Locks, Hooks and Books

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Sweet Romance for Christmas and Giveaway: Her Country Christmas Date by Ranee S Clark

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Her Country Christmas Date

(Love in Little River #2)

By Raneé S. Clark

Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella

Paperback & ebook, 98 Pages

December 1st 2019 by Sweetly Us

Is ten days, twelve dates, and a little Christmas magic enough for happily ever after?

Dru North has far more substance than the party-boy reputation given to him by the media, which is why a quiet Christmas in Little is just what he needs. From the moment he meets Amber Miller, who’s staying across the hall, sparks fly, and a magical Christmas party leads to an impulsive kiss.

While Dru is eager to get to know Amber during the quiet vacation, she’s wary of his reputation and his riches. She challenges him to take her on twelve dates before she’ll consider their relationship anything more than a holiday fling—a feat given the fact that she’s only in town for ten days.

Amidst the big family holiday Dru has always dreamed of having, Amber finds herself trusting with every “date” that Dru isn’t the bad-boy she thought him to be. But his insistence that this can be more than a holiday fling has Amber worried about the future. Dru’s a famous country star with money to burn, and she’s just a teacher. Are their worlds too far apart for a happily ever after when the Christmas magic is over?

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

She laughed. The way her laughter sometimes escaped her, like it was a surprise, tickled his insides with more warmth. It could be zero degrees out here, and he could stand next to her and not feel it. He glanced back at the window, catching a few people watching them, and shifted into the darkness on the other side of the fire. He glanced around them.

“What is it?” she asked in a whisper.

He looked down at her, turning so that he faced her, blocking them both from anyone determined to find them. “Looking for mistletoe,” he teased.

She put her warm hands on the sides of his neck, then slid her fingers up into the short hairs there. “Ummm, not really necessary.”

He tilted his head down toward her, stilling as he neared her lips. He’d just met this woman an hour before, but the pull to her was magnetic. He couldn’t avoid it if he tried. She didn’t even give him time to think about it before she leaned into him, finishing off the distance between them and pressing her lips to his.

The fire behind them seemed to jump from the pit and explode around him. He wrapped his arms around her back, shifting her backward to lean against the side of the house. Her fingers slid up farther, pulling his head down to her. He let the magic of the night take over for several seconds, or maybe minutes, while he kissed her.

She pulled away and stared at him, her fingers slowly trailing back down the back of his neck, gripping his shoulders. “That was ... um ... wow.”

He drew in a long breath, loosening his arms around her, but not enough to let her go. Not yet. “Yeah.”

“I don’t think I should have done that.” Her voice trembled with a light laugh. A fake one.

“Because you hardly know me?”

“You’re Dru North.” She blew out a breath.

Usually the insinuation didn’t bother him. The women he’d dated in the past had figured out quickly enough what was hype and what was him. And there was a lot of hype. But he tensed anyway. He liked Amber. Really liked her, and it hurt to be judged so quickly.

Then he shook it off, deciding that was unfair. She’d known him all of an hour or so. Enough time for him to be charming. Not enough time for her to separate an image from the real guy.

“You’re Amber... ,” he started to tease and then broke off when he realized he didn’t know her last name. Classy, North. If there was ever a reason to believe that he was the womanizing bad boy, he’d just given it to her.

“Miller,” she supplied. She gave him a see what I mean look.

He would not have tried to convince her to go upstairs with him, no matter how long they’d spent together tonight, but that’s not what his image said. He’d just have to show her. “I want to get to know you,” he said, taking her hands in his and kissing her knuckles. She relaxed a little.

“This is crazy,” she whispered.

He spread her fingers out in his and then began kissing the tips. “Please.”

“I’m only here for ten days.”

“Plenty of time.” Let me prove to you who I am.

She tapped her fingers against his chest, watching him as she considered. “Okay. But you can’t do that again.” He raised his eyebrows in question. “Kissing me. It messes with my head.”

“That’s an unacceptable deal. It doesn’t have to be on the first date, but I am going to need to kiss you again.” He loosened his arms some more, making sure she understood she could walk away at any moment. She was irresistible, but he was standing out here in the cold, in the dark, purposefully out of view of the other guests at the party. He didn’t want to scare her.

“Twelve dates,” she said.

Dru scowled. “What?”

“You can kiss me again after twelve dates.” She punctuated this by sliding her hands inside his jacket, her hands cold against his chest.

“You’re only here ten days.”

She pulled up one shoulder, mock grimacing at him. “Well, either you’ll rise to the challenge or ... you won’t.”

Other Books in the Series

Roxy's Song

(Love in Little River #1)

By Raneé S. Clark

Sweet Contemporary Romance, Novella

Paperback & ebook, 133 Pages

September 8th 2019 by Sweetly Us

The night Tag Turner claimed he loved Roxy Adams and begged her to follow him to Nashville to live his dream, she sent him packing since she knew it couldn't be real. Even if he did insist he’d been singing his love to her for years.

