriage from hell. Escape seems impossible—until her horse groom Will Fenmore offers to help her find a way out.

Will has loved Rose since she was brought to Creed Hall as a new bride, but their relationship has only ever been that of mistress and servant. Born worlds apart, Will knows he could never be her husband, but maybe he can be her salvation.

As they plan her escape to the American colonies, Rose learns to trust Will with her life and her heart, but trusting him with her body is another matter. Can she conquer her fear of the marriage bed? Is the future she dreams of—being Will’s wife—possible?

Website: www.emilylarkin.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6943048.Emily_Larkin

Christmas Past
by Susanna Fraser

Time-traveling PhD student Sydney Dahlquist’s first mission sounded simple enough—spend two weeks in December 1810 collecting blood samples from the sick and wounded of Wellington’s army, then go home to modern-day Seattle and Christmas with her family. But when her time machine breaks, stranding her in the past, she must decide whether to sacrifice herself to protect the timeline or to build a new life—and embrace a new love—two centuries before her time.

Rifle captain Miles Griffin has been fascinated by the tall, beautiful “Mrs. Sydney” from the day he met her caring for wounded soldiers. When he stumbles upon her time travel secret on Christmas Eve, he vows to do whatever it takes to seduce her into making her home in his present—by his side.

Website: http://www.susannafraser.com/

Blog: http://authorsusannafraser.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susannafraser

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanna.fraser

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4133822.Susanna_Fraser

The Blacksmith’s Son
By Rebecca Thomas

Captain Quentin Drake returns home after his Naval commission ends to find a young groom being beaten in the village stables. Weary from his travels, he only wants a good night's sleep, but refuses to turn a blind eye to the lad's mistreatment. He intervenes, taking the lad to his room, only to discover the boy...is a woman.

After Ally Lockwood witnesses an earl murdering another man, she’s in fear for her life. She flees his estate and masquerades as a boy while assisting the local blacksmith. Her ruse is up when a handsome stranger tending to her wounds disrobes her. Involvement with the Captain lures Ally into believing she can return to life as a woman, but it may also draw the killer back on her trail.

The Earl’s Christmas Colt
By Rebecca Thomas

Lady Arabella Sutton is stunned to learn her brother has betrothed her to a stranger despite his promises for a season in London. Although she is the first to admit no man would suit, since she’s more interested in horses than marriage, the last thing she wants is to become a brood mare to a stuffy old earl. Facing a future she cannot abide, she takes an impetuous ride to clear her head and ends up tending her injured mare instead.

Oliver Westwyck, the Earl of Marsdale, can’t believe his luck when he stops at an inn the night before he’s to meet his fiancée. In the stable, while tending the colt he intends to give to his future wife, he happens upon her—rain-drenched but beautiful. She assumes he’s a stable hand, a fine joke he means to end...until Lady Arabella declares all noblemen are egotistical, conceited, and arrogant. How can he reveal his true identity before he’s managed to change her mind and win her heart?

Website: www.rebeccathomas.org
Blog: www.FromHeretoThereRomance.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rebecca_Thomas3
Facebook: www.facebook.com/beccawriter
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/555976.Rebecca_Thomas

Available on Amazon

'Schooled (The Teacher Series Book #1)' by Michelle Lowhorn Book Blitz!

Schooled

The Teacher Series Book # 1

By- Michelle Lowhorn

Genre- Romantic Suspense

Publication Date- October 16, 2013

Published By- Rebel Ink Press

Feisty fourth grade teacher, Emmelynne Johnson, is fiercely independent and has a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush. While hiking at an area national park, she finds herself lost and alone. Just when she thinks she’s found her way, she unknowingly witnesses a brutal murder sanctioned by a local crime boss.

Colt Christianson, homicide detective for the Fort Worth Police Department, is known for his dedication and willingness to do whatever necessary to solve the crime. Still grieving for his late partner, Colt is called to investigate a murder that has connections to his partner’s death.

When the killers attempt to silence the only witness, the detective switches roles to become her protector. Together they will be forced to fight two battles, one against the killers and one against their burgeoning mutual attraction.

