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A Reader's Opinion An enthralling and historically rich novel. Deborah Swift is a talented writer who sweeps the reader into the story from page one. A touch of mystery and unanswered questions keeps the pages turning until secrets are slowly revealed in stunning detail. Sixteenth-century Italy is a time period in which I know nothing, but now have a better understanding of what life must have been like, and for Giulia Tofana, that life was filled with heartache, treachery, deep-rooted secrets, and a special gift. While one cannot in good conscience condone Guiula's actions, I could not help but sympathize with her and the other women. The author weaves fact with fiction in a way that I could not tell one from the other, and found myself doing my own research after I closed the book. The interspersing of unfamiliar names made it difficult to keep track of everyone, but I learned to recognize each of them more by their actions and descriptions. The characters and setting linger in a way that makes the reader wish for more. Giulia Tofana made for an interesting subject, and I look forward to the next installment of the author's creation. A recommend read for anyone who enjoys well-written and interesting historical fiction. The Poison Keeper Naples 1633 Aqua Tofana – One drop to heal. Three drops to kill. Giulia Tofana longs for more responsibility in her mother’s apothecary business, but Mamma has always been secretive and refuses to tell her the hidden keys to her success. But the day Mamma is arrested for the poisoning of the powerful Duke de Verdi, Giulia is shocked to uncover the darker side of her trade. Giulia must run for her life, and escapes to Naples, under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, to the home of her Aunt Isabetta, a famous courtesan. But when Giulia hears that her mother has been executed, and the cruel manner of her death, she swears she will wreak revenge on the Duke de Verdi. The trouble is, Naples is in the grip of Domenico, the Duke’s brother, who controls the city with the ‘Camorra’, the mafia. Worse, her Aunt Isabetta, under his thrall, insists that she should be consort to him. Based on the legendary life of Giulia Tofana, this is a story of hidden family secrets, and how courage and love can overcome vengeance. Get Your Copy Historical Fiction | Pub: May 18, 2021 | 408pp | Quire Books Format Read: E-book | Source: From the reviewer's digital library Content Rating: PG-13 *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Learn more .

A Reader's Opinion Readers won’t be able to put this one down! Lily is the third book in the Bayou Bad Boys series and is nicely written by talented author Kathleen Bittner Roth. Bastien and Lily are wonderful characters! It's truly a New Orleans romance filled with many twists and turns, intrigue, and secrets. I liked the secondary characters from the previous stories and the new ones which added a touch of New Orleans history. Lily is truly a mesmerizing historical romance to enjoy. Another captivating romance by this talented author! This story tells about the journey of Lily and Bastien. Returning home to his beloved New Orleans after months in Jamaica, Bastien Thibodeaux reluctantly agrees to take two passengers on board his ship—an older English gentleman and his ailing younger wife. However, Lily is hiding a secret, and Bastien wonders who she really is . . . Since he is a Cajun healer, he offers to help Lily. As she convalesces at Bastien’s residence, she meets his family and friends. The two share secrets and the attraction is mutual. A single night together will do its magic! Is love possible for two people from different worlds? Lily (Bayou Bad Boys, book 3) For fans of Rosemary Rogers and Janelle Taylor, a sweeping New Orleans romance of wild passion, dark secrets and forbidden love . . . Returning home to his beloved New Orleans after months in Jamaica, Bastien Thibodeaux reluctantly agrees to take two passengers on board his ship—an older English gentleman tending his ailing younger wife, Lily. That’s their story, at least. But as Bastien uses his skills as a Cajun healer to help Lily, he becomes convinced of two things: She is not who she claims to be. And though she may be out of bounds for the illegitimate son of a bayou priestess, their attraction is decidedly mutual. When Lily’s father bequeathed her his entire estate, he unwittingly made her a target. She barely escaped England alive, aided by her godfather. New Orleans holds both temptation and danger as she convalesces in Bastien’s lavish residence. A single night together is all she dares allow. But once they succumb, there can be no denying this desire, or how much they’ll risk in its name . . . Get Your Copy American Historical Romance | Pub: June 29, 2021 | 291pp | Zebra (Kensington) Format Read: E-book | Source: Provided by the publisher via NetGalley Content Rating: 5 Hearts* | Reviewed by Nicole Laverdure We're all about helping authors spread the word about their great books. Would you like to help, too? If so, tell your friends about LILY! *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Ratings may be included on retail sites and/or Goodreads, and on NetGalley if applicable. Learn more .

