Lust Within by T.S. Brumsey

Lust Within

Learning to Trust in God

by T.S. Brumsey

Genre: Christian Fiction

 

Rachel, who resides in Charlotte, North Carolina is struggling with balancing her love life and God’s will for her life. She wonders if Ryan is really the one because his spiritual beliefs don’t align with hers. She overlooks their differences because she figures their paths may have crossed so that she can assist in guiding him closer to God. Will it work out? Or will she end up broken hearted? Will she finally learn to completely put her trust in God and leave everything in his hands, including her love life? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Lost Within.

 

T.S. Brumsey was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, but was mostly raised in Fort Bragg and Fayetteville, North Carolina. She currently resides in Wiesbaden, Germany.

She has been writing novels since age 15. She is the author of the young adult/new adult Capable romance series. She has a Bachelor of Social Work from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC and a Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and has worked in the social work and mental health fields for 15 years.

Author Media Links:

t.s.brumsey@gmail.com

http://www.tsbrumsey.com

twitter.com/tsbrumsey

facebook.com/tsbrumsey

instagram.com/t.s.brumsey

 

 

 

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Love & Grace by Sherrilyn Kenyon #ladyamber

Title: Love and Grace

Genre: Sweet Romance

Foreword by: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Cover Designer: Airicka’s Mystical Creations

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:
This collection of sweet and inspirational novellas has an uplifting love story for everyone. These stories bring a touch of grace to romance, and a touch of romance to your heart.

Our twelve authors have collaborated to bring together this collection. Each story relates to dyslexia in some way, and the full proceeds from all the stories benefit Gracepoint – A School for Dyslexia. This box set is our collective gift of love and support to you and the children Gracepoint serves.

Can a town save a marriage? Will a high school reunion offer a second chance at love? Can a man with a secret and a woman afraid of being hurt learn to trust? Can a girl running from her past escape her heart? Will a woman trapped in the past discover the true importance of family? Can unexpected love become the best present ever?

You’ll find hours of enjoyment as well as a satisfying ending to each story. No cliffhangers and no partial novels are offered here, just an escape into worlds of love, families, and grace.

Tag Line: Romance for the soul, a gift from the heart

Facebook Release Party: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1793812920838778/

Participating Authors Titles:

GRACE IN SWEETWATER COUNTY by Ciara Knight

ONE AUTUMN LOVE by Lindi Peterson

MONTANA BORN by Hildie McQueen

STANDING ON THE PROMISES by Sally Kilpatrick

CHRISTMAS BELLS by Linda Joyce

LETTERS TO RACHEL by Airicka Phoenix

WHERE YOU BELONG by MK Smith and Lori Freeland

BROKEN WINGS by Alexandrea Weis

THE MISSING INGREDIENT by Nicole Zoltack

SWEET SAMANTHA by Kiersten Fay

THE RIGHT ONE by MK Smith

SECOND CHANCES by Walt Mussell

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2agkePw

B&N: http://bit.ly/2agkHBq

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2apD8TW

iTunes: http://apple.co/2aA5MWl

Follow You Anywhere by Cassie Leigh

Title: Follow You Anywhere

Series: Haunted Romance #2

Author: Cassie Leigh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: August 30, 2016

Looking in the past, you can find your future.

Finally ready to start over on her own terms, Bettina Brandt is letting go of the horrors of her past marriage and moving on. Used to the confines of her ex-husband’s rules and regulations, she’s excited to go on a ghost hunt of an old Victorian boarding house with her friends. But when strange events begin to emerge, Bettina is convinced something followed her home.

Seth Hynek accepts the solitude of his afterlife. Brooding and reliving the hellish memories of World War II are more tolerable when he’s alone. But something changes when he sets out to scare off the group of women who’ve invaded his home. One of the women sparks something in him–something he can’t identify. Keen to know more about Bettina, he follows her home, realizing he can communicate with her through her dreams. But when Bettina’s ex-husband finds her and threatens her, Seth fears he can’t protect her. Once again, Seth is haunted by the idea that he can’t save the one woman who needs him the most. With their pasts colliding with the present, will their ghostly romance end before they can find a way to create a future together?

