The Most Eligible Bride in London by Ella Quinn

 Today I have an excerpt for you from a regency romance. Take a peek inside The Most Eligible Bride in London by Ella Quinn and then follow the tour for even more! Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Love conquers even the most unlikely lord in USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s delightful Lords of London series, as a reformed rogue endeavors to prove himself worthy of his chosen bride . . .

Mistakes happen, to be sure. Rarely are those mistakes as unfortunate as the one made by Nathanael, Viscount Fotherby, when he abducted the now Lady Merton to save his friend from marriage. Nate has been trying to make amends ever since, leaving behind his self-centered ways to fulfill his duties—and that includes finding a wife of his own. One woman sparks his interest above all others—a lady he helped when she was rescuing a child. Alas, there is a devilish complication . . .

Miss Henrietta Stern, Lady Merton’s younger sister, is intrigued by the stranger who comes to her aid—until she learns his identity. Nate’s stunt could have ruined her sister’s reputation, and her family may never forgive him. With beauty, connections, and a sizeable dowry, Henrietta has plenty of admirers. Yet no other suitor quickens her pulse quite like Nate does. Her heart insists that the gentleman has changed for the better. But can a renowned scoundrel possibly prove himself to be the perfect husband?

Read an excerpt:

“Miss, what should we do?” the messenger, a young boy named Toby they had hired for messages and odd jobs, asked Miss Henrietta Stern.

“Where is Mrs. Perriman?” She and her sister, Dotty, Marchioness of Merton, had assisted in the rescue of many children and infants during the time Henrietta had been in Town for her first Season. However, due to her sister’s pregnancy, they had asked Mrs. Perriman, the widow and daughter of army officers, who ran their charity, the Phoenix House, to perform the rescues. Normally Henrietta would not have hesitated, but she had never gone alone before.

“She’s out on another call, and I don’t know when she’ll be back.” The lad bounced from one foot to the other, clearly distraught. “The boy who brought the message said the baby’s mam died and the babe was poorly.”

There was only one thing to do. “I shall go.” Henrietta had read the short, barely literate note stating the sender had a baby they were willing to sell. “We’ll need to have a wet nurse brought here.”

“Miss Henrietta.” Parkin, her brother-in-law’s butler’s eyes rounded. “Neither her ladyship nor his lordship would approve.”

“It’s not as if I am going to St Giles or worse. It is still light and will be for the next hour. If we do not rescue this child now, it may die.” The butler’s stern countenance did not change. “I’ll take Cullen with me.” He was the largest of all Merton’s tall footmen. Henrietta suspected the man had been a soldier at one time, as many of the footmen were. “I shall be perfectly safe.” She would also take the Manton pistol that had been made for her.

“You will need a groom as well,” the butler said.

Henrietta stifled a sigh of relief. Parkin was not happy about this, but he would not stop her. “Yes, of course. Thank you.”

By the time she had changed into a sturdy, dark-blue wool serge gown she’d had made by the modiste at home, donned a plain bonnet, tucked her pistol in the pocket she’d had sewn into her mantle, and taken the coins needed from the strongbox kept for the purpose, the unmarked town coach was waiting in the street. “The address is just down from the Whitechapel workhouse. We must hurry. I do wish to be there and gone before it is dark.”

“Yes, miss.” The footman, now dressed in regular clothing, closed the coach door behind her, and the coach dipped as he climbed on the back.

The journey would take about a half hour, and the sun was already lower in the sky than she would have liked. Still, the chance to save another child was worth the risk, and she had three servants with her. Granted, two would remain with the coach. Still, Cullen would be enough to keep her safe.

A large traveling coach almost blocked the street, but they slid past the vehicle and pulled up on the other side of the road. It was still light enough, but the sun was sinking by the minute. The narrow street and tall buildings did not help.

The coachman opened the hatch in the roof. “The street we want is just ahead on the left.”

The footman opened the door and helped her out. “I’ll stay a bit behind you just in case they’re up to no good.”

Book Links:

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USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side (political science professor and lawyer). Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them.

She is married to her wonderful husband of almost fourty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, a Great Dane named Lilibet, and a cat named Winnie. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true lived on sailboat for three years. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. She expects to be back on the boat in 2022.

Ella loves when readers connect with her.

Author Contact and Social Media:

Website: https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ

The author will be giving away a $20 Amazon/BN Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Follow the tour for more chances to win!

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Read an exclusive excerpt from The Lake Templeton Murders by HS Burney

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

It's the first installment of the Fati Rizvi Private Investigator series! Check out an exclusive excerpt from The Lake Templeton Murders by HS Burney! Check out the rest of the tour for even more. And then best of luck in the giveaway!

The Lake Templeton Murders

(Fati Rizvi Private Investigator Murder Mystery #1)

By HS Burney

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Paperback & ebook, 341 Pages

October 27, 2021 by HS Burney

A body washes up on the shores of Lake Templeton, a small town on the coast of Vancouver Island. Sharon Reese, the victim, was a dedicated government employee. Everyone liked her, but no one knew much about her. Was she hiding something? Maybe a questionable past riddled with scandal. And did it lead to her plunge to death, in a drunken stupor, off the dock outside her secluded lakefront lodge? 

