Thoughts at year's end...and a tribute to a wonderful lady...

I am blessed to live in a climate where there are more days with sunshine and temperate weather than not. Sometimes I forget to include that in the things I have to be thankful for, when things get a little frustrating. This year started somberly and went downhill, so I am glad to see it is finally over and hoping that next year will be better, although we recently lost one of the matriarchs of the family at the astounding age of 101, so it will still be a bit bittersweet.

She was an inspirational figure, having survived being in a Japanese concentration camp in the Phillippines, raising two fine upstanding sons as a single mom, and dealing with discrimination because of her skin tone by laughing it off and taking delight in surprising others with her knowledge of her native Tagalog. I always teased her with starting the health food trend of hearty greens and fresh fish, because she worked in a cannery that afforded her access to mackerel and whatnot and grew collard greens to eat, and that diet undoubtedly contributed to her longevity and lucidity.

Her love of gardening was always evident in her flourishing plants that she delighted in sharing (although, living in the challenging neighborhood she did...pots were often "liberated" by junkies looking for something to sell) and her tiny house abounded in delicious aromas, her rousing piano performances, and love and laughter.

I was always astounded that she continued to ride the bus, well past the age of 70 (maybe 80?), and for the most part, she remained unscathed by the rough neighborhood and was treated with respect. She crisscrossed the city on the bus, always embracing the breadth of cultures available and the beauty and opportunities to be found.

One of my favorite memories is of taking her to the San Diego Zoo...where she was just as enthralled by the plants as the animals...AND she was still raring to go when I was tired and wanting to rest, lol. Of course, I had to convince her not to "accidentally" knock against a couple of plants that she was convinced she would have no problems propagating at home (snicker). I know she would have been successful, as she had no problem taking small cuttings and encouraging them to root and be happy, but she refused to let me buy any for her in the plant shop.

So, as another year ends, I count my blessings, and my mom's auntie was definitely one of them. She will be missed, but our lives were wonderfully enriched by her presence and her loving and cheerful influence continues on in all of us.



I wish you and yours a Happy New Year, filled with amazing new experiences and love and laughter...

Teach Me to Touch You by Joshua Landon (Release blitz, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GBP ADULT

RELEASE BLITZ

Teach Me to Touch You 
(Novella 1 in the Teach Me Series)

by
Joshua Landon

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre/s: Gay Romance

Length: 27 000 words approx. /100 pages

Heat Rating: 3 flames 

Release Date: December 23, 2018 

Add on Goodreads

   

 

Blurb

When Austin’s father deserts his young family, he leaves Austin and his sister to struggle with poverty and neglect at home and bullying at school. When Austin’s first girlfriend kisses him in high school, his PTSD flashback to childhood abuse scares his girlfriend away.

A Marine at eighteen, Austin returns home after four years with his PTSD aggravated by nightmares of war. He fears he’ll never have a sex life.

Daniel, a psychiatric technician with a speciality in PTSD, helps Austin readjust to civilian life. Over months of work together, trust grows between them along with an attraction they hide from each other, since Austin is straight and Daniel is gay.

A gifted healer, Daniel believes a sexual relationship between them could harm Austin, though Austin is anxious to learn to touch again. But when their visits are scheduled to end, both men must deeply examine their concerns and untangle their desires for the future.

Excerpt

Austin

I was seven when my dad left for work in the morning and never came back. My sister Julie was six.

It was a bad year, the first truly awful year. Not that the years before had been ideal, with my parents snapping at each other over each little affront, but at least they’d both been part of my life. And with either parent alone, I’d felt like a normal kid. It wasn’t entirely self-deceptive—it was all I knew.

But the day my dad pushed my mom against the wall, cocking back one huge fist to strike her, I ran to push myself between them.

“No, Dad, don’t!” I’d cried.

He’d looked at me, lowered his fist, and never spoke another word to me.

In the morning, he was gone.

At first, the dad-sized hole inside me seemed about to swallow me up. I was sure I’d die like the baby bird I’d found in the yard early that spring. I’d given it water and worms in a shoebox with crumpled toilet paper for warmth, but it wouldn’t eat or drink and grew steadily weaker. When it quit moving altogether, my mother stroked my hair, soothing me in a whisper.

“Its tiny heart quit beating, Tintin. Baby birds are too small to survive without their parents. But you gave it the best care you could. Its death isn’t your fault.”