CASSIE LEIGH specializes in all things paranormal romance but holds a special place in her heart for a good ghost story. Her goal as a writer is to transform the trials and tribulations of family history and turn it on its head using the paranormal world of spirits, vampires, and were-animals. With the help of her husband, she carves out time to write while raising five children, working full time and obsessing over her midcentury modern dream home.

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When Love Breaks by Kate Squires

When Love Breaks by Kate Squires

Genre: Contemporary Romance

— SYNOPSIS —

From the author who brought you That Kiss, That Promise, I Will Catch You, and Tracing Hearts, comes another tale of love and loss.

Elora Foster and Logan Turner never met, until the day she showed up on his doorstep. After a simple, chance encounter, the two embark on a journey that will change both their lives forever.

With good intentions and a heart of gold, Elora has aspirations of being a nurse. But, when she’s hired to take care of Logan, a double amputee, she’s instantly put off by his grouchy demeanor and bad attitude. She’s not sure if taking this job was the right move, or the worst decision of her life.

Logan, who was recently released from the hospital, has no intention of letting anyone take care of him. He’s sure there’s nothing that could change his hopeless situation, so he resigns himself to his fate. When he meets Elora, instant friction begins, but soon, he realizes there’s something different about her. Try as he might to behave himself, he finds that his negative attitude upsets her frequently—and to his surprise, it bothers him.

As time moves on, the two become more acquainted, and strong feelings begin to grow, but a road block threatens to derail any relationship that might develop. Just when they think they’ve found a way around it, their lives take a turn for the worse, and they’re both faced with a gut wrenching decision which has the potential to tear them apart.

Can she save this lost soul? Can he get over the past enough to see she’s the one? Can they work through the worst problem they’ve ever known, or will the strain be too much?

ADD TO YOUR TBR ON GOODREADS!

— PURCHASE —

KINDLE US | KINDLE UK | KINDLE AU | KINDLE CA

— SHORT EXCERPT —

“You cared, and you challenged me. You pushed me to want more for myself. You gave me a reason to fight for my life. And, that’s when I felt it—hope. I felt it instantly—the minute you walked in, and it scared the sh*t out of me.”

— ABOUT THE AUTHOR —

Hello! I’m Kate Squires, and I write contemporary romance novels. Want to know a little bit more about me? Well, then keep reading!

Northeast Ohio, is where my life began and continues. I’m the only girl in my family of four older brothers, who lightheartedly tortured me as a child. My father was an avid reader, and was somehow able to watch TV, and read books simultaneously, without missing a beat. My mom loved to read as well, and was basically June Cleaver. Not that I am old enough to know who that is.

I met my husband, though I was sure he wasn’t the one for me. Through his ability to make me laugh in any situation, I found that my original assumptions were incorrect, and we married three years later. His romantic side is often the inspiration for some of the parts in my books. Together with our four crazy children, we fight and make up, which incidentally, is how some of my best fight scenes are written!

Aside from writing, I’ve held other steady jobs. They range from Dog Groomer, to Home Health Aide, Housekeeper to Dance Teacher. I’ve also been a foster parent to countless children, and a host mom to several foreign exchange students. So, when do I find time to write? In between bringing home the bacon and frying it up in a pan, of course!

I’ve published a series of contemporary romance novels. That Kiss, and its sequel, That Promise, I Will Catch You, and Tracing Hearts. That Kiss, That Promise, and I Will Catch You, are all available in paperback on Amazon, and for your e-reader at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. Tracing Hearts is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!

If you have any questions or just want to send me a message, please do! I love getting reader mail, and strive to answer every message. Don’t worry, I won’t bite.

Thanks for visiting. Come back soon!

-Kate

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

Devil’s Cove by R.C. Matthews

Devil’s Cove

by R.C. Matthews

Genre: Gothic Romance

 

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Shrouded in unspeakable horror and spoken of only in whispers, the abandoned Devil’s Cove Manor lures Captain Devlin Limmerick and his unquenchable thirst for revenge to its doors. Feared as the Devil on the high seas, the pirate’s desire to avenge his past is matched only by his hunger for the powerful young medium he has coerced to aid him in his nefarious quest.

Blinded from youth and touched with an ability to communicate beyond the grave, Grace is both feared and revered by the uneasy town folk. Yet she is powerless against the unrest brewing within the manor walls and finds herself drawn to the Devil’s darkness. Still, she refuses to sacrifice her soul to set Devlin’s unspeakable plans in motion.

