Mendota and the Restive Rivers of the Indian and Civil Wars 1861-65 (The Simmons family saga) By Dane Pizzuti Krogman Book Spotlight! @coffeepotbookclub @dekester09 @maryanneyarde

Book Title: Mendota and the Restive Rivers of the Indian and Civil Wars 1861-65

Series: The Simmons family saga

Author: Dane Pizzuti Krogman

Publication Date: 15th March 2021

Publisher: Independently Published

Page Length: 416 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Mendota and the Restive Rivers of the Indian and Civil Wars 1861-65

(The Simmons family saga)

By Dane Pizzuti Krogman 

This is the fictional story set in Mendota, Minnesota of the Simmons family who are faced with the consequences of the Dakota Sioux Uprising of 1862 that swept across the state as well as the Civil War.

The father, Dan enlists in the 1st regiment of Minnesota volunteers as a teamster. His two sons, who are both underage join the 2nd Regiment. John, aged 16 becomes a bugler and William, aged 15 becomes a drummer. Their sister, Sara is left behind with their mother, Louise to fend for themselves. Dan is sent east to fight with the Army of the Potomac while his sons are sent to the western theater to serve in the army of the Cumberland. Back in Mendota, their neighbor and close friend, Colonel Henry Sibley is ordered to stay in the state to control the Indian uprising.

Dan will see action up through the battle of Antietam. He will later find himself in the hospital in Washington DC where he befriends a comrade also from the 1st Regiment. His sons barely miss the action at Shiloh but after, are engaged in all the major battles in the West. While they are passing through Louisville, William falls for a young woman, Mary who works as a hospital nurse. Back in Mendota, Sara befriends a young Chippewa native boy while her mother struggles with the breakup of her family. After Colonel Sibley defeats the Sioux, he is promoted to General and ordered to round up all the Dakota and push resettle them in the Dakotas.

This leads to the punitive expeditions that he and General Sully will command up until 1864. William is captured at the battle up Missionary Ridge and then sent to the prison camp at Belle Isle, VA. and then onto Andersonville. GA. John receives a 30 day furlough and returns to Mendota before he re-enlists. Louise and Sara wait for the war’s end so the family can be reunited, but events may not turn out as anticipated.

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Dane Krogman

 

Dane Pizzuti Krogman was educated in the fine arts at the University of Minnesota, receiving BFA and MFA degrees. He also specialized in Asian art history, with a concentration in textile and surface design. After graduation, he worked as a freelance designer creating fashion samples for women’s athletic wear. He eventually relocated to California and taught at Cal-Poly Pomona in the Environmental Design program then moved on to work as a pictorial artist for outdoor advertising. Moving back to the Twin Cities in 1981 he formed a scenic design company call Artdemo which in 10 years did over 1000 designs and productions for sets, props, and special effects for television commercials and feature films. In the early 90’s he relocated to Charleston, SC to work as a spec writer for feature film scripts. Six of his screenplays have won major writing awards and two of these have been optioned for production. During this time he also taught scene design at the College of Charleston. This position led to an adjunct teaching position at Virginia Commonwealth University where he taught art direction for filmmakers. In 1998 he took a full time teaching position at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he taught art direction, life drawing, set construction, and Asian film studies, eventually becoming chairman of the department. 

 

The common thread through all of this has been his passion for Japanese design, art, and fashion. He has lived in Kyoto, Japan for the past 20 summers studying Japanese kimono and obi design of the Heian and Edo periods. In 2002 he won the Grand Prize for the best graphic novel at the Hiroshima manga competition. His graphic Novel Skeleton boy was selected for inclusion into the Hiroshima peace memorial library in 2007.

 

He was most recently an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate Program in Digital Filmmaking at Stony Brook Southampton. He is also an award-winning screenwriter. His screenplay, The Schooner was produced as the Australian film, AUSTRALIA in 2008. He has other award-winning films that have been optioned for production or are in production.

 

As a Civil War historian he has worked as a technical advisor for the films, Dances with Wolfs, Gettysburg, and Glory. He currently has one Civil War novel in pre-publication; MENDOTA, AND THE RESTIVE RIVERS OF THE CIVIL AND INDIAN WARS 1861-65.

 

He also works part-time as a crew member on a Grand-Am Rolex series race team. The team won the national championship in 2008

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The Factory Girl and the Fey by Nadine Galinsky Feldman Cover Reveal! #TheFactoryGirlandtheFey #NadineGalinskyFeldman #HFVBTBlogTours #coverreveal @author_nadine @hfvbt @nfeldmanauthor

The Factory Girl and the Fey by Nadine Galinsky Feldman

Publication Date: October 14, 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Jane Thorburn straddles two worlds: her life as a “factory girl” in Scotland’s mills, and her birthright as fairy royalty. Abandoned by her parents as an infant, and uncertain about the true motives of the Fey, she learns to depend only on herself. All she wants is to be a great weaver and to maintain her independence. The Fair Folk, fighting for their very survival, have other plans for her, as does the handsome and charismatic Robert Stein. What life will she choose? And will she even have a choice? A historical fantasy inspired by the author’s ancestors, The Factory Girl and the Fey is an affectionate tribute to the women who helped fuel Scotland’s Industrial Age, from the workers to the poets…and to the Fey who remind us that magic is real when we believe in it.

About the Author

Nadine Galinsky Feldman is an author of women's and historical fiction. Her novel What She Knew was a finalist in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book awards. The Foreign Language of Friends was a finalist in the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Chick Lit category. It was also named a Gold Medal Winner, Women's Issues, in the 2011 eLit Book Awards. As an editor, Nadine produced Patchwork and Ornament: A Woman's Journey of Life, Love, and Art by Jeanette Feldman, which won the 2010 Indie Excellence Award for Best Memoir. Her first book, When a Grandchild Dies: What to Do, What to Say, How to Cope, provided grief support to an underserved population. When not working on her many writing projects, Nadine loves traveling, gardening, genealogy, and yoga. She lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York state.

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The Screwball by A.M. Williams Release Tour!

I’m not a one woman man, but Preston makes me want something different. However, a misunderstanding leaves Preston wanting nothing to do with him. Can Alvarez convince Preston to forgive him and take a chance? Fans of the Dallas Longhorns by Tara Wyatt will devour The Screwball by A.M. Williams, an enemies to lovers, workplace romance.

Read Now!

Misunderstandings happen all the time, right?

Preston

I’m used to the looks I get once people realize that I’m a woman with a man’s name. I get them all the time.

But when the most attractive man I’ve ever seen makes rude comments about me, I can’t forget how hurtful he is.

He reminds me too much of my past, a past I refuse to let rule my future. My shields are up and I’m adamant I want nothing to do with him.

But he slowly wheedles his way in as I realize I might have been too judgmental.

Alvarez

I am not a one woman man. I’ve never had a serious relationship. I don’t want to be that guy.

But something is different. She makes me different. I want more. And I want Preston Pierce.

The only problem is I put my foot in my mouth before meeting her and she wants nothing to do with me.

It takes time, but eventually she forgives me and I realize she’s everything I wanted.

The only problem is our pasts might be keeping us from our future and I don’t know how to push us past it.

We have to decide if we’ll let our pasts rule our future and keep us from a happily ever after.

The Screwball is book three in A.M. Williams’ "Boys of Summer" baseball romance series. It’s a workplace, enemies-to-lovers romance with two people haunted by the things in their past as they work toward a better future together.

If you love men in tight pants and the sassy women they fall for, this series is for you.

This book was previously published as Playing for Keeps. It has been updated with new content and re-edited.

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Excerpt

Copyright 2021 A.M. Williams

I snagged a seat next to Derek at the table, my back to the door. King claimed the chair on my other side.

There was an agenda in front of me, I slid closer to get a better look at it.

At the top in big, bold letters was the name Preston Pierce. I snorted. “Wow, think this dude is overcompensating much?”

“What do you mean?” Derek asked, his gaze on the agenda as well.

“Look at his name. It’s easily the biggest thing on here. Think he’s trying to make a point before we even meet him?”

Derek just shook his head and remained silent, and I turned back to the agenda, my eyes snagging again on the name at the top. I shook my head. I had a feeling this guy was definitely trying to prove something to the team before he’d even met us. We really didn’t need some pretentious asshole trying to lord himself over the team.

“You know,” I said, “I bet this guy is balding and has a toupee covering his hair.”

“He probably has a beer gut, too,” I heard from behind me.

My eyes widened and I froze. It wasn’t just the fact that I was being called out on what I was saying, it was that it was a female voice that spoke from behind me. I grimaced and made eye contact with Derek, who was shaking his head.

I was sure I’d just put my foot in it, but I couldn’t say why I felt that way.

I turned to face the voice and had to clench my jaw to keep it from dropping. She was gorgeous. Shoulder-length brown hair framed her face and bright blue eyes stared at me. And they were currently shooting daggers my way.

I smirked. “Hey there, beautiful. What’s your name?”

Her lips flattened into a straight line and her eyes narrowed. Even with the glare being sent my way, she was gorgeous.

The smirk on my face wavered slightly, but I hoped it didn’t show on my face. This woman unnerved me, but I didn’t want her to know it.

“My name is Preston Pierce, the fat, balding guy you were just discussing.”

My jaw dropped and it felt like my heart stopped for a few moments as I processed  her words. This was Preston? Preston was a guy’s name, though. There was no way on Earth the Preston Pierce who was our new marketing director was the Preston Pierce who just introduced herself.

I stared at her, trying to reconcile this woman—the prettiest one I’d ever seen—being our new marketing director.

Fuck.

About A.M. Williams

A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.

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The Mountain View Murder (A Wintergreen Mystery) by Patrick Kelly Book Tour and Giveaway!

The Mountain View Murder (A Wintergreen Mystery) by Patrick Kelly

About The Mountain View Murder

The Mountain View Murder (A Wintergreen Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

Publisher: Chaparral Press LLC

Paperback: 270 pages 

ISBN-10: 1734239220 

ISBN-13: 978-1734239225 

Digital - ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0977C7WVL 

Guess who cried at Lou Thorpe’s funeral

 

No one. His wife, grown children, and best friends all attended the service, but no one shed a single tear. Poor Lou. He was out for his morning walk when a crazed driver knocked him out of life. Crazed? With no car, no driver, and no witnesses, it’s difficult to say. Was it an accident or intentional?

 

Until that morning, Bill O’Shea was living the dream. After a career of fighting crime in the big city, Bill bought a condo in the beautiful mountain resort community of Wintergreen, Virginia. When he met his attractive new neighbor, Bill knew his retirement was off to a great start. But then the short-staffed police department asked Bill to help them investigate Thorpe’s death.

 

Soon, Bill fell into an old routine. Interviewing suspects. Checking alibis. Everyone had a secret to hide, but Bill lacked evidence to tie any of the suspects to the crime. He was missing something--like he had an itch he couldn’t reach to scratch.

 

Will Bill and his new friends solve the case, or will the murder of Lou Thorpe remain a mystery forever?

 

If you love beautiful mountain settings, a charming cast, and intriguing plot twists, you're going to love this new series!

 

Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language.

 

About Patrick Kelly

Pat Kelly was raised in the idyllic suburb of Yorktown, Virginia, where children ran barefoot through the grass and fished in the York River. After graduating from UVA, he left the state to pursue a career in finance. He settled in Texas, married a wonderful woman (Susie), and together they raised two daughters in Austin.

With the girls now grown and gone, Pat has pursued a lifelong love of writing stories. Countless hours at the keyboard have produced the Joe Robbins Thriller Series, two book awards, and four standalone novels.

A few years ago, Pat and Susie bought a summer home in the bucolic mountaintop resort of Wintergreen, Virginia. The beautiful vistas there inspired Pat to write a cozy mystery series featuring the reluctant detective Bill O’Shea. Join Pat’s newsletter to follow Bill’s adventures as he dodges irrepressible bears, pursues romance, and solves mysteries.

Author Links 

  Webpage: https://www.patrickkellystories.com/ 

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  FB page: https://www.facebook.com/patrickkellywriter 

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Whiskey and Sunset Nights by T.L.Anderson Release Tour!

Grayson Pierce is struggling as a single dad but he’s doing the best he can in his new normal, until feelings for his late wife’s best friend, Lily Dean start to grow more than expected. Can they work through their loss together while falling in love with each other? Readers will swoon for this second chance romance featuring a sexy widower. Fall in love with your next book boyfriend with Whiskey and Sunset Nights by T. L. Anderson, the next book in the Single Dad’s Romance series.

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Grayson

After losing the love of his life to cancer, Grayson Pierce finds himself struggling with his new normal as a single dad. Moving back home to southern Minnesota with his five-year-old daughter Ella, feels like the only option to keep his sanity.

Living on his family farm, he spends his days taking care of Ella and running his construction company - working small jobs to keep his mind off things. Until Lily Dean shows up in his kitchen.

Lily

Losing her best friend to cancer was the worst thing that could have happened to her. Having Ella and Grayson back in her hometown, keeps the memories of her friend burning in her mind.

Spending her days running her own bookstore, Lily takes Ella under her wing, allowing her to explore the world of books and helping her cope with the loss of her mother. But then, there’s Grayson.

He’s her best friend’s husband, or was.

With each passing day, Lily and Grayson find their once casual friendship slowly flourishing into something more. 

Can they work through their respective loss and let love in or are they destined for nothing more than a few shots of whiskey and sunset nights?

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Excerpt 

Copyright 2021 T.L. Anderson

My dad takes a sip of his coffee, listening intently as Ella tells him about all the stops her and Uncle Ash took. Apparently, they stopped at a rest stop that had a gigantic rubber band ball in a case, and it had over 3,000 rubber bands wrapped around it. “That’s pretty neat there, kid. I bet it was fun taking all those stops with Uncle Ash. Did you see any animals while you were driving here?” Dad asks her.

     “We did!” She looks at her hands, her eyebrows drawn down as she counts off her fingers. “We saw cows and pigs. Oh, and horses!”

    “Don’t forget the llama,” Asher chimes in as he enters the kitchen. I glance up at him while taking a sip of my coffee and freeze mid-sip as I see who’s standing next to him. My heart races as my stomach drops out.

     “Hey there, Gray.” Lily Dean stands before me.

      My heart stops as I see the only other woman who can shatter me to pieces again. Something inside of me wants to let her. Seeing her makes me feel something besides numbness. Something raw and visceral.

      Her brown hair hangs down her back in thick curls, and her blue eyes are hesitant as she stands off to the side of Asher with her hands clasped in front of her. She’s wearing a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a plain white T-shirt, which makes her tanned skin pop.

      Asher walks over to Ella, picking her up and placing her on his shoulders. “Come on, kid, let’s go see your new room.” Without another word, they head out of the kitchen.

      My dad pushes up from his seat, coffee mug still in hand. “I’m going to go help them before they cause too much chaos.” He stops next to Lily and kisses her on the cheek in a fatherly way. “It’s good to see you, Lils.”

     She breaks eye contact with me to look at my dad, her gaze filled with gratitude. “Good to see you too, Mr. Pierce.”

     “I told you call me Jack. You’re not the scraggly little ten year old anymore. We’re all friends here,” Dad calls out as he disappears from the room.

     “Lily,” I breathe out. The last time I saw her was at Missy’s funeral. Lily and Missy were inseparable. She’d come and visit us out east every year and stay for a few weeks, and she and Missy would stay up late to catch up on gossip from back home. When she showed up to the funeral, it felt like my heart was being ripped out yet again. It was always Missy and Lily. So how am I supposed to look at her now without seeing the absence of my dead wife?

     She clears her throat while shifting from one foot to the other. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just stopping by to drop your dad off some old truck manuals I found for him. He’s been fixing up that old 1972 Chevy parked in the garage. It needs a lot of work, but I think he’ll get it running again soon.” She’s rambling on about the truck, and all I can do is stare at her. “Anyways, so I didn’t realize you’d be here today. I mean I knew you were coming back home, but I didn’t know it was today. I better get going so you all can get settled in.” She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit she’s had since she was a kid.

   “It’s fine. Stay for dinner with us.” My mouth blurts out the invitation before my brain can think through if this is a good idea or bad.

  Her eyes widen. “Oh no, I can’t intrude. Ella needs time to get comfortable, and I’m sure she’ll want to spend time with Jack.”

  Just at that moment Ella comes running into the room. “Lily, if you stay for dinner, we can have a tea party after!” She squeals with excitement as she puts her hand in Lily’s catching her off guard.

     Lily looks between Ella and me. I can see the conflict written in her features as she tries to keep her distance from me, but also not let Ella down. “Oh Ells, I’d love to…”

  Before she can say anything else I cut her off, “Perfect. Ell, go wash up and you can help me and Lily cook some dinner. How about hotdogs and burgers on the grill?”

  She starts jumping up and down. “Yay! I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me!” she yells while running down the hall to the bathroom.

Lily doesn’t move. She bites her lip between her bottom teeth before speaking. “I don’t want to be a burden, Gray. I don’t want to replace…”

About T.L. Anderson

T. L. Anderson currently lives in Wisconsin where it’s freezing cold in the winter and has five months of enjoyable weather year round. Her house is filled with constant chaos between her teenage daughter and infant son, two rambunctious dogs, a stubborn cat, and guinea pigs that keep her and her husband on their toes.   Since the age of three, she has loved reading and creating her own stories in her mind. Now her passion has developed into a career. After earning a certificate from the Children's Institute of Literature she decided it was time to put the multiple characters in her head onto paper so she can share their stories with the world.  She’s the author of multiple novels which include new adult, romantic suspense, and paranormal reverse harem.   She has a slight obsession with doughnuts, coffee, and dinosaurs. When she's not writing you can find her lurking on social media looking for new books to read, taking care of her mini-zoo at home, or having her nose stuck in a book.

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About the Single Dad’s Romance Series

Seven single dads, all from different walks of life and doing the best they can to raise their children - are ready to make you fall in love. 

From the celebrity dad just trying to protect the ones he loves from the spotlight...to the silver fox who's out to prove it's never too late to have a family of your own - this single dads collection guarantees to bring you a whole lot of love and of course, a happily ever after. 

Look no further, your next book boyfriend is here!

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The Breath Between Waves Charlotte Anne Hamilton Reveal!

The Breath Between Waves
Charlotte Anne Hamilton
Published by: Entangled Embrace
Publication date: August 9th 2021
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

Penelope Fletcher gave up everything to board the RMS Titanic.

Forced to travel to America for her father’s new job, Penelope left her home in Scotland, her beloved grandmother, and even her girlfriend, who promptly got engaged to someone else. Heartbroken, Penelope isn’t looking forward to the weeklong journey. Or that her parents want her to find a husband in America. To make matters worse, she also has to share a cabin with a complete stranger.

Ruby Cole, her spunky Irish roommate, is unlike anyone Penelope ever met. They become fast friends as they bond over crushing family expectations and sneaking into lush parties together. That Ruby likes women, too, comes as a surprise to Penelope, but she knows their affair can only be temporary. Because as soon as the Titanic arrives in New York, Penelope will have to marry someone of her father’s choosing.

Before long, though, they’ll both have to decide what–and who–is really worth fighting for.

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Author Bio:

Charlotte Anne Hamilton is a blue-haired mermaid-wannabe who lives in Ayrshire, Scotland with her two fur-children, Izzy (chocolate lab) and Smudge (queen cat). She is currently studying Astronomy and Planetary Science and in her spare time she enjoys reading and gaming, as well as dabbling in all forms of art and her craft as an eclectic witch. Her main source of inspiration in writing and in life is the popular phrase: "but make it gay".

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Highland Beast by Amy Jarecki Book Blitz and Giveaway!

Highland Beast
Amy Jarecki
(The King’s Outlaws, #3)
Published by: Oliver Heber Books
Publication date: June 29th 2021
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

When Sir Arthur Campbell leads an attack claiming Dunstaffnage Castle for Robert the Bruce, he is rewarded with both the keep and surrounding lands. As he assumes the lairdship, he finds a saboteur within his ranks. He sets a trap to ensnare the culprit, only to discover the rebel is none other than Rhona MacDougall—the only woman he has ever loved.

After her clan is devastated by war, Rhona refuses to bend to Arthur’s whims. Aye, he once stole her heart, but that was before he fought against her kin. When in his presence, she plays the demure lady, though behind the scenes, she’s doing everything in her power to subvert his authority. And she thinks she has him fooled…until he beats the lass at her own game.

Prepared to meet his condemnation, Rhona bravely stands before this man whom she has deemed a beast. But Arthur confronts her with a proposition she never dreamed possible—if she proves that she can change. If not, the desire long ago burned onto their souls just might hold them both captive for eternity.

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—

EXCERPT:

Arthur followed Rhona to the well. “I’d be grateful if ye’d pour a bit of water over my hands.”

Her gaze slid to his chest while her lips parted, emitting the slightest of gasps. By the grace of God, he liked having her eyes upon him and the way her pupils grew larger. She raised the bucket and started a stream.

“Ye’ve had practice,” he said, rubbing his hands clean.

“Aye, everyone kens me to be the bucket-wielding widow.”

He chuckled as she set the pail down, picked up the hem of her apron, and set to drying his hands. Her touch was firm, yet gentle, the linen, soft and soothing. “Ye’ve had a difficult time of it over the years, have ye not?” he asked, his tone gentle.

His hands were dry, yet she continued to rub the cloth over them and up his forearms. “Things haven’t been all that bad. Ivor and I were only married a year, and he’s been gone so long, his memory is fading. I suppose it was difficult at first, but now I have Gran to look after and my patients, of course.”

“And you enjoy your work?”

Rhona’s apron fell away as she gripped his hands. “I do. Being a healer gives me a sense of purpose.”

“Just being yourself is purpose enough for me.”

She took a step nearer and raised her chin. “Ye oughtn’t remove your shirt when visiting a…um…widow.”

“Forgive—”

Within a heartbeat, she wrapped her arms around him and fused her lips to his in a passionate, burning, demanding kiss, expressing more emotion than she had during the entire day of conversation. Her tongue swirled with his in a bone-melting, fire-igniting dance. A kiss that promised to lead to so much more with frantic caressing. The discarding of clothes. The erotic sensation of flesh brushing flesh, of taut nipples, of heady, steamy, moist—

Dear God, Arthur’s knees nearly buckled as she pressed her body against his. Her breasts molded to his chest, her mons connected with his cock, making him harder and more ravenous than he’d ever been in his life.

“Forgive me,” Rhona sighed, her head dropping back. “I should not have kissed ye.”

“Never say that. Kissing you makes me forget who I am. What I’ve done. When I kiss ye, I am the only man in the world and you the only woman.” Arthur brushed his lips across hers. “I never want to stop.”

“But I’m not the same lass ye fell in love with over that fanciful summer. Nor are ye the same lad. We both have our crosses to bear.”

He moved his palms to her shoulders and took a step back. “What are ye saying?”

“I know not.” Shaking her head, Rhona hid her face in her palms. “Whenever we are together, I am always so confused.”

“Are you muddled because of the rift between Lorn and the Bruce?”

“Aye,” she said, her voice uncertain. “Ye ken I must be faithful to my granduncle and to my clan.”

“Hmm.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and closed his eyes tightly. By the gods, he wanted her more than life’s breath, but she needed to want him with equal fervor and without a rift tearing apart her heart. The lass was too conflicted and until she reconciled her loyalties, she would not love him as much as he loved her. No matter how much he wanted to bend his knee and ask the question to make her his, he mustn’t push her. “I’ve been away from my post for long enough. I must be heading back.”

As he released her, she stepped away. “Now?”

He bowed. “My thanks for an enjoyable afternoon spent in your company, mistress. Mayhap we can sing another round of ‘The Twa Sisters’ again soon.”

With that, he straightened and walked away. It took a will of iron, but Arthur did not look back.

Author Bio:

Multi-Award winning and Amazon Bestselling author, Amy Jarecki likes to grab life, latch on and reach for the stars. She's married to a mountain-biking pharmacist and has put four kids through college. She studies karate, ballet, yoga, and often you'll find her hiking Utah's Santa Clara Hills. Reinventing herself a number of times, Amy sang and danced with the Follies, was a ballet dancer, a plant manager, and an accountant for Arnott's Biscuits in Australia. After earning her MBA from Heroit-Watt University in Scotland, she dove into the world of historical romance and hasn't returned. Become a part of her world and learn more about Amy's books on amyjarecki.com, find her on Facebook and Twitter as @amyjarecki.

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Draw and Order (A Paint & Shine Mystery) by Cheryl Hollon Book and Giveaway!

-  Draw and Order (A Paint & Shine Mystery) by Cheryl Hollon

About Draw and Order

 

Draw and Order (A Paint & Shine Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series 

Publisher: Kensington (June 29, 2021) 

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages 

ISBN-10: 1496725263 

ISBN-13: 978-1496725264 

Digital ASIN: B08KKMYPCT

Appalachian artist and local guide Miranda Trent opens a new murder investigation after her Paint & Shine tour group discovers the remains of a missing hiker along an ancient trail . . .

