LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Rogue Countess by Amy Sandas

Thanks for joining us on our 14th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!

Betrayed and forced into marriage, the Countess of Blackbourne will never forgive the husband who abandoned her.

After eight long years away, the Earl of Blackbourne, Jude Sinclair returns to England with one purpose; to find his wife and end his farce of a marriage. Hardened and cynical from his self-imposed exile, he is shocked to experience a fierce attraction to the woman his wife has become. But even that will not alter his plan to finally be free of her.

Clever and determined, Anna Locke is the successful owner of the finest Thoroughbred stables in Britain. Threatened by a blackmailer desperate to ensure Jude never learns the true circumstances of their marriage, Anna must choose between fighting against her husband or fighting for him.

With a past tangled in lies, Anna and Jude’s marriage becomes a battleground as passionate anger slides too easily into bold desire. Can they overcome mutual distrust to destroy a long-held secret before it destroys them?

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2019 Casa Christmas Blog Tour – Guest Blog and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Casa authors who are letting us know their thoughts about Christmas. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a winter reading survival kit.

Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner? To celebrate, we asked the authors of our 2019 Christmas titles to answer some fun, wintry and Christmas themed questions!

Fall in love this Christmas and be sure to read:

  • Longing for a Cowboy Christmas by Leigh Greenwood, Rosanne Bittner, Linda Broday, Margaret Brownley, Anna Schmidt, and Amy Sandas
  • Wish Upon a Cowboy by Jennie Marts
  • Cowboy Christmas Kiss by Kim Redford
  • Cowboy Christmas Homecoming by June Faver
  • A Dash of Christmas by Samantha Chase
  • Puppy Christmas by Lucy Gilmore
  • Silver Town Wolf: Home for the Holidays by Terry Spear

 

Keep reading to get in the Christmas spirit and check out the books over at Romance Reads!

 

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What’s the best part about writing a Christmas book?

Rosanne Bittner:        The best part about writing a Christmas story is that it takes me into that “miracle” mood that seems to be a part of the Christmas holiday. I always try to include some kind of little miracle in my stories. In last year’s anthology, Christmas In A Cowboy’s Arms, my story miracle was the healed awakening of an unconscious little girl. This year, in Longing for A Cowboy Christmas, my miracle surrounds the birth of a baby boy the mother wasn’t sure she could love.

Anna Schmidt:             For me the holidays are a magical time of sharing and giving and FORgiving. To be able to tell stories that convey those things is a gift in itself.

Jennie Marts:              Capturing all the magic of the Christmas season and giving it to both your characters and your readers as you create touches of that magic in the story.

June Faver:                   The absolutely best part of writing a Christmas book in Texas is that I’m wearing shorts, tank top and flip-flops while writing about slogging through the snow. It helps with the endless summer heat when my brain is hauling hay to cattle in the snow blanketed fields.

Kim Redford:               Magic! A larger-than-life theme that touches many lives always arises when I’m writing a Christmas book. In Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss, Fernando, the stolen bull, escapes and heads for home where an eight-year-old girl awaits him, hoping he’ll get there in time for Christmas. In A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas, troubleshooter Misty Reynolds arrives in time to help Trey Duval stop a brushfire, investigate a Christmas tree farm fire, and be dubbed his “Christmas Angel.”

Lucy Gilmore:              One of the best (and sneakiest) things for an author to do is put their own family traditions into the book. We all have our unique ways of celebrating and enjoying the holidays, many of which are passed down from generation to generation. By writing a Christmas book, I can share some of those traditions with the world, and you don’t even know I’m doing it!

Margaret Brownley: I always seem to be writing a Christmas book during the searing heat of summer. To get in the right mood, I try to imagine a reader curled up in front of a blazing fire, hot chocolate in hand and smiling as she reads my story. The image usually puts me in the Christmas spirit.  On the few occasions it fails to work, I stick my feet in a bucket of ice water.

Samantha Chase:       There is something about writing a Christmas book that just gives me joy from the first word to the last. I think it’s because everyone always seems happier during the holidays and that gets to be portrayed in the book. The plot doesn’t have to be quite so angsty – everything is lighter and sweeter and always ends with a Merry Christmas!

Terry Spear:                 I always end up having to write them during the hot Texas summers, so when I write a Christmas book, I look for Christmas recipes, make up pictures of wolves and snow, and cool myself down.

 

What is something you can’t live without during the holiday season?

Amy Sandas:                Cozy socks. I’m not much for slippers, but my feet are always cold so I love to warm them up with thick, super-soft socks.

Anna Schmidt:             Traditions from my childhood—my family was very into giving to others especially those who might not be blessed with family at that time of year so I love finding ways to shop and wrap and give to others.

Jennie Marts:              We have a tradition of our family going to the Candlelight Service at church on Christmas Eve then coming back to my house for homemade lasagna and my Christmas Butter Bundt cake. I wouldn’t want to miss any of this special night.

Lucy Gilmore:              My heated ice scraper for the car. Seriously. It snows a ton where I live, and we don’t have a garage, so having a quick, easy, and warm way to get the ice off the windows is like holiday magic.

Margaret Brownley: I couldn’t live without knowing the true meaning of Christmas and what we are celebrating. This keeps me from becoming overwhelmed by the commercial part and focused on the things that truly count.

Samantha Chase:       My decorations. We have a TON of Disney decorations we’ve collected over the years and I always look forward to taking them out and putting them all over the house.

