I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton

Tennessee is a beautiful state.  A place where a comfortable life can be lived amongst the forests and mountains.  Leah Carson tries to prove this to herself as she guards her psyche from the past.

The past being a husband who tried to stab her to death.  After the attack, her husband was killed in a car accident.

Four years later and Leah is still wary of her surroundings.

Things begin to happen – just like for years ago.  It’s almost like her husband is back in town.

Agent Alex Morgan of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is on the trail of the strange happenings and the new murder in town.  The murder executed in the same manner of Leah’s attack.

Alex and Morgan remain tight with communications and a few other things as the authorities unravel the murder.

I loved this story with its intensity and the fact that Leah is a veterinarian, she has my vote for a happy lifeJ

Happy reading,

Dawn

3 Facebook Parties in 12 Days All with Giveaways!

Time to Party!

March 29: I'm very happy to help Shana Gray celebrate the release of After the Hurt. If you like MMA fighters and second chances, you'll love this story :-) I'll be there at 7pm Eastern. Hope to see you there :-) https://www.facebook.com/events/1038775676179703/

April 5: Yeehaw! I join my fellow 12 Pack Authors in celebrating our release of the Cowboy Justice boxed set. My book, Cowboy's Best Shot (Poker Flat #3), is in this set and follows sexy Adriana and stealthy Hunter. I'll be there at throughout the day (1-9pm), but you don't want to miss any of these cowgirls. The party starts at 1:00pm Eastern time. https://www.facebook.com/events/938005572963412/938072066290096/ 

April 9: I'm excited to help my fellow author (and a fantastic photographer) Michel Prince celebrate the release of the 3rd book in her Long Ranch series, The Last Laugh. This romance has it all, a bad guy, a trip to Mexico, and an ex-husband all making falling in love that much harder. I'll be there at 6pm Eastern time, but the party starts at1pm and goes to 11pm. https://www.facebook.com/events/1673469199573836/

I'll be giving away books, calendars, gift cards, and of course, a mask or two ;-) Hope you can join me for one or all of the parties. What a great way to celebrate Spring! 

Always, Lexi

New Release and Giveaway from Romance Author Amanda McIntyre!

Please welcome guest romance author Amanda McIntyre who has brought giveaways with her!

My thanks to my cowgirl, Lexi, for inviting me over to share a bit about my latest, contemporary western release—NO STRINGS ATTACHED (Book I, Last Hope Ranch)

This spin-off of the Kinnison Legacy trilogy set in End of the Line, Montana follows on the demand of readers wanting more stories from the characters in my sleepy little fishbowl town of rugged men and the women who will tame them. So without further delay-

WELCOME BACK TO END OF THE LINE, MONTANA!

Come by for a visit, we think you'll like it here!

Sally Andersen has spent her life teaching school kids and being a caretaker for her ailing father. Alone after five years, she sees her friends marry and start families and decides she, too, wants a family... just not in the conventional way.

Serving overseas left Clay Saunders with no leg, PTSD, survivor guilt, and more pity than he wants. Recuperating at the Last Hope ranch at the insistence of his old friends, the Kinnison brothers, he is asked to take part in a charity bachelor auction by the little town's fiery, redheaded music teacher. What Clay doesn't expect is the hope of a normal life that sparks inside of him at her unusual request...

She wants a baby. NO RULES. NO COMMITMENT. NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Excerpt from No Strings Attached. Book I (Last Hope Ranch)

“I want to have a baby.” Her gaze was steady.

He’d tiptoed his way through a minefield or two in his time—he could handle this. He reached for a towel and wiped his hands, proceeding cautiously. “Yeah, I saw the brochures.” He glanced over her shoulder and saw the rest of the ladies seated in the other room, busy talking.

“No, what I mean is…I really hadn’t given this much thought—you know, about asking somebody to help me.” She looked away as though piecing it together in her brain. “I could pay you a fee, of course, and there would have to be some legal issue—a contract.

