June 2016 edition

Reviews, Interviews, New Releases

Darlene Panzera

June 2016

Vol 6 Issue 5

Sweet, Fun-loving Romance

turn the page c

in this issue

June 2016

On the cover ...

Sweet, Fun-Loving Romance Author Darlene Panzera See her interview on page 4 Book Excerpt on page 5

Review Columns

Mystery Barefoot Book Reviews . . .

Page 6 Articles

Don’t Let That Research Show

By Karen Harper ... Page 7

READ, PONDER, REPEAT

Interviews ...

James MacManus author of Midnight in Berlin Page 8 Book Excerpts

MONTANA HEARTS

by Darlene Panzera Page 5

THE CEO CAME DOA

by Heather Haven Page 10 New Releases Everywhere

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 2

NEW from New York Times Bestselling Author Karen Harper

Missing 'Downton Abbey' already?

Step into the world of THE ROYAL NANNY, the story of the real woman who reared the royal children of British kings and queens The CEO Came DOA (Debut, September 2016)

Lee Alvarez takes a job ferreting out the saboteur of a start-up company's Initial Public Offering in the heart of Silicon Valley. Little does she know early one morning she will find the CEO hanging by the neck in the boardroom wearing nothing but his baby blue boxer shorts.

Was it suicide? Was it murder by one of the many people who loathed the man on sight, such as his business partner? Or maybe one of the many women in his life, including his famous rock singer ex-? The bodies start piling up while Lee is planning her very own Christmas wedding.

Ho, ho, ho.

Š 2016The Book Breeze Page 3

Darlene Panzera Sweet, Fun-loving Romance

Tell us about your new release.

In the third heartwarming installment of Darlene Panzera’s Montana Hearts series, a hot-shot rodeo star tries to win the tender heart of his biggest critic For Jace Aldridge, the chase is half the fun. The famous rodeo rider has spent most of his life chasing down steers and championship rodeo belts, but after an accident in the arena, his career is put on temporary hold. When he’s offered a chance to stay at Collins Country Cabins, Jace jumps at the opportunity to spend more time with the beautiful but wary Delaney Collins.

Between trying to make her family’s business a success, raising her daughter single-handedly, and volunteering at the local wildlife shelter, Delaney doesn’t have time for love. Even though she’s determined to not let the handsome cowboy under her skin, Delaney can’t deny how much she looks forward to every day with him. She's determined to be friends with the handsome cowboy, nothing more, even though Delaney's heart flutters every time he draws near.

But all is not well in Fox Creek and when a violent poaching ring escalates out of control, Delaney must trust that Jace is the true country hero she hopes he is.

What led you to write this book?

Each of the Montana Hearts books focuses on one of the three adult siblings who return to their family's guest ranch after their father is injured from a fall from his horse. True Country Hero focuses on the youngest, Delaney, an animal lover. I thought it would be fun to pit her against a rodeo hero who likes to hunt and see if she can get him to endorse her family's ranch while also trying to keep him from killing anything.

How important is setting to your story?

The setting is very important because the wildlife and real life poaching issue is integral to the plot. Even though I've been to Montana several times, I took another trip just for research right before writing the series to talk to locals, stay at a guest ranch, and see the land for myself. I used the real life town of Three Forks as a model for my fictional town of Fox Creek. I love that little two block town and thought it would be perfect for the story.

What do you think makes this series so appealing to readers?

I have heard a lot of people say they are thrilled that the series is set in Montana. There is something appealing about acres of land, big skies, small towns, cowboys,

horses, rodeos. Maybe in this hectic crazy world my stories offer escape to a place where life appears to be simpler, quieter, slower. I personally love the fun romantic banter between the characters and many readers also love the fact that this series has an added layer of suspense!

Which is more important characters or setting?

The characters are always the most important part of my stories. It's the relationships that drive the story forward, are the most interesting to explore, and tug on the emotions.

Are any of your characters loosely based on people you know in real life?

No, but I guess they all have a little piece of me inside. Sometimes I take character traits from different people and put them together or sometimes I'll get ideas from movies, the newspaper, or other books that spark ideas.

Most importantly, I brainstorm what kinds of characters are best for the particular story I'm writing. I start with an idea and ask, "What kind of character does this story require? What kinds of antagonists or situations would bring out the best or worst in this character?" I don't really know my characters very well until after I start writing the story and have them interact with each other. Then it all seems to come together and fall into place.

Do you have an interesting quirk about your personality that you’d like to share?

I am a procrastinator! But so far that seems to be part of my process. I brainstorm and make lots of notes. It takes me forever to write the first 3 chapters. Then the story takes off like a train down the track and I can write very fast, especially under deadline--mostly because by that time I have to. LOL! But I also drive myself to finish because the story is very important to me.

Do you have a reoccurring theme to your books?

I love creating stories that inspire women to pursue their dreams. I'm a big fan of the "underdog," who believes in herself and perseveres despite hardships along the way.

As an author it is a joy to receive messages from my readers letting me know how they are pursuing their dream or that something I wrote left them inspired.

Have any authors been role models for you, or has someone been an important mentor or influence in your writing career?

I have had many mentors and critique partners along the way but the one who most influenced my career was NY Times bestselling author, Debbie Macomber. She handpicked my story, The Bet, to be included with her story in Family Affair, 2012. I've continued writing for Avon Impulse, a division of HarperCollins publishers ever since.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 4

What do you do when you are not writing?

Camping, hiking, horseback riding, photography, rooting for the Seattle Seahawks, and teaching writing workshops.

What’s next for you?

I just finished a children's book titled, Riki and J.R. - The Big Bad Scary Mud Puddle. I wrote the story and my daughter did the illustrations. The book features our two horses, cartoon style, and will release in September. I am also working on a Christian Inspirational for an anthology featuring 7 different authors titled, Christmas of Hope, which will release in October.

How can someone learn more about you as an author?

How can they order your books?

My books are available online at most retailers in eBook or print format. You can also visit my book page on my website which lists the links to purchase. My website has fun photos, freebies, my blog, newsletter, contest giveaways, and special writer resources. The best way to get to know more about me is to come on over and visit: darlenepanzera.com and you can find my latest release, Montana Hearts: True Country Hero at: https://www.amazon.com/Montana-Hearts-True-CountryHero-ebook/dp/B013PKDSKA? What social media do you participate in?

Website: www.darlenepanzera.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DarlenePanzera Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/DarlenePanzera

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/DarlenePanzera

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188608.Darlene _Panzera Blog: http://www.darlenepanzerablog.com

Excerpt from Montana Hearts: True Country Hero

Jace grinned as she walked away. The blond-haired, blueeyed beauty was interested in him even if she didn’t give him her number. He could tell by the way her eyes widened and her lips parted when she gazed at him with that cautious yet yearning expression, which had several beats of his heart tripping all over each other.

He leaned his arms on the rail of the crowded rodeo arena as one of the bronco riders shot out of the gate. The noise level from the stands rose with cheers, applause, and whistles as the buckin’ cowboy struggled to remain saddled. But as impressive as the wrangler’s ride was, Jace found more pleasure watching Delaney.

She stood to the side of the announcer’s box, her camera raised to her eye and her hands twisting the round lens back and forth to make adjustments as she snapped photo after photo. Her friend Sammy Jo stood beside her, and despite the fact that both women’s attention was fixed on the excitement going on in front of them, their differences stood out like salt and pepper.

While Sammy Jo had hair almost as dark as his own, Delaney’s long tresses were a light blond, like a sweeping halo of sunshine. Sammy Jo certainly had the curves, but Delaney’s slim figure appeared more graceful when she moved, which he found more attractive. And while Sammy Jo posed confidently in front of the camera lens, giving the rider in the arena a thumbs-up, Delaney appeared more comfortable behind it.

He didn’t relish the media attention or ask to take pictures with every new woman he met but something curiously sweet about the camerawoman had tugged at him the moment he saw her. Maybe it was the attentive way she went about her work, as if she truly cared about the quality or was passionate about the subject matter. Jace had hoped it had been the latter. He pulled up the photo of the two of them together on his cell phone and glanced at the smile she’d flashed at the last second. He may have acted like an attention-seeking fool, but he didn’t regret it for one moment.

Not for that shot.

And if she wouldn’t give him her phone number, he’d find another way to get to know her better.

MONTANA HEARTS: TRUE COUNTRY HERO

by Darlene Panzera Sweet Contemporary Romance

Released May 17 eBook, June 28th print by Avon Impulse © 2016The Book Breeze Page 5

THE ALL-STAR ANTES UP

By Nancy Herkness Spicy Contemporary Romance

Released May 31 by Montlake Romance in print, ebook and audio

Barefoot Book Reviews Adrenaline John Benedict Createspace Mystery/Thriller

When Dr. Doug Landry, an anesthesiologist at Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, is investigated for a series of suspicious deaths that occur shortly after anesthesia is administered, he enters the fight of his life. Who is sabotaging the anesthesia department and why? The book is jammed packed with subplots that will keep you on your toes, as you struggle to dissect each one. If you like medical suspense with hefty doses of sexual tension, desperation, ghastly patient suffering, and lawyers filling the corridors, Benedict’s book is a good read. Fast paced, the book may require you to put it down occasionally to catch your breath.

Isolation (Faye Longchamp series) Mary Anna Evans Mystery Poisoned Pen Press

This was my first Faye Longchamp book, and I assure you that I will go back to read the previous books.

Archaeology, ancient plantation histories, Native American expertise, a grieving mother, and the surprise return of an estranged parent from prison unleash a fascinating tale of deceit on the isolated Florida island of Joyeuse. Distraught after the death of her daughter, Faye spends her days and nights wandering the island, aimlessly digging holes for artifacts, but when she accidently digs into an old tank that releases a noxious fluid, EPA arrives and finds elevated amounts of arsenic in the soil. Throw in a wealthy “Yankee” convinced that his Civil War ancestor was a prisoner on the island, imprisoned by Cally Stanton, who he calls a crazy woman. Faye ignores the man and the geologist he hires, refusing to tell them that Cally was her great-greatgrandmother, a former slave who owned Joyeuse Island.

Faye has Cally’s unpublished memoir which alludes to a Civil War officer on the island. Faye emerges from her cocoon of grief determined to discover the evil that has moved onto the island when her good friend is murdered.

In the process, she places her family in danger and unearths far more than she ever imagined.

by Mahala Church The Flying Dragon Georges Ugeux Archway Publishing Mystery

This small book packs a introducing the punch, beautiful and brilliant Victoria Leung, a highly accomplished financial fraud investigator. Her formidable talent has earned her the title of The Flying Dragon. Leaving the Hong Kong police department, she accepts a position as a senior detective at the international security firm, Pegasus, based in London in the hopes she will have more freedom to explore cases without all the governmental restrictions.

When a friend contacts her, worried that a death labeled suicide by police is suspicious, the intrepid, innovative, investigator is on the case, getting caught in a perilous web of greed and corruption and taking readers into the fascinating global world of finance.

The Winemaker Detective An Omnibus Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noël Balen Le French Book Cozy Mystery (three stories)

It would be a good idea to fix a meal or some snacks and pour a glass a wine before you sit down to read these intriguing stories; otherwise, you will hear your stomach growling. The senses explode with the opulent language, calling forth the smells, sights, and tastes of good food and wines.

Amateur sleuths, Benjamin Cooker (a master winemaker) and his sidekick and protégé, Virgile Lanssien, tour wineries across France, taking readers on a gastronomic exploration as they solve mysteries by chance; or is it? The authors’ abilities to link the stories and merge the clues strengthened each page. I particularly enjoyed the descriptive passages about the settings and the family involvement in each winery and its history. Excellent beginning to a new series.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 6

TheWriting Life

DON’T LET THAT RESEARCH SHOW!

by Karen Harper

Since 1982, I’ve been published with over 70 novels, both historicals set in England and U.S.-set contemporary romantic suspense. I love to take my readers to interesting places and bring in fascinating careers for the hero or heroine. But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s to not let the research I love to do stand out. It has to be smoothly stirred into plot, characters or setting.

When I wrote my Amish-set rom/sus novels, I worked hard to blend in Amish beliefs and their way of life. My readers would have rolled their eyes at the very least if I had let some character spout their traditions, so this is where the old (and important!) saying, ‘Show, not tell’ comes in.

I’ve tackled a heroine who worked in the ginseng trade, one who was a deep sea diver (which I definitely am not!) and numerous heroes who may be lawyers, arson investigators or small town sheriffs. Even an obstetrician who was in a struggle with a midwife! And here, I was “only” a high school English teacher.

But working research into a book gets even more dangerous when I write my historical novels focusing on the lives of real women, such as Queen Elizabeth I. I had to be extra careful and (I hope!) clever when I wrote my Edwardian novel, THE ROYAL NANNY, which is out this month. After putting in three years of intensive reading about the late Victorians and Edwardians, I had to be very selective of what to share.

Although I had been to England many times, I made a special trip to visit places that would help me with this Downton Abbey era novel: The Victoria and Albert Museum and Buckingham Palace. (No, Her Majesty was not in.) This is the first historical setting I’ve used where I can see photos—even some YouTube videos—which

make the characters come much more alive than studying the old portraits of my characters “hanging out” in museums.

So I was especially excited about the research work I’d done, but…

With THE ROYAL NANNY, I really concentrated on my rules to not hit the reader over the head with research I was proud of and loved doing. Just as it was forbidden in the Victorian age to show a flash of ankle or “limb,” I tried to remember these don’t guidelines:

--Don’t put research in dialogue unless it’s short and necessary. Beware, because it will usually should fakey.

In other words, I can’t have young Bertie (of The King’s Speech) say, “I just love living here at Sandringham which Grannie Victoria bought for her son to keep him out of trouble.” Work this into the author’s voice or narration. Or at least have an outsider ask for information before someone answers.

--Don’t put big chunks of research together. Readers today don’t want to read four paragraphs straight of description unless it is absolutely necessary to the story. Break it up.

--Don’t copy research. Of course, even if you really liked a piece of research, rework it to make it your own. Not only could it be plagiarism otherwise, but key points need to be selected and written to fit the story.

--Don’t let a modern voice or word creep in. I sometimes go crazy when the copy editor who is reading for each little detail, asks, “Are you sure this word (or book title or whatever) was in use in 1885?” But she is right to ask.

Research is like the perfume of a novel. However much of it you have on your dresser, however much you love the scent, its romantic name or the ad promoting it, just a touch in the right place goes a long way. If the book is fiction, even based on reality, avoid spilling too much out at once or your story will be overpowering and not seductive.

The Wager of Hear ts ser ies by Nancy Herkness

For disillusioned billionaire Nathan Trainor, love just might be the ultimate venture.

Would three billionaires risk everything for love? © 2016 The Book Breeze Page 7

Billionaire quarterback Luke Archer is a champion at football. But can he win at love?

James MacManus

Tell us about your new release.

Midnight in Berlin is based on the true story of how Colonel Noel Macrae, a British military attaché, knowing the futility of appeasement, planned to assassinate Hitler on the eve of WW2.It is also the story of Sara Sternschein, a young Jewish woman forced to work as a courtesan in a Nazi brothel. The book weaves these two characters into a story of love and betrayal set in a city held in the grip of the Gestapo and fearful of the coming war.

What led you to write this book?

Firstly I was very impressed with the story of how a lone diplomat stood up against the clearly misplaced appeasement policies of his government and offered to sacrifice himself to prevent war. Secondly the fact that the Gestapo did indeed run a brothel in Berlin to entrap their enemies gave me the opportunity place a young Jewish women at the heart of the story and let her loose to challenge the bestiality of the Nazi regime – and fall in love .

Did you have an interesting experience in the research of this book?

I did plenty of research in Berlin – a fascinating city that still guards its secrets behind a warm welcome for visitors.

How important is setting to your story?

Vital. Berlin in 1938-39 when the book is set, is a menacing, fearful city that has fallen to the Nazis but still remembers a great cultural past. The book contains two maps showing exactly where many of the scenes takes place including Hitler’s Reich Chancellery, the Adlon Hotel and the British Embassy.

Which is more important characters or setting?

Oh, very much the characters; if your characters do not come alive on the page and appear real and interesting to the reader no amount of beautifully portrayed setting is going to rescue the book.

Are any of your characters loosely based on people you know in real life?

Most of my characters are indeed drawn from real life.

William Shirer, the CBS correspondent in Berlin at the time, Sir Nevile ( note one l) Henderson the British ambassador, Neville Chamberlain the British Prime Minister, Reinhard Heydrich the Gestapo chief are all real people. The lead character Noel Macrae is very much modelled on Col Mason MacFarlane the actual British military attaché at the time.

Do you people watch for character inspiration?

Yes but mostly one does so without realizing it. Quirks of character, small personal habits like the way some people tug at their ears when thinking, the different ways women put on make-up, all these and others come back to one when writing.

Do you have a favorite fictional character by another author you’d like to meet?

There is hardly a character in Dickens I would not like to meet but above all Becky Sharp from Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. She is trouble all the way – a real mischief maker and thus well worth an invitation to a long lunch.

What do you hope readers take away from your work?

One reviewer said this was a morally charged book and indeed I hope reader take some lesson from the way the western powers turned a blind eye to Hitler’s warlike intentions and bestial treatment of the Jews in the 1930s.But above all I hope this is a story of how the power of love can help people survive even the worst circumstances.

Do you have an interesting quirk about your personality that you’d like to share?

Not really unless to say that like many others writers I do find a glass or two or good red burgundy a great help when the black dog of writers block descends.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Research the next book, yoga, worry (needlessly) about my children, worry about humankind’s capacity for savage intolerance, drink red wine.

Which book impacted you as a teenager?

I fell in love with William Faulkner aged about 16 .I read everything from Soldier’s Pay to The Reivers and revered every word .Sadly find him unreadable now. P.G. Wodehouse was an early favorite to and he has stayed with me. A great author to re-read on a dark night Do you read the same genre you write?

No. I certainly read historical fiction but modern authors like James Salter are more my taste.

What is #1 on your bucket list?

I want to spend time in Japan to try and understand a people that caused so much havoc in the last century and seem to made peace with the world - and themselves – also I love the food.

Continued on next page

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 8

Have you ever written a scene that ‘creeped’ you out?

Sex scenes are very difficult especially for male writers of fiction. I have sometimes written such scenes trying to be honest without being too graphic only to have them cut and criticized, indeed mocked, by my editors (mostly women.)

And they were quite right Do you have a favorite writing place or writing rituals?

Same desk, same time, 9 am every morning. I place an hour glass on the desk , turn it oer, and do not move until the hour is up .I do this for three hours with strong green tea in five minute intervals. It is the only way to get words down.

Do you have a reoccurring theme to your books?

Not intentionally but I have been told my books do all show strong women characters overcoming great adversity and – mostly- triumphing in love.

What are you reading now?

James Salter’s Dusk – a collection of short stories. He is a superb stylist and only after his death last year (2015) was he hailed as the master story teller that he was. His early novel A Sport and a Pastime is rightly recognized as an erotic masterwork.

What social media do you participate in?

Fb twitter Instagram.

What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?

Have you ever really truly been in love?

What’s next for you?

I have written a play but would rather not say any more.

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WINNING THE BILLIONAIRE By JM Stewart Erotic Contemporary Romance

Software mogul Christina McKenzie has loved billionaire Sebastian Blake since they were kids. So when Seattle’s most famous bachelor—and perennial playboy—finally asks Christina out, her fantasies kick into overdrive. But what’s she supposed to do when she starts to fall for him? Christina knows she’s just another notch in his bedpost.

Sebastian realizes that smart, kind Christina deserves better than him. But after the night they just shared, he’s ready to turn a sexy fling into the real deal. Keeping his freedom is important, but keeping Christina in his life is all Sebastian can think about…

THE ARRANGEMENT

By Brandy Ayers

Erotic Romance Released March 25 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

The mind is a tricky thing. No one knows that better than Michelle O’Brian due an undiagnosed disorder that makes HER question the line between reality and fantasy. Her uncontrollable daydreams are a problem at work. Not even an orgasm inducing visit to her sexy as hell friend can stem the need for her mind to wander. © 2016 The Book Breeze Page 9

Book Excerpt from THE CEO CAME DOA by Heather Haven Coming in September

Lee Alvarez takes a job ferreting out the saboteur of a start-up company's Initial Public Offering in the heart of Silicon Valley. Little does she know early one morning she will find the CEO hanging by the neck in the boardroom wearing nothing but his baby blue boxers. Was it suicide? Or was it one of the many people who loathed the man on sight, including his famous rock singer ex? Enter the world’s scariest drug, Devil’s Breath, and the bodies start piling up all the while she's planning her very own Christmas wedding. Ho, ho, ho.

Ninety-eight percent of the one hundred and forty “This is 9-1-1. State the nature of your emeremployees at Read-Out were male, and aged gency.” The dispatcher’s voice was matter-of-fact somewhere between puberty and sprouting chin but high pitched. I recognized it immediately. hairs. To try and fit in, I gathered my long, dark hair at the nape of “This is Lee Alvarez, Amy. I’m in my neck in a thick ponytail, the boardroom of Read-Out, at donned horn-rimmed glasses, 51461 West Caribbean Drive, and gave the spinster aunt look a Sunnyvale. Third floor. I’ve just try. It didn’t work. found the body of D. H. Collier.

He’s dead. Hung himself.”

Recently one of the older techies – had to be twenty-two if a day – “Are you sure he’s dead?” hit on me and told me he’d never seen violet-colored eyes as beau“Oh, yeah. I’m sure. Several hours tiful as mine, all the while staring at least.” at my chest. He then proceeded to ask me over to his apartment to “Are you in any danger?” play the newest version of Swords and Gremlins. I stopped wearing I looked around me again. “No, but eye makeup immediately and took thanks for asking.” to very loose-fitting shirts. Just call me granny.

“Okay, Lee. Don’t touch anything. You know the Other than that life was good, as I said. Maybe a drill. Someone will be there in five minutes.” little too good. That’s probably why I shouldn’t have been surprised to see a dead man hanging I did know the drill. As a PI, I had the criminal jusfrom the center beam of the boardroom, wearing tice system and public safety protocols down pat. nothing but his jockey shorts. And it wasn’t just In addition, Amy and I took our Emergency Medany man, but the co-founder and CEO of Read- ical Service certificate together, she for Santa Out, D. H. Collier.

Clara County and me for D. I. Amy passed with flying colors; I scraped by. I’m not good with One of the recent celebrities on Dancing with the blood.

Stars, Mr. Collier had been eliminated in week two, told to go home, and work on his rhythm. I I disconnected and looked up at the specter-like stared up at him. He couldn’t do that now. view. Not to be graphic, but my insight into the man being dead for several hours was due to the Collier’s lifeless body strung up by a hemp rope accumulation of fluids in his hands and feet. They was a shock to me. Not only because I found him tend to settle when a body is at severe rest. Like dangling before I’d had my morning coffee, but dead.

I’d been told he was in Switzerland. I made sure he and I were the only two people in the room before I pulled out my phone and hit three numbers. © 2016 The Book Breeze Page 10

Time Travel Romance

"What's going on?" she asked, leaning over the banister, one bare foot dropping over the edge of the step.

"I think you better go on back up, Miss. It wouldn't be proper for you to be seen dressed like this."

The valet had no more finished speaking when, as though in response to his words, the music drifted away in mid-strain and the whispering became louder. The violin bows grew still and the soft flute became silent. The dance room seemed to have frozen and there were entirely too many eyes turned in her direction.

Erika scanned the room of faces - faces she had never seen before.

Several pale skinned women stared at her from behind their open fans and others from behind crystal goblets poised at their lips. A couple of men blew cigar smoke into the air as they watched her.

"Who is she?"

Their whispered words, spoken by voices unchecked, drifted clearly to Erika's ears.

"Hardly dressed at all."

"A man's shirt."

"Of all the nerve."

"You'd expect this kind of thing under the hill, but how did that trollop get in here?"

What were they talking about? Her eyes paused on a man in the back of the room whose face stood out from the others. His eyes locked with hers across the crowded room. She inhaled sharply.

It was him! It was the man she had seen riding up on the black stallion - the man in the portrait hanging in the parlor.

Once again he was staring at her with that intensity that made her hands quiver. The passion in his gaze frightened her. His eyes slowly caressed her body down to her bare feet and slid back up to imprison her eyes.

He weaved his way across the ballroom, then started up the stairs.

He spoke. But she couldn't make out his words.

NEW from Tena Stetler

Pepper McKay comes from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, magic brings her nothing but trouble. She learned the love of wildlife rescue and rehab from her Aunt Ashling. After graduating from college, Pepper works for Salem Wildlife Sanctuary and lives from paycheck to paycheck until she inherits the McKay property in Lobster Cove. With the family land and resources, she dares to dream of starting her own wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.

Lathen Quartz, a former Navy SEAL turned handyman maintains the enchanted McKay property for the estate.

But someone is trying to steal the McKay magic. Lathen offers to help Pepper achieve her life-long dream of building a wildlife center. During the long hours spent together on the project, their mutual attraction can’t be denied. But each harbors a deep, dark secret. Will they overcome their demons and give love a chance? Š 2016 The Book Breeze Page 11

Dear Johnny

by Kathryn Elizabeth Kelly

Perhaps they aren’t here. A little surge of hope shot through him. He turned away.

The door opened behind him. His hopes dashed, he turned around and his breath caught in his throat.

Stephen had been a handsome man. That knowledge should have provided him with forewarning.

“Are you lost?” She asked. The voice of an angel.

Jackson stared into the very same blue eyes of his friend. I’ll think about that later. Black hair framed the most beautiful face he had ever seen.

“Do I know you?” She asked, a small smile playing about her lips. Luscious pink lips.

Jackson wavered. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to turn and walk away.

“Leah,” he murmured.

The smile faded from her lips and she glanced behind him.

Saw the servant hovering behind him now. Stood her ground. She doesn't know me.

“How do you know my name?” She asked, her eyes full of suspicion now.

“I apologize,” Jackson said. “I don’t mean to frighten you.”

“Who is it?” A woman called from the back of the house.

“It’s alright, Grandma. Just someone looking for directions.”

Leah stepped over the threshold and pulled the door behind her. “Who are you?” She asked. “You seem to have the advantage.”

“I apologize. My name is Jackson Holcomb.”

“Well, Jackson Holcomb, how may I assist you?”

Jackson shifted and her eyes lit on the haversack over his right shoulder. Stephen’s haversack.

Her gaze lifted to his. Recognition merged with knowledge.

Her expression questioned.

There was nothing he could say. He shook his head slightly.

She swayed. Then the most beautiful angel fainted into his arms.

Before he knew what had happened, his arms were full of her. He cradled her close to him, putting his arms beneath her knees and picking her up. She was light as a feather.

Nudging the door open, he carried her inside.

© 2016 The Book Breeze Page 12

THE WIVES OF LUCIFER

By Caryn M. McGill

Spicy Paranormal Romance Released April 6 by The Wild Rose Press

Olivia loves her new immortal life, her friends and especially Drew; she never thought she’d fall in love on the other side of death. But when Olivia learns she bears the mark of Lucifer and has powers that tie her to the Underworld, she worries that perhaps she’s done terrible things in her past lives and dark secrets are being kept from her. And those damn wives, what do they want from her? Olivia endures unspeakable tragedy in The Wives of Lucifer and when she discovers what fate has in store for her...she suddenly understands that being immortal doesn’t guarantee you’ll live forever.

New Releases

CURSE OF THE MOON The Secret Warrior Series

By Beth Trissel

HAUNTED SOULS

By Kathryn Knight Spicy Paranormal Romantic Suspense Released June 1 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

Released May 4, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

SHARED SECRETS

By Pam Mantovani Spicy Contemporary Romance Released June 17 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

By Taylor Anne Spicy Romantic Suspense Released May 25 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

NOT SECOND BEST

By Christa Maurice Spicy Contemporary Romance Released June 7 by Lyrical Press

THE COURVILLE ROSE

By Lynn Shurr Spicy Paranormal Romance Released June 1 by Wings e-Press

AFTER THE CURTAIN CALL

By Nancy E. Polin Spicy Romantic Suspense Released June 8 by The Wild Rose Press

SEARCHING FOR LOVE

By Carolyn Rae Spicy Romantic Suspense Released July 13 by The Wild Rose Press

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