I buried the bird in the back corner of our Mountlake Terrace yard without fanfare, digging its grave in the frozen ground with icy fingers that held a bent teaspoon. Despite my mother’s insistence that I wasn’t to blame, I knew the truth. I’d failed the bird just as I had failed my father. 

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author 

A fanboy of books, theater, and cinema and a supporter of the LGBT+ community, Joshua Landon lives in the greenbelt and park-filled community of Lynnwood, Washington not far from Seattle, Edmonds and Everett—a great location to experience the outdoors, music and the arts. He recently authored the three Teach Menovellas, a romance about two young men: a troubled Marine and a talented healer. They will become available for order through Amazon online in multiple countries, releasing between December 23, 2018 and February 2019.

When not writing, Landon enjoys building stage sets, bungee jumping, river rafting, and watching films from all eras. He shares his bookshelf-lined home with a middle-aged tomcat, and his back yard fills seasonally with wild rabbits.

Author Links

Instagram

Email 


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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway 

for a chance to win book 2 in the Teach Me series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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RELEASE BLITZ SCHEDULE

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions

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My review:

3.25 out of 5 stars

Teach Me to Touch You by Joshua Landon details the connection that forms between former Marine Austin Hartley and the Mental Health Technician, Daniel Rayford, who has been tasked with helping him heal. The two men discover they have much to teach each other, but their relationship is definitely a work in progress.

This gay romance novella is the first story in the ‘Teach Me’ series and is unique in that the chapters not only alternate between the main characters, but also alternate between a third person omniscient to third person past vs. a first person past point of view. The backstory is detailed (and heartbreaking for Austin) and those who have triggers should use caution. I like the way the relationship unfolds gradually, and the patience that Daniel uses with the sadly traumatized Austin, but I wasn’t happy about his career-changing decision as it seemed a little extreme. I was also a bit surprised by the happy-for-now ending which seemed a little abrupt, however, there is a short excerpt at the end of the story that indicates that more of this unique relationship will be detailed in the sequel.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Moonlight & Moet by Madison Michael (FREEBIE!), plus Christmas GIVEAWAY of books!

Moonlight & Moet

B&B Billionaire Romance Series (Book 2)

by Madison Michael 

♥♥ FREE For a Limited Time ♥♥

December 26th - December 29th

About Moonlight & Moet:

Can the Hottest Man Around Melt this Ice Queen’s Heart?
When her husband publicly cheats on her, Leigh Dobbs trades her humiliating reputation as an ice queen and a hometown that shuns her for the unknown of rural North Carolina. Taking over a small bed and breakfast, Leigh sets out to restore it, her dignity and her life. Excited at the prospect of adding more rooms and a full-service restaurant, Leigh’s big plans encounter the brick wall that is Caleb Rausch. Sparks fly even as Caleb votes no on the planning commission, crushing Leigh’s dreams.
 
Handsome powerhouse Caleb Rausch is a man on a mission, expanding his huge corporation without encroaching on the small town where it resides. His commitment to his products, employees and historic preservation are unwavering. What’s lacking is his commitment to one woman. Caleb is the most eligible bachelor in three states, dating celebrities and models, but never settling down. Until now.
 
Even as Caleb forces Leigh’s expansion plans on hold, the couple moves full-steam-ahead on their relationship, unable to resist the mutual attraction. So why, after a steamy night together, does Caleb disappear for weeks? Has Leigh put her heart out there again, just to be played?
 
Will the magic of a moonlit night be enough to kindle their love or will Caleb’s constant disappearing act prevent him from melting this ice queen’s heart?
 

Amazon Buy Link



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♥♥ Gigantic Christmas Giveaway ♥♥

December 24th - December 31st

https://books.bookfunnel.com/giganticchristmasgiveaway/kpae1z50ua

Including: 

Bewildered & Studmuffin
 

by
 Madison Michael

About the Author: 

Madison Michael is an indie publisher, blogger and the author of the Beguiling Bachelor Series as well as the novella Desire & Dessert, from her sizzling B&B Billionaire Bachelor series.

A Chicago native and hopeless romantic, Maddy was raised on Chicago culture, fairy tales, great literature and swashbuckling movies. Maddy employs that history, writing steamy contemporary romance novels set against the sumptuous backdrop of Chicago’s elite society.

