Tuesday, January 10, 2023

The Bootlegger's Wife, Book 1, Moonshine Madness Series

 

The Bootlegger's Wife

A 5-star rating in the Readers’ Favorite International contest!


AMAZON

It's 1925 in St. Paul, Minnesota, a haven for hardened criminals - and the women who find themselves trapped in a dangerous game...

Charlotte LeDoux's nine-year marriage to bootlegging kingpin, Gus "Lucky" LeDoux is falling apart. The same day Char learns she is pregnant, she catches Gus in the act of adultery and it's clear he has no intention of ending the affair. Soon after, their nightclub is raided by Federal agents. As she flees from the chaos, Char is separated from Gus and faces a choice; search out her fugitive husband or change her identity and disappear. With her life in shambles and her future in doubt, she knows what she must do to protect her child.

Char alters her appearance and takes a job in domestic service for a private investigator. At first, living in Will Van Elsberg's home is quiet, comfortable, and safe, but everything changes the day Gus seeks out Will to find his missing wife. As Will's investigation closes in on her, Char must once again make a decision. Should she run away again or face her violent husband and fight for her freedom? With her back to the wall, Char discovers she has more strength and determination than she ever thought possible.

Book One of the Moonshine Madness series

Get your copy for 99 cents now on Kindle! Only for a limited time!

Also available on Kindle Unlimited and in audiobook too!

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Happily Ever After Stories - Sweet Romance

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Wednesday, November 2, 2022

A Merry Little Christmas by @denisedevine5 #christmasromance #mgtab

 

A Sweet Holiday Happily-Ever-After Romance




Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Also in audiobook, too!

Amazon


Merry Connor is struggling to feed her two children, pay heat bills and fix her secondhand car.

Though she’s barely making it financially, life is good. That is, compared to two years ago when she lost everything—thanks to her lying, deceiving ex-husband. She’s come a long way since then and doesn’t intend to look back. Even so, it’ll be a long time before she trusts anyone with her heart again.

 

Tony Lewis hasn’t had a merry Christmas since his wife and son perished in a car collision three years ago.

The holidays are lonely without his family, but his heart begins to mend when he meets Merry Connor and her two rambunctious kids. He can’t stop thinking about her and yearns to get closer to her. Will she turn him away once she learns of his connection to her ex-husband?

Available on Kindle for only 99 cents. Also available on Kindle Unlimited.



For a limited time only!

Audiobook on sale at Chirp for $1.99


Chirp

This audiobook is also available at many online libraries. Check your library to see if it's in their catalog!

~*~

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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

New Release! Brown-Eyed Girl by Denise Devine


Brown-Eyed Girl
Book Two, West Loon Bay Series
The exciting new contemporary small-town series
by Denise Devine
On sale now for only 99 cents!
Don't wait--this sale ends October 20th!



Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Get your copy today!

Amazon


The worst lies are the ones that you tell yourself…

Carly Strand has been holding a secret close to her heart for nearly a decade. In high school, her infatuation with Erik Nilsen had produced a child. Sadly, by the time Rylee was born, Erik was long gone, leaving Carly no choice but to allow a married cousin to adopt her baby. She’s never been able to cope with losing her child or deal with Erik’s abandonment. Now, he’s back in town and wants to make amends—with her and Rylee—but can he be trusted or will he break her heart again?

 

They say you can’t run from your past. What if you don’t want to?

Erik Nilsen is ready to leave the last decade behind him. Ten years of touring with his rock band has made him wealthy and famous, but the experience has also taught him that money can’t buy true riches. He’s determined to take a year off to reunite with his family and old friends. The trouble is, the person from his past that he wants to be with the most is pushing him away. When he learns of her secret, he realizes how much he has to lose by staying silent. Can he convince Carly Strand to rekindle the love they once shared or will she refuse to forgive him for leaving her back when she needed him the most?

~*~

Contemporary small-town sweet romance series

Coming soon - Six exciting books set in the small, midwestern town of

West Loon Bay, Minnesota

Books one and two are on sale now!

Book One


Get your copy for only 99 cents now

Amazon


Book Two


Amazon


Coming Soon!

Book Three


~*~


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Sunday, October 9, 2022

Sweet & Sassy Falling into Love for 99 cents

Four amazing stories set in the fall and brought to you by USA Today Bestselling authors of the Authors' Billboard


On sale now for only 99 cents.

Amazon

There is never a wrong time to snuggle up and fall in love! The Authors’ Billboard has another Sweet and Sassy boxset aimed directly at Falling Into Love.

This four-book set from USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning Authors contains stories of second chances, single parents, small-towns and large. With some touches of suspense, unexpected sparks, and close-knit families, these characters are out to find more than they bargained for while Falling Into Love.

Stacy Eaton, USA Today Bestselling Author, Bradley, Loving a Young Series: With a new house in her name, Nolan Nickels seeks out the perfect plan to get the house ready so she can bring her two daughters’ home, but is her fixer-upper more than she bargained after Brad Young comes to help?

Susanne Matthews, Bestselling Author, – Make Mine a Manhattan: Assuming her heroine’s identity, Savannah Long heads for New York to experience life and gets far more than she bargained for.

