Emma's Tapestry by Isobel Blackthorn Book Tour and Review!

 

Emma’s Tapestry by Isobel Blackthorn

Book information

• Purchase link: http://mybook.to/emmastapestry

• Genre:  Historical fiction

• Print length: 311 pages

• Age range: This is an adult book but suitable for mature teens

• Trigger warnings: None.

• Amazon Rating: 5

About Emma’s Tapestry

At the dawn of World War Two, German-born nurse Emma Taylor sits by the bedside of a Jewish heiress in London as she reminisces over her dear friend, Oscar Wilde.

As the story of Wilde unravels, so does Emma’s past. What really happened to her husband?

She’s taken back to her days in Singapore on the eve of World War One. To her disappointing marriage to a British export agent, her struggle to fit into colonial life and the need to hide her true identity.

Emma is caught up in history, the highs, the lows, the adventures. A deadly mutiny, terrifying rice riots and a confrontation with the Ku Klux Klan bring home, for all migrants, the fragility of belonging.

Emma’s Tapestry is an imaginative retelling of the remarkable life of the author’s great-grandmother.

Praise for Emma’s Tapestry

“The story is immersive and well-written; and Emma, when facing adversity, is a heroine to admire.” – Janice Ottersberg, Historical Novels Society

“The most exciting and compelling novel I’ve read in years. Truly exceptional.” – Moyra Irving, author of Amelie Trott and the Earth Watchers

“What a special memoir. Isobel Blackthorn has woven a fantastic story…set around true events. If you love books about a strong real existing personality read this one and you won’t regret it.” – Fany Goes English

“When a book has the power to take a reader across continents and time as easily as ‘Emma’s Tapestry’ did me, it proves that Isobel Blackthorn in this instance is a master at her craft….I found this book a compelling read, so compelling I wanted to learn all about Emma there and then.” – Sharon Beyond the Books

“Emma’s Tapestry is such an absolutely beautifully written, immersive story that I was able to lose myself completely into Emma’s world.” – Jera’s Jamboree

“The style of writing lends itself naturally to the historical theme and seamlessly integrates key events in a way that make them accessible and compelling….An inspiring and engrossing read!” – Pickled Thoughts and Pinot

“A brilliantly written book” – Snowphiethebookworm

My Review

I won't go into what the book is about, you can read the blurb for that. What I loved about the book is that it is based on the author's family. I did not know this until I read the epilogue. It made the story so much more believable. I can't imagine what it was like to be whisked along to Singapore and other places that Ernest had Emma going to. To be expected to live under the circumstances she did, because of her origin of birth, being a Mennonite Germans during WWI she was not accepted into the societies that she ended up in.

The hatred and bigotry that the German people endured, a people that abhorred war and were conscientious objectors to war but were shunned because of this. Plus living in Singapore, not knowing the language or customs plus having two children and a husband who only cared about his career. Emma spent years living like that, she did make some friends but she still felt adrift in her marriage. Then the ultimate betrayal by her husband, having her leave Singapore for the American West. Emma's journeys take her from Japan, China, England, the US, and Canada. She dearly missed her family in Canada, her parents had been unhappy with the fact she married outside the Mennonite faith.

She still has to endure the hatred of people who hated the Germans, even though Emma was not a practicing Mennonite she still felt bad when she would see the signs, 'Germans must speak English' in the shops in Colorado. An incident in the boarding house she has been living in has Emma and the girls reunited with Ernest. Life goes on for a while until Ernest just disappears. Never to be seen by Emma and her girls again. What happened to him? What I learned in the epilogue floored me.

The story goes back and forth to WWI and just prior to WWII, where Emma is a caregiver to an elderly lady, Adela, who was a good friend of Oscar Wilde. In the stories from Adela she reminiscences about her friendship and what happened to Oscar, he was a homosexual and was imprisoned for a time because of this.

I loved how the author wrote of Emma's life, and how she coped with insurmountable odds to be a very strong woman. Like I said, I liked the epilogue, it just tied everything together. The words just flowed across the pages. I am not really a fan of stories about WWI or WWII, there are just too many of them. That said, I really enjoyed this book, I almost didn't want it to end, but all good things must come to an end. I will definitely be reading more by Isobel Blackthorn. Gets 5 stars in my book!

I received a copy of the ebook for review purposes only.

About the Author

Isobel Blackthorn is a prolific novelist of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including gripping mysteries and dark psychological thrillers.

The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite book awards. A Prison in the Sun was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the 2021 International Book Awards and the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. Her short story ‘Nothing to Declare’ was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. Her dark thriller A Legacy of Old Gran Parks won a Raven Award in 2019. The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018.

Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Her engagement with Alice Bailey’s life and works has culminated in the biographical novel The Unlikely Occultist and the full biography Alice A. Bailey: Life and Legacy.

Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. Five of her novels are set on the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. These standalone mystery novels are setting rich and fall into the broad genre of travel fiction.