 

About the Author-

I’ve always said that I’ve got the two best jobs in the world, mother and teacher. Now I can add a third, romance author. My husband, Randy, and I live in Texas with our two teenagers, Jessie & Nate. 

When I’m not teaching or writing, you can bet I’ve got my nose in a book. I’ve got a serious addiction to reading all genres of romance novels. Becoming an author is a dream come true.

    

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Author J.D. Netto ('Whispers of the Fallen') shares his Top 10 Favorite Books

Author J.D. Netto shares his Top 10 Favorite Books. Which ones are on your list? Which ones do you still want to read?

As an author, one of my greatest pleasures is reading. I enjoy books that make me forget my current reality and transport me to a different world. Here is a list of my top ten favorite books!

1) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R.Tolkien.
He is a true legend when it comes to fantasy novels. His work is timeless; his creativity inspirational. From the three books, The Return of the King is my favorite.

2) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K.Rowling.
I believe I do not have to say much when it comes to this novel. Rowling is an absolute genius and her ability to immerse me in her work is fantastic.

3) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
Katniss’s courage is admirable and the storyline is fresh and different.

4) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis.
One of the greatest authors to have ever lived. This book is a true work of art.

5) The Shack by Paul Young.
This is one of those books that will make you analyze your whole life when you finish the last chapter. Young’s work is inspirational, teaching all readers the true meaning of forgiveness.

6) Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.
Crichton’s fresh spin on dinosaur cloning is groundbreaking. I came across this book in Middle School and it is still one of my favorites. As much as I enjoy the movie, I absolutely adore this novel.

7) Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.
Yes, I like vampires. Rice’s novel is dark and thrilling, making a great read.

8) A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.
Martin’s world comes alive with every word, allowing us to deeply love or/and hate his characters. I might have a soft spot for Joffrey.

9) The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer.
This is a tricky one for me. While I enjoyed Meyer’s suspenseful moments, I must say the ending was disappointing. It made it seem as if she did not want to hurt her characters in any way, creating a passive conflict resolution at the end. There was room for an epic finale, but I respect her creative decision.

10) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
Collins once again amazes us all with her ability to make us care so much for the people in Panem. Katniss is one of those characters that will live beyond our years.

Book Info-
Title-The Whispers of the Fallen
By- J.D. Netto
Genre-Fantasy/Paranormal
Publication Date- November 2012
Published By- Tristar Publishing Group

Blurb- Ever since the dawn of days, rumors about the Diary of Lucifer echoed throughout Elysium. Hidden from all human knowledge, the Diary was kept a secret, locked away in the small village of Agalmath. ​

Isaac and Demetre find themselves in a dangerous journey as they uncover the truth about the Diary and its guardians. However, for Isaac and Demetre, danger lies at every step, hidden in the most unexpected places. 

Hunted by the Nephilins and the Fallen Stars, they must find others who will join them in the battle against the coming darkness.

Read an excerpt:

“They performed the Soul Exchange. Demetre was offered to the Darkness when he was an infant. This offer gives liberty for any chosen Fallen Star to take over his body upon his blood maturation. Therefore, Demetre’s fate was chosen for him.” Devin sighed. “This is a dangerous thing, given that a Fallen Star is now hosted in a human body. Their tissue, skin and blood have intertwined. They are one.”

I placed both of my hands on my face, closed my eyes and once again cried bitterly. Demetre, the person I had known throughout my entire life, the person that knew me best, died without having a choice. A part of me wanted to refuse to believe that this was true, but deep inside I knew the truth had to be embraced now.

The Whispers of the Fallen - Chapter VI

Buy links
Also available from iTunes

About the Author-

J.D.Netto (Jorge de Oliveira Netto) is brazilian-born. Raised in Framingham, MA, J.D.Netto always had an eye for epic fantasy and story-telling. At an early age, he had the habit of locking himself in his room, turning on any soundtrack he could find, and there he would write for hours.

During his senior year in High School, J.D.Netto had an idea that changed his life, 'What if Lucifer had a Diary? What if the Diary was a secret? What if the secret was a reality?' These simple questions led him to write for six consecutive years, researching, perfecting his craft, and creating the world of Elysium. All the promotional visuals of the novel, including the cover, were designed by J.D.Netto, proving that he is not only a writer, but an innovative visual designer.

