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The bloody war between the Vampire Tribunal and the defiant scathe of Penton, Alabama, rages on, forcing its residents and their bonded humans to retreat into the underground fortress of last resort: Omega. There, Will Ludlam is charged with the care of Penton's humans, though he longs to fight alongside his vampire brethren. He knows the risks: as the renegade son of the Tribunal's vicious leader, Will's capture could doom the resistance.
Yet he is determined to prove his worth to his adopted scathe, to his vengeful father and to former US Army officer Randa Thomas, his beautiful, reluctant partner. Randa has little faith that a former member of the vampire elite has what it takes to fight a war. But as their enemies descend upon Omega, Will's polished charm and Randa's guarded heart finally give way to the warrior within.
Fans of Susannah Sandlin's Penton Legacy are sure to devour this long-awaited third installment of the steamy paranormal series.
Penton Vampire Legacy, Bk 3
Will stopped and scented the air again. There were two vampires nearby; one belonged to the Penton scathe, and one didn’t.
He ignored both vampires and skirted to the back of the street where the burned shell of his house still smelled of smoke and ash after three days. Aligning his position with the oak tree twenty feet behind what was left of his chimney, he paced forty steps into the woods.
A thorny bramble that had been draped over a small, scrubby bush pricked his fingers when he pulled it back. Grasping the trunk of the bush, he eased it from its loose grasp in the soil, exposing the top of a metal box.
The loud click of a cocked pistol preceded the cold press of steel against the back of his head by less than a second.
He inhaled, annoyed. A rookie mistake. He’d gotten so engrossed in his task he’d let someone slip up on him.
Randa grinned, enjoying the disgusted look on Will’s face. “If I were your father, I’d already have the silver spoon back in your mouth, Willy. He’d have you trussed up like a rodeo calf by now, hauling you back to wherever it is he lives when he’s not terrorizing innocent people.”
Will Ludlam was the kind of guy Randa Thomas had hated as a human, and she didn’t like him a bit more as a vampire. Less, in fact. Not only was he a spoiled rich boy, he was now a virtually immortal spoiled rich boy. He had probably been a blue-chip jock in school with a 4.0 GPA and a string of girls trailing his every step.
Plus, he annoyed the hell out of her. The consummate smartass.
“No, if you were my father, you’d have slit my throat—not enough to kill me, but enough to make sure I couldn’t fight back.” His voice was soft, calm. “Then you’d hand me over to your sadistic, freakshow of a second-in-command Shelton, who would play with me until I couldn’t take it anymore. Only when I was good and broken would you return the silver spoon to my mouth.”
Good God, would any father really do that? Will didn’t sound as if he were joking. Randa relaxed her stance for only a split second before the world tilted and she hit the ground, landing on her back with Will stretched out on top of her in a full body press. And he had her gun.
“Damn it.” She pushed against him but it was like pressing on bedrock.
He propped on his elbows and grinned down at her. His hat had fallen off in the scuffle and the moonlight glinted off his hair, making it look silver instead of a naturally streaked blond. And he had dimples, as if God hadn’t already rewarded him with enough in the looks department.
“And if I were my father, you would be dead. Or worse. Believe me, with Matthias, there’s always much worse. Give up?”
She squirmed again, but froze when she realized he was getting turned on by her movements. There was definitely more of him pressing on her than there had been a few seconds earlier.
He laughed, a white glint of teeth in the moonlight. “Oh, don’t stop moving, sweetheart. This is getting more and more interesting.”
Yeah, she could feel exactly how interested he was getting. She felt a very un-vampirelike flush of heat as he wedged a knee between her legs. Damn it. She clenched her teeth at her body’s betrayal—which he’d be able to sense. She hated being a vampire; there was no sense of privacy. “Get. Off. Me. Now.”
Will lowered his head and, damn him, inhaled deeply, with his face pressed against the side of her neck. Her carotid artery also thumped in a very unvampire-like cadence. She waited for the smartass comments to start.
Instead, he lifted his head and looked her in the eye. She could swear his heartbeat sped up, although it was hard to tell over the pounding of her own. Well, this was awkward.