 

Was it an accident? A suicide? Or cold-blooded murder? Private Investigator, Fati Rizvi, is determined to find out. 

 

Fati arrives in Lake Templeton to find secrets that run as deep as the City’s sewers. Everyone is hiding something and nothing is as it seems. A cult escapee. A corrupt politician. A struggling airline. A multi-million dollar public-private project to revitalize the Lake Templeton waterfront. How are they all connected? 

 

As Fati valiantly unravels the knots, another body is found on the shore. Is it the same killer? And can Fati stop them before they strike again?

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Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Kobo

About the Author

HS Burney writes fast-moving, action-packed mysteries set against the backdrop of majestic mountains and crystalline ocean in West Coast Canada. She loves creating characters that keep you on your toes. A corporate executive by day and a novelist by night, HS Burney received her Bachelors’ in Creative Writing from Lafayette College. A proud Canadian immigrant, she takes her readers into worlds populated by diverse characters with unique cultural backgrounds. When not writing, she is out hiking, waiting for the next story idea to strike, and pull her into a new world.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Newsletter

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card and e-book of The Lake Templeton Murders by HS Burney

Ends March 2, 2022

ENTER HERE

 

Do My Business Taxes Please: A Financial Organizer for Self-Employed Individuals & Their Tax Preparers by Kiki Caniff

 

NEVER MISS ANOTHER TAX DEDUCTION! (Updated 2022)

No matter how good a tax preparer is, if an independent contractor does not provide all of the necessary information, that tax return will be wrong. And, they will either pay too much tax or fail an IRS tax audit, if selected.

Do My Business Taxes Please will help to insure that you don’t overlook important information. It was designed for tax professionals and their self-employed clients to use as a tax preparation tool. This organizer shows you how to document your business activities, as well as self-employment income and expenses.

It requires no computer, special math or bookkeeping skills, and includes all of the forms necessary for tracking a year’s worth of income and expenses.Learn how to grow your business on pre-tax dollars by understanding exactly what the IRS expects of the independent contractor. Written in easy-to-understand terms, this organizer will work for any self-employed individual. And, once it’s filled it out, it will contain everything necessary for filing a Schedule C tax return.

Simple forms have been included for tracking income, inventory, and expenses in a manner that will satisfy both the IRS and those tax professionals working to prepare Schedule C tax returns. Space has been provided for the entry of information needed for home office deductions, vehicle expenses, end-of-year inventory, mileage documentation, and other important tax data.

Updated as needed. Tax rules seldom change much.

Buy on Amazon

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About the author:
KiKi Canniff has been writing books since 1981. A woman with many interests, her non-fiction titles cover a variety of subjects--everything from where to find the best of the Pacific Northwest's recreational attractions to tax recordkeeping books for entrepreneurs and independent contractors.

For the first two decades KiKi focused her writing on outdoor books, helping families to discover the wealth of recreational attractions that can be enjoyed in Washington and Oregon. "The Northwest Golfer" and "Sauvie Island; A Step Back in Time" and are two of those original titles.

A retired tax consultant, KiKi's tax recordkeeping series teaches self-employed people how to pay less tax while keeping audit-proof records. It includes the "Annual Tax Mess Organizer for Self-Employed People" which is available for several different industries and perfect for anyone who wants to prepare their own Schedule C tax return, and "Do My Business Taxes Please!" a simple workbook that helps small business owners get organized for that annual visit with their tax accountant or preparer.

OneMorePress.com

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

Triangle of Hope by Michael Meyer

If one person can make a difference, just think what three can do. A tender story of love. Three strangers, each harboring a dark secret, become united by chance in a small Irish village, and the wonderful power of the human spirit comes alive.

If you believe that love and romance can happen in unusual circumstances, then this book is for you.

"If an author can make you cry for his characters then want to hug them close and then want to do an Irish jig with them to celebrate overcoming that much pain, then you know you have read a book that will stay with you forever." - Wanda Hartzenberg, Wanda's Amazing Amazon Reviewers

It is a "fantastic read that will pull at your heart." - Lauren Alumbaugh, Goodreads librarian

Read an excerpt:

His impending death hung in the air like thick smog, smothering everything in its path, obscuring a parade of ups and downs, the unevenness of thrills and chills that defined his life’s existence. It was eerie and scary, but also rather comforting, much like being in a warm bed on a cold night, like shivering while being filled with excitement at what was going to happen next. The news could very easily have been broadcast to those of his past and present, but he had made certain that all the speakers had been turned to mute. He had made the firm decision to meet his destiny without any chance of intervention by anyone. He was all alone in this, his final act.

