The Pretender Bride by Cynthia Woolf

Here is an excerpt from Central City Brides, Book 4, THE PRETENDER BRIDE. I hope you enjoy it.

CHAPTER 1

April 10, 1871

Rockford Residence, Brooklyn, New York

“Detective Nelson. What are you doing in here?”

Katie Kennedy asked the man she found in her stepfather’s bedroom. He appeared to be looking through the books on Noah’s nightstand.

“Oh, I…ah…was looking for the bathroom.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “I’m sure you won’t find it in Noah’s books.”

He set the book in his hand back on top of Noah’s Bible.

“I…I wanted something to read…you know…”

“You’ll find reading material already in the bathroom across the hall.”

She pointed out the door.

“Oh, well, I don’t seem to need to use it after all.”

Katie thought that was the oddest conversation she’d ever had. What was David Nelson looking for?

*****

“Goodbye. Thank you for coming. I’m sure Noah would have been glad you were here.”

Katie Kennedy closed the door on the last caller to her stepfather’s wake, except for her friend Geneva Watson who offered to stay and was in the kitchen cleaning up.

Ten o’clock. She slumped back against the door. She’d put her little brother and sister to bed several hours ago. Ethan was five and Ruthie just three. They didn’t completely understand what was happening and this was much too late for them. Heavens, she thought, the hour was too late for her as well. Ten o’clock before she could chase the last well-wisher out the door.

Noah Rockford had been well liked in the neighborhood and apparently among his fellow policemen as an endless stream of blue uniforms moved before her eyes in and out of the house today. She’d hated having to host a wake for him. Katie had loved Noah. He’d raised her since she was ten years-old and married her mother.

Katie sighed. Yes, he’d been liked by everyone except the person who shot him.

She looked around at the mess and shook her head. Cups, plates and cutlery were on every flat surface here in the living room, waiting for her to gather and clean them. She gathered dishes from the coffee table, the end tables, and the bookshelves. She should be thankful she and the children still had a house to hold the wake in. Noah hadn’t owned the home but rented it from Mr. Doolittle next door.

After Noah’s murder, the elderly man said Katie and the children could stay for a month before he’d have to get another renter. Katie thought that was because he felt sorry for them and her little brother and sister reminded him of his grandchildren. For whatever reason, she was grateful. That was a week ago and she still didn’t know what she would do. She’d get a furnished room if she had to, all of the furniture here belonged to the house. The only thing she had to move were their clothes, books, pictures, a few keepsakes such as the jewelry Noah gave her and Ruthie. It was pretty and he’d taken such joy giving it to them. Good memories were attached to the jewelry.

The one thing Noah had which she would have kept regardless of needing it to move their things, was his trunk. The piece of luggage was beautiful with brass scroll-work on the steel hinges, corners and lock. The inside was lined in heavy red silk, unlike most trunks which were unlined and it was oversized. Between the trunk and her two valises, they would hold everything she wanted to take,

She wasn’t taking any of the knickknacks her mother had all over the walls. To Katie the plates with kittens, small shelves with ceramic animals and shadow boxes full of nature scenes, were just clutter she had to dust. Mr. Doolittle could sell them or just leave them up. Her mother wouldn’t be happy with that decision but now was not the time to be nostalgic. Memories flooded her anyway.

Mama’s been gone for three years now, ever since my sweet Ruthie was born. I regret Mama’s death, but I certainly don’t blame Ruthie for it. For a long time I blamed Noah thinking that he’d wanted more children and forced Mama to try to have more, but I was wrong. Mama had wanted more children, wanted to give Noah more children even though he tried his best not to let her. I don’t know exactly what that means and Noah didn’t explain other than to say he’d tried.

Katie sighed, walked into the kitchen and sat at the table, still laden with food from the wake. She sipped a cup of tea with her friend, Geneva Watson. Geneva was thin but had a pretty face and beautiful golden-brown hair. “What am I supposed to do now with two small kids and no way to support us?”

Just the thought of her future made her stomach roil. I’ve always had someone I could go to for help with such matters…Mother or Noah…now both are gone.

“I know this isn’t the most normal of suggestions, but why don’t you become a mail-order bride?” suggested Geneva, who looked at the ceiling with some interest. “I have a friend who did that and she seems very happy.” Geneva took a piece of paper from her reticule. “Here. This is where my friend went. She gave this to me from the newspaper.”

That’s not how I’d hoped to be married. I always pictured my life married to the man I love and full of children of our own. The man I obviously haven’t met yet, as I’m not in love with anyone right now. Still…

Katie shook her head. “What man wants a spinster woman for a wife and two young children for an immediate family?”

Geneva waved her hand in the air. “So don’t be a spinster. Say that you are recently widowed and still in mourning. You’re a beautiful woman, Katie. You have blonde hair, blue eyes and a figure I’d kill for. Ethan and Ruthie look just like you and could easily be your children. You might want to say you’re older than twenty-five, since Ethan is five. You’ll have to wear black all the time, but that will also go for keeping your new husband from bedding you.”

“I don’t like the idea of lying, besides, Mama said those men who advertise for brides only want wives so they’d have someone to warm their beds, cook and clean for them. She refused to go down that road, though she could have. The businesses for mail-order brides were just starting up then. But she wanted more than that, so she waited until she found Noah. She fell in love with him almost instantly. He was always nice to me, too, from the very beginning.”

“My brother says that’s the only reason he married. So he’d have someone to…well you know…to bed.”

“I don’t know your brother but do you believe him? You don’t think he loves your sister-in-law?”

“Maybe. That’s not a subject that most brothers and sisters discuss but I asked why he got married and that was what he said. He seems to be in love with Claire, so I don’t know if he’s teasing me or not.”

“What makes you think I would lie? Have I ever given you the impression that lying is something I would do, because I won’t.”

“You will. Because I know you have two young children to care for unless you are planning on putting them in an orphanage and I don’t think you are.”