Denise Devine, USA Today Bestselling Author, – Unfinished Business: When Alana Morgan’s life is upended by a suspicious death and a betrayal, she joins forces with Reid Sinclair to uncover the evidence she desperately seeks.

Taylor Lee, USA Today Bestselling Author - You Can’t Always Get What You Want: He’s a hard as nails police chief. She’s a feisty ADA. The one thing they have in common is arrogance. Sparks flare when the challenging duo face off.

**     **     **

This is Alana's story...

Chapter One

Mid-August

The flowers, balloons, and stuffed bears at the foot of Alana Morgan’s front door resembled a shrine for the dead.

With one hand on her suitcase and the other holding her keys, she stood in the hallway outside her condo and stared down at the colorful exhibition in dismay. The display wasn’t a memorial for someone. It was for something; a relationship with Dylan O’Rourke that should have never happened.

The door of the condo next to hers cracked open a few inches. Gina Alfonsi poked her graying head into the hallway. “He’s been here every day this week. Now that you’re back home, you need to either kiss and make up or get a restraining order.” Shaking her head in disgust, Gina stared at the items piled on the floor. “Put the poor guy out of his misery.”

Alana deactivated her security system then put her key in the deadbolt lock and turned it. “We had it out just before I left for Paris and I gave him back the engagement ring. He begged me to forgive him but I refused. A couple of nights ago, I described the situation to my girlfriends and they agreed I’d be crazy to take him back.” She pushed the door open. “I don’t care how sorry Dylan is; he’s history. There is no second chance for a man who cheats.” Leaving her suitcase behind, for now, she stepped over the obstacles in her way and entered her condominium.

She would have never known about his infidelity if her business trip to Los Angeles hadn’t been cut short. A product manager in retail price management for a private software firm, she’d planned to be in L.A. for five days to work with a client. The meetings, however, were very productive and wrapped up a day early, giving her an extra day to get ready for her trip to Paris. She’d caught the red-eye back to Minneapolis on Thursday night. Arriving home early Friday morning, she’d purchased muffins from a coffee shop and had gone straight to Dylan’s place on the sixth floor of her condo complex. She wanted to surprise him before he left for work, but a nasty surprise was in store for her when she let herself in and discovered her fiancé in the shower with another woman...

Alana grimaced. Why do I always manage to pick losers?

Successful, sexy, and sweet-talking, Dylan’s charming personality was the kind she always fell for, but obviously, his kind wasn’t right for her. A relationship had to be based upon more than physical attraction and she realized now theirs had been merely skin-deep. That’s why he’d cheated on her. In the end, he’d come to that conclusion too, and that’s why he wanted to start over, but it was too late. She could never trust him again.

Alana crossed the living room to the floor-to-ceiling windows and pulled open the fabric blinds, filling her spacious home with afternoon sunlight. She loved living on the thirtieth floor of Marquette Towers. Situated on the south edge of downtown Minneapolis, the spectacular view of the metro area from her balcony stretched as far as she could see. Looking downward, her gaze swept across the lush, eleven-acre grounds of the Sculpture Garden a couple of blocks away and Loring Park with tall, shady trees and its centerpiece, Loring Lake. She’d had a great time in Paris, but it was good to be back in Minnesota again.

Well, it would be once she’d returned Dylan O’Rourke’s gifts and purged him from her life forever.

Gina stood in the doorway wearing black leggings, a lacy white tunic, and a necklace of chunky aqua beads. She smiled, revealing a space between her front teeth. “Did you have a good trip?”

“Oh, yes! I always have a great time with my ex-roommates from college. We take a vacation together every year at the end of the summer for some girls-only fun. It’s been our tradition since we graduated.”

Alana dropped her purse on the coffee table and began to collect the items in the doorway. The flowers went into the trash. “On our first day, we had lunch at a sidewalk café and spent the afternoon shopping,” she said as she poured the water from the vases into the sink. “On other days, we wandered through The Louvre, took a river cruise on the Seine, and watched the evening light show at the Eiffel Tower.”

“How was the wine?”

“Wonderful!” Alana knelt in front of the doorway holding a white garbage bag in her hands. “One evening we went to a place on Rue des Boulangers where we drank Bordeaux and snacked on wild boar sausage with cheese and crackers.” She shoved a stuffed bear into the bag.

Gina laughed. “The wine sounds good. I’m not sure about the wild boar...”

“It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. It tasted like summer sausage to me.”

As Alana worked, she thought back to that balmy night in Paris. Josie, Ryley, Annika, and she had started confessing their tales of relationships gone bad as they sipped on delicious Bordeaux. By the end of the evening, they’d all promised to hit the “pause” button on love and swear off men for one year so they could focus on pursuing their professional goals instead.

Deep in her heart, Alana truly wanted to find Mr. Right, get married, and have a couple of kids, but for now, the prospect seemed so remote. Were all the good men her age taken? It certainly felt that way. Maybe her friends were right about putting relationships on hold for a while to focus on their careers. The thought of pursuing a high-level promotion at work energized her, giving her a renewed sense of purpose.

“Here, let me help you with that,” Gina said as she tucked her chin-length hair behind her ears and knelt on the floor to push a couple of Mylar balloons into the bag. They suddenly slipped from Gina’s hands and popped out, rocketing toward the ceiling.