After receiving a BA in Journalism from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, Madison abandoned her writing to find her way in the corporate business world. Daughter of a librarian, it was inevitable that she would return to the world of books.

Maddy writes from high above Chicago where she can stare at its gorgeous skyline or the shores of Lake Michigan surrounded by feline assistants. When she is not writing,, Maddy can be found lost in a book, fighting for the rights of the mentally ill, or dining on Chicago’s famous cuisine. Hot dogs and pizza, anyone?

Social Links:

Website
Blog
Maddy's Romance Madness
Maddy's Tours and Treats
Facebook
Twitter 
Amazon Author Page

A tale of determination...poinsettia style!

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it and Happy Holidays to those who have a different way of welcoming this time of the year!




I thought I'd share the story of the poinsettia plant that a well-meaning friend gave to my mother-in-law last year.

As the de facto gardener/greenskeeper of the household, I tried not to frown at her when she carried the gorgeous plant into the house, since guess who would have to care for it? She assured me that it was artificial and would require no care from me. Fantastic!

Fast-forward a couple of weeks...and the beautiful plant is starting to look...droopy? Uh-oh. I moved all of the decorative paper aside, stuck my finger into...soil! It was quite dry. Whoops. Time for water, which, fortunately, perked the plant right up.

The family friend blithely told me I could just put the poinsettia in the backyard. Sigh. I looked up the care and tips and the articles stressed how touchy the plant was and how the bracts needed these special conditions (pH, soil consistency, etc.). No way. I was NOT going to work that hard on a plant I didn't especially want!

Eventually, the leaves fell off and the plant wasn't as gorgeous, so I stuck it, pot and all, in the garden. It got erratic watering, and it couldn't help but be root-bound, in that tiny pot. But it lived, even when the pot fell over and it didn't get water for several days. Hmm...guess I'd better stick it in a larger pot! But it won't turn red like it should, right?

Well...it not only lived, but it cheerfully made the bracts (despite not having fancy soil and pH testing and whatnot). So...the moral of the story...be tenacious in whatever you do, like that little plant!

A month ago, after our rare Southern California rainstorm

Contests!

Poinsettia plant after the rain

Some of these are ending soon, so don't delay...but others are going for several days. My best wishes to you and your families for a peaceful and joyous holiday season!




Visit The Wild Rose Press blog and comment on the daily posts for a chance at prizes!


Romance Books 4 Us has a December Scavenger Hunt that ends 12/22.

The Romance Studio's TRS party ends 12/23.

Accent on Romance has a list of books on special AND a giveaway (ending soon!)


There are more giveaways wandering around...feel free to add more in the comments!

What a Widow Wants by Jenna Jaxon (VBT, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT

What a Widow Wants

by

Jenna Jaxon

ADULT title

Widowed by the Battle of Waterloo, the ladies of Lyttlefield Park are returning to London society—with their futures in their own hands . . .

The widowed Lady Stephen Tarkington, Fanny to her friends, has finished mourning her cad of a husband and is ready to enjoy her freedom. The kind of freedom neither a gently bred miss nor a close-watched wife is permitted: dressing up as Aphrodite for a masquerade, drawing gentlemen away from the party, and hinting at late-night assignations with her dance partners. All is going pleasurably according to plan—until the Roman god Fanny kisses during a masquerade turns out to be Matthew, Lord Lathbury, whose proposal she refused years ago . . .

Lathbury is charming, passionate, inventive, everything Fanny wants in a lover—but unfortunately, he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s more than willing to use all his wicked skills to persuade her back to the altar, but he can’t wait forever. And now Fanny’s position is more precarious than she once thought. If the tongues of the ton set to wagging, it’s possible no offer in the world will save her from ruin. But does she want to be saved? . . .

Excerpt:

Heart pounding, Fanny ran on tiptoes in an effort to keep up with him. This was madness. Wherever was he taking her? And what on earth did he have in mind? Oh, but she knew what that was. That deep desire in his eyes told her exactly where his intentions lay. Would she allow him to have his way with her? She didn’t quite recognize him; the mask hid just enough of his face. Still he reminded her of someone. Someone who had been most dear to her what seemed a lifetime ago. But that man had left London, swearing never to return to the ton years before. He’d retreated to his country estate and had not been seen in Town for seven years.

