Archives for January 2018

Wild Lily by Cerise DeLand


Wild Lily by Cerise DeLand
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (257 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Money can buy anything, can’t it? Those brash Americans–their dollars and charms work wonders. Until they learn that money can buy anything…but love.

The dosage should be consulted with the doctor.3. generic viagra prices Yes, prices of viagra 100mg online is said to be the solution for low libido lies in avoiding smoking and alcohol, complications of rectal or prostate surgery, and bad effects of certain medicines are responsible for developing ED in men. So why exactly are there no successful attempts of female Sildenafil Citrate? Discovering such female libido enhancer is a lot more difficult mainly because female sexuality is a little more complicated compared to those of men. but nonetheless, researchers are doing their ongoing effort to a successful http://deeprootsmag.org/2015/03/03/charmed-third-moment-stardom/ order viagra. Health professionals can surmise that various psychological factors are keys if the buy viagra in india patient wakes with morning erections and they can still achieve a penile erection through self-stimulation. Lily Hanniford has all the qualities an impoverished nobleman could want in a wife. She’s beautiful, educated and funny. Too bad, she has a penchant for riding astride like a man. Too bad, she’s an American with a shrewd, wily father. But she’s unwilling to be sold to the highest-ranking nobleman. She wants a purpose in life…other than presiding over a drafty castle and a loveless marriage bed. Then she accidentally meets a man she can’t resist.

Julian Ash, Marquess of Chelton, doesn’t need a wife. He needs luck at cards…or a way to persuade Killian Hanniford to pay more for his family’s shipping line. But Lily is charming and her wild streak appeals to Julian who has always followed the society’s rules. Now he discovers that being wild with Lily is not only fun, it’s necessary to his life. And so is she.
They struggle to throw convention to the wind. But can they be wildly happy together if they can’t heal old wounds?

Lily is the daughter of an American billionaire. Julian is the son of an impoverished Duke. In Victorian England this usually means a marriage of convenience for her to get a title and him to get money to recover the family fortunes.

Complete fascination with each other smudges the boundaries of propriety but Julian is determined not to marry Lily to help the family coffers. Lily doesn’t want to be married for her father’s fortune, she wants a man to love her for herself.

Their relationship develops well and the minor characters in the book lend credence and depth to the story. Also interesting is the humor that Lily brings to the situation. The differences in their upbringing cause many upsets but also a lot of laughs.

I would mention that toward the end of the story a few editorial comments have been left in presumably by mistake. These caused a hiccup in concentration and if they are removed the book would be a wonderful read. I hope the author considers writing more about the minor characters in future books as it would definitely pique my interest.

Tall, Dark N’ Texan by H. C. Brown


Tall, Dark N’ Texan by H. C. Brown
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (132 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Mistletoe

When a handsome cowboy rescues Susan Blake from drowning, her life changes forever.

Branch Durham, a tall, sexy, Texas cowboy is way out of her league, but when he invites her to lunch, she jumps at the chance of getting to know him better, but a hurricane is approaching fast. With every exit road blocked, she takes Branch up on his offer of a safe haven to ride out the storm.
To get free delivery of the product get cialis cheap at your door step in no time. Not only is Freeze cheap cialis no prescription Dried Acai regarded the World’s Strongest Antioxidant. Ed Schreyer has pointed to Manitoba as one location in which to increase the use of geothermal energy cheap viagra without prescription in all sectors of the province, his primary focus is to power, heat, and cool the public schools using this renewable energy. Today, the pharmaceutical market is loaded with some viable and useful cialis online shop methods of treatment of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.
The woman Branch found on the beach intrigues him. Susie is fiercely independent, a little clumsy, and naïve, but she has no idea he is a Country and Western megastar with a ranch and oil fields in Texas. Being with her is refreshing, and for once, he can be himself without perpetuating his bad boy image.

As the hurricane intensifies turning the area into Armageddon, Susie’s dream of a new career managing her father’s condominium complex is shattered. She realizes she has no place to go and her future has blown away with the building.

With communication non-existent and only an old Indian motorcycle for transport, Branch must face danger to get her to safety then convince her to go with him to his ranch in Texas. He might save Susie but when she discovers his true identity, will he lose the love he has searched for all his life?

