Spirit Lake by Carol A. Guy

Posted by Diana Coyle in

1 comments

This week I would like to showcase to our readers a book that I instantly fell in love with. Spirit Lake by Carol A. Guy is a wonderful story of love, mystery and some very strange happens going on in a quaint little town called Spirit Lake, PA. This was a thoroughly entertaining read for me and I was thrilled to find out that there will be a second book in this Spirit Lake series. I'm sure you will enjoy this story as much as I did. This author definitely has remarkable talent and I am so lucky to have stumbled across her and her work!

For more information about this author and what other stories she has available, please visit her at: http://www.geocities.com/cguy1943/carolguy.html.

Spirit Lake by Carol A. Guy
Genre(s): Paranormal - Suspense/Mystery
Review Date: 1/22/2009
ISBN: 978-1-55487-062-2
E-Book Price: $4.99
Publisher: Devine Destinies -(Website)
Street Date: Out Now

Book Excerpt

SCORE: 5 / 5

Erica Parkhurst is going through some troubled times in her life. All in one week she loses her husband to another woman and her lucrative job as an editor for a leading consumer magazine. Only thirty-four years old, she was just beginning to gain confidence in her future.

Not wanting to stick around, she decides to buy a bus ticket and head to Chicago. She just wants to get away and have some breathing room to think things out and see what her next plan of action should be. But while traveling on the bus, her bad luck seems to still be hanging over her. The bus breaks down in Du Bois, PA and the bus driver tells them they will all be spending the night in town until the bus is fixed. Not wanting to sit idle, Erica rents a car and heads out on her own. Beginning the trek to Chicago by herself, she doesn’t make it far onto the interstate when she realizes how famished she is. She sees a sign saying that Spirit Lake is 5 miles away and decides that will be a good place to stop and grab something to eat. When she arrives there, she sees this beautiful inn located next to Spirit Lake. She decides this is where she will settle in until she can think of a better plan of action.

Since it’s off season and the inn is closed for renovations, the inn keeper graciously offers Erica a room anyway. Erica accepts the inn keeper’s hospitality and settles in for a short stay. While staying there though, she begins to encounter strange things happening to her that make her question her sanity.

Could she be losing her mind or is she really witnessing all these strange occurrences even though no one else seems to be experiencing the same things? How long does she stay in Spirit Lake? What happens when her husband shows up in Spirit Lake after trying to hunt her down for days?

I found this to be a wonderful mystery wrapped around quite a bit of deceit and betrayal of many of the characters throughout the story. I was thoroughly entertained from the first page and I found myself transported into the story as if I were another character watching everything unfold before me. Ms. Guy penned quite an intriguing storyline and I’m thrilled to find out this will be the first in a series of other stories wrapped around Spirit Lake. I’m extremely anxious to read the sequel, Echoes of the Past. I would highly recommend this story to other readers and it’s definitely a keeper in my library.

BOOK BLURB AND BOOK INFO:

This book was previously published with eXtasy Books, but has been reedited and adapted to suit Devine Destinies guidelines.

Nestled near the base of Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest is the small town of Spirit Lake. Rich in folklore, it has become a tourist attraction due to its quaint atmosphere and unique antique shops. When Erica Parkhurst flees New York City in the wake of a marital split and accidentally discovers the little hamlet she is intrigued by the ghost stories surrounding the local inn and the mist-shrouded lake nearby. Then one night she encounters a mysterious man on the dock but before she can find out his name he disappears into the fog. Did she imagine him? During a trip into town the next day she see's the man again and follows him into a dead end alley, where he vanishes once more!

Hot on the trail of his soon-to-be ex wife, Grant Parkhurst shows up unexpectedly at the inn but Erica flees out the back door into the surrounding woods to avoid a confrontation. Lost and frightened, she is met by a rescuer of the canine variety who leads her to a secluded cabin where she finally meets her elusive stranger, Joe Lakota, and his trusty wolf/dog, Mingo.

Soon Erica finds herself involved in a murder case when a skeleton washes up at the edge of the lake and Joe becomes the prime suspect. Can she risk falling in love with a man who may be a murderer? And what other secrets are hidden beneath the glassy surface of Spirit Lake?