Isobel has led a rich and interesting life and her stories are as diverse as her experiences, the highs and lows, and the dramas. A life-long campaigner for social justice, Isobel has written, protested and leant her weight to a range of issues including asylum seekers and family violence. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in rural Victoria, Australia.

http://www.isobelblackthorn.com

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768657.Isobel_Blackthorn 

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Giving the Body by Henry Corrigan Book Spotlight!

 

For Bernard Donaldson, the Breaker of Men, anything is possible in wrestling. Long time friends can suddenly turn heel, and even pariahs can make triumphant comebacks. But when Luke Jackson, ex-friend and lover, makes his return, Breaker knows something is wrong. Stronger, faster and better than he has any right to be, Luke is everything the aging Breaker wishes he could be. But the closer he gets to Luke’s secrets, the more he can feel something malevolent closing in. Because when it comes to dreams and desires, nothing is more hellish than the human heart.

About the Author

Henry Corrigan is a bisexual author, poet and playwright who wants to write every kind of story. He knows this sounds pretentious but screw it, he’s going for it. Always an avid reader, Henry started writing poetry in middle school but it wasn’t until he started writing erotica in high school that he really learned the mechanics of writing. What started out as private stories and love letters, soon became publications in anthologies.

To date, he has self-published a novella, Carnal Theory, and written one full length dark fiction novel that he is currently shopping around. He also has the rough drafts of two science fiction books, one horror novella, one play, four children's books, numerous poems and several song lyrics. Above all, he wants to be known for not staying where he’s been put. To always surprise people, especially himself. Because that's what makes it fun. The feeling that even he doesn't know what he’s going to do next.

Connect with the Author online:

Check out my latest articles on Medium: https://medium.com/@HenryCorrigan

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HenryCorrigan

Friend me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/henry.corrigan.35

Subscribe to my website: https://henry-corrigan-y0m6k8.mailerpage.com/

Excerpt

Giving The Body

Fireworks.

We start every night with fireworks. Even through the heavy curtain I can smell it, the industrially acrid scent mixing with the salty hops of beer and fried foods. My stomach rumbles and Scottie nudges me gently.

“I’ll buy you a hotdog after this is over,” he says, which makes me smile.

“Just don’t let Marlina put any hot peppers on it this time.”

Marlina, Scottie’s valet, slaps my shoulder. “Wimp,” she says, leaning against me like I’m a tree, which for someone like Marlina who’s five-foot-four, I might as well be.

Out in the arena the fireworks die down but not the roar of the crowd. Twenty thousand people stand ready as Scottie’s music hits.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” peals the announcer. “Please welcome the XZW General Manager...Scottiiiiieeeeeee Class!”

Scottie’s music is a chorus of regal horns, like the king descending from on high. I kiss him as he steps through the curtain, Marlina at his side.

They hit the ramp with their noses in the air like they’re snorting cocaine straight outta the clouds. I smile as Scottie twirls his cane with each strut.

By the time they reach the ring, I’ve got my game face on. My sneer stretching ’til it could whip the skin off somebody else’s face. I glance behind me at the crew guys running back and forth and the script helpers making final tweaks, but it’s what I don’t see that worries me.

Luke should be here, and my gut can’t help but worry. If he’s drunk it’ll screw up more than our angle, but before I can think about it too much, my music hits, all shrieking guitars and pounding drums.

Time to be the Breaker of Men.

I walk out to a sea of boos and hisses, which I swallow down like candy. I make a point of snapping at those who reach out for a high-five.

Down in the ring, Marlina puts a hand on Scottie’s shoulder and starts looking for an exit. But Scottie doesn’t run. That’s not who he is and more importantly, that’s not who he plays.

He waits until I’m through the ropes before he steps to me.

“What the hell do you want, Breaker?” he shouts and I have to fight not to smile. Nobody else can put a quaver in their voice and make it crack on the mic.

I hit everybody with my best growl. “Sorry to interrupt the grandstanding of a crippled old man...”

The boos double up now Scottie’s beloved and everybody loves to hate me. Never mind the fact that I’m actually six months older than Scottie. The feeling in the arena is like static sparking between my fingers.

“But I’d like to talk about a sniveling, ungrateful, backstabbing little bitch who got very, very lucky last week.”

A cheer goes up. Some start to shout Luke’s name while others chant ‘Live-and-Primed! Live-and-Primed!’ I give it a three-count before continuing.

“Now, this bitch, used to be something special. I thought I saw...” I hold up my thumb and forefinger. “A sliver of talent there. So, I did what any good owner would do. I took it home, I fed it, I trained it. I brought it to the top of the food chain. And what do I get for my trouble?”

People are starting to clap now. Signs with Luke’s picture get held up high. Another two-count and then I scream right in Scottie’s face.

“I get a super kick to the back of the head!”

The crowd goes nuts and now even Scottie and Marlina are smiling.

“I want him. Do you hear me? I want Luke Jackson! Now what is the general manager, gonna do about it?”

Scottie looks me up and down and sniffs, like I don’t have a good six inches on him.

“Listen Breaker, I shouldn’t have to explain this to you, but you’ve always been a little slow, so I’ll make this real easy.”