Rosanne Bittner:        Something I can’t live without in the Christmas season is, of course, having my 3 grandsons over on Christmas Eve. They love my apple pie!

Terry Spear:                 Decorating for the holidays–a Christmas tree. I feel I’m in my own Christmas story, my home is now a holiday scene. It’s warm and the Christmas lights make it cheery and special mementos handed down from our family or that I’ve picked up in special places or from friends and family are brought out and cherished all over again.

 

What’s your favorite holiday or winter tradition?

Jennie Marts:              My two sons and I have a fun tradition of inviting the grandma’s over to our house on December 23rd to make all the Christmas cookies. We used to have the great grandmothers participate and those were great memories, and even though my sons are grown, we still do this tradition.

Linda Broday:               The candlelight service on Christmas Eve puts joy and thankfulness in my heart and I look forward to it each year. There’s something very moving about sitting in a church lit only by candles, singing Christmas hymns. The service brings such a sense of peace.

Lucy Gilmore:              I hate, hate, hate being cold, so winter can be a tough time for me. I’d stay inside all day, every day if I could. However, I also have two very large, very active Akitas who adore everything about the snow, so that’s not really a choice. One of my favorite traditions is taking the two of them to a nearby hiking spot as soon as we get fresh snow (which, to be fair, is most days). The cold matters a lot less the moment I see them prancing around and throwing the snow to each other. They’d probably love it if we moved to the Arctic year-round. (Sorry, dogs. That will never happen.)

Margaret Brownley: A favorite family tradition began by accident. When the children were small, I habitually bought Christmas presents throughout the year and hid them. The problem was, some presents were invariably forgotten until after Christmas.  One gloomy January, while organizing my closet, I found a set of cars I’d intended Santa to leave under the tree.  Not knowing how else to handle it, I entered the room where the boys were playing and announced, “Look what Santa left on the roof.”  This was a big hit and every year after that, Santa always left something on the roof.  The funny thing is that no one ever thought to ask what Mommy had been doing on the roof.

Terry Spear:                 Seeing the Nutcracker or some other play like that over the holidays.

 

What’s your favorite holiday memory?

Anna Schmidt:             Wrapping presents with my Dad—he always had us shop for him and then gathered us kids one night to wrap everything on his list for my Mom (usually 10-12 gifts). He wrote these wonderful cards to attach to each gift and there always was one small gift (usually jewelry) he hid in the tree.

Linda Broday:               What parent hasn’t worked hard on Christmas Eve putting toys together? I remember one Christmas when my husband and I tried for most of the night to assemble a bicycle for my oldest. We hunted and hunted for one important part and finally found it in the trunk of the car where it had fallen out of the box. Exhausted, we fell into bed and I still remember the warmth of his arms around me. We fell asleep whispering to each other. He passed away a few short years after that. But I can’t look at a bicycle without remembering that night.

Terry Spear:                 Having both kids and their spouses here for the holidays. That’s the best time ever.

 

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

Amy Sandas:                It’s gotta be a tie between Home Alone because it’s so nostalgic and fun for the whole family… or Die Hard (Yes, it is a Christmas movie!) which has become an annual tradition in our house.

Anna Schmidt:             The vintage version of A Christmas Carol w/ George C. Scott—he made the BEST Scrooge!!!

Jennie Marts:              The Santa Clause with Tim Allen. I love all three of them, and we watch at least one every year.

June Faver:                   I love, love, love Love, Actually. I can watch it over and over, and tear up every time. But, on the other hand, I also have to watch Die Hard. Is this why I write romantic suspense? Gotta have both.

Kim Redford:               It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore. Frank Capra directed this film based on the short story, “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern. Over the years, this magical tale of a man whose guardian angel shows him the true value of his life has become one of the most beloved holiday films. George Bailey (James Stewart) gave up his dreams to help his family and friends in his small home town and so always lived what he considered a small, unimportant life. When a financial disaster strikes, he turns suicidal until Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) arrives as his guardian angel to reveal all the lives George has touched in positive ways and how different the town of Bedford Falls would have been if he had not been born.

Linda Broday:               This is a little old-fashioned, but I always have to watch The Homecoming at least once. It was the first Walton’s episode about Christmas on Walton’s Mountain during the Depression. No matter how many times I watch it, I always get a lump in my throat at how little they had, yet they were a happy family, taking joy in just being alive and together. This has suspense when the father can’t get home and they fear he’s been killed in a bus accident. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without watching this.

Lucy Gilmore:              My go-to holiday movie every year is While You Were Sleeping. Granted, it’s not the most Christmas-y of Christmas movies, but I love everything about it. Never, in my wildest dreams, would I picture Bill Pullman as a romantic lead, but he absolutely sells it in this movie. Plus, the dinner scene with the family is SO MUCH like my own that I start giggling just thinking about.

Rosanne Bittner:        My favorite Christmas movie would have to be the original “Scrooge,” A Christmas Carol. But I also absolutely love the original Miracle on 34th Street.

Samantha Chase:       Um…The Christmas Cottage (based on my book!) of course!

Terry Spear:                 A Christmas Story. I loved how he wrote his Christmas wish list at school and he didn’t get the “A” he expected for such a brilliant piece of work. “You’ll shoot your eye out” comes to mind whenever I think of what he wanted for Christmas.

 

What’s your favorite holiday/winter song?

