How to Cowboy by Jennie Marts Book Blitz and Giveaway! @JennieMarts #XpressoTours⁣ @XpressoTours⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

How to Cowboy
Jennie Marts
(Creedence Horse Rescue, #3)
Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: December 28th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

For fans of Carolyn Brown, Maisey Yates, and Jennifer Ryan, this steamy, emotional cowboy romance has all your favorites:

• A hunky single dad showing his daughter the ropes
• A heroine looking for a fresh start
• Leaning on each other through hard times
• Irresistible attraction
• Rescue horses and ranch animals with lots of personality

How do you heal a broken heart?

After one injury too many, Cade Callahan gave up the rodeo for a simpler life working at his cousin’s horse rescue ranch. But his life turns upside down when his estranged daughter is placed in his custody after a tragic car accident. Wanting nothing to do with her father, thirteen-year-old Allie struggles to adjust to her new life.

Newly single and living out of her mother’s basement, physical therapist Nora Fisher doesn’t think twice about taking a job as a traveling therapist for Cade’s daughter. The trouble is, she doesn’t know anything about horses, or hunky cowboys. Now both in way over their heads, can Cade and Nora find a way to help Allie, and trust in the attraction building between them?

Praise for Jennie Marts:
“Full of hope, humor, and undeniable swoon.”—A.J. Pine, USA Today bestselling author
“Funny, complicated, and irresistible. Sometimes a cowboy isn’t perfect but you got to love him anyway.”—Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author, for Caught Up in a Cowboy
“The perfect blend of humor, grit, and sexy cowboy spice. Delicious!”—Kari Lynn Dell, award-winning and bestselling author, for Wish Upon a Cowboy
“Deliciously steamy but still sweet, with a secret at its heart.”—Joanne Kennedy, award-winning and bestselling author, for Wish Upon a Cowboy

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Cade flinched at the sound of her bedroom door slamming. He leaned his shoulder against the side of the house and let out a sigh. “I don’t get it. What did I say?”

Nora put a hand on his arm. “Nothing. She’s a teenager, so her moods are going to be all over the place.”

“But I thought things were going so well. She was even laughing at lunch.”

“Which might be part of the problem. Remember, she just lost her mom and has been uprooted to this new place. She might feel guilty for having fun or for enjoying this farm—like if she starts to like you and Bryn too much, that it will be a betrayal to her mom.”

“You might be right.” He offered her a smile. “What’s that advice gonna cost me?”

She grinned up at him. “One baked ziti dinner.”

“Done. I’ll even throw in a slice of pie.” He tried to laugh, but the anguish of the situation was getting to him, and he dropped his chin to his chest. “Ya know, I consider myself a pretty tough guy, but this parenting stuff is rough.”

Nora took a step toward him. “I have to warn you that I’m a hugger by nature, and it’s killing me not to be able to offer you a hug. Like I’m totally comin’ in hot right now, so if you don’t want to be smothered in a hug, you need to stop me now.”

The idea of wrapping his arms around Nora had emotions burning his throat. Which was weird since his feelings toward women weren’t generally led by his heart. But something about this woman, with her sunny attitude and her giving nature was getting to him. He opened his arms, and she stepped into them and wrapped herself around him.

He let out his breath as she sunk into him, and he bent his head and buried his face in her hair. “You feel good,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. “I mean this feels good.”

“So do you,” she murmured into his chest.

She pulled back, but he wasn’t ready to let her go and kept his arms circled around her waist. She looked up at from under long eyelashes, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

There was something here. He knew it, and he was sure she did too. The electricity between them was almost visible as if it shimmered in the air. They’d been teasing and flirting and touching the last few days, but this felt different. This was more than playful flirtation.

He dropped his gaze to her mouth and wanted to groan. Her lips were plump and parted, as if just begging to be kissed.

He leaned down and softly grazed her lips with his—not quite a kiss but enough to feel the soft catch of her breath and the delicious enticement of her mouth.

“What’s this going to cost me?” he whispered, but he already knew the answer.

It was going to cost him everything.

Author Bio:

Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books "laugh out loud" funny and the "perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam." Fic Central claimed one of her books was "the most fun I've had reading in years.”

