Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Unwrapping a Review of WULFE UNTAMED, a Feral Warriors novel by Pamela Palmer

WULFE UNTAMED by Pamela Palmer, the last of the Feral Warrior series is available TODAY. Such joy because Wulfe finally gets his HEA but such sadness as we say farewell to the sexiest heroes ever to grace the paranormal romance genre.

***eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for WULFE UNTAMED:

They are called Feral Warriors—an elite band of immortals who can change shape at will. Sworn to rid the world of evil, consumed by sorcery and seduction, their wild natures are primed for release...

The most enigmatic and tortured of the Feral Warriors, Wulfe is haunted by the quiet beauty of a human woman who no longer remembers him. Once a captive of both the Mage and the Ferals, Natalie stole a piece of his heart before he took her memories and sent her safely back to her fiancé. But now the Mage are threatening her again, and Wulfe will risk anything to protect her.

Natalie Cash is stunned when she's saved by a wolf who shifts suddenly into a splendidly built, if badly scarred, man, a man with the kindest eyes. Swept into a world of intrigue and danger beyond her comprehension, she turns to the powerful Wulfe, finding a passion she'd only dreamed of. But when time runs out, they must trust one another and surrender to a wild, untamed love.

*                        *                      *                     *                     *

If you’re like me, and have been reading every book in this series, then you know what I mean when I say that Wulfe is finally here!

Wulfe prefers to fight like a warrior but when his heart is captured by a beautiful human female, he's at a loss as to how to keep from falling in love. He healed her and she was kind to him despite his scars. He saved her by stealing her memories of a horrific time and her imprisonment by the Ferals, but he can't let her go. Unable to keep from checking up on Natalie Cash after clearing her memories of the Mage attack on her, her brother, and their friends, Wulfe visits her often in his wolf form and hopes her life is a good one even as he knows she misses her brother, Xavier, who is safely living at Feral House. As much as he wants her to have a happy life, he can’t keep from being jealous of her boyfriend.

Then during a visit in his wolf form, Mage warriors attack Natalie’s home. Their intent is to take not only Natalie but Wulfe, too. His main concern is not his own safety, for he is no longer immortal as it is so with the other Ferals since the black curse was set upon them by Satanan through the evil Mage, Inir, but he only thinks of Natalie’s safety. They barely escape with the aid of the other Ferals and the Ilinas, too. Now Wulfe fears he's done more harm than good for he shifted in fronted of Natalie, undoing all the good he did to save her life the first time.

Life for Natalie is about to change for the deadly, and Wulfe will do anything it takes to protect her even if that anything is sacrifice himself to save her.

OH. MY. HEAVENS. What an amazing end to an incredible series. Filled with action, heartache, angst, and of course, incredibly sexy warriors and the women they love, WULFE UNTAMED by Pamela Palmer does not disappoint but instead thrills us, fires up our desires to see victory, and a happily ever after for Wulfe and Natalie as well as all the other Ferals.

I’m so sad to see the end of the Feral Warriors but I hope that Pamela will treat us to something similar in the future. Wulfe has always been a favorite for the readers because he’s the most wounded, the kindest, and the one we all most want to hold and heal his wounds of the body and the heart. I cannot be happier to have him have that chance with Natalie. We don’t actually get to know Natalie until she and Wulfe interact in HUNGER UNTAMED after being attacked by the Mage at Harper’s Ferry in the big battle at the end of RAPTURE UNTAMED, but I never gave up hope that Pamela would bring her back to heal Wulfe’s heart. 

Wulfe is the Man!

I’m not going to say any more than that because it is in WULFE UNTAMED that we experience falling in love, second chances, and the huge Happily Ever After we’ve all been hoping for the Feral Warriors and their beloved mates since Lyon first brought Kara to be the new Radiant.

I highly, highly recommend WULFE UNTAMED, book 8 in the Feral Warriors series by Pamela Palmer to anyone who loves a fabulous love story filled with angst, action, and cheer-filled moments followed by loving moments of resurrection and surrender. Wulfe and Natalie are fated for each other like no other couple in this series has been and that’s saying a lot coming from me because I’ve loved every couple and every book. Wulfe and Natalie are the best Happily Ever After in Feral House. I shall miss the anticipation of a new Feral Warriors novel but thankfully, they all live on my shelves and I will visit them many times over. GO FERAL!