The hotel room was a bit dark with all the lights switched off, but outside the window the sky was as bright blue as Cinnamon’s eyes had been. At least that’s the way it looked to Clint Westerly. For some reason his mind had suddenly flashed on Cinnamon of all things. Cinnamon had been the perfect cat. Paul Newman eyes, he had called them, which sparkled in the sunlight and glistened in the dark. Such beautiful eyes. Such a wonderful cat. Such a pity that eighteen years was all the time he had had to frolic through the world. Cinnamon had been the perfect cat, the perfect companion. The little cat had been much more than a friend. He had actually been like a son to both him and Sheila. Anybody who knew them would surely concur. That’s just the way things were in their wonderful world.

Their world. What a crock! What world? Everything gone now, vanished, disintegrated into thin air, the tiniest particles vaporized into non-existence. Not a remnant remaining except for the tortured thoughts brought about by that one memory that refused to disappear no matter how painfully the ever increasing toll that it took on his physical body and on his ever working brain, overwhelming him in the process, the remembrance bringing him to his knees, shutting out all other thoughts as well as the rest of the world. Darkness and clouds made up the present, and there would be no future. How could there be? Not with the ever painful memory tearing at his innards, wreaking havoc with the person he had once been. Obliterating the world he had once known. Snuffing out all that he had loved, all that had made up the world in which he had once so happily lived.

He took a big swig from the large snifter of XO Remy Martin he held in his right hand, the cognac warming his throat as it snaked its way into his stomach, his left hand resting on the windowsill. There was so much beauty in the world. Just look at the trees gently blowing in the breeze. Look at how the leaves seem to glisten as they sway in the gentle breeze. See how the clouds out on the horizon take on the never-ending shapes of the imagination, slowly changing shapes and colors in an endless kaleidoscope of wondrous features, a galloping antelope, a smiling child, a mighty elm. All one had to do is look, and wonderful scenes could be seen and imagined, constantly evolving from one glorious image to the next.

Remember the giggles of little tots’ faces, the tail wagging of puppies, the sound of rain on the roof, the softness of a newly made bed, the warmth of a fire on a winter night, the smell of coffee in the morning, the moonlit sky, a beautiful sunset, the sound of waves crashing against the shore, the first gulp of water on a thirsty day, the move-it-forward power of a smile from a total stranger.

Yes, life could be so good…so why did it have to end this way?

Buy on Amazon

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Michael Meyer is the author of mysteries, thrillers, humorous fiction, and non-fiction: Love and romance, laughter and tears, thrills and fears.

He has resided in and has visited many places in the world, all of which have contributed in some way to his own published writing. He has literally traveled throughout the world, on numerous occasions. He has lived in Finland, Germany, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He gained the wanderlust to see the world, to experience other cultures, at an early age, and this desire has never left him. If anything, it has only gained in intensity as he has aged.

Among the many unique things that have happened to him in his world travels, he has walked the streets of Istanbul with a detective, searching for a pickpocket who got him good. He has ridden on the back of a motorcycle in Tehran while the driver, who spoke not one word of English, pointed out all the sights to him. He has wrestled an Iranian soldier who tried to break into his hotel room in Tehran. He has had the paint completely stripped from his car as he drove across Saudi Arabia in a sandstorm. He has stood on the stage of a busy nightclub in Tokyo, singing "She'll be Coming Round the Mountain When She Comes" to an audience feeling no pain from the Sake they were drinking. He has been chased by a family of mongooses (yes, that is the correct spelling) on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Croix. And that is just the beginning of his long list of worldly adventures.

As a recent retiree from a forty-year career as a professor of writing, he now lives in Southern California wine country with his wife, Kitty, and their two adorable rescue cats.

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Meyer/e/B005E7M8CW/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

The Woods of Hitchcock by Ann W. Jarvie

 

Today we welcome award-winning author Ann W. Jarvie to Andi's Book Reviews. She's sharing with us her journey to becoming a writer as well as an excerpt from her new psychological thriller The Woods of Hitchcock. Enjoy both before you download your own copy. Then be sure to follow the tour for even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

The Woods of Hitchcock by award-winning author Ann W. Jarvie is a thriller about a psychically gifted Chicago copywriter and victim of violence who returns to South Carolina's equestrian country to solve a riddle involving murder, the metaphysical and the secrets of her eccentric family.

Suzanne Clayborn is a psychically gifted southerner working in her dream job in Chicago, which also conveniently takes her away from the ghosts of her past. But when she's nearly killed, she realizes all she wants is to return home to her eccentric family, her horse and the one place she feels safe: Hitchcock Woods, an enchanting equestrian forest in South Carolina.

But instead of finding solace, Suzanne becomes entangled in a murder spree, while stumbling upon an old manuscript, written by her sage grandmother. As she explores it, Suzanne uncovers a tome of long-buried family haunts and ancient metaphysical secrets offering healing and inspiration. She also begins to understand her unwanted psychic abilities, especially after meeting a mysterious stranger in the Woods whose ominous riddle suggests others close to her will die within the week...

Brimming with raw emotion and a trail of psychological twists, a story of hope and transformation begins to unfold. Yet with the riddle's deadline looming, Suzanne's present must ultimately collide with a violent past. Will she be able to solve her life's riddle and fulfill her destiny? Or will she die along with those she loves?