“Hold on. I’ll fix this.” Alana went into the kitchen and grabbed a scissors from one of the drawers. She pulled down the balloons, stabbing a hole in each one and dropping them, deflated, into the bag. She quickly pulled the bag’s drawstrings tight and tied them in a knot. “It needs one more thing.” She went back into the kitchen to retrieve a notecard, a black Sharpie, and some cellophane tape. On the card, she wrote “Delivery Refused - Return to Sender” and taped it on the bag. “That should do it. I’ll go down to the sixth floor and set it in front of his door.”

Gina folded her arms as she leaned against the door frame. “Judging by how persistent he is, I doubt it will deter him.”

Alana set the bag aside with a sigh. “You’re right. When he sees the bag, he’ll know I’m back and he’ll try to talk me into giving our relationship another chance. The problem is, it’ll simply be round two of the same argument we’ve already had. I have nothing else to say to him.”

“It’s too bad you couldn’t go back to Paris for another week.”

“I’d love that!” Alana glanced at her suitcase, packed full of new clothes from Paris and she winced at the thought of how much she’d already overspent her travel budget. “Unfortunately, I can’t afford to go back there right now. Besides, I called my mom at the airport to let her know my plane had arrived and she talked me into spending the other half of my vacation at my grandmother’s house. I’m supposed to start packing Grandma Essie’s things and doing some serious cleaning to get the house ready to put on the market.”

“You sound like you’re dreading it,” Gina remarked.

“This isn’t my idea of a fun vacation.” She looked back at Gina. “My parents rarely ask for my help so I feel duty-bound to set my own plans aside and get the project started for them while they’re in Europe celebrating their fortieth anniversary. Grandma Essie’s passing took an emotional toll on Mom so she really needs this time away. Well, it was tough on all of us. It’s going to be difficult going back there because I have so many memories tied to that house, but I guess I should see the place one last time before it goes up for sale. Growing up, I spent a lot of my summers there and I’m really going to miss it.”

It would be a nice change for a few days to wake up in the same bedroom her mother had occupied as a child in Grandma Essie’s big house in Merrick. The small, southern Minnesota town was a little boring, perhaps, but at least she’d have some peace and quiet for a few days. Nothing ever happened there…

Until Essie’s untimely death.

How? Why? At Mom’s Fourth of July picnic, Grandma Essie was her usual self—funny and in good health. She’d lived in that house for sixty years and never had any problem with the back steps. What had caused her to take such a bad fall now? I wish I knew!

Alana shook off the sad, frustrating thoughts. “Why don’t you come in for a few minutes, Gina, and visit with me while I repack my suitcase? I’ll get you a bottle of sparkling water. I need to get on the road before rush hour starts or it will be a nightmare trying to get out of the metro area. Fridays are always the worst.”

After retrieving a couple of cold bottles of Voss water from the refrigerator, Alana pulled her suitcase into her bedroom and dumped the contents onto her bed. Gina sat on the corner of her king-sized mattress and chatted with her about Paris as Alana packed enough clothes to stay at Grandma Essie’s for a week. When she finished, she went back into her living room and closed the blinds then went into the kitchen and filled out a new index card.

“Enjoy the rest of your vacation,” Gina said as she tossed her empty bottle in the recycling bin under the sink. She followed Alana out the door. “If lover boy shows up again, I’ll act like I haven’t seen you.”

“Great, thanks!” Alana locked the door and set the alarm with her key fob. “I’m all set. See you when I get back, Gina!”

Setting her purse on top of her suitcase, Alana took one last look around. “Oops, I almost forgot this…” She held out the notecard with a piece of tape on it and stuck it on the door.

They laughed.

She made her way toward the elevators rolling her suitcase with one hand and dragging Dylan’s bag with the other. At the corner, she stopped and looked back to make sure the sign on her door hadn’t fallen off. It was still there. The notecard simply read, “Gone Fishing.”

***

Reid Sinclair sat at the computer in his home office, working from his notes on a keynote address to be given at a leadership summit in late September. He needed to complete the first draft by the end of the week and send it to his colleague and business partner, Nate Gilbertson, for review. A management professor at the University of Minnesota, Nate critiqued all of Reid’s manuscripts, conducted research projects with him, and filled the role of agent for Reid’s conference schedule and his published books. Reid needed peace and quiet to concentrate, but his private landline phone had been ringing off the hook all day with family and friends calling, grating on his nerves, and repeatedly disrupting his concentration.

“Da-dee, the phone is ringing!”

“I know that, Hannah,” he replied to his five-year-old daughter who was supposed to be watching a children’s show on television. “Just let it go to the answering machine. Daddy will play the messages back later.”

“You always say that,” she wailed from the living room. “I like to answer the phone.”

“No, Hannah, let the machine take a message—”

“Hallo?” He suddenly heard her little voice chirp. “Who is this? I’m Hannah and I’m five...” The little pause meant Hannah was nodding at the phone while holding up five fingers. “My da-dee? He’s working.” Another little pause. “Oh-kay!” Little footsteps scampered through the living room to the door of Reid’s office. “Da-dee, the lady says you haf to talk to her.”

Reid swiveled his chair to see Hannah standing in the doorway with the white cordless phone in her tiny outstretched hand. Instead of becoming angry with her for disobeying him, a twinge of guilt embraced his heart at her sweet, but disheveled appearance. Her white leggings and pink unicorn shirt were stained with the macaroni and cheese she’d spilled on herself at lunch. Her blonde braids were yesterday’s hairdo, now coming apart with stray hairs poking out everywhere.