Happy Reading Everyone! If you haven’t tried this series, do. It’s incredible!

WULFE UNTAMED, a Feral Warriors novel by Pamela Palmer, Avon Romance, available NOW in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.
***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Monday, January 27, 2014

Spotlight for SEVERINE by Jaden Sinclair

SEVERINE
by Jaden Sinclair

The year is 9045 and the Nations control almost everything in the universe. They have brought order to many planets and cultivated others but behind closed doors, they’ve raided and pillaged the planet’s resources for their own gain.
She is one of the many children who have been ripped from their home for their selfish cause. Trained at a young age, she was developed into just what the Nations hoped to accomplish. A perfect weapon. But when control is lost and the weapon goes rogue, the Nations learn firsthand just what they’ve created and just what their weapon will do for her freedom and for a family she can never forget.
He is sent to find her. Another trained and burned by the Nations, Byron Suthland is hired to find the weapon, only he doesn’t want to find her for them. He wants to find her for himself and bring back a woman, not a weapon. Knowing she can kill him instantly means nothing, but caring about her means everything.

Severine!


*                *                 *                  *                    *
                                 
EXCERPT from SEVERINE:

“And where are you going to go?”

“Home.”

“Do you even know where home is?”

“No, but you do and you’re going to be kind enough to give me the information.”

“It isn’t that easy.”

She lost her temper and walked right up to him, bringing the gun she had tucked behind her right out. He didn’t fight her when she put her hand up to his throat, shoving him back against the wall, her gun now pressed right between his eyes.

“What are you going to do, Severine?” Byron asked. “Shoot me?”

“If I have to.”

“Then what kind of information will you get?”

They had a kind of standoff. Both, refusing to back down or look away.
However, Byron made a move, one she wasn’t expecting. His hand came up slowly, his body didn’t move. With the back of his hand, knuckles only, he touched the side of her face.

Severine moved back.

“What are you doing?” She frowned at him.

“Something I think hasn’t been done to you in a very long time.”

“Don’t do that.”

His hand went back to her ear and into her hair.

“But I want to do this.”

When his face began to lower down to hers and both of his hands moved to her waist, Severine changed the position of the gun. She now pressed it up under his chin.

“I can shoot you and keep you alive.”

His face was mere inches from her own, lips so close she could feel his breath upon her own. “And I think this will be well worth getting shot.”

They touched. His lips touched her own gently, softly.

She had never been kissed before. The only type of touching she’d been subjected to had always resulted in pain of some kind. Yet this wasn’t painful, but it confused her none the less. He didn’t do much of anything else either. In fact, if she wasn’t mistaken, she thought he was trying to show her how to kiss. Why she let this happen, she couldn’t answer. But Severine did give in mostly due to her curiosity. She wanted to know what this felt like. What it was like to be held by another and not made to suffer for it.

However, before anything more could go on, the gun she held under his chin was taken from her hand and the light kissing simply stopped. He pulled back enough to look her once more in the eye, one arm still around her. Keeping eye contact with her, Byron uncocked the gun, let it drop with his finger still on the trigger so it would flip butt first back to her.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Severine. Ever. And I will help you find what you need, but not with a gun at my head. Next time, just say please.”

She took the gun from his hand, he let her go, and moved around her toward the steps, taking them two at a time up, leaving her right where she stood. ***

                                          
About the Author:

Jaden Sinclair lives in a small town in Kansas with her husband of eighteen years, two boys and a few pets that keep her hopping. Between sports and the animals it’s a wonder at times how she is able to keep the flow of her writing going. But she does. She has many series in the works and out for your enjoyment, and most known for the Shifter series. Between werewolves, vampires, scifi, new worlds, or simple romances, one never really knows what will come out next. So to keep up with what she doing, visit her website, or just simply email her. She’ll love to hear from you. Feel free to follow her on Twitter and Facebook as well.

SEVERINE by Jaden Sinclair, Beau Coup Publishing, available now in ebook format at Amazon.
***click on link or cover for purchasing information


   
   

Friday, January 24, 2014

Stop on the Tasty Review Tour for PUSHING THE LINE, a Line novella by Kimberly Kincaid + giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Tasty Review Tour for PUSHING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid. The Line Series has been an extraordinary journey for four couples and Harper and Aaron are in good company.

