Tag Archives: Valentines Day

My New Release – Sweet Fantasy Valentine’s Day Short Story – Cupid’s Beau

I’m pleased to share my re-release of Cupid’s Beau through The Wild Rose Press – Just in time for Valentine’s Day! 

#WRPbks
#AHAgrp
#ShortStory
#BookWorm
#Valentine’s Day

Fun Fact:

I love to create fictional locations for my stories, and I always try to attach some kind of meaning to them. For Cupid’s Beau, I set it in Wisconsin because I wanted it to be a wintry setting and because my favorite NFL team is the Packers. For the name of the town I chose Castleville. It’s a play on Castle Rock, from Stephen King novels, and a town I lived in as a child for a brief, idyllic time, Cassville, Missouri. (Technically, we didn’t really ‘live’ in Cassville. We lived in some odd Bermuda triangle type location that was a mash up of Exeter, Washburn and Cassville, but we attended Cassville schools, so that’s what I went with 😊)

 

Blurb:

Ivy Pierce is a Cupid who prides herself on doing her job well. Except when it comes to a certain human male, Grant Crawford. Each time she’s supposed to shoot her arrow into his heart, her stomach hurts, her chest hurts, and she feels….sad. Cupids are never sad.

Humans who are not looking for love only get three chances to find it. And after Ivy sabotages Grant’s last chance, her boss, Aphrodite, sends her to earth to right her wrong. She has until Valentine’s Day to help him find his soul mate.

But the more she’s around him, the more she wants him for herself, even though she knows that can never be. A Cupid and a human? Unheard of.

As V-Day draws closer, can she sacrifice her own happiness to help the man she loves find his?

Excerpt:

He helped Gretchen into her coat and walked her to her car. She hesitated before climbing inside the door he held open. Did she expect a goodnight kiss? Snow had started, and he wanted to get back in, so he leaned forward. She lifted her lips, and he gave them a quick kiss. “Goodnight, Gretchen. I had a nice time.”

Her expression showed disappointment, but she didn’t voice it. She slid in the driver’s seat. He closed the door and watched while she backed out of the parking spot and headed down the road.

Before going in, he glanced down the street. A woman was outside a small cottage half a block away. Was that Ivy? What was she doing outside, in the dark, with a blizzard brewing?

None of his business. He turned toward the restaurant, but didn’t go in. What if something was wrong? If she was hurt? How would he feel if he didn’t at least go check on her? Cursing under his breath, he whirled and stalked down the sidewalk to her house.

“Ivy? What are you doing out here?”

She turned to him, her eyes wide. She wore a white coat with a fur hood framing her face. “Grant! Hi. Isn’t it beautiful?”

He blew into his hands and rubbed them briskly together. “It’s freezing. Are you out of your mind?”

She closed her eyes and stuck out her tongue, trapping a snowflake and swallowing. She looked at him. “You try it. It’s wonderful.”

He nearly groaned with irritation. “I don’t have time—”

She took his hand, her soft, gloveless skin warm on his. “Just try it.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, he groaned again. The sooner he acquiesced, the sooner he could leave. He stuck out his tongue. Icy snowflakes drifted into his mouth. Nope. He still didn’t get it.

She squealed. “Wasn’t it great?”

Her green eyes sparkled, the pink in her cheeks making her look…heart stoppingly lovely.

He hadn’t seen anyone show such pure joy in…well, ever. Especially in something so insignificant. He looked up into the sky. Snow drifted down from the blanket of blackness. The Heavens dumping an icy wonderland on Earth. Nature was amazing. While he didn’t exactly share Ivy’s enthusiasm, maybe it wasn’t so insignificant after all.

Kindle

Nook

Apple Books

 

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Filed under Alicia Stuff, Author Blog Post, New Release

Crime Time ~ American Monster ~ “The Last Valentine”

#CrimeTime with Alicia Dean ~ 

American Monster, Season 3, Episode 7,  “The Last Valentine”

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – February 14, 2001

On Valentine’s Day in 2001, a frantic 911 call came in to the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Affluent OKC gynecologist, John Hamilton, was calling to report that he’d found his wife, Susan, dead on the bathroom floor:

Operator: 911.

John Hamilton: Please, please, send police, please send an ambulance, please.

Operator: What’s the problem?

John Hamilton: My wife’s, my wife, my wife I think my wife is dead. Please, please.

Operator: Sir, sir.

John Hamilton: Please, please.

He told the operator he was trying CPR.

911 call:

John Hamilton: Listen, I’m a doctor, I’ve been trying CPR. Please send somebody quick.

EMSA: OK. Is she not breathing?

John Hamilton: No, she’s not breathing, I don’t get a pulse. Please, hurry.

EMSA: OK, you’re doing CPR?

John Hamilton: Yes, I’m trying. Yeah, I’m going to hang up so I can continue. Please.

EMSA: Alright. We’ll be right there.

John Hamilton: OK.

John and Susan married in 1987 and everyone who knew them felt they were a perfectly happy couple. Susan worked for Dr. Hamilton a few days a week, running his clinic. Seemingly the only dark cloud over their happiness was the conflict concerning the abortions Dr. Hamilton performed. Pro-Life advocates held several protests at his clinic and the couple received numerous threats.

February 14th, 2001, would have been their fifteenth Valentine’s Day together. But, it was also the day Dr. Hamilton returned home from his second surgery of the morning to find his wife dead—lying in a pool of blood. She’d been bludgeoned and strangled.

Investigators explored various theories—

~Robbery – The couple was wealthy and would certainly draw the attention of robbers.

~ Revenge for the abortions the doctor performed – Just the week before Susan was murdered, a wanted poster had been left for Dr. Hamilton that read, “A reward in heaven will be bestowed on anyone contributing to bringing this murderer to justice.” And both John and Susan had received threatening phone calls that week.

~ And, of course, the spouse – The morning of the murder, John went home after an early morning surgery to exchange cards with his wife. The hospital paged him at 9 a.m. to get back for another surgery. By 9:30, he was scrubbing up for the operation — a complicated removal of a tumor. The procedure came off without a hitch, and later none of the other doctors reported anything at all unusual in his behavior.

By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. The timeline was extremely tight for the doctor to even be considered as a suspect. He’d have to have committed the violent murder in that narrow window between his two surgeries. His former medical partner, for one, doesn’t think that was possible. She didn’t believe he could do a surgery, go commit a violent crime, then come back and do another surgery, so calmly and without a hitch.

But investigators weren’t so sure, especially after finding a few clues that indicated the doctor might have been the killer. A card from his wife was found inside his Jaguar that read: “Obviously, I bought this before last Monday, so I guess now it doesn’t seem as appropriate. I do still love you though. Have a good day. Susan”

As is turns out, Susan suspected John of having an affair with a stripper—who was one of his patients–after finding numerous calls he’d made to the woman. But John explained to his wife that the woman had been having severe issues and had threatened suicide. He was only trying to help her.

In addition to the not so romantic card, investigators were suspicious of John because there were no bloody footprints leading away from the crime scene, and Susan’s blood and tissue were found in his Jaguar—which he explained away by saying he’d gotten in the car to move it while waiting on the ambulance after realizing they would need the parking space. However, his hands were shaking too badly to start the car.

