Fresh Fiction Excerpt of AGAINST THE WIND by Amanda Cabot “Where are we headed?” Josh directed his question to the woman who’d rescued him. The water she’d given him had relieved some of his discomfort, but the damage to his head must have been more severe than he’d realized, because he thought he recalled her saying she would set his leg. Obviously, he’d been mistaken. With her caramel-colored hair and those deep blue eyes, not to mention her self-assured air, Miss Vaughn was striking. But she was no more capable of setting his leg than Winifred. Miss Vaughn turned slightly. “We’re going to Sweetwater Crossing. It’s about an hour away. Once we arrive, I’ll be able to set your leg. As far as I can tell, the lump on your head will heal itself.” It hadn’t been his imagination. Miss Vaughn had indeed claimed she would set his leg. “You’re a doctor?” Josh knew there were a few lady doctors, but he hadn’t expected to encounter one here. Grandfather would have approved of Miss Vaughn. She had the cool composure he claimed was essential. If she had the business connections he craved, Grandfather would deem her worthy of being…
Excerpt from CROWN OF SALT AND BONE by Katherine Quinn Her heart skipped a beat and excitement pulsed in her veins. Her crew should be here with her, but there wasn’t time to waste, and she suspected they were growing weaker—if the dark circles below their eyes and sallow skin were any indication. Once the portal’s foggy blue mist cleared and she landed on its other side, Margrete scanned the grand foyer of the main floor. There were no lingering guards stationed, which she found peculiar, but Halio had told her that this area was deemed neutral, so armed soldiers would likely go against the agreement. The lone sound arose from the ticking of a clock stationed above the staircase’s first landing, its steady rhythm matching the beating in her chest. On the ground floor, so close to the mysterious hall, Margrete’s skin tingled. She could practically smell Bash’s signature scent of pine and sea, and she yearned to race to the portal and— And what? Fuck. She hadn’t thought it all through, and if this was some fantasy tale she was reading, she’d curse at the heroine and wonder why she hadn’t planned better. Whenever Bash was concerned,…
Chapter Four Jessica needed to pee. And then she needed to go home and sleep for about a thousand years. Last night, she’d had a dream about waking up with white hair and a frail body, surrounded by the loving family that it was now questionable she would ever have. Now that she was single and firmly in her late thirties, she was more likely to end up in a Golden Girls–type living situation. Instead of waking up to loving grandchildren reminiscing about baking cookies or crocheted blankets, she’d be waking up to her best friend Kelly roasting Barbie about what a slut she was being in and around the retirement community. As she made her way through the almost-empty bar, her gaze snagged on a man sitting alone, staring into a glass of amber liquid. He was slumped over the bar, holding the side of his head with one hand. There were two empty glasses in front of him, and the bartender cleaned glasses while giving him a pitying look. She stopped short, which was weird because her bladder was seconds from bursting. She walked past him, toward the bathroom, but she noticed his big hands as she went…
Calay tried to slow each breath, to make herself smaller. Quieter. Whatever was going on up there, she wanted no part. A shadow grew over the light. It crawled across the laundry, over her toes, obscuring her face. The silhouette was broad. Clearly out of breath. Human. “Who’s there?” Calay asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The light shifted as the figure picked up what turned out to be a heavy-duty, utility light, like the kind her dad used to have on the farm. They hoisted it up to their chest. Shined it down. She grimaced when the beam hit her square in the eyes. Calay’s heartbeat increased, her pulse raced. She needed to know who was up there. Watching her. “Who are you?” Calay tried again, raising her hand to try to shield the glow. “You alright?” The figure called back. Calay exhaled. Her shoulders relaxed. Of course. Jacob. He was always dashing to her rescue. Showing up when she needed him most. When she wanted him least. After the way she stormed out of the Loft, the last thing she needed right now was for him to rush in and save her. Except, she very much did…
The Heirloom 1 Ella Mae carried her round yellow teapot with its padded tea cozy to the trestle table in her sunny kitchen and placed it in the center. She’d just finished steeping her favorite peppermint tea this lovely Wednesday, the eighth day of June, expecting a visit from her eldest daughter. Last Sunday, Mattie had made a point of telling her she planned to drop by today. Mattie’s husband, David, was the older brother of their newly ordained young bishop, John Beiler, but Ella Mae doubted this visit had anything to do with church. No, she was quite sure of Mattie’s reason for coming. There’s a bee in her bonnet. Eyeing her placemats, where two small yellow-and-white plates matched the teacups and saucers, Ella Mae was ready to hear Mattie out and then politely set her straight. And the freshly baked maple-syrup-and-sour cream muffins might just help her cause. She’d risen early to redd up the house, mopping all the floors on the main level as well as sweeping the long and deep back porch adorned by hanging baskets of Boston ferns. But now she was glad for a rest. Since her husband’s passing five months earlier, she…