***eARC provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for PUSHING THE LINE:

Free-spirited artist Harper McGee is happy to go wherever the wind takes her…until her flight pattern sends her back to Brentsville, New York for her beloved grandmother funeral. Harper’s grief turns to shock, however, when she discovers her grandmother has named her sole proprietor of her candy shop, Luscious. But she has no intention of being anchored to one place, and anyway, she doesn’t know the first thing about running a kitchen or a business. Selling Luscious is the only viable option— until the shop catches fire due to old wiring. Fixing the damage requires major work, and if Harper wants to put it on the market, she needs major help.

Thrill-seeking firefighter Aaron Fisher has never walked away from a challenge or a friend. So when a fellow firefighter is hurt on a call and can’t complete a side job for his contracting company, Aaron’s quick to jump in. He’s done plenty of fix ‘er ups for his buddy in the past, and despite his silver spoon upbringing and his no-holds-barred attitude, swinging a hammer suits Aaron just fine. That is, until he discovers the client is the same impetuous woman he forcibly dragged from the flames of Brentsville’s local candy shop.

The more time Harper and Aaron spend at Luscious, the hotter their attraction burns, daring them both to shed their tough outer layers to reveal the tender desires beneath. But when a buyer makes Harper the offer of a lifetime, she must choose between roots and wings. Can two people who live in the moment learn to see past the moment, or will Aaron and Harper always live their lives pushing the line?


*                     *                      *                      *                       *

Harper McGee is heartbroken at the loss of her beloved grandmother, Isabelle. Now with the fate of Izzy’s candy shop, Luscious, left in her hands, Harper decides the best thing to do is sell it and move on. It’s what she’s always done – keep moving, never settling in one place for too long because that way she doesn’t have to commit to any one place or any one person.

When the candy shop nearly goes up in flames, Harper is thrown together with a sexy risk taker very much like herself, only Aaron Fisher is firmly grounded in Brentsville. Soon he makes her want to settle down, too, but can she?

PUSHING THE LINE, novella four in the Line Series by Kimberly Kincaid is as sweet as the candy shop, Luscious, and imagined scent of pecan clusters that Harper teaches Aaron to make before they make some magic themselves in the bedroom. It’s a wonderful climax, if you excuse the pun, for a wonderful series featuring some of the most delightful, sexy, and real characters I’ve ever met.

I loved that Kimberly gathered her couples together to help Harper discover that she belongs in Brentsville, and with Aaron. I’m sad to see this series end but I know that Kimberly has more coming to us soon. But whether you’ve read the complete Line Series up to this point or are new to the series as a whole, I highly recommend PUSHING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid. Don’t miss out on the first three in the series – LOVE ON THE LINE, DRAWING THE LINE, OUTSIDE THE LINES – all novellas and all delightful love stories that will make you laugh, make you sigh, make you fall in love, and probably make you hungry since Kimberly always includes a chance for her couples to cook together – in the kitchen. *wink*

About the Author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She has written two digital novellas, LOVE ON THE LINE and DRAWING THE LINE, about hot cops and sexy chefs, with a third novella, OUTSIDE THE LINES, due this summer. She is also thrilled to have collaborated on a Christmas anthology with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell, titled THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP, to kick off her Pine Mountain foodie series with Kensington this October. Kimberly’s first full-length novel, TURN UP THE HEAT, will follow in February 2014. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Visit her any time at website or come check her out on FacebookTwitter, and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY: Two Digital Sets of the Line Series (books 1, 2, & 3) to Two Lucky Winners. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Good Luck and Happy Reading Everyone!


PUSHING THE LINE, a Line Series novella by Kimberly Kincaid, self-publish, available now in ebook format at Amazon.
***click on link or cover below for purchasing information

   

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Cover Reveal & Review for RAVEN'S AWAKENING by Ella J Phoenix - a re-released novel


RAVEN’S AWAKENING
by Ella J Phoenix
a re-released novel

Since she was a child, Chloe has endured horrible nightmares about a Native American prince living in a time long forgotten. She never understood why, until she finds a stone that matches the one in her dreams. It has unimaginable powers, powers Chloe doesn’t understand. Fueled by memories of someone else’s past, she sets off on a wild quest for the stone’s birth place, hoping to also find answers to her foreboding dreams.