Susan Blake imagined her new life in the United States would be eventful but nothing like it turns out to be. Within her first week in the United States Susan nearly drowns, barely survives a tornado which destroys the building she was going to manage and finds then loses a wonderful man. As her life is turned upside down Susan finds solace in the beginning of what she thought was something special but when the tornado is over it seems that her relationship with Branch is as well. Susan finds herself in a dilemma does she listen to her heart or will she let everyone around them take her happy ever after away from her?

I enjoyed the premise of this story but found it hard to like Susan and Branch. Susan comes off as very naive and sometimes way too needy. She does not seem to have much of a backbone or personality. When Branch is not playing into his bad boy image he can be a good man but when Branch uses his bad boy image to make excuses for certain things he does with other women I lost respect for his character. Susan and Branch are hot when they are together, and you can see that they love each other very much. They go through a lot to find a happy ending to their story.

As much as I love this author this book was not one of my favorites. Branch and Susan’s story started out slow for me and the couple never truly grabbed me. Their adventure was an interesting one and it was nice to see the two stand together and fight for their relationship. Love is not something that can be tossed to the side and ignored and these two learn that lesson the hard way.

A Tangled Mercy by Joy Jordan-Lake


A Tangled Mercy by Joy Jordan-Lake
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical
Length: Full length (464 pages)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by: Cholla

After the sudden death of her troubled mother, struggling Harvard grad student Kate Drayton walks out on her lecture—and her entire New England life. Haunted by unanswered questions and her own uncertain future, she flees to Charleston, South Carolina, the place where her parents met, convinced it holds the key to understanding her fractured family and saving her career in academia. Kate is determined to unearth groundbreaking information on a failed 1822 slave revolt—the subject of her mother’s own research.

Nearly two centuries earlier, Tom Russell, a gifted blacksmith and slave, grappled with a terrible choice: arm the uprising spearheaded by members of the fiercely independent African Methodist Episcopal Church or keep his own neck out of the noose and protect the woman he loves.
They include smoking, stress, alcohol, poor eating, diabetes, high blood you can check here generic cheap cialis pressure, hormonal imbalance and penile or prostate disorders. Men feel embarrass to discuss this problem and they are getting best results pfizer viagra 100mg in their of sex existence. This further equips couples with the skills to succeed at work! So what are levitra properien the areas of weakness that employers continually complain about? 1- Having Clear and Concise Communications – The magic of a good leader is in how they communicate. canadian pharmacy viagra you can find out more This physician recommended drug prevents the body from changing over testosterone into DHT.
Kate’s attempts to discover what drove her mother’s dangerous obsession with Charleston’s tumultuous history are derailed by a horrific massacre in the very same landmark church. In the unimaginable aftermath, Kate discovers a family she never knew existed as the city unites with a powerful message of hope and forgiveness for the world.

A woman on the run from her future runs straight into a past that she hadn’t been expecting. Kate is fleeing the loss of her mother and searching out secrets that were kept from her. However, when she meets a little boy one morning, her world is turned upside down and the secrets kept for so long are about to come unraveled.

Time is a fluid thing and A Tangled Mercy proves this as the story weaves between the past and the present. Written in chapters alternating between present day Charleston, South Carolina and the same city in 1822, a terrible and beautiful story unfolds, bringing the two timelines together. At first, I was so confused, not able to understand how any of it might connect. However, the author is a master at dropping hints and giving clues that you don’t even realize you’ve picked up until it all comes together.

I loved Kate from the very beginning. It’s hard not to like her. She’s smart, she’s sweet, and she’s completely devoted to her family. Losing her mother shakes her world to its foundations and in a way, I think it brings her to herself. Her interactions with Gabe are the sweetest and most fun parts of the story.

Tom Russell’s story is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, this half of the story isn’t anything new or surprising as our history is filled with many such sad tales. However, I hadn’t ever heard about the failed slave revolt that the historical half of this novel focuses around. For me, it was interesting to learn about it in such a first-hand sort of way.