They raced down the corridor, Pollux still in the lead, Castor right behind her. That gave her some comfort. Pollux wouldn’t ravish her in front of his brother, or friend rather. Still, the urgency of his headlong flight, dodging wide-eyed guests left and right, persuaded her that this man would stop at nothing to get her alone.

He turned a corner into a deserted hall and slowed finally. Stopping at a door on the far end, he glanced around then put his hand on the latch. “Keep watch, Cas. No one enters.”

Castor grinned. “Not a soul, Pol. My word as a gentleman.”

Pollux pushed down the latch, opened the door into a shadowy room, and drew her inside.

The flickering fireplace across the room gave the only light. Fanny’s eyes took a moment to adjust to the dimness. A moment in which Pollux pulled her hard against him, crushing her breasts against his unyielding chest. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her to him, and sank his mouth onto hers.



Buy the book at

Amazon
Barnes and Noble


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About the Author:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical romance in all time periods because, she says, “passion is timeless.” She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She’s a theatre director when she’s not writing and lives in Gloucester, Virginia with her family, including two very vocal cats and one silent one.

Jenna is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as an active member of Chesapeake Romance Writers, her local chapter of RWA. She has four series currently available: The House of Pleasure, set in Georgian England, Handful of Hearts, set in Regency England, and Time Enough to Love, set in medieval England and France, and The Widows’ Club series, also set in Regency England and available from Kensington Publishing in both print and digital.

She currently writes to support her chocolate habit.

Find Jenna Jaxon online:

BLOG
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE


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GIVEAWAY


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jenna Jaxon will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway






The tour dates can be found here 

One of a Kind Christmas by Lexi Post (Spotlight, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) RBC ADULT title

One of a Kind Christmas

A Christmas Carol Book #4

by
Lexi Post
ADULT title

 

 

Blurb:  

 

For her to love him, he must face a spirit, an archangel…and himself. 

 

  The spirit of Cameron Douglas has totally screwed-up…again. Now, he has to fix his mess in one night with the help of his best friend and somehow encourage his widow to move on.  

 

Holly Douglas is anguished that this is the last Christmas she’ll be visited by her late husband, Cameron. For three years he’s sent her the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and they‘ve helped her cope with her loss. But now all that ends, and she doesn’t understand why he must push her away.  

 

Ethan Stewart has been in love with Holly since Cameron’s death, but she isolated herself from everyone, including him. Then something changed, and he was welcomed back as her friend. But he wants more— to love her openly, and most of all to make her happy again. Though he loved his best friend like a brother and will do anything for Holly, as he’s pulled into the spirit world, he discovers the price they must pay for their chance at forever…and it just might be too high.  

 

 

 

Buy Links:

• Amazon
• B&N
  
• iBooks
• Kobo
• Amazon UK
• Amazon AU
• Amazon CA

Excerpt:
     
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. “I miss Cam. It was as if we were two parts of the same soul. I lived vicariously through him even while I worried constantly about him. It was one of the reasons I was constantly warning him to be careful. I was afraid to lose him.”

Ethan looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. “And then I did.”

She felt as if her heart were breaking all over again, not for her but for Ethan. He was so good to her. He even loved her. And she… “Ethan, I understand.”

His gaze returned to hers. Though she couldn’t see his face clearly, the limited light reflected off the sheen in his eyes.

She placed her hand on his cheek and rising on her toes brushed her lips across his in a feather-light kiss. She only meant to give comfort, but a spark of something else hit her heart.

She remained there, her lips close to his but not touching, wanting more but afraid to ask.

Ethan remained absolutely still, his breath mixing with her own.

He loved her but would never push her. It wasn’t his nature. She could walk away right now, but to what?

Nothing.

She stared at his mouth in the dim light. She wanted to live again. She wanted to feel again. Tilting her head, she pressed her lips more firmly against his, moving her hand down his stubbled jaw and behind his neck to pull him closer.

Ethan’s lips opened, and she slipped her tongue between them.

As his arms came around her, it was like waking from a dream. A slow burn flowed through her veins as he took control of the kiss and explored her mouth with his tongue. It was an unhurried exploration and heat built in her belly. When he pulled back to lick the underside of her top lip, she took her first deep breath. As she exhaled, tingles spread throughout her body.

He kissed the corners of her mouth before leaning his forehead against her own. “Ye catch my blood on fire, lass.”