Links-

Website- www.thewhispersofthefallen.com
Facebook- facebook.com/thewhispersofthefallen
Twitter- https://twitter.com/jd_netto
Instagram: jdnetto


Giveaway Info-
Author will be giving away four paperback books during the tour. All they have to do is "like" the official facebook page ( facebook.com/thewhispersofthefallen ) and leave a comment.

Facebook Event- https://www.facebook.com/events/770684749612326/

Cover Reveal! 'The Deep End of the Sea' by Heather Lyons

We are extremely excited to be able to share with you the cover for Heather Lyons' THE DEEP END OF THE SEA!! The cover alone is giving us chills! You can buy THE DEEP END OF THE SEA February 13, 2014!!  

 

About THE DEEP END OF THE SEA:  

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

 

About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.    

Links:

Website: http://www.heatherlyons.net

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/heatherlyons

THE DEEP END OF THE SEA Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18844839-the-deep-end-of-the-sea?ac=1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hymheather

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherlyonsbooks?fref=ts   

Cover Reveal! 'I See London' by Chanel Cleeton - Available for Pre-Order!

I See London

February 3, 2014

Harlequin HQN (Digital First)

New Adult Contemporary Romance

BOOK BLURB:

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

Read an excerpt:

The Houses of Parliament were one of the most awe-inspiring things I’d ever seen. They dominated the landscape, proud and strong. I crossed the street, standing in a grassy square opposite the buildings. I basked in the moment. This was the epicenter of history and politics. Greatness happened here. And somehow I was a part of it.

I hadn’t totally chosen the International School on a whim. When I received that horrid letter from Harvard, I panicked. I didn’t have a backup plan—not a good one, anyway. I had no desire to stay in the same town where I’d lived my whole life, feeling like I never quite fit in. I wanted a chance to do something different. If I couldn’t make one of my dreams happen, I wanted a chance at another one.

Ever since I was a kid I’d been fascinated by England. I couldn’t say for sure when the love affair started. Maybe it was all the pomp and majesty that came with the monarchy, so different from my quiet life in South Carolina. Or maybe it was the history or my romanticism, the love of books filled with dukes and earls. Whatever it was, London had been a dream, one I promised I would indulge when I graduated university and made something of myself.

Now, standing in front of Parliament, I felt the sense of accomplishment that had eluded me since my Harvard rejection. I was living my dream now.

Available to pre-order

Also available on iTunes

About the author

Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university. In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever. But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet.

Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband. Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers. Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.

Author Links:
Website: www.chanelcleeton.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorchanelcleeton
Twitter: www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton

GIVEAWAY: Chanel is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. CODE: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Cristelle Comby talks about her latest installment in the Neve & Egan series: 'Ruby Heart'

This book is the second book in the Neve & Egan series. Is it important to read the first book, Russian Dolls, as well, or can this one stand alone?

In this one, Neve and Egan take on a brand new case, so it can be read as a stand alone. Of course, some characters that we first met in Russian Dolls reappear in Ruby Heart, but I trust there are enough tidbits of back-story here and there for newcomers to fully enjoy this story without having read the first one.

How many more books do you anticipate in this series?

I don’t know – lots! The third one is half-way done, and I have many ideas for more.

What do you love the most about this series?

My characters, definitely. I love to watch them evolve and grow. Writing, to me, is all about characters undertaking emotional and physical journeys.

What is so appealing about the relationship between Alexandra and Ashford?

Because they are very different individuals, I think they manage to bring the best out of each other. Egan is a grounding presence to Neve. He anchors her to reality, teaches her to be careful and think of consequences. In return, she helps him open up to others and become a better person. Such relationships are very rewarding from a writer’s standpoint.

What kind of research did you need to do for this series?

Blindness, mostly. I really wanted to portray Egan’s disability in a fair, honest, realistic way (which is not easy to do, when you have both eyes to rely on). For Russian Dolls, I had to do some research on Russian Mafia, woman trafficking. For Ruby Heart, I focused on World War Two and Jew deportation, because it plays a big part on how this necklace disappeared the first time.

On what other projects are you currently working?

