Unwrapping a Review of THE PROFESSOR'S SECRET by Peggy Bird

Always a fan of Peggy Bird’s romances because she conjures up the best characters, and with THE PROFESSOR’S SECRET, new from Crimson Romance, she did not disappoint.

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

Blurb for THE PROFESSOR’S SECRET:

English professor Claudia Manchester secretly writes spicy romances as April Mayes, the Queen of Steam. She wants to keep her side job under wraps till she’s secured tenure, but when she’s pressured by her agent to appear at some out-of-state conferences, she agrees … if she can go in disguise. Dressed as her sexier alter ego, she meets historical romance writer and high school history teacher Bradley Davis and passion ignites. But can true love be built on lies? And will he still want her when she reveals her real self?

~*~              ~*~              ~*~              ~*~

As Sir Walter Scott said, “O, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive.”

Claudia Manchester is a professor of English Lit at Portland State University, and is eagerly awaiting her chance to secure tenure but there’s only one problem…she’s also a romance writer and her agent wants her to start attending author functions such as writers conferences. Her pen name is April Mayes. When she finally gives in to her agent’s request, she agrees to go but only if she can go as April and not as Claudia – in disguise, in other words – but as her alter ego instead of her staid professor self. April is known as the Queen of Steam and so as April, Claudia discovers a whole new side of herself.  

When she encounters a hot and handsome fellow romance writer, high school history teacher, Brad Davis, she discovers that April is much more willing to have fun than Claudia ever was. But what happens when Brad discovers the truth that April/Claire isn’t the real her?

Knowing that a lot of romance writers use pen names, this was a fun story for many reasons. As an aspiring author, I’ve considered the use of one myself but since I’m not a very good web weaver, I figure it would be more trouble than it’s worth to try to keep a cover story straight. Just the problem that poor Claudia seems to find herself in when Brad, who also writes under a pen name – Davis Churchill – begins to unravel her woven web but instead of coming clean, she creates yet another persona tangling her web even more so.

I love how Peggy infused the world of romance writer conference with all that comes with it. How she plunked this poor introverted college professor/sexy romance writer smack down in the midst of it with the undeniably delicious temptation of Mr. Hot and Handsome Brad Davis to keep her on her toes, sweating her woven web, and trying to grab a moment when she can breathe even as she wishes he’d steal away her breath again.

I’ve never had the luck to attend a conference but I know Peggy has and I’m so glad she wrote a story that allowed us to experience one even if only through Claudia and Brad’s eyes. Peggy always creates the most real, alive, and wonderfully delightful characters, people that I would thoroughly enjoy knowing in real life. Claudia and Brad are no exception. They are wonderfully clumsy, each trying to impress, and deceive, while trying to make a connection that will last. Whether, she’s Claudia, April, or Claire, our heroine is as sweet, complicated, and adorable as any romance heroine and Brad is definitely her hero. 

If you love sweet, flirty, and terrifically fun romance, I highly recommend reading THE PROFESSOR’S SECRET by Peggy Bird. It’s a quick, fun read that will have you wishing for your own nom de plume to secret behind in hopes of meeting your own Mr. Hot and Handsome.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE PROFESSOR'S SECRET by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of THANKFUL FOR LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird

I think I’ve expressed my joy over the Holiday for Romance series by Peggy Bird, from Crimson Romance enough times that you should know I want you all to read them. THANKFUL FOR LOVE is one that although a bit different, keeps the romance alive and you cheering for it, and just in time for Thanksgiving.

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

Blurb for THANKFUL FOR LOVE:

Eastern Oregon rancher Jack Richardson needs someone to wrangle his two sons, and Quanna Morales is the available candidate. She needs a steady job badly, so she jumps on the opportunity, even though she’s focused on her education and busy helping her mother take care of her disabled brother.

Jack and Quanna can’t fight their attraction, but Quanna worries his family and friends will exhibit the anti-Indian prejudice she’s only too used to encountering. And if things go badly between them, Quanna will not be able to help support her family and the boys will have lost yet another mother figure. When her worst fears come true and a feud erupts at the Thanksgiving table, will Jack be able to convince her that their love is strong enough to overcome any obstacle?

