#NewRelease “Prophesies and Promises” by Alana Lorens #sweetromance #pirates #MFRWAuthor

PROPHECIES AND PROMISES
by Alana Lorens

Tag Lines: When the ‘good’ man is bad, and the ‘bad’ man is good, how’s a young woman to choose?

Buy Links:
ebook available on Amazon
Paperback available on Amazon
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The Wild Rose Press

Blurb: 
Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her? 

Mercenary captain Drake Ashton is neck deep in preparations for the Spanish-American War, running guns and other supplies to Cuban natives who want out from under their Spanish masters. He and his brother Freddie risk their lives daily, focused on saving his friends on the island. Nothing else matters but his mission.

A chance encounter with a spiny sea urchin brings the two together, and neither of their lives will ever be the same again.

Excerpt
The wine would go straight to her head soon, she knew from previous, infrequent consumption, so she must sip it slowly. One of them had to keep their wits.

She felt the curious eyes of the crew, some shy, others bolder in their observation. Tamsyn smiled at them all. One broad, bullish man came forward with a blanket, which he spread on the deck. Drake clapped the man on the shoulder.

“Good thinking, Chaney. A picnic it will be!” He gestured to Tamsyn that she should seat herself, which she did without hesitation.

Within a few minutes, trays of food came up from belowdecks, chicken spit broiled with crispy skins, fruits and cheeses, Bahamian bread with a thick slab of butter. The men vied for the opportunity to serve her until Drake finally dismissed them with a laugh.

“Cook has enough for all below. Go take your supper. We may have some business awaiting us yet tonight.”

The men cheered and noisily went down to eat. The skinny cabin boy remained to serve his captain. Drake saw that the boy got a plate of food, then sent him away. “A few moments alone,” he whispered conspiratorially.

“Just a few,” she said with a sad smile. “Then I must—”

Drake held up a finger, silencing her. “Not a word of that now.”

Tamsyn started to argue, then realized he would just cut her off again. It was right. What might happen in a minute, in an hour, would not be changed if she took the time to immerse herself in the joy and comfort of this time with Drake.

The food smelled so good in the fresh night air, and Drake urged her to taste everything, from sweet melons to spicy chicken. It was simple fare, but it satisfied her more than any of the expensive delicacies that had been served at the Pickhams’ buffet. Surely it is the company which has improved my appetite. Drake’s dark eyes danced in the moonlight, and he often turned to her with a smile, perhaps wanting to say something but reluctant to break the spell they seemed to be under.

But not yet, Mamma, not yet…Can you see me, Mamma? Tamsyn wondered silently. Can you see how happy I am?

####

He said, “An old Cuban woman taught me one evening as we sat around a fire at a rebel camp, drums beating in the distance, smoke in the air. She leaned close to me and took my hand, just as I’m holding yours now, and told me my future, showing me how the lines of my palm intersected and moved apart.” He examined her face, more serious. “I never believed a word until now.”

Tamsyn was thoroughly intrigued, her curious streak in high gear. “What did she say?”

“She told me a time would come when a young woman would rescue me. That woman, she said, would be…” He stared at her, intently watching her face.

His deep gaze hypnotized her. She could almost smell the camp smoke, so taken was she. “Would be what?”

“Would be—” He shook his head. “It’s not important. Something about love.”

Tamsyn pulled her hand back sharply. “I’m sure it had nothing to do with me, then.” She turned and walked away in the direction of her carriage. But she lost one of her sandals in a sudden rush of water and stepped hard onto white coral rock. “Ow!”

“Allow me,” he said behind her. Before she could argue, he scooped her up in his arms. As she protested, he replied, “I told you I was in your debt. Please permit me to repay you.” Ashton’s boots easily traversed the rocks, his arms strong around her. He smelled of salt water and the ocean breeze, and she felt gentleness within him as he carried her.

It would be better if Drake was happy for Tamsyn’s good fortune. She’d not want for anything material as the wife of Winslow—no doubt, a beautiful house and gardens, a fine carriage, a husband whose future was financially secure.

His own fortunes lay along a much different path.