A Tangled Mercy is an informative and enjoyable trip through Charleston, South Carolina. The author paints an amazing picture of both timelines and doesn’t shy away from the less appealing parts of the narrative. The racism and horrors of life are equally represented in both timelines, making it an evocative and haunting story.

The Housekeeper’s Awakening by Sharon Kendrick


The Housekeeper’s Awakening by Sharon Kendrick
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (184 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

At her boss’s beck and call…

Recovering from a terrible car accident, world renowned playboy Luis Martinez is bored, grumpy and frustrated. He’s sick of nurses fussing over him, so he fires the lot and demands his sweet, innocent housekeeper massage him back to health!
In order to make buy viagra the most profit, ACSs have cut overhead costs by reducing the activity of the enzyme PDE-5. Try to get help and support before viagra 100mg for sale spending large amounts of money. Just viagra ordination as women seek breast enlargement to look more polished and youthful. It is generally agreed upon that men impulsively know how discount buy viagra to have sex but, scientific study confirms that male sexual impotence can result from lack of information and unawareness regarding the technicalities of sex.
Carly Conner has spent her life trying not to be noticed. But now with her boss looking at her differently, every day the tantalizing tension between them grows. When Luis whisks her away to his villa in the south of France, how long will she be able to deny the temptation he poses…especially when he makes a second shocking proposition?

My first romance book was a Harlequin at the age of sixteen. I’ve been hooked on romance books for the last thirty years. I recall back then never being ashamed to open my romance book wherever I was. Somehow between then and now reading a romance book became something to be ashamed about. If I had to pinpoint it I’d have to say it was from the razzing I use to get about how romance books weren’t real life. I was teased for how they are considered smut books. After a while I didn’t need to fold the book in half to hide the cover because I could download my books. For years I’ve been reading romance books in secret on my iPad. Until last weekend. I was given several Harlequin paperbacks to read. I was at my son’s all day wrestling tournament and I folded the book in half to hide the front cover. Well, much to my dismay as I was devouring the pages, I forgot about folding the book in half. I did get a few looks and chuckles from my husband and a couple of my friends but I didn’t care because I was so absorbed in the hero, Luis Martinez and the heroine, Carly Conner’s budding romance.

Mind you I grew to consider Harlequin to be a good introduction into the romance genre and then I graduated to romance novels such as Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber, or Danielle Steel. I became stuck up and felt Harlequins were inferior. That was then.

As I said, I’ve recently been given several Harlequin softcovers. I picked the “The Housekeeper’s Awakening” to read first. Boy! Was I surprised! I really did enjoy getting to know and accept Luis and his slightly male chauvinistic characteristics. The reader was able to see his tender side often enough that Luis was a lovable hero. Carly Conner was Luis’s housekeeper. I’m not sure how realistic it is that a billionaire would fire his nurse and request his housekeeper to take over the nurse’s duties. However, it doesn’t matter how realistic that was or not. I was thoroughly entertained with the plot. Especially after reading both their past histories; together they made a plausible equation. I was intrigued enough to continue reading to see how everything would work out in the end.

There was some conflict with Carly’s sister. I secretly wished Luis would have overheard what her jealous sister, Bella had said to Carly at one point. I yearned for her sister to get a taste of her own medicine. However, I’m sure just seeing Carly’s happy ever after will be enough justification. Personally I could never see anything likable in Bella, or Carly’s mother for that matter. Carly was an intelligent goal focused mature woman who wasn’t afraid to stand up to Luis. Fortunately Luis could see the catch that Carly was.

I’ve never read a book by Sharon Kendrick before but I certainly would like to read another book from her since I enjoyed her writing style. I’ll have to dig through the bag and see if there’s another one by her since I have another all day wrestling tournament to attend tomorrow. Perhaps this time I won’t bend the book in half at all. I shared my personal experiences in this review in case there are other readers like me who feel or thought like I did about reading a Harlequin. I regret my snobbish view point and wonder how many good books I’ve missed out on. And I do recommend “The Housekeeper’s Awakening”.

La Famiglia by Deanna Wadsworth – Exclusive Excerpt

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Deana Wadsworth, who is celebrating the release of La Famiglia, the latest book in her Men of Gilead series.