Hannah came into the room and leaned against his knee, her bright blue eyes shining up at him. “Here,” she said and offered him the mobile handset. “It’s important!”

“Okay, honey,” he said as he accepted the phone. “Now you be a good girl and go back into the living room to watch TV. Okay?”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Can I haf a fruit snack?”

Reid nodded, anxious to get her back in front of the TV until he’d finished his call. “But only one. I don’t want you to spoil your appetite for dinner.”

Hannah beamed. “Oh-kay!”

“What do you say?”

“Thank you!” She turned and ran out of the room.

“Don’t—” …run in the house… He shook his head, letting it go for now, and hit the speakerphone on the handset. “This is Reid.”

“It’s Monique.”

The clear, feminine sound of his ex-wife’s voice startled him. The fingers on his free hand, white-knuckled and tense, gripped the arm of his chair. He hadn’t spoken to her in years and their last conversation had been less than friendly. He still remembered every word. Why was she calling him after all this time? His mind swirled with suspicion. “How did you get the private number to my home? It’s unlisted.” Only a small number of people knew it. One of them had betrayed him.

“It doesn’t matter,” she replied hastily. “I’m calling to find out how Hannah is doing.”

His temper flared. “What do you care? You haven’t seen her since the day you abandoned her.”

Hannah had just turned three months old when Monique left. Their daughter was registered to start all-day kindergarten in a couple of weeks. He was glad Hannah had been too young to remember Monique or recognize her voice on the phone. The less Hannah knew about Monique, the better.

“Look, Reid, I know you were angry about the divorce. I understand what a shock it was at the time, but that was five years ago. I’ve had a lot of time to think about the way I acted and I want to make amends.”

“I forgive you. Case closed. Don’t bother calling again. As soon as I hang up, I’m changing this number.”

“Reid,” Monique countered in a low, warning voice, “Hannah is my daughter, too, and I want to see her. I want to get to know her and start the proceedings for joint custody.”

What the…?

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He sat ramrod straight, his heart hammering behind his eyes. “Not in a million years would I trust you with her!”

“You can’t stop me from seeing my daughter.”

“I’ll keep you in court for the rest of your life if that’s what it takes,” Reid snapped. “When my lawyers offered you a fortune to sign away your parental rights, you couldn’t wait to put your signature on the agreement to get your hands on the money. You got exactly what you wanted and so did I. There’s no going back now.”

“I want joint custody of Hannah,” Monique repeated acidly. “She’s my daughter and I have a right to see her.”

Reid had all he could do to keep from throwing the phone on the floor and pulverizing it with his heel, but he kept his voice calm. “Not after what you did. You don’t deserve her.”

“I knew you’d try to keep me from seeing her. If you persist, I’ll go after full custody.”

Good luck with that, lady. Any lawyer that got involved in your case would be just taking your money…

He drew in a deep breath. “Look, I still have the security tapes and plenty of evidence to show you’re not fit to be Hannah’s mother. When she’s old enough to understand the situation, I’ll let her decide if she wants to see you or not. In the meantime, leave us alone. Don’t call here ever again.” Shaking with fury, he ended the call and blocked the number.

“Da-dee,” Hannah cried breathlessly as she ran into Reid’s office. She pointed to the window. “Someone is at Grandma Essie’s house!”

Monique’s call had distracted Reid so intensely he could barely concentrate on anything else. He stared at the floor, trying to calm down and wondering what to do now.

Hannah tugged at his sleeve. “Da-dee! Look!”

Reid pulled his thoughts away from the current crisis to gaze out the window at his neighbor’s house. The elderly lady had passed away a month ago with a head injury from a bad fall and since then, except for the man who mowed the lawn every week, the house had been ignored.

A car had pulled into the gravel driveway dividing the two properties and it was partially hidden by Essie’s white picket fence and giant pink hollyhocks, but he could see enough of it to make out a bright red Mercedes convertible. A tall, slender woman with elbow-length dark hair who looked to be in her early thirties stood next to it, taking in the house and yard. The pricey car, oversized sunglasses, and fancy purse on her shoulder gave her a pampered, ultra-feminine look. Someone who was used to having money and expensive tastes—like Monique. Even so, he had a hard time pulling his gaze away. Something about the woman caught his eye. The way she leaned against the car, her hands at her sides, staring at the huge red brick, Queen Anne-style house intrigued him. She seemed hesitant…longing for something…

Hannah tugged at his sleeve. “Can we go see her? Pweeease?”

He spanned his hands around Hannah’s waist and pulled her onto his lap. “Honey, she’s probably a realtor who’s been contracted to sell the house. If we went over there, we’d just be bothering her. Besides, it’s damp outside from the rain and the mosquitoes are really bad today.”

Hannah began to cry and rub her eyes with the back of her hands. “I wanna go to Grandma Essie’s house!”

Reid slid his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She’d missed her nap today because he’d been too busy working on his speech to put her in bed with a picture book after lunch and she was clearly overtired. “You miss Grandma Essie, don’t you?” he murmured.

Hannah nodded her head and continued to cry.

