My Summer Reading List

Summer is almost officially here. I’d like to get a lot of reading in this year. I haven’t been reading as much as I want or should. So I’m starting with a list of books I’d like to read. Some of them are from my long TBS list, others are recent ones I’ve seen and want to read and they’re from different genres. I thought I’d share them with you and maybe you could share some of the ones on your summer list. I’d love to see what you will be reading.

Here’s my top ten so far, not in any particular order with a little blurb.
- A Dress the Color of the Sky - Jennifer Irwin For too many years, Prudence Aldrich has been numbing the pain in her life with random sexual encounters. Her marriage to cold, self-centered Nick is, not surprisingly, on the rocks. But after several dangerous experiences with strangers, Prudence finally realizes she needs therapy to stop her self-destructive behavior, and so she checks into the Serenity Hills rehab center.
- The Girl in the Moss - Loreth Anne White Disgraced ex-cop Angie Pallorino is determined to make a new start for herself as a private investigator. But first, she and her lover, newly promoted homicide detective James Maddocks, attempt a quiet getaway to rekindle a romance struggling in the shadows of their careers. The peace doesn’t last long when human skeletal remains are found in a nearby mossy grove.
This decades-old mystery is just what Angie needs to establish her new career—even as it thrusts her and Maddocks back into the media spotlight, once again endangering their tenuous relationship.
- Hit and Run - Dr. Bob Rich 84-year-old Sylvia barely escapes death when a teenage driver plows down six children and a crossing guard, never looking back. Shaken, Sylvia draws his portrait, creating a connection with this 14-year-old boy that allows the police to locate and arrest him. That night, he appears to her through a supernatural process neither understands. Can one woman's belief in the power of love make a difference in the life of one boy who wants to change?
-Temporarily Insane – Vicki Batman No man. Bad job. And Murder. Hattie Cooks is still searching for her dream job and one might be available...in the Big Apple, far from friends, family, and Allan Wellborn, the man who still makes her heart race. In the meantime, she finds temporary employment at an accounting firm where two auditor friends turn up dead.
 - Texas Lightning - Caroline Clemmons How can two people from different eras own the same ranch? Penelope Jane Terry knows everything about ranching in spite of being a lone woman. She is determined to send to jail the rustlers who believe they can steal what is hers… until she is caught spying on their dirty works and must ride for her life.
- Cold in the Shadows – Toni Anderson CIA Agent Patrick Killion is on a secret mission to hunt down the ruthless female assassin hired to kill the Vice President of the United States. The trail leads him to the Colombian rainforest and an earnest biologist, Audrey Lockhart, whose work on poison dart frogs gives her access to one of the deadliest substances on earth—the same substance used to murder the VP.
- Hot Under the Collar - Roxanne St Claire Firefighter Braden Mahoney is devastated when his beloved Weimaraner, Jelly Bean, fails the canine arson investigator test. Faced with the challenge of raising the money for advanced training, it's Braden's sweet grandmother and her best friend who suggest he use the services of the new event planner in town. Not that he needs a push in Cassie Santorini's direction. Ever since she arrived, Braden has had his eye on the sassy Greek goddess...and can't stop thinking about getting the rest of him on her, too.

- Luck of the Draw – Sterling’s Montana #2 - BJ Daniels Garrett Sterling witnesses a murder across a ravine at his mountain retreat. Someone is dead – and the killer now knows there is a witness.                                                Even worse, a mystery woman he’s never been able to forget is a key suspect in the investigation. Now he must find out why everything she’s ever told him was a lie – while keeping them both alive.

- Personal Assignment - Terry Odell She says she doesn't need protection. He knows better. And for him, it's personal. This Blackthorne, Inc. action-adventure romantic suspense from award-winning author Terry Odell will keep you turning pages.  doesn't need protection. He knows better. And for him, it's personal. She says she doesn't need protection. He knows better. And for him, it's personal.

- Pecan Pies and Dead Guys – Angie Fox Sometimes Verity Long would like to forget that she lives with the ghost of a 1920s gangster. But the reluctant housemates must once again work together when a dead detective blackmails Frankie into helping him solve a Great Gatsby-era cold case. Before she can say “bathtub gin,” Verity is dragged straight into a raging, otherworldly house party. Worse, every guest is hiding something.

If you’ve read any of the books I’d love to her your comments. And please share the books you have on your list for the summer.

Dee S. Knight and her Hero

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That's how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she's lucky that her dream man,childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical,contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.