The doctor’s strange behavior didn’t help ease their suspicions.  Hamilton had told the 911 operator he was performing CPR. But when the first responder arrived on the scene, he thought there was something odd about the way the doctor was performing chest compressions. He had one hand on her chest and one hand on her abdomen, rather than interlocking his hands with the palm in the center of the chest. There were no signs that the doctor had attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

When investigators placed John in the back of a police cruiser, his behavior became more bizarre. He scraped his knuckles on the mesh screen in the police car and banged his head into it. Police took him to the station where they confiscated his clothing for evidence and placed him in an interview room. They kept him there for hours and taped him on the surveillance camera. Hamilton seemed to be checking out his shoulder area. Police wondered if he was checking for injuries and if his actions in the cruiser were so he’d have an excuse for any abrasions they might find. On the show, they played a video of Dr. Hamilton in the interview room. He was definitely acting strange.

And as the detectives looked more closely into the doctor’s timeline that morning, they saw a hole — not a big one but maybe enough time to kill and get back. They’d learned that second surgery, originally scheduled for 9 am, hadn’t actually gotten underway until 9:40 because Hamilton was late. The surgical team was about to get started when they realized the doctor was not there. They had the patient under anesthesia, but no doctor, which is pretty much unheard of.

That same afternoon, police arrested Doctor Hamilton for his wife’s murder, and he was thrown in jail immediately and denied bail. As they worked to build their case against him, the prosecution was amazed at the support the doctor had. A crowd lined up to attend the proceedings — loyal patients, former employees, and fellow physicians — all standing behind the doctor.

But the prosecution contended he was guilty. The case they presented was that the doctor knew Susan was considering divorce. They argued and he snapped. He choked her and grabbed a nearby object and beat her to death. He now had to cover up his frenzy by going back to perform his second surgery as though nothing had happened. He had to have left the house by 9:20 to make it back to the hospital by 9:30, when he was seen scrubbing up for surgery. Susan, as it turns out, should also have left by 9:20, because she had a 9:30 meeting at a friend’s house ten minutes away. However, it appears she never had much of a chance to get ready — when she was discovered, she was still undressed, her hair still wet. Which means if he didn’t do it, whoever did had to have come in immediately upon his departure.

Nothing had been stolen, but a friend of Susan’s found expensive jewelry hidden in Susan’s underwear drawer, leading the prosecution to believe John had hidden it there to make her attack look like a robbery. Maybe he planned to go back and remove it, but he was arrested before he could do that.

The final nail in his coffin, though, was the blood spatter. Defense attorneys called a blood stain expert to testify that most of the spatter on John’s clothes and shoes could be explained by his attempts to perform CPR. Before he left the stand, prosecutor Wes Lane asked if there was any information about the spatter they were missing. After a brief hesitation, he stated: In my examination, I found additional blood that was not talked about anywhere, on the inside of the right cuff.

He went on to say that the only way he could see that it could have gotten there was when he was beating her with that blunt instrument that was driving the blood up inside his shirt. And this was a witness the defense had called—and paid.

Dr. Hamilton was sentenced to, and is serving, a life sentence without the possibility of parole. As a side note, he was also ordered to pay $11,104 for the cost of his stay in the Oklahoma County jail. It was the first such order in Oklahoma County. Talk about adding insult to injury. 😊

While I am usually one to think everyone is guilty, and it certainly looks as though this guy is guilty, one question nags at me. Logistically, I don’t understand how the doctor had on bloody clothes at the time he called 911 and emergency personnel and police arrived. Apparently the morning played out something like this…

7:00 a.m. – Dr. Hamilton leaves the house to head to the hospital where he performs a surgery. He is, I assume, wearing street clothes although he changes into scrubs at the hospital.

Appx 8:40 a.m.– In those same clothes, Dr. Hamilton returns home to exchange cards with his wife (he lives very close to the hospital) and it is then that he kills her. He attempts to clean up the mess. I would assume he changed out of bloody clothes. At around 9:20, he heads to the hospital to perform another surgery, wearing fresh clothes. Because, I am going to guess that he doesn’t arrive at the hospital for his next surgery wearing blood-soaked clothes, so yes, he changed. We’ll call the first outfit of the day, Outfit 1, which he was wearing when he killed his wife. The clothes he changed into will be called Outfit 2.

Appx 10:45 – Dr. Hamilton returns home wearing Outfit 2. He finds his wife on the floor, which he knew she would be because he killed her there. He performs CPR, so that it looks like he tried to revive her. He calls 911. He’s still wearing Outfit 2. Emergency personnel arrive, she’s dead. He’s covered in blood, in Outfit 2, because of trying to perform CPR.

Police investigate, they take Outfit 2 and it ends up being the blood evidence that hangs him, because of the spatter found inside his sleeve, of what I assume is Outfit 2. If all he did in Outfit 2 was pretend to do CPR, how did it get the spatter that eventually convicted him? I can understand that they would find that in Outfit 1, his ‘killing clothes’ -which I assume were never found – I find it unlikely that, at some point, he would change back into Outfit 1 after returning home in Outfit 2.

Am I making sense? What am I missing?

[I love true crime shows, and I watch them every night. (Since I write suspense, thriller, and mystery, it’s not a waste of time…it’s research, right? 🙂 ) I love Investigation Discovery and watch many of the various shows, although some are a little too cheesy. However, there are plenty of shows that are done well enough to feed my fascination with murder. Each week, I’ll blog about some of the recent episodes I’ve seen and I’d love to know your thoughts.]

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Filed under Crime Time

Sweetheart of a Giveaway – Win a Kindle!!! Plus – My Wackiest Valentine’s Day Gift Ever

Valentine’s Day is approaching, and while I don’t have a sweetheart, I do have a sweetheart of a deal! I’m giving away a Kindle EReader and offering several ways to enter. Click on the link below and be sure to get your entries in soon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And, guess what? I’m offering a quickie (NOT what you’re thinking…) prize to one lucky commenter. Tell me your best, worst, or weirdest Valentine’s Day gift in the comments below, and I’ll draw a name the morning after Valentine’s Day, and the winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.

Wanna hear mine? I’ll admit, I haven’t received many Valentine’s Day gifts in my day (I’ve been married once, and he was not romantic, and I’ve had very few relationships otherwise), but one of the weirdest was when I was about 21. I received a dozen yellow roses. I know that doesn’t sound like a weird gift, but the circumstances were a little weird. I was waitressing at a restaurant in Oklahoma City. When I was in training, the day I had my first section  on my own, my first customer was a lone man. He ate and we chatted. I presented his $15 ticket to him, and he gave me a hundred dollar bill. He said I could keep the change if I told him my name. Uh…I admit, I freaked out a little. I went to my manager and told him what happened, and I said, “What should I do?” He grinned and said, “Thank him.” 🙂 I reluctantly, nervously, went back to the table to see if he needed anything else, and he ordered a whisky, gave me another hundred, told me to keep the change. Then, he had a third drink and did the same. Crazy, right? Over the next few months, he came in regularly and always tipped nearly $100. Over the course of time, he told me that I reminded him of his first and only love. She broke up with him because he was poor. Now, he’d become wealthy, but he lost her, and he’d never stopped loving her. Awwwww…. On Valentine’s Day, he sent me a dozen yellow roses. I swear, on a stack of bibles, nothing ever happened between us. We had one ‘date’ of sorts, and I had drinks with him at the restaurant where I worked. He invited me to go with him to dinner. To New Orleans, on his jet. I told him I couldn’t because I promised my mom I wouldn’t go anywhere with him. When I told her about it, she said, “Well, good grief, I didn’t know he was going to fly you to New Orleans for dinner. You should have gone.” LOL.

