Showing posts with label contemporary romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary romance. Show all posts

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Buffalo Gal - #Friday56 and #Book Beginnings on Fridays


Buffalo Gal
What do a runaway bride and buffalo ranching have in common? And then there are the UFOs! You'll find out in Lisa Wanttaja's delightful romance novel, Buffalo Gal. I enjoyed the way the author made the North Dakota setting a part of the story (torrential rain, tornados), as well as her depiction of the heroine as a strong, independent woman. Lots of humor, too. Good writing.


Book Beginning:
PROLOGUE
Dr. Andrea Moore stared at the clock on her bedroom wall with rising terror. Two more hours and it would all be over. She'd be married.
     She tried to tell herself her nervousness was simply pre-wedding jitters. But she knew it was more than that.


Friday56 from 56% on my Kindle:
"It could be dangerous to stand in the way of our investigation. You don't understand what you're dealing with."

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 246 Pages
Where to Buy: Links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and More

Synopsis:



     On the morning of her wedding, veterinarian Andrea Moore knows she’s making a mistake. When she learns she’s won a buffalo ranch, she runs off to North Dakota but finds herself in the middle of what could be an even bigger mistake. The ranch she’s won is not only home to a herd of bison but also run by a man who can’t hide his hostility.
     Foreman Mike Winterhawk worked long and hard to buy the ranch himself, only to have it handed over to some contest winner. His focus needs to be on why the bison can’t bear calves instead of teaching this city slicker in ugly green cowboy boots how to run a ranch. He can only hope she’ll quickly realize she’s out of her league and hightail it back to Seattle.
     So, why is he so attracted to this intruder, and why does he feel she might be the one who can help him turn White Thunder Ranch around?


              


Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Friday, November 18, 2016

Enumclaw Wine Walk Winner

It's so much fun to give away a book! During last week's Enumclaw Wine Walk, I teamed up with authors #Kelly Marshall and Pam Johnson for a book signing.
We also had book giveaways. Lots of readers signed up. Today I put all the sign-up slips into a bag, shook it up, and chose ....

Marybeth Stern, winner of Bluebonnets for Elly!!

Your paperback copy is on the way to your home, Marybeth. Happy reading!



Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Songbird's Call - #TheFriday56 and #BookBeginnings on Friday

    If you're in the mood for a contemporary romance with a small-town California setting, you'll definitely enjoy The Songbird's Call. In this story, Rachael Herron creates likable, believable characters with real life problems. Molly, the protagonist, has ongoing issues with her weight. She's "the fat one" of the three sisters, and she's recovering from a bad relationship, one in which she suffered from verbal abuse. 
    This is Book 2 in the trilogy, but it stands alone. However, I'm looking forward to reading Books 1 and 3 so I can learn more about Molly's two sisters, who are an important part of this book.
FYI: The book contains a couple of scenes of explicit sex, but they are between loving adults and not gratuitous. The whole book is nicely written.

Book Beginning:
    At one time in her life, Molly had liked a good old-fashioned country dive bar as much as the next singer-songwriter. Every honky-tonk smelled a little different, but they shared the same notes of pine dust and good tequila, of cowboy aftershave made of bay run and cloves mixed with the scent of bitters and quinine. Each bar sounded the same, too - bottle caps snapping off, Hank Williams wailing on the jukebox, balls clacking on the pool table, men trying to impress women who were laughing and pretending to pay no attention. 
    Molly inhaled deeply and then wished she was back on the cruise ship.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
The band broke up shortly thereafter when their father died. They'd all lost their voices, and their way. Molly took away one thing: she wouldn't be forced into situations. 