She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She's addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can't have too many books, shoes, or friends.

Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.

Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Pinterest / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:

The Price of Redemption (The Dutchmen MC, #1) by ML Nystrom! @buoni_amici_press @mlnystrom #BAPpr #The PriceOfRedemptionBlogTour

Title: The Price of Redemption (The Dutchmen MC, #1) 

Author: ML Nystrom 

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Release Date: December 26, 2021 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

From bestselling author ML Nystrom comes a new darker breed of bikers. Hold on for the ride and meet The Dutchmen MC.

Some men can never be redeemed.

Iceman has a reputation for being the coldest and most ruthless biker in the Dutchmen MC. He has no loyalties to anyone or anything outside his club. The people who go against him or betray the club find themselves in serious pain... or dead. 

Then one afternoon trouble in the form of a blonde walks into his life.

Gabriella doesn’t want to be here. She doesn’t want to enter this biker world of crime, cards, and sex, but her uncle has left her little choice. She must make a deal with Iceman to protect the ones she loves. In doing so, she finds more than she bargained for.

Iceman must face the demons of his past while Gabriella must face the monsters of her future. Are either of them willing to pay the price of their redemption?  

AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | 

ML Nystrom had stories in her head since she was a child.  All sorts of stories of fantasy, romance, mystery, and anything else that captured her interest.  A voracious reader, she’s spent many hours devouring books; therefore, she found it only fitting she should write a few herself!  

ML has spent most of her life as a performing musician and band instrument repair technician, but that doesn’t mean she’s pigeon-holed into one mold.  She’s been a university professor, belly dancer, craftsperson, soap maker, singer, rock band artist, jewelry maker, lifeguard, swim coach, and whatever else she felt like exploring.  As one of her students said to her once, "Life’s too short to ignore the opportunities."  She has no intention of ever stopping... so welcome to her story world. She hopes you enjoy it!

Forever Mason by Heidi McLaughlin Release Blitz! @buoni_amici_press @heidimclaughlinauthor #BAPpr #ForeverMasonReleaseBlitz

Title: Forever Mason Author: Heidi McLaughlin 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Release Date: December 28, 2021 

Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. 

Mason Powell. Best friend. Boyfriend. Husband. Father.

He’s the young man you know but have never met. He’s the man who chose love over friendship. He’s the man who would do anything for his family and friends. He’s the man who stepped up when someone wasn’t there. He’s the man who has a story to tell.

Be there when Mason tells his life story. Be there when Mason falls in love with Katelyn. Be there when Mason makes the fateful decision that ends his friendship with Liam Westbury. Be there when his life changes forever. Be there when . . .

AMAZON

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com

Meet the Character Day: Chatting with Luther from Loving a Wild Stranger By Kelli A. Wilkins

Meet the Character Day: Chatting with Luther from Loving a Wild Stranger

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

This “Meet the Character Day” blog is part of a series examining my romance novels. In each “Behind the Scenes” blog, I talk about why I wrote the book, share my thoughts on the plot and/or characters, and reveal what I loved most (or least) about writing the book. The “Meet the Character Day” blogs are fun chats with the heroes and heroines from my romances. Warning: blogs may contain spoilers.

Please give a warm welcome to Luther Dubois from Loving a Wild Stranger, a historical romance by Kelli A. Wilkins. Today we sit down and see what makes Luther tick.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

Well, as readers may know, I live in a cabin in the Michigan Territory. Up until I met Michelle, my world was pretty much centered on tending to my daily chores, hunting, trapping, and staying alive. The lifestyle I lead isn’t easy, and my greatest challenges include what most modern, civilized folks take for granted: food, water, and shelter. 

I lived alone for several years and learned to adapt to the harsh conditions. When Michelle became my wife, she had a hard time adjusting. She’s from a very wealthy family in New York and was used to a fancy house with lots of luxuries. When she came out west, she wasn’t prepared for life in the wilderness and had to learn a whole new way of living.

Please tell us about your first-meet with Michelle.