I snarl at Scottie but he just keeps on rolling.

“I don’t owe you any favors. You don’t have any friends. And you definitely,” he taps me in the chest with his cane. “Don’t get to make demands of me. So why don’t you take all that dead weight and go find somebody who gives a-”

My hips clicks as I kick Scottie in the midsection, but my boy sells it just like we planned. I start hammering on his back with my forearms while Marlina tries to pull me off. Hauling him up onto my shoulders makes my back creak, but I do it anyway because the Death-Valley Driver is what I’m known for.

Quick as a rocket, Marlina hits me with the same padded, sequined fist that brought her five championships and I roll with it, being sure to drop Scottie in a way that doesn’t hurt him.

Marlina makes to run but I’m too big to be done yet. I grab her by the throat and start bellowing in her face. Scottie comes off the mat swinging his cane, but I grab him by the throat too and that’s exactly when Luke’s music hits.

Luke’s music is all frenetic beats, like the musicians were ripped on speed and playing ’til their hearts gave out.

Luke comes charging down the ramp, his manager Mr. Best right on his heels and I only have to look to know Luke’s straight as an arrow which kicks all the worries right out of my head.

I let go of Scottie and Marlina and turn as Luke baseball slides beneath the ropes.

Before he’s even on his feet, I level a haymaker at him, but Luke sidesteps it easily, almost too easily. Bouncing off the ropes, he comes flying back and hits me with a dropkick that I sell even though I have to grit my teeth as I hit the mat. Even rolling to the outside, little sparklers of pain shoot up my spine.

Luke follows me and we begin to brawl right in front of the fans. Clotheslines, chops, a chair-shot for each of us but it’s how fast Luke is moving that almost scares me.

We’ve been brawling for at least a minute and he’s not even slightly out of breath. His abs fucking ripple as he grabs the ring bell and charges me.

I barely have time to duck. The edge scrapes my cheek as it passes. If he’d hit me, my head would be up in the rafters by now.

After that though, there’s not a thing out of place. The refs and security people show up right on time. Luke and I end up on opposite sides of the ring, shouting at each other and the crowd eats it up.

I let security drag me away, but even as I make the ramp, I can’t decide whether I’m happy, surprised, or jealous at how well Luke is moving. The urge to talk to him is strong but by the time I make the curtain, Luke’s long gone and Mr. Best along with him.

Scottie and Marlina wave me over to the locker rooms and I follow, stopping just long enough to wish the tag teams up next luck in officially starting the show.

The night moves on.

Truth & Lies Duet by @AV.ASHER.AUTHOR Duet Reveal! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #AVAsher #TruthAndLies

 

Truth & Lies Duet
A.V. Asher
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

The Truth Keeps Silent (Truth & Lies, #1)

Where do you run when everything has been stripped away?

Mercedes

After making the biggest mistake of her life, Mercedes Elliott thought moving halfway across the world was the right decision. But six months later, she’s isolated, dependent on a dangerous relationship with her boyfriend, Jason Marsh, and no closer to rebuilding her once promising legal career. Running low on hope, Mercedes secretly reaches out to the one man she never thought she’d see again.

Alec

Alec McKinley always regretted letting Mercedes slip through his fingers. So when she invites him for coffee, he jumps at the chance to see her. Mercedes is just as beautiful as he remembered, only he can’t help but notice the pain lingering in her eyes.

The Truth

After Mercedes’ relationship comes to a violent head, she finds herself unable to escape her boyfriend’s grasp. That is, until Alec makes an unexpected offer that could be her saving grace. But accepting that offer comes at a cost.

Being near Alec ignites a flame Mercedes thought had burned out long ago. And when they realize Jason is not the man they thought he was, she and Alec uncover a stunning truth that will change everything between them.

Will they let the past ruin them for a second time, or give in to the truth they’ve been keeping secret?

The Lies That Shatter (Truth & Lies #2)

They say love never dies…

Alec

Devastated and lost, Alec McKinley knows he must move on. Still, he can’t forget the love of his life. The woman he tried so hard to protect and failed. When Alec arrives at the trial that will determine the fate of those responsible for destroying his world, he discovers how deep their lies run.

Mercedes

Mercedes Elliott has suffered through a lifetime’s worth of trauma, but finally, the end seems near. The trial that could set her free is around the corner, and all she can think about is finally being able to go back to Alec. But when Mercedes returns, she finds he’s not alone, and everything she thought she knew was all just a devastating lie.

The Lies

Deceptions run deep, and Alec grows more and more desperate to protect Mercedes, even as she is slipping through his fingers. Can he keep her alive long enough to prove his love for her, or will lies be what shatters them completely?

Goodreads / Amazon

American writer AV Asher (Avie) was one of those kids always who got in trouble for reading in class. She has been creating stories since childhood, but only recently began writing them down. The Truth Keeps Silent is Avie's debut novel. The second book in the duet, The Lies That Shatter, is expected to be released in the Autumn of 2021. Avie lives in Northern Nevada with her husband and three children.