Anna Schmidt:             “The Christmas Song” or “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”

Jennie Marts:              “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Oh Holy Night” are probably my favorite Christmas carols. I love belting them out in church or when they come on the radio. When my second son was born, he had colic and I used to sing to him in the middle of the night, and I would often sing “O Come All Ye Faithful” because it was one of the few songs I knew all the words to.

June Faver:                   I have two favorite Christmas songs for totally different reasons. When I was in college I was a member of the Acapella Choir <alto> and one song we sang was so gorgeous with all the voices chiming in can still make me tear up: “Do You Hear What I Hear”

The other song is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. I think of all the people who are separated from loved ones at the holidays. That was why it was so important for me to write Cowboy Christmas Homecoming, to chronicle the return of a soldier to his home town and how he adjusts and settles in after the horrors of his deployment. It’s also a sequel in the Garrett family saga, so there are old friends to celebrate with him. And finally, it’s about an amazing heroine, based on a female firefighter friend of mine, who in effect, rescues the big strong and emotionally isolated hero. Love it.

Kim Redford:               “Pretty Paper” recorded by Roy Orbison and written by Willie Nelson. In downtown Fort Worth, Texas, a handicapped (pre artificial limbs) street peddler always had a smile on his face and a kind word on his lips when he sold pencils from a tin cup affixed to his back. At Christmas, he peddled paper and ribbons, calling out “pretty paper, pretty ribbons” to everyone who happened by. Willie Nelson lived in Fort Worth at the time and wrote this heartfelt song that is a lasting tribute.

Lucy Gilmore:              I love this question because my answer is always, always “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron.” I also hate this question because I can’t explain why I love it so much. I mean, it’s catchy and fun, but it’s also about a cartoon dog who takes down an enemy WWI pilot on Christmas Eve. What? I’ve decided there must be some deep childhood association with it that I can’t recall, but that leaves me with a happy feeling all the same.

Margaret Brownley: It’s not Christmas for me without seeing at least one production of The Nutcracker Suite. I love the music so much I wrote a story called The Nutcracker Bride.  I also wrote a story titled after another Christmas favorite: “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

One story I’ll never write isGrandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” This isn’t my favorite by any means, but it always makes me laugh. That’s because the first time I heard it, I had four grandchildren in the car, ages five to nine.  All at once they started singing it. It was the first time I’d heard the song and I honestly thought they’d made it up. I was shocked and that only added to the backseat giggles.

Samantha Chase:       “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey

Rosanne Bittner:        My favorite Christmas song is “White Christmas.”

Terry Spear:                 “Carol of the Bells” It’s like listening to angels’ music. It always makes me feel good.

 

What’s the best bookish holiday gift that’s not a book?

Kim Redford:               Throw a Holiday Book Exchange Party! You provide the comfy location in your home with tasty treats, delicious drinks, and cute little gifts like bookmarks. Your friends bring books they’ve read, loved, and want to exchange. What could be better for the holidays than reading books, talking books, and sharing books?

Linda Broday:               I love buying those collections of tea for all my author friends. Also, a variety of popcorn works nicely as well as warm booties or throws.

Lucy Gilmore:              My family excels at giving me bookish gifts that aren’t books, mostly because they know that books are my life and they can’t possibly keep track of everything I’ve read. My favorites are the alcohol-themed ones. I’ve gotten Writer’s Tears whiskey, Harlequin Romance wine, the Tequila Mockingbird cocktail book, and various literary wine stoppers. Books + booze = a win!

Samantha Chase:       Oh, there are so many, but something that I’ve seen that I love, are Christmas ornaments that are made from pages of a favorite book or even miniatures of a beloved book cover!

Terry Spear:                 A friend sent me a waterproof writing pad I could use when I have those miraculous scene ideas in the shower. lol

 

Do you have a go-to stocking stuffer?

Amy Sandas:                I always put gift cards to Barnes & Noble in my kids’ stockings. Then we go to the store together to pick out new books.

Rosanne Bittner:        This isn’t my favorite stocking-stuffer, but rather, it’s my GRANDSONS’ favorite stocking stuffer – MONEY! They are all in their teens, so no more toys and candy canes! They want that green stuff so they can buy gasoline. All 3 of them are now driving!

Terry Spear:                 Candy. Unfortunately, I don’t have a fireplace, the only thing I regretted about not having in the house I bought. I worried that Santa would be able to come when I don’t have one. I love decorating a mantle. It’s part of Christmas. Plus, they’re great if your electricity goes out in winter. But the advantage is that I can stuff all kinds of chocolate treats in stockings. No heat to melt them!

 

If you could travel anywhere this winter, where would you go?

Anna Schmidt:             Denmark…mostly because my next book is set there.

Jennie Marts:              My dream trip would be to go somewhere warm to a gorgeous beach and stay in one of those luxury bungalows out over the water and spend the days swimming, snorkeling, and reading.

June Faver:                   I’ve spent a lot of time at the Texas coast, so I am quite familiar with the term “Snow Birds.” These are people who live up north and become “Winter Texans.” Anyplace from Corpus Christi to South Padre Island, where there is a beautiful beach and gentle waves. I also love Mexican coastal areas. My freckles need sunshine and I need waves frizzling out over my bare feet as I walk along, looking for sand dollars.

Rosanne Bittner:        Hubby and I have been going to Nevada every winter for about 20 years now. We stay 2-3 months. We always stayed in our condo in Vegas, but we’ve sold that and this year we will go to Laughlin, NV, which is right on the beautiful Colorado River across from Arizona. My vacations are ALWAYS somewhere in America’s Great West. It’s what I love and almost the only thing I write about!