A Reader's Opinion One of the most romantic and delicious stories a reader could ask for! Bonnie Dee's Candace Sweet's Confectionary is a love story that makes me swoon! It is the third book in The Providence Street Shops. I have read the two previous installments and found her female characters so endearing and tenacious in pursuing their greatest dream, and I could not pass up the chance to read this one too. I love the fact that the heroines of this series are ambitious for the time of 1907. Ms. Dee's characters are beautifully written, and their story kept me interested until the very end. A must-read if you're looking for a romantic story that is so sweet! Candace Sweet's Confectionary tells the charming story of Candace, a businesswoman who got away from a controlling guardian, and who only wanted to keep her rightful fortune. Now safe from him, she opens her chocolate confectionery shop on Providence Street where her two best friends, Hattie and Rose, have their own shops. You might remember them from the previous stories. When a charming man, Alain, enters her shop, little did she know, that he would forever change her life. Monsieur Moreau, the heir of a dynasty of Paris Chocolatiers and father of seven-year-old Vivienne, is there to taste her chocolate delights and give her tips to attract new customers. But his goal is to promote his own brand in different shops outside Paris. Alain offers a proposal that might interest her! Will she accept? Once again, danger lurks around her! Is she safe from the monster of her past? As Candace and Alain spend time together sharing chocolate techniques, a new relationship blooms. Will they fall in love? Will another dream come true for this charming and brave heroine? Candace Sweet's Confectionary (The Providence Street Shops, book 3) Decadent chocolate inspires romance for two confectioners. After suffering indignities at the hands of her guardian, Candace Sweet sheds the shackles of an aristocratic upbringing to open a confectionery. There she delights in creating decadent chocolate truffles, but memories of her ordeal continue to embitter her new life. When an irresistible salesman enters her shop, he introduces a new element into the confusing recipe of emotions. Candace struggles to reconcile her growing feelings for Monsieur Moreau with the purely business agreement he proposes. With his family business failing, chocolatier Alain Moreau works to expand the venerable Moreau brand beyond Paris. While peddling chocolates to a new shop in London, he is struck by exquisitely decorated truffles… and their equally appetizing creator. Soon, he isn’t certain whether he’s more interested in selling to or wooing the proprietress, yet there are serious impediments in his life to any romantic entanglement. Figures from both of their pasts keep the sweet makers apart. When an old friend comes to Candace for support during her time of need, Candace begins to understand that some barriers should be broken and true happiness may require sacrifice. The finest chocolate is created by combining the bitter with the sweet. Get Your Copy Historical Romance | Pub: May 20, 2021 | 174pp | Dragonblade Publishing Format Read: E-book | Source: Provided by the publisher via NetGalley Content Rating: 3 Hearts* | Reviewed by Nicole Laverdure We're all about helping authors spread the word about their great books. Would you like to help, too? If so, tell your friends about Candace Sweet's Confectionary ! *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Ratings may be included on retail sites and/or Goodreads, and on NetGalley if applicable. Learn more .

“ A Mother’s Promise is a powerful, heart-wrenching, ultimately uplifting novel about the bonds of family and one woman’s courage in the face of adversity. K.D. Alden brings history to life with rich storytelling and deep emotion.“―V.S. Alexander, author of The Magdalen Girls A Mother's Promise Based on the true story behind a landmark U.S. Supreme Court Decision, K.D. Alden’s debut is a rich and moving story of one woman’s courage and strength at a pivotal point in America’s history. Virginia, 1927. A chance to have a family. That’s all Ruth Ann Riley wants. But because she was unwed and pregnant, she was sent away and her baby given to another woman. Now they’re trying to take Ruth Ann’s right to have another child. But she can’t stand the thought of never seeing little Annabel’s face again, never snuggling up to her warmth or watching her blue eyes crinkle with laughter. Good thing she has a plan. All the rich and fancy folks may call her feeble-minded, but Ruth Ann is smarter than any of them have bargained for. Because no matter how high the odds are stacked against her, she is going to overcome the scandals in her past and get her child back—and along the way, she just may find unexpected friendships and the possibility of love in the most unlikely of places. AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOKS-A-MILLION | HUDSON | INDIEBOUND | POWELL’S In the author's words . . . Q&A with K.D. Alden First, thank you so much for featuring me on Books & Benches! I’m honored to be here. Now, a little something about the book . . . A Mother’s Promise is set in 1920’s Virginia. It’s based on the true, heart-wrenching story of a pregnant, unwed teen mother: Carrie Buck. (In my novel I rename her Ruth Ann Riley.) Though she is not pregnant by choice, she is desperate to keep her child and have a family of her own. Instead, her baby is taken away and given to another woman. Ruth Ann is falsely declared “feebleminded” and sent to live in an institution, the Virginia State Colony for the Epileptic and Feebleminded. Worse, the doctor in charge wishes to