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Head Over Feet by @whitneydineenauthor #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #HeadOverFeet

 

Head Over Feet
Whitney Dineen
(Seven Brides for Seven Mothers, #5)
Publication date: April 23rd 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance*All books in this series read as standalones.

Princess Aubrey of Malquar has loved Grady Basset since they were kids. She followed him and her brother around wherever they went; she wrote his name in her diary repeatedly; and she even practiced saying her name with his last name—for years.

Only once has Grady shown any romantic interest, and things did not turn out well.

As the son of the king’s secretary, Grady grew up playing with the royal children. He’s known them his whole life, and while he’s drawn to Princess Bree, he knows that there’s no way they can be together. The princess’s station is too far above his.

As the captain of the royal yacht, Grady sees Bree often, but in recent months the princess has been rude, belligerent, and an all-around pain in the butt. When unforeseen circumstances have Grady and Bree spending time together on her family’s island, things really start to heat up.

Will Grady finally give Bree a chance? Will it be too late?

Find out in the deliciously fun fifth installment of the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Series.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

As Lu gets up to welcome another guest—one I didn’t know was coming—I pull the window sheer to the side and watch as none other than Grady Basset strolls up the front path. He’s carrying a bouquet of yellow tulips. What in the world is he doing here?

I’m torn between running out the back door and confronting the man who’s been a thorn in my side since, well, forever. Leaving would be the nicest thing I could do for everyone, but suddenly I’m not feeling very generous.

I stride toward the entryway like a general marching onto a battlefield. My shoulders are squared, and my jaw is sticking out so far it leaves the living room well ahead of the rest of me. Lu yanks the front door open. “Grady! We’re so glad you could make it.”

He’s about to hand her the flowers when he sees me. “What are you doing here?” His tone suggests that he’s as happy to see me as I am to see him.

“Why am I here?” I put my hands on my hips in fury. “What are you doing here?”

“I was invited.” He dismisses me and turns to Lu, offering her the bouquet.

“I was invited, too.” Then I tell my soon-to-be sister-in-law, “You didn’t mention that Grady would be here. Why is that?”

Before she can answer, Alistair comes out of the back room. He immediately takes in the scene but doesn’t seem eager to explain himself. I should have known this was his doing. “Grady, Bree, we’re so glad you could join us.”

“Yes, well, I’m thinking about leaving,” I blurt out.

“Please, let me do the honors.”

Grady turns and is nearly out the door when my brother says, “Children, is there any chance you two can act like adults long enough to enjoy lunch? There is a perfectly sound reason we asked you both here. It has to do with this petty feud you have going on.”

“Petty feud?” I sputter. “The man picked me up and threw me off a boat. Off a boat! That’s not petty, that’s … that’s …” Words escape me. Barbaric? Contemptuous? Illegal? Apparently, words don’t escape me, after all.

“It’s the only sensible thing to do when you’re being harassed by an annoying child who refuses to grow up.” He has no right to be mad at me. I’m the injured party here.

I square off and face him, my hands firmly on my hips. “I’m sorry, Grady.” I’m not and nothing in my tone suggests I am. “Are you, or are you not, the ship’s captain?” Before he can answer, I tell him, “You shouldn’t be entertaining women on my family’s boat while you’re on duty.”

“I had your brother’s permission. I did not need yours.” His face turns an unnatural shade of red.

Instead of commenting, I abruptly turn toward my brother. “Let’s get this over with. I have a million things I’d rather be doing than wasting my time here.” Like tending to a den of vipers. I was not raised to be so rude, but Grady Basset brings it out in me.

Lu leads the way into the dining room. I follow begrudgingly, wishing custom and courtesy didn’t dictate that I walk in front of Grady. I can’t stick my tongue out at him when I’m in front of him.

Once we’re all seated and the champagne is poured, Lu raises her glass. “Alistair and I were hoping the two of you would…”

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries -- not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

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Demon Throne by @_debbiecassidy Book Blitz and Giveaway! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #DemonThrone

 

Demon Throne
Debbie Cassidy
(Demons of Morningstar, #1)
Publication date: April 14th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Nothing brightens up a Monday like finding out you’re the spawn of Satan

The big bad is dead and now Satan’s spawn must fight for the Morningstar throne. I’m tossed into the ring, whether I want to be there or not.

I’m mostly human, a hunter by trade, and totally outmatched by my half siblings. The chance I’ll survive these tests and claim the throne is slim.

Then someone starts assassinating my siblings.

It’s only a matter of time until I’m next.

I’m not the kind of girl who depends on anyone, but there are four demons who could help me survive this fiasco—a sadistic Nightmare, a psychotic efreet, a charismatic Fallen and Sin, an unhinged monster. Problem is, like all demons, they’re absolutely, sinfully tempting.

I’m pretty sure they each have their own agenda.

I’m also pretty sure one of them is the killer.

Let the games begin.