On the outside, Mason Green looks like a hard-working, self-made millionaire, with too busy a life for romance. Very few people know the real reason for his self-imposed seclusion. It’s safer that way. But when a sexy historian shows him a supernatural stone from a forgotten tribe, Mason is intrigued - maybe the relic is the salvation he’s been waiting for. Ignoring the irrational attraction that threatens to crack the cask around his heart, Mason agrees to help Chloe.

As their wild quest becomes a dangerous mission, they must find the relic’s birthplace before Mason’s past catches up to them.

*             *            *             *             *

My Review based on the original manuscript published under another title:

Having suffered recurring nightmares for most of her life, Chloe Doyle put what has haunted her into real-life use by becoming an expert in Native American Indian studies and folklore at the Smithsonian. When she discovers a stone that is more than just interesting to her, she sets off to learn more about it and to find out if there are more. Her hope is that she will finally understand the strange dreams that plague that seem to belong to someone else, but that she’s become part of without knowing why.

Mason Green is a man of mystery right from the start. He is a Native American man who has managed to build a fortune and leads a busy life, but has unusual abilities and a mysterious past that makes him even more interesting. He’s tougher than he appears and is able to handle himself most effectively when he encounters trouble - deadly trouble. When he journeys to Arkansas to solve the mystery of the client who obviously wanted him out of the way, he discovers Chloe and her Tula artifact. Interested in both, the beautiful blond expert and her artifact, Mason agrees to play guide and lead her to the mythological Valley of the Vapors, which he doesn't believe exists. What they both discover on their journey is what makes this story pulse with paranormal mystery.

What drew me to RAVEN’S AWAKENING by Ella J Phoenix was the unique story built around American Indian folklore.  

RAVEN’S AWAKENING by Ella J Phoenix is a sweet romance built on a mystery based in American Indian folklore with elements of paranormal, Indian magic, and a backstory that pulls in the belief of reincarnation – everything I could desire in a story. I do wish the romance was more the center of the story but it was sweet, mild, and although took some time to develop, it was worth waiting for in the end. I don’t give spoilers so I’m not going to tell you who the bad guy is or how things end, let’s just say that many things come to light and will leave you surprised, yet with a pleased, “just as I thought.” I will say this – pay attention to that first chapter, it might seem out of place but will play a great role. Ella even leaves us with a bit of a … hmmm, so what happens next for Chloe and Mason.

Ella's characters are intriguing and personable, and when applicable, downright deserving of our dislike. I would like to have seen a bit more about Mason's past as I imagine it was intricate to the plot, but I liked him and Chloe very much, and I hope I meet up with them again.

I recommend RAVEN’S AWAKENING by Ella J Phoenix to anyone who enjoys the unusual, be it paranormal, historical, or folklore. Whereas RAVEN’S AWAKENING isn’t perfect, it is a fascinating story that will keep you enthralled and surprise you with its mystery and magic. A quick read that will surely spur your imagination and have you asking for more.

About the Author:

Ella discovered she was addicted to the paranormal when she was quite young. She likes to blame it on super heroes. That passion led her to her love of the arts and a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing Arts.
Her first foray into the literary world was writing children’s plays for her family’s language school and after a couple of blunders, she translated Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM into a dancing and kicking play. It was then she truly caught the bug.

But it was her mother who truly brought her into writing. She calls her mother her catalyst. She was always the one she went to for advice about everything and her mother always told her, “Go for it!”

So, she did. She traveled around the world, lived in several different continents, met several great people, and had not-so-great lovers. In one of her “go for it” adventures, she met her husband. After settling in to married life, Ella discovered erotic romance and in particular, vampires and werewolves. While working on a project with her mom, who is also a writer, she suggested writing a paranormal. Her mother immediately suggested Ella write it. And, so her first novel, DRAGON HEAT, was born.

Feel free to visit Ella at her website, and follow her on Facebook, and at Goodreads.

Happy Reading Everyone!