 

For her latest excursion, Miranda is thrilled to take a close-knit group of rock climbers, the Risky Business Adventurers, up the challenging Battleship Rock Trail to paint and sample moonshine. But the outing is cut short when they discover a skeleton near the trailhead. Even more startling, the bones belong to Howard Cable, Miranda’s cousin…and a former classmate of the Risky Business group.

 

The sheriff chalks it up to a hiking accident, but Miranda isn’t convinced that Howard, an experienced woodsman, died within sight of a well-marked trail. So, with the help of Ranger Austin Morgan, Miranda sets out on her own investigation and discovers that the Risky Business group is keeping plenty of secrets. But is one of them hiding the truth about Howard’s death?

 

About Cheryl Hollon

Cheryl Hollon now writes full-time after she left an engineering career of designing and building military flight simulators in amazing countries such as England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, she combines her love of writing with a passion for creating glass art. In the small glass studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cheryl and her husband design, create, and produce fused glass, stained glass, and painted glass artworks. Visit her online at http://cherylhollon.com, on Facebook or on Twitter @CherylHollon.

Purchase Links: Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play IndieBound 

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The Imperial Orchid Nicola Italia Book Blitz and Giveaway!

The Imperial Orchid
Nicola Italia
Publication date: June 22nd 2021
Genres: Historical Romance

At the end of the Victorian era, Orchid Mania has gripped the wealthy and aristocratic men of England. Collectors are willing to spend a small fortune to obtain the rare flowers from distant lands. Lord Holloway, president of the Royal Horticultural Society in London, has decided to finance an expedition team to Ceylon to capture one of the rarest orchids on earth.

Frances Wakefield is an educated woman and a gifted illustrator and has traveled throughout Europe documenting various plants and flowers for the Society. When Lord Holloway handpicks her to travel to Ceylon as a member of the expedition team, she is thrilled.

When she lands in Egypt to meet the other team members, she comes face-to-face with Miles St. Clair, Lord Holloway’s son and heir. He is the arrogant, handsome, insufferable man she encountered at several soirees in London and the team’s leader.

Frances soon learns the trip to Ceylon is to find a very rare orchid. But someone has been watching Lord Holloway’s expedition team, and treachery is afoot. While the expedition intensifies, so does the growing attraction between Miles and Frances, who must work together if they hope to make it out of Ceylon alive.

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EXCERPT:

Miles rubbed his chin and felt the growth of a day’s beard. He could barely remember the night before except that he had lost a goodly sum on whist, and he vaguely recalled a blonde half-naked in his arms.

He opened his eyes gingerly and saw that there was no blonde in sight, and he was indeed lying in a bed in one of his favorite brothels. The curtains covering the windows were crimson red, and the bed was a plush mattress in an ornate wooden frame with baby cupids detailed in the artwork. He groaned as his head ached; he had lost count of the number of whiskeys he had consumed the night before.

He contemplated looking for his trousers and getting dressed, but he knew that would cause his head to pound more. He preferred to lie in bed a while more until he felt a little better.

A sharp knock fell upon the door, and he looked up, wincing. He looked around but knew he was very much alone. Had the blonde returned? He wasn’t up for any more love play.

“Come in,” he called out.

He grinned with relief when his companion and long-time friend from university, Percival Browne, entered the room.

“You look like half-baked shit,” Percival told his friend as he picked up Miles’s trousers from the floor. Miles groaned as he caught the pants Percival flung at him.

“I don’t remember much of last night, Percy. Except that I lost a fair amount, and there was a blonde.” He tossed the bed sheets back and pulled on his trousers.

“Do you see my shir—” he began just as the clothing article hit him in the face.

“Cheers, mate,” Percival said as he took a chair opposite the bed. Miles narrowed his eyes at his friend as he pulled his shirt on.

“And did you say, ‘lost a fair amount?’” Percy eased the chair back. “If I recall the exact amount you lost as the correct amount, your best bet is to go to America and start afresh, so your father doesn’t skin you alive.”

Author Bio:

Nicola spent her childhood in Los Angeles. As a young student in elementary school, she had a great fondness for reading and began to write creatively. She graduated from university with a degree in communications and held a variety of positions in journalism, education, government and non profit.

Nicola has traveled extensively throughout Europe, China and Central America.
Nicola's goal is to create rich characters with a strong male lead and a passionate female lead.

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