He blinked and opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.
Well, that was one good thing. Will had been stricken dumb, at least for a moment. It wouldn’t last.
Here are the other books in the series:
The Penton Legacy, Book 2
Release date: October 9, 2012
With the vampire world on the brink of civil war over the scarcity of untainted human blood, battle lines are being drawn between the once peaceful vampire and human enclave of Penton, Alabama, and the powerful Vampire Tribunal.
A Scottish gallowglass warrior turned vampire in the early 17th century, Mirren Kincaid once served the Tribunal as its most creative and ruthless executioner—a time when he was known as the Slayer. But when assigned a killing he found questionable, Mirren abandoned the Tribunal’s political machinations and disappeared—only to resurface two centuries later as the protector and second-in-command of Penton. Now the Tribunal wants him back on their side—or dead.
To break their rogue agent, they capture Glory Cummings, the descendant of a shaman, and send her to restore Mirren’s bloodthirsty nature. But instead of a monster, Glory sees a man burdened by the weight of his past. Could her magic touch—meant by the tribunal to bring out a violent killer—actually help Mirren break his bonds and discover the love he doesn’t believe he deserves?
It’s a town under siege, a powerful warrior in a battle with his past, and one woman who can make the earth move—literally—as the Penton Legacy continues.
Book One Penton Legacy series
Following a worldwide pandemic whose vaccine left human blood deadly to vampires, the vampire community is on the verge of starvation and panic. Some have fanned into rural areas, where the vaccine was less prevalent, and are taking unsuspecting humans as blood slaves. Others are simply starving, which for a vampire is worse than death—a raging hunger in a creature too weak to feed.
Immune to these struggles—at first—is Penton, a tiny community in rural Chambers County, Alabama, an abandoned cotton mill town that has been repopulated by charismatic vampire Aidan Murphy, his scathe of 50 vampires, and their willingly bonded humans. Aidan has recruited his people carefully, believing in a peaceful community where the humans are respected and the vampires retain a bit of their humanity.
But an unresolved family feud and the paranoia of the Vampire Tribunal descend on Penton in the form of Aidan’s brother, Owen Murphy. Owen has been issued a death warrant that can only be commuted if he destroys Penton—and Aidan, against whom he’s held a grudge since both were turned vampire in 17th-century Ireland. Owen begins a systematic attack on the town, first killing its doctor, then attacking one of Aidan’s own human familiars
To protect his people, Aidan is forced to go against his principles and kidnap an unvaccinated human doctor—and finds himself falling in love for the first time since the death of his wife in Ireland centuries ago.
Dr. Krystal Harris, forced into a world she never knew existed, must face up to her own abusive past to learn if the feelings she’s developing for her kidnapper are real—or just a warped, supernatural kind of Stockholm Syndrome in which she’s allowing herself to become a victim yet again.
Susannah Sandlin’s REDEMPTION is the first in the Penton Legacy series. Book two, ABSOLUTION, will be out September 18, and book three, OMEGA, on December 18.
Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night. A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch and the horror fantasy of Stephen King. (Um…it is fantasy, right?) The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana.
Here is what Susannah shared with me when I had the pleasure of interviewing her:
Out of all the books you've written, if you could live in one of them which would it be and why?
Oh, I’d totally volunteer to be a vampire’s familiar, or “fam,” in one of the Penton Legacy series books. I’d probably rather wait until the vampire civil war is over so I wouldn’t, like, be beheaded or something, but then…yeah. I’d probably pick Redemption, the first book in the series, because I still love Aidan. He’s the considerate, brooding vampire. Mirren, the hero of Absolution, would drive me insane with his stubbornness, and Will…hmmm…now that I think about it, I might choose Omega just to spend some time with Will. Funny, fanged…what’s not to love?
In what scenario do you do your best work?
When I have a deadline to work toward, but when it’s a reasonable deadline that gives me a chance to set a reasonable daily word goal, and then time to revise. In the past six months, I’ve had some insane deadlines, and those are too stressful to enjoy. But I need a deadline or I’ll never get anything done.
What are you working on and when can we expect it to be out?