sterilize her—and other “fallen” girls like her, so that she can’t have any more children. Ruth Ann, a simple country girl with only a 6th grade education, vows to fight for not only her baby, but her rights. She just never dreams that her battle will go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, or that she’ll find unexpected friendships … and the possibility of love along the way. What do you hope readers will take away from A Mother's Promise ? It’s my hope that readers will understand that we have not always had the rights and freedoms we take for granted today. Women couldn’t even vote until the 19th Amendment was passed in 1919 and then ratified in 1920. I also hope that readers will realize that the law does not always stand for justice. Eugenics, or the “science of good breeding” that led to Buck v. Bell, the 1927 Supreme Court case that A Mother’s Promise is based upon, was a progressive and well-intentioned movement that ultimately led to disastrous consequences for hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. and in Nazi Germany. Eugenics was supported by well-respected historical figures and luminaries such as Alexander Graham Bell, Andrew Carnegie, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., John D. Rockefeller, and Theodore Roosevelt. It’s not at all my intention to make these gentlemen (or others who supported the idea) look bad. What’s important to me is to show that ‘benevolent’ grand theory can devastate the lives of hapless, innocent individuals when put into practice. It’s for that reason that I wrote A Mother’s Promise from Ruth Ann’s simple point of view. What appeals to you about historical writing? This is a funny question to me, because I never set out to write a historical novel! I came across the concept for A Mother’s Promise quite accidentally, but had such a powerful, instantaneous reaction to it that I began writing it immediately, emotionally—tumultuously. It was only after I’d spontaneously spilled out the first three chapters that I began to research in earnest. I’ve never viewed myself as a historian. But oddly enough, the research is what fascinates me … diving into the past and then bringing history alive in the most compelling way that I can. I love this process! And I’m very grateful to the non-fiction authors who’ve documented so many colorful, intriguing people who are sadly no longer with us. I now research before, during and even after the developmental and writing process. There are so many small gifts from the past to be discovered! How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? I was lucky enough to sell my first book (in 1999, under a different pen name) in a sort of accident that would take too long to explain. In those days, you packaged up a hard copy and mailed the manuscript off to New York. You’d then receive back the same stack of paper and words with edits and suggestions written upon it in pen by your acquiring editor. I rushed to open my package … only to find so much red ink all over the pages that they looked bloody! I was certain that someone had been murdered upon my manuscript. But no. This was my first real, honest-to-God, brutal—and necessary—set of line edits. My ego shriveled. Tears sprang to my inexperienced eyes, washing out the stars that had been there. And I ran away from the horrible sight. For three days, I couldn’t go near my butchered prose. And then I had to, because I had a deadline for the first time, too. I began paging through the bloody mess that had been made of my precious, ‘perfect’ words. And I had a horrible revelation: my editor was RIGHT in her corrections and suggestions. The text would be cleaner. The dialogue would be clearer. The characters wouldn’t be chained down by cheap adverbs. So to finally answer the question: I learned the value and necessity of the editing process. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character(s) from A Mother’s Promise? This is a fun question! I’d love to see Jennifer Lawrence in the role of Ruth Ann. And Eddie Redmayne in the role of Clarence. (Hey, God? Can you make this happen for real?) 😊 Thanks again for hosting me today! Please sign up for my newsletter at www.kdalden.com and follow me on social media @kdaldenauthor. Books & Benches: Thank you, K.D., for sharing insight into A Mother's Promise and your writing. Meet the Author K.D. Alden is the pseudonym of an award-winning author who has written more than twenty novels in various genres. She has been the recipient of the Maggie Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, and an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. A Mother’s Promise is her first historical novel. K.D. is a graduate of Smith College, grew up in Austin, Texas, and resides in South Florida with her husband and two rescue greyhounds. WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS Genre: Historical Fiction Type: Novel Publisher: Forever/Grand Central Publication Date: Jan 19, 2021 Content Rating: PG-13 View our rating system Tour Giveaway Enter to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon or Target! The giveaway is open to US only and ends on May 28, 2021. You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

