I wonder how many readers have been introduced to the military romance genre through Lindsay McKenna‘s books? I know that when I began reading her Morgan’s Mercenaries series (and related books) that I couldn’t put them down. Although, I didn’t serve in the military myself, I come from a family that has upheld and highly valued U.S. military service since the revolutionary war. (Not to mention the ancestors who came to this country as officers in the British army in the 1600s.) In her books, I found that McKenna provided a realistic view of the various branches of service that was melded with a philosophy and spiritual element I found absolutely intriguing.
Her newest series for Harlequin – Shadow Warriors – includes characters that you will find familiar from earlier books. This series will focus on the female ground troups – the Shadow Warriors – under the leadership of General Maya Stevenson from the Black Jaguar Squadron. My review today will focus on Down Range (Shadow Warriors Book Two), however I’ll make the suggestion that you read Danger Close (Shadow Warriors Book One) first, although you don’t have too. I found that reading these books in order provided me with a greater understanding of the characters, plus I felt like I had a mini-military history lesson about a shadow war I knew less than nothing about in Danger Close
Down Range focuses on a mission that Shadow Warrior Captain Morgan Boland and her former lover, Navy SEAL Jake Ramsey, undertake in the mountains of Afghanistan to assassinate an Al Qaeda-backed opium dealer who obliterated the inhabitants of a village and killed Morgan’s husband.
The history and passion that Morgan and Jake shared is evident from their first meeting outside of the Pentagon. It seems like they are to be forever star-crossed lovers who will be without a happy resolution in this lifetime – as their history provides both a depth of sadness, layers of mistrust, and deep emotional scars.
One of the reasons I really admire McKenna is that she is able to depict the rehabilitation of her character so completely and realistically. Although Jake’s actions early on with Morgan seemed thoughtless and heedless, I never felt antagonistic towards him as I sometimes do with heroes who aren’t quite heroic to their partners.
Morgan, the daughter of two warriors (yes, do read Danger Close first), is a highly independent, confident, and successful soldier – as well as a caring and compassionate woman. Her motivation for seeking this mission is many-layered and she is able to sweep aside Jake’s skeptical and suspicious feeling about women in combat as he sees her on the ground.
The portrayal of the Afghan village – one seen in an earlier McKenna novel – feels spot-on. McKenna noted that she drew upon a book, The Intuitive Warrior: Lessons from a Navy SEAL on Unleashing Your Hidden Potential by Michael Jaco. In the past, many of her books have blended a spiritual and sometimes almost paranormal element with military precision. In Down Range, she uses Morgan’s and Jake’s highly developed intuitive awareness of danger to drive the storyline. All of which is quite realistic and lends itself to a true suspenseful page-turner.
I’m counting the days until the next book in the series, Risk Taker (Shadow Warriors Book Three), will be released in Februrary – and may in the interim find myself re-reading the Morgan’s Mercenaries and associated series. There’s something about these books that I find satisfying on a soul level. I know that may sound silly to some to consider “romance” books as soul satisfying, but that’s what the best writers provide. And McKenna is one of the best in my opinion.
So, five stars for Down Range, the newest entry in Lindsay McKenna’s Shadow Warriors series.
From the Publisher
Shadow Warriors Book 2
Down Range by Lindsay McKenna
Harlequin
ISBN 9780373778218
Price $7.99
Trained to kill, but built for loveâŚ
Captain Morgan Boland is at the top of her game, as is her former lover, Navy SEAL Jake Ramsey. Then a military computer selects them to partner in a special op. The mission can’t be compromised by their personal historyâand they have truckloads of it.
But the Afghan assignment might provide the discipline they need to finally get it togetherâoutside the bedroom, that is. A lot has happened over the two years since they last went their separate ways. And there’s way more to Morgan than Jake has ever given her credit forâŚ.
For me a perfect romance to curl up with should have an enticing setting (this could be the mountains or seaside, or a very old French village), characters that I can connect to and befriend for how ever many pages I read, and a story that captures my interest. I have to say that Sherryl Woods’ Chesapeake Shores series has all those elements and I feel blessed that I began reading it after she had already published books one to nine. (Yes, I am an impatient reader and prefer not to have to wait months or a year to find out what is happening to favorite characters, though of course I do.)
This fall, Woods released book 10 in her Chesapeake Shores series, A Seaside Christmas, which featured Jenny Collins, now a successful Nashville songwriter who’s returned to Chesapeake Shores to help out our favorite flower shop owner and playwright produce a Christmas musical.
It’s been a while since we last saw Jenny, the adopted daughter of an O’Brien marriage (I’m not giving you spoilers for earlier novels okay, you just have to read them). Just let it be said she left quite unhappy with her mom’s remarriage as before it had just been the two of them. This is the first time she’s returned to the idyllic community created by the O’Brien family in years.
She’s returning not only to help out, but also to tend a wounded heart. Her love, a highly successful singer whom she partnered with professionally and personally, had a substance abuse problem and cheated on her publicly – which sent her into a tailspin of despair. Now, a year later, she’s stronger and just beginning to move on in her life.
But moving on, may mean looking back, as that singer – Caleb Green – follows her to Chesapeake Shores. His initial motivation in seeking her out becomes buried in their renewed feelings for one another – no matter how much Jenny tries to resist. But does love ever run smoothly?
Jenny has to deal not only with Caleb, but her feelings of abandonment, real or perceived they’ve followed her since she left her hometown. Will Caleb convince Jenny to give him a second chance? Will she learn to trust her heart? Find her family again? Woods keeps us turning the pages to find out.