So…that’s my story. Tell me yours.

And, in the meantime, I’ll share a little about my Valentine’s Day Sweet Romance Short Story, Cupid’s Beau:

cupid-promo-meme

Buy here: https://www.amazon.com/Cupids-Beau-Sweet-Valentine-Romance-ebook/dp/B00B0JLKP4/ 

Ivy Pierce is a Cupid who prides herself on doing her job well. Except when it comes to a certain human male–Grant Crawford. Although she doesn’t understand why, each time she’s supposed to shoot her arrow into his heart, her stomach hurts, her chest hurts, and she feels….sad. Cupids are never sad.

Humans who are not looking for love only get three chances to find it. And after Ivy sabotages Grant’s last chance, her boss, Aphrodite, sends her to earth to right her wrong. She has until Valentine’s Day to help him find his soul mate.

But the more she’s around him, the more she wants him for herself, even though she knows that can never be. A Cupid and a human? Unheard of.

As V-Day draws closer, can she sacrifice her own happiness to help the man she loves find his?

5 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, Ebook Deal, giveaway, Uncategorized

I Love You More by Josie Riviera

Today’s guest is sharing a special novel…

iloveyoumore
Handsome, self-assured, every inch the successful billionaire, Luciano is out of Anastasia’s reach. But when a hurricane strands them together and they must trust each other to survive … things heat up despite the driving rain and gale winds.

Can Valentine’s Day bring this unlikely pair together … this time for good?

Author’s Note: Thousands of families around the world have opened their homes and hearts through international adoption. Soo-Min is the embodiment of many, many fortunate adoptive children and parents who’ve together created forever families.

Don’t miss this poignant story of love, loss and renewed hope—get your copy of the novella today!

Buy Links for I Love You More

Amazon:
Ebook: http://a.co/bQ7xmZ5

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-More-Contemporary-Romance/dp/0996954112/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=14831

Youtube:

https://youtu.be/BSLnp0KNq_4

Universal buy link for Itunes, Nook, etc.:
https://www.books2read.com/u/meY1rm

 

camel_
Author bio:

Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable Shih Tzu who constantly needs grooming and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

Check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter for a free ebook:
http://josieriviera.com/

Social media:
“Like” her Author Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/Josie.Riviera/

Connect with her on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010936808977

Follow her on twitter: @josieriviera
https://twitter.com/Josieriviera

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josie_riviera/

Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/josieriviera/

youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqixF8IuUaTgE9lEUnnRQA

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Candy Hearts Romances from The Wild Rose Press – Part 2

white notecard surrounded by candy conversation hearts- blank

(Click this image to see all the stories on Amazon!)

Perfect for Valentine’s Day!!! Check out the second round of fabulous stories…

Click on the covers to be taken to the Amazon buy pages.

 

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Dillon Greenleaf is a member of Mythreal royalty and head of his planet’s security. Debutantes have been chasing him his entire adult life in order to wed a man of power, and he’s totally off women in general. But when he meets Keira Foley, an Earth officer, who he suspects is a pirate spy, he finds he quite likes the Plain Jane female.

Keira has been pegged brilliant and unattractive by her fellow officers, something she doesn’t mind until she meets the hot, royal stud-muffin who believes she is capable of treason against her own world. When they meet again at the Earth Embassy’s Valentine’s Day ball, Keira however blows Dillon’s mind.

Yet, in the midst of trying to find the real traitor, Dillon’s match-making grandmother, and a night made for love, Keira and Dillon must decide if they can put aside their differences in time to find a love that will be ever after.

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Beth has always loved Mark. He was the boy of her dreams even though she was nothing more than his little sister’s best friend. Now he’s back from the military and looking at her differently. Though that could be the plate of lasagna she dropped in his lap.

A series of mishaps gives Mark opportunity to spend time with her. He is sure that he is the man for her but experience has taught Beth not all men can be trusted. Can he convince her that he wants her to be his for Valentine’s Day and ever after?

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Forty year old Alex Spencer has given up on love. Having escaped five years earlier from the verbally abusive and two decades older, Trent Peterson, her life revolves around her daughter, sixteen-year-old Josie, even if Josie wants nothing to do with her.

But with Valentine’s Day looming, Alex’s high school sweetheart, Billy Leibowitz, whom she kicked out of her life twenty years earlier thanks to Trent’s demands, has been invading her thoughts. Alex searches for Billy in vain—it seems as if he’s simply disappeared. Suddenly, Candy Hearts, which Billy sent to Alex every Valentine’s Day, start arriving in the mail. Is Billy sending the Candy Hearts? Will this finally be her chance at happily ever after?

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With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, gorse fairy, Flora Hawthorne is up to her neck in flowers, chocolate, and all things romance. She has no time for love, until she comes face to face with her own personal Cupid and the sparks fly!

Looking to settle down, Cupid Tharin Terize wants fairy Flora Hawthorne to be his valentine, not just for one night, but for the rest of time. Now, all he has to do is convince her.

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The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can’t recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband.

Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she’ll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4.

To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their “rinky-dink” town in her rearview mirror.

If Cole can’t believe she’s a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

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Hard-working Kate Clark opens a thriving coffee shop that quickly becomes the local hang-out for students and the community. Her one wish is to eventually buy out her sister’s share of the old Florida home they inherited. However, Violet is need desperate of cash and has other plans.

Tappe Vanderberg, Kate’s childhood friend and high school sweetheart, has sold his lucrative internet security business to return to Little Heron Shores and fulfill his dreams of owning a marina. Now the handsome Dutch-born businessman is making waves with single women all over town—including loony, post mistress Eva May Poole who’s in search of husband number three.

But it’s Kate Clark who’s wreaking havoc with Tappe’s heart, not Eva May. Can he find away to shake the dingbat post mistress and convince Kate to give him a second chance and the sweet kiss he remembers from an earlier time?

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For wedding stylist Misty Morningside, mixing business with pleasure is a professional no-no. That is, until she runs into wedding photographer Adam Wright at a Valentine’s Day event. Dare they set aside business for one night of pleasure?

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Aspiring choreographer and dance teacher, Simon West is walking along the hall in the college where he teaches when he gets knocked over by klutzy, two left feet, accounting professor Veronica Cooke. Simon wants to get to know the beautiful woman who ran him down, but how will she react when she finds out his alter-ego is a super sexy cowboy at an upscale exotic dancing male revue and that he makes ends meet by taking off his clothes?

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It’s Valentine’s Day, and candy heart sayings mock Drew Engledown’s lonely state. He wants more in his life than work, but hasn’t met anyone he can imagine spending his life with. When he puts his own life at risk to save a friend, he’s sent back in time to Regency London and mistaken for a murdered earl. Has he been given a chance at love with the earl’s beautiful widow, or will he suffer the same fate as the previous lord?

When her husband’s heir lays claim to all she once owned, Lady Engledown is left nearly destitute. So she doesn’t know whether to be relieved or angry when the earl returns but claims he’s not her husband. Could he be telling the truth, or is he toying with her? She doesn’t know what to think of this man who is so different from the husband she never loved. Can they find happiness together, or will this man she comes to love leave her worse off than before?

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Allison McCall, supervisor in the Romance and Proposal Department of Cupid Corp., firmly believes rules are meant to be followed, yet her own love life is unfulfilling.

Preston Carlyle, Allison’s former boyfriend and one of her more creative agents, believes rules should be broken occasionally to give true love a chance. Only, he’s having a hard time convincing Allison and Cupid his techniques are working.

From the disastrous paperwork and the frequency of Allison’s visits to Cupid’s office on Preston’s behalf, she fears her position and his job are in jeopardy.
But when she finds out he’s requested a transfer to the Holiday Security Agency, Allison decides to prove she cares for him…even if it means breaking a few rules.

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Broken-hearted and bitter, Brenna Jones plans to spend Valentine’s weekend at her parents’ cabin, reading romance novels and devouring heart-shaped candy. When her truck hits a snowdrift and plows into a bank—during a storm, no less—her plans take a drastic detour. Eric Buchanan, the playboy jerk from her past, comes to her aid. He’s her only option for reaching safety.

Eric can’t wait to escape his parents’ latest attempt to set him up. He’s given up on happiness, knowing he blew his chance at love a decade ago. When his snowmobile ride turns into a harrying escape from a blizzard, he discovers Brenna stranded in the storm. After he ensures her safety, he plans to explain the misunderstanding that tore them apart. Can a secluded cabin help Eric convince Brenna to be his love?

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Meghan Muldoon is at a crossroads: struggling to balance the demands of a high stress vocation as an advocate for victims of violence and her feelings for Keenan Rossi, a man who wants to make their relationship permanent.

On Valentine’s Day, a series of routine crises force Meg to question staying in a profession which fulfills her both professionally and spiritually–or devoting the rest of her life to the one person who completes her.

Which one is For Keeps?

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Volunteering at a horse rescue has helped heal schoolteacher Kelsey Hunter after her celebrity ex’s betrayal. Life in the rural California community suits her better than the bling of Hollywood. When she seeks help for a classroom project, she’s thrown into the sphere of a down-to-earth organic farmer and horseman who could really steal her heart…

Landry Mills, successful mega-spokesmodel for a famed Westernwear line, returns to his hometown to regroup and reconsider signing the next contract. Meeting Kelsey explodes feelings in him he wants to make real. But finding out a fancy director’s son recently crushed her spirit has him take things slow. What will Kelsey do when she finds out he’s a celebrity in his own right? He might not be able to bear it…

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When ARP warden Molly sees a light shining through the darkness of London on a cold winter’s night in the middle of the blitz she’s infuriated with the careless American who struck it. Doesn’t he know there’s a war on?
Guy’s just trying to find his way through a maze of unlit streets. He’s very sorry and Molly reluctantly forgives him. When he accompanies her on her nightly rounds the two learn about each other, themselves and whether it’s really possible to fall in love in only one night – especially when there’s no guarantee of tomorrow.

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Renata Cabral needs to hide for the weekend. Her cousin’s Valentine’s Day wedding means she’ll face embarrassing questions from her large, extended family. Questions like “Why aren’t you married yet?” Since the breakup of her last relationship, she’s not ready to answer that question. She invents a work-related excuse and escapes to a friend’s lakeside cottage.

Noah Brownlee has been hiding for two years. But now he’s ready to come home and mend his broken relationship with his brother. When a friend offers the use of his lakeside cottage, Noah arrives in the middle of a blizzard with his English Mastiff, only to find the place is already occupied. With her big brown eyes and quirky sense of humor, Renata stirs feelings he thought long dead.

As the blizzard rages, the candy hearts predict love. Can Valentine’s Day work its magic between them?

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The last place Lorena Weber wants to be on Valentine’s Day is a singles party thrown by her newlywed best friend. But how can she say no? She’ll give it an hour—two, tops—and then she’s heading back to her normal life. But she didn’t plan on seeing the one man who had turned her world on its side New Year’s Eve with one kiss that opened doors she had firmly locked.

Caleb Manning got coerced into attending this ridiculous party by a co-worker. He’ll stay for an hour at most and then he’ll head home. That was the plan until he recognized Lorena across the room and had to see if that kiss was only New Year’s Eve magic or something more.

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Everyone expects Rebecca Winston to marry her high school/college sweetheart, Garrett Langley. The problem is, the flame’s gone out on their romance. They’re still best of friends, but only friends. When Garrett’s father has a heart attack, his older brother Wyatt (an L.A. attorney) returns home for the first time in years. The attraction between Rebecca and Wyatt is immediate.

Can Rebecca expect her family and, especially, Garrett to understand that her desires have changed and turned toward Wyatt?

Can Wyatt get past the feeling that he’s poaching his younger brother’s girl?

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Alone on Valentine’s Day, Leo Rankin attends the library’s Blind Date With a Book event hoping for something he can take to bed with him that night, and finds himself competing against Gerri Webb for the last remaining book. Wild child Gerri is not his usual type. Yet he feels an immediate, sizzling attraction and agrees to share the book and its accompanying bag of candy hearts.

The whole idea of a Blind Date With a Book is to go off genre, so Gerri doesn’t mind when their flirty conversation suggests they unwrap each other rather than the mystery book. When a candy heart advises, “Ask Me,” she asks Leo back to her apartment. She never expects button-down Leo to hit all her buttons, but by the next morning she fears her heart’s in danger. Can one night spent off genre translate to real life?

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In Heather Ridge, Virginia, myth has it the lucky recipients of the two FIND ME candy hearts distributed each year are soul mates.

Too afraid of seeing her one-time trusted friend, good-hearted Lyse Haynes refuses to go to her high school class reunion. But when she receives a second invitation containing the elusive candy heart, she takes an overdue vacation to pursue the dream of finally finding her soul mate.

Ice cream creator Cooper Schmidt plans to take his product nationwide. His marketing team proposes the perfect destination for his next store. Unfortunately, it belongs to the father of the woman he’s harbored feelings for since high school. He uses her belief in myths and mails her the candy heart to entice her to Heather Ridge, in hopes she will convince her father to sell.

There’s just one problem. After ten years, his old feelings tumble forward, stronger than ever, and Lyse has a decision to make—discover who has the candy heart companion or follow her heart.

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When her husband ran off with a perky, much younger woman, Regina Cox got the house , a decrepit car, and her freedom. Divorced, she plans to remain man-free and focus on her career as a writer. Trouble is, the skinny boy next door who used to tease her about her braces is now a handsome hunk and features as the hero in her latest romance novel.

Tucker Owen is a Dom with his eye on the new divorcee next door. His fantasies center around draping Regina over his spanking bench. Too bad she’s a strong woman and not submissive in the least. But when he learns she writes erotica romance and is having trouble getting the research right, he offers a week-long tutorial that’s bound to teach them both a few things.

Regina can’t refuse all the research she could ask for and no strings sex on top. And with the sassy sub, Tucker soon discovers the pleasure that comes when the topper is topped.

 

Hope you enjoyed browsing the Candy Hearts Romances, and I hope you found some great reads. Tune in Wednesday for more of these fun stories!

 

3 Comments

Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release, Uncategorized

Candy Hearts Romances from The Wild Rose Press – Part 1

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(Click this image to see all the stories on Amazon!)

Perfect for Valentine’s Day!!! Check out these fun romances from The Wild Rose Press.