Read an excerpt:

For Suzanne, the Woods possessed a special nurturing power, awesome and quiet, that was able to draw an assemblage of friends, neighbors and varied strangers, bonding them together at the level of heart, horse and hound like no other place on earth. Even the forest’s subcultures held her respect and fascination with their vast mini-universes, pulsating with life. The fuzzy caterpillars were already nesting in their massive weblike tree tents, as silent as seeds sprouting, dreaming of their aerial futures. Carolina lizards were guarding their stands of shrubs from the moist bunkers of leaf mold and fallen bracken. Honeybees worked on the pollen of azaleas under nutrient-rich pine needles, swaying and green. The staccato knocks of the pileated woodpecker mixed with the intermittent calls of cardinals and blue jays, while the lulling songs of warblers carried weightlessly on an ethereal stream of a humid wind.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN

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My journey to becoming a writer

My journey to becoming a writer began in high school, thanks to a wonderful teacher who saw something she liked in my writing, selected me as yearbook editor, and encouraged me to major in journalism in college, which I did. It was also about the same time, I learned of a family death mystery that triggered an insatiable curiosity in me about it as well as a whole host of metaphysical subjects. I discovered that my maternal grandmother, Henrietta, had lived on an Apache reservation with her physician husband until he mysteriously died there.

I am a product of my grandmother’s second marriage, so by the time I became interested in this family mystery, most of those involved had already passed away, including Henrietta. My mother was able to tell me a few stories about her mother’s positive relationships with Indigenous Americans and shamans, but no one could answer the questions I had about her first husband’s mysterious and premature death. So I started making up a story about it. My first novel, The Soul Retrieval, is the result and with a Henrietta-inspired character as my protagonist. The research for this novel took me to strange places and down many fascinating spiritual and metaphysical paths, and I’ve incorporated many of these insights into my novels. But there’s so much more to learn and share!

Because I was working full-time as an advertising copywriter in Chicago and raising my children while I was trying to write The Soul Retrieval, it took me many years to complete. But, after moving to Arizona and taking an early retirement ten years ago, I was finally able to devote quality time to fiction writing. I finished The Soul Retrieval and started on my next novel, which I had planned to be a thriller and sequel. I’m happy to report The Woods of Hitchcock took me much less time to write. I could focus on it in Arizona, of course, but I’d also been holding the seeds for it in my mind, since childhood.

When I was growing up in South Carolina, and first heard the name “Hitchcock Woods,” which is a real place, even as a young teen, I honestly thought it sounded more like a suspense novel than the enchanting equestrian forest preserve that it is. Perhaps I was seeing into my own future. While I was living in Chicago and started writing novels, I kept coming back “home” and to Hitchcock Woods, walking and riding horses in it with family and friends, eventually realizing it, as well as Chicago, would be the ideal settings for my protagonist, Suzanne Clayborn, and her suspenseful Hero’s Journey.

The Woods of Hitchcock and The Soul Retrieval are part of my “Henrietta Series.” In The Woods of Hitchcock, my Henrietta character plays a secondary role as the sage grandmother to my protagonist. I’m currently working on the third novel in this series, although like the first two, it will stand completely on its own. And that’s where we are now.


Thank you, Andi’s Book Reviews, for the opportunity to share my writing journey. It’s my hope that it has provided inspiration to other writers, to follow their own Hero’s Journey, no matter how long or where it takes them.

Ann W. Jarvie has a B.A. in journalism and twenty-five years’ experience as a writer in advertising and public relations agencies, in Chicago and South Carolina. Although it stands completely on its own, The Woods of Hitchcock is an indirect sequel to Jarvie’s award-winning debut novel, The Soul Retrieval, which received four literary awards, the highest score by Writer’s Digest e-Book Awards’ judges (5 out of 5 on all points) as well as myriad positive reviews. Jarvie currently lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona with her husband, their boxer dog and boxer mix rescue.


Website and Social Media:
ANNWJARVIE.COM

facebook.com/annwjarvie

instagram.com/annwjarvie

twitter.com/annwjarvie

Ann W. Jarvie will be awarding a $75 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Read an excerpt from SEAL of Refuge (Guardians of Refuge Book 1) by Alyssa Bailey

 

Alesha loves her Alaskan island home, but two years after a painful breakup, she is still overly cautious when dating men. When a widowed Naval officer extricates her from a sticky situation, they find an instant attraction, and he steals her heart. He seems too good to be true. That’s because he is.

When the Navy offers SEAL Commander Zayden Wellesley the career opportunity of a lifetime, he accepts. Finally, things are looking up. He likes to do things orderly, and by the book, unfortunately, raising children, a SEAL’s life, and dating, rarely follow the rules. Alli doesn’t. Things are finally going according to Zed’s plan except for one little snag: he neglects to inform her he has roommates.

Soon, Zed is scrambling to protect his own, save his career, and secure his relationship before it’s too late. When things don’t go to plan and danger threatens all he holds dear, it will take the Guardians’ training and expertise to get them through safely.