But an evil lurks within these walls, and their very souls are in jeopardy. Grace’s presence at the manor spurs inexplicable happenings, forcing Devlin to believe nothing is as dead as it seems – not even his heart. Plunged into the throes of passion and danger, they discover the only way out is to search deep within and summon the courage to believe in true love.

Sensuality Level: Sensual

R.C. Matthews is the author of contemporary and historical romances featuring bold, sassy heroines and magnetic alpha heroes. Warning! The chemistry between her characters is off the charts hot, so read at your own risk. She resides in the Midwest and is surrounded by men: her husband and three sons. During her free time you’ll find her watching The Walking Dead, reading a fabulous book or hanging out with her family.

 

Author Media Links

https://twitter.com/RCMatthews123

http://www.rcmatthews.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RC-Matthews-762414770455240/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3361802.R_C_Matthews

https://www.amazon.com/R.C.-Matthews/e/B00IW811IM

 

 

 

Russian Tattoos b Kat Shehata

RUSSIAN TATTOOS: OBSESSION by Kat Shehata

Series: Russian Tattoos Trilogy, Book 1

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Genre Categories: Romance Mystery & Suspense, International Mystery & Crime

— SYNOPSIS —

Falling in love isn’t a crime—but falling in love with a Russian mafia boss could be deadly.

Competitive tennis player Carter Cook wants a taste of freedom. Her overprotective father monitors every aspect of her life, so when he becomes employed by Vladimir Ivanov—a sexy Russian with an array of tattoos and an accent that weakens her knees—a bit of danger is within Carter’s grasp. Behind her father’s back, she enjoys spending time with Vladimir at his lavish estate. But is he really the upstanding businessman she believes him to be?

Vladimir Ivanov reigns as godfather of a Russian mafia crime ring.

Vladimir spent five years of his life in a Siberian prison camp and has earned every tattoo inked into his skin. He is a powerful man who gets what he wants, and after stalking the gorgeous tennis player for years—he wants Carter. A little charm melts her heart, and behind the scenes, he orders his henchman to track her every move.He’s a tattooed stick of dynamite ready to blow at the slightest spark.

As their romance reaches deadly levels, Carter senses something’s not right. When she’s lured into a compromising position at the hands of a shady European drug dealer, she calls in Boris, Vladimir’s right hand man, to rescue her—without telling Vladimir. With his authority questioned, he sets out to teach Carter a lesson about loyalty she’ll never forget.

When Carter realizes she’s in too deep, she must fight for her freedom before the attraction turns fatal.

But the Russian mafia plays for keeps, and Vladimir’s fierce lust to possess her spirals their romance out of control.

ADD THE SERIES TO YOUR TBR ON GOODREADS!

Sign up for Kat Shehata’s Newsletter below!

http://bit.ly/KatShehata

— PURCHASE FOR 99CENTS —

LIMITED TIME BARGAIN!

KINDLE US | KINDLE UK | KINDLE CA

The sequel, RUSSIAN TATTOOS: PRISONER is OUT!!

KINDLE | PAPERBACK

— EXCERPT —

“No way. Promise you won’t rat me out to Dad.” I jumped in front of him and blocked my bedroom door, as if I could stop him. “He’ll be so ticked. Probably madder at you than me, and trust me, you don’t want to see him angry.”

Vladimir crossed his arms and studied my freaked out, arms-stretched-across-the-doorframe-stance. “You think I am afraid of your papa?”

“Of course not, but why do you want to provoke him? Everything’s fine. If he finds out, he’ll never let me see you again—please, I need you.”

Vladimir peeled my fingers off the doorframe, held my wrists, brought my arms down. He kissed my cheeks, but not in the usual way. His warm lips lingered on my skin while he massaged the nape of my neck. The closeness of our bodies and the heat emanating from his skin caused a groan to escape from my lips. Vladimir rubbed warm circles on my back and whispered Russian words in my ear to soothe me.

“What does it mean?” I whispered.

“Something good.”