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Length: 297 Pages
Amazon Link: The Songbird's Call (Book 2 in the Songbirds Trilogy)
Author Website: Rachael Herron

Synopsis from Amazon:
    Once Adele, Molly and Lana were The Darling Songbirds, a world-famous country band. Now they're just three sisters who barely speak. But that's about to change. 
    Middle sister Molly arrives in town, and is immediately drawn to the neglected little café where she worked as a teenager. Could she dare to bring it back to life? As lead singer, Molly had always been the voice of the band. But caught between controlling big sister Adele and demanding baby sister Lana, she never felt heard. If she's going to reopen the café, she'll do it on her own terms, no more being bossed. 
    So the last person she should fall for is the handsome Sheriff Colin McMurty - the man whose job it is to tell people exactly what to do. 

                


Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Kelly Marshall Interview

I'm over at Kelly Marshall's blog today, being interviewed. Stop by and say "hi." Comments are always appreciated.

Here's the link: Kelly Marshall News





Thursday, June 23, 2016

The Little French Guesthouse - #BookBeginnings on Friday and The #Friday56

    I just finished reading The Little French Guesthouse, and now I'm tempted to buy a ticket to France. How I'd love to spend a month in the French countryside and stay in a cozy guesthouse like the one described in Helen Pollard's well-written romance. My passport is ready! 
    Not only is this a romance, it's also a story about taking chances. The plot takes an unusual turn as Emmy becomes more than a pampered guest and ends up helping run the resort. Will the challenges thrust upon her cause her to reexamine her life?
    I enjoyed getting to know Pollard's characters and being immersed in the day-to-day operations of running a country retreat. I'm looking forward to reading more stories by this talented author, including this book's sequel, Return to the Little French Guesthouse.  

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Length: 344 Pages
Amazon Link: The Little French Guesthouse
Author Website: Helen Pollard Writes

Book Beginning:
     I wish I could tell you it happened like it does in the movies. You know the kind of thing. The heroine standing proud, oozing restrained fury. The audience's satisfaction as she delivers a reverberating slap across her lover's face. Her dramatic but dignified exit from the screen.
     Believe me, there was nothing dignified about it. All I did was stand there shaking, rage and adrenaline coursing through my body like rabid greyhounds, my mouth flapping open and shut as I tried to find the words. Any words.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
They weren't just fond of each other, or used to each other, or putting up with each other, or taking each other for granted. After thirty-five years, they were still in love.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
     Sun, croissants and fine wine. Nothing can spoil the perfect holiday. Or can it? 
     When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can’t wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they’ve barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner’s cougar wife. 
     Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible, and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine, heartbroken Emmy offers to help. Changing sheets in the gîtes will help keep her mind off her misery. 
     Thrust into the heart of the local community, Emmy suddenly finds herself surrounded by new friends. And with sizzling hot gardener Ryan and the infuriating (if gorgeous) accountant Alain providing welcome distractions, Nathan is fast becoming a distant memory. 
     Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, feeding the hens in the warm evening light; Emmy starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her friends, family, and everything she’s ever worked for, to take a chance on a place she fell for on holiday – wouldn’t it? 
     Fans of Jenny Colgan, Lucy Diamond and Nick Alexander will want to join Emmy for a glass of wine as the sun sets on the terrace at La Cour des Roses.


                

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Monday, June 6, 2016

La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink) - #TeaserTuesday and First Chapter / First Paragraph / Tuesday Intros

    La Vie en Rose is a book about friendship, love, sex, and courage. 
    The author does a great job of taking us deep inside her characters. The story opens in the middle of Riley's erotic dream and shows just how guys think. It's hilarious! Riley shares a home with his lesbian sister Rarity and her good friend Emma ("...the sweet quiet type that never got in the way....") who is ditched by her fiancé as she's planning their wedding. With this cast of characters, there are lots of opportunities for conflict and humor.
    As Riley is drawn into Emma's drama, their deepening relationship is portrayed beautifully. The sex scenes are explicit and delicious. When serious health problems arise, the strength of the friendship between Emma, Riley, and Rarity is demonstrated by their support for each other, and makes the story even more meaningful.
    La Vie en Rose is an enjoyable book with likable characters and a great plot. I recommend it.