The next book in the series, Danse Macabre. I hope to finish the first draft during the Christmas Holidays and am aiming for a release in spring or early summer of 2014.

I have many other ideas swimming in my head, but I’d like to focus on the ‘Neve & Egan series’ for the moment.

What is the best piece of writing advice you have ever received?

“Never give up!” I think that’s the most important one. Whatever happens, you have to keep going, because you never know where the road will lead you.

Another very good saying is “You’re the only one who can kill your dreams” and that one’s equally true.

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I’m a very good cook. I love to bake pastries and desserts. I often cook on the weekend and share the results with my colleagues on Monday morning.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks a lot for having me and I hope you and your readers will enjoy the book. I would love to hear what you thought of it, so please drop by my website to leave me a note.

Thank you so much for your time!

Ruby Heart
by Cristelle Comby

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

When elderly client Doris Hargrave informs private investigator Alexandra Neve that her beloved antique ruby heart necklace has gone missing for the second time in a period of over sixty years, Alexandra knows this is no ordinary jewellery theft. The ruby heart is a family heirloom and the only thing that connects an ailing Mrs Hargrave to her parents, who were murdered during the Holocaust.

To solve the case, Alexandra and her business partner, blind history professor Ashford Egan, must sift through obscure Holocaust documents to find out the truth. It’s that way that they learn of a secret World War II-era love affair which could hold the key to all the answers they are looking for. Meanwhile, Egan is under immense pressure from the university to quit his private investigating business, and Alexandra is afraid that a man she trusts will leave her. Again.

When Alexandra begins to receive anonymous threats and her flat is vandalised, this all becomes personal. Knowing that there is someone out there to hurt her, Alexandra vows to find that elusive ruby heart if it’s the last thing she ever does.

Read an excerpt:

Being a private investigator is nothing like as glamorous or exciting as books and films make it look. Some warning of those harsh facts before I opened my own Private Investigation agency is unlikely to have deterred me, but I wish we’d been a bit more perceptive about it all beforehand. “We” is myself and my former university lecturer, Professor Ashford Egan, now a good friend and colleague.

Although you could say I stumbled into the sleuthing world quite by accident, that accident was shocking and dramatic. I’d always led a very quiet, ordinary life, until the day my best friend was murdered.

That horror stopped short my meandering, easy life and so much changed. I had no idea this would result in my very first investigation, but it did. Egan and I put a stop to a Russian criminal syndicate — with its complicit upstanding British citizens — by delving into the murky worlds of human trafficking, arms dealing, murder and arson. Sounds horribly exciting and dangerous, doesn’t it? It was… to the point where I was nearly killed, not just once but twice, and Egan was kidnapped.

However, I have since discovered that the everyday life of a PI isn’t always so intense. Most of our cases involve suspicious spouses and lost items, or even worse… lost dogs. Life isn’t always like it is in books and films, so why should the job of PI be so? We can’t afford to refuse a client, even when the case is not as appealing as a mysterious unsolved murder or a missing painting on some tropical island. Our advert in the Yellow Pages claims, completely truthfully, that we provide “Comprehensive, all-round services. We diligently seek out the truth for our clients. Discretion assured.”

Available on Amazon

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cristelle Comby was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides.

Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent.

She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting.

Ruby Heart is her second new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the Neve & Egan series.

Website: http://cristelle-comby.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cristelle.comby

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Cristelle

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Cristelle%20Comby&search-alias=digital-text&sort=relevancerank

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CristelleComby

Cristelle will be awarding a signed paperback of Ruby Heart plus a signed copy of book 1, Russian Dolls, to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY) Follow the tour for more chances to win!

Review of 'Home for Christmas' by Roxy Boroughs

Home for Christmas 

by Roxy Boroughs

This holiday season, April Rochester must decide if her first love is merely “Home for Christmas” – or home for good.

James Frost, the black sheep of the family, is back in Carol Falls, Vermont, to build a big box store and prove he’s a success. His plans derail when he learns his high school sweetheart has moved back to town also, along with her autistic son, Marcus.

Ten years ago Jimmy and April eloped, only to be torn apart when April’s parents insisted on an annulment. Their love for each other never died, however, and this could be their second chance.