He has learned to roll with the punches, can Alli?

Buy on Amazon

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Read an excerpt:

“What do you mean you have to quit this week? Like tomorrow?”

Commander Zayden “Zed” Wellesley rubbed the back of his neck in aggravation. Not for the first time, Zed wondered why the good Lord would give him three incredible children but take their mother away long before she raised them. He was an elite member of the military, a Navy SEAL. It was typical to divorce at least once and often more times before suffering the loss of a spouse. For seven years, he’d been one of the lucky ones.

The military had trained him to respond in every contingency, except the loss of his wife. There was no training to prepare you for that disaster, no SOP manual written to address it. Likely because there were no standard operating procedures when handling the inexplicable pain that followed that devastating loss.

“Yes. I’m sorry, but they accepted me at John Hopkins University for the nuclear biology program. Someone dropped out. I can use my scholarships, making it affordable, but I have less than two weeks to get it all together, sir.”

“Right, meaning you’ll be here tomorrow, and that’s it. Well, we need more scientists, so you’d better go. All right, kiddo, do you have any suggestions for a replacement?” he asked as he raked fingers through his military-style hair, glancing around his semi-clean kitchen trying to think.

“I wanted to tell you first, sir, then I would check for a replacement.”

“Okay, thanks and congratulations!”

“Thank you, sir. And… I’m sorry.”

Zed rubbed his face in frustration before picking up the phone in his office to dial the base, waiting for his friend and co-worker to answer.

“Mason.”

“Hey, it’s me, Zed. What’s your Commander calendar look like today?”

“Sounds serious.”

“Could be, but not urgent…”

“… Good til two. Let’s grab some chow.” He [Mason] paused, “unless it’s classified?”

“It’s personal, tied to work. My personal life ceased to be classified the moment I had to parent my family alone. I’m starving.” [Zed]

Alyssa Bailey is a USA Today and International best-selling author. She loves writing realistic romance for the naughty in all of us. Power exchange adventures between strong, intelligent, sassy women who aren’t afraid to take a stand and men confident enough to give his woman space to be who she is, but Alpha enough to keep her safe despite her choices or his, is a common theme.

Family and community are important to Alyssa, and it’s one reason she loves series. She is expanding her horizons and her comfort zone with every new book, and that’s exciting. Sometimes, suspense and mystery stir the plot, other times, it’s crazy, day to day angst, antics, and danger. Whatever goes on before, there’s always a happily-ever-after at the end of the day.

You can find Alyssa online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyssabailey.romance

Twitter: @alyssabaileyak

Blog/web page: http://alyssabailey.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Alyssa_Bailey

Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/41dff34ec838/alyssabaileynewsletter

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share books that I think will be of interest to my readers.

The Valentine Wager by Nan Reinhardt

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

I am so excited that Nan Reinhardt has a new series coming out! I'm a big fan of her Four Irish Brothers Winery series. The first book in the new Lange Brothers series is The Valentine Wager. I have an excerpt from that for you to enjoy before you download you own copy. Plus there's an interview with the author and an amazing giveaway at the end! Enjoy and good luck!

 

Author Interview

The setting for your Tule books is the small town of River’s Edge, Indiana, which is full of quirky and fun secondary characters. Did you grow up in a small town?

I did not. I grew up in the suburbs of a big city, but ever since I read Anne of Green Gables, I’ve wanted to experience small town life. I get some of that at our lake cottage, which is in a small town, but mostly, I’m a city girl. That said, there are plenty of quirky characters in the city, too, so lots of inspiration.

What is the most surprising thing you discovered about yourself while writing The Valentine Wager?

Hmmm… I think it was that I can write faster than I believe I can. The stories are there and if I trust myself and relax, they’ll come out the end of my fingers. It’s kinda magical, don’t you think?

Can you share with us something about The Valentine Wager that isn’t in the blurb?

Sure. Kitt is a horsewoman and Ryker is afraid of horses, so there’s a fun scene involving horses.

Give us three words to describe your heroine Kitt and three to describe hero Ryker.

Kitt is determined, flirty, and cautious. Ryker is good, smart, and loyal.

What do you hope your readers will take away from this book?

The idea that you can’t let past hurts keep you from loving again. Stay open to whatever life brings your way. 

The Valentine Wager is book 1 in your Lange Brothers series. Want to give us a sneak peek at whose book is next?

Ryker’s younger brother Dr. Max Lange is up next, and there’s some pretty exciting stuff in his story, including a fun seasoned secondary romance, which is always a treat for me. 

What is the most difficult part about writing for you?

The middle. My friend, author Liz Flaherty and I have a little saying that goes, “First is the meet-cute, the attracted, stuff happens, then there’s a conflict, and then the happily ever after.” It’s the “stuff happens” part that’s hardest for me, but if you let your characters go, they’ll usually come through.

What is the toughest criticism you’ve received as a writer? The best compliment?

