Tag: New release

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. This is the start of Chapter 2, Mallory’s POV.

The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

A breeze embraced her, causing her (Mallory) to shiver. In the distance, mountains came into view, accompanied by the rugged sound of waves crashing against the shore. She used small stoppers to hold the doors open securely. Hugging her jacket even tighter, she stepped outside, releasing a melancholic sigh. Had she abandoned her former life for this? Had Maggie and Jacob been right with their caution after all?

She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing the memories of her mother’s gentle voice away. Yet, they came anyway. You’re strong. You can do anything you set your mind to.

She spun around at the sound of footsteps echoing through the house, followed by a woman’s voice calling, “Hello?”

Hastily wiping her eyes, Mallory followed the sound, wondering who would come to visit. The real estate agent had mentioned stopping by later in the afternoon to welcome her to her new house. Her house? The thought bounced in her mind, unfamiliar and strange. Could she even call it that yet?

She blew out a breath. “I’m over here. In the…” She glanced around the dusty room and gestured vaguely.

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. This is the start of Chapter 2, Mallory’s POV.

The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

When Mallory arrived in Anahera Bay earlier than expected, no one was there to greet her but a note on the door, welcoming and inviting her into the house. As she stepped inside, her excitement faded in an instant, replaced by utter devastation. Blinking back tears, she forced herself to focus on her surroundings. Dust lingered in the air, stirred by her every step, as she walked into the room straight ahead of her. The wallpaper, once floral, now faded and yellowed, clung to the walls. An old auburn coloured velvet sofa, worn thin in places and feeling rough against her fingers’ touch, sat lopsided in the middle of the room in front of a round coffee table, its legs uneven. The sideboard next to a mahogany shelf along the wall was of many bright colours and made her smile. But both were empty. She headed towards the French doors, cringing with each step on the creaking boards under her feet as though they might give up at any second. The sagging boards conveyed the age and neglect. She sneezed from the dust. Reaching the doors on the far side of the room, she gripped the brass handle and pushed. The door resisted, then creaked open with a reluctant groan.

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

Eyes wide, she asked, “What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He shook his head. “Sofia deserves better. She was too old to look after the house, and it’s been six months now since she passed. The house needs some serious cleaning. You should’ve at least done that.”

Lucy elbowed him into his arms. “You’re offering your services?”

He choked back a snort. “Nope.”

She sighed. “Work is crazy at the moment. I’m all over the place. Everyone is buying a house all of a sudden, and Amy’s busy with helping Troy in the hotel.” She gave him a bit of a nudge. “Please,” she begged.

“Nope.”

“Theoretically, it’s not my fault, but Sofia left it in a terrible state.”

“Theoretically, that is correct, but you modified the images you sent to her granddaughter.”

Lucy blew out a big breath. “I know it wasn’t perfect, but we needed her to come. It’s Sofia’s house. It needs to stay in the family.”

Cameron turned to meet her gaze. “Why?”

With a shrug, she said, “Because it’s Sofia’s granddaughter. I’m sure she’ll be just as much fun.”

“Sofia found out she had a granddaughter a year before she’d died. If she had wanted to meet her, she would’ve had enough time to do so.”

Lucy nodded. “But why add her into her will?”

Cameron shrugged and downed the rest of his beer before he stood. “Guilt for leaving her daughter behind? Either way, you meddled with it. You fix it yourself.”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

Buddy’s whining interrupted his thoughts, and Cameron laughed. “Sorry, mate, I keep forgetting that you don’t like the windy roads. Maybe I should’ve moved to Outback Australia instead?”

The day flew past, and he was even able to get Sofia’s house sorted for her granddaughter.

“Buddy, what do you think? How long will the girl stay here? A week or a month?”

The dog let out a bark, which made Cameron laugh. “Yeah, my sentiments exactly. I give her a week, not more.”

When he sat on his front verandah later in the evening, watching the sunset with a beer in hand, Lucy stopped by.

“What can I do for you, Lucy?” he greeted her.

Amusement crossed her face. “Hello to you, too.” She stepped onto the verandah and joined him on the double seater. Buddy nudged her with his nose, and after getting a friendly rub, he settled down next to Cameron. “Amy said she talked to you about—”

“All done. This girl will have power and water.” He took a sip of his beer. “You know you’re doing a pretty nasty thing to her, right?”

Eyes wide, she asked, “What do you mean?”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

I’m ba-ack ♥

We spent 4 weeks in lovely New Zealand and as always we had the best time! It was a well needed time-out after a terrible Winter. And even though I had the best intentions to just live the day, I did start another NZ story ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES, which is also set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

(You can find the previous hook to refresh your memory here)

He walked around the car and hopped in, making his way to Mr Henderson, the local pub owner, who wanted Cameron to check out his fence because of the recent night’s strong winds. Hoping the repair would be easy to fix so he’d have time afterwards to visit Sofia’s house to check the power and water.

He’d liked the old lady. Granted, she had been a bit eccentric, but honest and generous to the bone. She’d lived a rough life, and she’d worked hard for the money she’d made over the years, some of it possibly not always on the legal side of things, according to her without going into details. But she’d given back to the community as much as possible. Cameron had respected Sofia, and he felt a sense of duty to ensure her granddaughter’s welcome to Anahera Bay was as smooth as possible.

Sofia had been a strong woman who simply wanted to live a content and happy life until the very end, and she had achieved just that. Cameron fondly remembered the many dinners at her place, where she had also told him about Isabella, the daughter she had never known. What she hadn’t realised at the time was that she’d also had a granddaughter.