Click on the covers to be taken to the Amazon buy pages.

On Wednesday, I will post the remaining stories from this great new series…

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Veterinarian Lexi Mallory wants to submit to the sexy new Dom from the club, but trauma from her past keeps getting in the way. It’s a good thing Gabriel Huntington has a special way with difficult subs and sees the gorgeous Lexi as a delicious challenge. Unfortunately, Lexi fears her inability to relinquish control will finally test Garbriel’s patience and he’ll end their contract. Can Lexi lower her barriers and allow Gabriel’s touch to melt her heart?

 

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Valentine’s Day is chocolatier Chloe San Valentino’s favorite day of the year. Not only is it the busiest day in her candy shop, Caramelle de Chloe, but it’s also her birthday. Chloe’s got a birthday wish list for the perfect man she pulls out every year: he’d fall in love with her in a heartbeat, he’d be someone who cares about people, and he’d have one blue eye and one green eye, just like her. So far, Chloe’s fantasy man hasn’t materialized, despite the matchmaking efforts of her big, close-knit Italian family. But this year for her big 3-0 birthday, she just might get her three wishes.

 

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When Erika’s ex becomes her boss less than a year after dumping her by text, she gets desperate to find a date to the corporate Valentine’s dance so he doesn’t suspect she still has feelings for him. Though not a fan of texting for the obvious reason, she doesn’t have much choice but to tap the keypad in order to gain the attention of the only viable candidate from the classified ads.

Grayson made the mistake of listening to his brother a year ago and has regretted what he did to Erika ever since. But his brother’s next suggestion just might be his salvation when he takes out an ad for a Valentine’s date…and Erika answers.

Using a pseudo name and keeping contact to text messages only, Grayson’s plans to make Erika fall back in love with him appears to be working…until the date of the dance draws near, and she pushes a meeting—face to face.

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For nearly a decade Maggie has put the needs of her younger siblings ahead of her own. Now she’s willing to accept a marriage without passion in order to protect her brother, but fate has a wicked sense of humor. On the eve of her wedding, Maggie meets the man of her dreams.

When Shamus loses a bet the penalty is a blind date. Shamus is prepared to endure a long, boring night; the last thing he expects is to find the woman who can bring his heart back to life.

But Maggie is keeping secrets–and her engagement is only one of them.

 

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Tate Campbell liked his life. Running his bar kept him busy and paid his bills, and a relationship with anyone wasn’t on the horizon. He sure wasn’t expecting a Valentine surprise, especially one who looked like a fallen angel—with a broken-down car.

Dace Robinson’s career as an ER doctor left little time for relationships. Valentine’s Day was just another day on the calendar, albeit one filled with annoying decorations and sad reminders she had no one special in her life.Until the night car trouble compelled her to seek help in a biker bar, and the handsome owner claimed Dace as his woman – she had no idea how sweet Valentine’s Day could be.

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Don’t call. Don’t text. Tweet me…

Married to her work, event planner Avery Kurtz runs her life and her business on a private message feed. She has no time to waste on emails or a love life, and Valentine’s Day means just more parties to plan.

But when Tanner Voss, best man in Avery’s best friend’s wedding, is assigned to help finalize plans, her world is turned heart-side up. The hotshot attorney might be a player—he’s hit on her before and she avoided that mistake—but he’s also surprisingly cooperative, focused on making the perfect choices for their friends, and even on board with her messaging preference. Between the erotic dreams about the sexy litigator and her body urging her to forget caution, Avery is wondering if she was wrong about Tanner and wants him to do more than “tweet me.”

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Darby Malone has trouble saying no. Hosting a children’s Valentine party at her recently renovated gallery is the last straw, and the last time she intends to say yes to anything. That is, until she meets Ben, a well-known Cape Cod artist with eyes as deep and blue as the ocean. He stirs feelings in her that have been dormant for too long. Can she afford to say yes to him?

Ben Phillips needs this gallery show. His life has been empty since his wife died four years ago, his paintings the only thing giving him solace. But his style has changed, his art completely different than the breezy shore paintings he staked his reputation on. Can he convince Darby to give him a chance – and to consider him for more than just a place on her gallery walls? Will she give him a place in her heart as well?

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Teacher Lori Tait has always wanted a family, but now she’s 40, she’s pretty much decided all the good men are taken. Instead, she devotes herself to her students, particularly one little girl whose struggle with math seems inconsistent with an otherwise brilliant and artistic mind.

Mark Wilder hadn’t planned to become a father, but when a fling resulted in his daughter, Grace, he whole-heartedly embraced the role. Raised in a family of boys, what does he know about women and girls? Once he learns of Grace’s inability to comprehend basic math, he welcomes the role of tutor as a way to connect with his daughter; the opportunity to spend time with her sexy teacher is an added bonus.

When Lori cracks the mystery of Grace’s problem, Mark’s world is thrown into turmoil; he’s the last person who can help his daughter. He pushes everyone away, confirming Lori’s theory about men. Grace, however, has other plans. Using her new-found understanding of math, she sets out to prove to her father and teacher that, together, they add up to the perfect match.

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A hacker is targeting Meredith Crismis’s struggling new dessert company. But when the tech firm she depends on sends hunky computer expert Vlad Wiznitsky to fix the problem, things begin improving for Meredith, both personally and professionally.

First, her relationship with Vlad heats up to the sizzling point, then Meredith’s given the chance to snag a wealthy customer who could put her company’s bottom line permanently into the black. It seems like a dream come true, until the persistent hacker turns her “Divine Desserts” website into an X-rated marketplace, the wealthy customer demands a discontinued decorative item or else no sale, and her relationship with Vlad begins to unravel under the pressure of her obsession with professional success.

For a woman who deals with creating intricate wedding cakes and luscious muffins, life has suddenly become the ultimate recipe for disaster.

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Makenna Stewart flees Scotland for the Big Island of Hawaii intent on making real a cherished dream—a bakery of her own. Hard work and long hours leave Makenna craving some fun in her life. Her best customer, Greek-god sexy surfer Tom may be just what she needs, but she suspects there’s more to him than board shorts and a devastating smile.

Retired professional surfer and real-estate multi-millionaire Tom Bensford, is there when she opens every morning, but he’s not craving her Morning Glory muffins. Fascinated by the dark-haired, blue-eyed wahine with the creamy Celtic skin and devastating Scottish accent, he’s never met a woman like her. Too bad he’s about to destroy her dreams.

To him, it’s just business. To her, it’s the kind of betrayal she fled Scotland to escape. Can the island magic in Makenna’s heritage save her dream and their romance, or will his secret tear them apart?

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A Valentine’s Day wedding on a Caribbean beach! The last thing Riley Flynn wants is to be present at her ex-fiancé’s wedding—which should have been hers—but she refuses to give him the satisfaction, despite the nosedive her life has recently taken. Now, if she can only find a plus one to prove she isn’t a complete failure.All Sam Rutherford wants is a peaceful life, but his zany neighbor is making it impossible. The woman is a menace to herself, and anyone in her path—he has the dent in his car to prove it. But when she raises those big amber eyes and confides in him, how can he say no to anything she wants? Soon she’s invading his life and bungling her way… into his heart.

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Treena Stanton, artistic coordinator of Sierra’s Cowboy Theme Park, wants to exact revenge on Clayton Wagner. She had a crush on him in school, but he never acknowledged her existence. Revenge is sweet but not as sweet as the pleasure of his touch.