“I do, too.” He wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

Ever since they moved to Merrick ten months ago, Grandma Essie had taken care of Hannah whenever he needed a sitter. She’d even kept Hannah overnight when he had to go out of town on business. The elderly lady had been recommended to him by the Lutheran pastor in town and because of her excellent references, he’d trusted her explicitly. It was an unfortunate accident that had taken her life and he missed her. He didn’t know what he was going to do without her.

“Hey,” he said in a soft voice and brushed a lock of stray hair from Hannah’s face. “Do you want to go to McDonald’s and get a Happy Meal for dinner?” He only took her out for fast food on days when his schedule was tight, and give the interruptions he’d had today, he was definitely in no mood to switch gears and cook. He’d print out what he had written so far and review it while Hannah ate her chicken nuggets.

“Oh-kay,” Hannah said through her tears.

“But first, go to your room and put on a clean outfit. Then we’ll wash your face and brush your hair.”

Momentarily appeased, she slid off his lap and ran out of the room.

Reid leaned back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. He didn’t know if Monique truly meant what she said about going after him in court, but he couldn’t afford to ignore her threat. He needed a plan—and fast. It had cost him nearly everything to get rid of her, including his position as CEO of a nationwide auto parts company. In the years since the divorce, he’d relocated, become a full-time caregiver to his daughter, and reinvented himself in the business world.

He took his hands away from his face and stared at the phone. No way would he allow Monique to upend their lives again. No way…

Get your copy today!

Amazon

**     **     **


Denise Devine is a USA Today bestselling author who has had a passion for books since the second grade when she discovered Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at age thirteen and has been writing ever since. She loves all animals, especially dogs, cats and horses, and they often find their way into her books.

She has written seventeen books, including books in the Beach Brides Series, The Perfect Match Series and the Hawaiian Holiday Series. Besides the USA Today list, her books have hit the Top 100 Bestseller list on Amazon and she has been listed on Amazon’s Top 100 Authors.

If you’d like to know more about her, visit her website at: https://www.deniseannettedevine.com or join her VIP list today to get the scoop on free books, new releases and lots of goodies at http://eepurl.com/csOJZL

Ghostwriters are NEVER used in the creation of any of Denise Devine’s books. All of her books are conceived, plotted and written 100% by her.

~*~










 


 


 

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Cute But Crazy 4 boxed set - 99 cents!

Brought to you by the amazing women of the Authors' Billboard!

ome of your favorite Romantic Comedy authors are returning with NEW stories to take the edge off the hassles of the day and life in general. The Word Wranglers of the Wacky, Wonderful Women, Ditzy Dudes, and Unique and Unpredictable CUTE BUT CRAZY box set collections have taken on another topic: Quirky Careers.  Loads of laughs as our authors follow behind hapless men and women as they tangle with weather, obstacles, and each other while trying to maintain a good work ethic and not fall in love.



QUIRKY CAREERS? You bet! Follow the Fun with NEW Romantic Comedies!
There’s humor in everything, even that economic obligation called a career!

What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever heard of? An ostrich groomer? A Lego inspector? A toothpick tester? How about a barroom Santa, exotic dancer, or a woman who repairs chain saws and lawnmowers?

Some of your favorite Romantic Comedy authors are returning with NEW stories to take the edge off the hassles of the day and life in general. The Word Wranglers of the Wacky, Wonderful Women, Ditzy Dudes, and Unique and Unpredictable CUTE BUT CRAZY box set collections have taken on another topic: Quirky Careers.

Loads of laughs as our authors follow behind hapless men and women as they tangle with weather, obstacles, and each other while trying to maintain a good work ethic and not fall in love.

Susan Jean Ricci – Just Horsing Around: NEW! Horse ranchers turned sleuths, Joshua and Bella endeavor to purge an unsavory character who’s destroying their precious neighboring wetlands – and confront falling love in the process.

Dani Haviland – The Purebred and the MuttNEW! Cultures clash when a British celebrity and a proud but poor American wind up under the same roof in Forever, Montana.

Mona Risk – Delightfully Serious Plans: NEW! A jack of all trades fights discrimination to win the heart of the lady lawyer who dreams of cruising the world with him.

Susanne Matthews – Emerald GlowNEW! She’s given up on finding the right man. After a painful divorce, he’s sworn off women. A new job is what they both need to get their lives in order. But you don’t always get what you want, especially when a typo can spell disaster.

Aileen Fish – That Dream Girl: NEW! She’s supposed to be an authority on dreams, but he’s breaking all the rules.

Rachelle Ayala – Santa on StrikeNEW! Bette’s bar is on the ropes when her biggest attraction, the barroom Santa, goes on strike a few days before Christmas.

Denise Devine – Merry Christmas, Darling: A desperate bachelor enlists his neighbor to pose as his wife to appease his dying mother and unexpectedly finds love under the mistletoe.

Only 99 cents but for a limited time! Get your copy now!

AMAZON



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Tuesday, December 14, 2021

A Merry Little Christmas Audiobook Sale $1.99 iTunes


 Audiobook Sale!
$1.99

Merry Connor is struggling to feed her two children, pay heat bills and fix her secondhand car.

