The last thing MI6 agent Eli Morgan expected was Pleiades witch Avery Donovan showing up to “rescue” him. Turns out she’s his biggest threat when an unexpected love spell hits them. Now he can’t keep his hands off the woman he vowed never to touch.
But something evil fights to posses Eli’s soul. The only one who can truly save him is his soulmate. Can’t be Avery. What they feel is spell-induced. Or is it?
ONE NIGHT WITH A WITCH (Keepers of the Veil Book 5) by Zoe
Forward is a new paranormal romance novella in the Keepers of the Veil series. This
is a fast, entertaining read to finally bring two soulmates together. This
novella can be read as a standalone, but I feel it is better read in order with
the other books in this series due to the character crossover and the author’s
world-building.
Avery Donovan is one of the seven Pleiades. She can see and speak
to ghosts. Avery has loved Eli her entire life, but due to a tarot reading, she
believes he is the soulmate destined for her sister. For years they have been
there for each other since the death of her parents and sister as they fight
their mutual attraction. Avery has been told that Eli is in trouble in Paris
and she has to be there to save him.
Eli Morgan is an MI6 agent and a druid protector of the Pleiades. While on a mission in Paris, Eli is shocked when Avery shows up and says she is there to save him. Believing that a love spell has been cast, Eli finally gives in and he and Avery come together physically for the first time.
When he sends Avery away to safety, an evil spirit enters
Eli’s body and fights to posse his soul. Now the only one who can save him and
stop his destruction is his true soulmate. Was it a spell that brought them together
for only one night, or is Avery truly the only one for him to save his soul?
This was the first Keepers of the Veil book that I have
read. I will definitely be going back to read them from the beginning. Even
without all of the world-building leading up to this novella, I could figure
out what was happening and not be lost, but I had questions. I would also like
to read more of Avery and Eli’s interactions prior to this story. This is a
fast read that kept me turning the pages to find out if and how Eli would be
saved. The sex is explicit but not drawn out or gratuitous. This is an exciting
witchy world that is definitely worth the read.
***
About Zoe:
Award winning author Zoe Forward is a hopeless romantic who can’t decide between paranormal and contemporary romance. So, she writes both. Her novels have won numerous awards including the Prism, Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence, Golden Quill, Carolyn Readers Choice Award, and the Booksellers’ Best Award.
When she’s not typing at her laptop, she’s cheering her son on at baseball, chasing the toddler or cleaning up the newest pet mess from the menagerie that occupies her house. She’s a small animal veterinarian caring for a wide range of furry creatures, although there has been the occasional hermit crab.
She’s madly in love with her globe trotting conservation ecologist husband who plans to save all the big cats on the planet, and she’s happiest when he returns to their home base.
Tuesday Knowls is done. Once burned, twice shy. Twice burned? Game over.
On the outside Tuesday has it all. She comes from money, she’s a beautiful runway model, her smile comes easy, and she’s quick to laugh. But looks can be deceiving. Inside, she’s lost and lonely. So when the smokin’ hot firefighter swoops in with his sweet talk and promises, she decides to be the one who uses, for once.
Jackson Clark is a man who knows what he wants. And he wants Tuesday. He sees past the beautiful façade she shows the world straight to the pain she hides. When Tuesday offers him a friends with benefits arrangement—minus the friendship—he has no choice but to accept her offer. He’s willing to do anything to get close to the elusive woman and show her he’s worth the risk.
When Tuesday starts getting presents from a secret admirer, she goes into a tailspin. She’s been down this ugly road before and she knows how it can destroy her life.
Can she really trust that Jackson is the good guy in this mess? And, if he is, will she realize in time that not only will he protect her heart, but he might just save her life?
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I anxiously await each Next Generation series book because I
know I am going to get an honorable, sexy, alpha hero and a smart, intelligent
heroine who makes me laugh, sigh and cry. I fall right into each story and I hate
when they end.
CLAIMING TUESDAY
(The Next Generation #4) by Riley Edwards is the new romantic suspense in the
series. Like all of the other Next Generation books, I feel they are more
focused on the romance in each with the suspense as a subplot rather than equal
to the romance.
Jackson Clark knows what he wants and will not stop until he gets it. He knew at the age of five he wanted to be a fireman and he worked to make it happen. At a family barbeque, he spotted Mercy’s friend, Tuesday and knew she was the woman for him. He knows this is going to be a challenge, not just because Tuesday is older than him, but also because Tuesday does not let men get close.
Tuesday Knowls has grown-up in the modeling world. She knows
many people see only her beauty on the outside, but she has emotional baggage
that she does not want to share. After a life-changing and emotionally devastating
relationship that destroyed all of her trust in men, Tuesday does not let
people in. She finds it exasperating that Jackson refuses to believe she does
not want him for anything other than sex.
When flowers and threatening letters begin to appear at
Tuesday’s door, she breaks down as the past is starting to repeat itself.
Jackson and his family consider Tuesday one of their own and work to find and
eliminate the threat. Can Tuesday open up, share her past and rely on Jackson
to protect her body as well as her heart?
Ms. Edward’s characters always seem so real to me. I felt
sad and mad for Tuesday’s past experiences every time one was revealed. Thank
goodness she had her grandparents. Jackson was the perfect match for her with
his persistence and ability to see beyond her outer protective shell. Ms. Riley’s
dialogue is realistic, entertaining and had me laughing out loud at times. In
all of the books in this series, the sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit. Each
book contains a complete romance, but they also have some crossover between
them due to the closeness of the extended family.
I can highly recommend this book and series.
And now I have to wait again.
About Riley:
Riley Edwards is a bestselling multi-genre author, wife, and military mom. Riley was born and raised in Los Angeles but now resides on the east coast with her fantastic husband and children.
Riley writes heart-stopping romance with sexy alpha heroes and even stronger heroines. Riley’s favorite genres to write are romantic suspense and military romance.
Below you will find the Feature Post and Book Review for S.C. Stephens’ new release UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS. Also included is a guest piece from the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review and info and social media for the author.
At the end of the message, you will also see a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of the book. Good luck!
***
Guest Post:
Cabin Fever – Finding Love in the Wilderness
My latest book, Under
the Northern Lights, is about Mallory Reynolds, a driven, passionate woman
who is pursuing her dream of photographing wild animals in remote locations. On
the way to her favorite spot in the Alaskan wilderness, the unthinkable
happens—the engine on her plane stalls and she crashes. Mallory survives the
crash only to find herself injured with limited supplies and no hope of
returning home. Just when all seems lost, Michael Bradley, a mysterious
mountain man, comes to her rescue.
Planning on being in the wild for just a couple of weeks, Mallory only brings a few important items with her into the wilderness—a gun for protection, survival gear, a limited amount of food, her cross necklace for her faith, and her most prized possession, her camera. After realizing that she’s going to be spending the entire winter in a secluded cabin with a stranger, she probably wishes she’d brought a few more items along with her. Things like a high-powered rifle, a chainsaw, a snow mobile, a lot more food, and even better—a satellite phone.
***
Excerpt: Under
the Northern Lights
We both heard a loud clatter outside.
Michael instantly snapped to his feet, his face intently focused as he listened
for further sounds of trouble; he had no human neighbors to speak of, so things
were generally silent here.
Fearful curiosity was killing me, and
I was dying to ask him if he knew what was out there, but I didn’t want to
disrupt his concentration. And it turned out I didn’t need to ask. Seconds
later, I heard the deep, resonant, unmistakable growl of a bear.
Michael turned my way, his expression
serious. “Stay here.”
He grabbed his high-powered hunting
rifle, and my heart started thudding. Was he nuts? If there was a hungry bear
out there, we should be barricading the cabin, not going out into the
wilderness. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Lips twisted in a frown, he told me,
“All our food is out there, our meat. If I let the bear destroy it, we’ll have
nothing to get us through the winter.”
I knew he was right, but still, I was
terrified. “Okay … I’ll help.” I grabbed my gun and checked it for bullets. It
wasn’t as powerful a rifle as Michael’s, but it might hurt the bear enough that
it would change its mind about gorging on our food stash. Or it might just piss
it off.
Studying my gun, Michael shook his
head. “No, stay in here—guard the cabin.”
His answer made me frown. “The bulk of
the food isn’t in here. There’s nothing to guard.”
His eyes softened then. “Yes … there
is something to guard.”
My cheeks heated when I realized he
meant me. “Be careful,” I whispered.
“Always am,” he stated; then he darted
out the door.
Racing to the window, I peered
outside, searching in vain for some sign of Michael or the bear. The moonlight
wasn’t strong enough to illuminate much, and even though only candles were lit
in the cabin, it was enough to wreck my night vision; I couldn’t see a damn
thing out there. My nerves spiked, and my heart started racing. I felt like I
was out there in the woods, possibly about to get mauled, and following
Michael’s orders and staying put grew harder and harder with every second.
I strained my ears, listening for the
bear since I couldn’t see it. Sounds of lumbering steps crashing through brush
met my ear. Then I heard the dreadful sound of sharp claws raking down wood.
With no electricity, freezers weren’t an option here. Michael stored his food
the old-fashioned way, either drying it into jerky or curing it with salt. The
prepared food was kept in his enclosed workshop, and while Michael had bear
proofed the shop as much as possible, hungry bears were tenacious. With food
being so close to its reach, the grizzly might not stop until it had ripped the
door to shreds.
Knowing where the bear was outside
calmed my nerves somewhat. I fingered my rifle, debating whether running out
there would help Michael or hurt both of us. It was dark, and if Michael
thought I was inside, he could shoot me just as easily as the bear. And
verbally warning him would get the bear’s attention—attention I’d rather not
have. No, it would be best to stay put and let Michael handle it. But still … that
was hard to do.
I heard Michael shout then, yelling at
the bear to leave. A gunshot rang through the night, startling small nocturnal
animals and rattling the windowpanes. Another one followed shortly after, and
fear trickled down my spine. Was that a warning shot? Or was the bear
attacking?
Michael wasn’t shouting anymore, and
the night was still, silent. Oh God, no … The ball of dread in my belly was too
great to ignore, and I nearly tripped in my haste to get to the door.
“Michael!” I screeched into the night as I flung the door wide.
A dark shape was suddenly right in
front of me, and as I stared in shock, a gaping mouth of thick, sharp teeth
opened, and a powerful roar pushed me back a step. I’d never been so close to a
bear before, and my legs felt like water. I couldn’t move them, couldn’t move
anything. My mind was trying to avoid the here and now by drifting off to
happier times with my family, my friends. Death was once again staring me in
the face, but even still, the part of me that was still cognizant of the
present was awed and amazed by the ferocious beauty of the beast before me.
There was a reason these creatures ruled the forest.
The bear rose up on its hind legs,
visually warning me that it was bigger, stronger, and most likely hungrier. My
eyes flashed to the various weapons it could use in an instant to end
me—talonlike claws, ice pick–like teeth, or just its massive weight. All I had
was a gun.
Thinking of my own weapon jostled me
from my state of panic. Raising the barrel, I chambered a bullet and yelled at
the bear to back off. It seemed a poor tactic at this point, but I didn’t
really want to kill the animal. If I could scare it into submission, I’d take
that as a win.
The bear, however, was unimpressed by
my shouting. Landing heavily on its front feet, it began lumbering toward me.
Damn it, I was going to have to shoot. And hope my gun did more than anger it.
With shaking fingers, I lined up my shot. “Please go away,” I murmured, putting
light pressure on the trigger.
Like it heard me, the bear suddenly
looked to its left. It growled again and took a step back, away from the cabin.
I heard Michael’s voice, and then a gunshot rang out in the night. The bear
roared again, then seemed to realize it was outmatched. It turned and ran, its
winter bulk vibrating with each thundering step.
I was still shaking as Michael stepped
into view. Disengaging the gun, I dropped it on the ground and flew over to
him. Before I knew it, my arms were around his neck, and I was pulling his firm
body into mine. Thank God he was okay. Thank God I was okay.
“Oh my God, Michael,” I murmured into
his shoulder, inhaling his woodsy scent. “That was terrifying. I thought for
sure…”
Once I fully comprehended that I was
squeezing the life out of him, I froze, every limb rigid with tension. I wasn’t
sure if Michael would push me away or not, but then he surprised me by wrapping
an arm around my waist and pulling me into him just as hard as I was holding
him, maybe harder. As we held each other, the anxiety and fear started easing,
and I was flooded with warmth; I’d never felt more at peace.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars
UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS by S.C. Stephens is a sweet contemporary
romance set in the Alaskan wilderness. This romance is a very slow burn with a
reclusive hero who rescues a heroine trapped and injured in the wilderness by
her small plane crash. (Depending on your personal preferences, I believe it
should be disclosed that this story has dialogue about Christian faith and
values.)
Mallory Reynolds has a passion for photography. She
especially loves a remote location in the Alaskan wilderness. Every year she
takes off from her small home town in Idaho to spend two weeks camping and photographing
the wild Alaskan animals. Even with all of her careful planning and checks, her
plane stalls out and then crashes on the way to her camp site in a storm.
Surviving the crash with multiple injuries, Mallory must
find a way to gather the supplies that are still useful to protect her from the
elements. As she rests, the very animals she loves to photograph threaten her life.
She is saved at the very last minute by a mysterious mountain man.
Michael Bradley has lived a solitary life in the Alaskan
wilderness for the last five years. When he investigates the plane crash site,
he is surprised to find Mallory has survived. He helps Mallory to his secluded
cabin, but he has no way to communicate with the outside world until spring.
As Mallory heals, the two learn to help each other with the
difficult task of surviving in the wilderness and continue to grow closer.
Mallory opens her heart to Michael, but he is still unable or unwilling to move
on. Can Mallory’s love and prayers be enough to help Michael heal by the time
they are set to separate in the spring?
I found the author’s writing continually made me feel the
edge-of-the-knife balance between survival and one small mistake being the disaster
that could kill you. The description of their everyday life was very
interesting to this modern city girl. For a large portion of the story the
romance is one-sided. Mallory works to find the reason for Michael’s preferred
isolation and then hopes to find a way to heal him. This romance emphasizes the
growing trust and feelings of love between the two with no sex until almost the
last chapter.
I loved the adventure and suspense in the wilderness. I was
not expecting the several religious passages. I loved that these two found each
other, but it took longer than I was hoping for. This is definitely one of
those books that everyone will have to make up their own minds about.
***
About the Book
Title: Under the Northern Lights
Author: S.C. Stephens
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile. Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months. As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?
***
Author Biography
S. C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every
free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.
Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love story featuring
insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the world of romance
by storm in 2009. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since. In addition to
writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous
novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block–reducing music, heading out to
the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She
currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally
beautiful children.
HIS MAGIC TOUCH by Debby Grahl is a contemporary paranormal
romance featuring witches and ghosts set in NOLA. Ms. Grahl’s world-building
effortlessly pulls you into the conflict between good and evil and the
generational curse which is the suspense element of the story. The lore and
setting of New Orleans adds to the story’s impact.
Jared Dupre is a powerful witch. He met his soulmate, Kendra
O’Connel several years ago at a coven meeting.
Now, on the eve of their wedding, Jared discovers his brother has been kidnapped by Adam Montief, a powerful dark witch. If Jared does not follow, Adam has sworn to kill his brother and threatens to kill Kendra as well. Jared refuses to tell Kendra where he is so that she remains safe in New Orleans. Adam believes he is The Chosen One and has to kill Jared to settle a centuries old family vendetta.
A swordfight between the two sends Adam wounded and over the
side of a cliff and leaves Jared severely wounded. As Jared heals in Connecticut,
Kendra believes he has left her for another woman.
When Jared returns to New Orleans, he finds that Kendra does
not want to hear the truth of what happened and Adam is alive and dating
Kendra. Jared must now find a way to protect and win back Kendra as he
investigates the reason for the vendetta between the Montief’s and the Dupre’s
which will only end with the death of one of heirs.
I absolutely loved the setting and world-building in this
book. The witches and ghosts of NOLA interacting with the human population was
believable and interesting. The twisting suspense plot in the past and present
kept me turning the pages. I did have a problem with the romance subplot. Kendra’s
reactions on her own and with her two best friends, I felt were very immature.
I dislike when a lack of communication or misunderstandings are the main reasons
for a couple not being together for a large portion of the book especially when
they are supposedly soulmates.
I really enjoyed the suspense and world-building in this
book, but not the romance. I would read more books in this witchy world hoping
for a more mature relationship in the next book.
Today the Feature Post and Book Review is for Mary Burton’s upcoming release HIDE ANDSEEK (Criminal Profiler #1). Below you will find a guest piece from the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review, a bio about the author and social media links for the author. At the end of the post, you will also see a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of the book.
It was hard to put this book down and I was on the edge of my seat at the climax. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Profiling FBI Profiler Macy Crow
Special Agent Macy Crow is 33-years-old and is
an accomplished FBI Agent. She’s worked a series of high profile cases
across the United States and isn’t afraid to take chances. When her father was
murdered, she headed to Texas to investigate the crime. Following clues left
behind by her father, she was closing in on the killer when she became the
victim of a hit and run accident.
Most would have died from the injuries Macy
sustained or would have been permanently disabled. However, Macy channeled her
extreme ability to focus into her recovery. Though her fit muscles have
softened during her recovery, she is regaining strength each day and is now
laser-focused on returning to the FBI as a field agent. Before her
accident, she had shoulder length blond hair but the brain surgeons who saved
her life cut off all her hair. She now proudly sports a pixie cut.
When Macy returned to Texas, she learned a
startling fact about herself. She has an identical twin—medical examiner Dr.
Faith McIntyre. Though adopted by different families, the sisters already have
a strong connection.
Macy’s adoptive parents split when she was two
and she moved from Texas to Alexandria, Virginia located outside of Washington,
D.C. Over the years she remained close with her father and spent many summers
with him helping repair old cars on his auto salvage lot. In Alexandria, she
and her mother lived in a large apartment complex. When she was young, a
neighborhood girl was murdered. That tragedy had a very profound affect on
Macy, who discovered she wasn’t afraid of the police and FBI agents swarming
the apartment complex. Instead, she was fascinated by their work and not only
watched law enforcement in action but also walked the actual crime scene
herself in search of clues.
Macy has never been married and has no children. For a long time, she considered herself married to her job and it wasn’t until she met FBI Special Agent Mike Nevada that she reconsidered her single status. However, her accident cut short their romance. Nevada is now the sheriff in a small Virginia town in the Shenandoah Valley. He understands Macy’s need to reclaim the FBI job she has always loved so much. In the last year, he has never forgotten her and is committed to helping regain her old life. When the two are paired on a cold case murder investigation in Nevada’s district, they become an unstoppable team.
***
Excerpt: Hide and Seek by Mary
Burton
Vivid blue
sky, white clouds, and golden fall leaves blanketed the Blue Ridge and
Allegheny mountains and created a picture-perfect day in the valley. In Macy’s
book, the beauty was wasted. If she had God’s ear, today would have been cold,
overcast, and damp. Save the pretty days until she caught this killer.
As she drove south down I-81, Macy mentally
replayed her ten minutes of regional research. In the last couple of decades,
the Shenandoah Valley’s population had ballooned thanks to a growing
university, its proximity to Washington, DC, and a thriving tourism trade
peddling vineyards, Civil War battlefields, and railroad museums. Filling in
the economic gaps were warehouse distribution centers, chain hotels, and strip
malls.
The voice of Macy’s GPS cut through AC/DC’s Back in Black blasting from her
playlist and instructed her to take the upcoming exit toward Deep Run. As she
rolled onto Route 250, a sign for her go-to fast-food eatery gave her an excuse
to stretch her legs before driving the remaining ten miles to the crime scene.
Parking, she gingerly rose up out of the car.
Her leg hurt. Stretches weren’t optional any more. She grabbed her ankle and
pulled until the bunched muscles in her thigh released. After a quick walk
around the lot, she made a beeline for the restaurant bathroom.
She glanced into the mirror as she washed her
hands. Even after five months, she still didn’t recognize the woman with the
short hair and thin face.
Nevada was in for a rude awakening.
She wiped her face with a paper towel. “Macy
Crow, you’re above ground and headed in the right direction. That’s what
counts.”
At the counter, she ordered a supersize bucket
of fries and a large soda. It wasn’t that she loved the food—okay, maybe she
did love the fries—but the chain restaurant’s predictability and sameness was
comforting after so many life changes.
A few fries later, she was in her car and
backing out of her space when her phone rang. Nevada’s number appeared. She
cleared her throat and sat a little taller.
“Agent Macy Crow,” she said.
“Ramsey tells me you’re on your way. Where are
you?”
He was direct, rarely charming, and she always
knew where she stood with him. “Fifteen minutes from the barn.”
“I’m here now.”
The transition back into a working relationship
appeared effortless. Whatever they had was over and done. No hard feelings.
“See you soon,” she said.
En route on the interstate, she ate her fries
and drained her soda. There were no guarantees on when the next meal would be.
The last few miles took her down smaller roads
until she spotted the driveway marked by stacked stones. Gravel crunched under
her tires as she passed a freshly cleared field. Over the rise of a hill, she
saw the old barn encircled by yellow crime scene tape.
When she had been researching the area, slogans
such as “Best Quality of Life” and “Raise Your Family in Deep Run” popped up on
her computer screen. As she had read about the area, she had kept glancing
toward her open case file filled with images of Tobi Turner’s scattered bones.
Recent pictures had captured the barn surrounded by dozens of state and local
law enforcement vehicles crammed side by side in the grassy field.
Now as Macy parked, she noted that all the
vehicles were gone expect for a lone black SUV. She grabbed her Glock from the
glove box, holstered it, and stepped out of her car. Her worn hiking boots
sloshed in the damp muddy soil. She tugged on an FBI windbreaker and draped her
FBI credentials around her neck. As a stiff breeze blew a lingering chill and
autumn scents, she checked her pockets for latex gloves, sunglasses, a small
pocketknife, and pendant light.
Edginess and excitement fused as she strode
toward the stretch of yellow tape and searched for Nevada. She ducked under the
tape and stepped inside the barn.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
HIDE AND SEEK (Criminal Profiler #1) by Mary Burton is a romantic suspense with a stronger emphasis on the suspense/thriller plot line than the romance. The two main characters have been involved in the past, both professionally and romantically, which allows the author to amp up the suspense without the reader feeling cheated on the romance. This is a new series, but there is overlapping of characters from Ms. Burton’s previous books.
FBI Special Agent Macy Crow has an innate ability to connect
seemingly unconnected pieces of a crime together to solve big cases. She is
attempting to get on the FBI’s elite profiling team so she can get back out
into the field. After being almost killed by a hit-and-run tied to her last
case in Texas, she knows she is not yet one-hundred percent, but she is tired
of sitting behind a desk.
Mike Nevada has returned home after resigning from the FBI.
He was a profiler and had had enough of the death and depravity. He is elected
sheriff after discovering multiple rape kits that the current sheriff purposely
never had processed. When the bones and backpack of a fifteen-year-old missing
person case of a high school girl are discovered, Mike requests Macy’s assistance
on the case.
Macy and Nevada work together as seamlessly as before, but
they are up against a killer who has evolved and honed his skills over many
years. In 2004, he started with rapes and then worked his way up to kidnapping
and murder. He is bold enough to have left his DNA at every scene and he is
still free. He is watching as Macy starts to put the pieces together and he has
decided she needs to be stopped – permanently.
I read this book in one sitting. The investigation was so intriguing
and the killer so depraved that I just had to find out who the killer was. The
climax had me on the edge of my seat. Macy and Nevada are a great couple who
each understand what drives the other. Macy is extremely strong and resilient and
yet vulnerable due to her physical changes since the accident. Nevada is
strong, smart and the perfect man to support Macy. The sex scenes are not too
explicit or long. All of the secondary characters are fully fleshed out and I
will be looking forward to following them in future books, too.
I can highly recommend this book and I will be waiting
anxiously for the next book in this series!
***
About the Book
Title: Hide and Seek
Author: Mary Burton
Release Date: April 23, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Special Agent Macy Crow is a survivor. After a vicious hit-and-run nearly kills her, she gets right back to work, and now she’s gunning for a spot on the FBI’s elite profiling team. As an audition, she offers to investigate the recently discovered bones of Tobi Turner, a high school girl who disappeared fifteen years ago.
While investigating with local sheriff Mike Nevada, a former colleague and onetime lover, Macy discovers a link between Tobi’s case and several others that occurred around the same time as her disappearance. As Macy interviews victims and examines old cases, she uncovers a sinister picture of a stalker who graduated to sexual assault—and then murder.
Macy and Nevada race to put this monster behind bars before he can come out of hiding. But the murderer’s had years to hone his skills, and soon Macy herself becomes a target. She’s no stranger to pain and terror, but will Macy’s first profiling case be her last?
***
Author Biography
New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Mary Burton is the highly praised author of twenty-six romance and suspense novels and five novellas. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three miniature dachshunds.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for THE PROMISE OF US (Sanctuary Sound Book 2) by Jamie Beck. Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary and the author’s biography and social media links. At the end of the post is a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I actually missed my bus stop going to work because I was so engrossed in Claire and Logan’s story! This story is as heartwarming and realistic as it is emotionally heartbreaking at times. Have the tissues ready for this one. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Interview with Author Jamie Beck
1. Can you give readers a quick snapshot of your newest
novel The Promise of Us.
At its heart, this book is based on some favorite romance
tropes (best friend’s older brother, unrequited crush, second chance-ish)
although the circumstances are unusual. Basically, Logan returns to town to
help his sister recover and, in his desire to help his sister mend fences with
Claire, he hires Claire to redecorate his apartment. What starts out as a
somewhat manipulative—though well-intentioned—plan flips on him. He remembers
the version of Claire from before the gunshot wound and wants her to stop
living in fear, so he sets about slowly challenging her limits to help her lead
a fuller life. In the process, he falls for her, although his job and wanderlust
(and Claire’s inability to forgive Peyton) conspire to make her push him away.
Ultimately, they have to figure out how to compromise if they want things to
work out.
2. What makes Claire and Logan’s story special to you?
Each book I write is special in its own way. I think what
stays with me about this one is a sense of tenderness that developed in Logan
that didn’t really exist before he spent more time with Claire. He was a fairly
selfish guy (meaning he put his needs and career aspirations ahead of
everything) for most of his life. His sister’s life-threatening illness was the
first catalyst for change, but his relationship with Claire develops a new
facet of his personality. I liked him so much by the end of the story. And I
had fun writing Claire, despite her being a very nervous, conservative
character at the outset.
3. Your heroine Claire has suffered tremendously (both
physically and emotionally) yet she perseveres and has made a great life for
herself. What gives her strength?
In my mind, Claire’s greatest strengths are her ability to
be content with the little things and her gratitude for her family and friends.
For the most part, she rarely laments her quiet life. When she had to give up
her first love (tennis), she directed her energy into something else she
enjoyed and made that a career. She feels that she is good at her job and she
enjoys it, so that also gives her a sense of pride and accomplishment. I think
her job (making old or ugly things pretty) is a bit of a metaphor for how she dealt
with her injury.
4. Claire has had love and lost it. How has her past
experience changed her?
I think losing her boyfriend to a best friend rocked her to
the core. Those two betrayals shook a fundamental sense of trust in all
relationships. And in love. She recovered much better from her physical injury
that the emotional ones, that is for sure. In any case, this cynicism about
love and friendship definitely makes it hard for her to believe anything Logan
has to say, or to believe that he could truly love her.
5. What is her reaction to first seeing her childhood crush
Logan?
She’s caught unaware, so she reacts badly, especially
because she suspects he is trying to manipulate her. Hostile might be how some
would describe her mental state, although Claire tempers her feelings most of
the time, so it is more of a quiet rage with a hint of desperation to flee!
6. It seems like Claire and Logan are complete opposites.
She is cautious about new experiences, while he jet sets around the world. Was
it difficult to write about two very different characters?
No. They are opposites, but in a complementary manner. In
other words, he is able to use his strengths (courage) to help her tap into her
own, and she is able to use her strength (contentedness) to give him a sort of
stability and affection sorely lacking in his life.
7. What common ground do your heroine and hero have?
The have the common ground of growing up in the same
community, with all the values and ideals that help form us as children. They
also have mutual friends and some shared history, which binds them. In terms of
their interests, they are both creatives—him with photographs, her with fabrics
and such—so they understand that way of seeing the world.
8. A hallmark of your writing is the maturity that your
characters find throughout their journey of falling in love. What are some
lessons that Claire and Logan must learn for them to get their
happily-ever-after?
The hallmark of any well-written romance (of which there are
plenty) is that its characters will have a strong arc (they will grow and
become better, stronger individuals). In this story, Claire needs to learn to
take risks again, and to trust that, come what may in life or love, she will
survive and be okay. Logan needs to learn to compromise, and to learn that the
relationships he makes in the here and now are more likely to bring true happiness
than achieving any aspirational goal.
***
The Promise of Us Excerpt
“What are you
thinking?” Claire dropped her hands to the table.
Steffi shook her head, waving one hand.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie. Is there another problem I’m not
aware of?”
“No.” Steffi inhaled, held her breath, then
exhaled slowly.
“I know of one project that would make a sweet
profit and let you really stretch your talent. ‘Sky’s the limit’ kind of
budget.”
Excitement lifted Claire’s spirit,
straightening her spine. Anything that accelerated plans to open a retail
outlet merited her attention. “Sounds amazing. What’s the catch?”
Steffi hesitated.
“Never mind. You won’t take it, so let’s move
on.” Steffi spooned whipped cream into her mouth. “Oh! Molly says that Mrs.
Brewster is thinking of remodeling her master bath.”
Mrs. Brewster’s late husband had left her
comfortably well off, but you’d never know it. She clipped every coupon
available to humanity—Claire had been behind her at the grocery store more than
once. She put only two dollars in the collection basket at church each week,
despite having enough money to leave more. And she gave out bite-size candy at Halloween.
Bite-size!
“We can’t rely on Ryan’s mom as our major
source of leads, and Mrs. Brewster spending big bucks on a remodel sounds
improbable..” She leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Don’t make me beg. If
you have a solution, I won’t dismiss it out of hand, I promise. I’m not an
idiot. We need income. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the doors open.”
Steffi went still, her chin just above the mug
held midair. “Whatever it takes?”
Claire’s hair stood on end, but she motioned
“Let’s have it” with both hands.
Steffi hesitated. “How would you like to
redecorate a high-end condo in Chelsea?”
“In the city?” Her entire body prickled
painfully at the thought of putting herself in the midst of that chaos and
danger. She’d already been one madman’s random victim. Manhattan teemed with
crazy people, not the least of whom were the ones who drove their cars like
heat-seeking missiles. “Who’d hire us instead of any of the premier designers there?”
Steffi met Claire’s gaze. “Logan.”
Claire’s tongue seemed to swell and turn
sticky. Work with Logan … Her blood thickened
like warm syrup. Tingles and terror all at once—a sensation she both loved and
loathed. Her own brand of crazy. Maybe she did belong in New York, after all. “No.”
“You just said you’d do whatever it takes.”
“Not that. Never that.” Claire didn’t need to look into a mirror to know that her
fair, lightly freckled cheeks now looked like someone had smeared them with
ripe strawberries.
“As I suspected.” Steffi shrugged nonchalantly,
as if she hadn’t just pulled the pin from a grenade and dropped it on the
table. “So that leaves us a little tight until something else comes up. In
terms of our social media presence, I just read an article …”
Claire heard Steffi talking, but the words ran
together like white noise because Claire’s brain was still stuck on the idea of
working with—no—for Logan Prescott. His
obvious ploy made her want to laugh. Did he really think he could buy her
forgiveness for his sister? Well, Claire would never, ever forgive Peyton. Not
even if he paid her a million dollars to renovate his condo.
“Claire? Did you hear anything I said?” Steffi
turned her hands out in question.
“Sorry.” She rubbed the scowl from her
forehead. “I’ll find another way to turn up new leads. Working with Logan is a
hard no.”
“Too bad. You’d have so much fun decorating his
place. I’m sure he’d let you do whatever you wanted. Anything would be better
than how it looks now. Guess he never cared before, since he was rarely around
to enjoy it.”
Only a Prescott would own a million-dollar
property that sat vacant as often as it was occupied.
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Did I call you one?” Steffi had the gall to
look stunned.
“This has Peyton’s paw prints all over it. I’d
bet my last penny that she put him up to it. I don’t know what I hate more,
that she did it, that you took the bait, or that she knows we’re desperate for
money.”
“It’s not a conspiracy. I mentioned that I felt
bad about putting you in this situation because of this home. Logan tossed out
the idea on the spot.”
“I can’t deal with the strings that would come
with his offer.” Except now Claire couldn’t focus on anything else because
thinking about Logan took up all the space in her head. If Peyton hadn’t stolen
Todd, she might’ve pounced on a chance to work closely with Logan. Of course,
then she wouldn’t have been free to act on her desire. Not that she had ever
acted on it before Todd, either. The hawkish way Logan could stare at her
turned her to jelly around him and—oh, just no. “I thought you finally
understood that.”
“I do. That’s why I wasn’t going to say
anything.” Steffi crossed her arms. “You forced me to tell you.”
True enough. Logan’s image flickered through
Claire’s mind again, poking at the tender spot of her pointless longing, like
always.
She shook her head, dislodging all thoughts of
Logan. “I’ll catch up with Mrs. Brewster and pitch a proposal for her bathroom.
But we also have to scrape together funds to advertise and update the website,
and you need to scare up reno work pronto. Promise me we’ll earmark new revenue
toward retail space—”
A knock at the door interrupted her monologue.
Steffi rose from the table and disappeared
around the corner.
From the other room, Claire heard Steffi’s
surprised voice say, “Oh, we didn’t expect you so early.”
“Hope that’s not a problem,” replied Logan, in his unmistakable baritone.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE PROMISE OF US (Sanctuary Sound Book 2) by Jamie Beck is
a contemporary romance with characters I know I will be thinking about well
beyond “The End” of this book. Ms. Beck’s characters in The Sanctuary Sound
series are realistically written and fully fleshed enough to walk right off the
page. Even knowing my HEA will arrive, the journey is never easy or
cookie-cutter in Ms. Beck’s Sanctuary Sound books.
Claire McKenna is the artistic design half of the fledgling
company she started with one of her closest childhood friends in her hometown.
She has rebuilt her life since losing her promising career as a professional
tennis player to a random bullet to the hip in the local mall and her boyfriend
who dumped her and left town with her other best friend. Claire was focused on
her career and travelled the country, but now she allows her fear to build a
wall around her hometown and never takes any risks.
Logan Prescott lives every day trying to live up to his famous
grandfather’s legacy. He is a photographer who travels the world trying to find
the job that will give him fame and recognition. When his sister is diagnosed
with breast cancer, he comes home to be by her side. They have returned to the
family home to document Peyton’s cancer fight and Logan would like to get
Claire’s forgiveness for his sister, who is the one who stole Claire’s
boyfriend.
Logan offers Claire the job of remodeling and decorating his
NY condo for enough money to get the store front she wants for the business. He
turns on his charm to get Claire to take the job, but he soon finds that Claire
has changed and he wants to help her get over her fears as much as he wants
forgiveness for his sister. Claire has had a crush on Logan since they were
young. Can taking risks with Logan free her or break her all over again?
Get the tissues ready. Claire and Logan are opposites that attract and in the end fill the empty spaces in each other, but not without a lot of emotional growth. Claire’s fears after the shooting and her parents’ over-protectiveness, Peyton’s breast cancer journey and Logan’s emptiness were realistically written and intertwined into a beautiful story. They are imperfect characters that are all changing and on a journey to forgiveness and understanding. The sex scenes are behind closed doors or PG rated. This book can standalone, but Claire’s partner, Steffi has a great story in book 1 of this series that you will not want to miss.
I highly recommend this romance, series and author!
***
About the Book
Title: The Promise of Us
Author: Jamie Beck
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Summary
Claire McKenna
knows about loss. The bullet wound that ended her promising professional tennis
career drove her to make a quiet life for herself working with fabric samples,
chatting with her book group, and spending time with her parents in her sleepy
coastal Connecticut hometown. Then there was the boyfriend who dumped her to
pursue her adventurous childhood friend. Now, Claire’s business has hit a
financial snag, but she’s up to the challenge. After all, she can survive anything.
At least she thinks so . . . until her teen crush, Logan, returns to town with
his sister, Claire’s traitorous friend.
Photographer
Logan Prescott is more playboy than homebody. But his sister’s illness teaches
him that there’s more to life than chasing the next thrill. Bent on helping her
win Claire’s forgiveness, he turns his charm on Claire and offers her big bucks
to renovate his multimillion-dollar New York City condo.
After years of playing it safe, Claire must now take some risks. The payoff could be huge, but if it all falls apart, can her heart recover from another loss?
***
Author Biography
National
bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold
more than one million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and a National
Readers’ Choice Award finalist; and critics at Kirkus, Publishers
Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work
“smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, she enjoys
dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and
Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient,
supportive family.
For fun tips,
exclusive content, and a chance to win the monthly birthday reader box, please
sign up for her newsletter at jamiebeck.com.