Character Interview with Daniel Goodman

Beverley: What do you do and why?
Daniel: I’m headmaster of a small private school in North Carolina. For many years, I wanted to be headmaster of a very prestigious boys’ school in New Hampshire—in fact I worked hard to achieve that position. But in the end, it came down to marrying the woman I love or settling for the job. When I was honest with myself—which I admit took far longer than it should have—there was no contest. Then this great opportunity came up and we moved close to where I grew up.
My whole life I’ve loved learning, and I want to impart that same love to youngsters I have the privilege of working with. I dug into learning to escape some school bullying. I want the kids I teach and mentor to love learning for the sheer joy of it and for the excitement and options knowledge can bring in life. That all sounded a little priggish, didn’t it? Sorry! 😉
Beverley: If your life were a movie would you see yourself played like Robin Williams in The Dead Poets Society?
Daniel: LOL! Well, yeah except with a not so unhappy ending and with a living actor. Maybe Brat Pitt or Gerard Butler. And the hero would end up marrying the world’s most beautiful woman, like I did. That would make for a great movie!
Beverley: How has your environment or upbringing affected how you do your job?
Daniel: I mentioned that I was slightly bullied in school. That’s because my mom and dad weren’t married. They lived together and they loved each other fiercely—still do, though they were married this past Thanksgiving—but they had quite the reputation in town. By that, I mean everyone liked them enormously, but we are talking the mountains of North Carolina, here, and living “in sin” was not looked upon as a proper way to raise three boys. The fact that my brothers and I weren’t legitimate made for a lot of taunts and not a few fights when we were growing up. I withdrew a certain amount into books, and focused like a laser beam on achieving my goals. Eve taught me that there is more to life than being headmaster of a school. And now we have a great little family that includes her son, Tim.
Also, I am one of three identical triplets. Being raised with two other kids who looked just like me made me want to individualize myself. My brother Jonah is a mechanic. Smart as can be, but he enjoys making NASCAR drivers successful instead of racking up degrees. My second brother, Mark, is a bona fide genius. Even with all the reading I’ve done, I can’t understand half of what he does. They each have their own stories and I hope maybe at some point you’ll invite them here to tell you about themselves.
The one thing true about any of the Goodman’s you talk with is, we love each other unconditionally. And anyone who takes up with one of us is going to get all of us.
Beverley: What do you like to do in your free time?
Daniel: Right now, we’re getting used to our new home in the Asheville area of North Carolina. There are mountains and artisan shops to explore, plus wonderful outdoor activities. I look forward to teaching Tim how to fish and do all the things my brothers and I did as kids. This winter Eve and I are going to teach Tim how to ski. This is a great place to live and I know we’re going to enjoy it.
Beverley: Do you get up early or sleep in?
Daniel: Up early. There’s too much to do to sleep in. Plus, Tim is only seven and he’s up at the crack of dawn. I often let Eve sleep in so he and I get our alone time together.
Beverley: Do you have a pet peeve?
Daniel: Bad grammar. Especially the misuse of I-me-myself. I can accept that in normal conversation people might mix them up, but when newscasters and politicians, and even teachers get them wrong, it irritates me.
Beverley: Pen or computer?
Daniel: Pen when I’m trying to build my thoughts when writing, computer when I’m ready to put everything together.
Beverley: The worst words to hear on a date?
Daniel: My brother called. He needs me at home right now. (This is worse if your date knows you don’t have a brother.)

Blurb for Only a Good Man Will Do:

Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar's wife. Good luck with that!

Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. He aims to become headmaster of Westover Academy. For that he needs a particular, special woman to help him set high standards. Into his cut and dried life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe's foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Daniel is drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.

Excerpt from Only a Good Man Will Do:

“Daniel, am I talking to myself, here?”
“Oh, no, I’m…” He chuckled an amused admission. “Tell me what you said again.”
He could almost hear Eve smile. “I said, you called at four-thirty on Saturday and Sunday, so I took a wild leap that you would today, too.”
“Ah.” Smiling to the empty room, he squirmed to get into a more comfortable position. “A woman of logic.”
“Absolutely. You don’t want to play me in chess. I think five or six moves ahead.”
“I’ll remember that. There’s nothing worse than seeing a guy cry when he’s been beaten at chess by a girl."

Buy links for Only a Good Man Will Do:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2q7ovi4
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1129630612?ean=2940161770603
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/898008
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/only-a-good-man-will-do

Author links:

Website: https://nomadauthors.com
Blog: http://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
Newsletter (sample): https://preview.mailerlite.com/o2g1i0?fbclid=IwAR0COlyuPY-Hu30KTBdT092j_GZeuN5z4pc1LtsvHTyr6IbiSpsGqeIgT90

Barbara White Daille and Her Latest Book

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom. Barbara also loves writing, reading, and chocolate. Come to think of it, she enjoys writing about those subjects, too!