Though she’s barely making it financially, life is good. That is, compared to two years ago when she lost everything—thanks to her lying, deceiving ex-husband. She’s come a long way since then and doesn’t intend to look back. Even so, it’ll be a long time before she trusts anyone with her heart again.

 

Tony Lewis hasn’t had a merry Christmas since his wife and son perished in a car collision three years ago.

The holidays are lonely without his family, but his heart begins to mend when he meets Merry Connor and her two rambunctious kids. He can’t stop thinking about her and yearns to get closer to her. Will she turn him away once she learns of his connection to her ex-husband?


Listen to an audio sample here:  https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/id1534129513



Sweet Christmas Romance Books

Searching for a sweet, feel-good Holiday Romance? Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of holiday books. Get ready for Christmas cookies, mistletoe, sweet kisses, and plenty of swooning. Available for a limited time.

A Merry Little Christmas eBook by Denise Devine is only 99 cents and a 5-star favorite!

 


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Tuesday, June 8, 2021

The Encore Bride

 

The Encore Bride

a sweet romance about second chances
and it's only 99 cents on Kindle!


The Encore Bride eBook

Now available in audiobook!


What is an encore bride?

A woman who has made a previous trip down the aisle.


Excerpt #1

A tall waiter, looking like a classy penguin in a black and white uniform rushed over to pull out her chair. Once Jenny was seated, he took the folded napkin on her plate and shook it, laying it flat across her lap. “Would you care for a glass of wine, perhaps?”

Jenny smiled but shook her head. “Iced tea will be fine, thank you.”

The waiter left and Heather resumed scrutinizing her outfit. “Where did you get that ugly purse? It’s horrible!”

Jenny stared at her lap. “It’s not a purse, it’s a dog carrier.”

Heather’s face blanched. Quickly composing herself, she glanced around, presumably to make sure no one had overheard. “A what...”

Jenny pulled back the brown fabric and Princess sat up, sniffing the edge of the table.

“I can’t believe this. You’re embarrassing me!” Heather reached over and tried to shoo the dog back into her carrier, but Princess stayed put, her ears perked. “You and your pound puppies. When will you grow up, Jennifer? You’re thirty-three going on thirteen. You know very well you’re not supposed to bring that…that hairy thing in here.”

“Well, I just did,” Jenny replied wryly.

The waiter delivered their first course, a cup of shrimp bisque, and tactfully ignored the uninvited guest at their table.

Jenny sipped the tangy soup and changed the subject. “I can’t believe you’ve set your wedding date for the first week of June. That’s only six weeks from now. Do you realize how much planning you have to do?”

Heather nodded and took a sip of her cucumber water, letting her soup get cold. “I’ve got two full-time wedding planners working on it.”

“What’s the hurry?”

Heather gave her a dreamy smile. “We’re in love.”

Heather and her fiancé, Brandon Moore, performed the ten o’clock news together on a local television station. The entire Minnesota viewing area knew of their off-camera romance and the gossip columns had been speculating on the wedding date for months. Now that Heather and Brandon had finally announced it, their ratings had blasted through the station’s roof.

“My wedding planners had to pull a lot of strings to arrange our engagement dinner at the restaurant we wanted on such short notice.” She sighed. “I’m glad we were able to book it, but I have so much to do before tomorrow night.” Heather’s four-carat, heart-shaped diamond sparkled under the glow of the chandelier as she picked up her water glass. “I expect you to be there on time.”

Just say it...

“Heather, about the wedding...I really think you should find another bridesmaid.”

“Jenny, don’t start that again.” Heather put down her spoon and pushed her shrimp bisque aside. “You’re my only sister and now that Mom and Dad are both gone, all we have is each other,” she said softly. “Of course, you’re going to be in my wedding. I can’t imagine it any other way. And you’re not my bridesmaid. You’re my maid of honor.”

“I just don’t think I’m ready yet. I’ve been having—”

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Heather argued. “Yes, you are. You’ve been through a difficult period, but you’re strong.” She placed her hand over Jenny’s. “You’re doing great, Sis. Stay positive.” Heather cringed. “And get that dog’s tongue out of your soup! That’s gross!”

But Jenny merely gave Princess an affectionate pat on the head as she moved the dish away. “No, that’s good. Getting her appetite back means she’s starting to come out of her depression.” Jenny pulled a ribbon from the flower arrangement on the table and used it to gather the long fur on the dog’s head into a loose top knot. Then she fed Princess a nugget from her bag of treats.

After that, the conversation steered toward less controversial topics: Heather’s latest shopping trip, Heather’s house-hunting expeditions, Heather’s wedding preparations, and Heather’s quest for the perfect honeymoon. Jenny pretended to listen, but kept an eye on the clock on her phone, desperately waiting for the event to end. Thinking of Adam and their wedding had dampened her mood. Though she did her best not to show it, all she wanted was to go home, away from having to smile and act as though her life had not fallen off a cliff.

The fashion show commenced after their waiter served them coffee and dessert. Jenny and Heather oohed and aahed as pencil-thin models strutted around the room, giving everyone a close-up look at the latest trends in designer bridal dresses.

The last model approached their table wearing a strapless gown in ivory silk with a sheer cape and elbow-length gloves. She carried a huge bouquet of blush roses and ivory peonies with a rope of faux pearls wrapped around the stem.

“That bouquet looks heavy,” Jenny remarked as the model walked away.