I’m happy to be at LASR again with my new release and latest Men of Gilead book LA FAMIGLIA. As you can see from the covers of the books so for, doggies play an important role in the series. I brought an excerpt featuring the adorable but wild Jasper from LA FAMIGLIA.
Enjoy!

Forrester Giordano comes from a huge, nosy Italian family, and with their homophobic jokes and slurs, he’s decided to stay in the closet. He finds respite in his bookstore in the quaint village of Gilead—where he has a huge crush on one of his customers, Kyle Benson.

Kyle is determined to live his dreams, and though life isn’t easy being deaf, one by one he’s making them come true. He’s scored a great job practicing law, bought a cute bungalow where he can finally have a big flower garden, and he has a dog he loves, Jasper. Now he just needs one thing to complete his happiness: a family of his own to make up for the one he never had.
Forrester and Kyle’s relationship starts off hot and heavy, and neither man can deny the depth of their connection. When Forrester’s little brother gets mixed up with their heroin-dealing cousin and his mother falls ill, Forrester has a decision to make—maybe the hardest of his life. For the first time, he’s found a man worth coming out for.

Unfortunately nothing ever goes according to plan with la famiglia.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

Forrester woke to a strange snoring sound, disoriented. The silken sheets beneath his body felt nice but unfamiliar. His ass was tender, but he was warm all over. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to his environment.

You’re at Kyle’s.

He stretched languidly in the bed, his feet reaching for the coolness below. They’d left the light on, and he blinked several times, then rolled over with a dopey grin to wake up the snoring Kyle for another round.

Instead, he was nose-to-nose with the bug-eyed Jasper.

The instant the dog noticed him, he snorted and lunged, head-butting him in the face as he licked him.

“Hey!” He jerked out of the dog’s reach, but the insane little animal jumped on his chest and licked him right on the mouth. Then he ricocheted away.

“You little twerp,” he growled, whipping dog drool off his face. But Jasper had already leaped from the bed and dashed out of the room.

“Jasper,” Kyle hissed in reprimand from the doorway. “Don’t wake him up.”

“Too late.” Forrester sat up in the bed and squinted.

Kyle entered the room naked, tiptoeing as though trying not to wake Forrester. When he spied him already awake, he gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, he was whining downstairs.”

Jasper jumped on the bed, the carcass of a squeaky toy in his mouth. “You know what time it is, ya crazy dog?”

“Jasper.” Kyle lunged for his dog, the action making his penis waggle. But the little terrier leaped out of his grasp, and Kyle landed flat on the bed. Jasper raced around the room like it was playtime. Kyle groaned, and Forrester laughed at the picture they made.

Jasper jumped back up on the bed and crouched down, jutting his nubby tail in the air. The little canine’s energy seemed endless.

“Man, you are one hyper dog,” he observed. “What do you feed him, Kyle? Caffeine?”

“No, all Bostons are like that.” Kyle sat back on his haunches on the center of the bed, watching his dog shake the gutted toy madly. “Mom and I used to show them. Jasper’s grandma, Tanika, was the last dog we showed. After Mom died, I found out one of Tanika’s pups was having her last litter, so that’s how I got Jasper. His markings weren’t show-perfect, so they had him fixed. I kinda wish he wasn’t, so I could carry on our dogs’ lineage.”
This hormone, that increases the generic viagra online libido in men, is equally important to control the sexual function. You may experience stress, anxiety and depression Fat accumulation pamelaannschoolofdance.com cheap viagra in midsection and upper back Fatigue and muscle weakness 2. For example, consider the following: Visit Your Physician The first step you need to take before browse around for info now viagra 50 mg is contacting your doctor. Lastly, patients may have Tenderness in the muscles of the neck, pain in pamelaannschoolofdance.com viagra cialis online the neck and some time headache may also occurs during these types of injuries.
The longing to maintain a connection with his lost parent tore at Forrester’s heartstrings. “C’mere.” He held out his arms for Kyle to cuddle up.

With a grateful smile, Kyle slipped beneath the covers and tucked under his arm. They waited for Jasper to reach the conclusion bedtime had arrived. After rooting up the blankets and a pillow, he curled into a ball, and let out a snorting sigh.

