Let me tease you with another MFRWHook from But the Heart Does, the latest instalment in the Alinta Bay series. This story is filled with romance, and second chances
Enjoy ♥♥
This week’s Hook…
He shrugged. “I suppose if you’re into that kind of music.”
Maddie looked up at the ceiling, taking deep breaths this time to calm herself. His response had triggered a hint of irritation. Why had he mentioned the song in the first place? She closed her eyes, attempting to distract her mind from the current situation she was in. She was going stir-crazy.
“Okay,” she blurted out. “I can’t handle the silence anymore. I’m struggling a bit here. Tell me, I can hear an accent. New Zealand.”
He cocked a brow.
“Well, it’s there, but at the same time, it’s not.”
A soft chuckle escaped Jonah’s lips, and despite her attempts to ignore it, she had to admit it affected the very core of her body. Everything was on alert. She found herself studying him under the dim lighting. It hadn’t been a lie when she described him as a nice specimen of a man, because he really was. His dark hair was cut extremely short, slightly longer at the top, where his aviator glasses sat. And good Lord, his T-shirt fit snugly against his body, especially across his chest, outlining a well-defined set of pecs. His black jeans very nicely traced every contour of his strong legs. His amber eyes held a glimmer of amusement in the semi-darkness, and his composed posture suggested the situation didn’t affect him nearly as much as it did her. She played with the mobile phone in her hand. “I won’t shut up, you know, because I’m starting to struggle a little here.”
Blurb
In an unexpected encounter, the lives of Jonah, a rescue diver from New Zealand, and Maddie, a spirited local, collide, forever altering their future.
Trapped together in a hotel lift, sparks fly between them, but Jonah’s past looms, casting a shadow over their fragile connection. Maddie, captivated by Jonah’s charisma, is determined to find him when he mysteriously misses their planned dinner. With a friend’s assistance, her search unveils a chilling discovery – Jonah unconscious on a cliff.
Navigating a sea of emotions, in order to find a future together, will Maddie and Jonah manage the challenges posed by their past secrets and present obstacles?
Hi everyone ♥ Let me tease you today with another snippet from the second book for the series TELL IT TO MY HEART, Noah’s story. All the books in the series are available on KU. Book #1 is only 99c
♥ ENJOY ♥
Today’s Snippet
Her face lightened straight away. “She was lovely — as you know. I don’t think it took her more than twenty-four hours until she came to visit me with a big basket full of scones after I’d moved in.”
“When did you move in?”
“About a year ago.”
“Why?”
She looked up at him, a blank expression on her face as if she didn’t know what he meant with the question.
“Usually, people move here when they retire. Or families come here for a tree change. What about you?”
She wasn’t more forthcoming with her next answer either. “Tree change.”
“Single, I assume, and you move to this forsaken town for a tree change?”
“It’s beautiful here,” she explained. “I always wanted to live near the beach, and I love sitting on the front deck staring across the water. It makes me content.”
He considered her to be in her late twenties. Early thirties at the very most. Single. Well, as far as he knew. The fact that she’d moved to a small town, away from the main cities, was still a puzzle.
Blurb
Confronted with the choice to care for his friend’s family on the other side of the world or to return to Alinta Bay to be with his own newfound family, how will Noah choose?
Following the death of his grandmother, Noah Fielding returns to Alinta Bay and the first thing — or person — he finds is the next-door neighbour in his nan’s bathroom — naked no less. Still jetlagged, he doesn’t hit it off with Molly at first. Yet, over the next few weeks, as his past uncovers itself bit by bit, she becomes is anchor, his friend, and his lover.
Let me tease you with another MFRWHook from But the Heart Does, the latest instalment in the Alinta Bay series. This story is filled with romance, and second chances
Enjoy ♥♥
This week’s Hook…
He choked back a snort, but she had no idea why. For some reason, she found it difficult to read him, even though she was going to be stuck with him in this confined space for the next half hour. Then again, did it really matter? This was reality, not a movie, and chances were, she wouldn’t see him again.
“The connection,” he finally clarified.
“Mandinka is a tribe in Africa. Dad did his final studies on them at university.”
“I have to admit I’ve never heard of them. But to be fair, I wouldn’t have much of a clue when it comes to African tribes. Sorry.”
She tilted her head, studying him. He was indeed a fine specimen of an adult. Very fine. With a bit of an accent and oddly honest.
“I don’t know much about them, either,” she confessed. “Just that I’m named after them. But,” she said and flashed him a smile, “the song is great too.”