“I don’t think I could keep up with a lie like that. Besides, I don’t want to begin a marriage that way…with a lie. Anyway, there’s got to be a position I can get teaching in a wealthy home, or working as a nanny.” Her shoulders slumped. “I just haven’t found it yet.”

Geneva shook her head. “You’ve been looking?”

“Yes, I’ve been trying to no avail. But I’ll keep trying. There must be some—”

“Listen to you. You’re talking like you don’t have responsibilities, but you do. Can you imagine any of the homes you’ve applied to actually giving you a job with two young children in tow?”

“Well, I…I…I’ve been trying.”

Geneva cocked her head. “Just say it. ‘No’. They won’t and you know it. You’ve applied to become a governess, a nanny and a teacher and that was before you had two children to care for. Positions are hard to come by, and they’re even harder for an unmarried woman with children. Becoming a mail order bride is the only reasonable solution and you know it.”

Katie sighed and rested her chin in her hand, her elbow on the table. “I suppose you’re right. It does sound like being a mail-order bride is the only way I can keep the children with me and that is what’s paramount.”

“Go see the matchmaker. She said she’s made some great matches. I trusted her.”

Katie read the advertisement and nodded. “All right, I’ll go see her, but as the widow Kennedy, not the spinster Kennedy.” What else can I do? I’m determined to care for Ethan and Ruthie. I have no choice.

“Good. I’ll come by in the morning and stay with the kids while you are gone.”

Katie reached across the table and took her friend’s hand. “Whatever will I do without you? I’m not even gone yet, and I already miss you dreadfully.”

Geneva laughed and squeezed Katie’s hand. “We’ll write often. You have to write me as soon as you arrive and give me your address and you must tell me about your husband.”

Katie was warming to the idea of having a husband, but that didn’t stop her stomach from turning over and over. She really hated the thought of lying, but she would do whatever she needed for those kids. “I will. Hopefully I’ll be able to let you know something about him before I go.”

“I hope so, too. Maybe he will have sent a picture.

“Yes, but who’s to say it’s really him and not his best friend or something.”

“She says she’s very careful who she matches with whom and she has an assistant who verifies the men are who they say they are.”

“Well, that does sound better than what I thought. I’ll go but if I don’t like the way I see the business being run, I won’t sign up.” She sighed and slumped back in the chair. “Though I don’t know what other option I have.”

A few minutes later Geneva left and Katie looked around the kitchen. She should clean it up but she just couldn’t face it right now.

Katie headed to bed. As she passed Noah’s room, she remembered the strange behavior of Detective Nelson. She went into the room and gathered Noah’s Bible from his nightstand and put it on the shelf with her books. She didn’t want to forget it. That Bible was part of the few things that Noah had left for his children and she’d make sure they got it.

It was too bad that all the jewelry Noah bought me, Ruthie and Ethan wasn’t real. I could have sold some and stayed in the house. But then what? Even then I’d still need some way to support us. It doesn’t matter anyway. The best thing I can do for us, for the children, is become a mail-order bride. My dreams don’t matter now. Ruthie and Ethan matter now and I’ll do whatever I have to do.

Welcome to Pine Point by Allie Boniface

What better way to celebrate the dog days of summer than with a small-town romance series filled with heat and suspense? Welcome to Pine Point, where secrets abound. I’ve always loved writing about the quirky wonderfulness of small towns, probably because I grew up in one (and I live in one now, too). They’re charming, often picturesque, and filled with characters who know, love, hate, and have all kinds of juicy gossip about each other – some that goes back generations!

People in small towns support each other when push comes to shove, but sometimes they’re oh-so-willing to throw a sworn enemy under the bus too. You can walk down Main Street at midnight and not worry about a thing (yes, the single stoplight has turned from red to blinking yellow, but that won’t matter, because everyone’s in bed anyway). You can buy amazing BBQ chicken from the volunteer firefighters in the summer and ice skate on the church green in the winter. You can make your best friends, your worst enemies, find your soulmate and raise your kids in the house where you (and maybe your parents and grandparents) were raised. Everyone knows pretty much everything about you, but that’s not always a bad thing, isn’t it?

This series was originally published by Samhain Publishing from 2009-2016 but has found a new home with Entangled Publishing and is officially releasing today! In addition to the beautiful new covers, each book has updated content, especially Summer’s Song, which has a whole new beginning: a sneak peek at Summer as a child, a pre-teen, and an angsty adolescent. I loved writing it and can’t wait for readers to see it.

In Summer’s Song, our heroine comes home to Pine Point after 10 long years away. She doesn’t have plans to stay, but that changes once she meets a local hunky handyman. But like almost every main character I seem to create, these two have secrets waiting for them. Each title in the Pine Point series is on sale for only $0.99 through August 27 so you can treat yourself to this entire collection for less than $4.00! Even better, I’ve joined with 7 other Entangled authors to create a Hot August Nights giveaway, and I’ll hope you check out this link for more information about that: http://entangledauthors.myforeverhea.com/

Enjoy this excerpt of Summer’s Song, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Summer’s Song Excerpt:

“Hey, you can’t go up there.” A strong hand grabbed her elbow.

Summer turned with a start. “Why not?”

“Not safe yet.” He motioned to the steps, and when she looked closer, she saw a missing riser that gaped like a placid crocodile, ready to snatch up her unsuspecting foot.

“Oh.” She smiled an apology at Mac’s assistant.

He was tall, with light brown hair and deep blue eyes, and his broad, shirtless chest shone with sweat. Muscular biceps, no doubt made strong from summer labor, twitched as he reached for an itch between his shoulder blades. Summer swallowed and tried to chase away a crazy urge to scratch the spot for him.

“I’m Summer Thompson, by the way.” She reached out a hand in greeting. “The—ah—the new owner of this place.”

He studied her with a serious expression. “So I guessed. Damian Knight.”

The one who’s renting the farmhouse. “Listen, I…” She meant to talk to him about that, but she couldn’t quite process the words as his blue eyes locked with hers. He hadn’t yet dropped her hand, which she didn’t mind in the least. Strong. Warm. Sending electricity straight through her.

“Summer!”

Mac’s hand on her shoulder broke her reverie. Summer turned and plastered on a smile she hoped looked normal. “Hi, Mac.”

“Shit. Can’t believe you’re here.” He shook his head and grinned, and she glimpsed the chipped front teeth she remembered from high school.

“Well, I wanted to see the house. I just…” She faltered. “I just found out about it.”

“I know. Your father wanted it to be a surprise for you. Sorry about your loss, by the way.” He looked over his shoulder. “He did a great thing, buying this place. Wish he could have seen it finished.”

Mac gestured around the yard. “We’re working on the roof today, obviously. Got another day or so before it’s done. There’s some interior work to do after that. And don’t use these front steps, okay? We still gotta replace a few.”

“Can I see the inside?” she asked. She wanted an idea of the mess she was dealing with. But her doubt grew as she looked around. The needed repairs seemed overwhelming, and those were just the ones she could see.

Damian ran one hand through his hair and sent a cloud of sawdust flying. A grin touched his eyes and, for a brief second, Summer saw her own reflection in his gaze. She looked small and dark, a little girl floating on the blue of his iris. He smiled, and in the sunlight, the blue deepened until she felt like she was falling inside it, floating, forgetting who and where she was. Something jumped in her stomach, and her palms tingled. Knights in Pine Point? There hadn’t been any for as long as she could remember.

Don’t fall for the guy whose heart you have to break tomorrow…

Buy Links:

Entangled Store: https://entangledpublishing.com/summer-s-song.html

Amazon: http://bit.ly/SummersSongAmazon

Apple: http://bit.ly/SummerSongApple

B&N: http://bit.ly/SummersSongNook

Author Bio:

Allie Boniface is the USA Today best-selling author of over a dozen novels, including the Cocktail Cruise, Hometown Heroes, and Pine Point series. Her books are most often set in small towns and feature emotional romance with relatable characters you’ll know and love.

A graduate of the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University, Allie is a full-time high school English teacher in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she and her husband love to travel.

Take some time to browse around Allie’s website, check out new and upcoming releases, and sign up for her newsletter. You can join Allie’s All-Stars too, an exclusive readers’ group on Facebook where fans and friends chat about life, characters and story ideas, and have exclusive access to prizes, giveaways, and early sales!

Author Links:

Website: www.allieboniface.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorAllieBoniface

Allie’s All-Stars: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllieBonifaceAllStars/

Twitter: @AllieBoniface1

Newsletter Sign-up: http://bit.ly/AlliesNews

Interview with Cynthia Middlebrook Harris

  1. How did you get started writing? I started writing Christmas and Easter plays for a local church I attended. In 2006, I was asked to write a full-length play for Still Useable Women’s Conference by the founder, and years later the play blossomed into a series titled The Other Side of Through.
  2. What genre (s) do you write in and why? I write Christian Romance. But not so Christian overpowered that anyone wouldn’t enjoy the read. The stories contain real life sticky situations people often find themselves in no matter their religious backgrounds.
  3. Tell us about your current series. I am currently writing The Consequence of Temptation, the sequel of The Opportunity for Temptation of the Temptation series. The series follows the lives of three football players and the temptations they encounter with the women they meet on and off the grid iron. It exposes childhood hurts that affected the type of adults the characters became, and exposes the behind closed doors secrets of broken marriages. In, The Consequence of Temptation, the danger of not closing emotional and relationship doors explodes in the lives of every character of the story. The series follows the nature of its title completely. It should be completed and ready for upload by mid-September.
  4. What inspired your latest book? It was inspired by an NFL football player named Torrey Smith (my favorite player by the way), who doesn’t drink or smoke. Those characteristics and values inspired me to reverse the aspect of women usually being the virgins in a relationship. I’m not saying if he was or wasn’t a virgin before marriage (that’s personal and his business). Only that his clean and responsible habits inspired the story behind the main character of the book. Outside of that fact, anything else in comparison to his life is coincidental.
  5. Where do you get the ideas for your stories? The first series The Other Side of Through is based on courses of events in my own life where I changed several of the instances to protect identities and other ideas come from my everyday surroundings. Still others were birthed out of current works when a scene or idea didn’t flow properly.
  6. What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish? If you are certain that writing is your passion and mission… then keep going. Whether you have ten to twenty minutes or two to three hours to write… write every day. I once heard the phrase, “Words make sentences… sentences make paragraphs… paragraphs make chapters… and chapters make novels.” So, keep writing.
  7. What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions? Why? I would have to say conflict. Mostly because 80% of the conflict in my novels have been personal battles. Oftentimes, I realized I wasn’t as over the situations as I previously convinced myself and my own emotions would threaten to take over.
  8. Tell us about your hero.  Give us one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses. JaQuan Sulter is a rising football start who spent his life helping his mother care for his younger siblings when his father walked out of their life. He doesn’t drink or smoke, is a virgin and a Christian. He sees the heroine and immediately knows she is his wife. She, of course, has other plans. He endeavors to show her what the true love God designed of a husband in relation to his wife. His weakness is that he can be somewhat self-righteous and judgmental at times without realizing he is doing it.
  9. Tell us about your heroine.  Give us one of her strengths and one of her weaknesses. Vanessa Banks is the counterpart of JaQuan Sulter. She is highly intelligent accountant for the football team JaQuan has been drafted to. She graduated high school and entered college at sixteen, and is faithful to a fault in relationships. She is running from the pure innocent agape love that oozes from JaQuan Sulter’s pores. She tends to allow her life to be controlled by and become the person she is dating. She is angry and afraid of God and wants nothing to do with Christianity… at first.
  10. What’s next for you? I am current working on a partial autobiography titled, From Abortion to Anointed: The Journey of a Serial Killer. This book has been on the back burner for well over a year and a half. You could say I have procrastinated a bit. I find myself revisiting areas where I assumed I had clarity and closure. This is a work I want to get perfectly right because it is destined to will minister to countless woman who suffer from the guilt of the abortion table. I look forward to speaking engagements and mentoring young women facing unsurmountable odds that have pushed them to considering terminating pregnancies.

Author Bio and Links

Cynthia Middlebrooks Harris is an ordained minister, native of Atlanta, Ga and Christian Fiction author who has published six books. She entered the US Army in 1984, where she met and married her husband of 32 years, Minister Kim Harris. Together, they have two children; Dominique and Stephanie. Cynthia is a true intercessor with a passion and heart to see the people of God healthy spiritually, emotionally and physically. She is a teacher, playwright, Christian mentor and is currently working to earn her degree as a Registered Dietician. Her work has appeared in Higher Connection magazine twice and her ministry expanded to Kaiserslautern, West Germany in 2014. Cynthia understands that her responsibility to God is to spread His word by any means necessary. It is her determination to do just that through the power of fiction, romance and sound & drama. Cynthia was born to write for such a time as this! She lives and breathes her motto, “Ministry is always… Required!”

Order autographed soft copies her books on her webpage www.tosotministries.org

eBooks and soft cover copies also available on Amazon:

Connect with Cynthia

Email: tosotministries@gmail.com

Twitter and Instagram @Writtercynt

LinkedIn and YouTube: Cynthia Middlebrooks Harris

Blog: www.writingfortoday.wordpress.com

Facebook: T.O.S.O.T. Ministries, LLC

 

Scorching Summer Sale!

It’s August and the temperatures are hot as fire. To celebrate, here’s a scorching summer sale. You can get the first three books of The Ocean City Boardwalk Series for just 99¢. That’s a $7.00 saving off the regular cover price. So… what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this scorching summer sale now!

About the series: Sara, Heather, and Cathy are best friends. Through the years they’ve cheered each other on, celebrating each victory, and they’ve been supportive through every crisis. Join them as they face love and loss… and learn to hold tight to the idea that friends are your chosen family.

The Ocean City Boardwalk series, where life isn’t just fun in the sun—love is waiting on those sandy shores!

Don’t miss this scorching summer sale. Find the bundle:

US Kindle        UK Kindle

iBooks Store

Nook Book

Kobo

Google

As a bonus, here’s a frozen summer dessert that’s sure to cool you down.

Summer Coconut Peach Dessert

Ingredients

3 cups raw cashews

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup agave nectar

2 fresh peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Prepare cashews: Place nuts in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for several hours to soften, drain. Discard water.
  2. Combine the cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut milk and agave in a food processor and process until smooth. This step may take a few minutes.
  3. Line a greased sheet pan with wax paper. Allow paper to hang over the edges of the pan to make removing easy. Pour cashew mixture into pan, spreading evenly.
  4. Place the pan in the freezer and chill for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from freezer and layer peach slices on top. Freeze for at least 2 additional hours.
  6. To serve, remove from freezer and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Place any leftover squares in a covered container or zip-top bag and store in the freezer. Keeps for about a week.

 

Hunter’s Quest and a Less Well-known Law Enforcement Agency By Karen McCullough

 

As a genre, romantic suspense frequently features characters in law enforcement professions. The pairing is a natural one. You have characters who are in some kind of danger or trouble. They need help from others whose job is to defend and protect. Most people in law enforcement are willing to put their lives on the line. The nature of the job is to be in danger. They’re trained in ways to root out evil and fight for right.

When I began writing Hunter’s Quest, I knew that one of the two protagonists would be in law enforcement, but I wanted to go with something a little different. There are plenty of police officers, FBI, and other alphabet agency characters in romantic fiction. In my home state of North Carolina, there have recently been several major stories involving the State Bureau of Investigation and I decided that would do nicely, so my hero is a special agent with the NC SBI.

It really worked out well for the story, though telling you why would be a bit of a spoiler.

Instead I offer an excerpt from near the beginning. To set it up, Kristie Sanford has been driving in the mountains when she’s stunned to hear a rifle shot close by and then a man runs out into the road. He jumps out of the way of her car at the last minute but appears to be injured.

BLURB

Kristie Sandford’s vacation is interrupted when a man jumps out in front of her car. She avoids hitting him, but when she stops to see if he’s hurt, he demands she help him escape from the people chasing him. Kristie has an odd “gift”-she occasionally gets warning messages, and she gets one saying he needs her help or he’ll die.

Jason Hunter is an SBI (N.C. State Bureau of Investigation) agent working on his own time searching for a friend, an investigative reporter who disappeared while tracking down rumors of corruption in the bureaucracy of a small, North Carolina mountain town. Jason is grateful to Kristie for rescuing him, but dubious when she insists she has to continue helping him. Kristie is attracted to Jason, but the edge of danger she senses in him reminds her too much of the abusive family she escaped as soon as she could. Still, the message said he’d die if she didn’t help him, and the messages have been right before.

EXCERPT

She dragged her cell phone from her purse, hoping, praying even. It still showed the blasted “No Service” message. She tossed it onto the seat and pounded the steering wheel with her fist, then opened the door and approached the man cautiously. He lay on his side, back to her, so she couldn’t see his face. Torn, dirty jeans covered long legs, with well-worn running shoes below. Sweat, dirt, and blood stained the cotton work shirt stretched tight across broad shoulders. Medium brown hair just brushed his collar.

Her stomach clenched tighter when she surveyed the area around him. The tree he’d hit had saved him from a worse fate. A few feet beyond it, the ground dropped off sharply, diving into a ravine some forty feet down. If he’d gone over the edge he would have been seriously injured or killed. She couldn’t even think about what would’ve happened if she’d swerved too much to avoid him.