Other Books in the Series:
 

Pleasures of Christmas Past

A Christmas Carol Book 1
is on sale for only $.99!


 


Jessica is assigned a hot, Scottish mentor who confuses her heart. But will he protect her soul?  

Buy Links:

• Amazon
• B&N
• iBooks
• Kobo
• Amazon AU
• Amazon CA
• Amazon UK

Desires of Christmas Present
 A Christmas Carol Book 2


   

Sometimes not knowing is better…for everyone.

• Amazon Buy Link

Temptations of Christmas Future 
A Christmas Carol Book 3


 

He set out to prove the future was far worse than she imagined. Now he wished it wasn’t.

• Amazon Buy Link

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About the Author:

Lexi Post is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of romance inspired by the classics. She spent years in higher education taking and teaching courses about the classical literature she loved. From Edgar Allan Poe's short story “The Masque of the Red Death” to Tolstoy’s War and Peace, she's read, studied, and taught wonderful classics. But Lexi's first love is romance novels so she married her two first loves, romance and the classics. From hot paranormals to sizzling cowboys to hunks from out of this world, Lexi provides a sensuous experience with a “whole lotta story.” Lexi is living her own happily ever after with her husband and her cat in Florida. She makes her own ice cream every weekend, loves bright colors, and you will never see her without a hat.

Lexi's Social Links:

• Website
• Lexi Post Updates
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Amazon Author Page
• BookBub
• D2D
• Goodreads
• Instagram
• Blog
• Pinterest
• Email
  
  
  
  

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GIVEAWAY

Lexi has a $25 Gift Card to give away during the tour.

Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Remember you may enter every day for your chance to win. You may find the tour locations here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final Notice by Van Fleisher (VBB, excerpt, and GIVEAWAY) GFT ADULT title

Final Notice

by

Van Fleisher

Book description:


What Would You Do If You Knew – For Certain – That You Had 10 Days To Live?

Some would get their legal affairs in order. Others would contact family, friends, lovers, ex-lovers. Some might take a trip or make an exceptional donation. Still others might clean the house and do the laundry. And some…might kill.


The year is the very near future. A brilliant young doctor and mathematician, Vijay Patel, has invented a new health/sport watch that monitors blood chemistry so accurately, it can actually predict when someone will die – within 10, 20, or 30 days. The intention of this “Final Notice,” as it is called, is to allow people to get their affairs in order and reach out to loved ones before it’s too late. But when those notified have easy access to a gun, the result is sometimes lethal for more than just the watch-owner.

These are the stories of several people who receive their Final Notice and their very different reactions ... including a desire to get revenge with impunity. They range from an 89-year-old resident in a retirement home to a U.S. Senator...from a benevolent widow to a crass tycoon to a noted climate change scientist.

But in this fresh, fast-paced page-turner, their stories are all set against the all-too-recognizable backdrop of a guns-gone-wild America, and the relentless push by the NRA and their surrogate politicians to make guns even easier to acquire.


There is plenty of dark humor and political satire in FINAL NOTICE, as well as touching scenes and outright suspense. So expect to laugh out loud, dry some tears, and bite your nails (not necessarily in that order).





Excerpt:

And sure enough, in 1.24 seconds, Trudi had 1,620,000 results. “Here it is. California law protects us if we shoot a burglar in our home. Still, it wouldn’t help if we didn’t hear them until they burst into the room. I can’t see either one of us having the presence of mind to reach for the gun, roll out of bed and blast away. What are you smiling at?”

“At the image of you doing just that!”

“Hey. I’ve been watching Angelina Jolie and I think I can manage the moves.”

Amazon link

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About the Author:

“After 21 years with an airline, and 30 years in management consulting, I retired and found that my phone didn’t ring and the only emails I got were asking for money. So, since I was at my computer, I decided to write a novel.”

This is only half the story. (Van is notoriously modest.) The author was Director of International Marketing with TWA, and an International Management Consultant – taking him behind the closed doors of boardrooms and executive offices around the world. He knows how business works, which gives the slightly “sci-fi” premise of Final Notice a realistic feel. Moreover, his two careers led him to live abroad for much of his life. After growing up in New Jersey and Florida, where he never thought much further than the length of a football field, and going to college in New Mexico, he wound up living in England, Scotland and France, travelling frequently to the Middle East and Asia. He even spent a year living in India. And his first-hand experience with – and respect for – other cultures is apparent in this book.

“Final Notice is meant to highlight, my concerns with America’s handling of three important issues: gun control (not anti-gun), ageism and the importance of immigration. The book won’t fix these issues, but there are a number of great organizations with even greater people working on our behalf to right these wrongs. Proceeds from sales of Final Notice will help support those efforts.”



Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter





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GIVEAWAY

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Van Fleisher will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.




a Rafflecopter giveaway



The tour dates can be found here

Midnight Girl by Nora LeDuc (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Midnight Girl

by Nora LeDuc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Mystery/Romantic Suspense

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

When a teenager mysteriously disappears in Hawick Falls, New Hampshire, Lisa Raynes fears her kidnapper, who recently escaped from prison, is hunting girls again. She also believes he’s targeted her for his next victim when she receives a threatening message. To add to her problems, her ex-boyfriend Travis Bodell, nephew of her captor, shows up in town. Five years ago, he promised to love Lisa forever, but he left her to start a new life. Trusting him was a mistake she will never repeat.

Bad boy Travis Bodell has a history of run-ins with the law. The police suspect he came back to aid his uncle, not to warn Lisa she’s in danger. With the investigation going nowhere, Travis focuses on Lisa who identifies with the missing teen and wants to find her. To keep Lisa safe, he offers to help her search. She refuses until loving memories of their past surface, and she finally accepts his proposal. Working together arouses strong feelings of attraction that neither will admit.

As time runs out for the kidnap victim, disturbing threats against Midnight Girl, Lisa’s online name, grow. She realizes the only way to stay alive is to open her heart and put her faith in Travis, but can she let go of her doubts and lingering hurt? Can the couple join forces and win against a cunning criminal fueled by hate?

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EXCERPT

She walked out of the house. The spotlight flicked on and caught the creeping fog. Her footsteps scuffed over the grass. Dampness chilled her legs and arms. The recent email replayed in her thoughts. Payback is a bitch.

“Lisa?”

She spotted him. Too late. She gasped as his fingers wrapped around her forearm. She lifted up the poker and swung.

“Stop. Stop.” He ducked and shot his hands over his head while backing up. “It’s me, Travis. Take it easy.”

She paused with the fire iron in the air. “I know who you are. That’s why I’m trying to hit you.”

Travis Bodell, the boy she went to meet the night she was kidnapped. Was it him? She examined his face for traces of the person she’d loved.

The teenage Travis had preferred to hide his eyes and thoughts under his tousled dark hair. This dude wore a shorter cut, but his style was long enough to look uncombed and gave her a clear view of his features. His tan suggested he’d spent hours in the sun. Travis always loved the outdoors. She swept her gaze over his bristled chin, wide mouth, and the u-shaped scar on his left cheek. It was him! She lowered her arm with the iron.

Why in the name of purgatory was he here? They’d broken up a month after graduation. Her anger resurfaced. “Hold still so I can at least punch you.” She raised her fist.

Amazon link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Nora grew up in rural New England and still lives here. She has enjoyed combining my love of true crime shows with her imagination to produce romantic suspense and mysteries that you keep you guessing.

You can find Nora on her website

Facebook: Nora LeDuc-author,

Amazon author page

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GIVEAWAY







a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here



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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Midnight Girl by Nora LeDuc is part of the ‘Love & Mystery in the 6-oh-3’ series. This story centers around former kidnap victim Lisa Raynes who must deal with the frightening news that her captor has escaped. The nightmare she is still recovering from may be about to start all over again, and discerning friend from foe may prove pivotal to whether she will survive.

This contemporary mystery can be read as a stand-alone story, although one would undoubtedly appreciate more of the nuances if the preceding books have also been read. One cannot help but ache for the past experiences that the heroine has fought to overcome, and the mounting terror that accompanies the events that play out is nicely depicted. I was frustrated by her actions at many points in the story as it seemed as she deliberately placed herself in harm’s way, and her hot/cold relationship with her ex(es) was also annoying. I did like the red herrings, and I was charmed by the feisty elderly woman who had me cheering for her, but for me, the jury is still out on the police force that seems a bit ineffective. I’m also not quite sure what the series name alludes to, but perhaps I missed the explanation. Those who are already fans of the series will enjoy revisiting familiar characters and those new to this town will have to make up their own minds about how alluring it is!

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

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