RAVEN’S AWAKENING by Ella J Phoenix, self-publish, available now in ebook formats at Amazon and AllRomance Ebooks.
***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Release Day Launch for SAVOR, a Billionaire Bachelors Club novel by Monica Murphy


SAVOR
 by Monica Murphy
A Billionaire Bachelors Club Novel

Available now from Avon Impulse


New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy concludes her sexy Billionaire Bachelors Club series with a fiery romance that refuses to be left at the office…

Bryn James can’t take much more. Smart, sexy Matthew DeLuca is everything she wants in a man, but he’s also her boss—the youngest, hottest vineyard owner in the Napa Valley—and he doesn’t see her as anything more than his shy assistant. That’s all about to change. Armed with a hot new look and an attitude to match, Bryn is determined to catch Matt’s eye… professionalism be damned.

With his winery’s grand reopening approaching, Matt is trying to stay focused, but Bryn is suddenly making it very difficult. He’s always thought her prim demeanor effortlessly sexy, but Matt can’t deny that her transformation is jaw-dropping …and going to make it very difficult to keep his hands to himself.

But when one thing leads to another and suddenly Matt is stripping Bryn bare, he’ll be faced with the biggest risk of his career—and his heart. Can he convince her—and himself—that this might just be more than a no-strings office affair?

*          *         *         *         *

EXCERPT:

“Don’t be so cranky. It’s okay to admit you have a thing for Bryn.” Ivy leans forward in her chair, a secretive smile curling her lips. “I have a feeling she has a thing for you too, you know.”

I do know. And I can’t act on it. Bryn James works for me. She’s my assistant. She’s by my side constantly; we spend more time with each other than probably anyone else in our lives, especially lately what with the winery’s grand reopening approaching. She’s a representative of my business. If I were to fuck around with the help and the relationship fell apart, I’d be in huge trouble. She could screw me over financially every which way by suing me for sexual harassment and I’d be left with a limp dick in my hand and a ruined business.

Yeah. Not going to take the chance. Saw it happen with my father. Not going to let it happen to me.

“It doesn’t matter. Nothing can happen.” I send Ivy a stern look. “And this conversation can never leave this office.” Glancing over her shoulder, I try to see if Bryn is at her desk but the chair is empty.

Thank Christ.

Ivy’s expression goes solemn and she holds up three fingers. “This conversation stays here. Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a scout,” I mutter, afraid she’s making a promise on an untruth. She’ll probably just blab to everyone. Or specifically Archer and Gage. I don’t need to hear their shit.

And I am worrying way too much over this.

She laughs again. “I won’t say a word, I promise. But I need to tell you something, Matt.” She leans in close, her voice dropping. “She’s got a major crush on you. You might not see it but it’s there—sounding in her voice, shining in her eyes, every time she looks at you, talks about you. The way her body turns into yours every time the two of you are together . . . it’s pretty obvious. A body language expert would have a field day with you two.”

Body language expert? What the hell is Ivy talking about? “I have no idea what you’re referring to, but office crushes are just that. Crushes. Harmless attractions no one ever acts on. Period. End of story.”

This is what I keep telling myself. I can’t pursue anything with Bryn, no matter how much I’m tempted to. Not only would it be wildly inappropriate, dating my assistant, but we come from two different worlds. She seems nice and normal, quiet and unobtrusive, and I am anything but. My life has been a circus sideshow for years.
“I get it. You’re trying to do the right thing, and I admire that. So, of course you don’t see anything beyond an efficient assistant in Miss James.”

Well. Ivy’s not too far off the mark. When I first met Bryn, she hardly said two words, kept her head bent when I spoke to her and offered lots of yes-sir and no-sir answers. She had this way of almost blending in with the walls, like she didn’t want anyone to notice her.

So I didn’t.

As we got comfortable working together though, something happened. I’m thinking Ivy had a hand in Bryn’s slow transformation. She actually makes eye contact when she speaks to me, and she’s become somewhat animated. Started to wear bolder colors as well, drawing my attention to her chest though I keep my eyes averted as best I can.

These subtle changes made me notice all of the little things—like the color of her eyes (blue), how her hair looks (like silk and I want to touch it), and the tempting fullness of her lips (they’re spectacular).
Her gaze lingers when she looks at me and sometimes so does mine. Her smile softens, her voice drops lower when she speaks, sparking my imagination. Would she sound like that right before I kissed her? Took off her clothes? Took her to my bed?