Barbara wrote her first short story at the age of nine, then typed "The End" to her first novel many years later...in the eighth grade. Now she's writing contemporary romance on a daily basis. Sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest in her writing life: https://barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, I’m very happy for the chance to share one of my favorite fictional dads with you. I call all my books “standalones” because even in my series, each hero and heroine reaches their Happy Ever After by the end of their story. In his own words, here’s a peek at the hero dad of A Rancher’s Pride, book one in the Flagman’s Folly series:

Beverley: What’s your name?
Sam: Sam Robertson
Beverley: Where did you grow up?
Sam: Right here in Flagman’s Folly, in the same house I live in today.
Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?
Sam: Current day. I’m a contemporary rancher, content to run the place my daddy always assured me would be mine someday.
Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?
Sam: I grew up an only child in a happy family, took over the ranch after my dad died, and then I got married. . . which wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made. Nothing exciting there. I never expected anyone would want to tell my story—that is, not until my life took a sudden and equally unexpected turn.
Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?
Sam: To adjust to the fact I’ve become a daddy myself, overnight. I never knew I had a child until my ex-wife left her on my doorstep.
Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?
Sam: My daughter’s aunt, Kayla, wants to take Becky away from me, claiming I’m an unfit father. Also, my four-year-old is deaf, and I don’t know how to communicate with her, which gives Kayla more ammunition in her fight against me.
Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving this?
Sam: You bet I do. My plan is to keep and raise Becky, no matter what it takes.
Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?
Sam: I’ll never marry again but have always wanted a family. The day I met Becky, I knew she was my child. We missed spending the first four years of her life together, not by choice, and no one’s going to keep us apart another minute.

Blurb for A Rancher's Pride

His Whole World is in Her Hands

Sam Robertson’s life just changed. In one short day, he found out that he’s a daddy; that his beautiful little girl, Becky, is deaf; and that her aunt, sign language teacher Kayla Ward, intends to fight him for custody.

There are plenty of reasons Sam shouldn’t fall for Kayla. A city girl like her has no place on his ranch, particularly when she’s his ex-wife’s gorgeous sister. But thanks to the judge’s orders, Sam’s spending a lot of time with Kayla, trying to give Becky the stable home she’s never known.

Despite their ongoing custody battle, Sam and Kayla’s love for Becky brings them closer than they ever expected, and Sam knows that no matter who wins in court, he could still lose—Kayla or his daughter.

Excerpt from A Rancher's Pride. This is from the beginning.
 

The minute Sam Robertson saw his mother’s frozen expression, he knew something terrible had happened. He hadn’t seen that look on Sharleen’s face since the night his daddy died.
He tossed his Stetson onto the hook by the kitchen door and crossed the room to where she sat by the round pine table. “Mom?  What is it?  What’s wrong?”

“Sam...”  She cleared her throat and started again. “Ronnie was here.”

“Ronnie?”  He frowned. He hadn’t seen his ex-wife in five years. “What did she want after all this time?  Just stopping by to say hello?”

“She said she’s settling down again. With another man.”

“That’s what has you upset?  You should know better. And we should both pity the poor guy. So, what did she do, drop off an invitation to the wedding?”

“No.”  Sharleen took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Finally, she said, “She dropped something off, but not an invitation. She brought a little girl with her. Four years old. Ronnie left her here. She said she’s your daughter.”

“What?”  The news rocked him back in the chair. “That’s impossible.”

“I’m not sure that it is. The child is blonde. Like Ronnie. But she’s got your eyes. Your daddy’s eyes. She looks like a Robertson, through and through.”  She waved toward the arched doorway. “See for yourself.”

After a moment’s hesitation, he rose and moved to the door. He had to brace himself before he could step into the living room.

Everything looked familiar. The pair of plaid couches facing each other. The long pine coffee table between them. The chime clock ticking away on the mantel. Everything looked familiar, except the child sitting on one of the couches.

A beautiful little girl.

The daughter he’d always hoped for, the start of the family he’d never had.

He shook his head. Pipe dreams, for sure. Ronnie had never told a true story in her life. This child couldn’t be his.

As he moved another step into the room, she looked up.

Small and blonde, just as Sharleen had said. And more.

