Robbed of the family ranch that should have been his legacy, Raleigh Beaumont is a man with no roots and no purpose. When a friend drags him to Vegas, he figures he’s got nothing to lose. But after a hell of a lot of whiskey and a high stakes poker game with a beautiful stranger, he finds himself the alleged owner of a barony in Scotland.
An heiress with a crumbling heritage
When her brother’s bride disappears just days before the wedding that’s meant to save their ancestral home from the mad marriage pact that’s held their family captive for generations, Kyla MacKean believes they’ve been granted a reprieve. Until she finds out about the new, single—male—owner of Lochmara and knows she’s next on the chopping block or ownership of both their estates reverts to the crown.
A modern answer to a three-hundred-year-old problem.
Raleigh’s lost his land once. He’s not about to lose it again. Not even because of some lunatic pact made centuries before he was born. Kyla’s desperate to save Ardinmuir. She agrees to marry him on one condition: They wed for one year to satisfy the pact, then get a quick and quiet divorce. There’s no stipulation against it, and they’ll both get what they want.
But this displaced Texan and his fiery bride are about to find so much more than they bargained for.
COWBOY IN A KILT (Kilted Hearts Book #1) by Kait Nolan is a contemporary romance that has everything I want in a romance read! This is the first book I have read by this author, and I have been missing out. A centuries old marriage pact, a Texan cowboy who gambles and wins a Scottish Highland estate and a Scottish heiress hanging on to her heritage by a thread come together in a heartfelt romance that satisfies on every level.
Raleigh Beaumont has studied and trained his entire life to be able to one day take over his mother’s birthright Texas ranch, but it doesn’t happen. His best friend drags him to Vegas to drown his sorrows and he ends up in a high stakes poker game with a mysterious beautiful woman. He comes away the new owner of a barony in Scotland.
Kyla MacKean has been waiting for the end of the marriage pact which has hung over Ardinmuir for over three hundred years with her brother’s marriage, but the bride has disappeared. Now with the new owner of Lochmara being a single male, Kyla must satisfy the pact.
Raleigh is not going to lose everything again because of a stupid ancient pact, so he proposes a marriage of convenience for one year to satisfy the pact. They can then divorce and still end up with what they want, but they end up discovering their lands are not all they need.
I love the H/h in this story so much! Ms. Nolan was able to bring together two people from completely different countries and upbringings by making what is important to them at their core be the same. Raleigh is a swoon worthy hero who cares for all those he feels responsible for, cares for the prosperity and future of his land, and is willing to adapt to his new circumstances. Kyla is a heroine who has had the weight of her family’s legacy always foremost in her life. Raleigh is able to show her other solutions to their problems and get her to enjoy her life more. As Raleigh and Kyla’s relationship grows there are so many heartfelt moments throughout this romance. The sex scenes are explicit, but only come about with their emotional growth into a real relationship. I was also happy with the way the author handled Kyla’s relationship with her previous boyfriend with honesty and integrity. All the secondary characters were fully drawn and added to the feeling of living in a small Highland village.
This is a contemporary romance that I highly recommend! I am waiting anxiously to read the next book in the series not only to see where this series goes, but also because of the little teaser peak the author left the reader with at the end of this HEA.
***
About the Author
Kait Nolan is a RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin’, and can wield a ‘Bless your heart’ like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world’s most perfect food. When she’s not writing, reading, working the evil day job, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.
“The Fallout Series” by Lisa Harris currently has five books out, The Last Day, Survival, Hunted, Frequency, Deception, and Shattered, which will be out the end of this month.
The plot has the electric grid sabotaged, with technology suddenly no longer available. No one in the small, west Texas town of Shadow Ridge knows what took down the power grid, or when it’s going to be back up, but everyone knows exactly where they were the moment it went down. And now, with no electricity, no internet, and no modern technology, the men, and women responsible for keeping the town safe are going to have to learn how to fight crime all over again. Each book has a different hero and heroine where they meet over some criminal activity.
***
Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?
Lisa Harris: In the past I have written police procedurals. I started thinking, with all this talk about the electrical grids, what happens if the grid goes down and how would it affect law enforcement. The police must go back to the old-fashioned way of policing where they cannot call for backup, have no DNA testing, and no forensics, basically no technology. Plus, the characters lost people they loved. All the books are centered around the McQuaid family, three brothers and two sisters.