Genre: Women's Fiction / Romance / New Adult
Book Length: 380 Pages
Amazon Link: La Vie en Rose
Author Website: Lydia Michaels

First Paragraph:
     Riley's lips twitched as soft ebony curls ghosted over his bare stomach, lower and lower, tickling his hips and teasing that tight strip of flesh just below his bellybutton. A deep, satisfied growl rumbled in his chest like distant thunder as anticipation teetered on impatience - but it was a good, burning sort of anticipation. Holy fuck, was it good. Stretching, he gave Curls the access she needed and -

Teaser (from 13% on my Kindle):
[Emma has asked Riley to fix her up with one of his friends. He's explaining why he doesn't want to.]
"They're my guy friends. Their credentials include an ability to provide beer, remark judiciously about superior tits and ass, have access to sports channels, and being available to do nothing at a moments notice."

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
    Emma Sanders has always dreamt of being a bride, wearing fancy gowns, pretty pearls, and—of course—falling madly in love. Then life happened. Finding herself one fiancé short of her happily ever after, she leaves the fairytales behind. Some days are simply too perilous for pink gowns and pearls.
    Riley Lockhart is the sort of man who can make a woman lower her gaze with only a smile. That he doesn’t realize his charm makes him all the more enchanting. Determined to save Emma the pain of her breakup, he steps in as a friend, but soon finds himself wanting more.
    She was just a girl, but she somehow winds up being the strongest woman he’s ever known. Losing her is not an option and when life can’t be tied neatly in a pretty little bow, he holds tight to all that he loves—his Emma. His hero.
    Sometimes the greatest scars are worn on the inside.
 



Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Jenn of Books and A Beat. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.



Twitter: @SandyNachlinger

Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

"Are We There Yet?" - Smart Girls Read Romance


I'm over at Smart Girls Read Romance today for my once-a-month blog post. This time I'm writing about my self-publishing experience with Bluebonnets for Elly.

Stop by and say "hi." Here's the link:
"Are We There Yet?"


Thursday, March 17, 2016

ELLY'S BACK ... and Better Than Ever

Bluebonnets for Elly is back... and better than ever. After my publisher went out of business, I reissued the book with a new cover and tweaked the story. 

You can find this Texas romance on Amazon in ebook versions (only $3.99) and in paperback.

Here's the link:
BLUEBONNETS FOR ELLY

Monday, March 14, 2016

Griff Montgomery, Quarterback - Teaser Tuesday and First Chapter / First Paragraph

     You've gotta love a story where the hero and heroine are brought together by a lovable pug! That's what happens in Griff Montgomery, Quarterback, by Jean C. Joachim. 
     I enjoyed the way Jean includes so many details about Griff's life as a pro football player - working out with his teammates, dealing with life on the road, concern over the new guy taking his place. Jean even takes us to a couple of football games and describes some of the action. She has obviously done a lot of research. Even though Griff is a movie-star handsome football hero, he is also someone readers can relate to. Both he and Lauren seem real. 
     This is the first sports-related romance I've read and it won't be the last. I'm looking forward to getting to know all the players on Griff's team through more entertaining stories from Jean Joachim.
     FYI: Griff Montgomery, Quarterback, is Book 1 in the First & Ten Series; however, each book in this series stands alone. I listened to the book via Amazon's Audible - an enjoyable experience and my first time to try Audible.

First Paragraph(s):
     Griff picked up the last dinner plate and drew back his arm to hurl it against the wall when the doorbell interrupted him. It was the police. Two officers stood on his front step.
     "Mr. Montgomery. We had a complaint about noise coming from here. Caller said it sounded like a fight." The policeman looked apologetic. "Your family still here?"
     "They moved to California two days ago."
     "Mind telling us what's going on?" The cop shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable.
     "I dropped a stack of dishes. Made a huge mess, too. Would you like to come in, officer?" Griff stepped away from the door.
     "No, sir. I'll take your word for it. Would you mind signing an autograph for my boy, Billy?"
    "Not at all." Griff wrote on the paper the policeman provided. Then he smiled as the two men tipped their caps and returned to the squad car.
     Pays to be a celebrity in a small town.