Blurb
In an unexpected encounter, the lives of Jonah, a rescue diver from New Zealand, and Maddie, a spirited local, collide, forever altering their future.
Trapped together in a hotel lift, sparks fly between them, but Jonah’s past looms, casting a shadow over their fragile connection. Maddie, captivated by Jonah’s charisma, is determined to find him when he mysteriously misses their planned dinner. With a friend’s assistance, her search unveils a chilling discovery – Jonah unconscious on a cliff.
Navigating a sea of emotions, in order to find a future together, will Maddie and Jonah manage the challenges posed by their past secrets and present obstacles?
Hi everyone ♥ Let me tease you today with another snippet from the second book for the series TELL IT TO MY HEART, Noah’s story. All the books in the series are available on KU. Book #1 is only 99c
♥ ENJOY ♥
Today’s Snippet
He stepped into the kitchen and placed the bags onto the bench. First, though, he tried to get the old radio going before unpacking all the plastic bags. As he gathered the frying pan and started cooking the bacon and eggs, he thought of the girl behind the checkout. No, she wasn’t his type, but he thought he remembered her from school. Lauren was her name. Or Laura? Leila? She’d been one of the few girls at school who’d been very kind to him. At least some of the time. He rubbed his chest to ease the pain of a stabbing sensation while reminiscing his younger years emerged again. He’d been tempted to say hello but wanted to keep his presence in town quiet for a little while longer.
“Hi.”
His head jerked up to look at Molly. Her heavy makeup didn’t go with her casual clothes. Was she hiding something? Was it to cover the scar? But why?
“Thanks again for letting me stay here. I do appreciate it.”
His mouth pulled into a smile. “No problems at all.” He served up two plates and placed them on the table where Molly had already laid out some cutlery. As they sat, he inquired, “Tell me a bit about Grandma.”
Blurb
Confronted with the choice to care for his friend’s family on the other side of the world or to return to Alinta Bay to be with his own newfound family, how will Noah choose?
Following the death of his grandmother, Noah Fielding returns to Alinta Bay and the first thing — or person — he finds is the next-door neighbour in his nan’s bathroom — naked no less. Still jetlagged, he doesn’t hit it off with Molly at first. Yet, over the next few weeks, as his past uncovers itself bit by bit, she becomes is anchor, his friend, and his lover.
It’s time to choose herself for once… too bad fate has other plans.
Hazel hoped she’d found her forever with Marcus. Even though their love is a secret, she always held out hope that one day, they’d share something real. But when his ex, Zoe, returns to town, all bets are off. Hazel has no choice but to end things with him, once and for all. As she begins to pick up the pieces of her life, she makes a startling discovery—she’s pregnant. What’s worse? Marcus reappears with a shocking proposal: marry him in secret.
Torn between the man she longs to love and the future she wants for her unborn child and herself, Hazel is swept into a world she neither wanted nor imagined, one where jealousy, betrayal, and scandal reign supreme. Every stolen glance, every confrontation, every heartbreak brings her closer to her truth—and further from the life she once imagined.
EXCERPT ONE (PG rated):
The day after our first kiss we became friends with benefits, an epic way for things to turn out… or so I thought. When sleeping with him wasn’t enough any longer, I stupidly hoped for more and am still waiting for it.
“So, Marcus…” Oscar’s voice sounds from the living room. “Now that Zoe’s coming back— Hold on. Forgot to ask. Is there anyone else in your life? A babe you love?”
Fool that I am, I hope for the best and hold my breath as I wait for Marcus’s answer.
Marcus takes so long to speak, my lungs burn, wanting air, and my spirits start to sink.
Come on, say something… anything… even if it hurts me.
I don’t want that, but I’m tired of him playing with my emotions.
Someone clears their throat.
Marcus?
“Don’t you have a lovelife of your own, Oscar? Why are you so interested in mine with Zoe or anyone else?”
“I’m not.”
Cory jumps in. “I’d like to know. How about you, Dan?”
“Sure.”
Rafe laughs. “Count me in as one of the curious.”
“You’re worse than tween girls.” Marcus belches. “For your information, I’m not in love with anyone. Okay?”
I sink to the floor and swallow repeatedly, my face burning, heart pounding.
There it is, the truth finally.
By keeping me a secret all these years and being casual about things that mattered to me, Marcus was saying without words how he felt. I’m the one at fault for refusing to accept reality.