“I hope you don’t mind, Jasper sleeps in here with me. I only leave him in his kennel when I’m at work.” Kyle shifted to face Forrester. “He’s my ears when I sleep.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Yes, he wakes me up if he hears something. Someone at the door, noises. Or even if my phone or my alarm clock goes off.”

“Like a hearing-ear dog? Is there such a thing?”

“Yes, there is,” Kyle assured him, sitting up and removing his processor. He took the top piece off the curved part and placed it in a glass bowl on his nightstand. Then he looked back at Forrester. “He’s not formally trained, but Jasper knows when I can and can’t hear, and he helps me.”

Forrester studied the wild little pooch, impressed.

“I think he can hear when my CI is working,” Kyle said. “But then again, dogs are incredibly intuitive. We had another dog like that when I was little. Frieda would bump me when someone tried to get my attention. She even snapped at people who got too close to me when my Mom wasn’t looking or if I was sleeping.”

“So Jasper might bite me if I molest you in your sleep?”

He raised his brow in a warning expression. “He just might.”

“I promise to be on my best behavior.”

Kyle cocked his head to the side, expression unreadable, but he said nothing.

It suddenly struck Forrester how much trust Kyle placed in him, inviting him to stay when he was at his most vulnerable. It touched Forrester, and he did not take the gesture lightly.

Leaning over, he cupped Kyle’s face in both of his hands. Kyle flinched, but then Forrester kissed him slow and deep. When he withdrew, Kyle was smiling dreamily.

“Thank you for trusting me. Letting me stay. You don’t have to worry,” Forrester assured him. “Jasper and I will both be your ears.”

Those hazel eyes widened. Then Kyle nodded, reached behind him, and clicked off the light.

About the Author: Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. She has served multiple board positions for different RWA chapters, including President of the Rainbow Romance Writers in 2017. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. An avid reader, she also loves gardening, cooking, music, and dancing. Often she can be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

Website │Facebook │ Twitter │Pinterest │Goodreads │Amazon │Instagram │ BookBub

You can also find her young adult alter ego, K.D. Worth Facebook │Twitter

Buy Deanna’s books at Dreamspinner Press, Decadent Publishing or at any reputable eBook seller like Amazon

The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie


The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (405 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

Can you hide a secret with the whole world watching?

When an explosion rips apart a Chicago building, the lives of three women are forever altered.

Reduced consumption of high cholesterol foods buy cialis professional such as animal fats, brain, cheese, egg yolk, etc as well as avoidance of the usage of trans fats and high levels of sodium. Description: brand cialis cheap Erectile brokenness is the most well-known male sickness. As per reports, stress is one of the common emotional causes of not being discount price on viagra able to achieve or sustain an erection during sexual performance. Encourage your partner to wake 30 minutes before the usual generic brand viagra wake-up time and give some time for these relations. A year later, Cecily is in mourning. She was supposed to be in the building that day. Instead, she stood on the street and witnessed it going down, with her husband and best friend inside. Kate, now living thousands of miles away, fled the disaster and is hoping that her past won’t catch up with her. And Franny, a young woman in search of her birth mother, watched the horror unfold on the morning news, knowing that the woman she was so desperate to reconnect with was in the building.

Now, despite the marks left by the tragedy, they all seem safe. But as its anniversary dominates the media, the memories of that terrifying morning become dangerous triggers. All these women are guarding important secrets. Just how far will they go to keep them?

The title of this book pulled me in. . . I had a feeling it would be suspenseful, and this one was.

One thing I’ll warn you about straight away is that its narration can be initially jarring. It’s a mix of first person, third person, and interview transcripts. It sort of threw me off at first but the more I read on, the more I understood why the author had chosen this format for the story.

All three women in this story are interesting characters. Cecily is the one you identify with the most because it’s through her first person narration the story begins and mainly continues. Did that make me like her more? I think so and as the story unfolds you realize she’s the real victim in the story but then the author makes you wonder… is she? I won’t give away the ending but let me just say it picked up tempo and intrigue as the tale unfolded. We get a clear picture of what secrets each women is hiding and how the three lives slowly mesh together.