Teaser From 2:22 on my audio book:
(Griff is talking with his teammate):
(Griff) "She's my landlord, not my girlfriend."
(Buddy) "So that means you struck out, right?"

Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary
Book Length: 298 Pages / 7 Hours Listening Time
Amazon Link: Griff Montgomery, Quarterback
Author Website: Jean C. Joachim

Synopsis:
     Two people, two tragedies, two deep, devastating secrets…. Griff Montgomery is the headline-making, heart-breaking star quarterback of the Kings – a 6’4”, 33 year old womanizer. Lauren Farraday is a beautiful young interior designer, bitterly scarred by divorce, whose life is falling apart. Though they violently oppose one another in court over her beloved pug (she thinks he’s arrogant and conceited, and he thinks she’s a bitch on wheels), something happens.... 
     These are the bare bones of this sizzling romance, riddled with passion -- the first in a brand new series that’ll tantalize football fans and have readers glued to every page and on the edge of their seats! 
     Griff looks like a super hero with his tousled, mahogany hair, dazzling smile, dark, sexy eyes, and a body that does something indescribable to a tight pair of jeans. Though Lauren’s sworn off men forever, one look sends shivers down her spine, making her feel lonelier than ever before. Her lustrous, long hair, sparkling green eyes, and nonstop curves make his fingers tingle at the thought of touching her. How do they deal with their cataclysmic attraction? Will they be able to drop their protective facades – his to camouflage his grief over his sister and her family, for whom he was a surrogate father, moving 3000 miles away…. And hers to shield her from the incalculable loss of her husband and hoped for child? 
     For Griff, the thought of falling in love is as foreign as toe shoes and a tutu. For Lauren, it’s like putting on cleats and a helmet and running 50 yards…. Can they, will they, risk it? Get GRIFF – and find out! 
CAUTION: Book contains locker room language.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Jenn of Books and A Beat. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.



Thursday, February 25, 2016

Watercolors in the Rain - Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56

     An established artist meets and falls in love with a talented novice, but the timing is all wrong. Can soulmates reunite or will they have to be satisfied with memories?
     Author Kay Springsteen has created an engrossing tale of two artists in Watercolors in the Rain. Her artistic "word pictures" are detailed and fascinating and add color and depth to this romantic story. The author must be an artist herself! I'm including one example of her descriptive writing in today's Friday 56. 

Book Beginning:
"Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination." - Voltaire
Chapter One
     Heaving a dramatic sigh her mother would be proud of, Eve stood at the base of the concrete steps and studied the ancient building currently known as Sinclair Galleries. Gargoyles stared back at her from the roof. She squinted up at the closest one, an ugly sucker with a downturned mouth and jagged teeth - had the serpent caught in its talons just writhed?

The Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
     Focusing on his painting, he picked up his palette and brush and began touchups on the lilacs at the edge of the canvas. He dragged the brush through the umber, loading one side of the bristles, and then added a stem. Twirling the brush across the canvas so umber blended seamlessly into forest green, he added a leaf.

Genre: Contemporary Romance (Adult content)
Book Length: 411 Pages
Amazon Link: Watercolors in the Rain
Author Website: Kay Springsteen - The Romance of Your Life
FYI: I have previously featured The 13 of Hearts by this same author HERE

Synopsis:
     When graphic designer Eve St. Aubin walks into an art exhibit and finds herself in a heated kiss with world renowned artist Kyle Sebastian, her memories whisk her back to the summer they’d shared five years earlier. He’d been her mentor in more ways than one… until he left without a word. Now she has nothing to say to him… or at least that’s what she keeps telling herself. 
     When he met Eve, Kyle’s career had been in the tank. Lighting the fuse on her talent had rekindled his own artistic ability. Loving her, watching her blossom as a woman had inspired him to new heights. He'd had to let her go back then, but he always knew he'd see her again. Now that he has, he's not prepared for the edgy woman she’s become, nor did he expect he'd still be in love with her. 
     When explanations aren’t that simple, and no common ground seems to be had, how will they overcome their past to create a future? Or can they?