But James has been hiding behind a mountain of secrets, one of them involving baby Holly, the abandoned child recently found at the family farm.

And all of James’ well-kept secrets are about to come tumbling down.

**My thoughts**

This is one of those short Christmas reads that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling. A bit of romance being rekindled between old lovers, a man finding a new appreciation for his family, an autistic child finding a permanent home and breakthroughs. It works as a stand-alone, which is how I read it. I am interested in checking out the other two books, to figure out more of the mystery.

This book has a lot of issues crammed into its few pages. Jimmy has his own secrets that he is hiding. His reasoning for coming reminds me a lot of Matt Damon's character in the movie Promised land. The big evil corporation is sending him into the small town, hoping that he can be the one to infiltrate the community and make the corporate magic happen. He has to relearn those small own values and examine his own beliefs. He also has his own personal struggles and has to deal with a life-changing revelation. 

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, a 40,000 word sweet romance novella, is Book Two of ‘A Frost Family Christmas’ trilogy. Each novella is a complete romance with a linking mystery connecting the three books.

The three titles in this series are as follows:

Book 1 = WHAT CHILD IS THIS by C.J. Carmichael -  Book 2 = HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Roxy Boroughs -  Book 3 = THE HOLLY & THE IVY by Brenda M. Collins - 

Want a little mystery along with your holiday romances this Christmas?

Then visit the Frost Family in Carol Falls, Vermont and enjoy these three heartwarming novellas.

* * *

ROXY BOROUGHS BIO

Before turning her attention to fiction, Roxy appeared in numerous TV commercials and movies, and ‘tread the boards’ in theaters from New York to Newfoundland.

In addition to HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, and the free short story LETTING GO, she’s also published two romantic suspense titles, the award-winning A STRANGER’S TOUCH and its sequel, a romantic comedy called CRAZY FOR COWBOY and the sweet romance anthology STORIES OF CHANCE ROMANCE with Brenda M. Collins.

Check them all out on her Amazon Page.

Follow Roxy:

Literary Addicts | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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'First Position' by Prescott Lane Super Book Blast!

First Position
by Prescott Lane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Emory faces life’s challenges at the one place that’s never failed her, the ballet barre. But even the barre can’t steady her when fate brings her face-to-face with her old college flame, Mason, who’s hoping to return to the NFL after a career-threatening injury. Before they can surrender to their sexual desires and find salvation in each other’s arms, they need to come to terms with their past. Mason must confront the demons that have set him on a path of self-destruction, while Emory must decide whether to keep her painful secrets locked away, or expose them and risk losing the love of her life. But nothing can prepare Mason for what Emory has kept hidden, or the possibility that he himself may be to blame for the very secrets she keeps – and why they continue to haunt her.

Read an excerpt:

Emory sat between Olivia and Wesley, as three nail technicians worked on their feet. “This is the best idea you’ve had in a while, girl,” Wesley said, wiggling his toes in the water. “Thanks for inviting me.” Emory pointed to Olivia giving her credit.

“She told me about Tomás, and honey, there’s nothing better for a broken heart than hitting the spa.”

“Thank you, Olivia, I’m feeling better already.” Wesley leaned his head back, easing his mind. “We’re not just doing feet, huh?”

“We’re doing it all!” Emory said, giggling. “Manis, pedis, facials, massages, and Olivia, you’re getting your hair and makeup done for our shoot.”

“We deserve it all,” Olivia said, “for all the shit we put up with from our men.” Wesley and Emory nodded in agreement, but then Olivia turned serious. “But what I really need is a wax. Must be a damn forest down there by now!” Wesley and Emory, along with the technicians, erupted in laughter. “Was that inappropriate?”

“No way,” he said. “I come here once a month to take care of that area. They have this hard wax they use. Hurts less.”

Olivia appreciated the tip. “I might try that.”

“Too much information, Wesley,” Emory said.

“Whatever, it’s not like I said she should vajazzle herself.”

Emory hid her face, mortified, regretting she’d allowed Wesley to come, but Olivia was intrigued. “Is that popular in Charlotte? It seems all the Texas housewives are doing it.”

Wesley quickly asked, “Emory?”