Yeah. All of those are dangerous thoughts. I almost prefer the old Miss James. The one who was like the wallpaper—boring and nondescript. Mean to say, but hell, the last thing I need is a distraction.

And she’s become the biggest distraction I’m currently facing. The very last one I need.  ***


About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite. A wife and mother of three, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance for Bantam and Avon. She is the author of One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend.

Feel free to visit Monica at her website, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY:  One Signed Set of the Billionaire Bachelor Club Series for One lucky winner.
 Please use Rafflecopter to enter. 
Good Luck and Happy Reading Everyone!



SAVOR by Monica Murphy, Avon Romance, available now in ebook formats on Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CAN, Barnes & Noble, Kobobooks, and iTunes.
***click on links or cover below for purchasing information



   

Monday, January 20, 2014

Unwrapping a Review of FALLING AGAIN, a Second Chances novel by Peggy Bird

It’s always sad to see a series end but I do have to admit that I am very much going to miss the characters of the Second Chances series by Peggy Bird more than most. I was hooked on this series from the first one I read, which happened to be the second book in the series – LOVING AGAIN – but I was quick to read the first – BEGINNING AGAIN – so that I was caught up. Now after meeting all of the wonderful couples, experiencing their ups and their downs, and their falling in love, it’s with FALLING AGAIN that Peggy brings us closure and oh, how she does it.

***eARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for FALLING AGAIN:

Investigative reporter Fiona McCarthy is following a hot story. Rumor has it a white supremacist group, financed by the deep pockets of a local businessman, is moving into Portland. In Washington, D.C., to attend a wedding, she wants to find out if her connections on Capitol Hill can give her leads to find the name of that person.

Nick St. Claire is an internationally known photojournalist. He’s also the “baby brother” of Fiona’s good friend, Amanda. Just back from a rough overseas assignment, he runs into Fiona on his home turf in DC and decides to follow up on their meeting six months before in Portland.

In spite of her doubts about his motives and her irritation at the rather large dose of self-confidence he possesses, Fiona goes to dinner with him. One dinner turns into two, which becomes a weekend in his bed. Back home in Portland, she writes Nick off as a bit of fun on vacation and buries herself in her story. Then Nick arrives in Portland on assignment and makes it obvious he wants more than a fling.

But when her story and his assignment dangerously intersect at a mysterious cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest, their relationship is tested. Can their feelings for each other survive her need to get the story and his to frame the perfect shot? Or will the bad guys wreck not only the peace of laid-back Portland but also the chance of happily-ever-after for Nick and Fiona?

*             *              *              *              * 

Fiona McCarthy hopes she’s going to break a huge story about white supremacists funded by deep pockets in Washington, DC but feels as if she’s chasing shadows until she gets word that the Mayor of Portland has nearly been killed in an assassination attempt. Now the shadows are beginning to get nervous. When a handsome young man, who just happens to be one of her best friends’ younger brother, shows up and makes her feel things she shouldn’t, she tries to resist but he just doesn’t want to seem to accept no as an answer, and she’s not sure she really wants him to.

Nick St. Claire has been infatuated with the lovely redheaded Fiona since chatting her up at his sister Amanda’s wedding. Now he’s in DC for a photo event and learns from his overprotective, and nosy, sister that Fiona is in town, too. How lucky for him, since he’s been unable to think of anyone but her since the wedding encounter that left him wanting to get to know her better.

These two come together, they mesh well, but neither seems ready to pursue more but decide to take a chance anyway. Thank goodness. But when the story that Fiona is investigating threatens their safety, all bets are off, and even though Fiona believes she’s capable of taking care of herself, Nick isn’t about to allow her safety to be jeopardized.

FALLING AGAIN, the last Second Chances novel by Peggy Bird is a wonderful farewell to a fabulous cast of friends and lovers. FALLING AGAIN provides us with a very sexy hero in Nick and a gutsy, no nonsense heroine in Fiona – just the way we like ‘em. Our sexy, falling in love while denying it couple are joined by some of our other favorites, Amanda and Sam, as well as Margo and *sigh* Tony. We get a bit of drama, danger, and angst as bad guys try to do our heroine in and poor Nick comes away with some boo boos. Nope, I’m not telling you any more than that. You’ll have to read this amazing, wish I was in Fiona’s shoes, romance that makes you truly believe that Second Chances at love can really happen. I hope so because I could use some falling in love in my own life.