"If you want a story that will keep you riveted to the page, you should give this a try. I'm excited to see what's next for Sikes." — Linda Broday, NYT Bestselling Author Ghostly Interference Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn't a "he", it's a "she", a dark-haired beauty. Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag's apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother's final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for "happily ever after" have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love? AMAZON | B&N | KOBO | IBOOKS | GOODREADS In the author's words . . . The main characters in this book could not be more opposite. Jag Peters has his life laid out neatly in front of him with a solid safe career, friends and comfortable home. Rena Jett, on the other hand has had to struggle her entire life, having been raised in foster care and suffered numerous hardships. It was a challenge to find a common ground for these two. Enjoy an Excerpt from Ghostly Interference Karma is a word meaning the result of a person's actions as well as the actions themselves. It is a term about the cycle of cause and effect. According to the theory of Karma, what happens to a person, happens because they caused it with their actions. In my book, Ghostly Interference , Jag Peter’s main goal in life is to keep his Karma slate clean. So when he almost collides with a motorcycle at an intersection, he is compelled to go find the rider and apologize. Was he in for a surprise! The Excerpt His heart in his throat, he circled twice before finding the courage to take a parking space. Long seconds passed before he managed to pry his hands from the steering wheel and open the car door. He took one more deep breath, swallowed hard, and headed toward the entrance of O’Malley’s Irish Pub. He hated confrontation almost more than he hated the taste of whiskey. Inside, he slid onto a bar stool and surveyed the room. Leather clad bikers yelled to be heard over ZZ Top blasting from the jukebox. Bottles clinked as the bartender chunked them into an empty bin at the end of the bar. The air thick with cigarette smoke, Jag blinked to keep his eyes from watering. Two burly men at a pool table, slammed the balls with a resounding clap. “What’ll it be, mister?” the bartender raised his voice to be heard over the noise. “I’ll have a mineral water, please,” Jag yelled. “This ain’t no damn country club, kid. Ain’t you a little out of your white-collar territory?” “Sorry. Give me a draft beer.” Dammit! What had he been thinking to come in here? “Humph”, the bartender pulled a heavy mug off the shelf and filled it. Jag continued to look around, wondering which of the leather-clad group was the one he’d almost hit. After a sip of the bitter ale, he stood and walked toward the faded restroom sign, hoping no one paid him any attention. He had to finish what he came here for and get the hell out! Just as he turned the corner toward the door, he collided with a stunning dark-haired woman who wore a scowl to match her hair color. “Excuse you.” Sarcasm dripped from her tongue. “Oh sorry,” Jag muttered. “I wasn’t looking.” “Yeah, well that makes twice today I’ve nearly been run over by some bastard that wasn’t looking.” She stomped toward the bar, her black motorcycle boots thudding on the wood floor while the jukebox lapsed into a short-lived silence. Stunned, Jag turned slowly back to the restroom. It was a girl. He’d almost run over a girl. Inside, he splashed cold water on his face and stared into the dirty cracked mirror. This business of keeping his karma straight turned out to be a lot of work. If he lived through the next thirty minutes, he’d be lucky. *** I’m curious. What is your belief about Karma and how far are you willing to go to keep it clean? End of Excerpt Excerpt Copyright © Jan Sikes Meet the Author Jan Sikes is an award-winning Texas author who has been called a wordsmith by her peers. She openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author. But she had a story to tell. Not just any story, but a true story that rivals any fiction creation. You simply can’t make this stuff up. It all happened. She chose to create fictitious characters to tell the story through, and they bring the intricately woven tale to life in an entertaining way. She released a series of music CDs to accompany the four biographical fiction books and then published a book of poetry and art to complete the story circle. And now that the story is told, this author can’t find a way to put down the pen. She continues to write fiction and has published many short stories with a series of novels waiting in the wings. She is a member of the Authors Marketing Guild, The Writer’s League of Texas, Romance Writers of America, and the Paranormal Romance Guild. Connect through Jan's website: http://www.jansikes.com Follow Jan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks Follow Jan on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanSikes3 Follow Jan's Blog: http://www.jansikesblog.com Genre: Romance/Paranormal Type: Novel Publisher: Wild Rose Press Publication Date: December 14, 2020 Content Rating: 5 Hearts View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

We're excited to share Heather Webb's cover of her new solo novel, The Next Ship Home , a novel of Ellis Island, releasing February 8, 2022 from Sourcebooks Landmark! The Next Ship Home Ellis Island, 1902: Two women band together to hold America to its promise: "Give me your tired, your poor ... your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn't a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance. As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship―and share a terrible secret―altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them. Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America's history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens' singular determination. This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to "the land of the free" promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different, and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days. Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Add to your reading list! BookBub | Goodreads Meet the Author Heather Webb is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction. In 2017, LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS won the Women's Fiction Writers Association award, and in 2019, MEET ME IN MONACO was shortlisted for both the RNA award in the UK and also the Digital Book World Fiction prize. Up and coming, Heather's new solo novel called THE NEXT SHIP HOME: A NOVEL OF ELLIS ISLAND is about unlikely friends that confront a corrupt system altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them, and it releases in Feb 2022. Also, look for her third collaboration with her beloved writing partner, Hazel Gaynor, THREE WORDS FOR GOODBYE, releasing July (2021)! When not writing, Heather flexes her foodie skills, geeks out on pop culture and history, or looks for excuses to head to the other side of the world. For more information, please visit Heather’s website . You can also find her on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and Goodreads . Genre: Historical Fiction Type: Novel Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark Publication date: February 8, 2021 Content Rating: View rating system

" The Halo Conspiracy is a captivating and a fast-paced futuristic Sci-Fi adventure murder mystery read with twists and turns that kept me intrigued and guessing." — Nursebookie The Halo Conspiracy In mid-twenty-first century, solving murders hasn’t become any easier. Cutting edge science has created more opportunities for crime than offered solutions. A ruthless technology company threatens to reveal Project Halo, a scientific breakthrough that will change humanity forever. Layers of secrecy conceal cutting-edge robotics, artificial intelligence and even rumors of synthetic humans. Before scientists can correct flaws that threaten the program, someone or something murders the brains behind the project. Michael Murphy’s witty fast-paced sci-fi mystery introduces Lucas Nash, a gritty, by the book homicide detective thrust into a world he always avoids, high tech. He sifts through a maze of suspects; Rachel, a spirited intern, a brute of a security chief, a treacherous woman, the murdered man’s partner, and two ambitious Army officers, one found dead in the arms of a married schoolteacher, and a Colonel who can’t be found. A media starved religious leader warns the world against the evils of technology with his beautiful assistant, Lucas’s one-time flame. Before uncovering the killer’s identity, an unlikely romance threatens to derail the investigation and end Lucas’s career. With pressure mounting from his superiors and the government, Lucas must set aside his feelings and solve the murder before technology makes him and humanity the next victims. Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads Enjoy an Excerpt from The Halo Conspiracy Lucas wasn’t the best person to analyze artificial humans and prime directives. Still, technology wasn’t his greatest impediment to this case. He might have spent too much time with Rachel. Maybe he grew too close to her in the short time they’d been together. It was more than a possibility he’d become emotionally attached. He could evaluate others, not himself. Was it possible he’d overlooked her involvement in Beltran’s death? He couldn’t wait for Freddy’s take. As the elevation dropped, the trees turned into bushes and the mountains into hills. He made it to the top of a hill and skidded to a stop in the middle of the road. A helicopter hovered four feet off the ground. This was different from the one earlier in the day, more modern and less noise. Through the windshield, he recognized Calvin Hawk sitting next to the pilot and a couple of others in the seat behind them. They’d come after Rachel and thought she was in the SUV. They had no idea Freddy was at the cabin. His roadster had been parked inside the barn when the first chopper arrived. Hawk grabbed a microphone and spoke through a loudspeaker. “By now, you probably realize Rachel is the proprietary property of Dakota Industries.” He held up a piece of paper. “This is a court order from a judge granting us sole custody. Let her go, and you can be on your way.” How kind of him, Lucas thought. He doubted the validity of the document. Freddy and Rachel were perhaps thirty minutes outside of Green River. He needed to stall and buy them more time. “Beau, get down.” The dog jumped off the back seat and laid behind Lucas. Rows of trees appeared on his right. To his left, he spotted a rolling field of bushes and boulders behind a wire fence. He had to chance it. “Hold on, boy.” Lucas hit the accelerator. He turned and crossed over the oncoming lane and bounced over the shoulder. He smashed through the wire and made it onto the grassy field. He reached back to make sure Beau was alright and weaved his way through the obstructions. The helicopter rose and began to pursue. Lucas didn’t intend to outrun a modern chopper, but he wanted to allow Freddy and Rachel time to reach the station. “Activate text messaging.” As they made their way, he gripped the steering wheel as a question mark appeared on the screen. “To Lieutenant Clark. Being pursued by a Dakota Industries helicopter. Calvin Hawk is inside and claims they obtained a court order to release Rachel to their custody. She and Freddy are on their way to the station. End message. Send.” He glanced back at Beau as the helicopter hovered overhead. The dog remained surprisingly calm. Lucas headed for a patch of trees and stopped between two of them, the canopy hiding him from view, though they knew exactly where he was. The chopper flew to the other side, and two thugs, Tom