~*~           ~*~             ~*~              ~*~             ~*~

Quanna Morales needs a better job that will pay a steadier income that will allow her to continue living on her own, help her family, and go to college. When the opportunity to be a ‘kid wrangler’ for a handsome and very sexy cowboy pops up, she knows she wants it even if she’s worried she’s not really qualified. Once she arrives at the interview, meets the kids, and sees the ranch, she knows she definitely wants the job. The fact that her new boss is irresistible is a complication she’ll just have to deal with…at least until he starts to express interest in her. Jack Richardson is a sexy cowboy. A dozen or so years older than Quanna and very much out of practice since he married the only woman he ever dated or loved, he is adorably clumsy in his charming attempts at coming on to Quanna. I didn’t connect the name right away, but as soon as Sam Richardson showed up in the story, I realized this was an older brother to the gorgeous and sexy police detective who married Amanda St. Claire after clearing her of murder in LOVING AGAIN, book two in the Second Chances series by Peggy Bird. Whoot! I was so happy.

Whereas, all Jack worries is how folks might see his being so much older than the beautiful Quanna, she is more worried about the fallout that might follow Jack and his wonderful boys if he were to become involved with her. Prejudice is an ugly thing but strength comes in facing the fear of it, rather than giving into the prospect.

I think what I loved the most about this story, THANKFUL FOR LOVE, was the vulnerability of the characters from Quanna’s worry over prejudice about her half-Indian blood to Anne Salazar’s feeling as if her family was abandoning her and her deceased daughter - Jack’s wife. Sometimes unfounded fears can be stronger and more debilitating to the psyche than phobic fears. Even the boys, Daniel and Lucas – adorable kids, by the way – carried their own fears of losing the memories and feel of their mother’s love. This story is about love overcoming the fears each carried and Peggy did it brilliantly.

I highly recommend the amazing, sensitive, and character driven THANKFUL FOR LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird, not just because it’s a wonderful Thanksgiving treat but because it makes us all think about how what we do, what we say, or how we act can have more impact on someone else’s life than we ever realize. It reminds us to be kind, be respectful, and when in doubt about what someone means when they say something, don’t be afraid to confront your fear because it might just be the other person is just as afraid of something.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THANK FOR LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, releasing November 16, 2015, available in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links helps keep this blog alive. Thank You.

Unwrapping a Review of THE GIFT OF LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird

There is something about Peggy Bird’s creation of her characters, which always allows me to connect with them on a personal level. We first met Isabella Rodriguez in TRUSTING AGAIN…she was Marius’s friend for whom he bought the beautiful Cleopatra necklace created by his heroine. Now it’s Isabella’s turn in THE GIFT OF LOVE: A Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird, and it’s not going any easier for her this time than it did with Marius. Ahh…Marius…it’s not easy to forget a man like him, but then maybe a new man might just make it possible...at least for Isabella.

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

Blurb for THE GIFT OF LOVE:

Isabella Rodriguez put her life on hold to return to Portland and take care of her ailing parents, but now they’re gone. When her four overbearing brothers confront her insisting it’s time for her to move on with her life and that they’re selling the house, it might just be Bella’s worst birthday ever. Luckily, an unexpected promotion and a transfer to Seattle might mean a bright new future awaits.

Tech consultant Taylor Jordan’s career is on a huge upswing and he’s sure to make partner soon. He has no time and little interest in a personal life, especially after an embarrassing breakup with his last girlfriend. But when he meets the gorgeous Bella at a business mixer, he can’t help but be intrigued.

Sparks fly between them immediately, but when Taylor discovers Bella was behind one of the most humiliating experiences of his life, will they be able to find a future together?

~*~              ~*~              ~*~             ~*~             ~*~ 

Isabella, or Bella, as she prefers, wants to live her life on her terms not those set by her interfering older brothers. After the family home is sold, she is offered a fabulous opportunity to start up a branch of Makeup/Breakup, the company she writes letters for customers who don’t know what to say themselves. The only problem seems there is a neighborhood woman who is doing her best to block their opening in Seattle. As she tries to work through the business problems, life brightens delightfully when she meets Taylor Jordan…a gorgeous Viking god who has a penchant for organization.

The first time Taylor lays eyes on the gorgeous dark-haired beauty, he has to know who she is and how to meet her. When she appears in his office as one of his boss’s clients, he recognizes her as one of the women responsible for his ex-girlfriend leaving him and breaking up with him through a letter from some busybody business called Makeup/Breakup in Portland. Now he had a problem…the more he got to know her, the more he wanted to be with her but if she finds out what he’s done…well, it can be over before it gets started.