If Drake were to be caught by the Spaniards, it wasn’t likely he’d live to be tried for the crime back on the mainland. The Spanish were known for their quick tempers and sharp swords. The mercenary trade paid him well, for now, and if the buzzing rumors he’d heard on the Pickham veranda were true, war would come within the year. Guns were a prime commodity in time of war. He always carried rum when he returned from the islands, of course, and sugar and tropical fruits, to cover his real motives. He had not been interdicted yet. As young men often did, he played the odds and planned to beat them.

For the first time, however, that focus was shaken by thoughts of this woman.

What distinguished Tamsyn MacKiernan from the other women he’d met in a hundred different ports? Drake couldn’t put his finger on it. He just knew she appealed to his heart in a way that possessed him. She held an intriguing blend of strength and vulnerability, stomach ironclad in the face of blood yet timid as a lost waif left alone in the midst of the ball. He wanted to know her better.

But she was to be married. Even if he had been able to marry her, even though he had a proper home with a hired woman to maintain it, it was nothing compared with the empire Winslow would command in a few years. Drake knew he had no business thinking Tamsyn might prefer a lonely pirate to the golden boy.

Damnation!

Author Bio
Alana Lorens has been a published writer for more than forty years. Currently a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, the aging hippie loves her time in the smoky blue mountains. One of her novellas, THAT GIRL’S THE ONE I LOVE, is set in the city of Asheville during the old Bele Chere festival. She lives with her daughter on the autism spectrum, who is the youngest of her seven children, and she is ruled by three crotchety old cats, and six kittens of various ages.

Author Links
Website      http://Alana-lorens.com
Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/AlanaLorens/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4829967.Alana_Lorens
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alana-Lorens/e/B005GE0WBC
Bookbub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alana-lorens
Twitter:  @AlexanderLyndi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander_lyndi/

#SnippetSunday “My first flight as an adult.” #readerscommunity #WIP #MFRWAuthor

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Happy Sunday
Today’s snippet starts where we left off last week, Sadie’s reason for travelling to Germany …

ENJOY ♥

Today’s Snippet

“So this isn’t your first flight?”

I think about that question. Not that there’s much to think about it, because it’s obvious, it isn’t. But that was when I was ten years old. That’s over twenty years ago. That’s a long time and considering how much technology and air traffic has changed, I consider this one to be my first flight.

“My first flight as an adult.”

Toby chuckles and I enjoy the happy expression returning to his face.

“I honestly can’t remember much or anything at all. I suppose if I had remembered, I wouldn’t have gone again.”

“You wouldn’t have met me,” he says with a big grin plastered over his face.

“True,” I reply. “And we couldn’t have that, right?”

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DECISIVE MOMENTS
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#BookTour “The Masonville Series” by @JanaRichards

Strong Enough
The Masonville Series Book 4

by Jana Richards
Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance

Love can make you stronger, if you let it.

Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.

As they work together to help veterans suffering from PTSD and neglected dogs needing loving homes, their feelings for each other deepen. But when the trauma from Charlotte’s past roars back to life, both are forced to confront their painful histories—or die trying.

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Unexpected
The Masonville Series Book 3

Single dad Ben Greyson wants only to retain custody of his two stepdaughters. A dysfunctional childhood has made family the most important thing in his life. When his late wife’s parents sue for custody, a desperate Ben is left with two choices – run away with his girls or marry his next-door neighbor.
Jamie Garven wants to be a mother. She’s intrigued by her handsome new neighbor and falls in love with his little girls. Then Ben is faced with losing his children, and Jamie agrees to marry him for a chance at motherhood. They’re determined to show the world, and the girls’ grandparents, two loving parents.
Their marriage of convenience turns into unexpected love. But Ben interprets Jamie’s efforts to save their family as betrayal—they could lose everything, including each other.

**On Sale at Amazon for .99cents June 3 – 17!!**

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To Heal a Heart

The Masonville Series Book 2

Two souls in pain, two hearts in need of rescue.

Garrett Saunders’ world changed two years ago on a road in Afghanistan. Back home, he feels like a stranger. As he struggles to find his place in the world, he meets a horse destined for the slaughterhouse and a woman bent on rescuing the strays of the world, including him.