While this could be read as a stand-alone novel, I’d really advocate that you read the series first. You’ll want to know who the characters are that you’re meeting in A Seaside Christmas and their backstories. Plus who could argue with the pleasure of reading Sherryl Woods’ novels? Her stories are moving and compassionate and we, as readers, care about the outcome of her characters lives. She makes them come alive on the page – and become our friends.
So, do take some time and book a trip to Chesapeake Shores and experience romance with a definite heart and passion.
Five stars for Sherryl Woods A Seaside Christmas
From the Publisher
A Chesapeake Shores Novel Book 10
A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Harlequin MIRA
ISBN 9780778315117
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods takes you back to Chesapeake Shores for another heartwarming holiday season
As the only child of a single mom, Jenny Collins wanted nothing more than to be part of a large, rambunctious family like the O’Briens. Ironically, though, when her mother married into that family, Jenny found herself feeling more like an outsider than ever.
Now, after years in Nashville as an established songwriter, Jenny’s drawn back to Chesapeake Shores to collaborate on a Christmas productionâŚand to make peace with the past. As if that’s not challenging enough, Caleb Green, the singer who broke her heart, has followed her to town, determined to win her back.
With the help of a little O’Brien holiday magic, will Jenny and Caleb find a way to make sweet music forever?
If you’re looking for a fun, light romance with a Southern flair, Hope Ramsay‘s Last Chance Knit & Stitch will fit the bill. I love reading about quirky Southern towns and their inhabitants and often imagine what it would be like to live there. Yes, the iconic image of sipping sweet tea while sitting on a porch in a glider, springs to mind. But unlike some other books I have read recently, Knit & Stitch, didn’t prompt me to pack my bag and move to Last Chance. (Please note that I did not read the previous books in this series, but hope to remedy that in the future.)
I enjoyed the story and the development of the two main characters, who both seem out of place in a traditional Southern environment. But is Last Chance really that traditional? So, what if the heroine is a kick-ass mechanic who also has a talent for knitting (although she is reluctant to share that until forced to). And if the hero is an artist who might be perceived by some as less-than-masculine for his choice of professions (and that is the only reason, folks). Are they really so out-of-step with reality?
In addition, both Molly and Simon have to deal with some pretty heavy family issues. Ramsay incorporates these very real life problems into her romance and makes her characters quite real to us, as more than likely we’ve gone through very similar situations. She accomplishes this with both a deft humor and a true sincerity so that we really “believe” in them.
Of course, they find one another, go through some angst (family and self), learn to trust, heat up some sheets, and then⌠well, you’ll just have to read Last Chance Knit & Stitch to find out what happens next. I love the secondary characters that Ramsay populates the novel with and that in itself is driving me to read the rest of the series.
So would I advise you to take a chance on Last Chance Knit & Stitch? Absolutely!
Four stars for Last Chance Knit & Stitch, a fun Southern read by Hope Ramsay.
From the Publisher
Last Chance Book Six
Last Chance Knit & Stitch by Hope Ramsay
Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
ISBN 9781455522279
Price $8.00
“Last Chance captures the essence of Southern charm and quirkiness. I’m totally captivated!” — Sherryl Woods, New York Times bestselling author
Molly Canaday wishes she could repair her life as easily as she fixes cars. She was all set to open her own body shop in Last Chance when her mother ran off and left her to manage the family yarn shop instead. Now guided by the unsolicited-though well-intended-advice of the weekly knitting club, Molly works to untangle this mess. But her plan unravels when the new landlord turns out to be difficult-as well as tall, dark, and handsome.
Simon Wolfe returns to quickly settle his father’s estate and then leave Last Chance for good. Still wounded by a broken heart, Simon is surprised when the town’s charming streets and gentle spirit bring back good memories. Soon the beautiful, strong-willed Molly sparks a powerful attraction that tempts him to break his iron-clad no-commitment rule. Can Simon and Molly find a way to share work space-and build a future together in Last Chance?
To celebrate the final Friday of 2013, I’m including a varied selection of FREE & almost free ($0.99 / $1.99) books for your eReader. Please note that these offers may be very limited, so if you see something you like, download it right away!
The list is curated and I’ve included either books that I’ve read and highly recommend or books by authors whose work I esteem highly.
Once you’ve read the books, please help continue to support the authors by leaving the book a review at Amazon & Goodreads.Â
Happy Holidays & Happy Reading in 2014!
Here are links to last week’s Feeding Your eReader:holiday only selection, click here.Friday’s edition & Saturday’s special edition
To access any of these books, just click on either the book image or the underlined title link in the text. This will take you to the book’s Amazon.com page.
Oh my, what a present for readers everywhere. Book one, MARKED, Elisabeth Naughton‘s amazing and wonderful Eternal Guardians series is FREE! Confession time, I spent one weekend reading this series from start to finish – turning off my phone, disconnecting from the internet, and just spending some real quality time with amazing Alpha Atlantean heroes and sassy, fun, and highly intelligent heroines. Naughton’s series is among those that I’ll read and re-read as her characters and stories are just so addictive. If you haven’t already read MARKED or her Eternal Guardians series, do! If you have, why don’t you “purchase” this book for FREE as a gift through Amazon for a friend. Spread the love and extend the holidays!
THERON – Dark haired, duty bound and deceptively deadly. He’s the leader of the Argonauts, an elite group of guardians that defends the immortal realm from threats of the Underworld.
From the moment he walked into the club, Casey knew this guy was different. Men like that just didn’t exist in real life–silky shoulder-length hair, chest impossibly broad, and a predatory manner that just screamed dark and dangerous. He was looking for something. Her.
