He wore blue jeans and a white T-shirt with leather flip-flops. His longish, snow-white hair framed a deeply tanned face and the most startling eyes Keely had ever seen. In fact, they were the first thing she’d noticed after being placed in the cell. The old man’s eyes were blue, but it was a lighter–no, a brighter–shade of blue than she had ever seen. It was as if his eyes had been encased in crystal. There was a clarity to them Keely was unable to define. She had heard of eyes that sparkled, but always considered that specific description a way of referring to excitement reflected in a person’s face. But this old man? His eyes really did sparkle. He had already been in the cell when Keely was locked in during the early morning hours. When the door had shut behind her, the officer quickly departed. Keely simply stood by the door with tears streaming down her face. She had been angry, afraid, and drunk. Now, her head pounded ferociously, but she was beginning to recall those first moments in the cell. The old man had stood when she walked in, Keely remembered. And he had said something. What…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  The Edge of Belonging 2–What is it about? The Edge of Belonging is a dual timeline story about a homeless man who finds an abandoned newborn. His greatest desire is to protect her from the experiences he had in foster care.  Twenty-four years later, Ivy goes back to her hometown to manage her grandmother’s estate sale and finds out that her grandmother left behind a way for her to learn about Ivy’s adoption. But, a key piece to the mystery is missing. 3–What word best describes your main character(s)? Harvey: Extreme Independence. Life has taught him that people aren’t to be trusted. But when he finds an abandoned newborn, it completely overturns his hermit’s way of life, and he starts to reevaluate if he really is incapable of being loved. Ivy: Searching. She suddenly becomes aware of just how fragile the life she was building for herself was. She finds herself going back to her roots to rediscover her sense of identity, but in the process discovers there’s a lot she doesn’t know about the people who raised her. 4–What makes your story relatable?  I think most of us can relate to craving…

We have MORE fabulous books and awesome recipes to share! We’ll be here all week, LOL. Also, check out the other posts that have gone up so far and check out the giveaways: Day 1: SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LAND by Reese Ryan Day 2: THE SECRET FRENCH RECIPES OF SOPHIE VALROUX by Samantha Verant *** My new book Simmer Down is a rivals-to-lovers romance between two competing food truck owners Nikki and Callum, who are fighting over the same coveted parking spot near one of Maui’s most beautiful beaches. After a whole lot of bickering and sabotaging, Nikki and Callum realize they have sizzling chemistry. Like in any good romance, they end up in bed together. A lot. When they’re not getting physical, these two are both capable of whipping up endless mouth-watering specialties. You can count on British hunk Callum to cook scrumptious English recipes, while Nikki has spent a lifetime perfecting her mom’s delicious Filipino dishes. Once these two finally get their happily ever after, they’ll be spending loads of time in the bedroom, as any newly in-love couple would. But that doesn’t mean cooking will be put on the backburner. Nikki would figure out a way…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present DiAnn Mills! WRITES: DiAnn Mills writes romantic suspense. Her latest title, Airborne, releases in print today, September 8, 2020. ABOUT: Romantic suspense writer seeking readers who want to ride the wings of a suspense-filled adventure with FBI Special Agent Heather Lawrence. She’s pregnant, her husband wants a divorce, and a deadly, mysterious illness appears onboard her transatlantic flight. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Expects every scene to vicariously export them into an adventure. Desires a suspenseful story seen through the eyes of a strong heroine or hero. Prefers a clean story that doesn’t hold back on the reality of crime and the world we live in. Craves an emotional experience through the heart and mind of point-of-view characters. Wonders how the FBI, CDC, and federal and local agencies work together to solve a horrendous crime. Questions how a virus could be unleashed to unsuspecting people. Wants a thrilling FBI story. Discovers how a heroine responds to betrayal and abandonment. Longs for a thread of romance…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  The Wreckage of Us 2–What is it about?  It’s a story about two young individuals with dreams and ambitions to get away from the small-town life of Eres, Nebraska to find themselves. On the way to their escapes, they find one another and form a beautiful friendship that shifts into love. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Powerful. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  His ability to not give up on the people he loves the most.   5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  Hazel turns to her new friend, Leah, and Ian turns to his bandmates, who are his best friends. Then, of course, they turn to one another. They also have Ian’s grandparents who are great role models for both of the main characters. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love the small-town world that I was able to create with the dirt roads and Big Paw’s ranch. I loved the moments my hero and heroines shared staring up at the stars each night. 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantster (write by the seat of your…