An editor once told me my hero was an a**hole. Man, that one hurt, particularly because she was right. He was. I learned so much from her about characterization and story. I’ll always be grateful, but that was pretty harsh.

Writing can be an emotional, stressful pursuit. Any tips for aspiring writers?

Breathe. Really. Just breathe. When you’re overwhelmed, step away, take a walk, have a glass of wine, weed a garden, read a book, watch a movie, absorb some story. You’d be surprised how much it helps to just step away for a few hours.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

For a while I wanted to be an archeologist—in 4th grade, I learned about Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and I was fascinated. But then I found out Egypt was hot and there were scorpions, so… In high school for a while I wanted to go to Paris and be a translator—I’m an unabashed Francophile. But between those, I was writing and I knew one day, I would be a writer. Being published was dream I didn’t dare to express out loud, but wow! It’s an amazing ride!

Favorite book when you were a kid?

Every book I read—seriously. But the one that made me want to be a romance writer was Gene Stratton-Porter’s The Harvester. David Langston was the ultimate romance novel hero—I highly recommend it! 

Not only are you a prolific writer, but you’re also a freelance copy editor. What came first—writing or editing?

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen, so the real answer is writing, but I’ve been a freelance editor since 1996 and my first book wasn’t published until 2012, so… you do the math. I love both my careers—editing is always challenging and I get to read a lot of great books and discover new authors. Writing is my heart. I can’t imagine me without it.

And here is a question that everyone loves: If you could choose three people, living or dead, to invite to a dinner party, who would they be and why?

My mom because I miss her; Dorothy Parker because she’s funny and quick and I think we’d get along great; and Carole King because she seems like such an intelligent, gentle soul and after dinner she could sing for us.

The Valentine Wager

(The Lange Brothers #1)

By Nan Reinhardt

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 238 Pages

February 1, 2022 by Tule Publishing

He’s a notorious flirt, so she lays down a challenge she’s sure she’ll win.

When playboy police lieutenant Ryker Lange stops Kitt Boynton for driving on the wrong side of the road, his attraction to the feisty Irish lass is immediate. Yet, despite the sizzling chemistry between them, Kitt quickly turns him down.

Kitt has moved to River’s Edge for a fresh start and is ready to focus on her new marketing job at her cousins’ winery. She’s done with players, and vows she won’t let the local sexy cop distract her, but Kitt, a flirt herself, is definitely tempted. To keep her sanity as she prepares for several Valentine-themed winery events, she and Ryker make a bet: for the next three weeks, neither of them can flirt with the other.

The game starts out lighthearted, but when the town takes sides, Ryker and Kitt must choose between winning a wager or finding lasting love.

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Other Books in the Series

Falling for the Doctor

(The Lange Brothers #2)

By Nan Reinhardt

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook

June 7, 2022 by Tule Publishing

They were in it for the fun, but never expected the storm...

Life for hometown ER physician Dr. Max Lange has always been sweet. He loves his job and is dialed in socially with his family, friends, and community. But lately, something feels like it's missing. When a visiting doctor pulls him in for a hot kiss and asks him to play along in order to avoid unwanted attention from a hospital administrator, Max knows exactly what he wants and needs—the lovely Dr. Mitchell.

After a tragic error shakes her confidence beyond repair, Dr. Lauren Mitchell has abandoned her career in cardiothoracic surgery and instead works as a lead medical consultant for a top cardiovascular technology company. She enjoys her simple life on the road—hotel rooms, room service, and no emotional entanglements.

When a violent storm throws her into service at St. Mark’s hospital, Max has only a few days to prove to Lauren that they belong together, while she must reevaluate her career…and her life. Will Max’s love be enough to make River’s Edge and Max her home?

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Excerpt from The Valentine Wager

Kitt Boynton scowled as the driver heading right for her veered off to his own lane before laying on his horn and making a terribly rude gesture. The second time it had happened in as many kilometers…er, miles on the road down to the center of town. “Eejit!” she shouted and returned the gesture. Closed up in the car as she was, there was no way he heard it; nonetheless, it felt good to release her frustration. Were the people in this town dense or just truly poor drivers? She really wasn’t fond of driving in Indiana.

Carefully, she maneuvered her cousin Bren’s Jeep around a curve and the little town of River’s Edge nestled on the banks of the Ohio River came into view. Thank the Lord, she was almost there. Who knew traveling the short distance from the Four Irish Brothers Winery on the ridge above town to their in-town tasting room would be so hazardous? Another mile and she’d turn on—she glanced at her phone propped up by the gearbox—Riverview Road. Then a few blocks to the tasting room. Dry frosty leaves blew across the road as she passed a rocky outcropping where a lovely little waterfall spilled into a shallow pool below. She wondered why it wasn’t frozen as cold as it gotten since Christmas.

Southern Indiana reminded her a bit of Ireland, which in turn made her homesick for County Wexford and Ma and Da and her brothers and sisters—all seven of them—and the horses. The time difference was six hours, so it would be nearly six p.m. on the horse farm where Kitt had grown up. Da would be feeding the livery horses—pouring grain and dropping flakes of hay. Her heart ached at the thought of Dewey, her Irish hunter gelding, nestled in his stall, probably wondering why she wasn’t there to ride him across the meadow and down to the sea. She hoped her little sister Nora was riding him as she’d promised.

A siren wailed briefly and when she glanced in the rearview mirror, red and blue lights flashed behind her. A police car needed to get around. Why didn’t he just swing into the opposite lane and go past? There was nothing coming. Whaaaa-wha-wha. The siren whooped again and now the guarda’s car was right on her bumper. Was he pulling her over? She checked her mirror again. He was!

Frustrated, Kitt scouted for a safe place to stop, finally ending up pulling into an empty lot next to the post office. Her speed had been perfectly within the legal limit posted, Bren had checked that all the lights and signals on his Jeep were working fine, and the tires were brand new. What could this guy possibly want? The officer pulled in crossways behind her, blocking her in the parking space, but he didn’t jump right out of his car. Instead, he sat there for a moment, staring at something in his lap.

Finally, he opened his door and got out. In her side-view mirror, she watched him approach the Jeep. He was big. Intimidatingly tall, and under his winter jacket, the buttons on his navy-blue uniform shirt strained a bit across his brawny chest. He wasn’t wearing a hat and his hair was all shades of blond and light brown with glints of gold, styled deliberately messy, more like an Aussie surfer dude than a small-town copper. The only thing missing was a pair of mirrored sunglasses, which she was certain were probably on the passenger seat of his police car. He looked like the type.

When he drew nearer, she could see he was what her sister Maeve would call a fine thing—clean-shaven and ruggedly handsome with full, sensual lips. He eyed her license plate as he tapped on an electronic device with a stylus. She took a deep breath and rolled down the window.

“License, registration, and proof of insurance, please.” His voice was deep and oh, dear God, poured over her like warm melted butter with just those few impersonal words. His gray eyes reminded her of the Irish Sea right before a storm.

Whew. She must be lonelier than she thought. Those were not the kinds of comparisons she ought to be making at this moment.

Digging around in the glove box, she produced the black pouch Brendan had told her was there and found the registration and insurance certificate. Then she reached toward her capacious handbag on the floor in front of the passenger seat.

“Hands on the wheel, please.” The officer’s clipped words stopped her mid-reach.

“D’ye want to see my driving license?” She looked over her shoulder at him bent over and peering into the car. “It’s in my bag”—she pointed—“down there.”

He nodded brusquely. “Bring out your wallet, slowly.”

She swallowed the chuckle that rose in her throat as she pulled her wallet out, opened it, and offered it to the policeman.

“Remove the license from your wallet, please,” he ordered.

She did and handed it to him. “Officer, what’s going on?”

He held up one finger as he examined it. “This is an Irish license.”

Handsome, but a bit thick? “Perhaps because I’m just arrived from Ireland?”

He raised one blond brow. “Well, Miss Boynton, do you know why I stopped you?”

She had no idea why he’d stopped her. She shrugged. “Not a clue, I’m sure.”

“Have you been drinking, ma’am?”

This time she laughed out loud. “Are ye quite mad, man? It’s not even noon.”

He eyed her, his gray eyes going from charcoal to silver in the late-morning light. “I ask because you were driving rather erratically and on the wrong side of the road.”

Kitt scoffed. “I was driving erratically? You should be chasing down the two eejits back there.” She pointed over her shoulder as she peered at his brass badge glinting in the noon sun. No name, just a badge number. “One of them nearly plowed me over.”

He sighed and straightened. “Miss Boynton, please step out of your vehicle.”

She tilted her head, trying to see his face. “Are you crazy? I’m not gettin’ out of this car. That’s how women get abducted or do ye no watch CSI?” Surreptitiously, she shoved the lock on the door with her thumb, fully aware that he could simply unlock it again by sticking his hand into her open window. Ridiculous, but she felt more secure anyway.

He crossed his arms over his chest, the tablet tucked under one elbow. “We got a call about you. Apparently, you’ve been driving on the wrong side of the road for several miles.”

Had she? She thought for minute. Sweet Lord, she had! She closed her eyes, then opened them, deciding to give humor a try. 

She beamed up at him. “Officer, I prefer to think of it as this whole country drives on the wrong side of the road—I’m drivin’ on the right side of the road.”

Excerpted from The Valentine Wager by Nan Reinhardt, Copyright © 2022 by Nan Reinhardt. Published by Tule Publishing.

About the Author

Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction for Tule Publishing. Her day job is working as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, however, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten and is still writing, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled, woman in her prime. Nan lives in the Midwest with her husband of 48 years, where they split their time between a house in the city and a cottage on a lake. 