I thought she was pretty, and vulnerable. I felt sorry for her because she was all alone in a strange place, and she seemed lost. I was thrilled when she told me she was my mail order bride. I’d been waiting for one for so long, that I couldn’t believe she had finally arrived.

Michelle is a beautiful lady and I was honored that she’d be coming home with me. Of course, once we got back to my cabin, things didn’t go the way I had imagined… Michelle wasn’t expecting to live in a secluded cabin in the woods with a stranger and that made her nervous and a bit annoyed… We got into an argument and I wasn’t sure things would ever work out between us. 

We really got off to a bad start… If you’ve read the book, you know we had our ups and downs, and it took a while for us to learn how to get along.

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

I’m reliable. I take my responsibilities seriously, and I know how important it is to be prepared for anything. But I also have a good sense of humor and like to have fun.

What do you like least about yourself?

Sometimes I’m very stubborn, and that’s gotten me into a few bad situations.

What are some of your favorite things to do to pass the time?

I enjoy being outside as much as possible, so my favorite things are hiking in the woods, swimming in the lake, or admiring a spectacular sunrise. I’m part Ojibwa, and I have a great respect for nature and the environment. 

What is it about Michelle that makes you crazy in a good way?

How many can I choose? (Laughs.) Michelle has been making me crazy from the minute I met her and brought her to my cabin. 

At first, it wasn’t always ‘crazy’ in the good way, but I’ve come to love her, quirks and all. She’s stubborn and opinionated and likes to do things her own way—until someone can explain ‘why’ she shouldn’t. Although at times that makes me crazy, I admire her. 

She’s a strong woman who has overcome a lot of obstacles, and yet she also has a very passionate, feminine side that drives me crazy in a very good, but very naughty, way!

Do you sometimes want to strangle your writer for the things she makes you do?

On one hand, yes, absolutely! My life would be so much easier and less complicated if Kelli hadn’t dropped one bad thing after another on me. I’ve had troubles with the local townspeople, I’ve been in jail, gotten into fights, nearly lost Michelle twice, had conflicts with my family, and I was almost killed by a bear and a raging psycho. Thanks, Kelli! 

Although Kelli always gets me out of these messes, it would be nice if things were easy once in a while. However, I have to thank her. If it weren’t for Kelli bringing Michelle and me together, my life would be very lonely.

Favorite food?

I’d say venison (or rabbit) with wild rice. Living in the wilderness doesn’t offer a lot of exotic food choices. 

Describe yourself in four words.

Loyal, honest, passionate, and caring.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a trapper and trader, and I make my living selling pelts and skins. I also make furniture and do wood carvings.  

What do you fear the most?

One of my biggest fears is losing Michelle. I already nearly lost her twice and she’s very precious to me. I also sometimes fear that something could happen to me—and then I wonder, what would happen to Michelle? But now that I’ve reconnected with my family, I have their support, and I know that Michelle and I are going to be just fine for many years to come. 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Kelli asked me to tell readers that she is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20 romance novels, 5 horror ebooks, and 7 non-fiction books. She just released two new mysteries: More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel.

She says readers can visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings. 

I can’t wait to read all of her historical romances. I want to see what other interesting characters she has written about and follow their adventures. 

Thank you for letting me chat here today. I hope everyone reads Loving a Wild Stranger and all of Kelli’s other romances. If you missed any blog in this series, you can catch up here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/blog

Here’s the book summary and links…

Loving a Wild Stranger

A woman running from her past… straight into the arms of an untamed man

In a moment of desperation, Kathleen Stanton flees her pampered life in Kingston, New York and ends up stranded in a small town in the Michigan Territory. Out of money and forced to rely on her instincts, she impersonates a handsome stranger’s mail-order bride. 

Committed to her deception, Kathleen calls herself Michelle and starts her new life with Luther in an isolated cabin in the wilderness. Luther can’t believe his luck when his beautiful bride arrives, but something doesn’t feel right about his new wife. Michelle has terrifying nightmares involving a man named Roger and is reluctant to talk about where she came from. 

Luther’s friend, Redfeather visits and tries to convince Luther to send Michelle back east. Distrusting Michelle, he warns Luther that his bride is not what she seems. But Luther is in love with Michelle, and he is harboring a secret of his own—one that might force Michelle to reject him when she learns the truth.