She was the one. She had the mark. Casey had to die so his kind could live, and it was Theron’s duty to bring her in. But even as a 200-year-old descendent of Hercules, he wasn’t strong enough to resist the pull in her fathomless eyes, to tear himself away from the heat of her body.
As war with the Underworld nears, someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
As a special gift to her readers, author Jessica Scott is offering Anything For You: A Coming Home Short Story for FREE for a very limited time. If you haven’t yet read this amazing military romance series, this novella will introduce you to some of the recurring characters and give you a taste of the series. I cannot recommend an author or series more highly than Jessica Scott and Coming Home. She writes these military romances from a place of authenticity and true compassion for the lives of the military men and women she depicts. Keep a box of Kleenex at hand when you read her books though as she tugs at your heartstrings.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever.
Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, sheâs found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive.
As their love grows, so does the risk to Jenâs life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves.
I love the fact that authors are now receiving rights to previously published books and in doing so, sharing them with us. Many times in ways that they would have had they been able to independently publish them in the first place. Case in point is New York Times bestselling author Dianna Love (and if you haven’t read her books, DO). Right now she’s offering a fabulous romantic suspense novel for FREE as a thank you to “all the readers who have supported her over the years!” It’s clear that Last Chance To Run (Slye Temp) is not a reissue, but a “complete revised and much longer version of the original Rita-Award winning book Worth Every Risk. Dianna had to shorten the original story to fit for the publisher. When she got her rights back, she decided to make the book its full length again – a high-concept, action packed romantic suspense.” So add it to your eReader, it’s stomach is growling!
To an undercover agent, sheâs a Person of Interest. Heâs interested.
Escaping the compound of a deadly international felon–with a fortune in rare, stolen coins hidden on her body–elite athlete Angel Farentino has to make the most important run of her life. Literally. With her father in prison, where he belongs, and a prior undeserved conviction hanging over her head, she has nowhere to turn and no one to trust. Definitely not law enforcement who railroaded her through a judicial nightmare. One step ahead of lethal men and dogs on her trail, she runs into the arms of a dark stranger willing to help her if sheâd let him. But that would only get the sexy pilot killed.
Between figuring out whoâs sabotaging his undercover work for the DEA and trying to save his baby sister from herself, Zane Jackson has enough on his plate. The last thing he needs is to get entangled with a woman whoâs treading on the wrong side of the law. But when the long-legged distraction races into the middle of his operation and stows away on his plane, a primal need to protect forces Zane to risk everything, starting with his heart.
“I have three things to say about Dianna Love’s writing…breathless pace…heart-stopping suspense…real characters you feel for.”
~~#1 NYT bestseller Sherrilyn Kenyon
If you haven’t yet read Sara Humphreys‘ fabulous, fun, and quite sexy Amoveo Legend series, you’re in for a treat! This novella, Undenied (The Amoveo Legend book 3.5), is set in New Orleans within the Amoveo shifter world is a great introduction – and I guarantee you’ll become hooked on the series!
Enjoy a taste of The Amoveo Legend in Sara Humphreysâ riveting paranormal romance short story expanding on the world of the Amoveoâbeautiful, secretive shapeshifters whose very existence is threatened by an age-old enemy and warring factions within the clans.
In this free promotional tale, Boris Zankoff is a shapeshifter from the Tiger Clan who wants no part of the burgeoning civil war among the Amoveo, But when his human mate lands on his doorstep in desperate need of his help, apathy is no longer an option.
Sometimes it seems a book just “speaks to you.” Well I admit it, I read the description Across Eternity by Aris Whittier and clicked download in the blink of an eye. This story really captured my attention and I have a feeling this might head my TBR list tonight! I haven’t read it yet, so am taking a chance with this recommendation, but as it’s offered for FREE right now it’s a good chance to try a new book and author.
Logan Richards is doubly blessed. Not only is he a genius but he has a rare gift, he remembers things and not just from this life but all his lifetimes. He lives a life of wealth and luxury and has never lacked any material possession. There has never been an obstacle his intellect couldn’t overcome. But Logan has a problem: every night he dreams of the same woman, a woman he has dreamt of all his life. He knows she is real and he is determined to find her and convince her she belongs with him, forever.
Amber Lewis, a waitress for a five-star restaurant in Dana Point, California, is overworked and stressed. Her sister’s death has left her weary and wondering if there’s something more to life than mere existence. Then, one evening while working she meets Logan Richards, a chivalrous man who feels deeply familiar.
Fate has brought them together, but will their growing love prove strong enough to resist the forces that could pull them apart?
Father Found, is book one of Judith Arnoldâs popular Daddy School series. This book also received the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, so as I’ve enjoyed Arnold’s books in the past, I’ve just added Father Found to my Kindle’s ever expanding library – for FREE!
Jamie McCoy is the ultimate guy: thirty years old, carefree and professionally successful as the writer of a nationally syndicated humor column called âGuy Stuff.â Nine and a half months ago, he spent a week basking on the beach in Eluthera and indulging in a fling with a woman at the resort. Never did he expect to find the unplanned result of that flingâa healthy, wailing baby named Samanthaâstrapped into a car seat on his back porch, along with a suitcase full of diapers and infant apparel and a note informing Jamie that heâs her father.
Maybe he is and maybe he isnât. But first things first. Heâs never fed a baby or changed a diaper in his life. He doesnât own a crib or a stroller. In a panic, he phones the nearest hospital, where neonatal nurse Allison Winslow takes his call and tells him about a class she teaches called the Daddy School.
Classes on how to be a dad are exactly what Jamie needs. But when he attends his first class and sees the tall, earnest, amazingly beautiful and even more amazingly competent Allison, he realizes that he might just need more from her than her lectures on how to hold a baby.
Jamieâs efforts to be a father to this precious baby touch Allison. His sense of humor amuses her. His striking good looks turn her on. But how can she trust the sort of guy whoâd sleep with a stranger on vacation, without giving a thought to the consequences? How can she give her heart to such a reckless man?
For those of you who like some western tinged romance, here’s Her Heart for the Asking (Book 1 – Texas Hearts) from Lisa Mondello
Mandy Morgan swore she’d never step foot in Texas again after Beau Gentry left her for life on the rodeo circuit eight years before. But now her uncle’s heart is failing and she has to convince him that surgery will save his life. She never dreamed the first thing she’d see when she stepped off the plane would be her biggest nightmare…the one man she’d never stopped loving.
Beau Gentry had the fever for two things: the rodeo and Mandy Morgan. But for Beau, loving Mandy was complicated by his father’s vendetta against her uncle. This led him to make the hardest decision of his life and he can still see the bitterness and hurt on Mandy’s face. All these years it has killed him to think Mandy had forgotten him and moved as far away as possible from him. But now they’re back in Texas, and he’s going to do all he can to win back her love.
I’ve been collecting Sandra Marton titles for years and so enjoy her writing style, character development, and inventive plot twists. Paris, where UNTIL YOU is set is also one of my favorite cities, so how could I resist a FREE book by a favorite author in set in the city of lights!
Paris in the spring is a city for lovers, but for Conor O’Neil and Miranda Beckman, the city is a place where the truth is always just out of reach. Miranda’s life is in danger, and Conor will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means not letting her know he’s working for the government. For her part, Miranda will do whatever it takes to keep Conor from learning the truth about her past. And yet, the one thing neither can lie about is the passion that blazes between them.
When I was little, probably about eight or nine, I used to daydream I was adopted = not because I didn’t love my parents – but because I’d weave stories around where I might have come from. Those places weren’t ones I “knew,” but ones I imagined through the magic of storytelling. Castles populated by knights, standing stones lighted by the dawn, green mountains filled with sheep, and all with people from another time. Perhaps that’s why even now when I see “time-travel romance” in a novel’s description, I’m drawn to it like magnet to true north. Right now, you too can add a great time-travel romance to your eReader for FREE. Shelly Thacker is offering Forever His: A Time-Travel Romance (Stolen Brides Series) at no cost and if you like it, there are two other books in the series she’s offering at a reduced rate. I’ll be traveling back in time this weekend. Will you join me?
On New Year’s Eve, she tumbles 700 years back in time–and into the bed of a darkly dangerous knight.
Sir Gaston de Varennes wanted a docile bride who would fit into his plans for vengeance and justice, but a trick of time finds him married to a thoroughly modern American lady who turns his castle, his life, and his heart upside down. Will her desperate secret tear them apart after only a few bittersweet weeks of stolen passion–or will they conquer mistrust, treachery, and time itself to discover a love that spans the centuries?
Winner of the National Readers Choice Award: Best Historical Romance of the Year
I admit it, I’m a bookaholic. As I’m around friends, I know you’ll understand. But I couldn’t resist purchasing Dee Davis’ Endgame (Last Chance Series, Book 1) for my Kindle (even though I know I have a hard copy somewhere in the house). I’m totally hooked on Davis’ A-Tac special (black) ops series and her Last Chance books precede it, with some character overlap. Now’s your chance to get a great digital copy of Endgame for just $0.99!
They both know the games killers play…
FBI criminal profiler Madison Harper understands dangerous minds. Tough, tenacious, with nerves of steel, sheâs the best of the best. So is her new partner, Gabriel Roarke, a crack CIA operative who likes to do things his way. When the two are forced to jointly head up a task force investigating murder in high places â itâs no surprise that sparks begin to fly.
As they race through a shadow world of power, politics and deadly secrets, the passion that simmers between Madison and Gabriel soon ignites. But a clever killer at the top of his game
has challenged Madison to play to the very end. Now all she can trust is her instinctsâand Gabriel, the one man reckless enough to keep her alive…
Rio Award winner, Endgame is the first novel in Dee Davis’s newly re-released Last Chance Series. Don’t miss the other books in the series: Enigma (Last Chance Series, Book 2) and Exposure (Last Chance Series, Book 3)
I haven’t yet read Dana Marton’s Deathwatch (Broslin Creek 1) yet, but can say I really enjoy reading Marton’s suspenseful and very romantic stories. She knows how to grab your interest from the first page. Right now, the first book in her Broslin Creek series is on sale for $0.99. So if you like romantic suspense, this is a real bargain!
The only person who can identify the most notorious hit man in the country, Kate Bridges is running for her life. Murphy Dolan is in the Army Reserves, returning from his 2nd tour of duty, only to find a stranger hiding in his house. She’s scared spitless. He’s completely burned-out on violence. Neither of them has any trust left to give.
I really love M. Malone’s The Alexanders series and she’s just recently bundled the first three stories together in The Alexanders Boxed Set, available for a limited time for just $0.99. So, if you haven’t already started to read this fabulous contemporary romance series, here’s your chance! Ready, set, click!
TEASING TRENT
Ever since Mara walked into her brother’s dorm room freshman year and came face to face with a shirtless Trent, she’s known he was The One. She finally has a plan to get him exactly where she wants him. In her bed.
ONE MORE DAY
On the run from a murderer, Ridley Wells has nowhere else to turn. So when badboy producer Jackson Alexander mistakes her for her twin, she does something she knows is wrong. She lies.
THE THINGS I DO FOR YOU
Raina Winters doesn’t believe in love. There’s only one thing she wants from marriage. A baby. After months of rejection, Nicholas Alexander finally has something she needs, so he offers her a deal. He’ll give her a baby if she gives him what he wants. Her.
Garrison’s Creed (Titan book 2), the second book in Cristin Harber‘s new Titan series is a steaming and fast-paced read. Titan burst on the scene in September and now has readers hooked with its perfect blend of Alpha heroes, tough and funny heroines, and plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. (For a free “taste” of the series, check out The Titan Series: A Military Romance Sampler
A SPY RUNNING FOR HER LIFE
Nicola is an injured CIA agent on the run from a failed undercover operation. Her escape plan shatters when she slams into the man who buried her a decade ago. Cash Garrison. Her first and only love. Now, sexier than her best memory and cradling a sniper’s rifle, he has questions she can’t answer. Why was she alive? And armed?
AND THE MAN SHE COULD NEVER SEE AGAIN
Cash is an elite member of a black ops organization, The Titan Group. He thought Nicola died his senior year of college and swore off love to focus on a decade of military missions. But when she shows up behind enemy lines, bleeding out and wielding a weapon, his heart and mind are unsure how to proceed.
BATTLE BETRAYAL TO SAVE THEMSELVES
Titan and the CIA join forces to uncover a mole hidden in a network of international terrorists and homegrown mobsters, teaming Cash and Nicola again. They fight old wounds and re-ignite sparks while closing in on a double agent. When disaster strikes, Nicola’s hidden past makes her the hunted target and Cash’s best kill shot may not be enough to save them.
ISO Cowboys? Love Me Some Cowboy is the collection for you – and who can resist a tough, rugged cowboy? Not the five feisty, determined heroines of these full-length books by bestselling authors, Lisa Mondello, Jean Brashear, Barbara McMahon, Day Leclaire, and Ginger Chambers. And this special bundle is offered at just $0.99, so saddle-up now!
In Nothing But Trouble by USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa Mondello, city girl Melanie Summers must spend an entire month alone in the Wyoming wilderness with sexy rodeo cowboy, Stoney Buxton, without getting into trouble. Possible? Not a chance in the world!
USA Today Bestselling Author Jean Brashear adds Lone Star flavor with Texas Secrets. Boone Gallagher returns to the only home he’s ever known only to find it’s been willed to a sexy stranger who’s intent on leaving. He must keep her there for thirty days or it will be lost to them both.
Love romantic reunion stories? Then USA Today Bestselling author Barbara McMahon has the perfect book for you! Crazy About a Cowboy brings you Sam and Lisa Haller, who divorced for all the wrong reasons. Now Sam wants his ex-wife back for all the right ones.
Once Upon a Cowboy by USA Today Bestselling author Day Leclaire introduces Cami, a lovable, greenhorn spitfire determined to become a cowboy, despite the objections of her sexy rancher boss.
And last, but far from least, Waldenbooks bestselling author Ginger Chambers offers a heartwarming treat with Love, Texas, in which Cassie Edwards returns to the hometown she’d forsaken to negotiate the sale of land belonging to the Taylor family. Hard-working rancher Will Taylor, once her girlhood crush, is all man now and fighting hard to save his heritage. When attraction flares, will true love triumph?
I enjoy Mia Marlowe‘s historical romances so The How To Series-3 Book Boxed Set is a real find for just $0.99!
From award-winning author Mia Marlowe, three full-length historical romances with sexy alpha heroes and the independent women who figure out âhow toâ bring them to heel. How to Distract a Duchess, How to Please a Pirate and How to Vex a Viscount in one glorious romp of a book set!
Book 1âHow to Distract a Duchess
The widowed Duchess of Southwycke doesnât give two figs for the tonâs opinions on propriety. She wants to be taken seriously as an artist, so Artemisia is painting the entire Roman pantheon in glorious nudes. The man who arrived to pose for her is far too muscular and virile to fit her vision of a cherubic Cupid, so sheâll simply turn him into Mars.
Trevelyn Deveridge never expected to pose naked to serve Queen and country, but the trail of the elusive Mr. Beddington leads right to the door of the duchess. Unless Trev retrieves Beddingtonâs key, a whole string of operatives in India are in danger of discovery. Since heâs convinced that Her Grace can point him in the right direction, he’s left with little choice but to play along with her artistic endeavors.
Besides, when a lady asks a gentleman to disrobe, how can he refuse?
Book 2âHow to Please a Pirate
When Captain Gabriel Drake earns a royal pardon and comes home to Cornwall, he finds himself elevated to lord of the manor with the added complication of being responsible for his five orphaned nieces.
He’s also obliged to wed, bed and breed an heir on a well-born lady as soon as possible to secure the barony or it will be devolved to the Crown. And the fact that he only wants Jacquelyn Wren, the bastard daughter of a courtesan who couldn’t possibly satisfy the King’s requirements to become his baroness, means he’ll have her any way he can.
To protect the orphans in her charge, Jacquelyn has to see the new baron suitably wed to a lady of quality. A few lessons in courting should do the trick nicely. But she forgot one thing.
What a pirate wants, a pirate takesâŚ
Book 3âHow to Vex a Viscount
Daisy Drake needs Lucian Beaumont. Tired of being “on the shelf,” she craves adventure and Lucian holds all the clues to a long-buried Roman treasure. Too bad the devilishly handsome viscount doesn’t want her help.
Until she masquerades as a French courtesan who offers to teach him all she knows of the pleasures of the love couch. Of course, Daisy only knows what she learned from the memoirs of a real courtesan, but she’s always been a fast learner.
As children they sparred with wooden swords, and Lucian has the scar to prove it. Now that they’re all grown up, the true battle is only beginning…
Now’s your chance to sample the four novella Once Upon a Pillow series by Christina Dodd and Connie Brockway. Christina Dodd is offering book two of the series, KIDNAPPED – Once Upon A Pillow, to you for just $0.99 for a very limited time. I haven’t read this yet, but it’s been on my list for a while, so I’m taking advantage of this offer to stuff my reader with romance goodness, shouldn’t you too?
New York Times best seller Christina Dodd brings you her fabulous and funny historical romance novella, KIDNAPPED, book two of the anthology ONCE UPON A PILLOW, the daring saga of a magnificent bed and the lovers who have shared it through the ages.
The knight’s plan is simple. Kidnap the maiden. Take her back to the castle. Marry her. Use her fortune to care for his estate. Only one thing could possibly go wrong: he could steal the wrong woman, and find his own heart is stolen…
Jayne Denker is a fabulous author! I fell in love with the characters, setting, and story of her most recent book, Down on Love, and then was lucky to read some of her backlist courtesy of her publisher. Unscripted is a fabulous inside look at the Hollywood system and a wonderful romance too. I really loved it and right now you can add it to your eReader for just $1.99. (Here’s my review.
One of Hollywoodâs hardest working women is about to discover there’s a lot more drama behind the camera than in front of it…
Faith âFreakinââ Sinclair probably shouldnât have called her boss a pervâŚor grabbed his âprivates.â But as creator of the hit dramedy Modern Women, sheâd had enough of his sexist insults. Now sheâs untouchable in the industryânot in a good way. The only way to redeem herself is to convince Alex, the wildly popular, wildly demanding former star of her show, to come back. But thereâs one obstacle in her wayâone very handsome, broad-shouldered obstacleâŚ
Professor Mason Mitchell is head of the theater department where Alex is studying ârealâ acting. The only way heâll let Faith anywhere near Alex is if she agrees to co-teach a class. Itâs an offer she canât refuseâand as it turns out, the professor just might end up teaching Faith that thereâs more to life than workâand that real-life love scenes are way more fun than fake onesâŚ.
Warning, you’ll become addicted to Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren if you purchase Tempt Me with Darkness (book one). I know I did a few years ago. This is a fabulous paranormal series that should be on your must-read shelf, if it’s not already, and you can add it for just $1.99 now!
He’s an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction….
As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray’s dark windswept hair and burning violet eyes, he’s sure they’ve met in eons past. He’s felt her soft gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own hard powerful body…Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur’s warriors, has endured a terrible curse cast upon him when he spurned the witch.
She’s a modern woman about to discover ancient magic….
Olivia shares a mystical — and irresistible — connection with brooding Marrok.Â
Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful — and intimate — than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna’s hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy all magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love — with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren — can save them.
I can’t wait to read Shadowkiller by Wendy Corsi Staub in the new year. It’s the third book in her Nightwatcher series and I have to say, I’m glad the to have the glow of my Kindle to reassure me when my nerves begin to fray page by page in this wonderfully suspenseful – and romantic series. Shadowkiller will only be on sale at $1.99 for a little while, so don’t miss your chance to save a little money AND get a fabulous suspenseful read!
From the New York Times bestselling author comes a novel of suspense so terrifying it may make you afraid of the dark . . .
Allison Taylor MacKenna feels as though she’sawakened at last from a ten-year-long nightmare.But her darkest hour has yet to come . . .
Nestled in the warm, domestic cocoon of loving husbandand family, Allison finally feels safeâunaware that astranger’s brutal murder on a Caribbean island is the first step in an intricate plan to destroy everything in her life.
For seasoned NYPD Detective Rocky Manzillo, the signs are clear that something terrible has emerged from the shadows:a murder victim left without a face and a faded photograph that yields a startling connection.
Now, as Allison’s murky memoriesof a troubled childhood creep back to light, a cunning predator who shares her history prepares toenact a horrifying retributionâand won’t stop killing untilAllison faces a shocking truth . . .and pays the ultimate price.
As a special holiday gift, author Melissa Foster is giving you the opportunity to purchase book three in her Braden Brothers series (book 6 in her Love in Bloom series) Friendship on Fire for just $1.99. Check out the previous issue of Feeding Your eReader to add books one and four for free! This is a fabulous contemporary romance series by an excellent author. And I hear your eReader calling, “FEED ME!”
Small-town overachiever Riley Banks has finally scored her big break–working in Manhattan as a fashion design assistant for her childhood crush, Josh Braden. She enters her new job hoping to make a name for herself and–just maybe–explore the romance that slipped through her fingers way back when.
Josh Braden has models at his beck and call, a staff that never says never, and an elegant clothing line for the holiday season. When he hires Riley Banks, he expects her to learn the business from the ground up. But the girl next door turns out to be much more than he remembered.
Josh and Riley’s friendship heats up. Every steamy kiss and every erotic caress stirs a love they cannot deny. But when Riley designs a wedding gown that would cause even the most jaded fashion editors to swoon, Riley’s mentor accuses her of stealing the design.
Facing indisputable proof and the mistrust of her lover, Riley is not sure she can take the heat of life in the fast lane of the fashion industry–and Josh is forced to choose between the woman he loves and the career he adores.
I love book collections, especially when authors I admire (like Dianna Love) get together with fellow author friends and produce a super collection of ten books all entice me to read them first! You can read them too and without any guilt, as THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set) is offered at just $1.99. That’s right ten full-length novels by these New York Times and USA Today bests telling authors: Dianna Love, Sandy Blair, Misty Evans, Adrienne Giordano, Mary Buckham, Alexa Grace, Tonya Kappes, Nancy Naigle, Norah Wilson, Micah Caida! Best of all there is something for everyone, from romantic suspense to time travel, charming romance to urban fantasy, cozy mystery to paranormal romance, thriller to young adult fantasy. This box set will only be on sale for a limited time, so act now to add it to your hungry eReader!
LAST CHANCE TO RUN – Sexy, heart-stopping romantic suspense
by New York Times bestseller Dianna Love
“Engrossing, thrilling and wonderfully steamy…a pitch-perfect suspense that will keep readers breathless…” The Romance Reviews
THE LAIRD – Time travel romance set in Scotland
by USA Today bestseller, Sandy Blair
âHeartwarming historical romance at its best.â ~New York Times Bestselling author, Janet Chapman
DEADLY PURSUIT – A hot romantic thriller
by USA Today bestseller Misty Evans
“…a fast paced, action-filled romantic suspense…” ~ So Many Reads
DOG COLLAR CRIME – A fun mystery for romance lovers
by USA Today bestseller Adrienne Giordano
“⌠hits a home run once again with a fun mystery you can’t put down.” New York Times bestseller Dianna Love
INVISIBLE MAGIC – Sexy Urban Fantasy
by USA Today bestseller Mary Buckham
âNot since Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson have I fallen in love with a female character like I have with Alex Noziak.â ~ Quiana at Urban Girl Reader
DEADLY RELATIONS – Non-stop suspense and toe-curling passion
by USA Today bestseller Alexa Grace
ââŚhigh-voltage, fraught-with-danger, vicarious experience that is super-charged with breathtaking love.â The Romance Reviews
A CHARMING CRIME – Bringing Magical Fiction To Life
by USA Today bestseller Tonya Kappes
“Tonya Kappes’ A Magical Cure Series, charmed me until the end!” ~ Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
OUT OF FOCUS – Small town suspense
by USA Today bestseller Nancy Naigle
“Encompasses love and loss to the depths of your heart…” ~ Amazon Reviewer
THE MERZETTI EFFECT – Pulse-pounding paranormal romance
by USA Today bestseller Norah Wilson
“Be prepared to be riveted. The Merzetti Effect is a gripping, exhilarating read that carries you along at an electrifying pace until the very last page.” –Julianne MacLean, USA Today Bestselling Author
TIME TRAP – Epic sci-fi/fantasy young adult
by USA Today bestseller Micah Caida
ââŚtotally captivated by every scene in the first bookâŚThe imagination of Micah Caida takes the reader on an exhilarating journeyâŚoriginality at its best.” Amelia Richards, SingleTitles.com
The Hollows Read-Along with Kim Harrison continues in Goodreads with book six in the series, White Witch, Black Curse. I thought I was the only one who reread the entire series each year in preparation of the release of a new book. I’m not alone anymore obviously as you can join 1000+ The Hollows’ fans in the discussion with Kim on the Goodreads as Rachel Morgan, Ivy, Jinks, Trent, Al, and friends + foes take you on a trip to the Hollows that’s truly addictive reading at it’s best!
Kim Harrison is a New York Times-bestselling phenomenon, in the superstar pantheon along with Laurel K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris of Sookie Stackhouse fame. Return to âthe Hollowsâ in White Witch, Black Curse, as tough-as-nails bounty hunter witch Rachel Morgan seeks vengeance for the death of her lover among the creatures of the night. Indeed, Charlaine Harris herself has nothing but praise for Harrisonâs peerless protagonist, promising, âYouâre going to love this bounty hunter!â White Witch, Black Curse is contemporary dark fantasy at its electrifying best.
********
I love receiving books from authors I never read. I’m loathe to admit the number of authors I still need be introduced to, but Susan Wiggs is no longer counted among them. When I received Candlelight Christmas, book 10 in her The Lakeshore Chronicles series, I made the determination to read books one through nine first. I’m so glad I did.
If Wiggs had set her Lakeshore Chronicles anywhere in the US or abroad, I’d find it a wonderful series. Having her set it in what is, essentially, my backyard – a small Catskill Mountain town in Ulster County – is just a fabulous and fun read for me. I loved seeing her refer to small stores in Phoenicia, including Sweet Sue’s (the best pancakes around), Mohonk, Kingston (where I was born), and so much more! It was like reading a Valentine to a place I love to live.
May I also say I found each of the books impossible to put down. It’s easy to say that they are all page turners, but Lakeshore Chronicles is a true series page-turner. From the moment I was introduced to her characters, whose lives and history all revolve around an old Catskill summer camp. From the first book where the charge is to restore it, through various stories that involve either the camp, the family who owns it, or the community where it is located – and usually a mix of all of those features – this series wraps itself around your heart.
Each character becomes a friend by the time the last page of “their” story and Wiggs provides updates throughout subsequent volumes, so we (the readers) can keep up with our newfound friends’ activities and lives. Sometimes the news may be traumatic (she handles breast cancer diagnosis in one heroine’s life after she’s found her HEA), but the stories are always engrossing. Wiggs is able to keep several secondary plots going that she weaves throughout the series until she’s ready to tell the full story.
That’s the case with the story of the hero of Candlelight Cbristmas, Logan O’Donnell. He’s the father of an adorable son, Charlie, with the daughter of one of the aforementioned much-loved characters. We saw the two of them deal with an unexpected pregnancy, dance around possible involvement with one another, become involved then, then have their relationship dissolve. Now, he’s in search of meaning in his life while he shares raising his son with his former wife and her new husband.
Logan was quite the wild child at first glance, then he became a stalwart supporter of the single mom and fabulous dad, then he became a little wild after his divorce. Now, he’s searching for a job that will have meaning beyond just a paycheck at his insurance agency – and he finds himself considering running a ski resort. Is he returning to his wild child ways as his ex-wife and husband consider moving to Japan? We see Logan meet and fall a little in lust with Darcy Fitzgerald, a friend of his sister, when he meets her at the end of summer while at the camp with his son, Charlie.
Darcy’s just come through a tough divorce, where she not only lost her husband, but his two children whom she had taken to her heart. The last thing she wants to do is become involved with another single father. However fate seems to be playing a part as they find themselves together at the O’Donnell family Thanksgiving celebration in Florida – and the heat level between them is scorching.
By this time, I was devouring the story whole. I won’t say more as you would be much better served reading Wiggs’ prose, but will recommend this book highly – both as a romance and as another addition to your holiday romance shelf. Please make sure you have a box of Kleenex at hand for each of the books in the Lakeshore Chronicles as Wiggs is able to tug at your heartstrings as easily as she can transmit the warmth and happiness of true love.
If, like me, you haven’t read the Lakeshore Chronicles yet, please do so. Definitely add Candlelight Christmas to your must-read shelf.
On another note, I’d like to recommend to my county legislators that they hire Wiggs as a county planner. We desperately need the passenger train service she makes an integral part of her series (we’ve only had freight service in Ulster County since the 1950s). In addition, I could see the very major benefit in having a small commuter airport in Ulster (the nearest is actually in Orange County to the south of us). I studied flying at the Ulster Airport and it’s much smaller and unfortunately could not handle the travel or size of the planes that Wiggs mentions. But it should expand to what she described!
So, to recap, five tree-top stars for Susan Wiggs’ Candlelight Christmas
From the Publisher
Lakeshore Chronicles Book 10
Candlelight Christmas by Susan Wiggs
Harlequin MIRA
ISBN 9780778314745
Price $16.95
A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O’Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O’Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season.
One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake â Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she’s the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas.
Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expectedâa love to last a lifetime.
The Keepers: Christmas in Salem by Heather Graham, Deborah LeBlanc, Kathleen Pickering, and Beth Ciotta, is a holiday anthology that you will want to add to your collection – whether you’re a fan of paranormal romance or not. In four novellas – Do You Fear What I Fear? by Heather Graham, The Fright Before Christmas by Deborah LeBlanc, Unholy Night by  Kathleen Pickering, and Stalking in a Winter Wonderland by Beth Ciotta – these remarkable authors explore whether the force of what is quite literal darkness can be repelled from the historic town of Salem, Massachusetts, in time for Christmas.
While I’ve read a few of books in the Keeper multi-author series, it’s not one I’ve kept up with to my regret. I will make sure to remedy that after reading this fabulous holiday anthology, which, while focusing on and exploring many paranormal elements, was really a paean to the Christmas spirit – and true love.
Whether the heroine was a keeper of vampires, elementals, selkies, or witches – the love each felt for their respective mate (vampire, empath, selkie, and witch) was a transcendent magic. In each story, we met one of the four Keepers in Salem who also were cousins. Each story featured star-crossed love (whether due to perceived cheating, unacknowledged affection, a separation of years, or inadvertent love spells), which was as important to resolve as it was for them to find the “big bad” who was literally keeping the whole of Salem in the dark.
At the time of Solstice, when day light should have begun to return, the Keepers found that instead there was barely any sunlight. Would they be able to solve this mystery of who and what was creating this phenomenon in time to prevent another Salem witch trial – with themselves in the stand?
As this anthology is set at Christmas time you may rest assured that authors Graham, LeBlanc, Pickering, and Ciotta will find a way to make sure that faith in good triumphs over evil. You would be ill-served for me to pick a favorite story from among these four as each was quite special in its own way. I loved how the authors maintained their respective styles, while at the same time carrying through with plot lines that appeared in the prior story. Beth Ciotta’s conclusion to the series was quite the page-turner and the resolution, well – just remarkable.
So, please make sure to add The Keepers: Christmas in Salem to your holiday must-read shelf. It’s a classic that you’ll enjoy year after year. I can imagine reading it aloud at a “girl’s night” as a new holiday tradition, while baking cookies, wrapping presents, or just sitting back with some Christmas treats and a glass of mulled wine or egg nog in front of the fire.
The Keepers: Christmas in Salem receives a rating of five tree-top stars!
From the Publisher
The Keepers: Christmas in Salem by Heather Graham, Deborah LeBlanc, Kathleen Pickering, and Beth Ciotta
Harlequin Nocturne
ISBN 9780373885817
Price $5.75
This holiday season, armed with love and passion, can the Keepers stop the reign of Darkness?
Christmas is coming to Salem, but so is an evil force that threatens all mankind. In this memorable collection led by New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham, four powerful Keepers must save their community as a strange, eternal night creeps over the town. Forced to choose between their time-honored responsibilities or the lovers their hearts desire, these four extraordinary women must risk their own happiness to save the holiday. But Christmas is a time for miracles, and as each Keeper’s greatest longing is met, the Season of Light returns. Don’t miss this magical holiday collection from Heather Graham, Deborah LeBlanc, Kathleen Pickering and Beth Ciotta.