Strategic accounts manager, Clayton Wagner lost a bet and has to work the next twenty-four hours at his buddy’s theme park. But when his “boss for the day” with mouth-watering curves demands he wear a cowboy costume, all he can think about is finding out what’s under her petticoat.

But when the truth is revealed about their past, will the sparks of passion fizzle or burst into Red Hot flames?

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Hot Stuff takes on double meaning when klutzy Kate is faced with rookie cop Dallas looking for a stolen lawn statue. In her quiet, crime-free Wisconsin village, Kate has her hands full writing slogans for candy hearts and keeping her kleptomaniac brother with Asperger’s Syndrome inside the law. Even her grandmother’s famous snickerdoodle cookies can’t ameliorate the crime when a stolen lawn statue turns out to be a drug dispenser. Will Kate rise above her concern of what Dallas’s uniform represents and admit the charming Texas rookie is the man of her dreams?

 

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Andi’s new to town and looking for a fresh start in the dating department. She’s attracted to the guy she sees each morning, but begins flirting via text with Garrett, a friend of her new co-workers. Despite many attempts and determination, she misses opportunities to introduce herself to Cute Coffee Shop Guy or actually meet Garrett in person. With Valentine’s Day approaching she succumbs to the sugar rush of Candy Hearts and when ‘Secret Admirer’ continues to appear in the messages, she takes it as a sign to decide which guy is her real Secret Admirer.

 

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Josie and Carson Sandberg are on the cusp of being empty-nesters. With a cross-country move and Carson’s busy work schedule, there hasn’t been much time to connect. When gifted with a romantic getaway and challenge that says “Surprise Me”, the two embark on a trip that reveals secret desires and more. But sometimes a fantasy is better left undiscovered…

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During the day, Megan surrounds herself with water lilies and goldfish in the ponds she creates. At night,
memories of her lying ex-boyfriend are a reminder she can never again trust a man.

Jason embraces his career as paramedic firefighter, even though ugly experience declares his profession a greedy mistress. During quiet nights at the station, he wonders if this bachelor existence is all he’ll ever know.

Then Jason meets Megan and sparks fly, chased by flashes of anger when Jason, battling a raging
apartment fire, stands up Megan on their first date. Is St. Valentine powerful enough to bring these two strong-willed people together?

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Looking for inspiration, designer Genevieve Hoffman agrees to an apartment swap and heads to the south of France. But when the apartment owner’s brother returns from deployment, she finds herself with a man who inspires fantasies rather than fashion.

Etienne Gagnon barely made it out of Syria alive during his last special forces assignment. All he wants is a little R&R in the apartment he shares with his sister. But the woman making breakfast in his kitchen isn’t his sister. He might not understand a word coming out of her mouth, but he has no problem reading body language and likes what she’s saying just fine.

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In 1905 New York City, affluent Millie Moore wants to be outspoken like the suffragettes she admires. She also wants to rid herself of an annoying and controlling suitor. For a well-brought up young lady whose mother fears her impending spinsterhood, speaking her mind is an uphill battle.

When Raymond Wilson sees Millie at a rally, it’s love at first sight. Not wanting his stutter to ruin his chances, he enchants a little candy heart to do his talking for him.

For Millie, Raymond is a breath of fresh air. And maybe, just maybe, someone she could love. But for her social-climbing suitor Guy Elliot, he’s a threat to his plans. And Raymond isn’t the only one who knows something about magic. Now the ante has been upped and Millie is the prize…

 

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Summer Dawn Riley’s an extraordinary elemental witch whose troubled past haunts her. She’s created a calm life for herself teaching yoga and keeping people at a distance. Her life takes a one eighty degree turn when she enrolls in a woman’s weapon’s class and meets ruggedly handsome Devlin Sawyer.

Devlin, a former Navy Seal, has sworn off women after two long-term failed relationships, but there is no denying his attraction to Summer. She intrigues him like no other woman ever has.
Despite her attempts to ignore him, Summer is drawn to Devlin. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock. Will Valentine’s Day magic find them a future together?

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As a young girl, Monda was placed into the tutelage of Mistress Teevac. Trained to use her empathic skills and educated in the ways to please a man, Monda is on her way to her new mate and master when her spaceship crashes. Rescued by a handsome space lieutenant, who literally makes her heart race, Monda’s eyes and heart are opened to new possibilities.

When Lieutenant Patrick Lancaster looks at the exotic Monda, he sees beautiful not alien. With an instinct to protect her and the desire to have her, he’d be honored to call her his own, but the stars have something else in mind. Or do they?

 

Hope you enjoyed browsing the Candy Hearts Romances, and I hope you found some great reads. Tune in Wednesday for more of these fun stories!

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Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release, Uncategorized

A Candy Hearts Romance – Forget Me Not by Maureen Bonatch – Plus, a $20 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

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A fun new series from The Wild Rose Press is out and I have one of the debut stories on my blog today. The Candy Hearts Romances are short, fun, flirty stories in various genres. Each are titled with a different Candy Hearts saying. Cute idea, right? Check out FORGET ME NOT by Maureen Bonatch…

 

Forget Me Not

A Candy Hearts Romance

 by

Maureen L. Bonatch

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Blurb:

The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can’t recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she’ll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4. To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their “rinky-dink” town in her rearview mirror.

If Cole can’t believe she’s a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

Excerpt:

Sabrina’s laugh faded at his unspoken words. Despite being born and raised in Rosewood, she wasn’t considered a local anymore since she’d moved and shunned the small town way of life they loved. She’d have to earn their respect, or forever be considered an outsider.

“How do you know what my New Year’s resolution is?” Sabrina tensed, wondering if Cole experienced the same unusual visions.

Cole shrugged. “It’s the same one you made every year. You were never successful with it then, either. You insisted you were no—”

“Quitter.” Sabrina finished the sentence.

“Yeah.” Cole cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, I have to get back to the store. My lunch break is over.” His gaze lingered on Sabrina. “Perhaps you’ll tell me your story…another time.”

He rose, bracing his arms on the table. The muscles in his biceps bulged. The group at the table behind them fell silent, straining to detect every word exchanged. “Somewhere a little more private.”

The happiness warming her at his closeness made her want to drown in the depths of his emerald eyes and seek the answers to the mystery of her muddled memories. The emotions welling inside her made no sense—love never did—especially since she loved a man she didn’t even know. God, she was crazy. Did she stand a chance of making her memories of Cole a reality? She licked her unbearably dry lips. “Yeah, perhaps.”

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Forget-Not-Candy-Hearts-Romance-ebook/dp/B018L3GFAG/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448985548&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=forget+me+not+maureen+l+bonatc

The Wild Rose Press:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6581

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forget-me-not-maureen-l-bonatch/1123082907?ean=2940157816650

 Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/forget-me-not-93

IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/forget-me-not/id1067612795?mt=11

***Click here to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $20 Amazon Gift Card (contest runs from January 6th until January 27th)

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maureenbonatch

About the Author:

Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

 

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Maureen-L.-Bonatch/e/B00KHY1KK8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=658

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/maureenbonatch/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenlbonatch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

 

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Filed under Author Blog Post, New Release

Love to Shop? Love to Read? One Stop – Fill Your Kindle – Over 40 Books & Shorts for 99 cents each!