I highly recommend FALLING AGAIN, book six in the Second Chances series by Peggy Bird to everyone who has read the first five, to everyone who hasn’t tasted the delight of this series yet, and to everyone in between. Come to the Second Chances series and fall in love with six wonderful couples who experience wonderful second chances at falling in love. You’ll never want it to end either. I can’t wait to see where Peggy takes us next.

Happy Reading Everyone!

FALLING AGAIN, a Second Chances novel by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, release date – January 27, 2014, available in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks. (I'll add this link as soon as it's available on Kobo.)
***click on links of cover below for purchasing information

   

Cover Reveal for THE QUEEN OF SWORDS by Nina Mason


THE QUEEN OF SWORDS
by Nina Mason

Release Date – March 22, 2014 
from Vamptasy Publishing

A paranormal tale of undying love.
A love powerful enough to reach beyond the grave.       

When Graham Logan draws the Queen of Swords, he knows he’s about to meet the love of his life. For the third time. But surrendering his heart will mean risking her life…or making her what he is--two things his beliefs won’t allow him to do. Graham rages at God: Why give her back only to take her again?

Cat Fingal, the third coming of Graham’s beloved, won’t let him slip away so easily. A white witch, she casts a spell to summon him—for answers, among other things.

Graham has other problems, too. Like the seductress who wants him for herself and the dark wizard who cursed him and killed Cat the first two times.

Will she find a way to save him this time around?
  
*              *              *               *              *        

Excerpt:

Graham had just come upon the misplaced diaries—in the cupboard under the stairs—when he caught a whiff of something burning. Concerned, he stepped back into the foyer. A quick look around revealed nothing unusual. He sniffed the air, again detecting smoke, though none of the toxic undertones of a house fire. Neither did it smell of a choked chimney. It was, in fact, pleasantly herbal—like the juniper-laced bonfires of Beltane he knew in his youth. Was Branwen burning incense...or Benedict trying out a new pipe tobacco?

Shrugging it off, he grabbed the box of diaries and headed for the stairs. As he climbed, so did the smoke. A picture of Caitriona came into his mind. Or was it Catharine...or the new one? He couldn’t be sure as she was naked and her hair hung loose. As she reached for him, he saw something odd: a blue fire the size of a pilot light in the center of each palm.

Like moth to flame, you yearn for light. Come from shadow into my sight.

The words whispered. Caitriona disappeared. Desire blossomed. What was going on? At the top of the stairs, he was sweating and dizzy. Every nerve ending, every vein, burned like fire. He raced down the hall toward his bedchamber, dropping the box as he shot through the doorway. Bending to collect his spilled diaries, he startled at what he saw:

He had no hands. And no feet.

The smoke and ethers enveloped, pulling him apart cell by cell until he felt like the sands of time moving through an hourglass. The cosmos was silent except for a haunting echo—like the sound inside a seashell. He felt at once connected to everything and nothing. Adrift and yet highly attuned. He was blind yet all seeing; numb yet hypersensitive; defenseless yet omnipotent. Others were there, too—phantasmal energies blowing past and passing through like sleet.

The next thing he knew, he was on his back, winded and disoriented. The room was dark save for the flicker of a solitary candle. He could make out only two pale shapes. The larger one, he presumed, was a bed, the smaller one, by the window, his summoner. His nostrils flared, seeking her scent, but found only the spices of the smoke.

“I told ye to stay away from me,” he growled. “Why did ye not listen?”

*****

“Just so ye know, vampires don’t kill—except by accident, of course, or to commit deliberate murder.”

The sound of his deep, musical burr quickened Cat’s pulse. It could only be the good-looking Scot who’d been checking her out from the stacks for the past twenty minutes.

“Excuse me?” She raised her eyes from Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, but did not turn around. There was no need. She’d already memorized every detail of his appearance while he skirted her gaze. Each time she looked his way, hoping to catch his eye, he was conveniently reading the book in his hand. Each time she returned to her work, the prickling hairs on the back of her neck gave away his game.