Eight years later, Tag, now a famous country star, rolls back into small town Little River hoping for one more shot at winning his high school crush. But Roxy loves her quiet, country life on her family’s ranch—a life that doesn’t have room for someone who can’t buy coffee without national media attention.

Not ready to give up, Tag stays in Little River to work on his next album and convince the woman he loves to give him a chance. Will Roxy ever trust his feelings are real and not just lyrics in a song?

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author

During her early years of reading, Raneé S. Clark devoured fantasy books, which continued into her adulthood—since she often believes that a well-written romance novel is a delightful fantasy. Though raising three boys can sometimes hamper both romance with her own Prince Charming and her writing, she tries to get a little of both in every day. And most of the time she succeeds.

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

December 11th: Launch
December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare
December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love
December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date
December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian
December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters
December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam
December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction
December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy
December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever
December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series
December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life
December 23rd: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Friday, December 13, 2019

Blog Tour: My Name is Sam...And Heaven is Still Shining Through by Joe Siccardi

Title: My Name is Sam...And Heaven is Still Shining Through

Author: Joe Siccardi

Genre: Christian-themed fictional memoir

Release Date: August 25, 2019

Sit down with a cup of coffee or a nice wine and visit with Sam as she shares a lifetime of memories in this new Christian-themed fictional memoir. My Name Is Sam ... and Heaven Is Still Shining Through is a follow-up to the break out novella, Heaven Shining Through. It introduces Sam (Samantha), her family and friends in more detail than the original, and picks up where the novella left off. I hope readers get to know Sam as a friend, a life long friend. Share her life ... complete with some drama, some humor, some heart tugs. Just a free-willed suburban Jersey girl trying to figure out this journey called life with the presence of God in an ordinary life as the underlying theme.

Kate stayed with me after the funeral to temporarily close the house. We knew we would have to come back to make arrangements to sell the house and make final decisions about what stays in the family, who gets what, making a donation pile and what has served its purpose and usefulness. We took a final inventory as we covered the furniture, adjusted the heat, and set the alarm. On the ride back to Ohio, I thanked Kate for staying behind and helping. She politely responded, “Wouldn’t have had it any other way, Mom. You know, we girls have to stick together.” “Thanks Sweetie.” It was small talk for awhile, but as we merged onto the Ohio Turnpike with the sun starting to set, Kate turned to me. “Mom, can I ask you something?” “Sure! Anytime! Anything!” “Mom, I’ve never seen you at such peace. I mean, usually comments like Father Pat’s would have made you …” her voice trailed before adding, “… uncomfortable.” I smiled. “You’re right, honey. Normally, being singled out like that would have made me squirm. I may have even challenged some of those comments. But I sat with Grandma over those last hours and I knew, I just knew, Father Pat was spot on.” “I’m glad you made peace with Grandma. I know you didn’t have such a great relationship with her.” “It wasn’t so bad. We had our ups and downs, kinda of like you and me.” “Downs?” protested Kate in mock surprise. “We had a great relationship growing up!” “Yes, we did, but there were those times … like when you wanted to date Billy … and stay out all night with your friends at 14 … or when I caught you smoking in the basement …” “That wasn’t me,” Kate mockingly interrupted. “That was JR. I was just holding the cigarette for him.” “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,” I said. “That’s why I love you guys!” “That’s why we loved you too, Mom. You were always so cool.” I squeezed her hand as we focused on the road ahead. There was a storm brewing ahead of us, but all of a sudden a single ray of sunshine found its way through the clouds. Kate reached out her hand, pointing to the sky. “Look, Mom. Heaven is shining through!” “You remembered. Yes. Yes. That’s heaven shining through! Isn’t it hopeful?”

Joe Siccardi has been an editorial writer, editor and publisher for 52 years and posts a blog at https://wisdomfromafather.com/. As he states, "I'm the ordinary Joe walking along this journey called life and sharing it with you!" He is the proud father of five children, 18 grandchildren, and four great-granddaughters. He currently lives in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, after life experiences in Paterson, Totowa, Ogdensburg and Newton, NJ; Belvidere, IL; Toledo, OH; Washington, DC; Laurel, MD; and Seneca Falls and Willard (Romulus), NY. He has written three book, My Name Is Sam … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through, an expansion of his novella, Heaven Shining Through, and the nonfiction Wisdom From a Father … one ad’s thoughts on life, a collection of short stories culled and updated from the blog of the same name.

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Sweet Romance for Christmas and Giveaway: The Gift of Love by Delaney Cameron

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Gift of Love
(Finding Love #9)
By Delaney Cameron
Sweet Contemporary Romance

ebook, 203 Pages

April 6th 2018

First or even second impressions aren't always right.