Terry Spear:                 Scotland. I love Scotland. I’ve traveled there in September and October, but I wouldn’t mind going there any time of the year. But I’d love to just stay there for a month and soak up the Scottish beauty and write.

 

What’s your go-to treat to take to the pot-luck holiday party?

Amy Sandas:                Sugared pecans! Such a simple snack but so, so yummy…especially when warm from the oven. We’re lucky if we make it to the party with half a batch left.

Anna Schmidt:             I make a dynamite chili, but if something less ‘entrée’ is called for, then how about a chocolate cheesecake???

Jennie Marts:              I like to take a crock-pot full of meatballs. The recipe is so easy: Mix an 18 oz jar of grape jelly with an 18 oz jar of BBQ sauce in the bottom of your crock pot (Sweet Baby Rays is my favorite). Then dump in a big bag of frozen meatballs and stir it up. Let cook on high for 2 or 3 hours and enjoy! So good and so easy!

Kim Redford:               Cowboy Cookies! Now these fun cookies are real, downhome Texas with a twist—that’s Texas whiskey. Quick and easy, too. Grab a Texas Tea Cake recipe (sugar cookie), throw all the ingredients into a bowl, mix well, add whiskey to taste, spoon the batter onto a cookie sheet, and bake just right. They’re sure to be a hit at any holiday party. If you want my personal recipe for Cowboy Cookies, it’s in my new release Cowboy Firefighter Christmas Kiss.

Margaret Brownley: I don’t know that you can call this a treat, but I always volunteer to bring the paper goods. Hey, someone has to do it, right?

Rosanne Bittner:        My “go-to” treat for holiday parties is my special home-made apple pie that I make from real peeled apples.

June Faver:                   There are usually plenty of desserts, so I take my broccoli casserole. Not the usual broccoli casserole where rice is the main ingredient. Blah! This is a recipe my kids loved and demanded growing up. Now they make it for people they love. Sharing recipe because we’re such close friends. Easy to double.

Broccoli Casserole

1 large bunch (4 cups) cooked, fresh broccoli spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 2-oz. jar sliced pimentos
1 4-oz. can sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounce carton sour cream
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix mushroom soup and sour cream well. Add broccoli, celery and pimentos. Mix well. Turn into a 1-1/2 quart casserole, sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Serves 4.

What’s your go-to drink in the winter?

Amy Sandas:                I love egg nog with a bit of rum or homemade Irish cream, but I also made a batch of hot-buttered rum one year. Sooo rich!

Anna Schmidt:             Winter/spring/summer/fall = COFFEE

June Faver:                   I seem to always be watching my weight, but I cannot resist getting a carton of egg nog in the winter. It’s so rich and flavorful. I know it loves me as much as I love it. It’s like a hug in a cup.

Linda Broday:               Without a doubt, it’s hot apple cider. When I still at home, my dad would load us all up each October and we’d head for the mountains that was a day’s drive from where we lived. They’d be fruit stands set up all along the highway and we’d stop. Before the day was done, we’d have a carload of apples. My daddy would make the best apple cider and mom, her apple cake. The house would fill with the fragrance of apples and I’d lie in bed, taking deep breaths, feeling so loved. I did it with my kids and my heart returns to that treasured time when I smell apples.

Lucy Gilmore:              I have a weirdly specific answer to this: maple tea from the Metropolitan Tea Company. A friend brought a box back to me after a trip to Canada a few years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s warm and a little bit sweet and makes even the darkest winter days seem cozy.

Rosanne Bittner:        My “go-to” drink in winter is Eggnog. I have to be careful not to drink too much of it because it’s so fattening, as are most holiday treats!

Terry Spear:                 Peppermint mocha, though I have to admit Starbucks now has it year-round, yay! So I get to feel like it’s Christmas any time I want to get one during the year.

 

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The Outlaw’s Heart by Amy Sandas – Spotlight and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Amy Sandas who is celebrating the upcoming release of The Outlaw’s Heart, the third book in the Runaway Brides series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of The Cowboy’s Honor, the second book in the series.

Three runaway brides
Determined to escape their fates
Flee West to find freedom that can only be had
in a cowboy’s arms…

Desperate to escape an unhappy marriage, Boston socialite Evelyn Perkins flees west in hopes of losing herself to the dusty frontier. But when her train is boarded by outlaws, Evelyn is taken for ransom. Despite her terror, Evelyn fears being returned to her husband more. Refusing to cooperate, she becomes the responsibility of a man whose steady gaze threatens to pierce her brave façade and reach the wounded heart within.

Gabriel Sloan has his orders, but the haunting shadows in the pretty young woman’s eyes spark an intense protective instinct he can’t deny. Every look, every touch brings them closer together. He would do anything to protect her, but dangerous men are on their trail, and soon the two must face Evelyn’s darkest nightmare—or risk losing the unexpected joy they’ve found forever…

Runaway Brides Series:
The Gunslinger’s Vow (Book 1)
The Cowboy’s Honor (Book 2)
The Outlaw’s Heart (Book 3)

Enjoy an Excerpt

The tall, muscled man who’d stared at her across the fire was even more intimidating up close. He had expansive shoulders, thick arms barely contained in his pale-colored cotton shirt, and powerful legs encased in worn denim. In a graceful economy of muscle and movement, he folded his large body into a crouch, bringing his face even with hers.
And what a face it was. Strong and beautiful in a way she’d never seen before. He had a broad forehead and a long, straight nose. His jaw was sharply angled, as were his cheekbones, but his mouth was wide and his lips were soft and full.

But unsmiling.

Startled by his unexpected proximity, Evelyn flinched when he lifted his hand, realizing belatedly that he held a canteen and was offering it to her.

He did not react to her obvious fear. Instead, he remained still—his expression flat as his eyes held hers. “It’s water,” he said.

His voice matched the rest of him—richly complex and powerful. Something strange rolled through her at the sound. Like anticipation of a storm when you hear the rumble of distant thunder, but warmer.

Her lashes flickered as she glanced down at the canteen. She was unbelievably thirsty, but how could she trust anything offered by men who held her captive?

“If you want to survive, you’ll drink the water and eat the food,” he said quietly. The words were just between them. Still she did not reach for the canteen. “You want to live?” he asked, raising a brow.

Evelyn lifted her chin, regaining eye contact with the man, despite her uncertainty and fear. “Yes, I want to live,” she replied, surprising herself by the conviction in her words.

With a single, short nod, he extended the canteen a bit more. “Then drink.”

She lifted her hands to take the water, but because of the binding rope and her frozen fingers, she couldn’t grasp it.

Realizing her predicament, he gave a quiet grunt, then set the canteen on the ground and reached for her wrists. His large, warm hands surrounded her curled fists. He held them in silence for a moment—as if his only intention was to share his heat and offer comfort.

Though Evelyn felt the icy stiffness in her fingers dissipating, she resisted the instinctive desire to accept anything more. But she didn’t pull away.

And she wasn’t sure why.

“Don’t be scared,” he stated, still in a private tone. “You won’t be hurt.”

She searched his gaze in the darkness. She wanted to believe him, but she knew far too well how easily a man could hide wicked intent. “I am not so naive,” she replied, her voice barely more than a murmur of sound.

He did nothing to indicate he heard her reply as he released his hold on her hands and deftly loosened the ropes. He did not remove them altogether, but he allowed for a bit of freedom to use her hands more effectively. Then he picked up the canteen and offered it once again.

Evelyn managed to bring it to her lips this time and took a few long drinks. The water soothed her throat, but it also made her very aware of her empty stomach. Lowering the canteen, she offered it back to the man who remained patiently beside her. Watching her in silence.

His nearness was discomfiting. As were his size and his quiet manner.

She had no idea what to make of him. There was strength in him, something his muscled form attested to without effort, but he displayed not the slightest hint of temper or violence.

Of course, Matthew hadn’t either…until something set him off.

The outlaw took the canteen, never shifting his gaze from hers. Not even when the voices around the fire rose higher in discord.

“Shit,” the young one named Ramsey exclaimed, frustration clear in his tone. “We can still ransom the woman. I mean, look at her.”

Evelyn stiffened under the sudden flood of attention. The man crouched before her was still watching her carefully, and she feared she might have revealed her trepidation when his brows lowered over his gaze.

Did she really believe she was better off with these outlaws than in her husband’s hands?

Yes. Yes, she did. But that didn’t mean she was not in danger.

He stared at her for a moment longer before he rose to his feet and walked away without a word, leaving the canteen on the ground beside her. She couldn’t keep her gaze from following his powerful form as he melted into the darkness beyond the fire while the others continued discussing her fate.

She expected to release a breath of relief at being left alone again, but it didn’t come.

“With her fancy clothes and fine airs, there’s gotta be someone somewhere who’ll be willing to pay good money to get her back.”

Evelyn listened to the exchange with increasing tension. These men were right about one thing. Her husband would no doubt be willing to pay a small fortune to get her back. But there was nothing in the world that would convince her to tell them that.

***
Excerpted from The Outlaw’s Heart by Amy Sandas. © 2019 by Amy Sandas. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author Amy’s love of romance began one summer when she was thirteen and complained of boredom. She ended up with one of her mother’s Barbara Cartland books and an obsessive interest that expanded from there. Her affinity for writing began with sappy pre-teen poems and led to a Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.

She writes in the early mornings while her young kids are still asleep and dreams of a future when she can write all day instead of going to her “other” job. In the evenings, Amy is a full-time wife and mother who enjoys pizza, wine and dark brooding heroes…namely, her husband.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, IndieBound, or BAM.

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The Cowboy’s Honor by Amy Sandas – Spotlight and Giveaway


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Amy Sandas who is celebrating the upcoming release of The Cowboy’s Honor, the second book in the Runaway Brides series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win one of five copies of The Gunslinger’s Vow, the first book in the series.

Three runaway brides
Determined to escape their fates
Flee West to find freedom that can only be had in a cowboy’s arms…

Courtney Adams never questioned the future her parents laid out for her…until the day she was to marry one of Boston’s elite. Desperate, she flees the church in a flurry of bridal finery and trades her pearls for a train ticket to Montana—only to be mistaken for a surly cowboy’s mail order bride!

Dean Lawton doesn’t want a wife—especially not some fancy Eastern lady he believes his brother “ordered” behind his back. Yet one mistake leads to another, and before the dust can settle, he finds himself married to a woman who challenges him at every step…and sets his wounded heart ablaze. But the clock is ticking on this marriage of inconvenience, and soon Dean must decide: convince Courtney to remain in his arms, or lose her light forever…

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Is there a hotel in town where I might procure a room for a few days?”

“Miss Mabel has a boardinghouse down the road, though I don’t know for sure if she’s got any open rooms.”

Courtney smiled her thanks to the postal clerk, already envisioning a quaint but comfortable room with clean sheets on the bed. Maybe even a hot, tasty meal. She had given up on finding food that was near the same quality she was accustomed to, but she would settle for edible and filling right now. She couldn’t very well expect a rugged town in the Western Territories to provide the same levels of comfort as a big city back East. She had left Boston in search of a new life. It was time to embrace all of what that meant.

As she stepped onto the boardwalk, blinking against the bright summer sunlight, Courtney didn’t realize she had stepped right into someone’s path until it was too late.

And of course, it had to be Mr. Martin.

What should have been just a very brief bumping of elbows and shoulders became much more when he took swift advantage of the encounter by wrapping his arms around her in an exaggerated and unnecessary attempt at steadying her.

Courtney immediately put her hands up to try to shove him away, but her efforts were ineffectual. He was intent on holding her close.

“It’s my lovely traveling companion,” he exclaimed. His face was so close that she could feel the heat of his breath on her cheek. “What a pleasure to run into you again so soon.”

“I would thank you to release me, sir.”

“Not yet, sweetheart. I never did get your name.”

“And you never will. Now let me go,” Courtney stated more forcefully. Her stomach turned in distress as she glanced around to see if there was anyone who might come to her aid.

“Let the lady go.”

Despite their low timbre, the words were spoken from behind her in such a hard and forceful tone that Mr. Martin’s grip around her waist loosened as though on command. She did not waste time in giving a solid push against his chest and wrenching free. She quickly backed away from Mr. Martin’s grabby reach, which brought her closer to her unknown rescuer.

Turning to acknowledge the man who had come to her aid, all she saw was the expanse of a broad male chest covered by a faded blue cotton shirt. The scents of horse and leather and sunbaked earth filled her nostrils. Distracted and still a little distressed, she felt her foot catch in the twisted length of her skirts on her next step, and she started to stumble. Warm, rough, capable hands grasped her arms as the stranger held her secure until she regained her balance. A low sound escaped the man’s throat as his hands dropped away.

“My apologies,” he muttered as he stepped back from her. The velvety texture of his voice soothed and flustered at the same time.

Courtney took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure after the discomfiting experience of being handled so familiarly first by Mr. Martin and then by the tall stranger. She wasn’t used to such treatment…but while Mr. Martin’s assistance had caused only irritation, this stranger certainly deserved her thanks. She corrected her posture and made sure her expression was perfectly neutral before she lifted her chin, prepared to utter a swift expression of gratitude.

The words never made it past her lips.

In fact, everything—her train of thought, her breath, time itself—just stopped.

The man stood a few inches taller than her and wore a wide-brimmed cowboy hat that blocked the sun, giving her an unimpeded look at one of the most handsome faces she had ever seen.

His skin was bronzed from exposure to the sun, and a hint of sandy-brown beard shadowed a hard jawline and square chin. Though his mouth was pressed into a firm line, it didn’t disguise the masculine beauty of his arched lips beneath a well-shaped nose and strong cheekbones. His features were put together in a way that was rugged yet undeniably attractive.

But his eyes—pale blue like a summer sky brushed with wispy clouds—were what had given her the intense little shock of awareness. It was like being woken up from a hazy dream. Everything just suddenly became more vivid, more…awake. His gaze held a hint of impatience as he looked down at her from beneath a furrowed brow.

While she stood dumbfounded, he swept his stunning gaze over her person.

His hard expression tensed even more as he took in the sight of her elaborate wedding gown before finally returning to her face. Only now, instead of impatience, she saw the glimmer of something more in his eyes.

She had to consciously tell herself not to react to the way he eyed her so openly. Keeping her expression calm and unruffled under this man’s intense regard was not an easy task, especially now that she was dealing with strange little sparks that had ignited beneath her skin everywhere his gaze had fallen.

She was accustomed to inciting admiration in the gentlemen of her circles—she had been told she was beautiful often enough throughout her life to believe it was so. But she could not say she had ever inspired the flash of irritation she noted in his eyes when he finished his perusal.

He sent a focused glare toward the post office behind her before looking down at her once again. “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he muttered, his smooth-textured voice a strange contradiction to his harsh visage.

He was scowling. At her.

About the Author Amy’s love of romance began one summer when she was thirteen and complained of boredom. She ended up with one of her mother’s Barbara Cartland books and an obsessive interest that expanded from there. Her affinity for writing began with sappy pre-teen poems and led to a Bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on Creative Writing from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.

She writes in the early mornings while her young kids are still asleep and dreams of a future when she can write all day instead of going to her “other” job. In the evenings, Amy is a full-time wife and mother who enjoys pizza, wine and dark brooding heroes…namely, her husband.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Indiebound, or BAM.

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The Gunslinger’s Vow by Amy Sandas – Spotlight and Giveaway


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Amy Sandas who is celebrating today’s release of her newest book The Gunslinger’s Vow, part of the Runaway Brides series. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Luck is No Lady, the first book of her Fallen Ladies series.

Three runaway brides
Determined to escape their fates
Flee West to find freedom that can only be had
in a cowboy’s arms…

Alexandra Brighton spent the last five years in Boston, erasing all evidence of the wild frontier girl she used to be. Before she settles down, she’s determined to visit her childhood home one final time. But when she finds herself stranded far from civilization, she has no choice but to trust her safety to the tall, dark and decidedly dangerous bounty hunter Malcolm Kincaid.