Review available at: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=3065

Time Travel - Desires of The Heart

Posted by Linda LaRoque in Carlisle, Desires of the Heart, England, Linda LaRoque, Romance, Time Travel, WWII

2 comments

I love reading and writing time travels. As a girl, I always wondered what it would be like to live in the old west and questioned what my life would be like. Would I be the child of a rich rancher, a poor farmer, shop girl, or heaven forbid, work in a saloon? I had a vivid imagination and for a while my "unseen" friend was a lion.

Today, retired from teaching, I allow my inner muse free rein when it comes to thinking up stories. One result is my time travel short story Desires of The Heart due out March 4th, 2009 with The Wild Rose Press. I ventured from my comfortable Texas and Mid-West local and set this story in post WWII England. Of course, the heroine is a Texas girl. Uh, I mean woman.

Here's a blurb and excerpt.

Loren Fairchild longs for children, but is barren. At a cottage in Carlisle, UK, she puts her divorce behind her and begins a new life. She learns that in 1947 the former owner’s wife disappeared. The same week, according to local gossip, her husband took up with a dark-headed harlot. One morning, a simple minded woman appears and triggers events that change Loren’s life forever.

Miles Chapeau misses the wife, the mother of his two children, he’d known before the war. When he returned from WWII in 1945 she’d been hurt in an air raid and now has the mind of a child. He loves her and would never forsake his duty, but misses the intimate side of marriage and a woman to share his life. One day she disappears and his existence is turned upside down.

Excerpt:

She squinted at him. “Chapeau, Miles Chapeau. Your wife disappeared in 1947 and you took up with a dark headed harlot.”

He staggered back. What the hell was she talking about? “Yes, my wife did disappear yesterday morning. Do you know where she is? Have you seen her?” He moved close to the bed and bent down, face next to hers. “If you know tell me. She has the mind of a six-year-old and needs constant supervision.”

She patted the hand he didn’t realize grasped her arm. A jolt of energy shot through him. “She’s fine, Mr. Chapeau, just fine. Yesterday she wandered onto my property. She scared poor Molly to death.” She laughed. “Snuck up behind her and grabbed her in a hug. When Molly screamed, the blonde lady laughed and laughed.”

Miles didn’t know whether to believe her or not. The woman she described definitely acted like Miriam.

The patient waved her hand. “I feel kinda drunk.” She shook her finger at Constable Jones. “No more of those drugs, you hear?”

The Constable shrugged. “We have to do whatever the doctor orders, Mrs. Fairchild.”

“Bullshit. Man doesn’t know one end of a horse from the other.” She grabbed Miles shirt front and pulled him closer. He breathed in her scent and didn’t like his body’s reaction. He didn’t like her vulgar mouth either. “Shh, listen. Constable Sanders had her taken to a hospital for observation. Don’t you worry now; they’ll take good care of her in 2007.”

I hope you'll pick up a copy of Desires of The Heart on March 4th and let me know what you think about Miles and Loren's story. You can view the book trailer on my website.

Thank you Tammy and Night Owl Romance for having me here today.

Happy reading and writing, folks!

Linda

Linda LaRoque ~Western Romance with a Twist in Time~ A Law of Her Own, Forever Faithful. Desires of the Heart, 3-9, My Heart Will Find Yours, 5-9, Flames on the Sky, Investment of the Heart coming 5-9, When the Ocotillo Bloom 7-9.
http://www.lindalaroque.com http://wwww.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/

Night Owl Romance in the Press

Posted by Night Owl Reviews in

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Romancing the Web A Hillsboro reader tends one of romance readers' popular Web sites

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
By JoAnn Boatwright
The Hillsboro Argus

Read the Article

Rogue: The Cat Star Chronicles #3

Posted by Night Owl Reviews in

1 comments

Rogue: The Cat Star Chronicles #3

Author: Cheryl Brooks
Genre(s): Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Futuristic
Review Date: 2/24/2009
ISBN: 9781402217623
Print Book Price: $6.99
Publisher: Sourcebooks/Casablanca
Street Date: Mar 1, 2009

SCORE: 4.25 / 5

Cheryl Brooks brings us the third installment in her fabulous off world adventures. The Cat Star Chronicles can be read as stand-alones, but you will get more out of them if read in order as characters from previous books have a way of showing up at some point. Why read only about you sexy Zetithian when you call have them all and be looking out for the next? Cheryl creates some of the sexiest beasts.