“I wouldn’t know,” she said, then apologized to the technicians for her friends.

“Oh, come on,” he said, “we ballerinas are all bare down there. You can’t have more than a landing strip.”

“I prefer Brazilian,” Olivia volunteered.

Emory turned bright red. “Someone help me!”

Available on Amazon

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Prescott Lane is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from Centenary College in 1997 with a degree in sociology. She went on to Tulane University to receive her MSW in 1998, after which she worked with developmentally delayed and disabled children. She currently resides in New Orleans with her husband and two children.

Social Media

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Prescott will be awarding an eBook copy of "First Position" to 5 randomly drawn commenters during the tour. Follow the tour for more chances to win!

'Good Faith' by Liz Crowe Super Book Blast!

GOOD FAITH
By Liz Crowe

BLURB:

Strong personalities—volatile marriages—stressful careers—conflicting goals—difficult children.

Contemporary challenges facing close-knit families form the crucible that forges a new generation.

Brandis, Gabriel, Blair and Lillian emerge from the entanglement of their parents’ longstanding emotional connections, but one’s star will burn brighter – and hotter – than the others.

With a personality that consumes everyone and everything in its path, Brandis Gordon struggles to maintain control as he ricochets between wild success and miserable failure. His life proves how even the strongest relationships can be strangled by the ties that bind.

Brandis and Gabe Frietag are as close as any brothers, bound by both loyalty and fierce rivalry. The strength of their ultimate alliance is tested time and again by Brandis’ choices.

Companions from birth, Blair Frietag and Lillian Robinson share loner tendencies, but come to rely on each other through adolescence. As they mature, both are forced to confront their feelings for the men they knew as boys.

Somewhere between the tangle of good memories and bad, independence and addiction, optimism and despair, the intertwined destinies of the new generation finally collide, leaving some stronger, others broken, but none unscathed.

As a chronicle of three families navigating the minefields of teen years into the turbulence of young adulthood, Good Faith holds up a literary mirror to contemporary life with joys and temptations unflinchingly reflected. Its fresh, real-life voice portrays the sheer volatility of human nature, complete with the hopes, dreams, and unexpected setbacks of marriage, parenthood and “coming of age.”

Read an excerpt:

That morning his father had roused him from a sound sleep. He’d blinked, confused, by the angle of the sunlight. He rarely slept much past eight since he usually had some sort of training or the other.

“Let’s go son. Time for lunch.”

Brandis had dragged himself up, his limbs feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds each. His brain buzzed with a strange sort of energy, his typical state, and not at all welcome considering it normally didn’t hit him until later in the day. The conversation his father began as soon as they were seated at their usual diner did not help.

“So, listen, Brandis. These girls…Katie’s friends from college….”

Brandis sipped his ice water, waiting for his father to finish the thought. His heart pounded, and his face flushed hot with embarrassment.

Jack sighed, as if exasperated that Brandis didn’t pick up the thread on his own, leaving him to carry on with the awkwardness about to ensue. Then he leveled his gaze, his face open, not angry or judgmental. “I think that you may be in for some…I mean, they’re…shit.”

“If you are gonna tell me where babies come from again,” Brandis said, after deciding to ease his father’s obvious distress. He cocked an eyebrow and half a smile. Jack seemed to relax somewhat as Brandis continued. “Don’t bother. I already know.”

He flashed his brightest smile up at the middle-aged woman who stood at their table, coffee pot in hand. She blinked rapidly at him, and at that precise moment, Brandis got his first flash of…something…about his power. Up until now he’d merely been “Brandis the trouble maker, the causer of strife.” Suddenly, he felt strong, amazingly so, stronger than even the man sitting across from him, a taller, older version of himself. His body tingled all over, as he tested the smile out again on the woman, making her slop some coffee out onto the table. His father frowned, but then chuckled as the woman walked away after they gave their orders.

“Son,” he said, leaning back and cradling the coffee mug to his chest. “Your adventure has only just begun.”

“Huh?” Brandis picked up his cup but didn’t drink any. He hated coffee, but had ordered it in a burst of need to be more like Jack. As he sipped the bitter stuff, he was transported back years before when he and his dad would spend every single Saturday morning together, eating breakfast at this very diner. He had adored the man, he remembered distinctly. His chest hurt at the simplicity of their relationship then. He looked away from Jack’s deep blue, knowing gaze.