Now that Malcolm finally has the location his brother’s killer, he has no intention of wasting time protecting a pampered Eastern lady. But something about Alexandra speaks to the heart he long thought frozen—and her slow transformation from proper miss to wild-eyed beauty leaves him shaken. By the time they reach Montana, Malcolm must decide if seeking justice for past wrongs is worth losing a future with the woman he never expected to need…

Enjoy an Excerpt

After knocking sharply, he lowered his chin, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited. He chose not to analyze why the idea of disturbing her sleep gave him a perverse sort of pleasure.

He was about to knock again, when the lock released and the door opened to reveal a very sleepy— and very undressed—woman blinking at him with wide blue eyes.

“Mr. Kincaid? Is something wrong?”

Wrong? Hellfire and damnation. Malcolm could barely think.

The foolish woman stood there in nothing more than a white towel wrapped around her body from chest to knee. The creamy skin of her limbs and shoulders was entirely exposed, and dark hair fell in heavy waves down her back. She looked soft and feminine and too damned enticing.

Lust swept hot and furious through him. He ground his back teeth hard to stop his body’s instant reaction to the sight of Miss Brighton in such a state.

“What the hell are you doing opening the door like that?” Malcolm growled, glancing down the hall to make sure no one else was about.

Her eyes grew wider as she looked down at herself. A swift blush pinkened her cheeks, and she tried to step back around the edge of the door. “I was in a deep sleep,” she explained. “I forgot I wasn’t dressed.”

“What if it hadn’t been me knocking?” he asked angrily.

It was probably his tone that had her lifting her chin and narrowing her gaze. “Well, it is you, isn’t it? And you still haven’t told me why you have come to bother me in the middle of the night.”

“It’s barely ten o’clock.”

Apparently over her embarrassment, she crossed her arms over her chest in a perfect copy of his own stance and lifted her brows in question. The action plumped the upper swells of her breasts, and Malcolm’s mouth went bone-dry.

Forcing his attention back to her face didn’t seem to help much. Not with her eyes all soft from sleep and those lips looking so damn kissable.

“I’ll take you to Montana,” he said abruptly, trying to shake himself free of the sensual snare he’d walked into.

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “You will?”

Malcolm was tempted to back out then simply due to the strength of his unbidden desire. He did not want to entertain the idea that his attraction to her was growing stronger rather than fading. But it was the damned truth. The journey was going to be torturous in more ways than one. He had no intention of acting on the lust she inspired, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel it, and it didn’t mean he’d always be able to hide it.

But he couldn’t in good conscience leave her stranded. Doing so would make him no better than Lassiter, and there was no telling what manner of character she’d end up in the hands of if he wasn’t there to keep her out of trouble.

“We do things my way,” he stated firmly. “No arguing.”

She nodded vigorously. “Of course. Whatever you say, Mr. Kincaid.”

Malcolm narrowed his gaze. Her ready agreement was suspicious, but he’d made his decision. “Malcolm,” he muttered.

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. Then she smiled, and Malcolm’s gut clenched. The curve of that lower lip was going to be the death of him.

“All right, Malcolm.” She unfolded her arms to extend her hand. “And you may call me Alexandra.”

Malcolm knew he shouldn’t take her hand. Not there in the dark while she stood in nothing but a towel, not when desire ran rampant through his blood at the simple sight of her. But she kept her hand extended and lifted a brow as though in challenge.
He took her hand in his, noting its softness and how easily it became folded up in his larger grip. His bicep tensed with the urge to give a quick and forceful tug so she’d tumble toward him until her breasts flattened against his chest, her thighs bumped his, and her breath spread across his throat. It’d be so easy to take her in his arms and claim her mouth.

But she was innocent and far too trusting—not to mention way the hell out of his class—and Malcolm had never taken anything from a woman that wasn’t freely given. Miss Brighton was not for him.

Oblivious to his train of thought, she gave a surprisingly firm handshake. Her smile never wavered as she declared, “You won’t regret this. I promise.”

Malcom released her hand and stepped back. “Be downstairs by seven o’clock tomorrow.”

“I will. Thank you, Malcolm.”

“And ask who’s at your door before you open the damned thing.”

Malcolm held his position until the door closed and he heard the lock click into place. Then he stalked down the hall to his own room, taking slow breaths to rein in his body’s fierce and unwelcome craving. He’d need to see to his own relief tonight. There was no way he was going to start on the trail with that woman wound as tight as he was.

Not if he hoped to survive the journey.

About the Author:Amy writes historical romance about dashing, and sometimes dangerous, men who know just how to get what they want and women who at times may be reckless, bold, and unconventional, but who always have the courage to embrace all that life and love have to offer.

Amy grew up in a small dairy town in northern Wisconsin and after earning a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, she eventually made her way back to Wisconsin (though to a slightly larger town) and lives there with her husband, three children and a black lab. She spends her early mornings writing then heads to her “other” job, dreaming of the day she can write full-time. The rest of her time is spent trying to keep up with the kids and squeeze in some stolen moments with her husband.

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Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or iBooks.

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Sugar and Spice Tour with Amy Sandas and Elizabeth Michels


Long and Short Reviews welcomes Amy Sandas and Elizabeth Michels who are interviewing each other as part of their Sugar and Spice Tour to celebrate the release of their respective books, Lord of Lies and The Wicked Heir. One lucky winner will receive a book bundle containing all three books in each author’s latest series!