He might be dead already. Kristie sucked in a deep breath and walked across the grass to stand over him. With his face turned down toward the ground, all she could see was the hard angle of one cheek, smeared with dirt, streaked with blood and sweat. He lay very still.

She reached down to put a hand on his shoulder, but stopped short when he spoke. Without moving any other muscle of his body, he said in a low, urgent whisper, “Do you see two men on the other side of the road?”

The breath she’d been holding slipped out on a sigh of relief. “You’re not dead. I didn’t think I’d hit you, but you were laying so still–”

“Shut up and listen!” The words cut across her relieved babble. He made no move other than to speak. “Do you see two men across the road?”

Kristie stared at him in shock for a moment before she looked up. Beyond her car the woods on the other side of the road were still. “No.”

“They’ll be here any minute.” He collected himself and sat up so suddenly Kristie backed away. He winced as he levered himself upright. A large smear of blood surrounded a ragged tear in the left sleeve of his shirt. Something more than a scrape had caused that injury. He looked around. The man was probably about thirty. The face that studied his surroundings was lean and had too many sharp angles to be called handsome, but a rugged strength shone through the grime, blood, and bruises. His skin was almost the same shade of brown as his hair, too deep and even to be a suntan. A large abraded area reddened his left temple, and blood from a scratch across the cheekbone tracked toward his ear.

The snap of a twig on the other side of the road made them both swing around to look that way. Kristie still didn’t see anyone. The man sitting on the ground looked up at her. His eyes were very light, either pale blue or gray, the color a startling contrast to his skin and hair, but they held a penetrating intelligence and force. “Tell them I went over the edge,” he ordered.

He offered no further explanation. Without waiting for her response, he crawled swiftly to a thicket of rhododendron bushes ten feet away and disappeared into its depths. Since he stayed low, her car would hide his movement from the person approaching. She winced when she thought about how many more scratches he’d collect in his passage through the shrubbery.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3Z8VLB

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/705030

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunters-quest-karen-mccullough/1125808779?ean=2940157500979

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/hunters-quest/id1211862427?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hunter-s-quest

 

BIO

Karen McCullough, a former editor for a series of trade publications and web designer, is also the author of more than a dozen published novels and novellas in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres. Her publishers include Avalon Books, Harlequin, Kensington, Belle Bridge Books, and Five Star/Cengage. She’s won several awards including an Eppie Award for best fantasy novel and been a four-time Eppie finalist, a Daphne finalist, Prism finalist, Rising Star Award finalist and several others. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies and small press publications in the mystery, science fiction, and romance genres. Her most recent publication is a short story in the Triangle Sisters in Crime anthology: Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed and Dirty Deeds, published July 31 by Down and Out Books. She has three children, eight grandchildren and lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband of many years.

Website: http://www.kmccullough.com

Blog: http://www.kmccullough/kblog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMcCulloughAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kgmccullough

 

SPOTLIGHT: A Highland Emerald by Brenda Taylor

Blurb:

A Highland Emerald is the third book in the award-winning Highland Treasures series. It tells the story of Aine MacLean and William Munro, and is the prequel to A Highland Pearl.

 

Aine MacLean is forced into an arranged marriage with Sir William, Chief of Clan Munro, yet her heart belongs to a handsome young warrior in her father’s guard. She must leave Durant Castle, the home of her birth on the Isle of Mull, and travel across Scotland in a perilous journey to her husband’s home on Cromarty Firth. William agrees to a year and day of handfasting, giving Aine an opportunity to accept him and his clan. He promises her the protection of Clan Munro, however, Aine experiences kidnapping, pirates, and almost loses her life in the River Moriston. She doubts the sincerity of William’s promises and decides to return to Durant Castle when the handfasting ends. William determines to win Aine’s heart. Will the brave knight triumph in his fight for the bonnie lass?

 

Excerpt:

Isle of Mull

Scotland, 1486

 

My father sat in his usual chair in front of the crackling fire, staring at the flame with dim eyes and a fur robe wrapped around his broad shoulders, the deerhound curled at his feet.

“Where are you going, Aine?” he asked with his back turned toward the stone, spiral staircase where I stood. “Come, sit with me for awhile.”

I pushed the arisaid from my shoulders, letting it drop to the floor, then stepped over the wrap. Making my way to the stool where my mother’s embroidery frame stood, I took a seat and watched the flame.

Without turning his head, my father, Lachlan Og MacLean, eighth chief and fourth Laird of Durant Castle, asked, “Where are you going?”

“How did you ken ’twas I?” He never ceased to amaze me with his uncanny knowledge of events  around him although his eyes, so dimmed by injury, saw very little.

“I heard the rustle of your skirts.” He extended his hand for me, so I rose and hugged his neck.

He smiled, embracing my arms. “And I ken your scent, lass. ‘Tis so like your mither’s. You use the same scented soap as she.”

“Aye, but from so far away and with the smell of burning wood and dog in your nostril’s?”

“Your odor is a different pleasantry among the usual burning wood and dog. It stands out in my memory as does the pleasant odor of your mither.” He smiled broadly, showing still straight, white teeth beneath a greying beard. I could almost feel his penetrating gaze upon me as in the days before his sight was taken in battle. He asked, “Where are you going this dreary night?”

“Here, Da. To sit beside you and talk of the feast on the morrow.”

“Don’t try to deceive me, lass. I heard the sound of your arisaid dropping to the floor. You are planning a tryst, I feel certain.” His dimmed gaze pierced through to the depths of my soul. “I could see the turn of your head toward him each time he spoke at the evening meal.” A line formed between his brows and a shadow darkened his face. “You are to marry the Munro.”

“I dinna love William Munro.” My voice began to rise, and I struggled to control the cry climbing from the depths of my heart. “I wanna marry him, Da. You promised I could wed for love, not convenience.” The cry emerged from my lips. I buried my head on his shoulder and sobbed.

“Come here, lass.” Da rose, grabbed my hand and pulled me to face him, wrapping his powerful arms around my shoulders. He stroked my hair and planted a kiss atop my head. Disturbed, the great dog stood.

My heart ached to please Da, I loved him so. His tender embrace brought back memories of my childhood when he comforted me after a fall or some aggravation caused by my three older brothers. We stood for a long while.

He pushed me away, looking into my eyes and planting a kiss on my forehead. “I only want the best for you, sweeting. Your my heart, you ken. I dinna wish to leave this world without you being in the care of a good mon. The Munro is a good mon.” He hesitated then added, “With wealth and title.”

I looked into his faded blue eyes that once shone with the brilliance of the azure sky on a sunny day. He could only see the outline of my face while standing close, now. “If you truly desire the best for me, you’ll let me marry the love of my heart, not some bloat because of his title. Titles mean naught to me, Da.” Tears streamed from my eyes, wetting my cheeks. I pulled away from his grasp, swiping at the wetness with a smock sleeve.

“The Munro is a good mon and a fierce warrior. ’Tis nae better for a husband. He’ll be here on the morrow. We’ll have a feast to celebrate your marriage.”

“He’s old. I’m only eighteen summers. I shan’t attend.” Sometimes the stubbornness of my nature overtook good sense. I knew not to speak to my father in such a manner. He also possessed an immovable streak, and his word overruled my desires.

“He’s no’ old, Aine. A few years your senior, but no’ old by any means. When he’s my age, then he’ll be old.” I continued to sniff, wetting the front of his léine. All right, Aine. If that’s the way this game is to be played. You’ll be watched until after the celebration and the Munro departs.” The words spewed from Da’s mouth. A sinister, dark shadow cloaked his face. Muscles twitched in his jaws and his hands clenched in tight fists. I stepped back.

He abruptly turned and made his way up the stone steps to the upper story bed chambers, feeling the wall for security. When his foot struck the arisaid I dropped on the stair, he reached down, seized the garment and flung it with a vehemence I rarely witnessed from him, and continued up the staircase. The large dog followed at his heels. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed the arisaid, wrapped it closely around my shoulders, pulled the hood over my head, then ran toward the door of the great hall. Ellic waited in the garden. I wanted to be near him, feel his embrace, and listen to the sweet words he would whisper in my ear.

 

Buy Links:

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Author Bio:

The desire to write historical fiction has long been a passion with Brenda B. Taylor. Since elementary school, she has written stories in her spare time. Brenda earned three degrees: a BSE from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; a MEd from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas; and an EdD from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; then worked as a teacher and administrator in the Texas Public School system. Only after retirement could she fulfill the dream of publication.

Brenda and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. She crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

 

Author Contact Information:

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Interview with Cherie Claire

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

Call me a mass market novelist.

I started writing historical romance years ago, focusing on Acadian (Cajun) history. I sold my first book, “A Cajun Dream,” in 1999 to Kensington and it was followed by a novella and a four-part series. All six of those books are now ebooks (The Cajun Series) and available at all online bookstores. I also penned a three-book contemporary romance-girlfriend series called The Cajun Embassy series and it’s also online.

Now, I’m veering into paranormal mysteries.

Tell us about your current series.

My latest series is the paranormal Viola Valentine Mystery Series, starting with the first book, “A Ghost of a Chance.” It concerns a Katrina survivor named Viola Valentine who decides, after the storm, to reinvent herself and follow her dream of becoming a travel writer. But the storm also blew open a psychic door and now she sees ghosts who have died by water as a SCANC, a person who experiences “specific communication with apparitions, non-entities and the comatose.” As she enters her new career, solving mysteries that appear with apparitions everywhere she goes, the one person she hopes to speak to — her daughter who died of leukemia years before — continues to elude her. Or does she?

What inspired your latest book?

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I knew I had to do something to help my hometown of New Orleans so I quit my newspaper job and was hired for a Unitarian Universalist recovery program. At the same time, I started freelance writing on the side. One thing I was never able to do as a newspaper editor was travel writing, my dream job, and my new flexibility allowed me to do that.

Both experiences inspired me to write “A Ghost of a Chance,” a story about a newspaper reporter named Viola Valentine who ends up on her roof after Katrina floods New Orleans and experiences an epiphany of sorts. She leaves her loveless marriage, boring job and overbearing family and follows her dream of becoming a travel writer.

What is your favorite part of writing?

Making things up!

What is your least favorite part of writing?

Editing. It’s a necessary part of creating a book but it’s tedious, not much fun.

What is your next project and when will it be released?

The second book in the series, “Ghost Town,” is now available, continuing Viola Valentine’s story. I’ve discounted “A Ghost of a Chance” to a free download to encourage readers to check out my new series.

Here’s the description of “Ghost Town”: Every day at dusk, in a small Louisiana town, the dead emerge from Lorelei Lake. And travel writer Viola Valentine must use her “gift” of seeing ghosts to rid this town of its apparitions. Viola struggles not only with the task at-hand, but hopes that this evolving ability she obtained after Hurricane Katrina will help her reach her beloved Lillye.

Yet, the more Viola struggles to talk to her departed daughter, the more frustrated she gets. Plus, it’s 2008, the height of the Great Recession, travel jobs are hard to come by, and her suffocating family and ex-husband keep making demands. She takes solace in a new love interest, one who teaches her how to harness her anger.

In the end, Viola realizes that only love can solve her problems, from ridding ghosts of lakeside towns to healing a broken heart.

Where do you get the ideas for your stories?

From real life. My day job, so to speak, is travel writing. Some of my journalist friends are now scared I will put them into my books.

Do you write under a pen name?   Why or why not?

My pen name is Cherie Claire. I was told by my editor at Kensington, when I was first published with them that my real name, Cheré Dastugue Coen, didn’t work because there’s an accent, an unpronounceable French name (which is my maiden name) and Coen is too ethnic. I made Cherie sans accent and Claire was my favorite aunt. On social media, I claim that Cheré is my twin. When you have two lives as freelance writer and author, it feels like there are two people.

What are you currently working on?

Book three in the series, tentatively titled “Ghosts of Mississippi,” and I’m sure you can guess where the story takes place.

Describe the genre of this particular title? 

“A Ghost of a Chance” in my Viola Valentine series is part paranormal, part mystery and a little romance/sensuality with a chick-lit narrative. Hard to find an appropriate genre — fantasy, mystery, ghosts — but I believe fans of Charlaine Harris will enjoy my books.

Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped.

I’m a member of Novelists, Inc., which has helped tremendously. I highly recommend it for those pursuing a career as a novelist, especially if they want to tackle self-publishing.

EXCERPT

I quickly shampoo my hair, feeling better despite the anchor attached to my heart, and step out of the tub. I grab the lush bathrobe on the back of the door and slip inside its comfort, but the ever-present pain won’t let me relax.

It was like this when Lillye died, the endless crying, the dark hole of depression. I could never understand how human beings don’t dehydrate from the amount of water we exude through grief.

I gasp for breath, then exhale, ready to steady my emotions and face the world when I see her in the mirror, faintly, the line of her figure like a shadow marked by a Sharpie. She wears the schoolgirl outfit of the blond in the cave, but her hair combed back into a bun is a muddy red, the unfashionable color, not the one everyone emulates through Clairol. She stares at me sadly through pin-prick eyes above an unremarkable nose. Plain Jane is what comes to me in a flash. And although this apparition, if that’s what I’m seeing, isn’t offering emotion of any kind, I feel her pain. Loneliness, heartbreak and something much more acute.

The loss of a child.

Links

Website: https://www.cherieclaire.net/

Amazon: http://littl.ink/GhostChance

B&N: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceBN

Kobo: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceK

iTunes: http://littl.ink/GhostChanceA

Blog: https://www.cherieclaire.net/my-louisiana-home

AUTHOR BIO

Cherie Claire is the award-winning author of several Louisiana romances. “A Ghost of a Chance,” begins a paranormal mystery series featuring New Orleans travel writer and ghost sleuth Viola Valentine. Cherie lives in South Louisiana where she works as a travel and food writer when not indulging in Cajun culture. Visit her website at www.cherieclaire.net and write to her at CajunRomances@Yahoo.com.

An Unlikely Mother by Danica Favorite

Hi Cindy’s readers! I’m so thankful Cindy agreed to have me on her blog. I’ve written a couple drafts of my post, and to be honest, I didn’t like any of them. There is so much I want to say about An Unlikely Mother, because it captured my heart in so many ways. So I’m going to give you a brief rundown of the three characters I love the most.

Flora is the heroine. I didn’t want to like Flora. After all, why should the most hated girl in town get a happily ever after? But I realized a couple of things. One, I fully believe that no one is beyond redemption. People can learn and grow. Two, in a lot of ways, we’re all like Flora. Maybe we weren’t the town gossip, but we all have flaws. Some greater than others. And so, for me, Flora is a symbol of the hope that no matter how far any of us fall, we can always get back up again and be something greater.

George is the hero. I’ll admit that even though I live in the mountains with no television reception, if I’m somewhere where I can watch Undercover Boss, I do. I love the idea of a boss taking the time to become one of the employees to learn what’s really going on. I’d like to think that brings lasting change to the boss and how he or she views the people around them. I know it did for George, and it’s a really good reminder for me to think about what the world likes like from perspectives different from mine.

Pierre is the darling little boy they help. How can you not love a little boy? For me, though, the most fun was that I finally got to use all those years of French! I’ve been sad that I spent so long studying it in school, and I’ve never used it. I was also very proud of myself, because I had a couple of French experts read those parts, and they said I did great.

So that’s the brief rundown of my characters. A lot of different pieces, but I enjoyed finding ways to fit them all together. I hope you enjoyed getting to know the characters I love. I’d love to hear about the kinds of characters you love and why you love them.

About Danica:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Danica-Favorite/e/B00KRP0IFU

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/danica-favorite

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

 

Book links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Mother-Love-Inspired-Historical-ebook/dp/B01M9C3M1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498799660&sr=8-1

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-unlikely-mother-danica-favorite/1124880608?ean=9780373425242

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/an-unlikely-mother/id1173001759?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/an-unlikely-mother

RE-INTRODUCING… Heroic Rogue Series by Marie Higgins

Reviews

* This was a very intriguing book; it held my attention from start to finish–so much so that I read it in one day! I liked it and would highly recommend it as a worthwhile read. ~Amazon review

* I am so pleased to be able to give this book my highest rating and recommendation. It was an absolute delight to read, and I cannot think of any portion of the book I did not like. ~Barnes and Noble review

* One of the best stories I’ve ever read! ~Wattpad review

* Well done❤

I count always count on your books to be well written and well thought out. I don’t get to see that very often. I really love your stories. They make me… happy!

When I first wrote the Heroic Rogue Series, each book was set in the Colonial era in the US, just before the Revolutionary War. I have revised them and placed each story into England during the Regency era. It surprised me how differently the stories turned out.

GIVEAWAY – leave a comment on this blog with your name and email, and you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive a free book of your choice! (I have 42 to choose from)

Heroic Rogue Series – Heroes who fight to protect their country from Napoleon’s controlling hand…and men who won’t give up on the women who have captured their hearts.

“Pretending You’re Mine” (previously published as Take My Heart) – Portraying her twin is the only way Mercedes Maxwell can get close to her sister’s husband to learn his secrets. William Braxton is confused about the sudden change in his wife, and yet, now he’d drawn to her like never before. Can they fall in love with numerous secrets between them? http://a.co/9899GMP

 

“After the Loving” (previously published as Falling in Love Again)  – Marcus Thorne / Captain Hawk is determined to capture Napoleon’s spies, even if one is so very lovely and seductive. Isabelle Stanhope gives her heart to her captor, even if she’s forced to marry a man she doesn’t love. Can they fight against fate’s rules? http://a.co/4A2MMbm

 

“Wonderland by Night” – Nobody must know that Lady Emiline Lucia’s uncle is Napoleon Bonaparte. She must protect herself against those who hate France’s emperor. Gabriel Lawrence hides his identity as a spy. How can he protect them both if a spy against the crown is always one step ahead…and wants Gabe dead? http://a.co/gCyWsns

 

“Worth Fighting For” – Lindsay Lennox, youngest daughter of Turkey’s governor, will do anything to meet and kiss a man…even sneak aboard a ship that is sailing to England. Captain Barry Braxton is heading home to take over his dying father’s place, co-partnering with his uncle (William Braxton). Will the lovely stowaway stop his plans? http://a.co/hu8dWdQ

 

Author’s Bio

Marie Higgins is a best-selling, multi-published author of Christian and sweet romance novels; from refined bad-boy heroes who make your heart melt to the feisty heroines who somehow manage to love them regardless of their faults. She’s been with a Christian publisher since 2010. Between those and her others, she’s published over 40 heartwarming, on-the-edge-of-your-seat stories and broadened her readership by writing mystery/suspense, humor, time-travel, paranormal, along with her love for historical romances. Her readers have dubbed her “Queen of Tease”, because of all her twists and turns and unexpected endings.

 

Visit her website / blog to discover more about her – www.mariehiggins.com

Find her on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/marie.higgins.7543

And Twitter – https://twitter.com/mariehigginsXOX

HER UNDERCOVER DOMS by Anya Summers

Excerpt

“You have much to answer for, Sherry.”

The ominous tenor of Jared’s voice chilled her to the bone. She’d been hoping—nay, praying—that he would finally see the light where they were concerned, but the angry set to his jaw and stern gaze directed her way as she knelt before his throne made her heart drop into her toes.

Jared reclined on his throne like a lavish Scottish king of old over the club. He was still one of the most stunningly handsome men of her acquaintance in his leather pants and bare, muscular chest. She remembered how it had felt against her skin, and running her hands through the silken threads of his dirty blond hair, tinged with hints of Scottish red. Although tonight was different. Tonight, Patrick Manning and Nick Santos flanked his throne, which was peculiar in itself. And having them there filled her with a startling amount of unease. Sweat slicked her back and the underside of her hair was damp.

Both Doms up on the raised dais with Jared were also fine specimens of manhood, and well built. Quite a few of the subs thought they were just as handsome as Jared. They were beautiful men, but Sherry always felt a little unsettled around them. She didn’t know why. She’d heard through the grapevine that both men were former military and it showed. Patrick was lean in his black jeans and matching tank top that fit him like a second skin. His slate colored eyes gave nothing away. And Nick towered over every male on the island. He was over six and a half feet tall. He was one of the few men of her acquaintance who made her feel small and feminine which, considering she was five foot ten inches tall herself, was rather impressive. Patrick and Nick worked in the pool area but she didn’t understand why Jared had them with him.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” Sherry said to Jared, her knees aching on the glossy black flooring as she knelt before him. She kept her eyes downcast and head bowed out of respect. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

Jared didn’t hold back or decrease his volume as he questioned her and snarled, “From what I understand, you lied to impugn my honor that our relationship was anything other than what it was, scratching an itch between us.”

His words were akin to arrows piercing her heart. Sherry replied, trying to keep the tremor from her voice, “Sir, I thought that there was more. It’s why I came here. I—”

“Regardless of what you believed, I never indicated that I wanted anything more beyond the handful of times we scened in the club. I apologize if I didn’t make that clearer to you. I assumed you understood the nature of it. That does not excuse your behavior on the island. You have been willfully deceitful to other employees about the nature of our relationship to cause harm to myself and others. For that, you will be punished.”

Sherry wanted him to punish her. If he put his hands on her, he was such a randy Dom, surely she could entice him into her bed. She hid her smile, however, otherwise he would make sure she didn’t sit pretty for a week. Although, it might be worth it. She said, “Yes, Sir. I submit to whatever punishment you deem I have earned.”

Jared smiled then. A harsh, unyielding smile, and in all of two seconds, Sherry understood that she wasn’t going to like the punishment he had planned for her. Not. One. Bit. Then Jared commanded, “You will belong to Patrick and Nick for the next week. Perhaps they can teach you the true meaning of submission.”

Sherry’s jaw dropped and then she sputtered, “But Sir, I can’t. I won’t. You can—”

Jared rolled his eyes and gave her an exasperated expression, as though he didn’t want to waste any more of his time with her. He said sternly, “Sherry, enough. Either you submit to Patrick and Nick this next week, or I will have you on the first boat off the island in the morning and you can go back to Scotland. Take your pick.”

Go back to Scotland. Was he daft or just mean? She didn’t want to go back to Scotland.

 

 

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Bio

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.

Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.

Visit her website here:

www.anyasummers.com

Visit her on social media here:

http://www.facebook.com/AnyaSummersAuthor

Twitter: @AnyaBSummers

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15183606.Anya_Summers

Sign-up for Anya Summers Newsletter

Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Anya-Summers/e/B01EGTVRKC/

 

Don’t miss these exciting titles by Anya Summers and Blushing Books!

 

Dungeon Fantasy Club Series

Her Highland Master, Book 1

To Master and Defend, Book 2

Two Doms for Kara, Book 3

His Driven Domme, Book 4

Her Country Master, Book 5

Love Me, Master Me, Book 6

Submit To Me, Book 7

Her Wired Dom, Book 8

 

Pleasure Island Series
Her Master & Commander, Book 1
Her Music Masters, Book 2
Their Shy Submissive, Book 3
Her Lawful Master, Book 4
Her Undercover Doms, Book 5
Her Rockstar Dom, Book 6
Duets & Dominance, Book 7
Ménage In Paradise, Book 8
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