Blood rushed down there. I wanted to tackle him on my bed and run my fingers through his sexy hair and touch his chest and feel the warmth of his lean, muscular body. Lately, I’d felt The Urge. Right or wrong, Vladimir lit my sexual fire. It wasn’t his body or his incredible blue eyes, it was how he made me feel—like the important person in his universe.

“What kind of good?” I laid my hand on his chest and snuck my finger inside his shirt to touch his skin. I traced the outline of the devil tat with my fingernail. Vladimir inhaled sharply, excited by my touch. I unbuttoned the top button of his shirt—

He lowered my hand. “Your papa will be home soon.” He left the house a minute before Dad turned into the driveway. I replayed the day’s events from his smoldering eyes, to his strong embrace, to the taunting words: “Oh, Carter is that what I am, your boss?”

What did he want to be? My friend? Boyfriend? Lover?

— ABOUT THE AUTHOR —

Kat Shehata’s first career involved caring for exotic, dangerous, and adorable animals as a zookeeper. As an author, Kat weaves her love of animals into her work. She is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book Animals on the Other Side written with Sylvia Browne.

She is also a competitive tennis player and spends her free time playing matches in a recreational league. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, three kids, and an enthusiastic poodle-mix. She holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Wilmington College, a professional writing certificate from the University of Cincinnati, and a master’s degree in creative writing from Spalding University.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

The Scorpion’s Empress by Yoshiyuki Ly #Review

 

 

The Scorpion’s Empress

by Yoshiyuki Ly

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Erotic Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

After years of serving a corrupt government, Ser Videl, an idealistic paladin, learns that her younger sister is tangled in a dark scheme against Raj Mangala, the compassionate yet troubled Empress of the city’s oppressed lowtown; the two women meet and are deeply drawn to one another, finding a shared sanctuary in their violently-divided city. The Scorpion’s Empress is intimately written through the eyes of both twenty-seven year old women.

Videl’s loving devotion is just what Raj craves, but Raj is wary of letting her guard down while protecting her throne. Determined to prove her worth, Videl chases after Raj and works to unravel the mystery of the plots against the Empress. Raj wants Videl to serve her emotional and sexual needs, and the two explore a meaningful relationship of dominance and submission that delves fully into their deepest wants. When the conspiracy against Raj comes to a head, Videl’s loyalties are tested when she is forced to choose between her past and her Empress.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT

 

I stood up and slowly walked to one of the torches along the wall. That fire festival where we’d had our first time together… I took the torch and went back to her. Videl stared at me—expectant, anxious. I moved the fire closer to her face. She steeled her eyes and waited. She didn’t protest. She didn’t shirk away from me.

 

“Ain’t you scared?” I wondered. Videl shook her head. “It’s fire for fuck’s sake! Any normal person would’ve told me to cut it out by now.”

 

“You wouldn’t burn me with it. I know you like my face too much to do that.”

 

I laughed and said, “Oh, so it’s all logic with you? Your imagination must be full of rocks.”

 

“This might have played out differently if I were in subspace,” she pointed out. “But, right now, I’m not bothered by it. I can reason myself out of most situations. It’s hard to suspend my disbelief. I trust you to be logical, too. If you burned me, you wouldn’t get to show me off to Nyte later on.”

 

“Show you off, huh?” I asked, putting the torch back. “You think that’s what I wanna do?”

 

“I have a feeling you’ll want to when the time comes.”

 

“We’ll see about that. For now I wanna see more about suspendin’ your disbelief.”

 

Videl was about to ask me what I meant—until I picked her up and threw her down onto the polished wood of the table. I straddled her, watching her pulse pick up along her neck. She bit down on her lip to keep from making a sound.

This is one of those books that I can’t make my mind up if I really enjoyed it or not.  It definitely kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next.  It kept me curious.  I was intrigued by the look into a submissive mindset also.  If you love a book that spends more time on the mental side of the action, this does a great job of exploring the thoughts and emotions behind the masks we wear.

As an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock, I gave it the full four stars because it was so intriguing to me that I am still thinking about it days after I finished reading it.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3F17WUNSFUMK/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1732738351

—

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Yoshiyuki Ly was born in San Diego, CA. She lived there until moving away to college. In high school, she began writing fanfiction as a serious hobby. Her pen name is representative of her multiracial heritage and a unique, diverse outlook that is reflective in her work. While pursuing an undergraduate degree in philosophy, she spent her free time reading the works of Virginia Woolf, Soren Kierkegaard and Simone de Beauvoir. She then spent the next years honing her craft to become a published author.