An Urban Fantasy Paranormal Romance filled with action, mystery, sizzle and multiple love interests for our lucky heroine.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Sin stood, ass propped on the workbench, legs planted wide, head tipped back as a demon female knelt before him, working him noisily. Sin wasn’t touching her. His hands were braced on the workbench behind him, chest vibrating as she applied herself to her task. What was she doing with her teeth? And that gobbling noise? That was not the best technique.

I tore my gaze from her, dragging it up Sin’s washboard abs and hard pecs to find his midnight eyes fixed on me. “Nyx.” He said my name like an invitation, and I found myself fighting the urge to step forward, shove the useless woman out of the way, and take her place. I didn’t do any of that, though. Instead, I crossed my arms and arched an amused brow. “Hello, Sin, did I interrupt something fun?”

To give her credit, the demon hadn’t stopped working him; if anything, her ministrations become faster, almost desperate.

Sin placed his hand on her head. “Enough.”

She disengaged with a pop, looking up at him. “But you said you had to come. You haven’t come yet.”

He looked down at her dispassionately. “I know.”

“But that means I won’t get what I want.”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

She stood slowly and turned to glare at me. “This is your fault. You interrupted us and ruined it.”

“No,” Sin said. “Your technique leaves much to be desired. Come back when you’ve perfected it and we can trade.”

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and then pressed her lips together, pushing back her shoulders in determination. “I will be back, Sin. Mark my words.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Sin smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

The woman brushed past me and dove into the stacks, eager to get away now, but her departure left me with an unobstructed view of Sin’s demonhood, and damn…

Sin reached for himself, slowly, carefully tucking away his prize. I cleared my throat and pulled my gaze up to his face. F*ck, he had a beautiful face, hard planes and chiseled jaw, wide, flat cheekbones, and dark eyes that swam with flecks of silver. He would have been angelic in appearance if not for the slightly crimson hue to his smooth, velvety skin and the horns that curved up and back from his head.

“What do you want today, Nyx?” he asked in his deep, gravelly voice.

Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

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Lady Troubles by Emily Carrington Release Blitz and Giveaway!

 

Title: Lady Troubles

Author: Emily Carrington

Publisher: Changeling Press LLC

Release Date: April 8, 2022

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 267 pages

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Bisexual, Multiesexual & Pansexual, Elves Dragons & Magical Creatures, Transgender, Single parent/Pregnancy, Werewolves & Wolf Shifters

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Synopsis

Sonya’s straight. And terrified of wolves. So what's she doing falling for a trans werewolf?

Technical Difficulties: When Sonya’s forced to work with a male-to-female transgender wolf, the last thing she expects is to fall in love. And love with a werewolf means living in her pack, where first-time sex equals mating for life.

Practical Difficulties: Sonya’s pregnant, and she’s starting to wonder whether Maxine’s loyalties lie with her or her pack. It’s beginning to look like sabotage from all quarters.

Tactical Difficulties: Work and pregnancy are driving Sonya crazy, and Maxine’s overprotectiveness isn’t helping. But when Sonya’s kidnapped, she finds strength in their mating bond she never knew existed.

Publisher's Note: Lady Troubles Box Set contains the previously published novellas Technical Difficulties, Practical Difficulties, and Tactical Difficulties.

Excerpt

Copyright ©2022 Emily Carrington
Excerpt from Technical Difficulties

The dragon had been brutalized. As Medical Technician Sonya Johnson worked over the corpse, she couldn’t miss the signs. The poor dragon-in-human-guise was female. She’d given birth recently. Her distended stomach, open cervix, and other signs all bore witness to this.

Sonya whispered, “I think you were dead when most of these were inflicted.” She’d quickly discovered the cause of death: a crushed skull that had occurred while the dragon was in human form. Now all she wanted was to be done chronicling the postmortem atrocities and see to it that the poor soul had a decent burial.

Sonya smiled just a little. Thinking of any dragon as a “poor soul” was a little like calling a lion a kitty cat. Dragons, like werewolves, she thought with a shudder, were known for taking care of themselves. Both apex predators of the magical world, for slightly different reasons, they were treated with respect and almost obsessive politeness by other magical beings and the few humans unlucky enough to know about their existence.

“Humans like me.” Her smile was gone as she finished cataloging the last injury. Shaking her head, Sonya covered the body with a sheet and left the autopsy room. She locked the door before heading into her office.

All right, so it wasn’t technically “her” office any more than the autopsy room belonged to her. But she thought of both as her property because she spent more time in them than anyone else. That was thanks to the doctoral-level degree she was seeking from SearchLight Academy in Reptilian Magical Creatures: Treatment and Dissection. Unlike those who studied humans, magical creature experts were expected to have a wider knowledge base. The closest comparison Sonya could make was a general-practice physician. And even they weren’t responsible for both the living and the dead.

She had just finished her second year of postgraduate work. It was May. She had a blissful ten weeks off for the summer. Of course, she was still expected to work on her dissertation, so “rest” wasn’t in her vocabulary. But she wouldn’t be attending biweekly meetings with this or that professor to discuss her research. She might even have considered a week away from the city of Tampa, where she worked, and its lesser cousin, the city of St. Petersburg, where she lived. But she hadn’t scheduled any time off because she’d been too fixated on her dissertation to think beyond the next few days.