Peggy Bird does a wonderful job of conjuring endearing, realistic, and energetic characters, which draw you in, make you think of them as friends, and want only the best for them even when things look like they’re not going to work out well. THE GIFT OF LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel is just such a story. Isabella wants to put her trust in Taylor but sometimes, he just seems off in his behavior. She even wonders if he has a personality conflict problem because she never knows what to expect, but she has to admit he’s a Viking god and is mighty fine in bed. What she doesn’t know is he’s always walking on eggshells worrying about her learning the truth about what he’s done to hurt her business, or the kind of family life he survived.

I know Isabella Rodriguez. I know her need to do what she wants because she’s always done what her family has asked of her. It’s her turn now. It’s her life and she wants to be the best at what she does, and succeed on her own. She hasn’t been very lucky in love and so it’s time for that luck to change. Taylor Jordan is careful when it comes to trust so it’s time for him to give in to that need and to have others trust in him. They're perfect for each other...once they get past a few things.

THE GIFT OF LOVE by Peggy Bird is a quick read, sweet, and unusual in that it takes quite some time for the hero and heroine to finally come together in the same room but when it happens, sparks fly and you know beyond a doubt, they belong together. Peggy creates a wonderful, sweet story about two people who have both tried to create and lead their own lives with confidence and faith.

I highly recommend THE GIFT OF LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird to anyone who loves romance, romantic dates, and a guy who will totally step out of his comfort zone to prove to the woman he loves that he truly loves her. Taylor is smart, sexy, good looking, plans great dates, and really comes through to prove he is sorry. Love it.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE GIFT OF LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, release date – June 22, 2015, available in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, please remember that even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Unwrapping a Review of RINGING IN LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird

I love how Peggy Bird has pulled characters from her Second Chances series into her new series, Holiday for Romance. I fell in love with Tony Alessandro in TOGETHER AGAIN, book three of the Second Chances series and so in RINGING IN LOVE, a Holiday for Romance, we are treated to meeting Tony’s sister, Catherine and are introduced to a hero who could definitely rival Tony for the title of sexiest hero. Releasing today, I hope you celebrate the New Year by reading RINGING IN LOVE.

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

Blurb for RINGING IN LOVE:

With a business to grow and a teen-aged son to raise, Catherine Bennett doesn’t have time for a social life. Even if it is the holiday season. Besides, after her ex’s betrayal, she's not willing to open up her heart again. But when she leases office space in Dominic Russo’s building, she can’t keep her mind—or her eyes—off her new landlord. Only problem is he happens to be a known womanizer…and her professional rival.

Unfortunately for Dominic, Philadelphia’s most eligible bachelor is definitely experiencing a dry spell. He hasn’t dated in months, contrary to the rumors, yet convincing career-minded Catherine that there’s more to him than his reputation will be a challenge. Since she’s determined to focus on work, he offers her an irresistible chance at winning a huge contract if she partners with his company.

Can he show Catherine that mixing business with pleasure wouldn’t be such a bad idea this New Year’s Eve?

~*~                ~*~                ~*~                ~*~               ~*~

Catherine Bennett has focused on her business and her son for so long she’s out of practice when it comes to men. So much so that when the sexy, handsome, and very successful Dominic Russo, her greatest business competition, flirts with her, she doesn’t realize that he is doing so at all. Finally, giving in to having lunch with him after he sends her enough flowers to start her own florist shop, he awakens the sleeping sexy woman in her who has been asleep for far too long. But what does he really want? Her? Or a means to getting information about her business and her success?

The very charming, very sexy Dominic wins over her son, her assistant, and eventually, Catherine, but now he may have stolen her ideas to get the account that everyone wants. How does he prove she’s wrong about him?