 

Links –
myBook.to/thescorpionsempress
Author.to/yoshiyuki_ly

https://twitter.com/LyLikeLee

http://yoshiyuki-ly.livejournal.com/

https://www.fanfiction.net/~yoshiyukily

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

 

Nailed by Opal Carew

Nailed

by Opal Carew

Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance

 

Amazon  http://amzn.to/2blGXOB

BN           http://bit.ly/21Cpfae

iBooks     http://apple.co/1RTtoz1

Kobo       http://bit.ly/1XXHIxG

 

 

“Opal Carew gives readers a taste of the forbidden.” –Romance Reviews Today

He’s about to take control of her body…and her dream.

When River set up a fundraiser to kick start her nail polish business, she never expected someone to pay five thousand dollars just to have dinner with her. But when she meets her mysterious benefactor, he turns out to be billionaire Kane Winters—the one man from her past who she never wanted to see again.

Kane is determined to right the wrong that happened to River in college—because of him. She’s been an obsession he can’t escape…and Kane wants River more than he’s ever wanted anything. So he offers her a deal she can’t refuse: marry him and her business will be success. But River’s knight in shining armor isn’t looking for a platonic business deal. He wants their marriage to be real…in every way.

OPAL CAREW is the author of over eighteen erotic romances for St. Martin’s including Meat, the Ready to Ride series, Forbidden Heat, Pleasure Bound, Twin Fantasies and other erotic romance novels. She lives in Ottawa, Canada with her husband, two sons, and three cats. Opal loves nail polish and zentangle, and makes regular trips to the U.S. to speak at conferences and industry events.

Special Note: The nail polish collection in the book will be available in real life on release day (for a limited time). For more information, see Literary Lacquers on Etsy, or check the NAILED page of Opal’s website.

Author Media Links:

Newsletter: http://OpalCarew.com/ReaderGroup

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OpalCarewRomanceAuthor

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

 

Website: http://www.OpalCarew.com

 

 

 

Visibly Broken by Chelsea Camaron and Mj Fields

Blurb:

In a powerful, smoldering novel from the bestselling authors of the Caldwell Brothers series (“Bad boy heroes to die for!”—Tracy Wolff), two tortured souls team up to overcome the past, finding the courage to heal . . . and to love. Jason “Cobra” Stanley was born to fight. With a father like his, he had to toughen up just to survive. Now Cobra tries to take out all of his frustration, all of his anger, and all of his pain in the MMA cage. But after he receives one too many hits to the head during a match with Jagger Caldwell, the cycle of violence comes to a screeching halt. Cobra wakes up in the hospital, under the care of a nurse whose blond hair shines like a halo—and whose pure heart touches him on the deepest level. Lorraine Bosch is a fighter too. Having escaped from her own controlling father, she prides herself on remaining professional, despite the chaos of the ER. But Cobra is the ultimate distraction. Lorraine knows she should run away screaming from his rippling muscles and shattered psyche. And yet how can she deny this broken man a second chance—especially since she knows exactly what he’s been through? Lorraine’s used to playing guardian angel. Now it’s her turn to find heaven in Cobra’s arms.

felt like this was going to be a typical MMA romance novel and I was wrong. This story is much darker because of Jason. The version I was given was just a preview however I felt this story had the propensity to be better. From the prologue it jumped right into the drama and didn’t really give you any background information throughout just that Jason was the way he was from a messed up past. The book switched perspectives three times which would have been fine if the characters flowed but the time lines jumped and one seemed to be a different plot that maybe would be tied in eventually but again I had a small preview.  I do think the idea for this book was creative and can be very great. This book is for mature audiences of 18+ and I am giving this book 3 Hearts as a independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock

 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1734213995

Thank you From Ann Gimpel and reviews!