                


Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Monday, November 2, 2015

Emma Knows All - Teaser Tuesday & First Chapter / First Paragraph / Tuesday Intros

I've just started reading this story, and it's entertaining so far. There's great tension between Emma and Colin. She's known as Dr. Emma, and she gives advice about romance on the radio. Colin is a psychologist who seems to be more comfortable working with theories than with actual people.

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros:
Here's the opening:
     "It's devastating, doctor. I can't get over it. I've tried I don't know how many times, but ... I keep failing."
     "It's okay." Em's voice was soothing. "Everyone fails sometimes. It's a part of life, Louisa. You have to keep that in mind, and you can't constantly beat yourself up over it."
     "But I feel like it's all my fault!"

Teaser Tuesday (from 56% on my Kindle):
(Colin is stating his opinion about what blind attraction does to people.)
"...It washes away every sense of self, every shred of common sense. It leaves them an empty shell, or embitters them to the lowest levels, once they're rejected."

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Contemporary
Amazon link: Emma Knows All
Length: 202 Pages
Author Blog: Laura Briggs / Sarah Burgess

Synopsis:
     A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s EMMA with shades of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. 
     Emma Benton—known as ‘Doctor Emma’—has a knack for advising the lovelorn and lonely on her radio show Heart Therapy. Em’s sympathetic manner and spot-on instincts provide the perfect answers, or so claims her boyfriend, the handsome and clever psychologist Frank, her producer Isabel, and her ever-expanding audience of listeners. 
     But Doctor Colin Ferris disagrees. During a guest segment on Em’s show, he challenges her advice on the air and offends her personally in their brief exchanges. Rude and pretentious, he’s the last person Em would imagine as the author of a best-selling guide on being a gentleman in modern times. He’s also the last person she would choose to work with—but Fate makes that decision before Em can avoid it. 
     In her worst PR nightmare ever, Em finds herself paired with Colin in a reality show quest to help a romantically-challenged young woman. Shy, awkward Harriet Smith needs more than just a little advice, but can two people so vastly different in their opinions really help her? As Em struggles to find common ground with Colin, she learns there’s more to him than meets the eye…and maybe more between them than opposing ideas about love. 


Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!




First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Seeing You Again - Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56

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     Is a red sequined dress enough to catch a husband's attention? In this short and sweet romance, Joselyn Vaughn introduces us to a couple whose marriage has lost its sizzle. But an evening with a bunch of zany senior citizens may shake things up.
     I enjoyed this story on many levels. First of all, the hero and heroine seem like real people, and they have real love for one another. They just happen to be in a slump! I also like the inclusion of men and women from the retirement home. They add humor to the story and show that just because you've grown older doesn't mean you don't know how to have fun.

Genre: Sweet Romance
Book Length: 50 Pages
Amazon Link: Seeing You Again
Author's Blog: "Romance With a Case of the Giggles"

Book Beginning:
Chaperoning? His wife didn't know him at all. Sam flicked a speck of dust off the charcoal suit hanging from the bathroom door. He could be settled in his easy chair with a bowl of popcorn and a college football game on the television instead of stuffed into his Sunday suit, making sure his mother didn't take another ride in a police car.

The Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
One cup of punch laced with tequila, and he was as befuddled as if he had consumed half the bowl. A sequined silhouette appeared in his imagination, and he realized she was more than likely the source of his befuddlement.

Synopsis:
After twenty-five years with Sam, their lives revolving in circles that barely touched let alone overlapped, was it time Margie consigned their marriage to an album of faded photographs? The Christmas ball at her mother-in-law's retirement home would either be the final straw for their failing marriage or the perfect chance to reignite the old flame. Can the happy-go-lucky shenanigans of the retirement community remind Margie and Sam that falling in love has no age limit?
                 