Michelle falls in love with Luther and adapts to her new way of life. Together, they face off against brutal townspeople and overcome harsh living conditions. When they finally give in to their desires and agree to become a proper man and wife, a dark figure from Michelle’s past resurfaces and threatens to destroy everything. 

Order Loving a Wild Stranger here:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6M551H  

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4N1DGN 

Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/loving-a-wild-stranger

Kelli made a Facebook page for her historical romances. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories. 

Her non-fiction tale, “The Dog That Wouldn’t Bark” recently appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog anthology. 

She also released two horror shorts, More Than I Bargained For and Silent Sentinel in 2021. 

In January 2021, Kelli published Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing. This fun and innovative guide to journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get you writing about your feelings and emotions.

 

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor. 

Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and to find all her social media links.

 

The Gunslinger's Guide to Avoiding Matrimony Reveal! @XpressoTours #XpressoTours @michellemcleanbooks

The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony
Michelle McLean
(Gunslinger, #2)
Published by: Entangled: Amara
Publication date: July 26th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance, Western

This gunslinger has two rules, and he’s about to break both of them for her in this next installment of the laugh-out-loud western romcom from Michelle McLean.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

Michelle McLean is a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl who is addicted to chocolate and Goldfish crackers and spent most of her formative years with her nose in a book. She has degrees in history and English and is thrilled that she sort of gets to use them. Her novel Truly, Madly, Sweetly, written as Kira Archer, was adapted as a Hallmark Original movie in 2018.

When Michelle’s not working, reading, or chasing her kids around, she can usually be found baking, diamond painting, or trying to find free wall space upon which to hang her diamond paintings. She resides in PA with her husband and two teens, the world’s most spoiled dog, and a cat who absolutely rules the house. She also writes contemporary romance as USA Today bestselling author Kira Archer.

For more info on Michelle and her work, please visit her website at michellemcleanbooks.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Hosted by:

Toasted by Tracy Broemmer Release Blitz! @indie_pen_pr @TracyBroemmer

Instead of getting married, Grant Gerritsen nurses his broken heart by sharing one night of flirty, fun adventure with supposed-to-be bridesmaid Zoey Voss. Will romance spark between the two, or are their escapades just a New Year’s Eve fling? Readers who love Emily Griffin and Lexi Ryan, will enjoy Toasted by Tracy Broemmer, a one night fling, runaway groom, contemporary romance.

Blurb

Instead of getting married at St. Andrew’s Church, runaway groom Grant Gerritsen is throwing back shots at the Whistling Dragon to forget his bride-to-be. He’s nursing his angry, broken heart alone in the New Year’s Eve crowd…

Until supposed-to-be bridesmaid Zoey Voss shows up at the Whistling Dragon desperate for a phone to call a cab to get back to her hotel.

When Grant saves his ex-fianceé’s childhood friend from an unkempt stranger at the bar, a night of flirty, fun adventure begins. Will Grant and Zoey kindle a friendship of their own or are their escapades just a New Year’s Eve fling?

Add to Goodreads!

Buy Now on Amazon!