Many thanks to all of you who have dropped me emails. I love hearing from you, and I’ve tried to get back to everyone who had questions. There’s still plenty of time to enter the CONTEST for a signed print copy ofUnderground Heat, a boxed set collection of three full length paranormal romances for hours of reading enjoyment. The yummy cover jpeg is just below. Go here to sign up. Winners must have U.S. shipping addresses, or I reserve the right to substitute a GC of equivalent value. Contest runs through 8/17 at midnight in the time zone of your choice. Also, don’t forget that you can buy direct from me. Here’s the link to my store over on Ecwid. Payment runs through PayPal, and you’ll be given a choice of mobi, ePub, or PDF links on checkout. Coupons for trying my store are available in previous newsletters. (Yup. There’s a reason to save them!) There are many reasons to buy direct from an author, and I truly appreciate your support. New Contest!!! Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Sci Fi Romance, Dystopian Romance BOOK FAIR! Be sure to enter the giveaway. One lucky person will win a year’s subscription to Kindle Unlimited, a Kindle Fire, and $100 in cash. Rebecca Hamilton is responsible for running this giveaway. The giveaway link below will take you to her blog. BONUS: EVERY ENTRANT will receive 20 free books from participating authors at the close of the giveaway! Go to the giveaway page for more info! Enter the Giveaway Here For human Amy Francis, the secluded cabin in Deep Creek is the haven she needs to map out a fresh new start. She never expected her heart to be reawakened by a distraction like Griff Martin, commanding yet gentle, too ferociously sensual to ignore. It’s clear that patrolling the forest is more than a job to Griff—it’s a means of survival. But what Amy doesn’t realize is she’s reawakened the beastwithin him. 3.99 across all vendor sites. Here’s the Amazon link. Ava Green has made a name for herself in the real estate world by reconditioning old, historical homes with her partner and friend Jeff. But her newest project, a three-story Victorian in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, promises to be her biggest moneymaker yet. And one she’s undertaking on her own. During her first walk-through of the house, however, she discovers a locked door, and a skeleton key that seems to appear out of nowhere. Unlocking the door, she is transported to a mystical world of fae and mythickal creatures and meets the King of the Morna. The sovereign of the dark elves. 2.99 across all vendor sites. Here’s the Amazon link. Bent on revenge, Native American Shadow Hunter Tombi Silver could turn to only one woman, the “witch” Annie Matthews, for help. Her ability to hear auras had allowed her to discover Tombi’s friend mystically trapped by forces that could destroy them all. The accompanying message of a traitor in their midst meant Tombi could trust no one. Dare he bring Annie along on his quest to fight shadow spirits? Putting his faith in someone outside his tribe, especially one who pulled at his tightly controlled desires, could prove just as dangerous as his mission… 3.99 across vendor sites. Here’s the Amazon link. Coven Enforcers! Dark, Dangerous, Magical Men–And The Women Who Love Them Blood and Magic and Blood and Sorcery are available now! Blood and Illusion releases on the 17th. Witches and mages take on demons and pure, unadulterated evil in one of my favorite time periods: The Old West.  There’s a splash of steampunk, but no airships or goggles! Promise. Here’s part two of my parenting discussion. For those of you who missed part one, you can pick it up in the last newsletter right here. Parenting, continued:  Lead by example. Do what you need to enforce compliance. If the threat was no car if your daughter didn’t manage a 3.0 GPA, don’t buy her one anyway just because she cries, whines, and blames everyone and their dog for her lackluster performance.  After all, she has another opportunity to bring her grades up the next semester. And you could open what might be a productive dialog to help determine what she needs to succeed in school. Is it tutoring in a particular class? An earlier bedtime? Fewer social events? Less screen time? Perhaps a combination of all of the above? Last time I checked there weren’t any shortcuts to success. The sooner our kids not only learn that, but incorporate it into their everyday lives, the happier they’ll be growing into adulthood. When we over-indulge our children and don’t allow them to earn privileges through appropriate behavior, we don’t do them any favors. Once they leave our homes, universities and employers won’t let them slide because they feel sorry for them. Hold your children accountable. And yeah, that’s not easy since it requires huge outlays of parental effort. It would be far easier to let things slide and just be their friend. You owe it to your kids to help shape them into responsible adults. They don’t need another buddy. They need someone they can look up to. Someone to create and enforce rules. Homes are a microcosm for society. Don’t be afraid to have high standards and enforce them. If you can do that, your children, who may have screamed at you as teenagers, will turn out just fine. If I had a nickel for every time one of mine ran screaming down the hall, yelling that I was the worst mother in the world—just before they slammed their