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Tour Giveaway


Two winners will receive a book from Nan's backlist, a $10 Amazon gift card, a handmade bracelet, and a River's Edge map notepad (US only)

Ends February 18, 2022

ENTER HERE

 

An excerpt from The Family She Never Met by Caridad Pineiro

Jessica Russo knows nothing about her mother's family or her Cuban culture. Every time she's asked about it, her mother has shut down. But when the Cuban grandmother she's never met sends her right-hand man, Luis, to offer Jessica the chance to come to Miami and meet her estranged family, she can't help but say yes, even as she knows it will pain her mother.

The woman that Jessica meets is nothing like what she expected. Her grandmother is successful, intelligent, determined, and all too willing to take blame for what has happened to cause the estrangement, and, more importantly, to try and set things right. As Jessica spends time with her grandmother in her beautiful island home, she learns about her family's history and what caused the schism between her mother and grandmother.

As days with her grandmother turn to weeks, Jessica is determined to find a way to heal her fractured family. And in the end, Jessica might just learn something about herself and what it means to embrace the many facets of her identity.

Read an excerpt:

Her breath trapped in her chest and her heart pounding in her ears, Jessica waited, anticipation twisting her gut into a knot.

Luis rocked back and forth on his heels and looked away before nailing her with his gaze. “I am. I think I’m falling in love with you too.”

He grasped her hand and she took the lead, tugging him toward the stairs and up to her room.

At her door she hesitated, but then pushed through, eager for what would follow.

As she turned to face him, he was immediately there, moving his hands to her back to cradle her close. Her body was flush against his and she shifted against him, but he stilled her motion.

“Shh, mi amor. There’s no need to rush. We have all night,” he whispered and kissed her again.

He tasted of rum and cigars and Luis, and she took it all in. Took all of him in. The press of his body. The way his muscles shifted beneath her hands as he tightened his hold on her and walked her back toward the bed.

As her knees bumped the edge of the bed, he stopped, sat, and urged her in between the V of his thighs.

With his help, she quickly undressed, baring herself to him.

“Dios, you’re beautiful,” he said, encircled her waist with his hands, and drew her near.

***

Luis splayed his hand across the smooth skin of her back as he caressed her.

She kissed his forehead and whispered his name. “Luis. Please.”

As much as he wanted to wait and make this first time special, he needed her too badly.

In a flurry of action, he ripped off his clothes with her assistance, and they fell onto the bed together, kissing and caressing and laughing. Joyful in anticipation of what was about to happen.

She lay beneath him, gazing at him as she skimmed her hand across his face and then up to brush away a stray lock of hair. She seemed about to say something, but then held back and instead leaned up to kiss him. She shifted her hand to his shoulder and urged him down.

He went willingly, eager to be with her. Eager to taste her lips again and her breasts and her skin and everything that was Jessica.

He didn’t think he could ever get enough of her.

***

His heavy weight pressed her into the mattress and a maelstrom of emotions filled her. Comfort. Peace. Need. Such intense need.

She spread her legs and reached down to guide him to her, but he shook and whispered, “Protection.”

He shifted off her only long enough to rummage through his pants and wallet and hastily ease on the condom. And then he was back, staring down at her, his hazel eyes burnished gold with passion.

The earlier rush to this moment was forgotten as he joined with her.

Her breath caught in her chest at the perfection of it. At the feel of his power above her, inside her. He was so big, so strong, but he was hers in that moment. Totally hers as she laid her hands on his shoulders and joined him in the rhythm of their lovemaking until they both slipped over together.

She urged him onto her, but he protested and said, “I’m too heavy.”

“No, you’re not,” she said and dug her fingers into his back to pull him to her. She gentled him, stroking her hands across his sweat-slick skin. Savoring the connection with him.

“Give me a second,” he said and hurried to the bathroom.

She eased under the sheets to wait for him, and he returned quickly and joined her. He tucked her into his side, and she nestled her head on his shoulder, laid her hand on his chest, and tossed a thigh over his. Contentment and satisfaction filled her, but slowly, other emotions crept in no matter how hard she tried to keep them from surfacing.

He must have sensed the tension in her since he said, “Penny for your thoughts.”

“I’m not sure a penny would be enough,” she said and leaned on her elbow to peer at him.

“Sometimes you can think too much,” he said and skimmed a hand across her upper arm to press her back down.

“Avoidance mode much?” she challenged, but truth be told, maybe avoidance was what was needed right now because she wanted to enjoy this night with him. She wanted to explore the feelings that had sprung up so suddenly. So powerfully. She shut down her thoughts, not wanting them to go to the next stage. A stage that would only bring separation and pain.

She didn’t want separation now. She wanted him. Again, and maybe again after that.

She wanted to make the most of their time together.

She’d think about everything else tomorrow.

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Bio:
Caridad Pineiro is a transplanted Long Island girl who has fallen in love with the Jersey Shore. When Caridad isn’t taking long strolls along the boardwalk, she’s also a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author with over a million romance novels sold worldwide. Caridad is passionate about writing and helping others explore and develop their skills as writers. She is a founding member of the Liberty States Fiction Writers and has presented workshops at the RT Book Club Convention, Romance Writers of America National Conference as well as various writing organizations throughout the country. You can connect with Caridad at www.caridad.com.

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