Amy Sandas’ Fallen Ladies Series:
Luck Is No Lady
The Untouchable Earl
Lord of Lies

Elizabeth Michels’ Spare Heirs Series:
The Infamous Heir
The Rebel Heir
The Wicked Heir

Elizabeth Michels interviews Amy Sandas

Elizabeth: What’s your favorite line from your new release, LORD OF LIES?
Amy: “He knew before he spoke, however, that a sensible lecture would only end in a roll of her fascinating eyes or a snort of derision before she went along doing exactly what she wanted to do anyway.”

Elizabeth: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Amy: I’ve loved writing since I was a pre-teen, but it wasn’t until college that I knew I wanted to make a go of it as a career. It took many years after that to actually commit to a discipline that would make it happen.

Elizabeth: Do you have any book release day traditions?
Amy: You mean aside from biting my nails and scanning the internet for reviews every five minutes? As someone who loves food and honestly gets sick of cooking every night, getting dressed up and going out to a nice restaurant is my favorite way to celebrate a new release.

Amy Sandas interviews Elizabeth Michels

Amy: When did you realize you wanted to write romance novels?
Elizabeth: I never realized I could write until I was grown. I know many authors began their first novel at age 10, but that wasn’t me. I was actually in my early thirties and I’d just had a baby. I’d been reading romance for a few years at that point. One day while cleaning out our closets my husband stumbled across my stash of romance novels. He turned around to look at me with a look of shock on his face. “You’ve read all of these? Do you realize how much market research you’ve done on this subject?”

Leave it to him to look at reading books in business terms. I’m pretty sure I rolled my eyes. “Market research? Really?”

Then he said, “No, I’m serious. You should try to write a book.”

I could have ignored his suggestion and continued spring cleaning the house. But I’d just closed my interior design business to be a stay-at-home-mom for our son and I was looking for something to work on in my free time. So during naptime for my baby the following afternoon I sat down at the kitchen table and started to write.

That first manuscript is still well hidden beneath my bed even today, but I learned from it. What’s more, I found I had a passion for story telling that I never knew existed. I’m so thankful that my husband wanted to clean out the house that day. It changed my life. And my husband is still my biggest cheerleader on this journey. …Don’t tell him I called him a cheerleader, alright? It’ll be our secret.

Amy: If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go?
Elizabeth: London, of course! My house is in the country so I enjoy going to cities on vacation for a change of pace. And what better city is there in the world than London, England? I love London, but I haven’t been able to go in years since I have a little one at home. It seemed like a long flight for a wiggly little boy to sit through, but now that he’s getting older I’m hoping I can take a family vacation there in the coming years. Until then I’ll just have to sip tea at home and dream.

Amy: If you had only one book to read for the rest of your life, what book would it be?
Elizabeth: Only one book?! Forever?! Man, ask me a tougher question, why don’t you, Amy. Geez! I would have to go with the book that will always hold a special place in my heart: the one that hooked me on reading when I was a teenager. There was a long list of acceptable books for summer reading that year. I wasn’t a big reader at the time, so I sighed and looked down the list settling on a title that turned out to be AMAZING! After I read it, I wanted more and began devouring book after book for the first time in my life. But that first one is still my favorite book of all time. The book that changed my life: REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier.

“You do strange things to me, Dell Turner. Tell me I am not alone in what I feel.”
His voice was low and rough. His eyes burned. “You are not alone,” he said.

Portia Chadwick longs for a life of adventure. When a dangerous moneylender kidnaps her sister, she dares to seek help from a man known only as Nightshade. Soon she finds herself charging headfirst into his world of intrigue and danger—and unexpected passion.

Dell Turner grew up in London’s back alleys and gin lanes. Vowing to escape his low beginnings, he hires himself out to society’s elite. When he accepts a job from a beautiful debutante, he doesn’t anticipate her relentless determination to join his mad occupation…or her unnerving ability to inspire emotions he thought long buried. She’s as dangerous to him as his world is to her, and yet Dell can’t bring himself to turn Portia away—even if it means risking her life.

About the Author: USA Today Bestselling author Amy Sandas’s love of romance began one summer when she stumbled across one of her mother’s Barbara Cartland books. Her affinity for writing began with sappy preteen poems and led to a liberal arts degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She lives with her husband and children near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Buy the book at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , iBooks , Kobo , or IndieBound.

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Fallon St. James: The Mastermind

When the love of Lady Isabelle Fairlyn’s life is betrothed to her twin sister, Isabelle vows to find a suitable replacement before the end of the season. He must be a talented dancer, have a keen fashion sense, and be perfectly dashing in every way.

Fallon St. James is the farthest thing from perfectly anything. As head of the secretive Spare Heirs Society, he must stick to the shadows…even as Isabelle’s friendship pulls him reluctantly into the light. But when Isabelle gets involved with the one man who could destroy Spares, Fallon must decide between protecting his life’s work—or risking everything to save the woman whose warm smile leaves him breathless.

About the Author: Elizabeth Michels is the award-winning author of the Tricks of the Ton series and the new Spare Heirs series. She attended Park University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Interior Design. This Historical Romance author enjoys living in a lake-side town in North Carolina with her husband and son. Elizabeth is a lover of happily-ever-afters, laughter, and things that are sparkly. Tiara optional while reading, but highly recommended.

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Buy the book at Amazon , Barnes & Noble, |iBooks ,  Kobo , or IndieBound

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