Peggy Bird creates the sexiest men and I fall in love with every single one of them so yes, I fell for Dominic. She promised me a hero who would rival Tony Alessandro for my affections, and Dominic came very, very close to winning over Tony with his charm, his classy demeanor, and the way he treats a woman, but Tony still has a little somethin’ somethin’ that keeps him at the top of my list. Don’t get me wrong, Dominic Russo is to die for and I would love to be in Catherine’s shoes. Even the way he calls her ‘Ms. Bennett’ conjures the sound of Colin Firth speaking her name in my wildest imagination. Dominic is sexy…he’s seductive…he’s to die for dreamy. I thought my knees would melt out from under me when he asked Catherine how she liked to be seduced. Phew, my temperature is rising just thinking about it. And Catherine...well, she’s a fiery, business minded, beautiful Italian woman with the feminine side of the appeal that her brother, Tony, carries with confidence. She’s the perfect match for Dominic and when she gets mad, she really gets mad. It's awesome!

RINGING IN LOVE by Peggy Bird is a delightful, steamy, and sexy seductive story about two people who never expected to fall in love, never expected anything lasting but in the end, they get the sweetest, most romantic ending on New Year’s Eve. I actually found myself thinking that if I were ever blessed with a romantic New Year’s Eve like that, I’d never complain about sitting home watching the ball drop again.

I highly recommend RINGING IN LOVE, a Holiday for Romance by Peggy Bird to everyone who believes in love, a happily ever after, and how you just never know who might be your perfect match or where you might meet him. Some romances are spicy, surprising, and ultimately, the sweetest in the end. This is exactly what RINGING IN LOVE is and like when you enjoy Tiramisu, it ends with a big satisfied smile. 

Happy Reading, and to everyone – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

RINGING IN LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novel by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Promo for WINTER DREAMS, a boxset of 7 Heartfelt Holiday Romances from Crimson Romance

 WINTER DREAMS

7 Heartfelt Holiday Romances

by

Robyn Neeley, Lola Karns, Dana Volney, Jennifer deCuir, Jenny Jacobs, Lucy Oliver, Kathryn Brocato

Available now from Crimson Romance

& on sale at Amazon only for a Limited time - 82¢

Winter's crisp cold is the perfect backdrop for holiday lights, snowball fights, and starry nights by the fire, curled up with hunky heroes. Let these seven couples show you how to find the warmth of red-hot romance.

CHRISTMAS DINNER: Amanda dreads returning home single for Christmas, but the only available man is her rival for the TV anchor spot. Can the holiday spirit turn animosity into love?

THE WINTER FAIRY: Recuperating ballerina Penelope Glazier can enchant the young girls in her class, but will her magic work on Carson Langley, the sexy but straight-laced single father of her most talented student?

HOLIDAY HOOPLA: Halle is about to lose her gift shop, until banker Blake walks into her life, dangling an offer that could save it all, or cost her everything.

WYNTER’S JOURNEY: Twelve years after tragedy tore Wynter and Sam apart, can another predicament bring them back together?

THE WINTER PROMISE: War throws Lady Emma and Lord Robert together, where they must decide if they can listen to their hearts - or if they would be wiser never to trust each other.

WINTER STORMS: Daniel's sailing accident cost Carly her shot at Olympic dreams, while his own athletic success was unhindered. Now he's returned and they're stuck in the Cornish village where storms lash them from outside - and within.

OLD CHRISTMAS: Casey needs help from the magic that walks on Old Christmas Eve to find her way back home, and to the love she left behind.

Sensuality Level: Sensual

EXCERPTS:

CHRISTMAS DINNER by Robyn Neeley

“Arrive at destination on left.” The familiar voice of Tate’s GPS echoed throughout his Jeep, interrupting the soft sounds of Christmas music.

This couldn’t be right. Could it? He pulled onto the side of the road. His navigation system had taken him down a dark and twisty path for the last fifteen minutes. There were few homes on either side. He shook Amanda’s shoulder gently. His eyes focused on the spectacle in front of him.

“What time is it?” She yawned and sat up. “Are we here already?”

“That’s what I would like to know. Amanda, is this your parents’ house?” He leaned over his steering wheel and peered out the window. In front of him, thousands of decorative red and green lights flickered on rows of Christmas trees at the bottom of a hill, showcasing what he could only describe as a cross between Santa’s Village and the middle of Times Square. A blanket of snow stretched at least a quarter of a mile up the hill. At the top was a beautiful two-story mountain log cabin. Glistening white Christmas lights outlined the house.

Amanda sighed. “Yep. We’re here.”

“This is amazing. Amanda, is your dad Santa Claus?” he asked, half joking.

“Not quite.”

“They could land 747 jets on your front yard. That tree in the middle has to be over thirty feet tall.” He pointed to the west side of the lawn. “Is that a horse and sleigh over there?”

“The horse is fake. I’d rather not talk about the sleigh.”

“Then we won’t.” He suspected she might have some unpleasant memories of it involving the infamous ex. Perhaps it was the scene of the aborted proposal.

Amanda sighed. “Good. Did your parents decorate their lawn for the holidays?” She reached behind her for her bags.

“No. Well, yeah, I guess. But this, well, this . . . wow . . . It’s just really something.”

About the Author:

Robyn Neeley is an East Coaster who loves to explore new places, watches way more reality TV than she cares to admit, can’t live without Recess Peanut Butter Cups and has never met a Christmas cookie she didn’t like. (Her favorite cookie made it into Holiday Wedding!) She writes romantic comedy, sometimes with a hint of magic, but always with a happy ending. Visit her at www.robynneeley.com.

WYNTER’S JOURNEY by Jennifer DeCuir

Okay, it was go time. What was the first thing they were supposed to do? Sam looked wildly around the room. He kept his voice calm, and hid the tremors that threatened to rattle his teeth loose. Wynter was counting on him.

He got her into bed and rushed to his desk in the corner. Jerking at the mouse to wake up the screen, Sam brought up the website he’d been studying just a few short hours ago. He thought he’d had more time.

Yeah, he’d been anticipating this. It was Vermont–in the dead of winter. Chances were pretty damned good that a snowstorm would make a routine hospital delivery less and less likely. And he’d been right to assume that Wynter wouldn’t take the contractions seriously until it was too late. She was too stubborn for her own good.

So they were doing this. Another scream from the bed had him yanking the power cord from the laptop and carrying it with him back to the other side of the room. The website hadn’t bothered to explain that hearing his best friend’s gut-wrenching cries of pain would push his own stress levels beyond human endurance.

“Amazing what you can learn from the internet.” That ridiculous statement earned him a glare. Yeah, probably best to keep the chatter to a minimum.

“Sam. Call 9-1-1,” she panted.

He was going to do that. It was next on his list. Really. He reached for the cell phone that he kept on the nightstand charger next to his bed. It wasn’t there. He stared frantically at the empty charger.

Wynter watched him closely, her eyes pleading with him.

“Sam, please!” She clutched at the sheets with a white-knuckled grip, her entire body going rigid. Crap.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” Sam spun on his heel and raced for the stairs, taking them two at a time, falling on his butt and sliding down the last few. Not letting it stop his momentum, he ran to his office.

About the Author:

Jennifer DeCuir grew up in a small town in Maine, which provides the basis for Scallop Shores, the fictional town in Drawn to Jonah. She's busy raising two kids and a husband. She loves including children and babies in her stories, as her own provide endless story ideas. Currently residing in rain-soaked Washington, she can usually be found working on her latest book in a local Starbucks. Visit Jennifer at http://www.jenniferdecuir.com/home.html.

CLICK HERE for more excerpts from the WINTER DREAMS boxset.

Buy Links:

Amazon - 82¢/ Barnes & Noble - 99¢ / Kobo - 99¢

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, 
remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

 

Unwrapping a Review of LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novella by Peggy Bird

The Holiday for Romance series by Peggy Bird from Crimson Romance is so much fun and so full of delights that I eagerly look forward to each one as it releases. So it goes with Peggy’s newest – LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE – a delightful all inclusive holiday adventure that will leave you feeling the spirit and it’s available now!

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

Blurb for LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE:

Ah, the holidays. David Shay can’t get enough of the December festivities. He especially enjoys sharing his love of the season with the underprivileged children at his non-profit organization SafePlace for Children and Parents. Hannah Jenkins, on the other hand, turns into a jaded Scrooge every year on Black Friday. As manager of a large retail store, she’s seen first-hand how the rampant commercialism of the holiday can bring out the worst in people.

When David’s organization is the charity Hannah’s boss picks for their annual donation, it falls on her to organize a huge holiday party, whether she likes it or not.

Can a nice Jewish boy—with the help of some Christmas lights, a little girl, and a latke party—teach Hannah the true meaning of the season and guarantee them both a New Year’s Eve kiss to remember?

*                 *                *                 *                 * 

With Black Friday upon her, Hannah Jenkins is not in the holiday mood this year, but then that seems to be usual for her. Every year, she loses more and more of the Christmas spirit to seeing the commercialism of the season take over. Working retail confirms her belief that the holidays bring out the worst in people not the best, but then her faith in people’s goodness during the holidays began to fade in her youth. So when her assistant manager goes on maternity leave early and her boss informs her the office Christmas party is going to involve a local charity, she’s definitely not in the mood – especially since the charity liaison is a sexy man named David Shay who is far too full of holiday cheer. When he challenges her that he can help her rediscover the true meaning of the holidays and if he wins, she has to kiss him on New Year’s Eve, she takes the bet confident he’ll never win.

LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE by Peggy Bird is a blend of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens mixed with every holiday movie you’ve ever enjoyed along with that good feeling, which makes you eager to hear Christmas music playing everywhere. This novella made me smile, laugh on occasion, and even melted this old Scrooge heart a bit. It’s been difficult for me to catch any holiday cheer the past few years because of personal reasons but after reading LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE, even this doubting Thomasina is looking forward to whatever kind of magic the holiday season might bring. I forgot that I’ve seen the good this season can bring to so many people, and even to a little girl who once asked for something she’d been told she couldn’t have, yet Santa made happena anyway. Yes, my darlings, there is a Santa Claus – he lives in the spirit of giving and sharing with a little magical luck thrown in.

So, grab yourself a copy of LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novella by Peggy Bird and get that magical feeling. It is that time of year after all. I highly recommend this novella to everyone who loves a good holiday story and believes even the smallest miracles are possible in the season of LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE. You'll fall in love with it too.

Happy Reading Everyone!

LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE, a Holiday for Romance novella by Peggy Bird, Crimson Romance, available now in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Cover Reveal for RINGING IN LOVE, A Holiday For Romance novel by Peggy Bird

RINGING IN LOVE

A Holiday For Romance novel

by Peggy Bird

Coming December 29, 2014 from Crimson Romance

With a business to grow and a teenaged son to raise, Catherine Bennett doesn’t have time for a social life. Even if it is the holiday season. Besides, after her ex’s betrayal, she's not willing to open up her heart again. But when she leases office space in Dominic Russo’s building, she can’t keep her mind—or her eyes—off her new landlord. Only problem is he happens to be a known womanizer…and her professional rival.

Unfortunately, for Dominic, Philadelphia’s most eligible bachelor is definitely experiencing a dry spell. He hasn’t dated in months, contrary to the rumors, yet convincing career-minded Catherine that there’s more to him than his reputation will be a challenge. Since she’s determined to focus on work, he offers her an irresistible chance at winning a huge contract if she partners with his company.

Can he show Catherine that mixing business with pleasure wouldn’t be such a bad idea this New Year’s Eve?

*                  *                  *                  *                  *

About the Author:
A message from Peggy,

Born in Philly, raised in the suburbs, I moved to the Northwest as an adult and, other than a year in England and a couple years in Montana, have happily lived here ever since.
My work life has been more complicated. I was a nurse, political staffer, lobbyist, association executive, and community affairs consultant before I followed my passions to writing and art glass. Not as much money but a whole lot more fun.
In 2012, my life changed dramatically when several of the books I'd started out writing as mysteries were contracted for publication by Crimson Romance. Since June of that year, I've had six books in the Second Chances series released as ebooks and trade paperbacks, and a second series, A Holiday for Romance, begun.
Some of the characters in my books share my love of glass art--there's a gallery owner and a kiln-formed glass artist, a glass jewelry artist who has better luck making perfect beads than I do and, in the first Holiday for Romance book, a glass blower. It's an enjoyable way to share my love for glass art through my other love, writing.
All of the books take place primarily in the Pacific Northwest where I live but sometimes Philly, where I grew up, slips in. It's easy writing romances in such a beautiful setting!
I love to hear from readers so feel free to visit my website, and follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter.  

Be sure to check out all of Peggy's fabulous romances. 

Releasing on November 24, 2014 is Peggy’s LIGHTS, LATKES, AND LOVE, a Holiday For Romance novella which I’m going to be reviewing it right here on release day so stay tuned for that one. Her Holiday For Romance series has been an absolute delight so far, so I doubt we’ll be disappointed with Christmas and New Year’s treats.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Tour for SPARKED BY LOVE: A Holiday Romance by Peggy Bird + #Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Tasty Virtual Book Blog Tour for SPARKED BY LOVE: A Holiday for Romance by Peggy Bird. Check out my review of this lovely, delightful, and sweet romance by one of my favorite authors, Peggy Bird, but then don’t go away because there’s a tour wide giveaway you won’t want to miss.