Someone knocked on the office door. Not closed completely and made of a light pressboard, the door opened a little more. Sonya caught sight of a skirt in a bold print and a tapered shoe. She called, “Come in.”

A woman stepped inside, saying simply “Sorry to disturb you” -- and Sonya’s mind went sideways. Not because there was anything particularly wrong with the voice. It was just that she wasn’t used to hearing a slightly male-sounding voice coming out of a woman’s body.

Transgender. That’s what they call themselves. And, on the heels of that, I hate it when someone says “they” about my people so I will not start out by thinking of this person as a part of “they.” She’s dressed as a woman. I’ll call her “her.”

“Um,” she said uncomfortably, “you’re not. Please sit down.”

The transgender person -- the woman, Sonya scolded herself -- didn’t sit. Neither did she shut the door. “Thanks, but…” She looked briefly discomfited. “I’m Agent Brown. Maxine.”

That surely wasn’t the name you were born with. Oh, shut the fuck up! She doesn’t want you staring, and you will get over yourself.

Sonya realized Maxine was waiting for a response. Her small, delicate and frankly attractive nose was turning slightly red, just like Sonya’s did when she was embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” she said, rising and extending her hand. “I’m Sonya Johnson, one of the medical techs.”

The moment their hands touched, the hair on the back of Sonya’s neck stood up. She pulled back rather quickly. “Um… um…” She looked away from the hand she’d shaken and into eyes that were startling in their beauty. Honey-brown and shadowed by long, thick lashes, they took Sonya’s breath away. She forgot for a moment that her neck was prickling and smiled. “How may I help you?”

Maxine, who had taken a step forward to grip Sonya’s hand, retreated at least that far. “Agent Wellington wants to see you when it’s convenient.” She hesitated before adding, “He’s the head of Werewolf Watch.”

Sonya shivered. She couldn’t help herself. She hated werewolves. They were the craziest, most terrifying -- Oh, get ahold of yourself. If you’re being called, you specifically… She met Maxine’s eyes. “You are looking for me, right? Because Jenny Davis could --”

“I’m sorry. He wants you personally.” She really did look empathetic. “If it helps, it will just be him, you, and me in a large conference room.”

Sonya’s particular skills were needed. She specialized in dragons and basilisks. What could she possibly do for a werewolf? Because Wellington had to be a werewolf. Unlike in the Department of Dragons, with which Sonya worked on a regular basis, Werewolf Watch was stuffed to capacity with, well, what else? Werewolves.

Shit. That probably means this woman is a werewolf. She looked directly into Maxine’s eyes, needing to know. “You’re a werewolf too?”

Maxine nodded. “Agent Wellington said to tell you he understands your circumstances, whatever those are, and that he wouldn’t call for you unless it was absolutely necessary. He also promises you can have a large conference room and it will only be the three of us; Agent Wellington, you, and me. We want to make you as comfortable as possible.”

Whatever those are. She doesn’t know. Sonya felt a little better. “Can he give me fifteen minutes to… to…” She glanced down at her report. To finish my work flashed across her mind, but it would take at least two hours to do that.

“I’ll tell him you’ll be up in thirty,” Maxine said gently.

Feeling a little more comforted, Sonya said, “Thank you. I’ll be up soon.”

Maxine left, closing the door behind her.  Black, like me. But transgender and werewolf. The three modifiers to the name Agent Maxine Brown hit one right after the other. Sonya sank into her chair and covered her face with her hands. If she was going to have a prayer of working with werewolves…

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Meet the Author

Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender erotica. Seeking a world made of equality, she created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires.

Fantasy creatures not your thing? Emily has also created a contemporary romance world, called Sticks and Stones, where she explores being “different” in a small town.

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Blood & Bone @pauladombrowiakauthor Book Blitz and Giveaway! #XpressoTours @XpressoTours #BloodandBone

 

Bonds We Break
Paula Dombrowiak
(Blood & Bone, #3)
Publication date: April 14th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

To have and to hold from this day forward – to love and to cherish, till death do us part – and these are the bonds we break.

My name is Mia Stone. You may know how my story ends, but the truth is buried between the headlines. A secret that was meant to be taken to the grave – Until now.

I promised myself to one man, while still in love with another. I came between two best friends and by betraying one, I lost everything. In the end, we both knew, those bonds were always meant to be broken.

These men want to own me, possess me, or hold me down, but I was never meant to be tamed.

I have been told that I am a force of nature, but even a hurricane comes to an end.

Authors Note: If you have read Blood & Bone then you know how Mia’s story ends. If you require a happy ending, this book may not be for you. You can choose to skip this book and read Bound To Burn. If you choose to read Bonds We Break, know that this book contains sensitive subjects so please read with care.