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Key to Love - Friday 56 & Book Beginnings

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I enjoyed Key to Love for so many reasons: engaging plot, realistic characters, great description. This story has plenty of conflict and is much more than boy-meets-girl. There's suspicion that the death of Lucas Fisher's brother wasn't an accident. His will hasn't been found, and custody of his orphaned child is up in the air. There's also $100,000 missing. Elise Springer  has come to her hometown to help her injured father, but decisions she makes will affect her career as an architect back in San Francisco and her future with Lucas. This story examines the choices that can change a person's life.

Book Beginning:
     Scranton Wilkes-Barre International Airport was doing a brisk business for a Monday afternoon when Lucas Fisher arrived late because of heavy traffic on Interstate 81. He scanned the electronic arrivals board and instantly realized the early arrival of the San Francisco flight via a Detroit connection and his own tardiness meant one thing. He had already lost Elise Springer, sister of his best friend, Fritz. He'd bet all the money in his wallet she was impatiently wandering around the airport in search of him. Now he'd have to track her down or have her paged. Lucas sighed. He should have never washed his cell phone.

Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):

     Decked out in a Death Valley theme, the hangout held everything from cactuses to cattle skulls, obviously all plastic renditions. The bar's motley group of patrons consisted of bikers in black leathers with chain wallets and colorful tattoos, second-shift factory workers with no homing instincts, and young couples either fond of the kaleidoscopic atmosphere or in love with the western two-step.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: 326 Pages
Amazon Link: Key to Love
Website: Judy Ann Davis

Synopsis:
     When architect Elise Springer's father is injured, she immediately leaves San Francisco to care for him. The last person she expects to encounter in her Pennsylvania hometown is her childhood friend Lucas Fisher. Lucas is investigating his brother's mysterious death, and Elise can't resist lending a hand. 
     Lucas longs for the close family ties he never had. He's back in Scranton to set up a classic car restoration business and build a future. The torch he carries for Elise burns brighter than ever, but before he can declare his love, he must obtain the legal rights to adopt his nephew--and prove his brother's death was no accident. 
     As they unearth clues to find the murderer and a missing stash of money, Elise faces a dilemma. Is her career on the West Coast the key to her happiness, or is it an animal-cracker-eating four-year-old and his handsome uncle instead?


                 

Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

Monday, June 8, 2015

The Chair - First Paragraph / First Chapter and Teaser Tuesday

     In a departure from her usual sexy murder mysteries, Kelly Marshall (with Larry Flanders) has created a love story in The Chair. The main character, Linda Bauman, has an unusual passion--highchairs! This fascination is tied to her parents' deaths when she was an infant. But now a man has surfaced who claims to be her father. Linda also must choose between the quiet relationship with widower Paul Bixby and an affair with her volatile boss.
     Kelly Marshall shows her writing versatility in this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First Paragraph:
     When someone asks me how Linda and I got to know each other, I usually answer, "Highchairs." Ours was not what you would call a torrid romance. To the contrary, the relationship was almost platonic. Linda and I were comfortable together, relaxed, under no stress, neither of us inclined to go along with what everyone else might have considered a good relationship for two middle-aged people. Sexual intimacy was never a big issue, which is not to say that I didn't find Linda incredibly stunning. And, though some would have said I was past my prime, I wasn't ready to be cremated and have my ashes scattered over the Trout River. Those were the instructions I used to give my wife Gretchen.

Teaser (from 21% on my Kindle) (Linda searches through newspaper archives to find out more about her parents):
My stomach roiled as I read the account of my mother's death. The article detailed how a close friend, Sandra Hardesty, had found my mother's bludgeoned body on the bedroom floor; her head haloed in blood. The friend testified how she had been drawn inside the house by a child's unrelenting terrified screams.

Genre: Women's Fiction / Romance
Length: 133 Pages
Amazon Link: The Chair
Author Website: Kelly Marshall Books

Interview with Kelly about The Chair:


Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!
Link at ADailyRhythm.com





First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.
Link at Bibliophile By The Sea



Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger