The Second Man by Emelle Gamble (excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

The Second Man

by Emelle Gamble

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GENRE: romantic suspense

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BLURB:

Jill Farrell’s college reunion is coming up, but she wants no part of it. The man she once loved, Swedish exchange student Max Kallstrom, is rumored to be attending, but that doesn’t tempt her as Max disappeared from her life the night before the graduation, and has never been heard from since.

When her ex-husband, Andrew Denton, knocks on her door and announces he wants to make nice, and, “oh, by the way, one of their class alumni might be a murderer”, Jill’s resolve to avoid the event hardens.

Jill shuts Andrew’s efforts to reconnect down, and tries to put Max out of her mind.

And that’s that, until a second man knocks on her door, and the emotions of a time long ago overtakes her. Max Kallstrom tells Jill she’s the reason he has come to California. He asks her to please let him explain why she hasn’t heard from him for fifteen long years.

She’s willing to listen to what he has to say, but immediately realizes that her memories must guide her through a wrenching and dangerous few days. While her heart remembers a handsome young lover, she and her classmates are all different people now, and the reality of a murdered friend proves she can’t trust everyone.

What’s not so clear is if she should trust anyone . . . especially Max Kallstrom.


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EXCERPT

 

“Damn.” Jill stuck the menacing letter back in the envelope and stared at it. There was no stamp. Which meant someone other than the postman had stuck it in her mailbox today while she was out.

Who?

The tea kettle hissed and a chill skittered down her back. A second later, the doorbell rang. Jill nearly jumped out of the chair. She put her hand to her throat.

Get a grip.

If it was Andrew again, she was going to threaten to have him arrested for postal felonies, or whatever the crime was for people messing with other people’s mailbox.

Jill blinked and hit the front porchlight and peered through the peephole.

Please don’t be Andrew.

But it wasn’t her ex.

It was another man. He wore a sports coat and jeans. Relaxed and in profile, he was looking out at the street instead of at the door. His thick, dark hair curled around his collar.

It was a man she had not laid eyes on for fifteen years, but Jill realized with a jolt that she would recognize the curve of his face as long as she lived.

It was Max Kallstrom.

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Amazon link

   

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Emelle Gamble became a writer at an early age. At six years old, she was bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection, and this itch to tell tales evolved into bad teen poetry and tortured short works that, thankfully, never saw the light of day, or an editor’s red pen.

She took her first stab at writing a novel in an adult education class in Mobile, Alabama when her kids were in bed for the night. As ‘M.L. Gamble,’ she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin Intrigue. She now publishes novels of Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Situations with SoulMate Publishing and Posh Publishing …works ranging from women’s fiction to thrillers and romantic suspense.



Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Gamble’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. Emelle celebrates the adventurous spirit of readers, and hopes each will enjoy the exciting and surprising journeys her characters take.



Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her hero of thirty years, Philip, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. Like all good villains, the cats claim to have their reasons for misbehaving. Her children are happily launched on their own and are both contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.



Emelle welcomes any reader interested in emailing her at emellegamble@aol.com and hopes they will visit her website, www.EmelleGamble.com or her Author Emelle Gamble FaceBook page.

Emelle Gamble social media links:

Facebook
Twitter @EmelleGamble
Amazon Author Page
Website


Amazon links for other titles:

Molly & Cruz
Molly & Cruz Audiobook

Secret Sister
Secret Sister Audiobook

Dating Cary Grant


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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

The Second Man by Emelle Gamble is a contemporary romantic suspense novel that centers around Jill Farrell, whose personal challenges make her uninterested in attending her college reunion until her best friend twists her arm. Things get even more complicated when not only her ex-husband, but also the man who broke her heart shows up, ready to be part of her life again. Unfortunately, a mysterious death is casting a pall on the festivities, and danger mounts while Jill struggles to figure out who to trust, and her life may depend on her making the right decision.

One can’t help but feel for Jill who has dealt with multiple life-changing losses in her life, especially as she faces the tragedy of her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease. The drama and angst that accompanies the reappearance of two different exes is a little frustrating for me, especially considering the finger-pointing that takes up a vast majority of the story.