I thought the dialogue was natural sounding and the pacing perfect. The last third of the story really flies by as all lives and backstories begin to merge. It’s also a story that gets you thinking about what you’d do if faced in similar circumstances. Is it ever a good idea to hide things from loved ones or to run away from things we’re not happy about?

It’s a fun read and if you like suspense and secrets in your stories then this is definitely one to check out.

Tips for Living by Renee Shafransky


Tips for Living by Renee Shafransky
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full length (328 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

On the day Nora discovered that her husband, Hugh, had gotten another woman pregnant, she made a vow: I will come back to life no matter how long it takes…
Now cialis online cheapest you can choose whom you want to date and when. Kamagra Tablets is prepared with sildenafil citrate, which is a viagra uk cheap PDE-5 (Phosphodiesterase Type 5) inhibitor. I don’t always offer my hair that 2nd application Revita endorses, specially when my hair definitely feels clean from the initial. buy cheap viagra http://raindogscine.com/?attachment_id=101 On the other hand it also helps increase levitra free samples sperm count.
It’s taken Nora three years. With the help of her best friend, she fled New York City for a small resort town, snagged a job as the advice columnist for the local paper, and is cautiously letting a new man into her life. But when Hugh and his perfect new family move into a house nearby, Nora backslides. Coping with jealousy, humiliation, and resentment again is as hard as she feared. It’s harder still when Hugh and his wife are shot to death in their home.

If only Nora could account for the night of the murders. Unfortunately, her memories have gone as dark as her fantasies of revenge. But Nora’s not the only one with a reason to kill—and as prime suspect in the crime, she’d better be able to prove it.

Betrayal isn’t an easy thing to put behind you. However, it’s the one thing Nora knows she needs to do. Move on and get over her cheating ex-husband’s treachery. Which, she was doing quite well with for the last three years until he – and his new wife and child – arrive in the quiet little town Nora had settled into. Now what was she going to do? Live and let live or take the bull by the horns?

Nora is a fabulous, complex character. She has her ups and downs and it’s all so relatable. Her anger, jealousy, and bitterness all come from an honest place and not just an outlet for revenge. When you add in the murder of her ex-husband and his new wife, things only get more confused for her. It doesn’t help that she’s been suspected of the double murder and, when she realizes she’s started sleepwalking again, can’t honestly rule herself out either.

Tips for Living is a wild, rollercoaster ride of a story. There are infinite twists and turns that I never saw coming. The author’s relaxed voice only makes it that much easier to devour the novel. I loved the little bits from the paper that were included between chapters, gave the book a homier sort of feel. The large case of characters makes you want to visit this little town for the summer and get to know them all. They also all have their secrets, giving you a wide pool of suspects for the murders. I must say, I never once suspected the actual culprit either. If this debut novel is any indication, the author’s next book out to be even more amazing.

Older and Wiser? Why I Love Writing Seasoned Characters by Kathleen Duhamel – Guest Blog and Giveaway


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kathleen Duhamel will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Older and Wiser? Why I Love Writing Seasoned Characters

With age comes wisdom and insight, right? That may be true for some people, but when it concerns the older characters in my Deep Blue Trilogy, emotional growth often comes at a steep price.

My heroine, Claire Martin, is in her late fifties when she meets Rob, a musician she’s admired for decades. She soon learns that hero worship can be dangerous when her idol brings his emotional baggage into their new life together: a history of substance abuse and a complicated relationship with his (dead) ex-wife, not to mention a love child who shows up in Deeper (Book 2). Claire is forced to confront her own insecurities and decide whether she wants to continue her marriage under far different circumstances than she imagined. In short, real life issues.

Another character burdened by his past is guitarist and songwriter Artie Hoffman, half of the legendary rock and soul duo, Deep Blue. Although he’s a brilliant musician, Artie is relentlessly sarcastic and unfiltered, and his personal life can best be described as an emotional train wreck. Two failed marriages and a parade of young girlfriends have left him disillusioned and bitter about relationships.

Only when he nears age 60 does he begin to realize that he may be facing the remainder of his life alone, without someone to love, unless he’s willing to make some lifestyle changes. He meets Denise, an accomplished, attractive woman near his own age who’s not interested in a romantic entanglement. Will he give up on love like he has so many times in the past, or are his feelings for Denise strong enough to overcome his natural cynicism and win her over? Denise has some legitimate concerns about Artie, although her training as a social worker allows her to see past his rock star façade to the impoverished foster child he once was.

Even after these two get together, they have numerous obstacles to overcome: his jealousy of her boss and relentless work schedule, meddling exes, and a medical diagnosis that terrifies him.

Few, if any of us, escape middle age and beyond without dealing with illness, ex-spouses, kids and grandkids, aging parents, and career pressures. To my way of thinking, all of these challenges are also opportunities for deeper and more realistic character development.

After years of struggle and harsh criticism, happily married rock star wife Claire Martin has finally achieved the career success of her dreams. As the featured artist in an international traveling exhibit, she looks forward to her best year ever, while her husband, singer Robert Silver of the legendary band Deep Blue, contemplates a return to touring.

Things are also looking up for Claire’s best friend, Denise Hrivnak, who’s planning her wedding to Robert’s musical partner, Art Hoffman. However, what should have been most joyful day of Denise’s life turns to tragedy when an unexpected event forces both woman to contemplate the terrifying possibility of life without the men they love.

Besieged by the paparazzi and sick with worry, Claire waits for answers in a Las Vegas hotel room, thinking over her improbable relationship with Rob and praying that love alone is strong enough to bring her beloved husband back from the brink.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Before Claire can say a word, I glance across the room to see the older man rise from his chair and begin ambling toward us. When he gets near our table he announces in an apologetic tone, “I don’t mean to disturb your meal, but there’s something I’d like to tell you, Robert, and I’ll never have this chance again.”

Let me guess. He has a friend/relative/colleague who wants to be a singer/songwriter/musician and would I mind listening to his demo? I produce a cursory nod and he continues.

“My wife was a big fan of yours.” His shoulder sag. “She died a few days ago.”

Claire gives him a sympathetic gaze.

“When she went into hospice care, she asked for her little CD player and all her Deep Blue CDs. I wanted you to know your music gave her some happiness and comfort during her final days. Your voice was the last one she heard before she slipped away.”

An enormous lump rises in my throat, rendering me incapable of speech. Claire blinks back tears.

“Do you mind if I give you a hug?” she asks.

Without waiting for an answer, my wife rises and wraps her arms around the grief-stricken stranger for a few seconds. She takes both his hands in hers and says, “Your wife was fortunate to have had someone like you in her life.”

“We were married for 37 years.” His quivering mouth attempts a smile. “I always thought I was the lucky one.”

About the Author: Kathleen Duhamel is a contemporary women’s fiction writer and the author of the Deep Blue Trilogy (Deep Blue, Deeper, and Deep End) as well as the novella At Home With Andre. She wrote and illustrated her first short story at the age of eight, and has been a writer for most of her life. Her love of the written word continued throughout her varied career as a newspaper journalist and editor, public relations executive, freelance travel writer, and owner/operator of two small businesses. A native of Texas, she has spent most of her adult life in Colorado. She lives in the Denver area with her husband, a geriatric standard poodle, and a spoiled cat. She is a lifelong devotee of rock and soul music, contemporary art, and popular culture.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Buy Deep Blue, Deeper, Deep End, and At Home with Andre, a Deep Blue Novella at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveawayAlso, people tend to discard solicitations sent to them in the case citation. canada viagra Stress Stress is one of the main reasons why people seek it and use viagra usa price Go Here it. Typically, it happens once effects of viagra men cross their 40 age, but these days because of too much work pressure and abusing way of life, even men not more than 35 are undergoing this hurdle. In general, the term is used if most attempts at sexual lovemaking session over a period of more cialis no prescription uk than three months are completely unsuccessful.

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: For This Moment by Holly Bush


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Holly will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Born to privilege and duty, Olivia Gentry comes of age as women begin to find their social and political independence. The youngest child, and only daughter, of a successful Virginia horse breeding family, she has been raised and educated to carry on the family business with her brothers. Having been deceived in love as a young woman and unsure of her instincts, she is wary to commit to a marriage, but she cannot deny her long-buried feelings for a family friend.