Hi, Naima! Welcome back to Fresh Fiction. Please tell us about yourself and your new book, TRUST FUND FIANCE.   Thank you so much for having me back! I love Fresh Fiction! And I love talking about TRUST FUND FIANCE. LOL! This release is Book 4 in the new Texas Cattleman’s Club series, Rags to Riches. The Wingate nephew, Ezekiel “Zeke” Holloway volunteers to help his friend and Royal socialite Reagan Sinclair access her trust fund by marrying her. But this supposedly platonic marriage of convenience becomes anything but convenient, thanks to a particularly hot case of passion and need. Plus, throw in the intrigue and scandal that continues to plague the Wingate family and their company, and this book is full of mystery, romance and hot times! Before we dive into questions about the book, can I just say how much I adore this cover? What was it like opening up your email and seeing it for the first time?  Oh wow. Is saying “angels wept” being overly dramatic? LOL! Seriously, though, I was stunned. Not just by the beauty and elegance of it–which, let’s be honest, has an overabundance of both. But by the attention to detail. The…

The Fall Recipe Potluck continues today with another delectable recipe and awesome new book to learn more about. Don’t forget to check the blog every day this week for more fun and opportunities to win books! You can see the previous post here: Day 1: SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LANE by Reese Ryan *** When I wrote THE SECRET FRENCH RECIPES OF SOPHIE VALROUX, I’d stay awake at night, envisioning recipes and tasting the flavors. In the morning, I’d wake up hungry and I’d run to the store to gather the ingredients and then test whatever I’d come up with, not knowing how it would turn out. Thankfully, this recipe for a roasted squash soup did. And it was delicious! You can get fancy like chef Sophie and add in the lobster and parmesan crisps, but this soup is also warm, hearty, and nourishing all on its own. Veloute de Potimarron* with Flambeed Lobster Tails and a Parmesan Crisp Serves 8 to 10 for an entree (small bowl) or 4 to 6 for a main course Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes Cook Time: 1.5 hours Equipment: parchment paper, baking sheet, large pot, cheese grater, kitchen scissors, food processor or…

Prologue Ocean Boy glided through the day in gradients of gray and green; occasional glittering light broke through the liquid world when his two-foot dorsal fin, notched and battle-scarred, cut the surface for a quarter hour, unaware he was a two-thousand pound apex predator marvel. At gloaming, he rode the liquid slopes to deeper, deepest depths, specialized blood vessels keeping Ocean Boy’s body temperature higher than the cold water pressing his organs. The hunt was on. Night vision was activated. His black eyes rolled back to fibrous muscle as his jaws snapped the meaty squid, clamped rows of sharp teeth, his torpedo body impervious to struggling arms and suckers, to spilled ink blacking the already black depths. Sated, he headed northwest. Forty-three miles a day he averaged, intent on a destination his brain had mapped at birth, a magnetic and magnificent tug toward innate hunger for fatty seal and sea lion, for adding weight, for adding years, for adding fear. At purple dawn, Ocean Boy’s dorsal fin broke the southern sea surface. The scent of blood increased his speed. *** Chapter One Safe from the tempest, Alexa Glock dripped across the cement floor to the ticket counter. She scanned the…

One Before she did anything else today, Clemmie had to check up on her next door neighbor, Dom. Why Dom had moved to Sun City was not clear. He had never joined anything, attended anything, nor shown interest in anything. He just sat in his villa watching TV, playing video games, and smoking cigarettes. He owned the tiniest of the three attached villas, the one in the middle with no side windows and little sun. Clemmie lived on the left, and a couple she hardly ever saw owned the right-hand villa, using it as a hotel when they visited grandchildren in the area. When they arrived, which was infrequently, they used their automatic garage door opener, drove in, closed the garage door behind them, and that was that. Nobody ever spotted them again. Clemmie wasn’t sure she’d even recognize them. It was agreed that Clemmie had the least rewarding neighbors in Sun City. Luckily, in her pod—the slightly creepy collective noun Sun City used instead of neighborhood–the little villas were tucked close together in heavily landscaped culs-de-sac, so Clemmie knew all her other neighbors–wonderful friendly people who hosted outdoor barbecues and took her bowling and carpooled when everybody went to…

Welcome to the First Day of our Fall Recipe Potluck! We have an awesome lineup of authors telling about their new books coming out this fall and sharing delicious recipes–perfect for the cooler weather and cozy nights. Be sure to check back all week long for posts every morning. Also! Comment to enter to win a copy of the book featured each day. We hope you enjoy this potluck and find some new books and recipes to try. *** In my upcoming release, SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LANE, rising star reporter Dakota Jones is inadvertently caught up in an international scandal that derails her promising career. She returns to the small town of Holly Grove Island to lick her wounds and regroup after spending the better part of two decades in New York City. The island town no longer feels like home, or so she thinks. But Dakota quickly begins to discover all of the things she’s been missing during the five years that she’d been actively avoiding the island since the death of her mother. Dakota discovers a new appreciation for her family and friends; the beach; the townsfolk who will always consider her one of their own. And…