Excerpt

Copyright 2021 Tracy Broemmer

“You sure you wanna do this?” He bumped her arm with his. She had slipped his coat back over her shoulders, and now she held the coat tightly around her middle.
“I want to do this.”
“Do we have a story?” he asked as they hurried up the two steps and the sidewalk to the front door. Through the windows, Grant saw rooms crowded with people of all ages and sizes. The current song was something by Elvis. A Christmas tree lit up the corner of the front room. Several people held Solo cups.
“Think there’s a keg?” she asked quietly.
“Maybe.” He leaned close to the window to see better. “Doesn’t look like an all-college crowd, though.”
“College kids don’t have the corner on kegs.” She shrugged.
“Do we have a story?” he asked again.
“Let’s wing it.” She tugged at his arm and pulled him to the door. Seconds after Grant rang the bell, the door swung open. Zoey peeked up at him as a young kid leaned around the door with a sloppy grin. He didn’t particularly look of age, but he did look smashed.
“Hey! C’min.” The kid backed up and threw a hand out in welcome. “Zip’s in the kitchen, man. Grab a drink.”
“Great.” Grant ushered Zoey inside and then closed the door. Small groups of people everywhere yelled to be heard over the deafening music. Grant reached for Zoey’s hand, pleased when she linked her fingers in his and followed him. The kitchen was obviously in the back of the house, so Grant led her that way. The wooden door swung closed behind them. More people gathered around the island counter, but the music was a bit quieter in here.
“Hey.” A tall bald guy nodded at them. Since he was surrounded by people—four girls and two guys—Grant decided he might be Zip.
“How ya doin’, Zip?” he asked with a knowing smile.
“Where’ve you been, man? Haven’t seen you in ages.” Zip stepped forward and offered Grant his hand.
“No kidding.” Grant shook his hand. “Been around. Same old same old.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Zip nodded enthusiastically. “Grab a drink. Catch up. I think Doug’s out back. Bet you haven’t seen him in years.”
“I haven’t!” Grant suppressed a laugh when Zoey squeezed his hand. “Remember Zoey?” He pulled her in close to him.
“Hey, yes!” Zip left the group he had been talking to and approached them with open arms. He swallowed Zoey up in a big hug and then gave Grant a bro hug, complete with a slap on the back. “Fancy digs, guys.”
He stepped back to eye Grant’s vest and Zoey’s dress.
“Well.” Grant aimed a sheepish grin at Zoey. “We eloped tonight.”
“Say what?”
Zoey looked at him with wild eyes, as if she seconded what Zip had said.

Buy Now on Amazon!

About Tracy Broemmer 

An only child, Tracy Broemmer grew up with a wild imagination. An avid reader from a young age, she spent a lot of time with her nose buried in books and a lot of time making up her own stories. She penned her first book in grade school and hasn’t stopped writing since then. When she’s not writing, you might find her with a book in hand, or maybe a glass of wine, or maybe a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Tracy enjoys spending time with her family, traveling with her husband of twenty-eight years, music, NFL, and MLB. Tracy is the author of the Lorelei Bluffs women’s fiction series, the Williams Legacy, and several stand-alone women’s fiction novels. She has recently dabbled in contemporary romance, as well. Tracy’s books have been called gripping, emotional, and timely, and readers describe her characters as real and relatable.

Follow: Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon | Website | TikTok

This promotional event is brought to you by Indie Pen PR

The Burden of Innocence by John Nardizzi Spotlight Tour!

The Burden of Innocence

by John Nardizzi

December 6, 2021 - January 31, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Private investigators Ray Infantino and Tania Kong take on the case of Sam Langford, framed for a murder committed by a crime boss at the height of his powers.

But a decade later, Boston has changed. The old ethnic tribes have weakened. As the PIs range across the city, witnesses remember the past in dangerous ways. The gangsters know that, in the new Boston, vulnerable witnesses they manipulated years ago are shaky. Old bones will not stay buried forever.

As the gang sabotages the investigation, will Ray and Tania solve the case in time to save an innocent man?

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Crime Noir
Published by: Weathertop Media Co.
Publication Date: December 5, 2021
Number of Pages: 290
ISBN: 978-1-7376876-0-3
Series: PI Ray Infantino Series, #2
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

Read an excerpt:

Part 1

A SYSTEM OF JUSTICE
Boston Massachusetts

Chapter 1

Two burly guards from the sheriff's department walked Sam Langford to the van. He noticed a newspaper wedged in a railing—his name jumped off the page in bold print: Jury to Decide Langford’s Fate In Waterfront Slaying. The presumption of innocence was a joke. You took the guilt shower no matter what the jury decided. He thought of his mother then, and the old ladies like her, reading the headline as they sipped their morning coffee across the city. He was innocent. But they would hate him forever.

A guard shoved Langford’s head below the roofline. He sat down in the cargo section, the only prisoner today. The guard secured him to a bar that ran the length of the floor, the chain rattling an icy tune. The van squealed off.