Jim Somerset has been in love with Olivia Gentry from the moment she gazed up at him as a young girl. A farrier by trade like his father before him, he and his business’s future are inexorably entwined with the Gentry family. He has watched her be courted by statesmen, and considers her and her goals out of the reach of a common workman. But he is fearful that he will never purge Olivia from his mind and his heart. Has the moment come for him to reveal his passions for her? Find out in the third installment of the Gentrys of Paradise.

About the Author: Holly Bush writes historical romance set in the U.S.in the late 1800’s, in Victorian England, and and occasional Women’s Fiction title. Her books are described as emotional, with heartfelt, sexy romance. She makes her home with her husband in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page

Preorder the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Google Play.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Other reasons of pituitary gland free prescription viagra abnormality include imbalance in thyroid levels, tumour in pituitary gland, injured chest, and dysfunctional adrenal gland. They work by helping your body create better blood circulation to your sex organ, viagra no prescription online which should allow you to attain quality erections every time. You may be an elite athlete or a sports person or someone with an everyday injury sustained doing the gardening at home or even shopping on the generic cialis sales amerikabulteni.com weekend. Some of the branded medicine companies are engaged in making the area buy cialis in australia amerikabulteni.com sensitive toward slight activity.

Winnawarra by Elizabeth M. Darcy


Winnawarra by Elizabeth M. Darcy
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full length (277 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Emily Perkins is over the moon to learn Jock Macgregor has left her a share in Winnawarra Station in the magnificent Kimberly region of Outback Australia. The bonus comes when she realises, his handsome grandson, Doug is the man of her dreams. She loves working beside him and every day is an adventure.

After receiving a letter from Jock, she discovers he was convinced the accident that killed his son and daughter-in-law was actually murder, and he included her in his will to investigate the deaths.

When accidents start happening to Emily, and she hears footsteps outside her room at night, she is convinced someone is stalking her.

Like the blue pill, it also works by relaxing blood arteries, improving blood flow cialis cost low and thereby enhancing the quality of erection. If you haven?t heard of him before, I can assure you, you?re buy online cialis in for a wild ride. After consumption it starts its effect levitra 100mg within 15 minutes. So what does it means and whom does it affect the most? In buy cheap sildenafil layman’s terms, it is called Male Impotence. Is she next on the killer’s list?

Isolated on an Outback cattle ranch, will strong, dependable Doug be able to keep her safe?

A murderer is loose at Winnawarra Station, and she must race against time to identify the killer before he strikes again.

I definitely recommend this book but I don’t recommend starting to read it late in the day because it is one of those impossible to put down books. Also I would not suggest reading it while home alone, especially if it’s dark outside. I made all those mistakes. I should have heeded the warning in the synopsis when it said “heart pounding suspense”.

Honestly, the suspense was really like “are you kidding me?” “Again?”. How many times was the hero, Doug, going to say “I’ll keep you safe” and then we hear the “Tap, Tap, Tap”. I can’t say any more than that but let me tell you I fell for it every stinking time. My heart pounded and I was terrified to read what came next. I seriously began to lose trust in Doug’s ability to keep the heroine, Emily, safe. However, I kept the faith in the strong, dependable and handsome Doug.

It was a good thing he was so handsome, and Emily was smitten with him from the moment she saw him at the airport when he picked her up. I too found myself drawn into his masculine aura. True, Doug was attracted to Emily’s beauty but also to her whit and he needed her in more ways than one. Together they completed each other.

I have to tell you, when I read the synopsis my excitement about reading this book was mediocre at best because it sounded similar to other books I’ve read in the past. Well, I was the fool. This novel really surprised me with several original elements and, plot twists, and let’s not forget the “Tap, tap, tap”. You’ll just have to read the book to know what I’m talking about. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the Kimberly region of Outback Australia.

This book was truly a romance after my heart even though my heart was having frequent palpitations. I started to think I was next on the killer’s list. I fear some people might think this book had too many repetitive phrases because that thought certainly crossed my mind, but I think Ms. Darcy’s writing style successfully walked that fine line. Instead of being repetitive it gave me a sense of a very real and evocative drama. Elizabeth M. Darcy pulled it off and wrote a very engaging and enthralling romance story. This is an easy book to recommend.