“Heavenly, yes...” Heather replied as she made notes on her program. She looked up. “I almost forgot to tell you, Brandon’s best friend, Luke McCarran is going to be the best man. We’re seating you next to him at the engagement dinner and I expect you to be on your best behavior.”

Oh-oh. He must be a doozy if Heather has to lecture me about him beforehand.

Jenny stared warily at her sister. “Why are you hassling me about being nice to this guy? What’s the problem? Is he a dog hater or something?”

Heather gave her a stern look. “He’s a widower, like you, and he’s also going through a tough time right now.”

What was this? Heather and Brandon’s idea of Widow Match.com?

“You and Brandon did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Jenny grabbed her phone and threw it into her purse. “It’s your sneaky way of trying to pair me up with Brandon’s best man, isn’t it? Well, I’m not falling for it!”

Heather kept her expression neutral. Heaven forbid that any of her adoring viewers would see her create a scene in public, but even so, her soft voice bordered on murderous. “You’re being ridiculous, Jenny! It’s a coincidence, that’s all. We simply thought you and Luke should get to know one another since you both have key positions in the wedding.”

“You mean, you thought if you got us together, we’d be so preoccupied with commiserating over our dead spouses that I’d be too distracted to have second thoughts about being in your wedding!”

“That’s not true! The two of you have a lot in common. What would be so bad about making friends with Luke?”

Jenny wanted to compare funerals with Luke McCarran about as much as she wanted a colonoscopy. “I know you mean well, Heather, but stop trying to set me up,” Jenny said. “I’m not interested in finding another husband. I am never getting married again.” Sipping her purse over her shoulder, she pushed back her chair and stood. She needed to calm down before she embarrassed her sister more than she already had. “Excuse me. I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

The model turned her back to the crowd and tossed the bouquet. It flew high into the air.

“Look out!” A chorus of horrified gasps prompted her to look up. She saw it coming down, shooting through the air like a missile, but she didn’t have time to move out of the way.

Thunk.

The bouquet hit her in the face then dropped into her outstretched hands.


Excerpt #2


Luke had just started on his salad when Heather’s sister arrived. Jenny Landon slipped quietly into her chair, ignoring the festivities as she set her purse under the table and spread her napkin on her lap. She studied the menu card with her head down, clearly trying to blend in so no one would notice her tardiness.

Curious, he pretended to be preoccupied with buttering his roll, while studying her out of the corner of his eye.

Blonde and petite, her features bore a remarkable resemblance to her sister’s, but the similarities ended there. Heather’s bone-thin frame looked great on camera, but couldn’t compare to the healthy, athletic build of her sister. Heather always appeared poised and meticulously groomed, ready to “go live” at any moment, whereas Jenny had a fresh-faced, almost careless air about her. Jenny’s golden hair hung long and straight and lightly mussed, as though the wind had whipped it about her shoulders. Instead of formal evening attire, she sat ramrod straight in black slacks and a white lace top. The rigidity of her posture suggested she didn’t want to be there. The sharp look in her deep blue eyes boldly stated she didn’t care if he knew it.

That one has quite the attitude...

Within moments, a server appeared at her side and filled her water glass. When he asked if she’d like something else to drink, she merely shook her head.

Jenny frowned at the strange-looking greens on her salad plate topped with tomato slices and drizzled with an onion-speckled dressing. “What the heck is this?”

“It’s a goat cheese and tomato salad,” he heard himself say. He didn’t know if she’d directed the question at him or simply thought aloud, but he’d answered before he could stop himself. His fork halted in mid-air as he studied her profile, taking in the delicate curve of her chin and the softness of her long, graceful neck. Through his business, he encountered pretty women every day, but for some reason, he couldn’t take his gaze off her.

She rolled her eyes. “What’s wrong with ordinary lettuce? Why does Heather always have to pick the weirdest items on the menu?”

“It’s actually very good, despite how it looks.”

She sounded upset, but he sensed her displeasure had nothing to do with the food. And though he knew better than to get involved in the personal issues of a total stranger, he couldn’t help wondering why she looked so unhappy.

Remembering his manners, he extended his hand. “I’m Luke McCarran, by the way. Brandon and I go way back, since high school.”

“I’m Jenny Landon,” she said and slipped her hand into his.

The moment they touched, he realized he’d made a mistake. The friction of her smooth skin against his rough palm took him by surprise, jolting his senses, and scrambling his thoughts. As his fingers curved around hers, he knew he should let go of her hand, but his brain wouldn’t cooperate.

She looked up, wide-eyed. “...s-sister to the bride.”

They froze, locked into each other’s eyes. His jaw dropped as he tried to speak, but he couldn’t utter a word. His mind had gone completely blank.

Then he saw the thick, purple and black stripe underlining her left eye.

Whoa...

His shock must have been obvious because she pulled her hand away and the mask of indifference returned. “It’s not what you think,” she stated in a challenging tone.

“Hey, I don’t think anything. Your life is your business.”

She glanced across the table at Heather. “I wish someone would convince my sister of that. I sure can’t.”

He almost choked on a tomato slice. “She did that to you?

“Are you kidding?” Jenny let out a wry chuckle. “Heather can’t open her own wine bottles much less take me down.”