Langford's head felt so light it could drift right off his shoulders. The van lurched, and he slid on the cold metal bench. The driver bumped the van into some potholes. Langford dug his heels into the floor. This was a guard-approved amusement ride, bouncing felon maggots off good 'ol American steel. Sam had observed this man that morning. Something about his face was troubling. Sheriffs, guards, cops—most of them were okay. They didn't bother him because he didn't bother them. But cop work attracted certain men who hid their true selves. Men with a vicious streak that could turn an average day into a private torture chamber. These men were cancers to be avoided. Average days were what he wanted in jail. No violent breaks in the tedium.

The van careened on and stopped at a loading dock of the hulking courthouse, which jutted in the sky like a pale granite finger accusing the heavens. The last day of trial. Outside, Langford saw TV news vans and raised satellite dishes, the reporters being primped and padded for the live shot. The rear doors opened and the guard's shaved skull appeared in silhouette. He tensed as the guard grabbed his arm and pulled him out. The guard wore a thin smile. “We'll take the smooth road back. Just for you,” he muttered.

A clutch of photographers hovered behind a wall above the dock. Langford looked up at the blue sky, as he always did, focusing on breathing deeply. He would never assist, not for a minute, in his own degradation. He was innocent. He would not cooperate. Let them run their little circus, the cameras, the shouted questions, boom microphones drooped over his head to pick up a stray utterance. He leveled his jaw and looked past them. He knew he had no chance with them.

The guards walked him inside the courthouse and to an elevator. The chains clanked as they swung with his movement. They took the elevator to the eight floor where a court officer escorted the group into a hallway. Langford pulled his body erect toward the ceiling, as high as he could get. He intended to walk in the courtroom like some ancient Indian chieftain, unbowed. He was innocent and that sheer fact gave him some steel, yes it did.

The door opened and he stepped inside the courtroom. The gallery looked packed full, as usual. Cameras clicked. Low voices in the crowd hissed venom. “Death sentence is too good for you, asshole,” whispered one. He whispered a bit too loudly. A court officer wasted no time, hustling over and guiding the man to the exit.

Langford walked ahead, keeping his dark eyes focused. His family might watch this someday. Some ragged old news clip showing their son's dark history. He struggled to keep the light burning behind his eyes. Something true, something eternal might show through. At least he hoped so. He had told his lawyer there would be no last-minute plea deal; he was innocent, and that was it.

As he walked, he felt the eyes of the crowd pick over him, watching for some involuntary tic that would betray his thoughts. But fear roiled his belly. He was afraid, no doubt. He knew the old saying that convicted murderers sat at the head table in the twisted hierarchy of a prison. But the fact remained—every prisoner walked next to a specter of sudden violence. He desperately wanted to avoid prison.

Keys rattled in the high-ceilinged courtroom as the officers unchained him. He rubbed his wrists and then sat down at the defense table. His defense lawyer, George Sterling, took the seat next to him. He was dressed in a dark blue suit with a bright orange-yellow tie. The color seemed garish for the occasion.

“How you doing, Sam?”

“Hopeful. But ready for the worst.”

Sterling grabbed his hand and shook it firmly. But his eyes betrayed him. Langford got a sense even his lawyer felt a catastrophe was coming.

The mother of the dead woman sat one row away from his own mother. Even here, mothers bore the greatest pain. Both women stared at him. Langford nodded to his mother as she mouthed the words, "I love you". He smiled briefly. He glanced at the mother of the dead girl but looked away. Her eyes blazed with hatred and pain. He wanted to say something. But the odds were impossible. The reporters would misconstrue any gesture; the court officers might claim he threatened her. He saw no way out. Even a basic act of human kindness became muddled in a courtroom.

A court officer yelled, “All rise.” The whispers died down, and the gallery rose. The judge came in from chambers in a black-robed flurry. The lawyers went to sidebar, that curious phenomenon where they gather and whisper at the judge's bench like kids in detention. Then the judge signaled the sidebar was over and told the court officer to bring in the jury. The jurors walked to the jury box, every one of them fixed with a blank look on their faces. None of them met his eyes. One juror eventually looked over at him. He tried to gauge his fate in her flat eyes, the set of her face. But there was nothing to see.