The girl’s eyes shone in the light from the table lamp beside the couch. Silver-gray eyes surrounded by dark lashes, a perfect match to his own.

His throat tightened. He felt frozen in place.

     She gave him a shy smile.

He’d seen that half-twisted grin in plenty of his own childhood pictures. Not impossible after all. The child was his.

Somehow, after what seemed like hours, he managed to raise one hand to wave at her. “Hello.”  The word came out in a croak. He hadn’t the first idea of what to say and went for the standard opening line. “What’s your name?”

Sharleen moved up to stand behind him and rested her hand on his arm. “Her name’s Becky,” she told him. “But she can’t hear you, Sam. She’s deaf.”

Buy Links for A Rancher's Pride
Amazon  http://bit.ly/Amazon-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
B&N  http://bit.ly/BN-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Harlequin  http://bit.ly/Harlequin-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Books-A-Million  http://bit.ly/BAM-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille
Kobo  http://bit.ly/Kobo-ARanchersPride-BarbaraWhiteDaille

 

Find Barbara and her books:
Website  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Newsletter  https://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/newsletter

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

Twitter  https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-white-dailleGoodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/529361.Barbara_White_Daille
Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-White-Daille/e/B002J6B0QQ

Harlequin  https://www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/23759_barbara-white-daille.html 
Entangled  http://entangledpublishing.com/category/barbara-white-daille/

Check Out Alice Renaud and A Merman's Choice

Alice Renaud was born and brought up in Brittany, Western France, her father was French and her mother British (from Wales). She moved to London, UK, in 1997, where she now lives with her husband and son. She works full time as a compliance specialist in a pharmaceutical company. She has been writing in her free time since she was 14. She got quite a few short stories published in UK magazines, before moving to longer fiction. She wrote three contemporary romance books, but didn’t find a publisher for them. She then realized that mermen, sea witches and water demons were a lot more fun than sheikhs and billionaires! Her first two paranormal romances did not find a publisher either, then she wrote “A Merman’s Choice,” which was published in January this year by Black Velvet Seductions. It is the first book in a fantasy romance trilogy inspired by the landscapes and legends of Brittany and Wales. The second book, “Music for a Merman,” will be out later this year. She’s also written a short story, “The Sweetest Magic of All,” that will appear in the BVS supernatural romance anthology “Mystic Desire,” due this fall (autumn). It’s about a sexy apprentice witch and a hot time-travelling warlock who go in search of a magical amulet... and find more than they bargained for!

Alice loves reading and writing stories, and sharing them with anyone who’s interested!

 

Meet Alex, the heroine of A Merman’s Choice
Beverley: What’s your name? Alex (Alexandra) Williams
Alex: Where did you grow up? When I was little, my family and I lived above my father’s cafe. Later, when my father’s restaurants started to make money, we moved to a nice house down the road. But as my parents were always working such long hours, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother’s, my Nain’s, house, by the sea. My childhood’s best memories were formed there.
Beverley: During what time period does your story take place?
Alex: The story starts when I nearly drown, and Yann rescues me. But I’m unconscious, and I don’t see him – just as well, since he’s in his aquatic shape, and the grey face and webbed hands would have given me a shock! The narrative then jumps forward 8 months, as I go back to the Morvann Islands and meet Yann again. He’s in human shape this time, and I don’t recognise him. Our story unfolds over the next few days, on those beautiful islands off the coast of Wales. I wish you could see them! They are gorgeous in spring.
Beverley: What’s your story/back story? Why would someone come up with a story about you?
Alex: I always wanted to be a photographer, ever since Nain gave me my first camera when I was 5. But my father was having none of it, he wanted me to follow him into his business. Nain and I had a project. She wanted to write a book on the Morvann Islands, and I promised I’d get pictures and stories for her. When she got ill, I knew I had to go back to the Islands to fulfil my promise, even though my near-drowning had left me with a terrible phobia of water. Why write a story about me? Well I’m the first human in centuries to marry a shape-shifting merman, I guess that’s pretty unusual. Of course I’d no idea what Yann was when I met him.
Beverley: What’s your goal in this story?
Alex: I have to overcome my fear of water to return to the Islands, and take those photographs for my Nain. My aim is to be independent, and stand on my own two feet, instead of letting my family wrap me in cotton wool. Falling in love isn’t part of the plan.
Beverley: What conflicts are you facing?
Alex: As well as my anxiety, there is Yann. He’s so hot, and so kind, I’m immediately attracted to him. But I’ve just come out of a bad relationship, so I’m not ready to risk my heart again. Deep down, I fear I’m not good enough for him.
Beverley: Do you have a plan for resolving them?
Alex: My plan is to resist Yann’s charms. I fail miserably. He had me at the fish and chips, to be honest.
Beverley: Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?
Alex: I discover eventually that I’m a lot stronger than I think. Strong enough to overcome my fears, and reach the island of my dreams at last – the arms of the man I love.