Leah didn’t plan to still be searching for love so late in her twenties. Her looks almost guarantee her success with the opposite sex, but quantity doesn’t mean quality. Good thing she’s got a great career to fall back on. The only dark cloud on that particular horizon is the enigmatic Dr. Levy, the man she’s come to think of as a permanent thorn in her side. Brilliant and handsome he most certainly is, but that doesn’t make up for the fact that he’s also stern, impatient, and bad-tempered. Oddly enough, it isn’t their mostly negative encounters that linger in her mind. Instead it’s the sadness she glimpses from time to time in his face. There’s no explanation for why she’s so bothered by this, nor can she imagine a situation where she’ll be in a position to discover the cause of his silent misery. All of which means she’s wasting her time. If anyone can take care of himself, it’s Dr. Levy.

Stratton had only been at Hutchison Clinic a short time before he heard about the beautiful nurse on the second floor. In his usual skeptical fashion he discounted the gossip until he saw Leah for himself. He had no problem admitting that the reports of her beauty hadn’t been exaggerated, but appreciation was as far as he was prepared to go. Love, romance and the so-called happily-ever-after only exist in the movies. Putting your happiness in someone else’s hands is just begging to be hurt. He has a monthly alimony payment to prove it. Getting his family and friends to understand his preference for bachelorhood isn’t so easy. While he appreciates their concern, he doesn’t need the complication of something with such overwhelming odds of failure. One ex-wife is enough for any man.

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

The salad course had just been served when Leah became aware of movement behind her. She turned her head to see what was going on and nearly dropped the dinner roll she’d been in the act of buttering. Under her astonished gaze, Dr. Levy sat down in the empty seat beside her.

After thanking the waitress for a menu and asking for coffee, he turned to Leah and smiled. “Hello, again. If I wasn’t so sure you don’t like me, I’d begin to think you’re following me.”

This provocative greeting broke the spell she’d fallen under. “I was here first, so the person doing the following is you.”

“Don’t confuse the issue with facts.” He opened the menu and ran his eyes down the offerings. “This place has a little of everything, doesn’t it? What did you get?”

“Grilled shrimp with a baked sweet potato and Caesar salad.”

“Sounds good. I think I’ll get that, too.”

As if on cue, the waitress arrived with his coffee and took his order. Leah used the time to finish buttering her roll and quiet her jangled nerves. In the three weeks since Dr. Levy had given her a ride home, she’d avoided going anywhere near his area of the clinic. This kind of behavior was unusual for her, but no one likes being caught in an embarrassing situation by someone who already thinks badly of them. And now, here they were again, thrown together by forces outside her control and which no one could have foreseen. Escape was impossible. Her only choice was to make the best of it.

“How do you know Evangeline and Cecil, Dr. Levy?”

He smiled as he stirred cream into his coffee. “The name is Stratton. Save Dr. Levy for work. I don’t know Evangeline at all. I’m one of Cecil’s numerous cousins. What about you?”

She didn’t hear much of what he said after the word Stratton. It was an unusual name, but it suited him somehow. As for calling him by it, that was something else entirely. “Evangeline and I met in middle school. Her family moved to South Carolina during our senior year. She was thrilled when I took the job in Myrtle Beach.”

“If we’d known ahead of time that we were both coming this way, we could have ridden together.”

Leah was saved having to come up with a response to this startling remark by the arrival of the main course. In truth, she was having trouble reconciling this sociable man with the somewhat reserved and often-times stern physician she knew from the clinic. Which one was the real Stratton?

She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice close to her ear.

“What are you doing after the rehearsal dinner is over?”

“I’m going back to Evangeline’s house. All the bridesmaids are staying there.”

“It’s still early. Would you be interested in taking a drive?”

Taking a drive? With him? Now things were just starting to get weird.

When she didn’t say anything, a gleam appeared in his eyes. “It’s okay to refuse, Leah. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go; I’m just…” She stopped, trying to think of a nicer word than flabbergasted or amazed. “I’m surprised. Our acquaintance has had some…rocky moments.”

He speared one of his shrimp and doused it in melted butter. “Then it’s about time we did something to change that.”

“Is it?”

“Of course. First or even second impressions aren’t always the right ones. Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves and each other to find out how wrong or right we were?”

Other Books in the Series

(Linked to an Amazon affiliate link.)

About the Author

I'm a Georgia girl at heart if not by birth. I love to read, watch college football, and spend time with my husband. I'm a hopeless romantic so there will always be a happily ever after in my stories. I also like to write about second chances because love doesn't always work out the first time.

My books are sweet romances set in both contemporary and regency settings featuring stories about the journey to love, from that first meeting to the point where two people know their hearts are no longer their own. My characters aren't perfect. They make mistakes and have faults like the rest of us. They learn the sometimes painful truth that the path to love isn't always smooth, but it's a road worth traveling.

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Pinterest

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Sweet Romance for Christmas and Giveaway: Truth or Dare by Julie Coulter Bellon

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Truth or Dare

By Julie Coulter Bellon

Sweet Contemporary Romantic Suspense, Novella

ebook, 134 Pages

May 8th 2018 by Stone Hall Books

After a year of recovery, wounded war veteran Jonah Harrison comes home for Christmas. No longer the outgoing high school track star, he just wants to be left alone, away from well-meaning friends and neighbors. But when a blizzard strands him with Kami Jackson—the girl who once knew him best—he can’t hide anything from her, no matter how much he wants to. Kami has a wounded heart of her own, though, and it might take a miracle---or at least two matchmaking dogs---for them to find the healing they both long for and the courage to reach for a chance at love.

(Affiliate link included.)

Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt

Being here brought back so many warm memories for her, like sunshine chasing away all her shadows. The reality was, though some things seemed the same, their lives were very different than what they had been. She needed to keep that in mind.

Kami ran a hand through her damp hair and suppressed another shiver. She caught chills easily; that hadn’t changed. Back in the day, no matter what season it was, Jonah would be hot and she’d always be cold. He usually had his arm around her to warm her up, though. That was one thing she wished hadn’t changed, even if it was just for tonight.

She stole a peek behind her. The military had been good to Jonah. He’d always been athletic and good-looking, but now he was powerful and had a ruggedness to him. His blond hair was cropped, military-style, but the short-sleeved T-shirt he wore that proudly said Marines on it pulled across a broad chest and showed off some muscular arms. On the outside, he seemed more like his old self, but every now and then his change in demeanor told her there was a lot going on behind those blue eyes, and he didn’t seem in the mood to share. For now, anyway.

About the Author

Julie Coulter Bellon is the author of nearly two dozen romantic suspense novels. Her book All Fall Down won the RONE award for Best Suspense, Pocket Full of Posies won a RONE Honorable Mention for Best Suspense and The Captain was a RONE award finalist for Best Suspense. Most recently, her books The Capture and Second Look were both Whitney finalists for Best Suspense/Mystery. Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. In her free time she loves to read, write, teach, watch Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019

ENTER HERE

12 Days of Fantasy for Christmas and Giveaway: Grand Finale

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

We hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into these fantasy books and grabbed some for yourself or as gifts for other fantasy lovers! If you missed any of the stops, you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below. And don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway...

December 1st: Launch

December 2nd: Rebecca Belliston - Heart of Red, Blood of Blue

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

The blood.

How I wish I could forget the blood.

Or the way Jerrik looked up at me, so betrayed. As if I had killed him. As if we had attacked first.

I know now that the betrothal ceremony had been a ruse, a trap to lure us to Kronga under the guise of peace. But Jerrik had not anticipated his father’s treachery any more than we had. Had my own father not reacted so quickly, I would not be alive today.

December 3rd: Morgan L. Busse - Flight of the Raven

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

Damien. Her husband.

Selene kept her eyes ahead, but every part of her could sense him behind her. The moment the monk had finished the rites, and warmth had spread between their hands, she knew him. Most of it she had already discovered during her dreamwalks, but seeing his memories and having that knowledge imparted into her innermost mind and soul were two completely things. And just as much as she now knew him, he knew her as well. He knew who she really was. He knew what she could do.

He knew her gift.

December 4th: Jes Drew - Tales of Parallel Worlds

Follow the Author: Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Wattpad

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

I wrap my arms around my masked rescuer, not sure whether to feel relieved at not having to travel through those woods alone and on foot, or worried that this strange man might be abducting me.

“My father is a powerful man," I whisper into the man's shoulder.

“I am well aware of that.”

With relief, I note that we are retracing the same path as before. “What is your name anyway, good sir?”

He seems to consider this for a long moment, and even glances down at his steed as if the beautiful Arabian might somehow remind him of his name.

December 5th: Ronie Kendig - Brand of Light

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

“You are sure of this, my lady? It’s Myles.” Weighted eyes drove home the point. “Our fiercest.”

“It was a fair draw.”

“Aye, but—”

“Let it not be said that I, the lone female in the training yard, whinged.” Not when she had pleaded so hard for training. As it was, she was thankful Uncle Rufio had left express word before he left for the middle lands that she should be allowed to continue her levels.

December 6th: Alisha Klapheke - Fate of Dragons

Follow the Author: Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Instagram

Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Snippet from the Excerpt (find the full post here):

There, on the ground, was a shape that was not rock or smoke or golden earthblood.

Or dragon.

Her lips parted in a silent gasp.

Two arms. Two legs. Supple flesh instead of scales.

Crouching by the body, Vahly moved a curtain of obsidian hair away from the creature’s face.

A pointed ear.

December 7th: Jessica Leake - Through the White Wood