As the judge and lawyers spoke, the lightheadedness left him. Everything came into focus. Langford watched the foreperson hand a slip of paper to a court officer. She took a few steps and handed the paper to the judge. The judge pushed gray hairs off her forehead, examined the paper and placed it on her desk. A silence descended. Shuffles of feet, small muted coughs. People waited for a meteor to hit the earth. The clerk read the docket number into the record and the judge looked over to the foreperson, a woman with long dark hair and glasses. “On indictment 2001183 charging the defendant Samuel Langford with murder, what say you madame foreperson, is the defendant not guilty or guilty of murder in the first degree?”

“We find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree.”

To Langford, the words seemed unreal, from a world away. A mist slid over his eyes. Gasps of joy, cries of surprise. A few spectators began clapping. The judge banged the gavel. Someone sobbed behind him, and this sound he knew; his mother was crying now openly. His body petrified. He couldn't turn around.

Sterling put one hand on his shoulder, which snapped him back. The gesture irritated him. He didn't want to be touched. Sterling’s junior assistant cupped his hand over his mouth. Sterling said something about the evidence, they would file an appeal. Langford stared at him. The reality of his new life began to emerge.

The process moved quickly, the ending like all good endings—neat, nothing overdone, but nothing left to wonder about either. Court officers shackled him again and stood clasping his arms. The judge thanked the jury for their service. Langford felt overwhelmed by absurdity—they were being thanked for sending an innocent man to prison. The gulf between the truth and what was happening made him feel sick; they believed he had killed the poor woman. The judge told the lawyers to prepare for sentencing in a week. A guard pushed him through a door to the right and he could hear muffled sounds, people calling his name, as if the voices came through a dense fog over a distance. His head, floating, floating beyond the real.

It was over.

Down the long corridor they moved him, toward the rear lot and the prisoner's dock. A flock of reporters circled the van. “Any comment, Mr. Langford?” “Mr. Langford, will you appeal this verdict?” “Do you want to say something to the family of the victim?” Then a hand pushed down on the back of his head and he stooped inside the van. The guard chained him to the floor. There was that slight smile on his lips.

The engine shot to life. Langford waited for the door to close. Sludge ran through his veins. He closed his eyes and let despair surge through his heart.

Chapter 2

15 years later

In a corner at the Sanchez Boxing Gym in the South End, Ray Infantino braced his lean frame, fired a jab, threw a left hook off the jab and smashed an overhand right. The heavy bag jerked on the chain like a drunken tourist caught out late in the wrong part of town. He moved around the heavy bag, feet sliding, not hopping. He threw another right cross and then switched stances, the right foot in the lead. He hooked a low right followed by an overhead left. His father showed him that move when he was a kid. He stopped once the bell rang for the end of the round. Sweat poured off his toned physique.

He pulled off the gloves to tighten his hand wraps. He wrapped his hands the way his father had taught: loop the thumb and then through the fingers, making the fist a steel ball. It pissed him off when he saw other fighters not wrapping between the fingers, a lack of finesse he found appalling.

There was action all over the gym—sparring in the three rings, prospects putting in their bag work, trainers barking out instructions. Two young men gathered nearby and watched him. They were new. Ray had never seen them before. After he finished his workout, one of them ventured toward him.

“You fight pretty good.”

“Thanks.”
“Hope I’m good as you when I’m that old.”
Ray whipped a fist toward the guy and stopped an inch from his face. The guy's mouth gaped. His friend broke out laughing. Ray walked away and pointed at the man. “Show some respect when you come in here,” he said. “Forty ain't old.”

He laughed and headed to the showers. The last few days were a rare respite from the grind. When his case involving a missing woman in the San Francisco underworld hit the news, his business boomed. He was a name now. That’s how it worked in the legal business. When you were newsworthy, clients deemed it safe to pay large retainers up front, and he could decline work he didn’t want. He still kept his black hair long in back and kept lean and fit, preserving illusions of youth, but he knew his time in this business was closer to the end than the beginning. By the end of the case in San Francisco, he had come to accept what happened. His old life was gone forever. His relationship with Dominique did not seem like it would survive. But the haunted rims below his eyes faded and he felt reinvigorated, ready for new challenges.