He seemed uncannily familiar too, though she couldn’t place him. The proud stance, powerful build, and thick copper hair all struck a chord—a sweet arpeggio that resonated somewhere deep inside.

“The average adult has five liters of blood,” he began to explain, “and the average stomach can hold fewer than two.” He paused to shift gears. “She’s also wrong about the coffins. And the impotence—though the book remains one of my favorites of the genre.”

“Mine too.” She set the gold-clad novel on the table beside her laptop. “Do you go here? You seem familiar.”

“Nay. I went to Saint Andrew’s ages ago.”

She still didn’t turn. “Oh? Then what brings you here?”

“I just moved to the village,” he said, “and heard the university had an impressive collection of vampire literature. So, I thought I’d see for myself—to kill a wee bit of time. But it seems ye’ve beaten me to it.”

“For my dissertation,” she offered quickly, pinging with guilt. She did not add that renewal of her faculty contract hinged on her finishing her Ph.D. before the term ended in three more weeks. Or that she was hopelessly behind. If she told him how under-the-gun she felt, he might leave. And she wanted to keep talking to him.

He was undeniably handsome. Bodice-ripper, book-cover handsome. Straight nose with a slight flare at the end; strong jaw and jutting chin; prominent brow and cheekbones; intense, deep-set eyes that turned down at the corners ever so slightly; and a sweet, kissable mouth whose tucked lower lip made it both boyish and sensual.

Apart from the biker jacket and boots, he might have stepped out of one of the Highlander romances she read every chance she got—a longstanding guilty pleasure. For some inexplicable reason, she’d been attracted to all things Scottish for as long as she could remember.

He reached past her, selected Dracula off her stack of reference material, and began looking through it. She could hear the pages turning behind her, but couldn’t bring herself to turn round. If she met his eyes, she would melt like butter.

“He was lucky to have no reflection to fuck with his head.”

His voice brought her back, but only partly. “Who?”

“Count Dracula.”

“Oh.” Embarrassment scorched her cheeks. “It was meant to symbolize that he had no soul.”

“I ken that. But is it true, do ye think?”

Cat knew from her Highlander romances the word “ken” meant “know” in Scots, but was otherwise confused by his question. Why did she find his closeness so discomposing? Men, even good-looking ones, rarely had this effect on her.

“Is what true?”

“That vampires have no souls,” he clarified. “That they’re eternally damned.”

“I don’t believe in—”

When she didn’t go on, he prodded. “Ye don’t believe in what?”

She was going to say “eternal damnation,” but remembered it was never a good idea to discuss religion—especially her religion—with any but like-minded practitioners of the craft. And even then, it could lead to heated disagreement.

Turning at last, she met his eyes, an astonishing shade of gold—like topazes or whisky backlit by the sun. They also were so gnawingly familiar she wanted to scream.

She tried to speak, to wrench her eyes away, but couldn’t seem to. Images of heather and bracken, of misty hills and crystal lochs, washed over her like a dream. What in the name of the goddess was happening to her?
Unable to bear his riveting gaze any longer, she turned back to the table, winded and shaken. She took a couple of breaths to slow her pulse and regain control. As he reached past her to return Dracula to its place, her eyes followed his hand—a sculptural marvel with long fingers tapering from furrowed knuckles to lustrous nails. She shivered as she imagined those fingers traveling over her flesh. He smelled good, too. Natural and earthy.
Like a walk in the woods on a crisp autumn morning.

“How do I know you?” She had to force the words through her throat.

“Have we met before?”

“Oh, aye.” His breath brushed her ear. “A couple of times.”  *  *  *  *


About the Author:

Nina Mason is a hopeless romantic with strong affinities for history, mythology, and the metaphysical. She strives to write the same kind of books she loves to read: those that entertain, edify, educate, and enlighten. Three of her books will be published in 2014: THE QUEEN ONE SWORDS, a paranormal romance/urban fantasy from Vamptasy Publishing; THE KNIGHT OF WANDS, book one in the Knights of Avalon Series from Soul Mate Publishing; and THE TIN MAN, a thriller from Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing. When not writing, Nina works as a communications consultant, doll maker, and home stager. Born and raised in Southern California, Nina now lives in Woodstock, Georgia, with her husband, teenage daughter, two rescue cats, and a Westie who’s frightened of the dryer.

Happy Reading Everyone!