He had no idea how to respond to her “take me down” remark so he decided to simply keep quiet and concentrate on his funny-looking lettuce.

“I got in the way of a flying bouquet,” she said matter-of-factly and reached for a dinner roll.

He snatched up the wire basket and pulled back the cloth liner for her. “Someone hit you in the eye with a bunch of flowers?”

“Not just a bunch.” She selected a parmesan-encrusted roll and began to break it apart. “A big honkin’ monster of a bouquet studded with crystal hearts the size of lug nuts. It had a rope of pearls wrapped around the stem, making it so wide the model could barely get her hands around it. I saw her toss it into the air, but I didn’t notice it coming toward me until it was too late to get out of the way.” She stuffed a piece of roll in her mouth. “The sucker felt like a bowling ball dropped on my head.”

He almost choked again, but this time it took all the strength he could muster to keep a straight face.

“I should never have allowed Heather to talk me into going to that bridal show with her at the convention center, but she’s convinced I have to be her maid of honor.”

“What’s wrong with being the maid of honor?”

She looked boldly into his eyes. “Maybe I don’t believe in happy endings.”

The sudden flush staining her cheeks gave him the sense she would rather get another shiner than participate in her sister’s wedding. Sibling rivalry or jealousy perhaps?

“It’s not the first marriage for Heather,” Jenny said as if reading his thoughts. “So, what’s the point? She paid for a Hollywood production the first time around. You’d think she would simply want to quietly get hitched and get on with her life.” She stared intently at her sister sitting at the head table. “Not Heather. She’s spending a fortune to roll out the red carpet again.”

The more she talked, the more discomfort seeped into her voice and it gave him pause. Jenny’s reasons for avoiding the bridal gig amounted to more than a little inconvenience. She held a deep emotional aversion to this wedding.

A server appeared and silently removed their salad plates. Then another server delivered the main course of filet mignon et crevette, a steak and shrimp combo.

Luke decided to let the matter drop and get busy slicing into his mouth-watering filet. He’d been salivating over this part of the meal ever since he sat down to eat, and he planned to savor every bite.

“So, what do you do for a living?” Jenny asked in between bites. “Cameraman? Soundman? Are you in the television industry, too?”

 “No, I’m not,” he replied, cutting off a piece of his luscious steak. “I own an auto repair shop and a towing business. I gather you don’t work at the station, either.”

“No way,” she said, brushing it off with a laugh. “I’m not the type to sit behind a desk. These days I’m a foster mom.”

“How many children do you foster?”

“Not children. Dogs.”

Say what?

When he didn’t respond, she turned to him. “The—the dogs help me cope.”

The softness in her voice made him wonder what she’d been through and why she’d turned to animals for comfort. He knew it was rude to ask, but he suddenly had to know. “Why is that?”

“When my husband died, I... sort of went off the deep end. I was angry, I felt like a victim and I took it out on everyone else, especially my family. I wouldn’t listen to anybody’s advice. Instead, I did just the opposite of what everyone wanted me to do.”

He stopped eating and stared at her in amazement. “That’s exactly what my son is going through. He lost his mother a year ago and he hasn’t come around yet.” Luke put down his fork. “Liam seems to be getting worse as time goes on, not better.”

Her expression softened. “I imagine it must be difficult for a little boy to lose his mom.”

“Actually, he’s fifteen,” Luke replied, “but it has been a tough transition for him. His mother was only thirty-six when she passed.”

“Does he have a dog?”

“No,” Luke said, wondering what difference that would make. “His mother had severe allergies to animal hair.”

“Dogs love you unconditionally, Luke,” she said, her eyes widening in earnest. “Your son needs one to fill the emotional gap in his heart.”

He shook his head. “I really don’t see how a dog would—”

She placed her hand on his arm. “I’m a volunteer at the Blue Sky Rescue Animal Shelter on Tuesdays and Fridays. I see firsthand the good that adopting a pet does for people. Take it from me, owning a dog will cheer up your son and help take his mind off himself.”

“Thanks for the advice,” he said, distracted by the softness of her touch. “I’ll give it some thought.”

When coffee and dessert arrived, Heather and Brandon began opening a small pile of gifts, most of which were “naughty” items. Each time Heather unwrapped another one, the room broke into laughter and hilarious “wedding night” jokes.

Bored, Luke checked the time on his phone. He’d devoured his curd-filled lemon cake and wanted to leave. He pushed back his chair, intending to quickly say his goodbyes and be on his way when Brandon’s booming voice pulled him up short.

“I’d like to make a special toast to Luke McCarran, my best man, and a good friend.” Brandon stood and walked around the table, stopping between Luke and Jenny. He held up his glass. “Here’s to you, old man.”

When the laughter died down, Heather pushed back her chair and stood holding up her stemmed water glass. “Now it’s the maid of honor’s turn!”

Jenny gasped; her face paled, her expression stricken as though Heather had just pronounced her death sentence.

Brandon held up his glass. “Let’s make a toast to Jenny Landon, Heather’s maid of honor!” His other hand landed lightly on Jenny’s shoulder.

“I can’t do this,” Jenny said, her shaking voice barely a squeak. “I simply can’t do this!” She snatched her purse and bolted from the room.

A sudden hush fell upon the group.

Luke stared in shock as he watched Jenny run away, wondering what had just happened.

~*~

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