He headed out for a coffee at a cafe across the street. Last year, his doctor advised him he should cut down, but he felt it was a minor vice. Not healthy to deny the small things that make life worth living. He took a seat in the window. He appreciated his new place in the South End. Long a home to Latino and black families, the 1990s brought an influx of new residents like him to the old brownstones—downtown office workers, architects, gay couples—looking for the rich canvas of city living. Block by block, cafes and restaurants were renovated, old wood paneling stripped and refurbished, the construction boom rolling out toward Massachusetts Avenue. He enjoyed walking the uneven brick sidewalks and coming upon vestiges of the old neighborhood: a bookstore packed with two floors of hardcovers in an old brownstone, the painted letters on a brick wall of the long closed Sahara restaurant, hollyhocks that bloomed from a tucked away corner.

His cell phone rang and he saw the call forwarded from his office. He remembered that his receptionist Sheri had taken the day off.

“Ray Infantino Agency, how can I help you?”

“Hi, this is Dan Stone. I'm a defense lawyer here in Boston. I got your name from a lawyer I met at a bar event—you came highly recommended. Wondering if you might be able to help me on an old murder case. I'm going to see a new client, Sam Langford. Not sure if you heard about the case, it began over fifteen years ago.”

“I don't remember it.”

“Langford's case was high profile at the time. A violent rape-murder on the waterfront. The trial brought out the worst: witnesses with serious drug addictions, rogue cops. People thought Langford looked like the cleanest guy in the courthouse. But the jury still convicted. There was a dead girl. Someone needed to pay. Langford was easy. Not necessarily the right guy, but he was the available target.”

Ray was used to this nonsense from defense lawyers. No one was guilty in their world. Still, he recalled now that he had heard something of Stone: bright guy, a plugger in the courtroom, well prepared rather than depending on flashy trial antics.

“I'm going to see him this week and want to reach out to see if you would come with me. Schedule permitting. We have learned a few things, and he says he wants to talk over the next steps. I believe he is innocent, Ray. He's been trying for close to fifteen years to prove it. You know the standard in these cases. Very high bar.”

“Cops are allowed a lot of leeway to be wrong.”

“Right. We have to show intent, or at least recklessness, when it comes to police misconduct. If we can uncover new evidence, I would plan on filing a motion for a new trial within a year.”

Stone went blabbing on about the legal issues. “So what do you think?

He had time to take it on. “Is this a private case?”

Stone hesitated. “No. I'm appointed by the public defender's office.”

“Impossible odds and crappy pay. How can I resist?”

Stone laughed. “Okay then. I know this is real short notice, but any chance you're free this afternoon?”

Ray checked his schedule. “That's fine. Where’s he held?”

“Walpole. There was an incident at the max so they moved him there.”

“I'll meet you in the lobby at 1:00 PM.”

Ray hung up the phone and stood up, gazing out the window at the copper rooftops. The odds were terrible in such cases. He thought back to his father Leo and how they had destroyed him. He decided that the next time there was an uneven fight, he would ensure the little guy had a weapon.

***

Excerpt from The Burden of Innocence by John Nardizzi. Copyright 2021 by John Nardizzi. Reproduced with permission from John Nardizzi. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

John Nardizzi is writer and investigator. His work on innocence cases led to the exoneration Gary Cifizzari and James Watson, as well as million dollar settlements for clients Dennis Maher and the estate of Kenneth Waters, whose story was featured in the film Conviction.
His crime novels won praise for crackling dialogue and pithy observations of detective work. He speaks and writes about investigations in numerous settings, including World Association of Detectives, Lawyers Weekly, Pursuit Magazine and PI Magazine. Prior to his PI career, he failed to hold any restaurant job for longer than a week. He lives near Boston, Massachusetts.

Catch Up With John Nardizzi:
JohnNardizzi.com
Goodreads
BookBub -- @johnf4
Twitter -- @AuthorPI
Facebook -- @rayinfantino1

Want to start an InstaParty? Join us at #JohnNardizzi!

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

 Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours