Out Now—Abi’s Neighbour by Jenny Kane (@jennykaneauthor) #romance #cornwall

Set in the picturesque Sennen Cove, Cornwall, Abi’s Neighbour is the sequel to the bestselling Cornish romance, Abi’s House.

It’s time to catch up with Abi, Max, Beth, Jacob, Stan, and Sadie the Labrador- and meet some unexpected new faces…

Abi's NeighbourBlurb

Abi Carter has finally found happiness. Living in her perfect tin miner’s cottage, she has good friends and a gorgeous boyfriend, Max. Life is good. But all that’s about to change when a new neighbour moves in next door.

Cassandra Henley-Pinkerton represents everything Abi thought she’d escaped when she left London. Obnoxious and stuck-up, Cassandra hates living in Cornwall. Worst of all, it looks like she has her sights set on Max.

But Cassandra has problems of her own. Not only is her wealthy married lawyer putting off joining her in their Cornish love nest, but now someone seems intent on sabotaging her business.

Will Cassandra mellow enough to turn to Abi for help – or are they destined never to get along?

Complete with sun, sea and a gorgeous Cornwall setting, Abi’s Neighbour is the PERFECT summer escape.

Abi’s Neighbour can be read as a standalone novel, or as a follow up to Abi’s House.

Available in eBook and print from Amazon (universal link): http://mybook.to/abisneighbour

*****

Extract

The untidy, clipboard-wielding woman started talking as soon as she climbed out of her Mini. ‘Hello, my name’s Maggie, and I’m from –’

Cassandra cut impatiently across the formalities. ‘Sennen Agents, obviously. It’s written across your car.’

‘Oh, yes. So it is.’ Maggie paused, ‘Anyway, I’m sorry I’m late, I got stuck behind a tractor down the lane.’ She jingled a key ring in front of her. ‘I have your keys, Miss Pinkerton.’

‘No, you don’t.’ ‘I don’t?’ The estate agent frowned, looking away from the woman that stood before her in expensive couture with crossed arms and a far from happy expression. Flicking through the papers on her clipboard, Maggie said, ‘I was instructed by a Mr Justin Smythe that you would be accepting the keys on his behalf?’

‘I meant, no, my name is not Miss Pinkerton. It is Ms Henley-Pinkerton.’

‘Oh. I see.’ Maggie refrained from further comment as she clutched the keys a little tighter.

Determined to make sure the situation was clearly understood, Cassandra pulled her jacket on, turning herself back into the sharp-suited businesswoman she was. ‘In addition to your error regarding my name, there appears to have been a further mistake.’

‘There has?’

‘Mr Smythe has not purchased this property. He has merely rented it, with an additional agreement to sublet it as a holiday home. I am here for two months to make the place suitable.’ Cassandra ran a disdainful eye over the beautiful exterior stonework. ‘It would seem that my work is going to be well and truly cut out.’

‘This is a much sought-after street, Ms HenleyPinkerton. And this particular property is in excellent period condition.’ Feeling defensive on behalf of the old miner’s cottage, Maggie bit her tongue and flicked through her paperwork faster. Extracting a copy of the bill of sale, she passed it to the slim, angular blonde. ‘I think the misunderstanding must be yours. Mr Smythe has purchased number two Miners Row outright. It was a cash sale.’

Snatching the papers from Maggie’s fingers, Cassandra’s shoulders tensed into painful knots. Why hadn’t Justin told her he’d done this? She was convinced she was right. And anyway, he’d never deliberately make her appear foolish in front of a country bumpkin estate agent…  Yet as Cassandra scanned the document before her, she could see there’d been no mistake. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten, before opening them again to regard the badly dressed woman before her, who was once again holding out the offending set of keys.  Failing to take them, Cassandra gestured towards the little house.

‘Perhaps you would show me around, after I’ve made a call to Mr Smythe?’ Maggie, already feeling sorry for this unpleasant woman’s future neighbours, took unprofessional pleasure in saying, ‘Good luck with that call. The phone signal here is unpredictable to say the least.’

It had taken a ten-minute walk towards Sennen village to get a decent reception on her mobile phone, and then, when she’d been able to connect the call, Justin’s line was engaged. When she’d finally got through, she was more than ready to explode. ‘Justin! How could you have done this to me without a word? You’ve made me look a total idiot.’

Clearly thrilled that he’d managed to buy the terrace for a knock-down price – which, he’d claimed, was a far more economic use of their funds, an investment that would make them a fortune to enjoy in their retirement – he’d sounded so excited about what it meant for their future together that Cassandra had found it hard to remain cross. Assuring her that the situation remained the same, and that she was still only expected to stay in Cornwall while he secured his new position and got the wheels of the divorce in motion, Justin told Cassandra he loved her and would be with her very soon.

Returning to the terrace reassured, if lacking some of her earlier dignity, Cassandra swallowed back all the words she’d have liked to say as she opened the door and the gloom of the dark and narrow hallway enveloped her. She was sure that awful Maggie woman had been laughing at her. The agent had taken clear pleasure in telling her that if she hadn’t stormed off so quickly she’d have found out that the phone reception was excellent if you sat on the bench in the back garden.

Vowing to never drink champagne in any form ever again, as it clearly caused her to agree to things far too readily, Cassandra saw the next two months stretching out before her like a lifetime.  Letting out some of the tension which had been simmering inside her since she’d first seen the for sale sign, she picked up a stone and threw it at the back fence, hard. Maggie had gone, leaving her reluctant client sitting on an old weathered bench in the narrow rectangular plot at the back of the house.

Playing her phone through her fingers, Cassandra saw that there was enough reception to make calls if she sat in this spot – but only in this spot. One step in either direction killed the signal dead, which was probably why the previous owners had placed a bench here. And probably why they left this Godforsaken place!  The Internet simply didn’t exist here. When she’d swallowed her pride and asked Maggie about the strength of the local broadband coverage, the agent had actually had the audacity to laugh, before informing Cassandra with obvious satisfaction that people came to Sennen for their holidays to leave the world of emails and work behind them.

Breathing slowly, she pulled her shoulders back, pushed her long, perfectly straight blonde hair behind her ears, and took a pen and paper out of her bag. It looked as if she was going to have to tackle this, old school.

First she would make a list of what she considered necessary to make the house habitable for holidaymakers, then she would locate the nearest library or internet café so she could source decorators and builders to get the work underway. The sooner she got everything done, and herself back to hustle and bustle of London, the better.

Deciding there was no way she could sleep in this house, which Maggie had proudly described as ‘comfortable’, ‘sought-after’, and ‘ready to be made absolutely perfect’, Cassandra hooked her handbag onto her shoulder and headed back into the whitewashed stone house. Shivering in the chill of the hallway, despite the heat of the June day, she jumped in the silence when the doorbell rang just as she bent to pick up her overnight bag. For a second she froze. It had been years since she’d heard a doorbell ring. In her block of flats back home she buzzed people in via an intercom, and anyway, people never just dropped by. She hoped it wasn’t that dreadful Maggie back with some other piece of unwanted advice.

It wasn’t Maggie. It was a petite woman in paint spattered clothes, with a large shaggy dog at her side. Cassandra’s unwanted visitor wore a wide smile and held a bunch of flowers in one hand and some bedding in the other.  ‘Hello. My name’s Abi, I live next door. Welcome to Miners Row. I hope you’ll be very happy here.’

*****

Bio

Jenny Kane is the author of the full length romance novels Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2015), Abi’s House (Accent Press, 2015), the contemporary romance/medieval crime time slip novel Romancing Robin Hood (Accent Press, 2014), the best selling contemporary romance novel Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013), and its novella length sequels Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014), and Christmas at the Castle (Accent, 2015).

Jenny’s sixth full length romance novel, Abi’s Neighbour, will be published in May 2017.

Keep your eye on Jenny’s blog at www.jennykane.co.uk for more details.

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/JennyKaneAuthor

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

Jenny also writes erotica as Kay Jaybee and historical crime as Jennifer Ash.

Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.

Coywolf by Gale Stanley (@galestanley)

Genre: LGBT, MM, Paranormal, Shifters

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

CoywolfBlurb

In a world where reproduction is the number one priority, a gay wolf shifter could never be an alpha. So Logan hides his secret from the pack and resigns himself to a life without love.

Then one night, he finds his true mate and he’s forced to make a choice.

Available at: Evernight | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Bookstrand

*****

Excerpt

Logan set Rory on the wood floor. It would do, he’d slept on worse. Logan opened a cedar chest and took out a thick quilt. He laid it on the floor under a window. “It’s late. You can sleep here.” Logan pointed to the coverlet.” If you decide to shift, you can share my bed. It’s big enough for two.”

No thanks. But Rory couldn’t deny that he was tempted as he watched Logan undress. The man was sex on a stick with his strong jaw, straight nose, and dark intense eyes. Why were alphas always so damn good-looking? And straight as an arrow? Probably so they would attract the best bitches in the pack. Rory sighed. Logan looked even better with his clothes off. He had sexy chest hair and a dark curly bush that Rory wanted to bury his nose in. He imagined himself licking that half-hard dick to erectness. Down boy! He was tempted to shift, but good sense won out. If he didn’t stay in his fur, he would really be fucked.

Logan flopped onto the bed and lay flat on his back. He tugged on his cock until it stood straight up like a flagpole. Rory’s penis came out of its sheath and he whimpered. Thankfully, Logan was too busy jacking off to notice.

The Alpha bent his muscular legs and continued stroking his thick cock. The head flushed purple and pre-cum leaked from the slit. The musky scent drove Rory crazy. Slithering on his belly like a snake, Rory inched toward Logan’s dirty clothes on the floor. Rolling on them as best he could, he took comfort in Logan’s scent. But his gaze remained fixed on the man.

Panting now, Logan worked his cock harder and faster, tugging his balls with his other hand. His heavy breathing and the sound of his fist moving up and down his shaft made Rory hot and horny. Logan’s thighs went tense, and his hand moved so fast it blurred.

Rory’s anticipation built as he watched Logan stroke his hard length one final time. Thick threads of cum burst into the air. Rory ached to lick the creamy white liquid off Logan’s chest.

Logan stilled for a few minutes, and then glanced around the room. His eyes lit on Rory humping his jeans. Caught, Rory froze. A sly smile seemed to dance on Logan’s lips. His voice was low and sexy. “Pleasant dreams, boy.” Then he rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

Rory’s canine libido was in overdrive. A little more rubbing action on the denim and he shot his load. Then he settled down on the jeans, and in a few minutes his eyelids grew heavy, and he felt himself drifting off to sleep, too.

*****

Author Bio and Links

Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.

Some things never change.

Website | Blog | Twitter | FaceBook | Instagram | Pinterest

Happy Reading!

Undeniable (Tortured Love #4) by Ravenna Tate (@ravennatate)

***Click HERE to purchase directly from Evernight Publishing***

UndeniableBLURB

Rosanna Selim can’t recall almost two years of her life, but it hasn’t stopped her from loving her job as a paralegal with one of the top defense firms in Cleveland, Ohio. It also hasn’t affected her relationship with sexy, charming homicide detective, Houston Cassidy. Until he tells her about a twelve-year old case. As images invade both her waking and dreaming states, she’s certain that uncovering the truth means losing Houston.

Houston has been unlucky in love because of dedication to his job, so he’s determined not to screw things up with Rosanna. She’s sexy, beautiful, and the most easy going woman he’s ever met. He adores her. But when she tells him about the images, and as she works with a therapist to recover her memories, Houston has to come to terms with the possibility that she’s the killer in a case he’s been trying to solve for twelve years.

*****

EXCERPT

“I love it when you do that.”

“Are you sure?” He raised his brows. “I can wait a long time.”

“Oh yeah?” She shoved her hand between them and caressed his erect penis. “Doesn’t feel that way to me.”

The laugh she loved so much filled the space around them. “Appearances are deceiving.” Shivers ran up and down her spine as he kneaded her breasts. Even with her clothes still on, the effect was intoxicating. She massaged his shaft, aching for that dick to be inside her.

“You’re going to wait for it, babe.”

“Even with me doing this?”

One finger traced between her breasts, over her abdomen, and landed on her clit, where he rubbed hard. The movement forced her hand off his cock. “Now you can’t reach me.”

“Tease.”

“I never tease.” He massaged her swollen bud through the jeans, but she definitely felt it.

“So what do you call this?”

“Payback.”

“For what?”

“For being too damn sexy for your own good.”

“Weak, Houston. Very weak.”

“Oh yeah? Who’s the one squirming and begging right now?”

When he clamped his mouth on her groin through the denim, Rosanna cried out in pleasure. He was right. He’d nailed her. How the man had so much self-control was a mystery to her, but she loved it. She loved the teasing and she loved the way he made her so crazy with desire she wasn’t above begging him to fuck her.

“I’ll bet your hot pussy is soaking wet right now.”

“Why don’t you take off my jeans and find out?”

“Oh, I’ll take them off, but I’m not fucking you just yet. There’s something I keep promising you but haven’t delivered.”

“And what might that be?”

A wicked, sly grin had her wondering if she should have asked. Houston yanked off her jeans, taking her panties with them. He removed her socks and shoes, but instead of returning to what he’d been doing with that magic mouth a second ago, he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her over one knee.

“Houston…” She was so surprised, she had no idea what to say.

“I’ve been threatening to spank you for weeks.” She gasped as he swatted each cheek, hard. He pinned her thighs with his right leg and held her across the lower back with his left hand. She couldn’t move, and the effect was so deliciously dominant that she nearly came.

“Tell me you’ve been a bad girl.” One more stinging smack on each cheek forced another gasp from her. “I want to hear you say it.”

“I’ve been a bad girl.” Her voice came out all breathy and low, but honestly, how could she help that? This was so over the top intoxicating that her clit began to throb.

“Yes, you have.”

“Oh my God!” He delivered five more blows to each cheek, alternating, and now they burned like fucking crazy. Each swat built on the next one, until she couldn’t distinguish the pleasure from the pain. The combined into one sweet, torturous sensation that sent shivers down her spine, and tiny contractions to her soaking wet pussy.

“Had enough yet, bad girl?”

“I don’t even know how to answer that.”

Houston rubbed the wounds he’d made, which forced loud moans from her as the intensity of the burn increased. “Not quite yet. You can take a bit more.”

*****

***Other Buy Links***

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#NewRelease Rescued by Love by Jules Dixon @EvernightPub #fairytale #romance @JulesofTripleR

Fairy Tale Romance–Rescued by Love by Jules Dixon–now available! 

Rescued by LoveAurora Jessen lives a life that would make a princess envious, but will her prince ever find her with her overprotective father hovering? When the infuriating Drexel Mason returns to town, his ability to get her to almost spontaneously orgasm while simultaneously making her want to stab him fascinates her, but a deadly accident reiterates the lack of control over her own life.

Drexel Mason’s childhood was more a scene from a nightmare than a tale of fated love. The memories make him cover his pain with a secret elixir, but Aurora’s kiss confiscates the lingering ache. When she accidentally takes his pain-killing potion, he’s given an opportunity to slay the dragon of his cruel past and release the prince hiding inside.

Will Drexel save his princess or will she continue waiting for true love in her ivory tower?

AVAILABLE AT

Evernight Publishing (On sale for limited time only!)

Amazon

Bookstrand

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

*Some retailers may take a couple days.

 

Excerpt: 

I rested my cheek against his shoulder and my nose brushed carelessly against his neck. His body stiffened and I wondered if it was from the touch or something else. I could hear his heart beating fast in his chest and the sound was comforting. I inhaled a deep breath and smirked.

His cologne isn’t that bad. Just takes time to get used to it.

“Drexel?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Yeah, I didn’t kiss you, Princess. You kissed me.”

I’ll show him Princess!

As if he knew I was going to try to get away, his hand pressed on my shoulder blade to hold my body to him.

I adjusted my head so I could look up at him again. “No, you kissed me, Drexel.”

“Now, Aurora—”

“Don’t say my name like that,” I said through gritted teeth.

His lips grazed my ear. “Ah-roar-ah.” He pulled the life from every syllable until I needed the next one like the oxygen in my blood. “We both know that was an impulsive and uncontrolled Aurora kiss. It wasn’t a Drexel kiss. When I kiss you, it’s different than that kiss. I’m sure you remember what one of my kisses feels like, right?”

I ignored the question. To remember brought back memories I didn’t want to forget, but I’d pushed them down to move on with life like he had.

“You can’t tell me you didn’t like that kiss,” I hissed back.

“Didn’t say I didn’t like it. I’m saying I didn’t start the kiss, and I was only participating in being molested by your tongue because you seemed to be enjoying it.”

“I seem to remember your third leg was molesting me and would lead me to believe you were enjoying it.”

“Whatever.” He chuckled and my rising blood pressure made my face flush.

“Did you just ‘whatever’ me?”

“Just trying to speak your language.” His hand lowered and slipped into the open slit on the back of my dress. With his hand spread across my lower back, I could feel the tip of his pinkie just resting at the top of the split of my butt cheeks, sliding under the lace of my thong. Skin on skin.

I wiggled and shout-whispered in his ear, “Drexel, your hand!”

“Uh-huh, nice thong.” He was an excellent dancer, swaying our bodies in unison to the dreamy but sultry beat. He spun us at just the right moment, compelling the breath to exhale in excitement from my lungs. “What about my hand?”

My breathing shallowed and my body betrayed me, hardening my nipples. “Please, your hand.” A moan escaped my lips.

Drexel rumbled a soothing, manly murmur of appreciation in response. “Now, why can’t you be this Aurora all the time? So peaceful and graceful, and not pissing me off?”

Readers are saying about the Triple R Series:

Everyone can relate to Presley’s insecurities. Bless that hero Jude who rode in on the white horse. This is a fun and sexy romance. –T. Crosby

Oh. My. Gosh! When Sage thinks that Rahl is going to kiss her and on a whimpered breath she says just his name, “Rahl”. …sigh. Big breath…aahhhh! So frickin’ romantic!–Kindle Customer

I love this group of people, and every book gets better and better! Kanyon and Willow have been my favorite so far. Jules is a great author, going to start the next one now! – S. Parks

Find Jules:

Jules Dixon Website

Facebook

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Coming Next:

A surprise fated mate. A fence between them. Family objections to face. Are they stronger than everything separating them?

Always by London Saint James (@LSJRomance)

Thank you so much for having me on your blog to share a little bit about my new release, Always.

Some of you may remember this story as The Heart of Winter which was originally published in 2011 as a four book continuing series, Enchanted, Requiem, Revelation, and Eternal. While I have written many stories since then, Winter’s story was my first published set of novels. They say you never forget your first love and that’s true. Winter remains one of my favorite heroines and has always held a special place in my heart.

When the contract for this set of stories ended and the publishing rights came back to me, I knew I needed to retell it. Freshen it up. Add new content. So I stepped back into Winter’s world and made changes. Her entire story will be retold in a two book duet of novels.

I hope this new version of Winter’s story with bonus scenes will be one you fall in love with as much as I have.

XoXo

London

*****

AlwaysAbout the Book:

Written by London Saint James

Published by LSJ Romance

Genre: M/F Contemporary Romance

Word Count: 100k

Heat Level: 3

Cover Art by Kellie Dennis – Book Cover by Design

Edited by Red Penn Services

*****

Blurb:

International bestselling author London Saint James’ first installment from Two Hearts, One Soul Duet is the epic tale of abiding love, heart-wrenching loss, and an astonishing bond that will find a way to endure.

Winter Perri never truly understood love until she met Austin Carlyle—the man who would rock her world to its foundations and give her something to believe in. But the night before they were to be married, the fairytale shattered.

Thirteen years later Winter is pulled out of her seclusion only to have a painful past confront her, and when it does, she’s left questioning reality, because the impossible is looking back at her with the face of a destroying angel, and piercing eyes in too familiar shades of blue.

Buy the ebook here: Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA

Add on Goodreads 

Available in Print & Audiobook Soon!

Excerpt:

We were never going to get out of California!

“Looking at a five-hour delay,” the pilot said. “Bad weather at LaGuardia.”

Fantastic.

Austin put his arm around me, pulled me close, and whispered, “Do you have any idea how stunning you are when you’re mad?”

His tempting voice broke through my irritation like a sledgehammer, and without any control to stop it a smile crept over my face. “No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”

“I only have five hours to tell you, so we better get started.”

I rolled my eyes. “I doubt it will take five hours to explain.”

Austin laughed his low musical laugh then tapped the tip of my nose with his index finger. “I know. I’ll need more time.”

If Austin hadn’t been with me, I would have been upset the entire time; however what could have been a taxing event was as usual made better by his always calming presence. He took me by the hand, without protest on my part, and led me over to a more secluded area of the airport, scurrying past an onslaught of people, baggage handlers, flight attendants, and airport security as if we were the only two people in the world.

He sat down, propped his back against the wall, and nestled me between his legs. I leaned my head against his right shoulder with my two hands resting on each of his denim clad knees as he talked in a low murmur into my ear. The sounds of the airport faded away. The footfalls of strangers left. The bustle of baggage being moved disappeared. The overhead announcements completely vanished, while Austin described to me in detail why he found me beautiful.

He told me about my mouth, the way it moved when I talked, the way my eyes flashed when I got irritated, or excited, and how my face looked when I was mad or jealous. He described the curve of my eye, the arch of my brows, the furrows that gather between them when I concentrate. He told me about the color of my eyes, describing them as emeralds cut with sparkling facets of light. He spoke of how I bite my bottom lip. How he loved to hear me sing to the radio in the shower, the sound of my laugh, and the way my face looked when I was happy—luminescent and bright. He even told me he loved it when I argued with him, watching that little huff of displeasure I made right before I caved in.

I smiled because he was right. He had the ability to make me cave no matter how ticked-off I might be.

Austin told me how he loved to watch me sleep—the peaceful expressions—the sound my heartbeat made as it thrummed. He spoke about my body, the way I moved, the sounds I made when we made love—the warmth of me. Then he threw in some hot, juicy details about his body and mine that made me blush.

This started another line of conversation which prolonged the rosy red sensation to my cheeks.

Then, Austin delved deeper. He told me how my fragility showed through my strength, my insecurities through my courage—how I’m more than body, more than flesh. He spoke of me as the essence of desire, beauty, intelligence, grace; more than a single truth, a single word, a single caress, or a simple breath. He explained I am a girl, a lover, a daughter, a friend, a woman, and someday I will be a mother. He expressed his longing to have children with me, saying he couldn’t wait to see my belly rounded with our child.

“I want a little girl with your eyes, your lips, and your smile,” he said.

“Maybe I want her to have your eyes, brilliant blue that shifts into silver,” I countered.

“All right then. We’ll have both. A compromise. One with your eyes and one with mine.”

“Don’t you want a boy?” I asked.

“Sure,” he said. “How about you?”

“I would love to have your son and watch him grow up to be a heartbreaker just like his father.”

Austin’s laugh vibrated across my cheek. “It’s settled. Two girls and a boy.”

As he combed his fingers through my hair, Austin told me who I am, and who I will always be to him. He held a mirror to my soul, allowing me the reflection of the woman I should be, the woman he has made me, the woman I have become—the simple complexity of me.

*****

About the Author:

London Saint James has lived in many places, but never felt ‘at home’ until she met the real-life man of her dreams and settled down in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. London lives with her husband and their fat cat who thinks he owns them.

As an award-winning, international bestselling author, London is living her childhood dream. She knew all the scribbling she did, that big imagination of hers, and all those clamoring characters running around in her head would pay off someday.

Website: http://www.londonsaintjames.com

Blog: http://londonsj.blogspot.com

Twitter: @LSJRomance http://twitter.com/LSJRomance

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

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

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Fiery 10-16 by Lea Bronsen (@LeaBronsen)

Hi, and thank you for hosting my new dark romantic suspense!

Fiery 10-16 is a scorching firefighter story of desire, abuse, and bravery.

Fiery 1016Runo Wiggins is a scarred man, the wounds etched into his psyche deeper than those on his skin. But he loves his job: fighting fires helps reenact his survival of a house fire as a teen, one that killed his mother and brutal stepfather.

Dawn Caravello is married to a psychotic drunk. She can take his beatings as long as he doesn’t touch their children, and she’ll do anything to put food on the table, even if it means stealing from the town hero.

When Runo meets the fiery Dawn, sparks fly. But he suspects she is victim of the same abuse as his mother was. As day turns to night, the past and the present blend in an exhausting, nerve-wrecking chase to prevent another death.

*****

Excerpt:

Dawn’s eyes shimmered with a mix of stubborn pride and extreme sadness. They seemed to be made of molten brown stone. Runo had never seen eyes like these. So vibrant, saying so many things. They revealed her life, her endurance, her dreams, her combats, her despair. And she was still so young.

While he stared, she leaned forward and kissed him, an act a whole lot more intimate than he was comfortable with. A short, hard peck, a statement. Not the tender gesture a kiss was supposed to be, but one telling him her gratitude as well as her dignity. She thanked him, but was going to go back to her life and continue fighting.

He stood shocked, his whole body rigid, didn’t know what to do. She, such a small woman thing a whole head shorter, shook him, a giant of muscle and stupid testosterones inside a hard shell.

He would definitely take care of Dawn and her kids. Any way possible. Alert the authorities and make sure they got the protection they desperately needed.

She stepped backward, her features softening, and turned on her heel.

Not so fast.

He cleared his throat and called, lifting a weak hand. “Hey, wait!” His heart hammered in his chest, blood pulsed in his ears.

She turned. “What?”

“Promise to be good. Promise it’s the last time you do it.”

“Do what?” Her eyes gleamed with humor. “Kiss you?” In the midst of this emotional turmoil, she found the strength to tease.

“Steal.”

And lie.

She pursed her lips, looking like a disappointed little girl. Maybe she still was a child inside. A child taking care of children. A child beaten savagely.

He swallowed. “Promise.”

After several long seconds, she nodded. But her gaze told a different truth.

Liar.   

Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.uk / paperback

Add the book to your Goodreads list!

*****

Lea BronsenAbout Lea Bronsen:

I like my reads hot, fast, and edgy, and strive to give my own stories the same intensity. After venturing into dirty inner-city crime drama with my debut novel Wild Hearted, I divide my writing time between psychological thriller, romantic suspense, and erotic dark/contemporary romance.

I love to hear from my readers! Write to leabronsen@yahoo.com or meet me on:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / Pinterest