door—I might’ve been able to retire sooner. Seriously, though, believe in your kids. Let them know you believe in their ability to make the right choices and treat others with courtesy, dignity, and respect. If you can do that, it will go a long way toward them being able to believe in themselves. It’s a tough world out there. Harder than when you and I were growing up. Our children have never needed a versatile skillset more than they do today. If you enjoyed reading this and the last article I did about relationships, write and let me know what you’d like to hear more about. I can do more about parenting. More about relationships. How to survive hellish work environments, and many other topics. Let me leave you with a couple photos. The upper one is in the Canadian Rockies. The lower one is from Death Valley. Aren’t the colors in the rocks amazing? I have long been a fan of books that cross genres and of those that put a new spin on history. The Coven Enforcer Series by Ann Gimpel does a fantastic job of feeding those two hungers of mine, and then some. The series has been well-crafted so that magic doesn’t seem like an add-on, as it can be in books that attempt to weave magic into history. The series is set in the United States in the mid-1800s and Ann Gimple has obviously studied American History because she includes facts about what is going on at that time and what life was like in the western part of the country. Aside from the attention to detail regarding history, which some authors writing historical fiction don’t bother with, Ms. Gimpel has gifted her readers with excellent storytelling. The characters in this story are very believable in their flawed humanness (even if most of them aren’t exactly what you’d call “human”), even if some of the situations require some major suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. I simply strapped in and enjoyed the ride. This first outing in the series, Blood and Magic, tells Luke and Abigail’s story. It sets the scene for the rest of the series quite nicely while not giving the romance between Coven Enforcer and Coven witch short shrift. As with most novels in the Romance genre, the hero and heroine are pretty quick to fall into lust, at least. However, because magic is also involved, particularly Black Magic, chaos ensues and complications arise. Because I knew this book was but the first in a series, I was afraid that I’d be hit with the more and more common cliffhanger ending, and I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t. The second outing in the series, Blood and Illusion, picks up not long after the first book ended, this time telling the story of Joshua and Breana, both of whom we met in the first book. Breana has just lost her husband and child to the clutches of Black Magic and is grieving the loss. Joshua has loved Breana from afar, respecting her marriage by not revealing his affections to anyone. Regardless of how well Joshua feels he has hidden his feelings, those closest to him already know. Despite defeating the leader of the Alchemical Council, the Coven and its Enforcers know that they have not defeated evil. What they do not realize is that the Dark Angel has his eyes set on Breana, and will do everything in his power to make her his. I was very happy to see that the middle book of the trilogy did not suffer from the “middle book slump” where the reader feels that it’s only purpose is to get from book one to book three. It was an excellent story in its own right. Blood and Sorcery, the conclusion of the series, finds our intrepid band of Coven Enforcers riding to the rescue of a group of witches who have ties to Abigail’s grandmother, Hester. There is no love lost between this bedraggled group of women and the Coven, as one of their own has been exiled from the Coven for doing what she believed to be right many years earlier. As a result, the relationship between the hero and heroine of this book, Sam and Isla, is volatile at best, at least in the beginning. However, because these books are definitely Happily Ever Afters, Sam and Isla eventually settle into a rhythm that works for them both. The entire series is fast-paced and exciting, with a lot of fight scenes between good and evil. Even some gods appear to enjoy the show! There are numerous, explicit sex scenes so the series as a whole should be reserved for readers 18+ who enjoy blended genres as much as I do. The only complaint that I had about the series, really, was trying to read the Scottish accent. I appreciate that it had a definite part in the story, but it got a little tedious for me after a while and it became somewhat difficult to differentiate between Isla and Hester’s voices in my head. However, if that is the only picking of nits I can find, I’d say this series is a hit. All-in-all, I really enjoyed the series and will definitely be looking for more by this author. Reviewed by HR Duby for Romance Authors that Rock  https://www.amazon.com/review/RZEM1WU9AVAOG/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01IFJMMIK Blood and Magic: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1739286663?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1 Blood and Illusion: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1739287534?book_show_action=false Blood and Sorcery: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1739287534 Until next time! Get out and enjoy August!