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

Her laughter faded into the distance, leaving him with a comfortable quiet again. Cameron leaned against his car, the wind tugging at his shirt, and despite himself, he let out a soft chuckle. Locals often described Amy as a force of nature, a storm to be reckoned with. Over time, he had learnt to appreciate her, especially her strong sense of community. In the early days after his move to Anahera Bay, she had kept asking him to fix or build something in her house, fuelling suspicions that there might be something else to it. However, he soon found out that her intentions had been purely platonic as she was happily married to Troy, the local hotel manager.

“Buddy, I think this town has enough women, don’t you?” he mused, prompting a whine from the collie as the dog settled on the seat.

“I wish I had your life,” Cameron said quietly, giving Buddy’s fur a scratch. “No troubles in the world. And you always have food in the bowl at six o’clock.”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

He rubbed the back of his neck and added, “I owe Sofia.” He stared into the distance towards Sofia’s house, wondering if she’d known how much she’d helped him during those months after… well, after everything. When his world had collapsed, her door had been open for him, at any time of the day.

With unexpected swiftness, Amy leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re the best,” she declared, giving Buddy another pat on the head. “You are too.” She laughed.

“I’m the only one. And what have I told you about the kissing.”

Waving her hand dismissively, Amy marched off towards the real estate office. “Aww, you love my kisses.”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

“We wanted her to fall in love with the place. Rumour has it, she was about to sell the house. And then what?”

Amy’s concern echoed in her words, but Cameron entertained the notion that one less woman in the area would mean fewer prying eyes. He’d moved here for the peace and quiet, discovered his talent for a bit of tinkering, and had since become the go-to person for local maintenance and carpentry. But living in a small town also meant that there was no escape. Everyone needed something. And as much as he wanted to be left alone, he couldn’t afford to not work.

“Look,” she pleaded. “Could you at least make sure she has electricity and water, preferably hot water as well?” She tilted her head and added a super sweet, “Please?”

Checking the time, Cameron asked, “When’s she coming?”

“Tomorrow,” Amy told him with a hint of excitement in her voice. Sighing, Cameron relented. “Fine. I’ll take a look. But don’t expect miracles, Amy.”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

Cameron tossed his tools in the back of the car when he heard someone shouting his name. It was Amy. Swiftly, he turned, wearing a forced smile.

“Cameron. Took you long enough to hear me,” she said, a hint of breathlessness in her voice. “Hello, Buddy.” She extended both hands to give his Collie, who patiently sat on the passenger seat with his head out the window, a thorough rub.

“Good morning. How can I help you? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re always in a hurry.” She leaned against his car, crossing her arms. “So, Sofia’s granddaughter arrives tomorrow, and from what I’ve heard, you haven’t done a damn thing yet to the house.”

He nonchalantly shrugged. “I have my hands full, especially with the new houses and the repair works at the hotel.”

With a sigh, Amy placed her hand on his arm. “Look, I know you have a lot on your plate, but Sofia’s granddaughter is counting on this place to be what she imagined. This woman is coming here expecting the house to look like the photos Lucy sent her.”

Again, he casually raised his shoulder in a dismissive shrug, gently moving her hand off his arm. “You should’ve thought about it before you sent her those photos. I can’t see why this is suddenly my problem. Lucy works in real estate. Isn’t there a code against deception?”

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥

 

Hi everyone ♥

Today’s post includes another snippet from my newest release WHISPERS OF HER MEMORIES. The story is set in New Zealand, South Island.

♥ ENJOY ♥

Today’s Hook

After clearing passport control, Mallory collected her luggage, and half an hour later, she was outside, loading her bags into the rental car’s boot. She set her destination on the GPS. But a short distance into the drive, she stopped, captivated by the breathtaking scenery. Snow still covered the mountain peaks, leaving her in awe, wondering if this wintry spectacle lasted all year. The beauty surpassed even her fond memories of childhood trips to the Victorian Alps with her mother.

As she continued her drive along the highway on the eastern shore of the lake, she stopped again at the Devils Staircase Lookout Point, capturing even more images of the stunning lake views. Her travels took her through Kingston and Lumsden until she finally arrived in Gore in the late afternoon. Tiredness spread through her body, and she decided to stay the night in a hotel, to finish the drive the next day. A quick scroll through social media and a brief message to friends informing them of her safe arrival was all she did before heading to bed. She even messaged Jacob, her mother’s partner. Their relationship had gradually drifted apart after her mother’s passing, and the goodbye hadn’t been positive. Neither of them had truly coped with the loss of Mallory’s mother and they’d had different ideas about how to move forward. Jacob struggled to accept her decision to leave. It hurt, and eventually, the contact had stopped completely.

Blurb

Mallory O’Neill swaps the buzz of Melbourne for the quiet shores of Anahera Bay, New Zealand, hoping for a fresh start… not secrets and surprises. But the crumbling seaside cottage left to her by Sofia—the grandmother she never knew—holds more than just dust and disrepair. It holds the key to a family history her late mother never spoke of.

As Mallory pieces together Sofia’s past, she faces the doubts of old friends and the arrival of an unexpected stranger. Along the way, she finds friendships among the locals, but she also meets resistance from the brooding handyman, Cameron Quinn, a man haunted by his own past.

When faded letters, old photographs, and buried truths come to light, Mallory and Cameron find themselves drawn together by grief, memory, and a spark neither of them expected.

 

 

Get your copy of “THEIR BOND THROUGH JADE” here ♥