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—

EXCERPT:

“I don’t care. I’ve always only wanted you, Mia. I love you so much I would burn down the fucking world just to have you.” I try not to focus on the tremble of his lips against my skin. It’s torture standing so close to him, feeling him, breathing him in… but that’s what he’s counting on.

“That’s the problem,” I explain.

Tears stream down my cheeks like rain against a windowpane. My lower lip trembles as I rest my nose against his, breathing him in for one last time. I want to memorize every line on his face.

“Tell me you don’t love me,” he demands. This is too much for one person to handle.

“I can’t.” I grip the collar of his jacket so tight I think I might tear it away from him.

“Why does it have to be so complicated?” Those ocean blue eyes of his swim with emotion as they gaze at me.

We were always complicated. From the moment he first wrote in my journal and kept it secret from everyone else, we sealed our fate.

“I need you to let me go,” I beg, the words coming out stronger than I thought I was capable of.

“You know I can’t do that,” he growls.

“Then I will walk away for the both of us.” I muster every last bit of strength I have in me to say it.

Jack grips the back of my head, his fingers fisting my hair, and I know he doesn’t want to let me go just as much as I don’t want him to either, but it’s the way it has to be.

“I can’t let you go,” he whispers into my hair, placing a kiss on top of my head. “I won’t ever let you go.”

“I know.” I let my lips brush against his, the feeling causing me to sag against him as every nerve ending lights up in my body. For a few seconds we are at an impasse, unable to move, a hairs breadth between our lips, until we finally touch.

The kiss is so achingly slow and devastatingly beautiful that a piece of me is lost to him forever. I can taste the salt of his tears, and I swallow them with a kiss. He takes my face in his hands and I place my hands over his, holding us together as if I were to let go, we would fall apart.

That is what will happen. Once I let go, we will fall apart.

I have to let go.

“I love you,” I admit but he already knows this.

“If you didn’t love me, this would be easier,” he says against my lips.

“I don’t like the person I am with you,” I tell him as I let my hands fall away from his, breaking the spell, and we peel apart like the water being pulled away from the sand.

“It doesn’t have to be that way. I can be a better person. I can try. Just don’t give up on me.” The desperation clings in the air like humidity before a storm. I want to believe him, but he’s not capable, not now anyway. Timing is everything.

“I don’t make you a better person.” That’s the real problem. For me, he will give up anything, do anything, be anything, even if it destroys everything around us. That’s not the kind of muse I want to be.

I pull back to get a good look at him. “It’s not our time.” Maybe someday it will be, but that day is not today. “I need to learn how to be me without you.” My eyes swim with tears. He is all I have ever known since I left home, and I fear he is a crutch I lean on far too much.

“That’s the difference between me and you,” Jack says as he strokes my cheek with a callused finger. “I don’t want to know what it’s like to live without you.”

I can’t bear to look at him now and cast my eyes down to his chest. It rises and falls to the rhythm of my own heart. “If it’s meant to be, we will find each other again.”

Paula Dombrowiak grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois but currently lives in Arizona. She is the author of Blood and Bone, her first adult romance novel which combines her love of music and imperfect relationships. Paula is a lifelong music junkie, whose wardrobe consists of band T-shirts and leggings which are perpetually covered in pet hair. I am a sucker for a redeemable villain, bad boys and the tragically flawed. Music is what inspires her storytelling.

Check out my website for more ways to learn about me and my books, as well as purchase signed paperbacks and book merchandise @ www.pauladombrowiak.com

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Cocktails & Crushes
Katrina Marie
Publication date: April 14th 2022
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Out of the Ashes will be the best bar in the county. At least that’s what I promised my uncle before he passed away.

With all the changes we’re making, more challenges arise. The crowd seems to get rowdier with every day that passes, and most days I feel like I can’t keep my head above water.

That is until Dylan, the kid I used to babysit, walks in. He’s definitely not a kid anymore. But he might just be what I need to keep the bar running smoothly. Too bad he isn’t staying in town.

Guarding my heart is the least of my problems, but I’m not sure how long I can fight my attraction.

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—

EXCERPT:

No. I shake my head in disbelief. This boy, I mean man, did not just waltz in here like he’s someone and plop himself on one of my barstools. He must be out of his ever-loving mind if he thinks he can come in here and demand an audience with me. I mean seriously, who the hell does he think he is?

I pick up a new rag and continue wiping down the counters, waiting for him to say whatever he’s come to say. I’m not trying to be hostile toward him, but I am trying to tamp down my attraction. It feels wrong to find someone I’ve known since they were a kid so damn hot. But here we are. Lisa is tilting her entire body toward us to see what chaos is undoubtedly about to go down. Soon, I’ll have to check on the diners, but they can wait a bit.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what it is I want?” He lays his forearms across the bar top and leans toward me. I don’t miss the way his arms flex at the movement. He’s definitely not the scrawny kid I used to babysit anymore.

“That depends.” I pause in my cleaning. It’s only lunchtime, but I know once the sun sets, more people will show up. It’s inevitable. They keep this bar growing, though. We’ll be able to double the capacity if Stella can talk me out of my fear of expanding this place. I really hope everything we’ve done has made Uncle Max proud.