Next up is Storm Force, what I call a “paranormal romantic suspense” novel, that is being released beginning March 19 as a Kindle Serial.( When you buy the book at $1.99, you get the first “episode” of four chapters on March 19, and then a new “episode” every two weeks until you’ve received the whole novel (but you only pay $1.99 total). In July, it’ll be released as a regular book. It’s about an undercover team made up of former Army Rangers and a group of shapeshifters that investigate cases of domestic terrorism. High action, lots of suspense…and some romance.
Which books have been on your tbr shelf the longest?
Probably the Hunger Games trilogy. I never seem to quite get to them, but they’re waiting. But my TBR room…because it’s grown way beyond a shelf…is epic.
Paper or plastic? Paper.
What food can't you live without?
I’m currently trying to live without carbs, and that’s tough. But don’t get between me and my Diet Coke. Seriously!
Inside. I am so not an outdoorsy girl. I do like to stay inside and look out at the outside, though.
Ice cream in a cone or dish?
I like a good waffle cone but not those mushy cones.
What is your favorite sport?
College football. I live in the South, I attended an SEC school, and I work at an SEC school for my day job. It was inevitable.
What is your favorite or least favorite veggie and fruit?
Least favorite: Turnip greens and coconut. I think coconut’s a fruit…Is coconut a fruit?
What is your favorite animal?
I love dogs. I have two who are snoring in unison as I type this. In the wild, I love alligators. They fascinate me.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who are always negative. Drives me up a wall!
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
Thank you for having me here today, Brenda!
I should warn you that rape and abuse are mentioned.
I read all three books back to back. I was really taken with the characters. The were like family. I liked seeing another side of Will. I can't believe it's taken me this long to find this series.
The plot is full of action and some romance. There wasn't as much romance in Omega as the other two books. :-(  I enjoyed getting a glimpse of their psyche in this last book though.
I thought Susannah did a wonderful job of wrapping up the book in a way that concludes the series while also leaving possibilities for more.  I would really like more!
I recommend this book and the series as a whole to everyone who likes vampires or paranormal romance books. This series is a must read!
I received copies of all three books in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly loved this series. While Omega was my least favorite of the three books, I still was completely entrenched in it. I couldn't put any of them down.
Could you live in an underground bunker for any length of time?
I'd love to know what you're thinking. Please leave a comment!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 12:30 AM 25 comments:
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Labels: giveaway, interview, review
Presenting a Small Town Girl Cover Reveal
SMALL TOWN GIRL has a new cover!
Linda has written steadily throughout the years, but usually other people’s papers, speeches, or articles for agricultural trade magazines. Her only published work of fiction was a children’s book, “The Copper Angel of Piper’s Mill”, written in 1988 when her children were still small. Now that the kids are out of the house, Linda is writing fiction again, and this time it’s personal! She writes full time and it’s Romance! Her first romance novel, “Small Town Girl” is being published by Omnific Publishing and should be available late summer/early fall of this year.
Linda lives in a romantic stone house in the green mountains of Vermont surrounded by her gardens and her animals who include horses, sheep, cats, dogs, chickens, a parakeet and various wildlife visitors who wander in and out at will. When time permits, she also enjoys sketching and painting.
Website / Facebook / Twitter
When Lauren Smith begrudgingly returns to the small Vermont town where she grew up to arrange for the sale of her late grandmother’s old farmhouse, she has everything she’s always worked for. Lauren drives a Mercedes. She’s engaged to one of the most powerful businessmen in the country and wears a three-carat diamond ring to prove it. She lives in a penthouse on Central Park West.
Yes, Lauren has everything she considers important. She is smugly prepared for any eventuality in dealing with these country people so Lauren isn’t surprised when the hot water isn’t working at the old house. No problem. She simply looks in the phone book and calls the local plumber.
The moment Caleb Cochran steps through the old screen door to fix the hot water, the glittery facade that masquerades as Lauren’s life begins to crumble around her. Though she tries hard to deny their mutual, magnetic attraction, Lauren is finally forced to reevaluate her focus and come face-to-face with her true self. Small Town Girl is a story of discovering the true meaning of life and love.