Blair Greyson moves to Masonville to look after her ailing grandfather and give her rescue horses a home. Right away she butts heads with a surly former Marine. Despite a rocky start, they come to an agreement: Blair will board Garrett’s rescue horse and he’ll help with repairs around her farm.

Garrett finds purpose working with Blair—and falls in love with her. But she’s hiding a secret. Can she forgive herself and accept Garrett’s love, or will she let guilt and regret continue to rule her life?

**On Sale at Amazon for .99cents May 20 – June 3!!**

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Child of Mine

The Masonville Series Book 1

Is Lauren’s love for Cole stronger than her fear of scandal in her hometown?

Lauren didn’t intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband’s funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she’s not sorry. Cole’s given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He’s been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she’s afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn’t his.

Cole’s been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother’s. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren’s heart ever be his?

Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?

**On Sale at Amazon for .99cents until May 20!!**

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When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.

In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg, Canada. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com

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Today’s another ‘hook’ from book 4 in the Alinta Bay series, which is set along the Great Ocean Road in Australia.
Enjoy ♥♥

This week’s hook …

TOUCH ME

by Iris Blobel

Both, Lexie and her daughter, stared at him. “How?” Lexie asked with suspicion in her voice.

He nodded, knowing he should’ve explained himself more. “The kangaroo is dead, but she has a little joey still alive inside her pouch.” Their faces relaxed and something like sympathy took over. “It’d be a great help, if Zoe could sit at the front with a few blankets and hold on to the little fella until we get to your car.”

The girl’s eyes beamed and her head bobbed up and down in excitement while she unbuckled her seat belt at the same time. He hoped this favour would break the awkward silence between them all while driving to their car.

“Will that be okay?” he asked Lexie.

“Absolutely,” she replied with a smile.

He wasn’t able to move aside fast enough for Zoe to swap to the front. With a chuckle, he stepped to the back of the car, opened the boot, and retrieved a few blankets which he handed to Zoe. Then he returned to the joey and carefully took him out of the pouch before placing him into the blankets on the girl’s lap.

“Keep him nice and warm,” he explained. “Joeys need lots of warmth.” She bobbed her head eagerly again as she carefully wrapped the little animal into the blankets. “He’s so tiny. Will he be okay?”

BLURB

She loves the feel of his skin beneath her hands …

Lexie Marshall packs up and moves 3,000 km east with her daughter Zoe, to forget and move on. Now, all that matters is her daughter and her new job. She tries hard to stay focussed, but the sexy and extremely kind park ranger, Jesse, is not making it easy. And when her husband shows up in the small coastal town creating chaos, all she can do is hang on and trust her new friends.

After his last girlfriend walked out on him, Jesse Parker is doing just fine on his own. Until his accidental meeting with single mother Lexie, when he rescues her and her daughter from getting lost in the forest. But when her past catches up with her, he is right in the middle of it all and it might ruin his career.

Will returning to her old life be the only chance to save his career?

Get your copy today !

#SnippetSunday “Wanna talk about it?” #romancereaders #WIP #MFRWAuthor

Interested in reviewing my upcoming new release? Or know someone who would?
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https://booksirens.com/book/CJPYSDY/YF3PQQ3

Happy Sunday
Today’s snippet starts where we left off last week, Sadie’s reason for travelling to Germany …

ENJOY ♥

Today’s Snippet

“Call me Matt.” He smiles and then lifts his right shoulder in a shrug. “Mum’s spent the last eight weeks in Germany. She’s very ill, so I’m going there to help her with her travels home.” He takes another sip of his coffee and I can’t stop thinking he’s trying hard to avoid eye contact.

“I had a few bad weeks at work so I’m heading over early,” he explains.

Still no eye contact. This is too deep for me and I feel awkward. Four hours is by far not enough to talk emotional stuff already.

He leans back and his handsome smile is back. “Sorry about that.”

I shrug. “It’s okay. Wanna talk about it?” I ask, remembering mum’s words about good manners, but deep down inside I hope he doesn’t.

Matt shakes his head. “Na, not really. After all, I wouldn’t like to ruin your holiday. Tell me about your grandma’s diary.”