The subject changed of its own accord, and Brandis let it. Although part of him wanted to ask for advice, a much bigger part would not allow the words past his lips.

They ate, discussing the upcoming football season and Brandis’ part in it. The recruiting company Jack had contracted last year to video his every move would start up with the first game. He’d made varsity again, technically as backup quarterback to a senior boy. Brandis didn’t see this as a setback and had every intention of starting under center by the second or third game.

Finally, when they pushed their empty plates back and sat looking at each other, Brandis felt more comfortable in his father’s presence than he had been in a long time. Jack said, “I am pretty sure at least one of those girls sleeping in the basement is determined to change the status of your virginity for you probably as soon as tonight.”

Brandis choked on the last sip of lukewarm coffee. His face burned, and his body tingled again. “I’m…it’s…uh….” He clutched the napkin in his lap unable to meet his father’s eyes.

“No need to say anything. Let’s just say your mother is an astute reader of female intent. While I was busy admiring your sister’s friend’s ass, she apparently read the girl’s mind or something.” Brandis’ face flushed even hotter.

He resisted the urge to protest, to proclaim his innocence of such things. Because he wanted it back—those mornings between them, father and son, man and boy, not this awkward, man and almost-man bullshit. Because while the thought of one of his sister’s college friends popping his cherry remained a pleasant fantasy, it also made him feel older than he wanted to be right then.

“So, I bought a box of condoms this morning,” Jack went on. “Put some downstairs in the side table drawer and the rest in your room. Use them please.” He sipped the last of his coffee, looked as if he were about to get up, then leaned forward, touching Brandis’ wrist. “Have fun. Don’t be an asshole to women. Let every experience teach you…something. Because you are nothing as a man if you don’t learn from every woman you…love.” Jack looked out the window onto the nearly empty parking lot. Then he turned back, tightened his grip on his son’s arm. “God, you are so…young.” His face fell a moment, then he perked up again, his eyes twinkling. “Okay, so, your mother told me to tell you not to let them corrupt you. But all I’m gonna say is this: always wear protection, no matter what, no matter how much you don’t want to. And don’t let your mom catch you in the act. I’ll handle her otherwise.”

Then he let go, stood and smiled, draping a friendly arm around Brandis’ shoulders as they exited the restaurant.

“You really didn’t tell me you were admiring Katie’s friend’s ass, did you, Dad?”

“No, son. I most certainly did not. You obviously misheard me.” Jack winked as he stood by the passenger’s side of his classic Corvette convertible and tossed the keys to Brandis. “Remember what I told you. Don’t ride my clutch.”

Available on Amazon

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Amazon best-selling author, beer blogger and beer marketing expert, mom of three, and soccer fan, Liz lives in the great Midwest, in a major college town. She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse. While working as a successful Realtor, Liz made the leap into writing novels about the same time she agreed to take on marketing and sales for the Wolverine State Brewing Company.

Most days find her sweating inventory and sales figures for the brewery, unless she’s writing, editing or sweating promotional efforts for her latest publications.

Her early forays into the publishing world led to a groundbreaking fiction subgenre, “Romance for Real Life,” which has gained thousands of fans and followers interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”). More recently she is garnering even more fans across genres with her latest novels, which are more character-driven fiction, while remaining very much “real life.”

With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, in successful real estate offices and many times in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are unique and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, frustrate, and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

If you are in the Ann Arbor area, be sure and stop into the Wolverine State Brewing Co. Tap Room—but don’t ask her for anything “like” a Bud Light, or risk serious injury.

www.lizcrowe.com
www.brewingpasssion.com
www.a2beerwench.com
www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor
www.twitter.com/beerwencha2
www.facebook.com/groups/lizcrowefans

One randomly drawn winner will win an ebook or print copy of Good Faith, one randomly drawn winner gets an ebook or print copy (where available) of their choice of a Liz Crowe (Tri Destiny) backlist book and one grand prize winner will receive the ENTIRE Stewart Realty series in ebook OR print. Follow the tour for more chances to win!