and Jerry, climbed out with semiautomatic rifles. He checked the time on the dashboard. The helicopter would never stop Freddy from reaching the city. He shut off the motor and waited. He grabbed a bottle of water and took a long swallow. The two men stood in front of the SUV, their rifles at their side. The weapons were something Lucas had never seen before. Hawk spoke through the loudspeaker again. “Step out with your hands up.” He reached back and patted Beau. “You stay here. I’ve got this.” Lucas got out and closed the door. He approached the two men. When Hawk ordered him to stop, he halted. He cupped the back of his ear like he couldn’t hear over the din of the whirring chopper blades. The helicopter landed, and the rotors began to slow. Hawk climbed from the front seat and held out his hand to someone in the back. The woman took off her headphone and hat. Her gray hair billowed from the chopper’s downdraft. Melody and Hawk approached Lucas. She defiantly showed him the piece of paper. The judge’s order commanded the City of Green River to turn over any property belonging to Dakota Industries. Lucas handed back the paper. “I can’t do that.” She cocked her head. “Why not?” “Rachel’s not here.” She signaled to Hawk, who hurried to Lucas’s SUV. When he looked inside, Beau began to bark. He turned to Melody and smiled. She began to wheeze. When her face reddened, she grabbed an inhaler from her pocket and sucked in a deep breath. “Where’s Rachel?” End of Excerpt Excerpt Copyright © Michael Murphy Meet the Author When he is not writing genre bending novels, Arizona author Michael Murphy is busy raising their four adopted children, five rescue dogs, and a feral cat. Follow Michael on Twitter and Amazon . Genre: Sci-Fi Type: Novel Publication Date: April 15, 2021 Content Rating: Unknown View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

A Reader's Opinion A captivating story of redemption! Author Mary Morgan pens again an exciting paranormal historical romance full of magic! From the very start, I could feel a strong connection between H\H Rorik and Ragna! This book is a real page-turner! Readers craving history entwined with romance and magic are in for a treat and will devour this second installment of her captivating series 'The Wolves of Clan Sutherland'! Congratulations Ms. Morgan on a job well done; you didn't disappoint me. For Rorik, a wolf shifter, aka the Dark Seducer, bedding a woman only became a means to obtain information for his king. For that reason, women were pawns for him, which meant he didn’t need to marry or did not wish to. But the king has a new quest for him. Being a stubborn warrior and a complex character, he often battles with his inner wolf. He then meets Ragna, a seer who has had a powerful vision about him and therefore has to deliver an important message to Magnar. We met this character in the previous story. He's the leader of the wolves of Clan Sutherland and now married to Elspeth, who also holds special talents in magic. The heroine, Ragna, is a powerful healer and is aided by Oda, a sparrow hawk, who becomes her eyes to survey the country for her. Together Rorik and Ragna embark on a fantastic journey of adventure filled with love and magic. Will these two beautiful souls ever find true love? I recommend not only Rorik but also the previous book Magnar ! A great series that is well written with intrigue, love, and fantasy. Rorik The Dark Seducer is known throughout Scotland as a man who charms many women into his bed. Pleasure is his motto as he obtains information for his king. Yet Rorik MacNeil harbors one secret buried beneath his heart of steel. An unfulfilled conquest plagues both man and his inner wolf, and Rorik would rather suffer death's sharp blade than confront his greatest fear. As the Seer for the Orkneyjar Isles, Ragna Maddadsson confronts an unknown destiny when she travels across the North Sea to Scotland. In her quest to deliver a message from a powerful vision, she fears the warrior will not listen. If Rorik ignores her warning, Ragna must find a way to forestall his impending death. If unsuccessful, she risks having her heart cleaved in two. To unravel their true fates, Rorik and Ragna must trust in the power of the wolf. Get Your Copy Medieval Historical Romance | Pub: June 30, 2021 | 223pp | The Wild Rose Press Format Read: E-book | Source: Provided by the author or publisher Content Rating: 3 Hearts* | Reviewed by Nicole Laverdure *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Learn more .

A Reader's Opinion Amazing! This story is a great start to a new time travel series, Echoes in Time, set between July 2019 in New York York City and July 1485 in England. Nicely written by talented author Paula Quinn, Echo of Roses has a lot of elements to please her readers: A modern woman swept to the past, a charming white knight, romance, intrigue, and action. At first, this book is slow-paced, then it picks up. You start in New York City and end up in the middle of a battlefield where Kestrel Lancaster, a modern-day historian heroine, falls into the hands of her protector, Sir Nicholas De Maree, Earl of Scarborough. Kestrel lives in NYC with four roommates: Lilith, Jack, Brian, and Kim. One day, she is given a box containing an ancient dragon brooch that belonged to her great aunt, and pouf, she's gone in another medieval century. Pouf again, she appears in the middle of a battlefield where Nicholas discovers her. He's not sure what to do with this woman who appeared from nowhere. Is she a madwoman? A witch? Set during the War of the Roses, between the reds and whites, she finds herself caught in the middle of a political crisis. What will she do when her world is turned upside down? The relationship between the two characters developed nicely with time. What will happen to them? Will she return or stay? Will she leave Nicholas in the past or bring him into the twenty-first century? And all this happened because of an ancient brooch that reunites soulmates with true love! Echo of Roses Was she ready to explore the heart of a warrior? Welcome to book 1 in the exciting new series Echoes in Time from New York Times Best Selling author Paula Quinn. After receiving a dragon brooch from a distant great aunt, twenty-first century historian Kestrel Lancaster finds herself in fifteenth century England. Smack in the middle of a war. Like…in the middle of a blood and guts spewing, heads flying around her war. With six armored men riding toward her, bloody swords raised high in the air, horrified looks on their faces, there isn’t time to think. Only to scream. But like a dream, a dark knight rides into the fray and saves her from them all. When she realizes where and when she is, she doesn’t know whether to thank him for keeping her alive or curse him for it. Sir Nicholas de Marre has seen many things in his years as military commander for the House of York, but he has never seen a woman appear right before his eyes—and in the middle of the battlefield. Without thinking, he kills the Lancaster bastards closing in on her. Thankfully for her he is able to fight with her deafening screams behind him. He saves her from certain death, not knowing if she is mad, or he is, and carries her to safety. That’s his first mistake. The second is showing her mercy when he finds out she’s a Lancaster. But this odd woman who takes pictures with imaginary phones and teaches Cook to make cupcakes is easy to fall for, and before long, the heart of York’s champion is captured by a Lancaster. England’s throne is about to change. The House of Tudor will reign, and the War of the Roses will finally be won with the intimacy of a kiss, the tenderness in a touch, and love that will echo through time. Get Your Copy Time Travel Romance | Pub: May 18, 2021 | 235pp | Dragonblade Publishing Format Read: E-book | Source: Provided by the publisher via NetGalley Content Rating: 3 Hearts* | Reviewed by Nicole Laverdure *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Learn more .

Haunted Border is based on a long-lost voice recording with a survivor of the true-life Brite Ranch Raid of 1917. Haunted Border On December 25, 1870, young Jake Graves faced a frightful choice: allow Comanches to carry off his sister, or shoot her. Unwilling to fire, he has been tortured ever since by the brutal end that he could have spared her. The incident bred in him a hatred for Indians that has continued to this Christmas Day of 1917 on the Cross C Ranch on the Texas-Mexico border, a region embroiled in a Mexican revolution that has spawned lawless factions. Now Jake comes up against not only the news that his daughter Dru wants to marry Cross C foreman Nub DeJarnett—who is half Apache—but also a raid by Mexican bandits. When the raiders threaten to carry Dru and her cousin Ruthie away, Jake faces again an impossible choice down the sights of his carbine. The real culprit is the bandit leader Rentería, a ruthless killer who may be a tlehuelpuchi—a shape-shifting agent of evil who needs human blood to survive. With two disreputable neighbors and a Mexican youth who lost his family to the reputed tlehuelpuchi, Jake and Nub give chase on horseback. From a desert teeming with mystery to the devil’s cave, the journey takes them deep into tlehuelpuchi mythology, for Rentería is convinced that Dru is his reincarnated sister and plans to kill her at the Rio Grande where his sister became his first victim. Haunted Border is based on a long-lost voice recording with a survivor of the true-life Brite Ranch Raid of 1917. AMAZON | B&N | HALEY MEMORIAL LIBRARY | GOODREADS In the author's words . . . I'm intrigued by historic events in West Texas, particularly those surrounding the impact of the Mexican Revolution on American interests. On Christmas Day, 1917, 45 riders attacked Brite Ranch 140 miles southeast of El Paso. This raid inspired Haunted Border . My most important source is a 1960s taped speech by Lela Weatherby, who lived through the raid as a 15-year-old. This recently discovered recording is now in the N.S. Haley Memorial Library in Midland, Texas. Enjoy an Excerpt from Haunted Border He captured her in his sights, and his finger closed on the trigger. “Shoot her!” Down the shining barrel of his Sharp’s carbine, sixteen-year-old Jake Graves could see the front sight sway against blue calico. He could feel the walnut stock in his cheek as the butt plate pushed against his shoulder. He was strangely aware of the stock’s forward end in his supporting left hand, a position that allowed him an unburdened grip behind the breech lever and cocked hammer. But no sensation dominated like the trigger’s smooth curvature against his finger. “You got to shoot her!” A thousand times, Jake had shouldered the carbine and looked down the twenty-two-inch barrel, but never had seven pounds of wood trimmed with brass seemed as heavy as it did on this Christmas morning. With a mere twitch, everything would spring into motion: The hammer would snap forward, the muzzle would flash fire, and a .52-caliber slug would explode between the calico-draped shoulders of his red-haired sister. Maybe it was something that had to be done, even to a fourteen-year-old, but the trigger stayed frozen, Jake’s forefinger refusing to obey. “For God’s sake, do it! Do it!” From beside him on the porch of their homestead in the live oak country of Mason County, Texas, his widowed mother continued to plead, and her cries followed Jake across forty-seven years to this Christmas dawn of 1917 at Cross C headquarters in the Chihuahuan Desert of far West Texas. He sat on a mesquite woodpile on the hard-packed grounds near the main residence, an L-shaped adobe structure under Capote ridge’s low north end. The lofty roof hid the bare ridge’s higher summits, a dozen bony knobs rising progressively with their southward trend, but past the corner post of the covered porch he could see Capote’s two foothill cones side by side against the glowing east sky. Jake twisted the bottom of his tin cup in his palm. The warmth felt good on this chilly morning, and the coffee’s aroma should have been inviting. But all Jake wanted to do was stare at that pre-sunrise sky, its red bands as stark as his sister’s red hair had been against calico. She was there, all right, a haunting presence in the dawn. For decades, as Jake had cowboyed and flashed a Ranger’s badge and, for the past few years, ridden the nearby border as a U.S. Customs mounted inspector, he had sometimes managed to submerge the memories. But now, awakening aimless on his first day of forced retirement, he felt troubled as he hadn’t since he had fled Mason County at age seventeen. If this was the way the rest of Jake’s life was to be, he wasn’t sure he cared to live it. At least he would spend Christmas with his wife Annie, and their grown daughter, Drucilla, something that his law enforcement duties had not always let him do. Away to the north-northwest at Vieja Pass barely twenty-four hours ago, he had handed over his customs badge and struck out on horseback to meet them here at Cross C headquarters, a hard day’s ride through the high-desert valley below the Rim. Annie had arrived a couple of days before, courtesy of a standing invitation from her sister and brother-in-law, who owned the Cross C’s. They were in Arizona for the holiday, but their daughter had stayed behind with Drucilla—or “Dru,” as Jake called her—at Marfa, thirty-five miles east of headquarters. Dru’s arrival at the ranch had been delayed by her clerking duties at the mercantile store in Marfa, a town on the Southern Pacific where she still lived with Annie—and with Jake when he was around. If Dru boarded the afternoon train to Valentine as scheduled, she and her cousin could make the ride on to the ranch in time for Christmas supper. When Jake had learned of the plans during his last stay in Marfa, he had resisted the idea of the girls traveling alone, but Colonel George T. Langhorne at Camp Marfa had assured him that the road between Valentine and the Cross C’s would be safe. Now if Jake could only escape the memories of his sister. End of Excerpt Excerpt Copyright © Patrick Dearen The Author Winner of the prestigious Spur Award of Western Writers of America, Patrick Dearen is the author of twenty-five books. His ten nonfiction works include "A Cowboy of the Pecos;" "Castle Gap and the Pecos Frontier, Revisited;" and "The Last of the Old-Time Cowboys." His research has led to fifteen novels, including his Spur Award winner, "The Big Drift." His other novels include "When Cowboys Die" (A Spur Award finalist), "Perseverance," "When the Sky Rained Dust," "The Illegal Man," "To Hell or the Pecos," "Dead Man’s Boot," and "Apache Lament." A wilderness enthusiast and ragtime pianist, Dearen lives with his wife Mary in Texas. Learn more at patrickdearen.com . Genre: Western Type: Novel Publisher: Five Star Publishing Publication Date: April 1, 2021 Content Rating: PG-13 (2) View our rating system Thank you for visiting and reading! Feel inspired? Want others to experience the book magic? We hope you'll support this author by sharing with your friends. Have you read the book? Let us know your thoughts!

A Reader's Opinion This is the first book I've read by M.J. Rose. I was drawn to this book by the setting, the cover, and the hint of paranormal. I honestly didn't know what to think of the writing style at first, but without realizing what was happening, the story pulled me in. Beautifully written with vivid details of time and place, The Witch of Painted Sorrows draws the reader into its pages with mystery, melancholy, and in the beginning, a touch of romance. I can't say that I personally enjoy stories where the characters in the main relationship are married or involved elsewhere; I don't like the dishonesty, but it fit with the story. In truth, the grandmother became my favorite character. I liked her color and passion for everything; in real life, she'd be a force to reckon with. M.J. Rose is a remarkable talent and I plan to try more of her books. The Witch of Painted Sorrows Indie Next Choice for April 2015 Possession. Power. Passion. International bestselling novelist M.J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this erotic, gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris. Sandrine Salome runs away to her grandmother’s Parisian mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires. Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten – her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse. This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love and witchery. Get Your Copy Historical Mystery | Pub: March 17, 2015 | 385pp | Atria Books Format Read: Hardcover | Source: Provided by the publisher Content Rating: 5 Hearts* *As of Aug 2020, we do not give ratings to books, except for content. We review and share only those books we have enjoyed and think others will enjoy, too. Learn more . This book was reviewed on the original Books & Benches site sometime in 2015, and has been reposted on the new blog for indexing purposes.

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