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

Blurb for SPARKED BY LOVE:

Some fussy artist is making Shannon Morgan’s job with the city of Vancouver, Washington harder than it should be. She’s organizing the huge annual Independence Day celebration and he’s being impossible. But then, he’s like a couple other men she’s known—her mostly absent father and her disappearing ex-boyfriend, for example.

All Leo Wilson wants is an okay for his plans to install glass fireworks at Fort Vancouver on the Fourth of July. With thousands of people there to see his work, it could be his big career break. If the crabby bureaucrat will get him the permits he needs.

When Leo confronts the cause of his trouble in person he’s surprised to find a beautiful young woman. Shannon is equally surprised at meeting a sweet, sexy man. Dinner, a movie and a few torrid kisses take it from spark to flame.

But then the father she’s always wanted as part of her life reappears, accompanied by her ex-boyfriend. Shannon has to decide how far she’s willing to go to have her father around. And find out why he’s with her ex.

If she makes the right decisions, she and Leo will create fireworks that rival the pyrotechnics that light up the sky on July Fourth. Privately.

*             *             *             *             *

Leo Wilson can’t be happier. His proposal for an art project to celebrate the Fourth of July in nearby Vancouver has been accepted, and he knows it’s going to be his best shot at being noticed. However, he’d be happier if one particular city worker wouldn’t be such a pain in the behind about questioning his every move. Deciding it was time to confront the enigmatic Shannon Morgan face to face, he goes to her office. The woman he finds there is anything but what he expected and now he can’t seem to take his eyes or his mind off her, and wants only to impress and win her over – completely.

Shannon Morgan is nearly at the end of her rope, between her boss who is determined to get her fired and the artist who was awarded a commission by the city to do a glass art display for the Fourth of July celebration, she’s ready to go crazy. Then to make matters worse, her occasional father and her ex-boyfriend have decided to, now of all times, show up and make her life even more complicated. The bright spot in a day gone bad is the gorgeous man standing in her doorway who turns out to be the pain in the butt artist she’s done her best to avoid. When his art turns out to be as exciting as his kisses, Shannon begins to believe that maybe having a man in her life might not be such a bad idea after all.

SPARKED BY LOVE: A Holiday Romance by Peggy Bird is an extension of the Second Chance series, which featured such wonderful characters as Amanda St. Claire from book two, LOVING AGAIN, who actually shows up in this wonderful story as Leo’s friend and glass art supporter. It’s such a delight to meet old friends while meeting new ones. Leo Wilson is a hottie artist who knows what he wants and has no problem going after it. Whether it’s his determination to present his art the way he sees it at its most creative, or his determination to win over the beautiful Shannon who he fears thinks of him only as a friend even though when they’re together, they make sparks that rival his vision for his glass fireworks display. As usual, Peggy does a fabulous job of conjuring the most wonderful hero to make us fall in love right along with the heroine.

When Shannon’s on again, off again father makes a play for winning over his daughter and pushes Shannon’s ex-boyfriend on her, Leo and his art get tangled up in a situation which might do more than cause a split between he and Shannon. As usual, Peggy handles the emotions and interference of others in a realistic, logical fashion, which keeps the reader turning the pages eager to find out what the not-so-nice guys are really up to, while cheering on Leo in the hopes he gets his girl. SPARKED BY LOVE: A Holiday Romance by Peggy Bird is a wonderful story about a woman who doesn’t trust falling in love, and a man who teaches her falling in love is wonderful, and can end in truly spectacular fireworks of the best kind.

I highly recommend SPARKED BY LOVE: A Holiday Romance by Peggy Bird because it’s the most smile-worthy story you can read over any weekend - holiday or not.

Happy Reading Everyone!

About the Author:

Peggy Bird lives in the Pacific Northwest where she sets most of her novels. To stay out of trouble—and the rain—she writes stories about smart women and sexy men, and creates the occasional piece of glass art.

To learn more about Peggy and her amazing books, feel free to visit her website, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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