Scroll through our list of books and short stories for only 99¢ each! Below each cover is a clickable link for that book. A variety of genres from sweet to suspense to paranormal to erotica to historical…enjoy!

(PLEASE CHECK BEFORE ORDERING!!! – We are not responsible if prices are no longer 99 cents)

Disclaimer: I have not necessarily read nor do I endorse any of the books on this list. It is advisable to read the Amazon excerpt before purchasing.

 

Now…for some shopping fun!

(Tip: When you are on the link, right click to open a new window so you will not be taken away from the page)

 

Rebellious: Martini Club 4 – The 1920s, Vintage Historical Romance Novella by Amanda McCabe

Can an aristocratic lady melt the cold heart of a Russian gangster? 

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Click here to pre-order on Amazon

(Sale ends February 26  – On release day, February 26, the price will be $2.99)

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Ruined: Martini Club 4 – The 1920s, Vintage Historical Romance Novella by Alicia Dean 

She vowed she’d be no man’s doxy, but fate had other plans…

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Click here to pre-order on Amazon

(Sale ends February 26  – On release day, February 26, the price will be $2.99)

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Reckless: Martini Club 4 – The 1920s, Vintage Historical Romance Novella by Kathy L Wheeler

 Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger… 

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Click here to pre-order on Amazon

(Sale ends February 26  – On release day, February 26, the price will be $2.99)

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Runaway: Martini Club 4 – The 1920s, Vintage Historical Romance Novella by Krysta Scott

Can she prove her innocence before more than her dreams are destroyed?

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Click here to pre-order on Amazon

(Sale ends February 26  – On release day, February 26, the price will be $2.99)

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Destiny: A Bermuda Love Story, Historical Romance Short Story by Marilyn Baron

When the relationship of star-crossed lovers Elizabeth Sutton and Edward Morgan founders off the coast of Bermuda with the shipwreck of the Sea Venture in the seventeenth century, will the lovers be reunited? (Prequel to Under the Moon Gate)

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Red the Were Hunter – Award Winning Bestselling Novel by Rebekah R. Ganiere 

(In the search for vengeance, sometimes you have to sacrifice what you desire most)

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Capturing The Marshal’s Heart–sensual historical romance by Linda Carroll-Bradd 

What happens when a Texas lawman is forced to choose between his duty and his lady?

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(sale prices ends February 2 – regular price $1.99)

Click here to buy from Amazon

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Gingerbread Wishes (Book 1 in Sugar & Spice Bakery series)–sweet romance Christmas short story by Linda Carroll-Bradd

Is a new man enough to make baker Tora stay in her Texas hometown?

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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When Lonely Hearts Meet (Book 2 in Sugar & Spice Bakery series)–sweet romance Valentine’s Day short story by Linda Carroll-Bradd 

Can online dating entice a divorced woman and a rancher to reveal the secrets of their lonely hearts?

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Cupid’s Beau – Valentine’s Day Sweet Paranormal Romance by Alicia Dean 

What happens when a cupid falls in love with her target?

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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The Ring That Binds–historical romance novella by Linda Carroll-Bradd 

Can a woman sworn to put down roots and a man looking for more riches find happiness?

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Hot For The Uniform–erotic romance novella by Layla Chase 

When their attraction flames from sparks to 3-alarm lust, can fire captain Conor convince Rikki they have more than a sexy combustion? 

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Twin Delights–erotic romance short story by Layla Chase 

A long-distance phone relationship becomes personal between designer Michelene and contractor Whit but when a twin brother appears, she asks herself: Am I ready for a walk on the wild side?

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Click here to purchase on Amazon

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Whirlwind–erotic romance short story by Layla Chase 

Unveiling tattoos with a stranger has never been so dangerous…or sexy.

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Click here to purchase on Amazon

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Divine Fall, YA Paranormal Romance by KATHRYN KNIGHT

Revenge, Romance, and a Rogue Fallen Angel

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Find the Magic – How to Plot a Story in 10 Easy Steps, Non-Fiction writing ‘how to’ short manual by Alicia Dean

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

(SALE ENDS February 5, 2015 – Regular price $2.99)

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INSIGHT: a short story by Carol Burnside 

What’s a Crainesian to do when her half human life-mate is too clueless to follow when beckoned?  Seduce him with his own desires, of course!

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

Sale from NOW – February 6th

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Hurricane Crimes, Romantic-Suspense Short Story by Chrys Fey 

During a category 5 hurricane, a woman finds herself trapped with a woman who might be a murderer.

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

Sale from NOW – February 6th

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Up And Coming–erotic romance short story by Layla Chase 

A chance meeting in a hotel bar…a few sexy dances…a passionate night–but in the light of day, will the differences between Carina and Rico pull them apart?

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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Captured & Seduced–paranormal romance novel by Shelley Munro 

A shapeshifter and a wizard slugging it out, an alien world and a hell-horse… 

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

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The Rebel’s Redemption– A Romantic Suspense novel by Jacquie Biggar 

When an old enemy follows and causes mayhem in Tidal Falls, can Jared overcome the odds to protect the woman he’s always loved and the child he never knew, or will it be too late?

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Click here to pre-order from Amazon– Sale ends Feb 2/15

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Caught in Cross Seas –  a romantic suspense novel by Sharleen Scott

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Click here to purchase from Amazon

 

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Key to Love – Contemporary Romantic Suspense – by Judy Ann Davis 

An animal-cracker-eating orphan, his rich uncle, and a female architect team up to solve a murder.

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By the Blue Moon, Book 1, Blue Moon Magic Series — a contemporary werewolf erotica by Debi Wilder 

Live your life only By the Blue Moon

Chastity Lynne Langford is turning 34 and she can’t understand her sudden fascination with sex. Justin Matthews has been promised the eldest daughter of the Elite clan…a clan of superior werewolves who are more human than werewolf. The rite of passage would soon take place where Justin would claim his life mate, or die trying to protect her…By the Blue Moon.

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Human Touch — a sci fi erotica by Debi Wilder & Honey Jans 

“Teach me what it’s like to be human.” 

In 2499 it’s reported that sex is forbidden and all natural child conception shall end, until …. 

In 2525 three human couples discover sex and give birth to three rogue babies that are captured in a raid. Then… 

In 2550 three humans raised by SPAR officials, Reola, Stuart, and Simon rediscover what their parents before they knew… 

Human Touch.

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Enchantment in Morocco, a contemporary novella by Madeleine McDonald 

Stranded in Morocco, Emily has to accept a job offer from Rafi Hassan.

“The slow pace of Moroccan life, along with its vibrancy and colours, echoes through this charming story.” (HEA review, 3 teacups) 

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Take Three, Please (A Menage Sexy and Short Romance #1), Women’s Fiction Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

Three gorgeous men stroll into Morgan’s bakery and her life will never be the same

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Three for Cici (A Menage Sexy and Short Romance #2), Women’s Fiction Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

Welcome to Morgan’s Bakery, where tasty treats are sold one at a time and hot guys come in groups of three! 

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Jackie’s Triple Play (A Menage Sexy and Short Romance #3), Women’s Fiction Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

Jackie finds ménage magic of her own at Morgan’s Bakery

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Golem’s Revenge, Episode One: Betrayed, Women’s Fiction Fantasy Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

When ordinary love goes awry, it’s sad. When magical love goes wrong, it’s dangerous.