“Depends on what?” I catch his smirk before I turn away, making sure the rest of the bar area is ready for this afternoon and evening.

“If it makes you leave faster.” My back is to him so I can’t see his reaction, but the laughter is mocking.

“Probably not. At least, if I get my way.” Now I turn around. He’s been in town less than a day, and he’s acting like he can come in here making demands. I don’t think so.

“Which is what, exactly?” My hands are on my hips and I feel like an adult waiting for their petulant child to tell them what they did wrong.

“Is that problem you had with those guys last night a common occurrence?” He pauses for a few seconds, but doesn’t give me a chance to respond. “Because your bartender, Carlos, told me it’s been getting worse.”

That traitor. If he were here, I’d give him a piece of my mind. “I can handle idiots like those. I’ve spent my entire life in this bar. There’s nothing that will knock me down.”

Dylan leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. The t-shirt tightens and holy hell, he needs to stop doing that. “Really? Because you did get knocked down last night. This place has gotten a lot more traffic since I left. With that kind of growth, you need someone that can handle situations like those.”

I shrug. He has a point, but I don’t want to concede. “We’ve handled it just fine until this point. Is there a reason you’re bringing this up?”

“Yep,” he nods. “I want a job.”

“Seriously?” He has to be kidding. Who knows how long he’ll even be in town? I haven’t seen him in years.

“Please, Angie.” He slides off the barstool and walks around the bar until he’s right in front of me. “I’ll need something to do while I’m here helping my mom.”

Great. “That means you’ll end up leaving at some point in time. What am I supposed to do when that happens? As you can tell, we are short on staff as it is.”

“I can help train someone to replace me when I know the date I’m leaving.” He leans forward until we’re mere inches apart. His light brown eyes hold so much of that boyish uncertainty from when he was young. “If it helps the decision-making process, I’m not keeping the money for myself.”

What? If not for himself, then who? Maybe he has a girlfriend back home wherever that is. I’m already shaking my head no, when one of my lunch regulars calls my name. “I don’t have time for this right now, Dylan. And I’m not sure what I’d have you do, unless you have experience working in a bar.”

Katrina Marie lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two children, and fur baby. She is a lover of all things geeky and Gryffindor for life. Welcome to Your Life is her debut novel and she hopes you enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it.

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Big Wild Love Adventure
Julianna Keyes

Publication date: June 20th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

After being ditched at the altar, Emmy Shaw’s heart, like her dented food truck, is definitely not open for business. Deeply in debt to her parents and evicted from her apartment, she takes a friend’s drunken dare and fills out an application for a new dating-adventure reality show. She never expects to be chosen—or to get a chance at the show’s huge cash prize, which could put her life back on track.

But when she’s abandoned in the middle of the jungle two months later wearing only a bathing suit and a backpack, she wonders if being on the show might be even worse than the #emmytrashtruck hate brigade she left back home. Then she meets her fellow cast members—including sexy, inscrutable Wes—and starts to reconsider, wondering if maybe money’s not all she stands to gain from this experience.

After a year of abysmal failures, this summer of cave treks, jungle hikes, impromptu talent shows, and a sexy flirtmance turns out to be just the thing to help Emmy rebuild her shattered confidence. She signed up for the show to hide from the mess her life had become, but this escape from reality might be just what she needs to find herself.

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Julianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She’s been skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, but nothing thrills—or terrifies—her as much as the blank page. She loves Chinese food, foreign languages, baseball and television, though not necessarily in that order, and writes sizzling stories with strong characters, plenty of conflict, and lots of making up.

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Operator by Nicole Blanchard Book Blitz!

 

Operator

First to Fight, Book 8 by Nicole Blanchard 

Publication Date: April 15, 2022 

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Second Chance, Romantic Suspense

Read for FREE in KindleUnlimited: Amazon US | Amazon INTL | Also in the Series

These U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country…or the women they love. He’s the one man she never wanted to see again. Gwen Winston Reece doesn’t want anything to do with Callum, her late husband’s brother. He didn’t even have the decency to come to the funeral, so why should she care if he blows back into town like nothing’s changed? Everything’s changed. Most of all, her. She’s not the same girl who fell for his charm and promises when he took her virginity. After devastating events come to light, she begins to doubt everything she thought was true…including how wrong it would be to get close to Callum. She’s the one woman he can’t have. Callum “Cal” Reece is at loose ends after losing the only family he had left and leaving the military. When he sees Gwen again, all he can think about is how much he missed her while he’d been gone, even if she’s his brother’s widow. Wanting her is wrong. Needing her is worse…but losing her is unthinkable. Sometimes the forbidden is a dangerous temptation. When they give in to a passion they can’t deny and uncover secrets determined to tear them apart, Gwen and Cal realize it will take learning to forgive…to survive.

About Nicole Blanchard

 

 Nicole Blanchard is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of gritty romantic suspense and heartwarming new adult romance. She and her family reside in the south along with their menagerie of animals.

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