EC: Without technology it seems this generation would go nuts?
LH: I depend on it. I do everything from my phone. I order items from Walmart and Amazon. I call my children. For me, it would be horrible as a mother if I could not communicate with my children. We would miss this modern easiness.
EC: Did the stories have a western feel?
LH: Yes. It takes place in West Texas so there were horses instead of cars. More like a contemporary western, like the series “Jericho” and “Longmire” mixed. People had weapons to protect themselves, their family, and their town.
EC: How would you describe the hero, Jace McQuaid, from the book, Survival?
LH: He was broken. He did not want to step up to become law enforcement, but realizes that if the town did not come together, it would not survive. He is intense, protective, former military, and is used to being a leader so he stepped up to the plate.
EC: How would you describe the female lead of Survival, Morgan?
LH: This book takes place a year after the grid goes down. She is also broken because she lost her husband in the beginning of the incident. She supports Jace who interacts well with her son, Noah. Jace realizes he wants Noah and Morgan in his life.
EC: In the next book, Hunted, you describe sex-trafficking?
LH: Because all the towns were totally off the radar, in some ways, the criminals have the upper hand. Law enforcement must catch up.
EC: How would you describe Ava, the heroine in Hunted?
LH: She steps into a role she is not prepared for, becoming a mother to her teenage sister, Josie. The relationship between the sisters have changed. She is spirited, smart, resourceful, and reserved. Her job is to break codes, which she had to use to help find her sister who was taken by the sex-trafficking ring.
EC: What was the role of Josie in the story?
LH: She is argumentative, stubborn, a typical teenager who cannot communicate. She is having a hard time in this new situation and makes some bad choices.
EC: How would you describe Levi McQuaid, the hero in Hunted?
LH: Before the grid went down, he was in the police academy. He does not have the experience of his brother Jace. He is pushed into a situation where he had to grow. He was a classmate of Ava so this story became a friend to lover’s story.
EC: Tess McQuaid, the heroine of Frequency?
LH: She is the youngest of the siblings. She is an artist and now does some crime scene sketches. She must grow up very fast. Tess is smart, resourceful, funny, determined, creative, an artsy type, and a free spirit.
EC: How about the hero, Kellan?
LH: He works for the Sherriff’s department in another town. He is strong, a fast learner, suspicious, protective, and stands up to a challenge. He sometimes ratches down a situation by using humor.
EC: How would describe Rebecca, the heroine in Deception?
LH: She is a Sherriff in yet another town, in New Mexico. She is very strong, guarded, vulnerable, yet anxious because of her depression, and loneliness. I intentionally wanted to make sure there was a woman in law enforcement in this series and made sure that early on she puts her career over any relationship. She is not sure she can ever trust the hero, Sam.
EC: How would you describe Sam McQuaid, the hero?
LH: He was not very settled, loved adventure, and is a part of search and rescue. He also does not think about settling down until he meets Rebecca. He can be daring, stubborn, and brave.
EC: Do they have a lot in common?
LH: Yes. They are both fixers and have been affected by losing someone close.
EC: What about the book coming out this month, Shattered?
LH: Book 5, Shattered, will go into more detail about the bad guys, The Realm. They were cyber-attack bandits from multi-countries. They are thugs, enjoy chaos, and are into drugs, guns, and sex trafficking. They use the criminals to get control of what they want. In the prequel at the very end Chase, the hero, left to do a prisoner transfer. He has not come back and is missing. His fiancé, Hope McQuaid is the doctor of the town and is optimistic they will be reunited.
EC: How about the next book?
LH: In June there will be a new psychological series. Book 6 will come out in the fall, focused on the family.
THANK YOU!!
***
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post for END OF STORY (End of Story Book #1) by Kylie Scott on this HTP Books Winter 2023 Rom-Com Blog Tour.
Below you will find a book summary, an excerpt from the book, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
***
Book Summary
Fans of bestsellers like In Five Years will fall for this unexpected love story about a woman and her contractor who discover a divorce decree with their names on it … dated ten years in the future.
When Susie inherits a charming fixer-upper from her aunt, she’s excited to start living her best HGTV-life. But when she opens the door to find that her contractor is none other than her ex’s (very good looking) best friend Lars—the same man who witnessed their humiliating public break-up 6 months ago—she isn’t exactly eager to have him around. But, beggars can’t be choosers and the sooner the repairs are done, the sooner she can get back to grudgingly accepting the single life.
Things go from awkward to unbelievable when Lars knocks down a bedroom wall and finds a divorce certificate dated ten years from now…with both their names on it. It couldn’t possibly be real…could it? As Susie and Lars try to unravel the document’s origins, the impossibility of a spark between them suddenly doesn’t seem so far-fetched. But is any kind of relationship between them doomed before it’s ever begun?
END OF STORY
Author: Kylie Scott
ISBN: 9781525804793
Publication Date: February 14, 2023
Publisher: Graydon House
***
Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
“This is awkward.”
The big blond man standing on my doorstep blinked.
“How are you, Lars?” I gave him my very best fake smile. “Nice to see you.”
“Susie. It’s been what…five, six months?” Setting down his toolbox, he gave me an uneasy smile. It was more of a wince, really. Because the last time we saw each other was not a good night. Not for me, at least.
“Something like that,” I said.
“This your new place?” He nodded at the battered arts and crafts cottage. “The office said you had some water damage you wanted to start with?”
“Yeah, about that. I was told Mateo would be doing the work.”
“Family emergency.”
“Oh.”
He gazed down at me with dismay. The man was your basic urban Viking marauder, as his name suggested. Longish blonde hair, white skin, blue eyes, short beard, tall and built. I was average height and he managed to loom over me just fine. In his mid-thirties and more than a little rough around the edges. Nothing like his sleek and slick bestie. An asshole whose continued existence I’d prefer to be reminded of never. But we don’t always get what we want.
I took a deep breath and pulled myself together. “Why don’t you come in and I’ll show you…”
“Okay.”
“Don’t worry about taking your boots off. The shag carpet isn’t staying.”
Heavy footsteps followed me through the living room and into the dining room where we turned left to enter the small hallway. From this point we had two options, the bathroom or the back bedroom. We headed for the latter.
“The water was getting in through a crack in the window for who knows how long,” I explained. “I only inherited the place recently. There were all these boxes piled up in here. No one could even see it was an issue.”
He grunted.
“I spent the first month just sorting through things and clearing the place out.”
Beneath the window frame, a large stain spread across the golden-flecked wallpaper. As if it weren’t ugly enough to begin with. That was the thing about my aunt Susan; she wasn’t a big fan of change. The two-bedroom cottage had belonged to her parents and everything had pretty much been left untouched after they passed. Apart from the addition of Susan’s junk. Which meant that while the wallpaper and carpet were from the 1970’s, the bathroom was from the 1940’s, and the kitchen cabinets from the 1930’s. At least, that’s what I’d been told. The place was like an ode to 20th century interior design. The good, and the bad.
He got down on one knee, inspecting the damage. “The bottom of this window frame is warped and needs replacing.”
“Can you do that?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I need to have a look behind here. You attached to the wallpaper?”
“Heck no.”
He almost smiled.
“The sooner I can repaint and get new flooring down, the better.”
Nothing from him. A knife appeared from the tool box, sharp-pointed with jagged teeth. He punched the blade through the drywall with ease and started cutting into the wall.
“How is he?” I asked the dreaded question. Curiosity was the worst. “Enjoying London?”
“Yeah,” was all he said.
“And how’s Jane?”
“We’re not together anymore.”
Not a surprise. Lars went through various girlfriends during the year I’d been with what’s-his-face. Neither he nor his friend were down with commitment. Which was fine if you just wanted to have fun. But Jane was a keeper, smart with a wicked sense of humor. Lars definitely had a type. All of his girlfriends were petite, perfect dolls who behaved in a ladylike manner. The opposite of buxom, loudmouthed me.
He pried a square of drywall loose. “You thinking of living here permanently or flipping and selling the place, or what?”
“Haven’t decided.”
“Great location. A bit of work and it’d probably be worth a lot of money,” he said, keeping the conversation on the business at hand. As was good and right.
Using the flashlight on his phone, he inspected the cavity. The man was all handyman chic. Big ass boots, jeans, and a faded black tee. All of it well-worn. And the way his blue jeans conformed to his thick thighs and the curves of his ass was something. Something I hadn’t meant to notice, but oh well, these things happened. Maybe it was the way his tool belt framed that particular part of his anatomy. For a moment, I couldn’t look away. I was butt struck. Which was both wrong and bad. It would not be smart for me to notice this man in the sexual sense. Though it was nice to know my thirst meter wasn’t broken.
I don’t know if Lars and I were ever really friends. We had, however, been friendly. Though that was romantic relationships for you. One moment you had all of these awesome extra people in your life and the next moment they’re gone.
I tugged on the end of my dark ponytail. An old nervous habit.
“At this stage, it looks like the damage is only superficial,” Lars said. “These two sections of drywall have to go. Once I’ve done that, I’ll have a better idea of what we’re dealing with.”
“Okay.”
“But it wouldn’t surprise me if some or all of that one needs replacing too.” He pointed to the wall the bedroom shared with the bathroom. “See how there’s bubbling along the joins of the wallpaper there?”
“Right.”
“Do I have your approval to get started?”
I nodded.
None of this was exactly unexpected. Old buildings might have soul, but they could also have heavy upkeep. Renovations cost big bucks. While my savings were meagre, lucky for this hundred year old house, my aunt left me some money. Which was a point of contention for a few of my family members. Like any of them had time for Aunt Susan when she was alive. Besides being my namesake, she was also the black sheep of the family. A little too weird for some, I guess. But weird has always been a trait that I admired.
“I’m going to make myself coffee,” I said. “Would you like some?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“How do you take it?”
“White. No sugar.”
“You’re sweet enough, huh?” And the moment those words were out of my mouth, I knew I’d made a mistake. Talk about awkward.
He snorted, then said, “Something like that.”
*
Lars didn’t mess around. By the time I returned, he’d removed the first two panels of drywall. Hands on hips, he stood staring at the interior of the wall with the problematic window. Mostly it looked like a lot of dust and a couple of cobwebs. But then, I’m not a builder. When I handed over his mug, he gave me a brief smile before taking a sip.
“How is it looking?” I asked.
“Your house has good bones.”
“Great.”
“As long as the damage on that wall is due to the moisture spreading from the window and not a leaky bathroom pipe, this should be pretty straightforward,” he said.
I’d taken over the main bedroom, but this room still held a lot of sentimental value for me. Whenever Mom and Dad were busy or needed a break from us kids, my brother would stay at a friend’s house and I’d be packed off to Aunt Susan’s—to this bedroom in particular. Which was fine with me. Andrew was an outgoing jock while I’d been kind of awkward. In this house, I was accepted for who I was. A nice change. With my parents divorced, growing up between three households and living mostly out of a school bag sucked. But Aunt Susan gave me the security that was lacking elsewhere.
“Is the floor okay?”
“Let’s pull up some carpet and see.” He set his coffee on the windowsill. Then, knife back in hand, he got busy with the shag. It was impressive how the tool became a part of him. An extension of his body. “You’ve got good solid hardwood under here.”
“Ooh, let me see.”
He tugged the tattered underlay back further. “Oak, by the look of it.”
“Wow. Imagine covering that beauty up with butt ugly brown carpet.”
“No sign of water damage. You were lucky.”
I smiled. “That is excellent news.”
“Now let’s see what’s behind this.”
I took a step back so he could start removing the next section of drywall. He had such big capable hands. Watching him work was pure competence porn. . As a mature and well-adjusted thirty year old woman, I definitely knew better than to have sexy times thoughts again. The best friend of my ex is not my friend. Confucius probably said that.
“Looks like there’s something back here,” he said, setting a panel of drywall aside.
“Something good or something bad?” I winced as a big hairy spider scurried out of the cavity. “Ew.”
“It’s just a wolf spider. Nothing dangerous.”
“But there might be more.”
Without further comment, he reached down and picked up a piece of paper. It looked old. Which made sense. Lord only knew how long it had been in the wall. It was kind of like opening a time capsule.
“What is it?” I asked, more than a little curious.
His gaze narrowed as he read, his forehead furrowing. Next his brows rose and his lips thinned. His expression quickly changed from disbelief to fury as he shoved the piece of paper at me. The open hostility in his eyes was a lot coming from a man of his size. “Susie, what the fuck?”
“Huh?”
“Is this your idea of a joke?”
“No. I…” The paper was soft with age and the writing was faded but legible. Mostly. Superior Court of Washington, County of King was written at the top. There was also a date stamp. This was followed by a bunch of numbers and the words Final Divorce Order. “Wait. Is this a divorce certificate?”
“Yeah,” he said. “For you and me. Dated a decade from now.”
I scrunched up my nose and ever so slightly shrieked, “What? Hold on. You think I put this in there?”
“No,” he said, getting all up in my face. “I know you put it in there, Susie.”
“Take a step back, please,” I said, pushing a hand against his hard chest.
He did as I asked, some of the anger leaching from his face. Then he grumbled, “Sorry.”
“Thank you.”
“Why would you do that? Actually, it doesn’t matter. Find someone else for the job,” he said, gathering up his tools. “I’m out of here.”
“Can you just wait a second?”
Apparently the answer was no. Because the man started moving even faster. “I don’t know what game you’re playing. But I’m not interested in finding out.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I did not put this in the wall, Lars. Think about it. You’re a builder. Had any of the wallpaper or drywall been disturbed in the last forty or fifty years?”
“You could have accessed it from the other side. I don’t know.”
“I didn’t even know you were coming here today.”
He grunted. “Only got your word for that.”
“And I’ve only got your word that you didn’t put this in in the wall for some stupid reason,” I said, thinking it over. How did that not occur to me? “Of course you put it there. I wasn’t the first one to have access to that space. You were. A quick sleight of hand is all it would have taken. This is so unprofessional.”
“Very nice. I’m sure you prepared that speech at the same time you planted it, knowing I’d inevitably be the one who first touched it.”
“And I’m sure you prepared that speech at the same time you planted it, knowing I’d suspect you.”
He glared at me. “Why the hell would I, Susie?”
“Why the hell would I, Lars?” I bellowed. “This is ridiculous. I just want my house fixed. That’s all. And I specifically asked who would be doing the job because I didn’t feel the need to see you again.”
With his back to me, he paused.
“No offense. But I knew it would be wildly uncomfortable.”
“Why’d you use the company I work for then?”
“Because I know they’re reputable and do good work. You yourself said that’s one of the main reasons why you’ve stuck with them. Because they don’t encourage you to cut corners or use shoddy materials and they treat their staff well. Also, they pretty much do everything. These things matter.” I raised a finger. (No. Not that one.) “Take car repairs for instance. Because I know little to nothing about cars, I get ripped off by repair shops—I’m sure of it. I didn’t want that to happen here.”
Another grunt. What an animal.
“I wish neither to marry nor divorce you, Lars. And I’m pretty sure the feeling’s mutual. So this piece of paper I’m holding in no way benefits me. Look at me. Am I laughing? No, I’m not. Nor am I enjoying all this drama. Confrontation stresses me the fuck out,” I said, my shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what else to say. This is ridiculous.”
“You already said that.”
“It’s worth repeating.”
He gave me a look over his shoulder. “If you’re messing with me…”
“I’m not. Are you messing with me?”
“No.”
“Then what the hell is going on?” I asked the universe.
Without another word, he got to his feet and strode out of the room, heading straight into the bathroom next door. There he made quick work of checking everything. The tiling and paintwork, around the white pedestal basin, inside the mirrored cabinet set into the wall, and the end of the claw foot bath tub. Then he turned around, face set to cranky. “Access point for the attic?”
“Hallway.”
In no time flat, he had the ceiling hatch open and the ladder down. Then up into the darkness he went. His cell phone doubled as a flash light again.
“Lot of stuff up here,” he commented.
“That does not surprise me. My aunt was kind of a hoarder. Not as bad as the people on those TV shows, but…yeah.”
He sneezed. “A lot of dust, too.”
“Bless you. I haven’t even been up there yet,” I said. “Cleaning and clearing space out down here has taken all of my time.”
His big boots disappeared up the last rungs of the ladder while I waited below. After all, I’d only be in the way. It had absolutely nothing to do with my fear of creepy crawlies. Someone had to wait below with the weird ass document. The sounds of him stomping about and things being shifted came next. Something heavy was pushed aside. Something else fell and glass broke.
“Sorry,” Lars called.
“I’m sure it was nothing valuable. Hopefully.”
Then his face appeared in the dark hole overhead. “Looks like they built the attic to use as another bedroom or office at some stage. The floorboards and everything are tight. No real access into the walls below.”
“Mm.”
“Plus there’s about an inch of dust on the ground and no sign of any footprints other than mine.”
“Good work, Nancy Drew,” I said. “Is the basement next?”
He gave me a flat, unfriendly look. “Yes.”
Maybe I’d be better off finding another builder. In fact, I knew I would be. Though it would only be trading one peace of mind for another. While Lars would no longer be in my face, I wouldn’t be able to trust the new builder’s work to the same degree. Which would be anxiety-inducing and possibly costly. Talk about a no-win situation.
Back into the dining room then through to the kitchen at the back of the house, we went on our not-so-merry adventure. I opened the door to the dingy staircase. “I like to call this the murder room. Dark, dank, dangerous. It’s got it all.”
No response from him as we made our way down. Tough crowd. It was just a basic concrete room with a boiler, laundry area, and more assorted crap. But the old boiler, the one before this one, used to make creepy noises. Hence my childhood fears of the basement. Helping with the laundry was always an ordeal. I usually avoided it by offering to do the dishes instead.
Lars began examining the ceiling.
“When did you find out you had this job?”
“Around eight this morning. The office called,” he said. “Mateo’s boyfriend got hit by a car riding to work.”
“Is he okay?”
“A few bumps and bruises and a sprained wrist.”
“Phew.”
“Yeah,” he said. “The job I was on was close to finishing and they could spare me, so they asked me to come here.”
“What gets me is that the paper looks old. I mean, the way the text is faded and everything.” I carefully turned the certificate over in my hands. “I wonder if we could get it tested, somehow.”
He scoffed. “You don’t actually think it’s real?”
“I honestly don’t know,” I said. “What I do know is, if you didn’t put the certificate there to mess with me—and I guess I believe you when you say you didn’t—then I can think of no rational explanation for how it got there.”
He frowned harder and kept right on inspecting the ceiling. Even he had to admit that it was highly unlikely I’d put the decree of dissolution in the wall. Surely.
“Does your middle name start with A?”
“Alexander. Yes.”
“So the details are right, at least. No money judgement ordered. No real property judgement ordered. This marriage is dissolved. The petitioner and respondent are divorced. Not much information there to go on.” I chose my next words with care. “You know, my aunt, she was kind of eccentric. She was always burning candles and buying crystals.”
Looking back over his shoulder at me, he raised a questioning brow.
“The thing is, she used to talk to the house sometimes,” I finally said. “Like it was an actual living breathing entity. And yes, maybe she was lonely or a little strange. Please don’t say anything mean or dismissive about her.”
“I’m not going to say anything about your aunt.”
“Thank you.”
He didn’t even blink. “But it’s not supernatural, Susie. This was no ghost or spirit or whatever you’re suggesting.”
“Okay. Fine. I just thought I’d put that out there,” I said. “Did you find anything down here?”
“No.”
“So now what?”
Face set, he walked over, staring into my eyes as if he could read my soul.
“Susie.”
“Lars.”
“I want to believe you when you say you had nothing to do with it. You always seemed like a pretty honest person to me,” he said. “A bit too honest, sometimes.”
“How so?” I asked, only mildly annoyed—although I was exercising great restraint.
“Some of the stuff you come out with sometimes is…unnecessary.”
“Let’s agree to disagree,” I said.
He shook his head.
“I would point out, however, that I’m not brutal. Ever notice how people who say they’re just being honest usually are?”
His nostrils flared on a deep breath. How that was in any way attractive I had no idea. Something must be wrong with me. Guess my vibrator was getting a little boring. Maybe it was time for me to get out there and meet some men. Then again, not dating for the rest of my life would also be great.
“For the last time,” he said, speaking nice and slow, “did you put that piece of paper in the wall?”
“No. I swear.”
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“Fuck,” I agreed.
He sighed. “Someone’s messing with us.”
***
Author Bio
Kylie Scott is the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and international bestselling author of 19 novels including the Stage Dive series, the Dive Bar series, the Larsen Brothers series, and West Hollywood series. Her most recent release, Pause, debuted on the USA Today bestseller list. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages, and she has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.
THE SOUND OF LIGHT by Sarah Sundin is a suspenseful inspirational historical fiction story featuring two memorable main characters in Nazi occupied Denmark during WWII. Make sure you have plenty of time when you start this standalone story because I found it impossible to put down.
American physicist Dr. Elsebeth “Else” Jensen is working under the famous physicist Niels Bohr when the Germans march in to occupy Denmark. She has dual American and Danish citizenship and refuses to leave her work at the Institute. Her best friend, mathematician Laila who is Jewish and lives with her in a boardinghouse asks for her assistance in printing resistance papers. Also living their boardinghouse in the quiet giant Hemmey who works at the shipyard and befriends Else.
Hemmy is actually Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt who until the Germans came lived his life as a spoiled aristocrat. Now he risks his life and keeps a secret as the people whisper of the legendary Havmand (Merman) helping the Danish resistance by rowing messages to Sweden across the sound. As acts of sabotage occur in the shipyards and town, the Germans declare martial law and begin to round up the Danish Jews. Henrik and Else have become close and are determined to help Jewish families escape to Sweden.
As the danger increases, Henrik and Else respond to their extraordinary circumstances with their strength of faith and love. They continually face the question of following the laws of man or the morally just laws of man and God as they risk their lives.
This is a suspenseful story of resistance during war and an inspirational romance that are perfectly intertwined. I could not stop turning the pages. Else and Henrik are courageous, strong, and memorable characters. Henrik’s character is based on an actual Danish Olympic rower who helped get Jewish people to Sweden in his boat during the war. All the secondary characters are realistic, both good and bad. The author brought the Danes of Copenhagen during WWII to life in this story with scenes of bravery and courage as well as treachery. The historical research is evident. The inspirational elements of faith, redemption, and forgiveness are believable without being preachy. I did not want this book to end.
I highly recommend this inspirational historical fiction story!
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About the Author
Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling author of The Sound of Light (February 2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and four WWII series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris, received the 2022 Christy Award, When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were Christy Award finalists, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.
A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.
Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.
Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.
Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.
He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?
THE MIXTAPE (Mixtape-Reihe Book #2) by Brittainy Cherry is an emotionally intense rock star contemporary romance that is heartbreaking in so many ways. You will need the tissues for this read. While this rock star romance is the second in the series, the characters are completely different from book one TheWreckage of Us in the series and stands on its own.
Emery is a single mother working as a bartender barely making ends meet, but she is a strong, kind-hearted and loves her little girl more than anything. Five-year-old Reese is Emery’s light and with the help of a neighbor in her apartment building, who is also a therapist, she is dealing with her fear of not being enough for her daughter and other personal issues.
Oliver is half of the twin duo of super pop stars. When his brother, Alex is killed in a car accident that he survives, he falls into an intense depression for months. Skipping a return concert, Oliver is drunk and while Emery helps him escape paparazzi, she loses her job as a result. When Oliver finds out what he has done, he hires Emery as his cook and she begins to show Oliver that he can trust her and with help, he can learn to deal with his anxiety and depression.
The main characters in this romance both start off in different places with difficult lives but are able to come together and help each other to move forward in their journeys. Music also plays an integral role in their entire lives and aids in their coming together and healing. You learn through flashbacks that Emery is dealing with so much more than just being a single mother and it is amazing that she is the loving and giving person she is in the present. Reese is a spot of sunshine and laughter when things get too heavy. All the secondary characters where fully fleshed and realistic, good and bad. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. I feel all the exceptionally difficult mental health issues interwoven throughout this story were handled in a believable manner by this author.
I highly recommend this emotional roller-coaster rock star contemporary romance!
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About the Author
Brittainy Cherry has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing–poorly of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in! Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she’s not running a million errands and crafting stories, she’s probably playing with her adorable pets.
When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.
American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.
When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin shows why her name has become synonymous with captivating and historically accurate World War II books. This novel has ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances using their courage, faith, fortitude, and a bit of hope.
The story shows how the Nazi occupation was different with Denmark. After the Germans occupy Denmark during WWII, they treat the country as a “model protectorate”. They didn’t enforce the same antisemitic laws as they did throughout Europe, allowing the Danes to self-govern and keeping the power of King Christian intact. For a while, things remained very much the same.
But when the plot fast forwards to 1943 everything changes. Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. He had three personas. Havman is the name chosen for helping the Danish Resistance. The “Merman” is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story The Little Mermaid. As a former Olympic rower, he volunteers to row vital intel across the Sound to the allies in Sweden. There is also Hemining chosen by Henrik to be the opposite of the Baron, portraying an illiterate silent ship worker.
As Hemining, he meets Dr. Else Jenkins, an American Physicist who decides to stay in Denmark even after the Nazi occupation. But she is also working for the resistance, helping to publish a resistance newspaper for her friend Dr. Laila Berend, a mathematician. Neither Else and Laila know Hemining’s identity and resistance activities, and he does not know of their resistance activities. This changes in 1943 after the Nazis decide to round up the Danish Jewish community. Together along with most of Denmark, they hide and then transport most of the Jews to safety in Sweden. They face the constant danger of getting arrested, tortured, and executed.
The themes of the book are bravery, forgiveness, heartbreak, and horror along with the resilience of the Danes. Sundin has a way of bringing to life the true history in a fictional story.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?
Sarah Sundin: It came from historical research. Since this is my fifteenth WWII novel, I find new stories that piqued my interest through my research. I came across the amazing things Denmark did during the World War, especially how they rescued the Danish Jews.
EC: The Nazis were uncharacteristic the way they treated the Danes?
SS: My last book was set in France, previous ones set in Germany. Yet, how the Nazis treated the Danes goes against everything learned about the Nazis. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies.
EC: How would you describe Else?
SS: She is a nuclear physicist. She is very sweet natured and hates to confront people. She learns how to speak up for herself, developing a backbone.
EC: What role did Professor Mortensen play?
SS: He is a chauvinist pig, condescending and rude to her, treating her as more of a secretary than a scientist. He basically humiliated Else. He is arrogant and dismissive. He forces her to speak up to save her career, which means everything to her. She needs to learn the difference between being nice and kind. Niceness is giving in on everything whereas kindness is respecting someone and being considerate.
EC: The other physicist Bohr was a contrast to Mortensen?
SS: He is a real person, while Mortensen is fictional. I was so impressed with Bohr. He truly cared for those he worked with, nurturing them, and bringing out their brilliance. He used his brilliance to help others. Mortensen never cared about others. I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.
EC: How would you describe Henrik?
SS: A nobleman who led the playboy life until the Nazi occupation. He was an Olympic rower and used those skills for the resistance, rowing to Sweden to give messages. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden. He is bold and outspoken until after he took on his secret identity where he becomes a shipyard worker, appearing to be all muscle and very silent.
EC: What are the similarities and differences between Henrik, Havmand, and Hemining?
SS: He took on all three personas. Henrik was a nobleman with daddy issues. His father had high standards for his son, causing Henrik to rebel. Havmand was the rower, a code name. In Danish it means Merman. He took inspirations from The Little Mermaid story since she gives up her voice to have legs. He basically did the same thing, giving up his voice to be mobile for the resistance. Hemining was the ship worker. Else describes all three: Hemining was noble in character, Henrik noble in birth and upbring, and Havmand is noble in his deeds.
E: How would you describe them:
SS: Henrik was a leader, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, wants to be a warrior, and courageous.
Hemining was level-headed, responsible, considerate, thoughtful, hard-working, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, and courageous.
Havmand was level-headed, responsible, considerate, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, a warrior, and courageous.
EC: How would you describe the relationship between Hemining and Else?
SS: Henrik pretends to be someone else in her presence. He is trying to restrain himself to make sure he does not reveal his identity. She on the other hand is confronting her prejudices. She is a scientist who falls for someone who can barely read, Hemining. She is drawn to his kindness and decentness. She becomes more attractive to him and realizes that what is more important is someone’s character, not the letters after their name.
EC: What was the role of Leila in the book?
SS: She is spunky, fun, persistent, and a good foil for Else. She was Else’s best friend. She quits her job as a PHD mathematician to join the resistance. Leila is Jewish and needed the help of Else and Henrik to escape the Nazis. She symbolized in the story the persecution of the Jews and the courageous acts of resistance. The Danes managed to save almost all the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell these stories.
EC: Next book?
SS: It is coming out in February 2024 and set in London during the Blitz. A Dutch refugee is separated from her son who is sent to London as they both flee the Nazis. She enlists a BBC radio correspondent to help find the son. In the flames of the city a bunch of murders pop up. This one will be a mystery and thriller.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