Blurb for A Merman’s Choice Fantasy Romance – Book 1 in the Sea of Love series

For centuries the shape-shifting mermen of the Morvann Islands have lived incognito among humans. But one of them, Yann, has developed some bad habits. Like rescuing humans, even when doing so risks revealing his true nature. When he fishes Alex out of the sea, he doesn’t expect her to reappear eight months later, and turn his life upside down by asking him to be her guide.

Alex is determined to fulfil a promise to her dying grandmother, by gathering pictures and stories of the Morvanns. But she soon discovers that, on these remote Welsh islands, legends have a habit of becoming true!

Over the course of a few days, Yann and Alex grow close. But some mermen hate humans. Their hostility, and Yann’s secret, threaten to tear the couple apart just as they are discovering that they are soul mates. Can Yann overcome the obstacles in his path and make the right choice?

Excerpt for A Merman’s Choice

The girl wasn’t swimming any more. Yann’s sonar gave him a clear picture of her distress. She was flailing. Sinking.

Fear punched him between the ribs. Just a few minutes earlier, she’d been splashing in the shallows, laughing and humming to herself. That music had rippled around him, brightening his journey. Now the sea was snuffing that light out. No! He wouldn’t let it happen. His webbed hands and feet churned the water, and he shot towards her like a torpedo.

Not this one, sea. Not this time.

She came in sight, slim and lovely, with long bronzed limbs and hair the colour of sunshine. But her eyes were closed, her movements slow, hesitant, as if she were falling asleep. His fear hardened into cold, sharp dread. He poured all his energy into the last powerful strokes. He’d almost reached her, when his eye caught the shadow, beyond the crystal surface, out there in the dry world. He sent a sound wave. It came back with an image, and the icy blade inside him twisted: two-legged shapes on the beach. Humans!

If they saw him, they’d know him for what he was. His people’s secret, kept for thousands of years, would be out.

The girl’s head vanished under the waves. To hell with that. He couldn’t let her drown.

He grabbed her and dragged her back to the surface. She thrashed in his arms and coughed up seawater. Intense relief swept through him as he hugged her to his chest. He’d sworn he’d never again swim by and let a human drown, and he’d kept his promise. If the young woman’s eyes remained closed, he might even get away with it. He wanted her to breathe, not scream in horror at the sight of his dark grey face.

        He looked up. The shapes on the beach had gone. Another miracle, or perhaps he’d only imagined them. What if they came back? A fresh stab of anxiety propelled him through the surf. He lay the girl down on the sand, cushioning her head on his arm. Her round breasts, encased in the turquoise bikini top, rose and fell in a regular rhythm, but her skin felt clammy under his hands. He scanned the beach in vain for something to cover her with, and saw the motorbike. A sleek, sporty number, well camouflaged among the grass-covered dunes.

Shit. He retracted the webs between his fingers and toes, but his body would take at least twenty minutes to shift from the aquatic shape to the human form. And even when it did, what would the humans think, if they found him naked next to an unconscious girl?

They’d arrest him for indecent exposure, or worse. He touched the girl’s face with a tentative finger. The thought of leaving her sickened him. But he couldn’t stay.

Her eyelids fluttered and she muttered a name. “Boris?”

As if in answer, a male voice tore through the air, from behind the dunes. “Alex!”

Yann flew towards the waves. Help was coming for the girl. She’d be fine.

He sped into the open sea, leaving the human world and human fears behind. He’d saved her. That knowledge glowed inside him as he plunged into the depths. She was safe, and his people would remain safe too. He sang as he rode the riptide, a song full of triumph and laughter. Far away, the humpback whales heard him and picked up the tune. He’d got away with it.

For now. His euphoria abated. No humans had seen him, but his people had sharper eyes and ears. He shouldn’t even have been hanging around, in full merman shape, so close to an inhabited island, but he’d thought he’d be OK. In late September so few tourists were around, and locals had better things to do than go swimming in cold water.  He sniffed the current, tuned his sonar towards the Clans’ Islands. Nothing. With luck, no one would notice that he’d broken the merpeople’s rules. Again.

Buy links for A Merman’s Choice:

https://amzn.to/2QglyeI
https://books2read.com/u/31xw7a

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