This novel is the first book in the Small Town series, however, each book can be read as a stand-alone.
Title: Small Town Girl (Small Town #1)
Release: November 11, 2011
Reveal organized by: AToMR Tours
And now, because you've been so patient,
here is the cover!
What do you think?
Thank you for commenting! Don't forget to enter the Comment Incentive Giveaway. The link can be found at the top of the page!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 12:00 AM 9 comments:
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Leap into Books Giveaway!
Thank you to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Jinky is Reading for hosting this hop.
This giveaway will be open from now until March 7th.
You must be a follower age 13 or older. The Book Depository must ship to you.
I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond.
The winner will receive a book of their choice ($16 or less) from TBD.
Here are some March releases that I want just to give you some ideas!
What book would you like to win?
Thank you for commenting! Don't forget to enter the Comment Incentive Giveaway. The link can be found at the top of the page!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 4:00 PM 137 comments:
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VBT:Giveaway and Review~ The Quest by Mary Abshire
Retribution. At any cost.
Now that she knows her name and what she is, she wants justice for everything shes lost. Though her memories elude her, she takes a job for a half-demon Senator and, aided by werewolves from a local clan, intends to uncover evidence that will convict the Senator of more than thirty murders.
Getting to the Senator and finding the necessary evidence is more difficult than she anticipates, especially when there is a bounty for her death. If that were not enough, the vampire who stole her memories returns and reveals unexpected truths. But shes not going to let anything stop her. Not a sadistic assassin or a servant or Lucifer. Not even her ex-lover, the vampire God of the Underworld. Nothing will stop her from claiming retribution...even if the price is her life.
Series: Project Eve #2
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal
Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
Outside of my government job, I write Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy. Dark and dangerous creatures are my friends. I create worlds with vampires, demons, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures. I even create new ones. How do I do this? I have a twisted mind and it gets better with wine.
Care to join me in my fantastical worlds? I’ll introduce you to my friends, and if they bite or corrupt your mind... it’s not my fault.
Blog / Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn
Here's an excerpt for you:
From the main level, I rode an elevator to the basement. As I walked through the tunnel, toward the capital, clusters of government employees passed by. Unlike the other days when I came to work, men and women wore suits and chatted with serious looks on their faces. None of them carried lunch bags in their hands. I wondered if they'd come from a meeting or were going to one.
I reached the elevator to get to the subbasement and hit the button. While I waited for my ride, I scanned the area around me. The empty hall showed no signs of trouble and the voices of those who'd passed recently faded. I breathed in a relieving breath, finding myself alone and safe.
The ding of the elevator alerted me to its presence. The doors opened and a crowd of men and women in professional attire walked out. I stepped aside, staying clear of their path.
“Good evening, Shelley,” said an evil voice from behind me.
Since I had vampire hearing and hadn't heard her approaching, the bitch must have misted to appear near me. My blood boiled with anger. I hated the charmed bracelet on my ankle, preventing me from utilizing my demon and angel abilities.
With my jaw clamped so tight my teeth could've chipped, I glanced over my shoulder. She stood alone and dressed in a red suit.
“I didn't hear you coming,” I said in a rude tone.
Her lips formed a devilish smile. “You won't.”
Heat flamed within me, causing me to perspire. My clothes, damp from my dash through the rain, began to feel even wetter. The demon in me wanted out, wanted to rip her to shreds. Fortunately for her, the angel in me held the demon back.
After a few nods from the people passing, I strode onto the empty elevator. The bitch followed me and stood at the opposite side with her arms crossed. Alone with the Senator, I picked up her demon scent mixed with some other citrus type of perfume. The two odors mixed with the sight of the Senator made my stomach churn.
Once the doors closed, we faced each other. She had a feral look in her eyes, but I felt no fear. I had zero doubt I could kill her with my bare hands. She knew I could too, given she knew I had vampire strength. Her charmed bracelet couldn't freeze all supernatural abilities.
“I'm surprised you decided to show up this evening.” Galluzzi smirked.
I clenched the strap of my purse tighter. She obviously knew about the attack on me at Boss's house. Did she think she could provoke me?
I stepped closer to her and stood a foot from her face, glaring at her. “I'm not easy to get rid of.”
Emotion drained from her face. “No, you're not, but I have my ways.” She lifted her chin, displaying her arrogance. “Setbacks are normal in life, but I always win.”
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck. What would happen if I killed her in the elevator? Every bit of me wanted to see her dead now, instead of hung out in front of the world as a criminal. She deserved far worse. She deserved death.
First let me say that this one should be read by adults. There are some steamy erotic scenes! ;-)
It is the second book in the Project Eve series. I regret to say that I haven't read book one, The Awakening. I bought it and it's waiting on my Kindle though!  I understood the book anyway but I feel that I need to go back and be sure that I didn't miss anything good. :-)
Shelley lost her memory and doesn't know her real name or remember anything before being rescued from a dump. More than thirty people were killed where she was found alive. She thinks that the orders came from an Evil senator. She wants retribution for the deaths.
Boss a vamp, Jonas a human, Tabby a (you guessed it) cat shifter, and Jackson a werewolf policeman make up her rag tag group of friends. The characters were realistic and I found it easy to get lost in the story.
The search for evidence puts Shelley super close to the Senator and places her life in danger a numerous times. Each time Shelley gets an answer, it seems to lead to more questions and more danger. She doesn't want her friends to get hurt.
This is an action-filled adventure. Add in the super steamy scenes and the mystery and you have a winner! :-)
I enjoyed this book and I'll be reading the Awakening just as soon as I get a chance!
I received a copy of this book from FMB in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly enjoyed it and I hope there will be a book three available soon!
I almost forgot to mention, I love the cover! It is sooo serene looking.
Have you ever felt such a strong conviction about something, that you could not be swayed no matter what?
You can find the Tour Schedule here.
I'd love to know what you're thinking. Please leave a comment!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 12:30 AM 16 comments:
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Review ~ House Rules by Chloe Neill
From the back of the book:
In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.
At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.
It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined.
Add it to your Goodreads shelf.
Purchase it from Amazon.
As most of you know, this is one of my favorite series.
I was very excited to read House Rules and see which direction Chloe Neill was going to take us. I liked it but I wasn't as enthused as I usually am while reading her books.
All of the usual players were there including Ethan. ;-) There was still a mystery to figure out, in addition to the action we are used to. I think perhaps I just wanted more snark. I'm not sure what, but it felt like something was missing. Perhaps nothing was missing but nothing stood out either.
I do know that the mystery wrap up seemed slightly rushed. The whole book there are missing vamps and we have no idea who it is or how they're making it happen and then at the end Merit figures it out as usual. Actually she figured out both problems! Merit is the main character so she should be involved but once in awhile, someone else should figure something out. I mean this is book seven surely in that amount of time one of the other characters must have had a thought. Even the best of the best get it wrong from time to time. Right?
There were some sweet moments between Ethan and Merit but not as many as I would have liked to see.
House Rules went quickly for me. Usually I'm left pondering after reading the books in this series, not so with this one. :-(  While I liked it and I have the next book pre-ordered, I really hope the next book has more of the spark from the beginning of the series. I'd like some ooohhhs and aaahhhs please!
I'm counting this towards my Paranormal reading challenge for February. This month was supposed to focus on Angels. While there are angels briefly mentioned in this book, I don't think the brief mention is enough to count towards the extra points.
What do you think about Merit always solving everything?
Does it get on your nerves too?
Thank you for commenting! Don't forget to enter the Comment Incentive Giveaway. The link can be found at the top of the page!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 2:00 AM 9 comments:
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Labels: Paranormal reading Challenge, review
Monday, February 25, 2013
VBT: Review, Giveaway, and Interview with Brenda Gayle author of The Doubting Heart
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
A writer all her life, Brenda Gayle returned to her love of fiction after more than 20 years in the world of corporate communications—although some might argue there is plenty of opportunity for fiction-writing there, too. She holds a Master's degree in journalism and an undergraduate degree in psychology. A fan of many genres, Brenda is drawn to contemporary romance and enjoys creating deeply emotional stories with elements of mystery and suspense.
Website /  Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
I interviewed Brenda Gayle and the following is what she had to say:
Hi Brenda, thanks for inviting me to Crazy Four Books. It’s always fun to meet another Brenda. I agree Brenda. :-) It was nice to meet you too!
What is your favorite thing about writing?
I love the excuse to daydream, to lose myself in a fantasy world of my own creation. It may be my background in psychology, but the character development phase is definitely my favorite part of writing. In my daydreaming phase, I like to dig deeply into their backgrounds and figure out what makes them tick. I let them float through my consciousness for a week or more, and then make pages and pages of notes about their backgrounds, familial relations, and personality traits. Most of this information never makes it into the book, of course, but is crucial to keeping the characters and their actions real as the plot unfolds.
What do you hope people get out of reading your book?
Escape, pure and simple. The Doubting Heart is a romance with suspense. (Spoiler alert: the hero and heroine get together in the end.) I’m not trying to do anything except provide a bit of enjoyment, a way for people to put aside the reality of their daily lives for a few hours and read a story that ends in a happily-ever after.
What is your favorite day of the week?
Thursday is my favorite day because it means I still have another day to accomplish what I need to do before the weekend—I’m always behind—and it’s past the mid-week hump.
Do you prefer baked or fried?
Baked. I’ve never been a fan of fried foods, or maybe it’s just that my go-to foods aren’t usually fried (bagels, muffins, cheesecake). I even bake the French fries I make.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audio book?
I do love my e-reader, but there’s nothing like the tactile sensation you get from a real book. I prefer paperbacks because they are more portable and I rarely go anywhere without a book in hand. I'm the same way! :D
What type of music do you listen to?
Sad to say, but I tend to listen to those Boomer radio stations that play light rock from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Yes, I know, I’m dating myself, but I just can’t get into the electro club music that’s all over the airwaves. I have a fairly eclectic CD collection, everything from rock to country to jazz to classical—something for all moods and occasions. I am also a huge Bruce Springsteen fan and often listen to E Street Radio on satellite.
If you could talk to one person (dead or alive) who would it be and why?
I’ve always been fascinated by Tudor England. I’d love to sit down and chat with Anne Boleyn about how she captured the heart of Henry VIII and kept him on a string for so many years. Hopefully, I’d also get some insight into where she went wrong. I’d probably also give her a head’s-up (groan) about what’s coming.
Do you have any hobbies?
I have two teenagers that are too young to drive, and as we live outside the city there isn’t public transportation. I spent most of my “spare” time chauffeuring them to their many and sundry sports and social activities. If I have to wait for them, I’ll use the time to catch up on my reading.
I’d really like to get back into knitting. I used to do that quite a bit and enjoyed it because it kept my hands busy while my mind wandered. As I mentioned before, I spend a lot of time “daydreaming,” which makes people suspicious about what I’m up to. If I was knitting, at least they’d think I was doing something. :-)
Do you have a favorite scent?
When my husband I were in Paris, many years ago, he bought me a bottle of Sun Moon Stars perfume by Karl Lagerfeld. I just love the exotic blend of fruit, floral, orange blossom, amber, and musk. Unfortunately with so many places being scent-free, I don’t get the opportunity to wear it as often as I’d like.
Ears yes, everything else no.
What food can't you live without?
Coffee. Does that count as a food? I hope so, because as far as I’m concerned, life wouldn’t be worth living (for me or for anyone unlucky enough to encounter me) without a steaming mug of strong black coffee each morning.
Brenda, you ask the most interesting questions. Thank you so much for hosting me today. I’d love to hear how others would answer some of these questions, especially the one about hardcover, paperback, ebook or audio.
***Brenda will be awarding one commenter at every stop a digital download of her new short story, Father of the Bride?, the first in The Wild Rose Press’s Dearly Beloved series, and one randomly drawn commenter on the tour will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.***
Here is a link to the Tour Schedule. You know the drill. The more comments you leave on the tour, the better your odds are of winning! :-)
The Wild Rose Press
A woman determined to prove her friend was murdered questions her sanity when his look-alike appears.
When Shelby Holt convinces a friend to work at Wildhorse Pass tourist ranch, she never imagines he will die there. The police say Michael's death was accidental, but Shelby doesn't believe it. Haunted by guilt, she puts her academic career on hold to investigate.
Just back from the Middle East, Chad Graham is guilt-ridden over Michael's death too. He poses as a ranch hand at Wildhorse Pass to investigate the woman claiming his cousin's death is suspicious. Were the police wrong? Or is Shelby hiding something?
Shelby knows she can't trust her heart, but when it comes to Chad, she can't trust her head either. He looks uncannily like Michael. Yet even as their distrust deepens, sensual attraction simmers between them. The closer Shelby and Chad get to answers—and to each other—the closer they get to danger…and to a killer who will stop at nothing to avoid discovery.
Here is an excerpt to tempt you:
Anxious to escape the ghosts of the place, she rounded to Copper, set her right foot into the stirrup and pushed off to mount her. The stirrup seemed to slip as she raised her left leg over the horse.
Suddenly, Copper shied back and reared up. Shelby lost her balance and slid down the side of the horse. The reins slid from her hands. She clawed at the saddle. “Copper! Easy girl. Easy up,” she cried, but her voice was too panicked to have any effect.
Then Copper began to run.
Shelby managed to grab onto the horn, but without the stirrup for support she felt herself slipping. She clawed for purchase yet each movement pulled the saddle further down the horse’s side. She grasped at the mane with her left hand and wrapped her fingers tightly through the coarse hair. The rocky ground seemed only inches below her and she struggled to hold her body rigid. Her loose leg dangled precariously close to the horse’s scythe-like hooves.
She called to Copper, tried to calm her. The horse sped up and edged closer to the water. Shelby panicked. Not the river. Not again!
As she fought to raise herself higher, she caught a glimpse over Copper’s back of a dark form approaching from up the canyon wall.
Another horse and rider!
Relief flooded her. Thank God.
She held tighter to the saddle and mane, willing every fiber in her being to hang on until her rescue. She counted the seconds. Waiting.
It was taking too long. She was afraid to turn her head to look for them. Where are they?
Then she saw them, a shadow on the ground, easily matching Copper stride-for-stride. That wasn’t right. They should be passing. Grabbing Copper’s bit. Slowing the pace. Stopping her.
The dark shadow was edging closer to Copper.
Suddenly, Shelby realized what they were doing. Her mind exploded into a blinding fury of panic and shock. She heard herself scream.
The other rider was deliberately driving her towards the deadly torrent.
The Doubting Heart is the second book in the Heart's Desire series. It is a romance with a heaping helping of suspense. I felt like the story was slow at the beginning. It soon picked up the pace and offered lots of action, danger, and mystery in addition to the romance.
The plot consists of a murder, a friend with a guilty conscience, a tourist ranch, a guilt ridden family member determined to scope out the woman who said his cousin was murdered, horses, a bunch of accidents, and an attraction that won't be denied.
I was thoroughly caught up in the mystery of what happened to Michael and who was responsible. I was almost more interested in that than the chemistry between Shelby and Chad (almost). ;-)
I really liked the set up for the next book. You can bet I'll be reading it! Now I just have to go back and read the first book, The Hungry Heart.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a suspenseful romance to read.
I received a copy of this book from Goddess Fish in exchange for my honest opinion. It was intriguing and I enjoyed it!
As she stated above, Brenda would like to know your answers to the question about
which book format you prefer. Hardback, paperback, ebook or audio book?
I'd love to know what you're thinking. Please leave a comment!
Posted by Brenda Demko at 3:00 AM 56 comments:
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I am a middle aged wife and mother of three boys. Because life is often hectic, I self medicate with good books! It is a cheap form of therapy. I have found that it does wonders for my sanity! lol! My favorite types of books to read are paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy,and young adult.
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Mostly I read paranormal and contemporary romances, young adult, and urban fantasy. I do not like historicals or horror!
I try to post reviews in a timely manner and in addition to posting them on my blog, I will post them on Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, and B&N. Posts are also on my Twitter and Facebook as well. I look forward to working with you.