There’s a bit of excitement at the thought of the diary. “I found it amongst my mother’s belonging. I never knew my grandma. I have some vague memories of talking to her on the phone, but in those days, it cost half a car to call someone in Germany. She died when I was ten. It was a big funeral back then and a bit overwhelming meeting everyone in Mum’s family.”

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#MFRWHooks “Is it dead?” #amreading #readingcommunity #Amazon

I’m back with more bookhooks. We’ve finally moved to our new house and are busy exploring the new neighbourhood – it’s just divine and hopefully an inspiration for many, many more books.
Today’s ‘hook’ is from book 4 in the Alinta Bay series, which is set along the Great Ocean Road in Australia.
Enjoy ♥♥

This week’s hook …

TOUCH ME

by Iris Blobel

Shaking his head, he knew straight away it was a hit and run incident, with the driver leaving without moving the animal. He slowed and parked in front of it.

“I’ll be a couple of minutes,” he explained, looking at Lexie via the mirror.

With a slow nod, she asked, “Is it dead?”

He swivelled in his seat to face her. “Put it this way. I hope it is, otherwise I might have to put it down.”

The expression on her face told him that she wasn’t fond of the idea either. Neither was he. In one quick movement, he turned, opened the door, and got out. It took him only a few steps to get to the kangaroo. The animal was dead all right, but when he stood right next to it, he looked right into his next problem.

A little joey was moving inside the pouch, still alive.

Jesse blew out a long breath as he rubbed his hands over his face. It wasn’t the first time that he’d found a dead kangaroo with the joey still alive, but that didn’t make it any easier. He knelt and inspected both mama and child. The little joey was looking good considering the situation. With a sense of frustration and sadness, he stood and returned to the car where he opened the door on Zoe’s side.

“I was hoping Zoe would be able to help me.”

BLURB

She loves the feel of his skin beneath her hands …

Lexie Marshall packs up and moves 3,000 km east with her daughter Zoe, to forget and move on. Now, all that matters is her daughter and her new job. She tries hard to stay focussed, but the sexy and extremely kind park ranger, Jesse, is not making it easy. And when her husband shows up in the small coastal town creating chaos, all she can do is hang on and trust her new friends.

After his last girlfriend walked out on him, Jesse Parker is doing just fine on his own. Until his accidental meeting with single mother Lexie, when he rescues her and her daughter from getting lost in the forest. But when her past catches up with her, he is right in the middle of it all and it might ruin his career.

Will returning to her old life be the only chance to save his career?

Get your copy today !

#SnippetSunday “… to find out about my grandparents.” #Sundayblog #MFRWAuthor

Interested in reviewing my upcoming new release? Or know someone who would?
Get your ARC here –>
https://booksirens.com/book/CJPYSDY/YF3PQQ3

Happy Sunday
I’m back with more snippets. We’ve finally moved to our new house and are now busy exploring the new neighbourhood – it’s just divine and hopefully an inspiration for many, many more books ♥
Today’s snippet starts where we left off a few weeks ago, Sadie’s reason for travelling to Germany …

ENJOY ♥

Today’s Snippet

“So, Sadie. What makes you go to Frankfurt?”

The waitress comes with my ice tea and I take a sip first before I reply nonchalantly, “Grandma’s diary.”

Before I realise what I’ve said, I look up and see his mouth has curled in a smile.

A small sigh escapes me as I appreciate that I can’t leave him hanging there without any further details.

“My Mum died a few weeks ago.”

I pause as I watch the expression on his face change, but also to let the brief moment of grief wash over me.

“Anyway, I found grandma’s old diary and while I was talking to my uncle after the funeral, he invited me over. Mainly to catch up with family, but also to find out about my grandparents. About mum’s childhood and such.”

I’m getting carried as usual when I talk about my mum away, so I stop.

“Sorry about your mum,” he replies quietly.

I nod and thank him, unable to say anything else. Tears are welling up and as Mathias has already seen the worst part of me, I don’t really want him to experience a sobbing me as well.

Letting out a long breath, I straighten up and ask, “What about you, Mathias? Why Frankfurt?”

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DECISIVE MOMENTS
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