I’ve little choice now except to face what I knew all along.
Marcus will never love me.
I’ll never be Zoe.
Curled in a fetal position on the floor, I tell myself I should at least sleep in Marcus’s bed.
I haven’t the strength to walk or crawl that far, nor do I want to smell his scent on the sheets. If I do, I might rationalize what I just heard, telling myself he’ll come to his senses and will love me someday.
Sure.
He and Zoe will likely have a houseful of kids before that point. I’ll have to wait for her funeral, when she’s in her nineties, before Marcus gives me his undivided attention.
But never his love.
He’s stingy with that like his parents are when it comes to their tenderness for him.
I’m simply experiencing the fallout from his upbringing, even though Zoe doesn’t.
With her, I bet he’s attentive, loving, and doesn’t forget anything she says or does, her likes and dislikes the script he lives by.
Lucky her.
Stupid me.
To hell with them both.
I’m done.
About Tina:
Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly,Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.
Let me tease you with another MFRWHook from But the Heart Does, the latest instalment in the Alinta Bay series. This story is filled with romance, and second chances
Enjoy ♥♥
This week’s Hook…
“No signal?”
She shook her head and slid back down into a seated position.
And so did he. “So, Mandinka. Named after the eighties hit?”
* * * *
Maddie let out a drawn-out sigh. The comment about her name had followed her for most of her life, especially from her parents’ generation. Yet, it was strange though from someone her own age. She did like her name; after all, her parents had put a lot of thought into it. However, they probably had never even considered the song with the same title.
Meeting his gaze, she began, “No. My dad was into ethnology.” His blank stare told her he had no idea what she was referring to. “Which part is tripping you up? Ethnology or the connection to the name?”
Blurb
In an unexpected encounter, the lives of Jonah, a rescue diver from New Zealand, and Maddie, a spirited local, collide, forever altering their future.
Trapped together in a hotel lift, sparks fly between them, but Jonah’s past looms, casting a shadow over their fragile connection. Maddie, captivated by Jonah’s charisma, is determined to find him when he mysteriously misses their planned dinner. With a friend’s assistance, her search unveils a chilling discovery – Jonah unconscious on a cliff.
Navigating a sea of emotions, in order to find a future together, will Maddie and Jonah manage the challenges posed by their past secrets and present obstacles?
Hi everyone ♥ Let me tease you today with another snippet from the second book for the series TELL IT TO MY HEART, Noah’s story. All the books in the series are available on KU. Book #1 is only 99c
♥ ENJOY ♥
Today’s Snippet
The current situation, however, was a necessity, and he’d make sure to see it that way. Not that he was interested in her anyway. He liked his women blonde and tall.
Yet, something about Molly intrigued him, drew him in, and it bugged the hell out of him that he wasn’t able to figure out what it was.
“Molly?”
Her head popped around the corner from his old bedroom, looking at him. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stand the smell in the house much longer.”
He nodded. “No problems. I’ll be in the kitchen starting the breakfast.” Then paused for a moment. “Will you take that room?”
A worried expression spread across her face. “Will that be okay?”
He choked back a chuckle. “Yup. I’m not that eager to move back into my old bedroom. I’ll take Grandma’s craft room.”
“What about the master bedroom?”
“There’s no way in hell I’ll sleep in the same bed as my grandmother did for over half a century.”
He heard her laugh as he disappeared into the kitchen.
“She bought the bed only a few months ago,” she shouted from down the hall.
Still didn’t convince him. The thought of staying in his grandmother’s room, whether it would be the old or a new bed, gave him hives.
Blurb
Confronted with the choice to care for his friend’s family on the other side of the world or to return to Alinta Bay to be with his own newfound family, how will Noah choose?
Following the death of his grandmother, Noah Fielding returns to Alinta Bay and the first thing — or person — he finds is the next-door neighbour in his nan’s bathroom — naked no less. Still jetlagged, he doesn’t hit it off with Molly at first. Yet, over the next few weeks, as his past uncovers itself bit by bit, she becomes is anchor, his friend, and his lover.
Molly Reid had the world at her feet, happily married with a young son … until a tragic car accident took everything away from her. With her heart broken, she moves to Alinta Bay to escape the memories of the past. Her peaceful existence, however, is interrupted after a heavy storm floods her house and she temporarily moves into her recently deceased neighbour’s house next door.
When Noah’s friend and partner goes missing during a routine flight, Noah returns to Alaska to help, but will he come back for Molly?