Calum took the stairs that led to the lass’s chamber with a particular slowness, stopping once, and then twice, to reflect along the way. He had, after all, absolutely no idea what he was going to find when he got there. They’d taken a hostage. He’d come to accept that. It wasn’t as if he had any real choice in the matter. What was done, was done. Now he just had to decide what to do about her. He could simply let her go, and at first, he’d considered doing just that. He would make Fergus do it, of course, put her right back on that ship and drop her at the nearest inconspicuous landing point near Edinburgh. They could forget any of it had ever happened. After all, it was Fergus’s doing that had brought her to the castle to begin with. Calum need not see her at all. But the possibility, nay, the probability, was that now the waters all around Edinburgh would be heavily patrolled, especially if she was indeed Belcourt’s daughter. Returning to the scene of the crime as it were, wasn’t at all wise. And then there was the stone. Other than to have known…
Excerpt from SUDDENLY THIS SUMMER/ This Time For Keeps by Synithia Williams CHAPTER ONE Michaela Spearstook a deep, fortifying breath as she stared at the front door of her parents’ house. She’d only been home a week, and hiding her concern behind a facade of cheer was harder than she’d anticipated. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She’d been able to push forward, smile and keep her chin up for most of her life. It was how she’d built a successful financial management empire that allowed her to come home and make sure her parents didn’t have to worry about a thing while her dad recovered from a kidney transplant. Yet, lately, keeping her head up, grinning and bearing it, not showing any sign that she couldn’t handle things was becoming harder and harder. Maybe because she’d always viewed her parents as strong and capable. They were the ones who’d encouraged her to never call in sick to work unless it was completely necessary and drilled into her head that there was no excuse for laziness. But seeing her dad recovering after living his life following those same principles made her question a lot of things….
Excerpt for THROUGH THE SNOW GLOBE by Annie Rains Copyright Annie Rains 2023 Expert Reprinted with Permission from Kensington Publishing Corp. Sunlight streamed through the blinds that Diana had failed to close last night. She stretched beneath her covers and cracked open an eye, groaning at the room’s obnoxious brightness. “Ughhh.” She started to reach for Linus, but stopped herself. Right. He wasn’t there. On a yawn, she sat up in bed and draped her legs off the side, her eyes still refusing to open. Merry Christmas to me. She sat there a moment, considering the day ahead. She had two options: stay home alone and pretend like this day didn’t exist. Or go to New Hope Long Term Care Facility to see Linus. Linus, it was. She opened her eyes, stood, and started shuffling toward the bathroom. The door was closed, which was odd. Why had she closed it? She twisted the knob and pushed it open, banging it against something solid that let out a soft grunt. Diana stumbled backward and screamed. “Who’s there?” Her heart pounded inside her chest. Someone had broken in and they were in her bathroom! On Christmas day at that. Seeing as…
Excerpt from ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE by Danielle Jackson In this scene, Samantha “Sam” Sawyer and Russ Montgomery are attending the engagement party of Cassie and Reid (from THE ACCIDENTAL PINUP), which has an Alice in Wonderland theme. Sam is helping Russ with the finishing touches on his costume, which leads to a fun photo-op, and an unexpected announcement from Russ about his plans for the end of summer… “The Knave of Hearts stole tarts from the queen,” she said. “He was on trial when Alice met the king and queen for the first time, and she came to his defense. But the queen . . . well, she wanted his head for stealing from her.” She pulled a simple black eye patch from the box and then rummaged through a drawer she knew had fabric tape in it because she had organized it just so. “She was ruthless,” Russ commented. “Over a pie?” Sam couldn’t stand it; he was so pure about everything. This was one of the few things that amused Sam. “It was a tart. And baked goods are not to be trifled with,” Sam replied, holding up the finished product, showing Russ how she affixed the heart to the…
Excerpt from A TROUBLING TAIL The next day was a library day. The sunshine seemed to be sticking around for the time being, so it was an easy decision to walk to work. In my head, blue skies and sunshine went along with the month of May, and it was nice that reality was, for once, matching my imagination. “Lambs are coming,” I announced to the downtown sidewalk, because maybe it could use a reminder that no one would throw salt on it for at least five months. “And baby cows. Plus tulips and lilacs.” I smiled in anticipation. We had an ancient lilac bush at the house, underneath the bedroom window, which meant I was only two or three weeks away from keeping the window open at night and falling asleep to the scent of lilac blossoms. That is, if Eddie didn’t get too carried away. Last year, back at the boardinghouse, at two in the morning, he’d clawed a cat-size rip in my bedroom screen, squeezed himself through, and trotted out onto the steep roof. I’d lunged after him, but he was out and free, and only the dulcet tones of treats rattling in the can had lured…