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Golem’s Revenge, Episode Two: Reprise, Women’s Fiction Fantasy Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

She’ll throw her fate to the melody of her dead lover’s song

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Golem’s Revenge, Episode Three: Captive, Women’s Fiction Fantasy Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

He’ll bind her body, but not her spirit. 

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Golem’s Revenge, Episode Four: Exposed, Women’s Fiction Fantasy Short Story by Anwen Stiles 

Saving him might save herself, if an enemy doesn’t destroy them first.

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Delivering Love Today, a Fun & Flirty Valentine’s Day short story, by Patricia Preston

A handsome stranger disrupts more than Kelly’s delivery schedule on Valentine’s Day.

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Maggie Undercover (Welcome to Council Falls) by Elysa Hendricks  A Small Town Romance Novel
(High school is more fun the second time around.)

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A Chance to Love Again: Oklahoma Lovers #3 (Oklahoma Lovers Series), a Western Historical Romance novella by Callie Hutton

Can widow Rachel Stevens and ranch foreman Rusty McIntyre find love when life isn’t as easy at it once was?

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Saving Sarah: Novella and prequel to the Pikes Run Series by Kara O’Neal 

After Sarah ends their courtship, will Michael be able to discover her blackmailer’s secret and save her before it’s too late?

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Lori’s Redemption by Pamela S Thibodeaux (short story spin-off to Tempered Fire) 

Can a notorious bad girl find redemption & win the cowboy preacher’s heart?

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Love is a Rose by Pamela S Thibodeaux (devotional) 

God uses any and every means available to speak to His children.

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The Conqueror, a medieval romance by Mary Gillgannon 

The daughter of a Saxon eorle defies the Norman knight who seizes control of her home.

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(on sale for 99 cents through February 14)

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The Scotland Yard Exchange Series Boxed Set: 3 Novels of Romance & Intrigue by Stephanie Queen 

Escape to the intriguing and charming world in Queen’s Beacon Hill where politics, crime and fun mix in three full novels.

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Sealed With a Kiss, Contemporary Romance, Short Story, by DARCY FLYNN 

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Caledonian Privateer, historical romance, novel, Gail MacMillan 

Notorious privateer joins forces with an infamous lady jewel thief fleeing justice after stealing Marie Antoinette’s necklace.

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Ghost of Winters Past, romantic suspense, novel, Gail MacMillan 

Ghosts, murder, and a mysterious man who appears out of a blizzard haunt Michael Dunn when she takes over the management of a snowmobile lodge in the Canadian wilderness.

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Filed under Entertainment, For Writers

Wednesday’s Want, Wed, Waste: Valentine’s Day – Romantic Movie Leads

Hello and welcome to my version of the game, ‘F*@#’, Marry, Kill. This week we are WWW’ing Actors in Romantic Movie Roles.

Myself and some of my friends are sharing our Want, Wed, and Waste choices from this week’s list:

Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor

hanks How_To_Lose_A_Guy_In_Ten_Days_10487_Medium ?????????????

Click on book titles below to learn more and to be taken to a buy link

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Me (Alicia Dean). Author of Valentine romance short story, Cupid’s Beau – What happens when a Cupid falls for her target? (ON SALE for only 99¢)

Want: Matthew McConaughey, I LOVED How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, and MM is very hot, but he acts a little ‘off’ sometimes, so I would just want him on a temporary basis. But many times. 🙂

Wed: Patrick Dempsey. I adore Patrick Dempsey. There’s something about him that really appeals to me. I would Wed him so I could Want him often. And if you haven’t seen Made of Honor, you’re missing out. It is such a cute, fun, sexy movie. Definitely a good choice for Valentine’s Day (or any day). He also seems like a good husband, so Wedding him is a win-win.

Waste: Tom Hanks. I like him and respect him, and Sleepless in Seattle was a good movie. He and Meg had good chemistry, but he’s the least appealing of the two. Everyone loves Tom Hanks, so if I actually wasted him, I’m sure a lot of people would be angry with me, so I won’t. But he’s in my Waste category by default.

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Marie Tuhart, author of More Than One Night – Escape to an Erotic Fantasy, Website: http://www.marietuhart.com

Want – Matthew McConaughey – because he’s the ultimate bad boy and so darn cute.  I can just cuddle up with him and have all sorts of fun.

Wed – Tom Hanks – because he’s the man you bring home to meet the parents.  He’s funny, sensitive and faithful.  And not bad to look at.

Waste: Patrick Dempsey – there is just something about him that turns me off.  I’m not sure what it is, but he’s not my type of guy.

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Kathy L Wheeler, author of Quotable ~~ Bloomington Series, book 1 ~~ BE SURE to grab this one, it’s FREE!!! Website:

!!! – Kathy is giving away a copy of Book 2 in the Bloomington Series – Maybe It’s You – A winner will be drawn from the commenters

Want: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days is my absolute favorite Romantic Comedy. Just typing this out makes me want to drop everything and go put the dvd in. Yum, yum, yum. Plus, Mr. McConaughey is not only a Texas, but hell, was he ripped in Magic Mike. Yeah, I’ll let Matt do me!

Wed: The only part of Sleepless in Seattle that I really loved was when Rosie and Meg were watching An Affair to Remember with Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant (the sexiest man of all time). But who wouldn’t wed a lovable Tom Hanks? Not me. I’ll take him.

Waste: This is ridiculous. There is no possible way to waste Patrick Dempsey. The man pulled a victim out of a burning car for God’s sake! No. I’ll just have to want <i>and</> wed him too. I’m BREAKING the rules.

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Diane Burton, author of ONE RED SHOE – Wannabe writer rescues wounded spy while risking her heart.  Website:  www.dianeburton.com

Want: Patrick Dempsey. Patrick is hot! What my mom would’ve called a dreamboat. Didn’t see him in Made of Honor; loved him in Enchanted.

Wed: Tom Hanks. No question. I watch Sleepless in Seattle every time it’s on and get all choked up every time. Even better in You Got Mail. In real life, he seems very devoted to his wife Rita. Gotta love that.

Do I have to waste one? Then I guess it has to be Matthew McConaughey.  I didn’t see him in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, but I loved him in Failure to Launch.

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M.J. Schiller, author of TRAPPED UNDER ICEA rock star. A lunch lady. Can they bridge the gap? ON SALE for only 99¢! Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com

M.J. is giving away a copy of BETWEEN ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. A winner will be drawn from the commenters

Want: Gotta go with Matthew McConaughey. He hasn’t aged all that well, but I’m not exactly a beauty contest winner, either, so I’m not gonna be picky. He still has a certain charm.

Wed: Patrick Dempsey! He has that wholesome, boy next store, killer smile thing going for him and he just seems like a nice guy.

Waste: Wait. Wait just one minute here. I can’t waste Tom Hanks! He’s too awesome and cool. Huh. McConaughey has to go. Waste McConaughey, Wed Hanks and Want Dempsey. Sorry, Matthew. I guess that whole poor aging thing meant more to me than I thought. And you never did “Big” or “Sleepless in Seatle” or “Castaway”…and you’re not the voice of Woody. Ba-bye.

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Now we’d like to hear from you….which of these Swoon-Worthy Romantic Leads would you Want, Wed, and Waste?
Thanks for playing!

7 Comments

Filed under Entertainment, Uncategorized