There are nice twists and turns to keep one guessing about the villain, and an escalation in the tension, but the connection that flares between Jill and Max felt a bit rushed for me and I didn’t quite understand the motives of many of the players in this story.  Despite this, I think that those who like murder mysteries will enjoy the surprises and red herrings that are sprinkled throughout and find this a quick entertaining read.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Stranger Than Fiction by Emelle Gamble (Excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Stranger Than Fiction

by Emelle Gamble

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GENRE:  Romantic Suspense

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BLURB:

Set in New York City and Narragansett, Rhode Island in 1990, meet Claire Kennedy, successful mystery book editor at Cauldron Press. Her most famous client, the reclusive Sarah Winesong, has written her first new novel in five years, and Claire is ready to break out the champagne!

And then, in walks Tony Nichols. He’s gorgeous, angry and full of accusations that start with “Cauldron Press stole my book” and end with “Sarah Winesong is a fraud”.

This contemporary cozy mystery has a stellar cast of would-be villains and one real one who will stop at nothing to eliminate his nefarious scheme from coming to light, including stalk and try to kill Claire and Tony!

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EXCERPT

Tony had not shown up to get her at the inn, nor had he called with a message. She had checked the inn not more than a half hour ago. Was his lack of punctuality further proof of his criminal makeup, she wondered?

Her determination not to be manipulated propelled her up the stairway to the second floor. The lighted hallway was empty of any security guards, secretaries or students to direct her. Turning away from the stairs, Claire walked toward a closed office with English Department stenciled on the frosted glass and knocked.

There was no answer. A lectern stood next to the door, and .the black notebook on it listed the instructor’s office hours. Turning hastily to the Ns, Claire found the entry.

 Nichols, A.A. (Tony), Assoc Prof, Creative Writing #319.

The space for appointments was crossed through with a large black X.

She ought to just go see Sarah Winesong, Claire thought as she hurried down the hall. If Mr. Harrison and Tillie had not babied the author all these years, Cauldron Press might not have been in this predicament. And she would not be chasing around after Tony Nichols.

Claire took the stairs up to the third floor, pausing out of breath on the landing. A black arrow with the numbers 311-321 led her to the left.

That hall was dark, the only illumination coming from the gray sky visible through a single window at the far end of the corridor. All the offices appeared locked and unoccupied.

There was no lettering on the frosted glass of room 319 other than its number, and the small metal nameplate holder above it was empty. Claire’s stomach churned. She rapped loudly and waited.

Nothing. “Tony? Are you in there? It’s Claire.”

Her inquiry was met with silence. Rubbing one hand with the other, Claire looked around. Though everything was silent, she had the feeling that someone was nearby. Gingerly she put her hand on the brass doorknob and turned it. It opened easily, into almost complete darkness.

“Tony?”

The instant she spoke his name, the shrill cry of the telephone rang out like a startled sentry’s gun. Clutching her chest, Claire gasped and stepped back.

With a sigh of exasperation, she decided to answer it and groped for the light switch. As she did so, she noticed the room was dense with the odor of Tony’s tobacco. Inhaling, she tried to ignore the vivid pictures that rose to mind. She found the switch and flicked it and the room lit up.

The first thing Claire saw was the blood pooled on the dingy carpet just inside the office door.

She froze. Dully she realized the phone had stopped ringing. Then her ears picked up a new sound. In the hallway she had just vacated, she heard the creaking of a door hinge followed by footsteps.

Footsteps that were coming closer.

Frantic, Claire snapped off the light and moved deeper into the small office. Her hands groped in the dark for a weapon. Heavy, leather bound books were everywhere. Gripping the smooth surface of a large, anonymous text, Claire raised it above her head and waited.

A bulky silhouette filled the doorway as the hallway light tumbled into the room. Though Claire had made no sound, it was clear she had been spotted. Without a word, the figure lunged across the small office at her. She brought the book down squarely on the intruder’s face and the corner of it stabbed into his cheek.

She was tackled and thrown against the edge of the desk while her attacker howled a curse at her blow. Claire struck him repeatedly with the book.

As they both crashed to the floor, Claire beat him with every bit of adrenaline pumping into her body. Then, quite suddenly, she knew who it was cursing her in the dark. She recognized the strong hands that hugged her waist, the wavy hair brushing against the tender skin on her arm.

Her body identified her captor even when her terrified mind had not. “Let go of me, Tony. You’re hurting my arms.”

He was straddling her hips. She could now clearly see his eyes in the dim light from the hall.

“Claire, what are you trying to do, kill me?”

Buy Links:

The book will be FREE during the Tour

Amazon

B&N

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Emelle Gamble became a writer at an early age. At six years old, she was bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection, and this itch to tell tales evolved into bad teen poetry and tortured short works that, thankfully, never saw the light of day, or an editor’s red pen.

She took her first stab at writing a novel in an adult education class in Mobile, Alabama when her kids were in bed for the night. As ‘M.L. Gamble,’ she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin Intrigue. She now publishes novels of Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Situations with SoulMate Publishing and Posh Publishing …works ranging from women’s fiction to thrillers and romantic suspense.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Gamble’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. Emelle celebrates the adventurous spirit of readers, and hopes each will enjoy the exciting and surprising journeys her characters take.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her hero of thirty years, Philip, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. Like all good villains, the cats claim to have their reasons for misbehaving. Her children are happily launched on their own and are both contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Emelle welcomes any reader interested in emailing her at emellegamble@aol.com and hopes they will visit her website,  or her Author Emelle Gamble FaceBook page.

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

**********************************

My review:


3.75 out of 5 stars

Stranger Than Fiction by Emelle Gamble is a mystery set during the relatively recent past, i.e. a bit more than two decades ago, in a society less enslaved to electronic devices.  Allegations about a soon-to-be published novel that has a definite chance of being the answer to a struggling publisher’s prayers starts a domino effect that may not end just the company, but also put a number of lives at risk, both figuratively and literally.  It is up to editor Claire Elizabeth Kennedy to refute Professor Tony Nichols’ claims of plagiarism of his promising young student’s manuscript, but their relationship gets entangled by their mutual attraction and a network of lies and secrecy.  Danger looms, and it is possible that neither one of them will escape unscathed.

This story provides a startling reminder of how much things have changed in less than a quarter of a century, and how much more quickly things move now that there are electronic transmissions of manuscripts and devices such as cellphones and text messages facilitate communication. 

The mystery itself unfolds with ever-increasing levels of violence even as an attraction tries to build between the two main characters.  I felt that their connection was a little forced at first, and the horrific events that unfold make me feel very sorry for any innocent bystanders when this couple is around, because there is definitely the possibility for collateral damage.  It was particularly fascinating (not to mention potentially horrifying) to see the machinations behind the scenes in the publishing world and there are some lovely twists and turns to the mystery, which keep one guessing.  I wasn’t quite convinced that all of the actions and reactions were reasonable progressions, but there definitely are plenty of tension-filled challenges that ratchet up the tension until the exciting climax to the story.  Those who are disturbed by rapidly changing points of view or who are extremely squeamish may not appreciate this story but overall this is an entertaining mystery with a nice dash of romance.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Once and Forever (book blast and GIVEAWAY)

                                      



Once and Forever
by Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Emelle Gamble, Lavinia Kent and Evie Owens
Once and Forever (Amazon link)


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BLURB:

Once and Forever -  An anthology

by Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Emelle Gamble, Lavinia Kent and introducing Evie Owens

From five compelling authors, five original novellas which will make you laugh and cry, and believe in a love that once found will last forever. Meet a duke, a psychic, a bodyguard and a professor…and one "guardian fairy" in absorbing stories ranging from regency and contemporary romance to paranormal and women's fiction.

Playing for Keeps by Mary Blayney

Actress Kendall Marshall is determined to get an autograph for her sick sister from famous TV personality Mike O’Hara, the Oprah Winfrey of sports. In the process she meets his brother, security consultant Steve Marshall, lands a job on O’Hara’s show and gets in the way of a man set on causing big trouble. As the stalkers attacks escalate, Steve and Kendall are thrown together and find it impossible to ignore the chemistry between them.

The Princess & the Pinot by Elaine Fox

When a beautiful woman shows up at the Vineyard Inn, wine manager Kim is certain she’s been sent by fate for the inn’s owner, Cooper. Self-effacing to a fault, Kim knows she can’t hold a candle to Principessa Bella, who also seems to know even more about wine than Kim herself, but her heart has belonged to Cooper since they shared one kiss as teenagers.

While Prin sweeps easily into the job of sommelier at the renowned inn, Kim is afraid Prin will sweep just as surely into Cooper’s arms if she doesn’t do something about it. Can she tell Cooper how she feels without losing even his friendship?

Kim is willing to try except for one problem: she’s almost certainly losing her mind. Or is that belching, swearing, smoking, farting fairy – who claims to be trying to help her – real?

Duets by Emelle Gamble

Duets offers alternating looks into the lives of two women who would seem to have little or nothing in common.

Screen star Molly Harper is on the verge of marrying a man who has swept her off her feet, thought perhaps hasn’t swept all her feelings for her first love away. Anne Sullivan, happily married for twenty-five years, is fighting to hold onto the man she loves, and hold off a confrontation that could shatter her family’s image of what they are.

Duets confronts a past secret that ties these two women’s lives together, just as chance events turn Molly and Anne’s worlds upside down. 

Never and Forever by Lavinia Kent    

Never and Forever is the beginning of the love story of two people who shouldn’t belong together.  Molly, Miss Wilkes, runs an employment agency helping women of quality find positions perfected suited to their characters.  Although her father held the title of Earl for just over a week before his death, Molly has never wanted to be a lady.  She knows her place in this world – and it is not at the center of society.

The Duke of Radford also knows his place in this world – and it’s above everybody else’s.  He cannot imagine a world without all the privilege and power that comes from being Radford.  He’s had foreign princesses and heiresses dangled before him for years.  Why would he ever have interest in a simple woman who doesn’t even understand that she should want to be a duchess?

Can these two overcome the obstacles of their own beliefs and realize that love can make all things possible?

Never and forever are both a very long time.  Where will their love fit?

The Psychic Detective by Evie Owens

Psychic Martin Sterling doesn't trust cops--and the feeling is mutual. Detective Erin Healy needs more than a ghost story to save her job and reputation. Her partner is dead, a million dollars in drugs and money is missing, and all the evidence points to her.

Can a sexy psychic and a by the book cop, trapped between the living and the dead, unearth the truth? Or will a cold-blooded killer get away with it all...

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EXCERPT

Regency - Lavinia Kent’s Never and Forever
  
“I do believe that we have actually circled back to my point,” the Duke of Radford replied.  “Why would a man choose to marry a not quite suitable woman? Why would he willingly walk into such a trap? You say love. I wondered if there might be something else involved — if there might be some skill your women know, are taught, that renders a man insensible. I wanted to find out for myself.”

  
Molly had not thought it was possible for him to move closer, but now he did. Their bodies did not touch, but she doubted it would be possible to move a sheet of tissue between them. “I do not understand.”

  
“I spoke of seduction. I will be more frank. I wanted to find out if you — and your ladies — had knowledge of some sexual secret that would drive men from sanity. What man would not be curious? You do look as if you’ve been up all night. It does make a man wonder. Perhaps I should make you my mistress.”

  
Her mind went blank. It could not comprehend what he was saying. His words made no sense. Sexual? She knew the meaning of the word, but could not remember ever hearing it spoken.

  
Secrets? Mistress?

  
She was still trying to find the words to answer, even a single word, when she felt the air shift, felt him close that breath of space between them, felt his lips settle on to hers.

Once and Forever (Amazon link)

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AUTHOR Bios and Links:

Lavinia Kent

Lavinia Kent never knew that most people don’t make up stories in their heads to pass the time. She still has a hard time understanding how those who don’t survive the doctor’s waiting room or a grocery store line without another world to escape into.

Growing up in New York state and Wisconsin, Lavinia graduated from Wellesley College and, for reasons that are still not quite clear, also holds an MBA from Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University. Lavinia has remained in Washington ever since.

She lives under the gracious (and usually benign) rule of Erzsebet, the cat, along with her husband, three children, one cockatiel, two rats, and Erzsebet’s younger, subordinate tomcat, otherwise known as The Golden Snitch.

As the mother of three, Lavinia finds “leisure time” to be ever-elusive, but when she is not reading romance novels, she watches far too much HBO and reality television. It must also be noted that she has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Buffy and Doctor Who.

Lavinia was a two-term president of the Washington Romance Writers and is proud to be a four-time Romance Writers of America Golden Heart nominee.

She was excited (and humbled and thrilled and over the moon) about the publication of her first historical Romance, A Talent for Sin, in June 2009. Her second book, Bound by Temptation,was released in February 2010.  Her third book, Taken by Desire, was available in December 2010.

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Mary Blayney

NY Times Best Selling author Mary Blayney’s first two romances were contemporaries published by Silhouette Books. Since 2000 she has been writing regency set historical novels and novellas for Kensington, Bantam and Berkley. Returning to the contemporary market with her novella in ONCE AND FOREVER, Mary hopes to continue to tell stories set in both the regency and the 21st century.
   
Married to a retired Coast Guard officer, Mary has lived all over the US from Alaska to Puerto Rico, but is now settled near Annapolis, Maryland within sight of the Chesapeake Bay. Her life close to the Coast Guard and its mission to search and rescue, has convinced her that life is best lived with joy, love and a generous heart. Those convictions are what she most wants to share with her readers. Family will always play a strong part in her books since she believes that family relationships are as fundamental as the love between a man and a woman.

ONE MORE KISS
   
“Mary Blayney’s newest Regency romance is a genuine pleasure to read”(NY Journal of Books)
   
One More Kiss is a delightful combination of social comedy, slight mystery, and sweet romance. It’s a thoroughly charming novel, well worth a read.” . . .(NY Journal of Books)
   
MIRROR MIRROR anthology, If Wishes Were Horses
(My review is at this link)   
Debut at #3 New York Times Mass Market List October 2013
   
“Blayney's wish-granting coin entwines a pair of lonely adventure seekers in romance beyond their lives as a servant and a sergeant in her charming 1816 fantasy, If Wishes Were Horses. . . .” (Publishers Weekley, October 2013)

Links:

website
Facebook

Elaine Fox

NY Times Best Selling author Elaine Fox began her career writing time-travel romances, such as Rita-finalist Traveler, and Impostor (both now available as e-books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble), then added historicals to the mix. After six books with Leisure Books, she moved to Avon to begin writing contemporary romances. Her first, Maybe Baby, hit the USA Today Bestseller list and eight more novels and four novellas followed, with several of them also reaching the USA Today list.

Most recently she participated in the anthology Mirror, Mirror from Berkley Publishers, which debuted at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Elaine lives just outside of Washington, D.C., with a small Cuban dog and a lovely Argentinean man. Elaine is trying to learn Spanish.

Review Quotes:

Praise for Beauty, Sleeping, in the anthology MIRROR, MIRROR:
(again, my review for this lovely read is at this link)
“Fox introduces a charming ghostly television reporter to the woman who buys his haunted house in Beauty, Sleeping, a clever, turned-on-its-head version of Sleeping Beauty.” Publishers Weekly

Praise for HELLO, DOGGY!:

HELLO, DOGGY! by Elaine Fox is a laugh-out-loud, character-driven story that will captivate readers from their first introduction to the lovable pooch and her dreamy owner.” Fresh Fiction

Praise for BEWARE OF DOUG:

“A must read.” Fresh Fiction

Links:

Email
Website 
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Emelle Gamble

Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection. These evolved into bad teen poetry and worse short stories. She took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed.  As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She has contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, published in the summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, a Spring 2014 release.

Molly Harper will be released by Posh Publishing in December, 2013.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, ‘Phil-the-fist’, her hero of thirty years,  and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Review Quotes:

Praise for Secret Sister

“Along with being a very unique and captivating plot, SECRET SISTER offers a shocking turn of the paranormal kind. So if you are the type of person that wants ordinary romance in a book, you won't find that here. This is a story of friendship, family, and most of all, true love and what those things can mean. I cannot recommend SECRET SISTER strongly enough… “ Fresh Fiction, Fresh Reviews

"If you're looking for a typical women's fiction/romance, don't look here... this story has a twist of the paranormal that will have you willingly stretching your belief in order to enjoy the plot. Emelle Gamble has created a story that will tear your heart out."  Long and Short Reviews

Links:

Email 
Website 
FaceBook
Twitter
Goodreads  
Secret Sister (Amazon link)


Evie Owens

Evie Owens was born in Japan, but grew up on a dairy farm in Upper Michigan. She's waited tables and tended bar, which makes her a very good tipper, but writing is her passion. She's thrilled to be included in this anthology with some of her favorite authors.

These days, Evie lives in Maryland while her two fabulous daughters and one glorious granddaughter live too far away. Leaving her no alternative but to turn to a life of crazy cat ladyness (except for the "cat" and the "ladyness" parts).


The Psychic Detective is Evie’s first published novella.

Links:   

Email
Website  
FaceBook:  Author Evie Owens
Twitter
Goodreads





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GIVEAWAY
 
The authors will be awarding an eBook copy of "Once and Forever" to five randomly drawn commenters during the tour, and a Grand Prize of a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  Please leave a comment (with a valid e-mail address) about which of these stories most appeals to you and why.