Whoa. Contract? Clay suddenly felt the need for a drink. He opened one cabinet and then another. Surely Jerry kept a stash of whiskey around, if only for cooking.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Looking for the whiskey.”

“Jerry’s a beer drinker,” Sally answered.

“That’ll do.” He continued to check every cabinet and shelf in the kitchen.

“You think I’m crazy.”

It wasn’t really a question. More of a statement of fact as presented—he just happened to agree. “Bingo.” He leveled her a look, then went back to his quest.

She walked toward him and he had the strongest urge to grab a rolling pin. But a greater battle roiled inside him. His libido was on fire, ready to sign on the dotted line, but common sense cautioned him to keep his dick as far from her as possible.

“Look, it’s not like I’m asking you to commit to anything.” She scooted her fine little ass on the wooden stool and crossed her legs. “You know; it was really that kiss that got me to consider this idea.”

Good to know she’d been affected. Crazy train wasn’t exactly the response he’d planned on.

“It’s perfect,” she continued. “You have no ties here. I assume you’re not planning on staying since your only family is out in California.”

Clay stared at her, trying to decide if the woman was certifiable or simply delusional. Did he look like the kind of guy who could walk away from his own child? “You don’t know anything about me.”

Her face lit up. “I know, that’s why it’s perfect. I don’t really need to know much. I already know you’re kind to animals, patient with kids, you’re a hard worker, former military, good in medical emergencies, and you can cook.” She lifted her palms. “What more, other than your health, do I need to know?” She eyed him. “And from here you look pretty damn healthy.”

Clay blinked, waiting for his brain to catch up with his good sense, which kept tripping on his libido. He felt like a damn racehorse, and if she asked him to smile— “Look, Sally. I’m flattered, really. But they have places—clinics—I’m sure they’re mentioned in the brochures. Places where guys can donate—”

“Sperm, Clay,” she interjected. “And yes, I know. I’ve done the research. Crunched the numbers. And honestly, the bottom line looks grim. My insurance covers only the initial exams and tests. The rest of it I would be financially responsible for.” She held his eyes for a moment more, then slapped her hand on the table. “You know, you’re right. It’s a crazy idea.” She hopped off the stool. “Forget I mentioned it.”

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Sunday Afernoon Musings on a Wednesday Morning

         It is Sunday afternoon in my little corner of the world as I sit down to write this post (I was a Girl Scout. I believe in being prepared). And it is quiet in my house. My DH is off riding his motorcycle (because what else would one do on a beautiful day?) so it’s just me and Schatzie (we lost our other German Shepherd, Daisy, a few weeks ago).

         My usual Sunday chores?

         Clothes ironed for the work week ahead? Done.

         Groceries bought and put away? Done (but I forgot to get jelly beans...my DH loves them!)

         Car filled with gas? Done.

         Veggies all cut up for the coming week? Done.

         Chicken shredded and cheese grated for the chicken enchiladas I’m making for dinner tonight? Done (and yes, that's Schatzie, waiting for me to drop something....she was rewarded for her patience).

         Trees watered? Yep, you guessed it. That’s done, too!

         So, what’s a girl to do with this beautiful Spring afternoon? Well, there's so much coming up, I should be planning and making my lists. My son is getting married next month (she's a wonderful person. I'm thrilled she'll be my daughter-in-law!) and I'm going to a Reader's Conference in Nashville in May. Other things I should be doing? I should open my work in progress and write. That would be the most productive thing to do, but I’m not feeling very productive (although, if you’ve read what I’ve already accomplished, you’d say I was productive).

         I could finish one of the three books I’m currently reading.

The USA channel has a marathon of NCIS running. I love Mark Harmon so I could indulge myself with that and yet, none of that sounds satisfying, you know? Maybe I’ll just head outside, plop my butt in a lawn chair and enjoy this gorgeous weather. Yeah, that’s it. And I’ll take the latest copy of the Reader’s Digest or one of the three books with me (sort of killing two birds with one stone).

       What’s your favorite thing to do when you have a moment or two to yourself?

 As always, happy reading!

Marie

The Duke's Accidental Wife

Yes, it is another regency romance. I tell you, I'm hooked! Why? I seriously have no idea. Maybe it's diving into a completely different world, different time, different rules . . . I don't know, because I certainly wouldn't want to have to deal with all of the inconveniences of that time period. But I do know what I like, and I like The Duke's Accidental Wife. It's a cute love story that involves compromise on both sides. If you are look for a bit of mindless, fluffy reading, that entertains and keeps the pages flipping, then it's worth a perusal.



Miss Katherine Ross is a wealthy, eccentric socialite who knows precisely what she wants: No husband. No children. No candlelit tête-à-tête with the insufferably emotionless Duke of Ravenwood. She's convinced his heart is ice -- until she touches that chiseled chest for herself. One lapse in judgment is all it takes to turn both their lives topsy-turvy...


The Duke of Ravenwood isn't cold and haughty, but a secret romantic who has always dreamt of marrying for love. Instead, he gets Miss Katherine Ross -- a headstrong hoyden intent on unraveling his carefully ordered world. He doesn't know whether to kiss her or throttle her. Can they survive each other's company long enough to turn a compromise into love?





Until next month, have a wonderful Easter/Spring Break!
Nicolette Pierce

Stupid Girl, New Covers, Redneck Family Reunions, and Great Racks.

Good morning!  Or afternoon, as the case may be.  I’m afraid I’m a bit late posting my blog this morning.  But better late than never, right?  Oops.  Well, that’s the story I’m going with.

But I do have a good excuse—I was working.  Hand in the air, cross my heart, hope to…well, you get it.  I was working until almost 4am trying to get some books formatted so I can get them off to the printer in time for the Romantic Times Conference in Las Vegas next month.  Woo Hoo!!!

Here’s the stupid thing I did, though…because we all know Stupid Girl shows up when the pressure’s on.  I decided to move the printing of all my books to a local printer, which will allow me to get a better price by not paying for shipping…thereby enabling me to sell them to you all at conference pricing at book signings.

Anyway, I digress.  In order to reformat a number of books, I purchased a software package so I could upload the books myself to the printer’s site, as well as some additional ebook sites.  Here’s where Stupid Girl comes in…she didn’t notice that the software package was only available for Macs.  Seriously?  Now what?

Well, I have a partner in crime, Tina Gerow, who has a Mac.  So I got her to download the software onto her machine.  The only problem is that Tina actually uses her machine to write…I know, shocker.  That means I have very small windows of opportunity where I can impose on Tina to allow me to use her computer to format books…and this time I had 4 of them to do.  DUH!  So the bottom line is that I reformatted books from about 7pm last night until 4am this morning.  Hence, the blog was late.

Apologies.  (smile)

On that note, I did have a couple of things I want to share with you today—two new covers.  Yeah!  First, I am putting a new face on an old friend.  My first Delta Jane story is Midnight on the Double-B, and since that has grown into a series and the covers have evolved into something more consistent across the series, I’m going to re-release the story with a new cover that will tie it to the series. So…drumroll, please…here is the new cover I will be releasing for Midnight on the Double-B.

Like it?  I sure hope so…I debated long and hard over the electric blue boots.  LOL  Tina Gerow finally convinced me they are sooo Delta.  (smile)

The other new cover is going on a newer new release.  HUH?  I know…WTH is she talking about?  Remember the box set we put out last month from the Butterscotch Martini Girls?  Well, my story, Slingin’ Bull, is being released this month as a stand-alone single.  So you will have an opportunity to purchase this story either as a novella, or as part of the box set—and those of you who collect covers may want to buy both just to make sure you have both covers.  So here’s the cover reveal for my new cover for the single novella, Slingin’ Bull…which is a new installment in the Delta Jane Series.  Hope you love it!

Okay, folks, those are all the new announcements and new covers.  Now I have an update for ya’all on the family reunion, since I received several emails wanting to know how the redneck reunion went and asking if there were any new stories coming out of them.  Well…it was a redneck reunion…of course there are stories!

My 84-year-old mother asked me at one point what my 16-year-old grandson, Tyler, was doing.  I told her that he was going to take some pictures so we have pics of everyone.  So when Tyler pointed the camera at his older brother, Justin, my mother asked me, “Are you having him take a picture of Justin so the girls can see he’s not married and ‘available’?”

I stared at her for a moment and replied, “Uh, no.  I don’t think a family reunion is really the best place to troll for a girlfriend.”

Here’s your sign.  Mom, I love you, but I think you need to lay off the juice for a bit.

The other funny “oops” came from Naz, my cousin LaJoyce’s teenage grandson.  They were carting bags and crock pots of food out to the car, preparing to leave after the reunion.  As they were taking the last load and hugging everyone goodbye, Naz stopped in the living room to admire a large cowboy hat rack that was given to me by a very dear friend.  Naz was very taken with it and without thinking, he announced very loudly that he loved the hat rack, following that statement with, “That is a great rack you have there.”

Oh-kay.

Well, those of you who know me know that I could NOT allow that to pass quietly.  I opened my eyes wide and looked at my cousin and asked, “Did Naz really just tell me I have a great rack?”

Poor Naz.  The kid turned 12 shades of purple and hung his head.  Then he slowly shook his head from side to side and replied, “Yes, I did.”

And, that, my friends, is a good old southern country family reunion…the family matriarch encouraging her great grandson to troll for girlfriends and teenage boys telling their grandmother’s cousin that she has a great rack.  Just doesn’t get any more redneck than that!

Well, that’s my story, racky and rocky, and I’m stickin’ to it.  Hang on tight now, cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya,

Kayce

The Next Accident by Lisa Gardner

Oregon, meet Virginia…  Long distance relationships start in the most uncanny ways. 

Trying to build a private investigator’s business after resigning from the police force, Rainie Connor moves across the country to find a home in Portland, Oregon.  Her business isn’t hopping and she won’t admit she’s lonely in her old hometown.

FBI Special Agent Pierce Quincy has a connection to Rainie, and it’s not the distance he’s thinking of between Portland and Virginia.  Quincy and Rainie had a previous relationship which ended in what I like to call “lack of communication.” 

Quincy won’t forget Rainie, and now he needs her help.  Quincy’s daughter died after injuries from a questionable car accident.  The accident ruled as a driver at fault, needs more investigation as a homicide is suspected. 

Here’s Quincy’s chance to approach Rainie, hire her, and find out if there are any sparks left to ignite the fire he still feels for her. 

There’s one catch, though.  The suspected murderer is after Quincy’s other daughter, ex-wife, and himself. 

Rainie can’t let Quincy fall to the complicated murder conspiracy.  Maybe, just maybe, they can overcome the distance in their hearts.

Happy reading,

Dawn

Cowboy Corral At Romantic Times Convention!

Yeehaw! I'm so excited! I am now one of the hosts for the Cowboy Corral at the Romantic Times Convention next month! What's the Cowboy Corral?

Let's see. First of all there will be a number of cowboy cover models walking around to have their picture taken with readers (and hopefully authors). Also, there will be more than a dozen romance authors of cowboy romances there (including me) signing and giving away books, distributing swag, and partying cowboy style. But that's not all!

Many authors (including myself) will be raffling off special prizes. I'm sure you know what I will be raffling off. Here's a hint. It starts with an "m" and ends with a "k" and it will look something like this picture here ;-)

But wait! There's more! There will be a grand prize winner of a Kindle, plus line dancing, photo opportunities with fun backgrounds and of course, a lovely bag to take away all your goodies in. Hope to see you there!

Always Lexi
www.lexipostbooks.com

Historic Vehicles

         I write historical romances….westerns mostly (‘cause ya gotta love the man in the white hat!) and I love all things associated with researching what life was like back in the late 1800’s in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Old armoires, galvanized washboards, brass beds and houses that were built before 1900 are the things that excite me. Kitchen equipment and utensils, photographs (where no one seemed to smile), and diaries of the women who lived during these times fascinate me. I know. I’m weird, but I love that stuff! Can’t get enough of it!

         This past weekend, my DH and I were invited to a party to help celebrate the 90^th birthday of a dear friend (she’s a beautiful lady and the sweetest thing on two feet….love her to pieces). The party was held outside Phoenix city limits (yep, it was a fer piece for us to get there but I digress) on property that had stunning views of the desert, the mountains in the near distance, and the dazzling sky which seemed to go on forever. The party was wonderful, filled with family and friends and fantastic food! 

There were horses there, too. And donkeys, goats, a pig and even a llama (be careful, he spits!) but the best part? I got to see a horse drawn limousine (painted white, it could seat eight people on red velvet bench seats….can you imagine?) and a hearse (beautifully decorated with gold filigree), but my favorite thing? An authentic 1880’s chuck wagon in good working condition (the woman who owns it actually uses it for historical events)! I kid you not! I had never seen one in person before (but of course, you know I researched it and saw pictures). Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take pictures of these fantastic conveyances of times past, but they’re very much alive in my memory and really got my creative juices flowing.

Can’t wait to incorporate these vehicles into my next story!

As always, happy reading!

Marie

Melting Point

I just wanted to sneak in to let you all know that the award-winning novel Melting Point is now available! It's the first book in the Metal Girls trilogy. Welding has never been this cool . . . or sizzling hot :) Meet the Brennan girls as they weld their way into mysteries and, of course, love. There's a dose of suspense, a heap of steamy encounters, and a dash of humor. The perfect blend to keep the winter blues away.

The Brennan family business had a secret. A secret that only Morgan Brennan knew. She was diligent to make sure it remained that way. She alone had followed in her father’s footsteps, knowing that if she was ever found out the repercussion would be terrible. But if she didn’t continue, the outcome would be deadly. To protect her grandfather, her sisters, and the family business, she continued, knowing that every day she stepped closer to ruin.

Liam Hayes had one mission: Infiltrate Brennan Metal Works and search for incriminating evidence. Because of his background in metal, he was the perfect choice. He thought it would be easy. Getting the grandfather to hire him was a snap. Then he met Morgan Brennan. She blocked him at every corner, making it clear he was not welcome. Quickly pegging her as the prime suspect, he made it his mission to discover her secrets.

Liam is determined to find out why Morgan is frequently called to Las Vegas and follows her, putting them both at risk. As events quickly unravel, Morgan finds her only chance of survival is to allow Liam in. But can she trust him? The only way to free themselves from the danger they face is by working together, something neither of them ever wanted.

 

I'll be back in a couple of weeks with a review on another book.

See you later,

Nicolette Pierce

BEWARE THE BIRD THAT POOPS LARGE!

Hey ya’all, how’s everyone doing this fine Friday morning?  It feels like I just blogged…oh wait, I did.  And yet, here I am again…just like a shiny new penny.  (It’s my story.  I can tell it however I want…and it doesn’t have to make sense.)  LOL

Okay, some of you are familiar with my stories about the animals out at my place.  I have a bunch…horses, dogs, the neighbor’s cats…and now the neighbor’s bird.  Yep, you read that right.  My neighbor has a pet bird that seems to have adopted me as part of his flock.

The bird is a mourning dove, and his name is Little Bird.  My neighbor, Dawn, rescued him as a baby and hand-raised him.  He now comes when she calls him for dinner, rides around on her head, and does his best to find out what you’ve got in your house.  I can’t leave the doors open, or the damn bird either walks or flies into the house.

Anyone walking around outside is fair game, too.  He loves to land on your head and go for a ride…particularly if you are eleven years old and blond!  My grandson loves Little Bird…I, on the other hand, am leery of allowing a bird to ride on my head.  They poop!

I was washing off the screened patio the other day and in he hopped, nosing around like he owned the joint.  So I gently sprayed him with the hose.  Do you think he freaked out and streaked out the door like his tail was on fire?  Nope.  He lifted a wing so I could wash underneath it.  Seriously?  Cheeky bird!

I have to be careful when I get in my truck these days because LB watches my house and as soon as I step outside, here he comes.  He’ll perch on the eaves of the house and coo at me, or on my head if I’m not quick enough getting into the truck.  The other day, I spotted him coming my way and I hurried into the truck.  Seeing that I’d restricted his ability to score a ride on my head, he landed on the top of the open door.  Now I couldn’t shut the door until he left.  So I started to shoo him, but he’s apparently not afraid of me—even when I’m waving my hands and pushing him backwards.  I tried to warn him that he was forcing me to pinch his little toes in the door, but he ignored the warning.  I finally had to catch him and carry him to an orange tree, where he sat cooing at me.

This morning, I tried to get in the truck and there he was.  This time I got the door closed, so he landed on top of the truck.  Do I drive off and leave him to figure out that he needs to get off?  No, I can’t do it.  So I back up real fast and hit the brakes, hoping to see him fly off.  Nothing.  So I get out of the truck and he’s gone…then I hear him cooing from the roof of the house.  Time to jet before we have to repeat the process.  So off I go, keeping one eye on the rearview mirror, just in case stalker Little Bird decides to come after me.

You’d think the little guy would be less stalker-ish, since he himself has a stalker.  I noticed another dove chasing and dive-bombing LB.  When I asked the neighbor about it, she replied, “That’s a Bully Bird.”  Perfect!  So I have a stalker, and my stalker has a bully stalker.  Wonder if there is a bird class on how to deal with bullies.  In any case, poor Little Bird is now missing half his tail feathers and flies with a list due to the lack of a proper rudder.  I'm guessing SB got to LB, and now has feathers nailed to the wall of his nest--a shrine to his arch nemesis.

So…here I sit out on the farm with horses, dogs, a rat-killing duck, and a stalker dove.  Situation Normal at my place…Weirdness Reigns!  But I’m having that family reunion on Saturday…Aunt Millie and Uncle Elmer better stay sober or they’re gonna find themselves covered in dove poop.  And this bird can really poop.  He pooped on the window of my truck one day and my son accused me of raising Pterodactyls. 

Well, that’s my story, birdie and bonkers, and I’m stickin’ to it.  Hang on tight now, cuz’ we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love Ya,

Kayce

Folly: An Alex Duggins Mystery by Stella Cameron

Call me a sucker for books placed in England.  I adore the atmosphere, the language, and the culture.  This is the first of romantic suspense author Stella Cameron’s series placed in her native country, England.

Alex Duggins moves to Folly-on-Weir after her divorce to start anew by purchasing a pub and doing things for herself.

When she finds a dead body of none other than an unknown Monk, things start to unravel. 

A childhood friend, Tony Harrison, deems her necessary of extra attention.  His “in” to get to her is that she adopted the dog found at the murder scene.  Tony’s a veterinarian and must check on the scared dog’s recovery along with watching over Alex.

Too bad more unlikely bodies appear, Alex always being on scene.  Could she be the killer?

Alex doesn’t want help clearing her name, only to find the real killer. 

I enjoyed the mix of the mysterious happenings and the romance blossoming between childhood friends.  Each topic repeatedly takes one step forward and two steps back.  As danger multiplies and invades Alex’s home and business, she’s due for a leap into favorable happenings.  Tony may be the key.

I was a little surprised at the random editorial errors, small in nature, but noticeable.  I still recommend this as a good read as the story kept me engaged well enough to ignore errors.  Give it a shot…I’m mean a try!  I will be reading the next in the seriesJ

Happy reading,

Dawn