In Rogue we meet Kyra Aranis. She is a young piano teacher who has never left her home planet. She is setting off on an adventure of a lifetime. Kyra was lucky enough to be chosen as a piano teacher to royalty. She has no idea what the planet she is to teach on is like, but is willing to give it a try. The Queen of Darconia has hired her. She is to teach the queens daughter to play and ends up teaching other members of the household. It turns out one of the queens sons is a natural. On Darconian men do not rule. Men are seen as having too hot of tempers to rule. The queen also has an interesting hobby of her own. She likes to collect different types of species. Is Kyra just one more species for her to collect? Does the queen have more in store for her than teaching piano? And what’s up with he gorgeous cat like men the queen has in here menagerie

Trag and Tychar are Zetithian brothers and hail from a world that no longer exists. The world of Zetith was annihilated by another race. The few to survive were sold into slavery. Some are treated better than others and Tychar and Trag seem to have it pretty good on the whole. The queen is more of a savior as the race who annulated the Zetith have a bounty on all Zetithian heads. Trag and Tychar have not had full on sex for 20 year, but with the introduction of a piano teacher something triggers their hormones. How will she deal with two gorgeous men who want her? How will she pick just one when they both come to mean so much to her?

Hold on ladies, hot Zethithians are on their way. Make sure to set several hours aside to read this book cover to cover. Once you get started it’s hard to put down. Cheryl Brooks knows how to write descriptions with the best and her sexy men round everything out. With two Zetithians you will surely be seeking a third. Not one, nor two will do. Rogue is a fascinating book that will have you salivating for more. Cheryl books Zetithians are incredibly sexy and wonderful to read all around. This is the third book and I’ve read the whole series. There is also another book coming out in 2009, Outcast. It’s not to be missed and already in my hot little hand. So, stay tuned for a review of Outcast at the end of May.

Review Online at: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=3223

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues by Jacquie Rogers

Posted by Diana Coyle in

14 comments

I've been quite lucky to get the opportunity to review some fantastic stories by some extremely talented authors. So, since I post my blog entry once a week, I think about which one I would like to showcase for the week. It's not always an easy decision to make because there are some wonderful stories out there, but this week I have to say that one story came to mind without even a second thought.

This week, I have decided to showcase a story that I thoroughly enjoyed and know you will too! I have chosen: Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues by Jacquie Rogers. From the very first page I was pulled into this comic love story and I just couldn't help but fall in love with the cast of characters. Yes, I'll admit that cast of characters also included a very smart mule, a de-scented trained skunk and two lovable dogs that just tickled my funny bone like no other story has in the past. It is definitely a story you have to pick up and I know once you start reading it, you'll fall in love too! I hope you enjoy my pick for this week!

You can find out more about this talented author at: http://www.jacquierogers.com/.

Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues by Jacquie Rogers

Genre(s): Romantic Comedy - Western/Cowboy
Review Date: 2/19/2009
ISBN: 978-0980035681
Print Book Price: $9.95
Publisher: Highland Press -(Website)
Street Date: Out Now

Read an Excerpt

SCORE: 5 / 5

Even though Rita Markum grew up in Grasmere, Ohio, she desperately wanted to leave the country life behind her. Now living and working in Seattle, her life is completely different. She carries herself like a city girl and she is quite content being that way. Or so she thinks.

Rita is engaged to be married to David even though she still finds Brody Alexander, her childhood crush, quite attractive. But she can’t be serious with someone who travels the rodeo circuit being a clown and bullfighter. She doesn’t want a broken down cowboy that she’ll end up taking care of for the rest of her life. She wants someone who will be healthy and be able to meet the expectations that she has set in her mind for what a husband should be. So, David, being a corporate person, fits the bill much better for her.

That is, until Rita returns to her hometown to help her mom, Judy, during her knee surgery and rehabilitation and who does Rita happen to see again that gets her all flustered, but none other than sexy Brody.

Add to the mix, Socrates, Brody’s stubborn but comical mule who completely understands humans and will do his tricks to one way or another get thickheaded Rita and Brody together. If that isn’t enough to tickle your funny bone, lets add Socrates' animal sidekicks, Guinevere, who is Brody’s de-scented trained skunk, and his dog, Perseus, plus let’s not forget about Beauty, the Markum’s dog and you have one story that is chock full of laughs and plenty of lessons to learn in this rodeo game of love.

Without a doubt, I fell in love with this storyline from the very beginning. I absolutely loved how Ms. Rogers created a comical story and did a superb job of holding the reader’s attention right to the very end. I loved the characters she created and couldn’t help falling in love with Brody myself. The author had me laughing so hard throughout the story that my sides were hurting from all the antics Socrates and his friends were constantly up to. I honestly didn’t want the story to end. Socrates, Guinevere, Perseus and Beauty are such a comical team that I couldn’t wait to turn the page just to see what new trouble they were going to get themselves into next. I’m an animal lover at heart and I will recommend this story not only to my fellow animal loving friends, but also to anyone that would love to read a lighthearted love story that will entertain you for a few hours. This is definitely a keeper in my library and I look forward to reading many more stories from this talented author in the months to come. You’ve done a fantastic job, Ms. Rogers. Maybe Socrates and the gang can become Grasmere’s matchmakers now and we can have another book with him and his friends being up to their old antics again.

BOOK BLURB AND BOOK INFO:

It Happened in the Idaho Desert

The rodeo clown: Brody wants the thrill of bullfighting and the wind at his feet.

The actuary: Rita doesn't want anything to do with a busted up cowboy-and odds are, Brody will be.

The mule: Socrates understands humans. And love, even if humans don't.

Can Socrates lead Brody to Rita's heart?

Will Rita let herself take the biggest risk of all?


Review available at: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=3239

Your First Romance

Posted by Kimber Chin in Kimber Chin

5 comments

As I didn't believe in love, romance was the very last genre I read in the village library. Being a speed-reader, I had run through all the others (including the book on how to rewire light sockets) so I hadn't much choice. It was either read romance or read nothing.

I picked up a Barbara Cartland. It had a horse on the cover (at 12 years old, I was a horse freak) and a sheik (very exotic for this sheltered gal). I gobbled it up. I didn't understand why the heroine talked… like… this… I didn't know why she kept fainting. I DID know I loved it.

I read another and another and another. I read all of Barbara Cartland's 300 plus backlist (including the book on honey). I then moved onto other authors.

But Barbara Cartland's novel was my first (I can't remember which one). It changed my life and I'll always have a soft spot for them. I recently wrote a manuscript with a blonde, violet-eyed heroine as a nod to Barbara Cartland.

We always remember our first.

*

"My first romance novel was a Karen Robards historical called "Loving Julia" that I swiped from my mother's dresser when she wasn't looking. I can't remember how old I was, but it was way too young to be reading romance novels yet. This was a pygmalion style story with the hero thinking he would pull a fast one over on society by passing off his dead brother's pickpocket bride as a member of the ton. I liked that it was forbidden and racy (though maybe not by today's standards), and that first book got me reading something other than the horror and science fiction I was used to, inspiring me to try and put the two together in my own writing."

J.K.Coi
www.jkcoi.com
The Immortal Series...Immortals to Die For
The Trouble With Destiny…Available now

*

"The very first romance novel I ever read was Nevada Nights by Ruth Ryan Langan. It's a western romance from the mid-1980s that features all those fabulous stereotypical 1980s romantic tropes. Convent raised heroine, mysterious gunslinger hero, long lost family, and a very soap-opera-like plot. I read it when I was around 14, and it was the first "grown-up" book I read in one day.

Despite being enthralled by Nevada Nights, university sort of sucked all the fun out of reading for me. Also when I walked out with 2 dipolmas, I carried with me a new healthy disdain for the romance genre. However, I quickly realized that if I was going to be a good public librarian, I had to change me tune. So I scoured reviews online, and started reading some of the better reviewed ones. The first book I picked to read in my romance experiment was Watermelon by Marian Keyes. I was 23 years old.

Certainly that book is more chick lit than romance, but it really was a light bulb moment for me. It was funny, smart, and had a nice happy ending. It was nothing like some of those older romances I read as a teenager! So I kept reading, and soon discovered that romance had come a long way baby. Not all the heroes were Alpha jerks. Heroines weren't getting "forceably seduced" in every book. And not every heroine was a damsel in distress in constant need of rescuing. Wow! I was hooked, and haven't looked back since.

I'm not sure how all this influenced me, but I do know it's made me better at my job. While I used to disdain romance, I don't anymore. For that matter, I don't turn my nose up at any genre. I encourage people to "read what you like." Don't listen to what others say. Reading should be fun. It should be a pleasurable experience. It should never be a slog."

Wendy Crutcher
Fighting For Truth, Justice And The Right To Read What You Want
http://super_librarian.blogspot.com

*


"The first romance I ever read was ANGEL IN SCARLET by Jennifer Wilde. I loved the cover - it had a woman in this red flowing dress and was all dramatic swirls of fabric. The story was interesting, but more of a woman's journey story - the heroine was a seamstress who married first for money and next for love and finally realized that her best buddy all along was the guy for her. It wasn't a huge surprise to discover afterward that Jennifer Wilde was a pseudonym for one Tom Huff - some men think that being best buds is the ideal romantic relationship. At any rate, it was lushly written and full of adventure as well as period details. I really enjoyed it - although I'm a bit afraid to hunt down a copy to read it again - it was the beginning of an addiction with historical romances, which is probably why I first wrote historical romances.

I do think that historicals give a writer a taste for setting and sensory details. People tell me that they feel they're right on the spot when they read my books, and I'll credit that to those big fat historicals that I gobbled up so quickly."

Deborah Cooke
Kiss Of Fate

*

"First romance I really remember are the Elizabeth Lowell Desire's about the
ranch - Fire and Ice, Granite Man and two others I can't remember and I
think about those books every time I start writing about a group of men who
are friends. She did such an amazing job of making me so excited about the
next book in the series, she set up her heros like no one else. The tension
and drama in the male friendships are incredible. And then she goes and
writes sexual tension between the hero and heroine like no one else. Those
are amazing books."

Molly O'Keefe
The Story Between Them

*

"The first true romance I remember reading was The Wolf and the Dove by
Kathleen Woodiwiss. The story was more emotional and sensual than anything I'd
read before, the characters bigger than life and riveting. In my opinion it
was a perfect balance, a yardstick to shoot for as an author."

Linda LaRoque
Forever Faithful

What was your first romance novel?

*

Kimber Chin credits romance novels for her belief in love. This belief allowed her to find the man of her dreams (aka the Hubby). 15 years later, she's still in love. Every month, Kimber Chin gives away her favorite Romance eBook on http://businessromance.com/

Caribbean Dreams of Love by Bess McBride

Posted by Diana Coyle in

2 comments

This week I decided to showcase another story reviewed by Night Owl Romance that received 5/5 hearts. Caribbean Dreams of Love by Bess McBride is the perfect read that you can settle into your favorite chair with and allow it to sweep you away into another world. This Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Futuristic novel will entertain you for a few hours and keep you turning the pages to find out more about the plot as well as the characters. You can find out more about this talented author on her website: http://www.bessmcbride.com/. Enjoy!

Caribbean Dreams of Love by Bess McBride (Author Website)

Genre(s): Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Futuristic
Review Date: 12/13/2008
ISBN: 1-60154-374-3
E-Book Price: $6.00
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press -(Website)
Street Date: Out Now

Read an Excerpt

SCORE: 5/5

Spending time together is something that Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lily, love to do. One of their favorite pastimes is to take different cruises together. They both decide they want to go on a Caribbean cruise and can’t wait to relax, eat until they’re content and bask in the Caribbean sun. They loved taking this cruise together in the past, so they can’t wait to get this one started.

While on the ship, they meet a variety of new people, but a few couples in particular bond well with them throughout the length of the cruise. Johana and Bjorn of Denmark are one of these couples. Bjorn is full of knowledge of the area and knows quite a few pirate legends that have been passed on throughout the years. While they are all intrigued with the legends they’re hearing about, each one of them takes the stories with a grain of salt.

They all remain skeptical until Daisy meets a handsome fellow named Peter on the ship and he begins telling the group more about the legends that he knows. Now this confuses Daisy even more. She begins to seriously wonder who Peter is and why he is as eccentric as he is. But there is something about Peter that keeps drawing her to him to the degree of being obsessed with him.

What happens during the cruise that has Daisy concerned for her and her daughter’s well-being? Who is this Peter fellow that Daisy keeps running into? Do they keep in touch after the cruise is over?

Ms. McBride has outdone herself yet again. I absolutely adored this story! The author’s descriptions of the characters, the beautiful scenery and the legends were all exquisitely done. I felt as if I was aboard the ship with the characters and seeing everything first hand. Ms. McBride is a true storyteller and her creative storylines are sure to please many readers’ tastes. I highly recommend this story and I know you’ll be thoroughly entertained as I was. This author is definitely one you shouldn’t pass up!

BLURB AND BOOK INFO:

Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Lilly, are embarking on a Caribbean cruise. She isn’t looking for anything special on the cruise other than a pleasant break from her humdrum existence as long-time divorced single mother to a busy teenage girl. She certainly isn’t prepared for an enigmatic man named Peter whose idiosyncrasies in dress and speech mark him as an eccentric person to avoid. But Daisy can’t avoid him. In fact, she begins to obsess about him from the first moment she catches him staring at her in the cruise ship terminal. Peter remains elusive and mysterious throughout the cruise. She catches sight of him occasionally, never often enough to please her, and they connect one wonderful night as he sweeps her into his arms for a waltz. A waltz? On a Caribbean cruise ship? While Daisy’s dinner companions share nightly tales of the legends of cursed pirates, Daisy dreams of the mysterious man who has captured her heart.



Review available at: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=2874

Eight Erotic Nights by Catrina Calloway

Posted by Diana Coyle in

9 comments

If you're looking for a short story that's exciting and hot and you want just the right one to fill in a few minutes of your free time, I have the perfect suggestion. Eight Erotic Nights by Catrina Calloway is a must read! This is her debut story and I assure you this won't be her last. She's a very talented writer and I hope to see many more of her stories cross our desks here at Night Owl Romance. Check out her myspace page at: http://www.myspace.com/CatrinaCalloway. Enjoy!

Eight Erotic Nights: A Red Garters, Snow and Mistletoe Tale by Catrina Calloway (Author Website)

Genre(s): Erotic Romance
Review Date: 2/3/2009
E-Book Price: $3.00
Publisher: Resplendence -(Website)
Street Date: Out Now


Read an Excerpt


SCORE: 4.5/5

Laney Taylor is as depressed as she can ever be. Doing the best thing she can think of, she decides to take the last piece of exquisite china belonging to her late grandmother and sell it so she could help feed the homeless people who are living in their cars on the outskirts of town. The last time she sold a piece of china, she was able to feed quite a bit of homeless folks. Unfortunately though, it is extremely cold and the sidewalk near the antique shop is quite slippery. While noticing a loose shingle from a nearby roof, a gust of wind rips it up and sails it though the air right toward Laney. Feeling something hit her hard on her head, she reaches up to touch the area and panics when she sees her hand is covered with blood. Her vision begins to blur and she collapses to the pavement.

The next day when she finally opens her eyes again, she finds herself in the hospital with stitches and a bad lump on her head. She doesn’t recall much of what happened, but an aide fills her in that two hunky good Samaritans saved her life and brought her to the hospital. Unbeknownst to her, she has no idea that her life is going to change from this very moment on.

Who are the two good Samaritans that took her to the hospital and kept vigil at her bedside while she was unconscious? Did they know each other before the accident? How does Laney’s life change after the accident?

I really enjoyed this debut story written by Ms. Calloway. The storyline was quite creative and the characters were easy to fall in love with. I’m glad the author created Laney out of the likeness of any everyday sort of woman instead of molding her to be some super model. It was a delightful read for me to the very last page and I eagerly look forward to reading more from Ms. Calloway in the near future.

BLURB AND BOOK INFO:

A Red Garters, Snow and Mistletoe Tale

The holiday season is a time for joy, but Laney Taylor couldn’t be more depressed. She’s selling the last piece of her grandmother’s exquisite antique china to feed the hordes of ‘new’ homeless living in their cars in an abandoned parking lot on the outskirts of town. But on the way to the shop, an accident lands her in the hospital—and into the arms of the two hot, hunky Samaritans who saved her life.

Josh Goldman and Zach Brenner share a successful construction business, and a secret longing. They can’t believe their good fortune when they save Laney Taylor from a freezing to death. Both men have desired Laney since high school, and made a pact that if they ever had the chance to have a relationship with the sexy, full-figured woman of their dreams, they wouldn’t mind sharing.

When a winter storm gives Josh and Zach an opportunity to share the pleasures of the ‘festival of lights’ with Laney, and a chance to fulfill their long-held erotic fantasies, they can hardly believe the good fortune the Hanukkah holiday has brought them. While fate and circumstance may require their eventual separation, all three are determined that they will not waste a moment of their…

Eight erotic nights.




Review available at: http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=3148

Invisible by Kimber Chin

Posted by Night Owl Reviews in

4 comments

I joke that Invisible, my treasure hunt contemporary romance, is the angriest romance ever. It may not be angry to the average reader but for me, someone known for being a smiley, joke-cracking gal, it is about as angry as I get.

I wrote seven 'unworthy of publication' manuscripts before Breach Of Trust. Breach Of Trust was good, my test readers told me so. I shopped it around. Agents (the few that actually requested the full manuscript) thought it was good too. But, and this is a big but, it wasn't saleable. It had too much business, too much, well, unusual encounters (in the first intimate scene, the hero finishes before the heroine starts), too many sentence fragments (verbs? Who needs them?), and the list went on.

I was frustrated.

During the same period, the hubby and I were coming to terms with not being able to have kids. We had planned our lives around having a family. I was an antique collector (what good are heirlooms without a family to pass them on to?). We bought a big house across from two primary schools. We had savings. Both of us love kids. They love us. My hubby is constantly having his legs grabbed by toddlers in grocery stores (he has friendly knees). It wasn't fair.

So I said 'screw it.' If I wasn't going to sell my manuscripts than I would write the books I wanted to write. And I did. I wrote about two people losing a loved one, losing their faith in humanity, in love. The hero, Hagen, cusses (ironically I'm known for never using profanities – I'm the older sister of four siblings and I paid for university by babysitting). The heroine, Maeve, tells her friend “Okay. Then die, I don’t care.” Yes, Invisible isn't a happy book.

But it is real. My pre-editor cried when she read it. My editor cried when she read it.

Of course, it is not all gloom and doom. Invisible ends with the hope that romance novels give readers. Hope that every woman, no matter how broken or hurting, will find love.

And peace.

BTW… Breach Of Trust finally DID find a home. It was also nominated for a Best Contemporary Romance Of 2008 award so my test readers (some of the best in the world) were right.

Excerpt from Invisible:

He was ready.

Well, good for him. Maeve wasn’t, but then she didn’t think she’d ever be. And it wasn’t up to her. It was his life, his choice. She should respect that choice. She should let him go.

“Okay.” Acceptance was one last gift she could give him. “Then die, I don’t care.” But she didn’t have to be gracious about it.

Birger squeezed her hand. “Promise,” his voice was a whistling rasp.

That blasted morbid promise. He was insisting on it. “Enough already,” Maeve’s short burst of laughter was borderline hysterical, “I promise. I promise, but I’m not going to cry for you, you ass.”

This earned her another smile. “Don’t disa…”

“I’m not going to disappear.” Though Maeve wanted to, badly, even now. “Not 'til I attend your stupid melodramatic reading, hear how you’ll squander your millions saving the common cockroach, proving to the entire world that you’re a complete crackhead.”

“Heartless.”

Heartless? If she was so heartless, why did she feel like she was breaking in two? “I’d have to be, wouldn’t I? To deal with you? You torture me daily for years and now you’ve got the gall to up and die on me. Lord, I’d be a fool to be anything other.”

Pale blue eyes danced. “Fool.”

“Yeah, I’m a fool.” Maeve looked away, her eyes stinging. Must be that ointment, the sharp smell made her eyes water.

About Kimber Chin:

Kimber Chin writes sexy (and sometimes angry) contemporary romances set in the world of business. Why business? Because men in suits are hot, hot, hot! Don't believe her? Every week, she features a photo of a man in a suit on her site http://businessromance.com/. She is also an avid romance readers and gives away her favorite romance eRead every month.