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RECKLESS IN TEXAS (TEXAS RODEO) BY KARI LYNN DELL

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

 

Texas Homecoming

Violet Jacobs is fearless. At least, that's what the cowboys she snatches from under the hooves of bucking horses think. Outside the ring, she's got plenty of worries rattling her bones: her young son, her mess of a love life, and lately, her family's struggling rodeo. When she takes business into her own hands and hires on a hotshot bullfighter, she expects to start a ruckus. She never expected Joe Cassidy. Rough and tumble, cocky and charming, Joe's everything a superstar should be-and it doesn't take a genius to figure out he's way out of Violet's league.

Joe came to Texas to escape a life spiraling out of control. He never planned on sticking around, and he certainly never expected to call this dry and dusty backwater home.But Violet is everything he never knew he was missing, and the deeper he's pulled into her beautiful mess of a family, the more he realizes this fierce rodeo girl may be offering him the one thing he never could find on his own."

 

 

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REVIEW: RECKLESS IN TEXAS (TEXAS RODEO) BY KARI LYNN DELL

 

Reckless in Texas by Kari Lynn Dell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Reckless In Texas is the definition of home. A place where there is a close knit community, where family ties are abundant and where friendships are built to last. Kari Lynn Dell created a world where hard work is not frowned on and the good times are just as prevalent as the hard ones. Violet is a woman on a mission. To save the family business by any means necessary and be a good role model and a nurturing parent. I liked her strength of character and her fiery spirit. Her personality was a great outlet for Joe's arrogance. His cocky, standoff personality added to the friction of these two. The combustible energy hovered like a thunder cloud waiting to let loose.



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PRIVATE PRACTICE (PRIVATE PLEASURES) BY SAMANTHE BECK

 

SYNOPSIS

 

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

He’ll teach her how to bring a man to his knees…

Dr. Ellie Swan has a plan: open her practice in tiny Bluelick, Kentucky, so she can keep an eye on her diabetic father, and make hometown golden-boy Roger Reynolds fall in love with her. But Ellie has a problem. Roger seeks a skilled, sexually adventurous partner, and bookish Ellie doesn’t qualify.

Tyler Longfoot only cares about three things: shaking his bad boy image, qualifying for the loan his company needs to rehab a piece of Bluelick’s history, and convincing Ellie to keep quiet about the “incident” that lands him on her doorstep at two a.m. with a bullet in his behind.

The adorable Dr. Swan drives a mean bargain, though. If sex-on-a-stick Tyler will teach Ellie how to bring a man to his knees, she’ll forget about the bullet. Armed with The Wild Woman’s Guide to Sex and Tyler’s lessons, Ellie is confident she can become what Roger needs…if she doesn’t fall for Tyler first.

 

 

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REVIEW:  PRIVATE PRACTICE (PRIVATE PLEASURES) BY SAMANTHE BECK

 

Private Practice by Samanthe Beck

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Don't judge a book by it's cover. Samanthe Beck hammered the point home in more than one way with Private Practice. Ms. Beck has proven she can write a scorching hot mystery read again and again. Ellie and Tyler prove that she can write steamy and emotive reads as well. Private Practice has heat and plenty of surprises.




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PROTECTING THE BILLIONAIRE (THE SHERBROOKES OF NEWPORT) BY CHRISTINA TETREAULT

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

From the outside it appears as though billionaire Allison Sherbrooke lives a charmed life. She comes from a loving family and possesses the means to do anything she desires, not to mention her budding new romance with the sexy Marine she danced with at her brother Trent’s wedding.

Appearances can be deceiving though. All is not perfect in Allison’s world. Since her move to Virginia she’s had a stalker in the shadows.

Marine Corps Captain Rocco “Rock” Raimono has spent his life defending and protecting others. Now he must protect the woman he’s falling in love with from an obsessed stalker who wants Allison for himself. For Rock, failure is not an option.

 

 

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REVIEW:  PROTECTING THE BILLIONAIRE (THE SHERBROOKES OF NEWPORT) BY CHRISTINA TETREAULT

 

Protecting The Billionaire by Christina Tetreault

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I love the Sherbrookes and have bought every book in the series. Power, wealth and family are the perfect adjectives for this group. However, LOVE is the backbone of all the success they have and individuality is what makes them a force to be reckoned with as a whole. When trouble finds them, as it often does, they handle it unitedly. Protecting the Billionaire is Allison's story. Wanting more than recognition for her family name, she seeks to make her own way in the world. When danger calls, she will need every ounce of her own strength to get through it. With a protective family, a determined marine and an unknown assailant, she has a lot on her plate. Protecting the Billionaire is full of heartstopping moments and adrenaline pumping twists. A pleasurable dive into the realm of romantic suspense.



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MAGIC FOR JOY (FAIRY GODMOTHERS) BY HOLLY JACOBS

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

The fairies are back! And they're determined to see that another Aaronson sibling bites the matrimonial bullet. Whether she enjoys the experience or not.

Joy Aaronson is an accident waiting to happen. but she's long since learned to accept her ability to create catastrophes. She doesn't need help especially not fairy help. But that's just what she's getting, like it or not.

Joy has always felt like a bit of an outsider, until she connects with a little girl who desperately needs her. Now, she'll do whatever it takes to help Sophie . . . even if that means dealing with Sophie's stern but sexy father.

She's not the least bit worried that the fairies believe Gabriel is her own Prince Charming. After all, he s described her as comfortable! That doesn't sound like a match made in heaven. But the fairies are sure that Gabriel St. John will turn from a toad into a prince as soon as he falls in love with Joy. In fact, they're counting on it.
And what the fairies want, the fairies get . . .

 

 

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REVIEW: MAGIC FOR JOY (FAIRY GODMOTHERS) BY HOLLY JACOBS

 

Magic for Joy by Holly Jacobs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Holly Jacobs is a breath of fresh air. She brings her sense of humor and pureness of heart to every novel she writes. Magic for Joy is as creative as it is emotional. Joy has never fit in. Her ability to land in interesting situations, makes her trouble with a capital "T". She cares deeply and makes and that what draws her into the life of Sophie and her frustrating father. It also puts her on the radar of some seriously determined matchmakers. Fairy dust and a handful of magic is what makes for an adorable read.




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MIRACLES FOR NICK (FAIRY GODMOTHERS) BY HOLLY JACOBS

 

SYNOPSIS

 

The fairies are determined to find Nick Aaronson his true love. And they're not taking no for an answer . . .

Nick Aaronson is a practical, realistic, and a little cynical. He's a lawyer who believes in logic, the law. . . but definitely not fairies. Unfortunately for Nick, Myrtle, Fern, and Blossom believe in him.

Glory Chambers is divorced, discourage, and disheartened. She s desperate for a little good luck, and gets it when she learns that a long lost aunt has left her a diner. Finally, things are starting to look up . . . until she unwittingly hires the fairies who are immediately sued!

Who do you get to represent three fairies in a civil suit? Nick Aaronson, the best lawyer in Erie, PA, of course! Thrown together in a trial of mythical proportions, Glory and Nick draw closer, despite their differences.

But Myrtle, Fern, and Blossom aren' t faring as well. With their reputations in ruins and their confidence at an all-time low, do they even have what it takes to pull off a . . . Miracle For Nick?

 

 

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REVIEW:  MIRACLES FOR NICK (FAIRY GODMOTHERS) BY HOLLY JACOBS

 

Miracles for Nick by Holly Jacobs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


With a smile on my face and joy in my heart, is the way I enter into Holly Jacobs novels. She knows just the right buttons to push in order to make sure that feeling continues throughout her reads. FOR ME, IT DID! How do you explain the unexplainable? Miracles for Nick takes on that challenge. Logical Nick and cynical Glory have to learn to look with the heart and open their minds to all the possibilities. A group of matchmaking fairies will show them how? My favorite couple in the series so far.




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TOO WICKED TO KISS SCOUNDRELS & SECRETS) BY ERICA RIDLEY

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

His Touch Holds Her Captive. . .

From the ravens circling its spires to the gargoyles adorning its roof, Blackberry Manor looms ominously over its rambling grounds. And behind its doors, amid the flickering shadows and secret passageways, danger lies in wait. . .


To His Every Dark Desire. . .

Evangeline Pemberton has been invited to a party at the sprawling estate of reclusive Gavin Lioncroft, who is rumored to have murdered his parents. Initially, Gavin's towering presence and brusque manner instill fear in Evangeline. . .until his rakish features and seductive attentions profoundly arouse her.


But when a guest is murdered, Evangeline is torn. Could the man to whom she is so powerfully drawn, also be a ruthless killer? 

 

 

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REVIEW:  TOO WICKED TO KISS (SCOUNDRELS & SECRETS) BY ERICA RIDLEY

 

Too Wicked To Kiss by Erica Ridley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Erica Ridley is an author more known for her optimistic heroines and her brooding heroes. With Too Wicked to Kiss, the characters are edgier and the twists are many. Ms. Ridley steps further away from the light hearted fair into an alternate world of suspense, darkness and murder. There are far more chills than frills but peeking out from all the gothic pretense is an allure that blends well with the intense nature of Gavin's persona and the vulnerablity of Evangeline's.



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TOO SINFUL TO DENY (SCOUNDRELS AND SECRETS) BY ERICA RIDLEY

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

TOO TEMPTING TO OBJECT...

One look at the towering ocean-side manor that is to be her new home, and exiled socialite Susan Stanton knows: This is a place haunted by secrets and riddled with menace.

For Susan, there is no escaping it. At best she can stay clear of the most dangerous element of all--dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose shaded countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.

But Susan has a secret of her own--a special gift that renders her privy to the darkest mysteries lurking within the walls of the manor and in the labyrinthine cellars beneath. And the only man who can help her make sense of it all is Evan, the very scoundrel and rogue she would do anything to be able to resist...

 

 

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REVIEW:  TOO SINFUL TO DENY (SCOUNDRELS AND SECRETS) BY ERICA RIDLEY

 

Too Sinful To Deny by Erica Ridley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The aura of danger set the stage for creepy, sexy uncharted territory. Susan, was having a little bit of an identity crisis. So used to hiding the most important part of herself, she has to come to terms with a lot. Her attraction to the bad boy, banishment and an eerie cast of characters serve as both temptation and guidance in an interesting story. Too Sinful to Deny took some getting used to.




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MAGGIE NEEDS AN ALIBI ( A MAGGIE KELLY MYSTERY)  BY KASEY MICHAELS

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

Book One in the Maggie Kelly Mystery Series by New York Times Bestselling Author Kasey Michaels

Maggie Kelly, writing as Cleo Dooley (she thinks O's look good on a book cover), is the author of the best selling St. Just Mystery Series set in the English Regency Era. This should make her a happy woman, and it does, mostly. Professionally, she's a hit. Personally? No, not so much.

But never fear, a hero has come to rescue her from her dull, boring, and faintly neurotic existence. The only problem is that said hero is Alexandre Blake, Viscount St. Just, her fictional hero, in all his handsome, arrogant Regency-ness. He has popped out of her mind, out of her books, and has somehow landed in her New York apartment, along with his fictional sidekick, the adorable Sterling Balder.

Try explaining that one to your friends!

While juggling lies explaining her strange "houseguests," Maggie also finds herself the prime suspect in the murder of her publisher and former lover (just because she fed him mushrooms and he died of mushroom poisoning that same night -- really, there such a thing as coincidence, right?).

But again, never fear, because her fictional hero is here, and he, amateur sleuth-master that he has been created to be, has promised to step in and save the day. Maggie's pretty much hoping he'll just learn to put the cap back on the toothpaste...

 

 

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REVIEW:  MAGGIE NEEDS AN ALIBI ( A MAGGIE KELLY MYSTERY)  BY KASEY MICHAELS

 

 Maggie Needs An Alibi by Kasey Michaels

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Maggie Needs an Alibi is unlike any mystery I've ever read. Maggie takes her work a little too seriously. Her world revolves around the characters she creates and the enigmas she creates. Writing is in her soul and her penchant for mystery has given her sucess. The cliche' about letting the imagination run wild is the perfect metaphor for Ms. Michaels' out of the ordinary suspenseful romance. Maggie and Alexandre blur the lines between fantasy and reality in a way that proves innovative and attention grabbing. A kooky writer becomes entangled in a larger than life mystery with her very own man of her dreams. Twistedly weird but highly addictive.



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TO TAME A SCOUNDREL'S HEART (A WALTZ WITH A ROGUE) BY COLLETTE CAMERON

 

 

Release Date:  May 30, 2016

 

SYNOPSIS

 

Katrina Needham had her whole life planned: Marry her beloved Major Richard Domont and live happily-ever-after ... until he’s seen with another woman. Distraught, and needing a distraction, she agrees to assist the rugged, and dangerously handsome privateer, The Saint of the Sea, find a wife.

Dominic St. Monté loves everything about his life as a sea captain, but when he unexpectedly inherits a dukedom and the care of his young sisters, he reluctantly decides he must marry. Afterward, he can return to the sea-faring life he craves, leaving his duchess to oversee his dukedom.

Nic, now The Duke of Pendergast, enlists a family friend’s help in finding an acceptable bride and soon realizes Katrina possesses every characteristic he seeks in a duchess. However, he cannot ask for her hand. Not only is she promised to another, a man still determined to make her his, she has absolutely no interest in becoming a privateer’s wife.

Can Nic and Katrina relinquish their carefully planned futures and trust love to guide them?

 

 

 

 

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REVIEW:  TO TAME A SCOUNDREL'S HEART (A WALTZ WITH A ROGUE) BY COLLETTE CAMERON

 

To Tame a Scoundrel's Heart by Collette Cameron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Collette Cameron has presented a banquet for the senses with To Tame A Scoundrel's Heart. Katrina and Nic parlay their love affair into an adventurous, turbulant, erotic and emotional whirlwind. A broken heart sends Katrina into the arms of the mysterious Duke of Pendergrast who seeks a wife that will help him in his new responsibilities. From the start there appears to be real feelings between Nic and Katrina. However, secrets, former loves and a love of the sea stand eerily between a chance at happiness for these two. There is never a dull moment with this sinfully romantic tale.



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NOW THAT IT'S YOU BY TAWNA FENSKE

 

 

 

Release Date:  September 6, 2016

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

Talented chef Meg Delaney hasn’t spoken to her cheating ex-fiancé, Matt Midland, for two years. Ditching him at the altar after blurting out “I can’t” instead of “I do” would sour any relationship. But now, just as Meg is finally ready to bury the hatchet, she learns closure is permanently off the menu. And the kicker? Matt’s brother, Kyle, is back in her life, stirring up feelings that are equal parts guilt and lust.

Meg was the best thing that never happened to Kyle. He couldn’t make a move on his brother’s girlfriend—even if Matt didn’t value her nearly enough. The situation is even more complicated now that Meg’s bestselling aphrodisiac cookbook has spawned a legal battle with the Midlands. Maybe he should stay away. But love, like family, plays by its own rules. And the one woman he shouldn’t want might be the only one who’s perfect for him.

 

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REVIEW:  NOW THAT IT'S YOU BY TAWNA FENSKE

 

 

 Now That It's You by Tawna Fenske

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Now That It's You tackles love, life and death with ironic laughs and light hearted fun. I mean how else would you describe Meg's love life. A cheating ex, a runaway bride, a tragic demise and a second chance at love with said ex's brother. Tawna Fenske has managed to outdo herself with Now That It's You. The dysfunction will drive you crazy. Half the time I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both, simultaneously. A comedic look at a serious subject. Live each day to the fullest and cherish those you love are words we seem to take for granted until it's too late. This story though laughter reminds us of life's surprising turns and imparts words to live by.



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WILLOW BROOK ROAD (CHESAPEAKE SHORES) BY SHERRYL WOODS

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods sweeps readers away with the story of a beloved member of the O'Brien family as she claims the life she's always dreamed of...

Spirited, spontaneous Carrie Winters has grown up under the watchful eyes of not only her grandfather Mick O'Brien, but the entire town of Chesapeake Shores.

Now that she's home from Europe, a glamorous fashion career behind her and her heart broken, there seem to be far too many people watching to see if she'll live up to the expectations her family has for her.

As if that weren't enough pressure, Carrie finds herself drawn to sexy, grief-stricken Sam Winslow, who is yearning for someone to help him raise the nephew who's unexpectedly come into his life after a tragedy.

With her own life in turmoil, is Carrie really ready to take on a new career and a new man? Or is Sam exactly what she needs to create the strong, loving family she's always wanted?

 

 

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REVIEW:  WILLOW BROOK ROAD (CHESAPEAKE SHORES) BY SHERRYL WOODS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1447923/in-case-you-missed-it-currently-available-reads

HAPPY BOOK RELEASE WEEK: UNBOUND PURSUIT (DELOS) BY LINDSAY MCKENNA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Wyatt plans a dangerous operation to catch the drug dealers, 

 

Tal fears she could lose the man she loves.

 

 

 

UNBOUND PURSUIT

DELOS Series 2B1

Lindsay McKenna

Releasing Sept 29, 2016

Blue Turtle Publishing

You met Tal
and Wyatt's in Tangled Pursuit, book 2 in the Delos Series. Read their
continued story.



Captain Talia Culver risked her heart again for Navy SEAL Wyatt Lockwood. The
brave, cocky Texan was worth the risk and Talia couldn’t be happier. Still
recovering from injuries she received from her last mission in Afghanistan,
Wyatt whisks her away to meet his family on their sprawling Texas ranch. But
things don’t go as planned when Wyatt hears the local gossip that his drug
dealing ex-friend is out of prison and planning a drug run across the Lockwood
ranch. Wyatt wants to enjoy some hard-earned down time with Tal, but he can’t
ignore the danger at his backdoor.



As Wyatt plans a dangerous operation to catch the drug dealers, Tal fears she
could lose the man she loves.

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EXCERPT

Tal Culver had turned around to watch Mattie Lockwood, who with swift, knowing precision had gone to work dumping the paint-filled water from the thirty jars, washing them, and turning them upside down to dry on tea towels she’d set on the countertop. Mattie’s kindergarten class had just left for the day. The back door opened and closed, getting Tal’s attention. The children could come and go through two different exits. The side door led to the playground. The rear door, near the sink where Mattie worked, was hidden from view by a large mudroom. The hair on the back of her neck rose, instantly making Tal focus her attention on the entrance.
What the hell? Normally that reaction served to warn her that there was danger nearby, and it wasn’t something Tal ignored. She was in Texas. In a kindergarten classroom. Why was she suddenly on high alert?
Mattie heard the door open and close, too. She barely looked up, busily washing out the Mason jars. She didn’t want to be late getting Tal back to the ranch. Her mother, Daisy, was making a special meal of leg of lamb tonight for the family, and she needed to get home to help her with making the salad and the mashed potatoes and gravy. She figured it was the parent of a child who had forgotten something in the classroom coming back to pick it up.
A dark shape appeared at the entrance. Mattie turned. She gasped. The Mason jar in her hand slipped and fell to the floor, shattering.
“Mark!” The word came flying out of her mouth. Mattie’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared up into his narrowed gold-brown eyes. He wore a black Stetson, a white long-sleeved shirt with a black leather vest over it, jeans, and cowboy boots. His mouth . . . oh, lordy, his mouth . . . she remembered only too well how wonderful he was at kissing her.
She took a step back, her eyes huge as she stared in disbelief at him. He stood motionless, like a tense statue. Mark’s gaze shot to Tal and then back to her.
“Who’s this with you, Mattie?”
She hadn’t heard his voice in four months, that same low, sensual drawl of his that made her melt, made her lower body burn with need of him. Gulping, she jerked a look toward Tal. “That’s Tal Culver, my friend,” she managed to say, choked up. She turned toward him. “What are you doing here?” Tears clogged her eyes but Mattie refused to let them fall, straightening her spine, throwing back her shoulders, her chin jutting out, anger flowing through her along with her shock.
“I need to talk to you alone,” Mark growled. “Get rid of her?”
Mattie scowled. Anger took over. “Go to hell, Mark!” She jabbed her finger toward the door of the mudroom. “Just get the hell out of my life! How dare you come back into it! You think you can just waltz in here after being gone for months without a word?” Her voice was shaking, she was so angry and hurt. And he looked so delicious to her. He was half Chippewa Indian through his mother, who was now dead. He had his mother’s coppery skin, that shining short black hair, those glittering, intelligent wolf eyes, as she used to refer to them, a gold-brown mixture. His mouth thinned, relaxed a little. For a split second, Mattie thought he’d smiled, or that maybe some amusement had flittered across his narrowed, intelligent gaze.
“I’ve been real busy, Mattie. That’s not the welcome I was hoping for.”
Mattie gulped back her tears. “What the hell else did you expect?”
Mark shrugged lazily, lifting one shoulder, keeping his gaze pinned on Tal. The woman seemed like someone he wouldn’t want to mess with. Mark saw the look in her eyes, saw the fine tension in her body, and felt the energy around her. If she wasn’t law enforcement, then she was military. He met her gaze and hardened his look in her direction, willing her to stay right where she was. Missing nothing upon first perusal, Mark could quickly size up another person and know just how dangerous they were. This woman was damned dangerous, even though she wore a camel-colored pantsuit with a bright orange tee beneath it. She wore no makeup, her black hair lying like a shining cloak around her proud shoulders.
His gaze moved back to Mattie. “I need to talk to you,” he repeated.
Snorting vehemently, she snapped, “I want nothing to do with you, Mark!”
His gut clenched, his heart twisting with guilt and need of her. Mark tried to bury the pain he carried deep within him. He watched the flare of righteous anger in Mattie’s slitted dark green eyes. Reining in the desire for her that was always with him, he rasped, “Okay, then here it is: you tell your father to keep his wranglers out of the northeast corner of your ranch two nights from now, Mattie.” His voice dropped. “This isn’t a joke. You need to keep everyone out of that area.” He started to turn, stopped himself, lifting his head, meeting Mattie’s tear-filled eyes. Less gruffly, the hardness in his gold-brown eyes dissolving, almost turning tender, he said, “Take good care of yourself, Mattie . . .”
Before Mattie could snarl at him, he turned on his heel and was gone. When the door slammed shut, Mattie jumped. She was breathing raggedly, her heart sledgehammering in her chest. Gulping, she looked at Tal.
“Are you okay?” Mattie asked in a trembling tone.
Giving a slight nod, Tal said, “I’m fine. Is he gone?” She gestured with her chin toward where Mark had disappeared.
Turning, Mattie quickly walked out to the mudroom. Peering out the window, she saw nothing but the outskirts of Van Horn. It was as if Mark had never been there. But he had. She had goose bumps across her skin, and she absently rubbed her upper arms, feeling stunned by his sudden and unexpected presence.
She heard Tal get up, the chair scraping back against the tiled floor. Because of her ankle, she couldn’t move quickly, and Mattie hurried back and met her at the sink. “He’s gone.”
“Did you see where he went?”
Shaking her head, she whispered, “No . . . I looked, but he’s like a ghost. Just . . . gone.” Touching her brow, she added apologetically, “I’m so sorry, Tal. You didn’t need this. God, I didn’t need it either.”

See how it all began in Tangled Pursuit

 

Lindsay McKenna lives her life as a risk taker, and it shines through the
books she loves to write: romance, adventure and suspense. She started writing
at age thirteen and continues to hone her writing skills to this day. She sold
her first romance novel in 1981. The rest is history.

Because she went into the military, this experience became the
backbone of her writing—she is credited with writing the first military romance
novel (Captive of Fate, 1983, Silhouette Special Edition) and has created a
thriving sub-genre within the romance field! As a New York Times Best Selling
author, she has sold 23 million books and in 32 foreign languages in her career
thus far. Her many experiences in the U.S. Navy are backdrop for her
understanding of the military in general, and also her very successful Morgan’s
Mercenaries, which is an ongoing series in Silhouette to this day! Forty-five
books strong!

Lindsay has gone Indie in 2015 and has created a new family saga
on par with Morgan’s Mercenaries It is known as the DELOS SERIES. There will be
paperback and eBooks created under Blue Turtle Publishing, her company for her
fans. Readers who love Morgan and his family are bound to fall in love with the
Culver family. Delos is romantic suspense, which Lindsay is well known for. It
took her five years to create and bring DELOS to her readers. It was worth the
wait, but we’ll let you decide that.

Lindsay loves to hear from her readers and loves to know what
they’d like to see her write next. Stay up with the latest on the Delos Series
here. Please visit her Web site at www.lindsaymckenna.com. And be sure to sign up for her free
quarterly newsletter. It contains exclusive content found nowhere else on the
Net. Plus, giveaways and other surprises, to her loyal and faithful
subscribers!

 

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AVAILABLE 10/11: THE FIX - UP BY KENDALL RYAN

My tempting,and very alpha friend Sterling Quinn is someone I consider off-limits.

It's not just that we're friends, he's also cocky, confident and sexy which means he's a walking aphrodisiac.

But lately he's been giving me the look. You know the one. When he thinks I'm not paying attention, and his gaze lingers for too long.

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From New York Times Bestseller, Kendall Ryan, comes a sexy new standalone novel. THE FIX UP releases Oct 11th!

HAPPY BOOK RELEASE WEEK: UNBOUND PURSUIT (DELOS) BY LINDSAY MCKENNA

As Wyatt plans a dangerous operation to catch the drug dealers, 

Tal fears she could lose the man she loves.

UNBOUND PURSUIT

DELOS Series 2B1

Lindsay McKenna

Releasing Sept 29, 2016

Blue Turtle Publishing

You met Tal and Wyatt's in Tangled Pursuit, book 2 in the Delos Series. Read their continued story.

Captain Talia Culver risked her heart again for Navy SEAL Wyatt Lockwood. The brave, cocky Texan was worth the risk and Talia couldn’t be happier. Still recovering from injuries she received from her last mission in Afghanistan, Wyatt whisks her away to meet his family on their sprawling Texas ranch. But things don’t go as planned when Wyatt hears the local gossip that his drug dealing ex-friend is out of prison and planning a drug run across the Lockwood ranch. Wyatt wants to enjoy some hard-earned down time with Tal, but he can’t ignore the danger at his backdoor.

As Wyatt plans a dangerous operation to catch the drug dealers, Tal fears she could lose the man she loves.

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EXCERPT

Tal Culver had turned around to watch Mattie Lockwood, who with swift, knowing precision had gone to work dumping the paint-filled water from the thirty jars, washing them, and turning them upside down to dry on tea towels she’d set on the countertop. Mattie’s kindergarten class had just left for the day.  The back door opened and closed, getting Tal’s attention. The children could come and go through two different exits. The side door led to the playground. The rear door, near the sink where Mattie worked, was hidden from view by a large mudroom. The hair on the back of her neck rose, instantly making Tal focus her attention on the entrance. 
What the hell? Normally that reaction served to warn her that there was danger nearby, and it wasn’t something Tal ignored. She was in Texas. In a kindergarten classroom. Why was she suddenly on high alert? 
Mattie heard the door open and close, too. She barely looked up, busily washing out the Mason jars. She didn’t want to be late getting Tal back to the ranch. Her mother, Daisy, was making a special meal of leg of lamb tonight for the family, and she needed to get home to help her with making the salad and the mashed potatoes and gravy. She figured it was the parent of a child who had forgotten something in the classroom coming back to pick it up.
A dark shape appeared at the entrance. Mattie turned. She gasped. The Mason jar in her hand slipped and fell to the floor, shattering.
“Mark!” The word came flying out of her mouth. Mattie’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared up into his narrowed gold-brown eyes. He wore a black Stetson, a white long-sleeved shirt with a black leather vest over it, jeans, and cowboy boots. His mouth . . . oh, lordy, his mouth . . . she remembered only too well how wonderful he was at kissing her. 
She took a step back, her eyes huge as she stared in disbelief at him. He stood motionless, like a tense statue. Mark’s gaze shot to Tal and then back to her.
“Who’s this with you, Mattie?”
She hadn’t heard his voice in four months, that same low, sensual drawl of his that made her melt, made her lower body burn with need of him. Gulping, she jerked a look toward Tal. “That’s Tal Culver, my friend,” she managed to say, choked up. She turned toward him. “What are you doing here?” Tears clogged her eyes but Mattie refused to let them fall, straightening her spine, throwing back her shoulders, her chin jutting out, anger flowing through her along with her shock. 
“I need to talk to you alone,” Mark growled. “Get rid of her?”
Mattie scowled. Anger took over. “Go to hell, Mark!” She jabbed her finger toward the door of the mudroom. “Just get the hell out of my life! How dare you come back into it! You think you can just waltz in here after being gone for months without a word?” Her voice was shaking, she was so angry and hurt. And he looked so delicious to her. He was half Chippewa Indian through his mother, who was now dead. He had his mother’s coppery skin, that shining short black hair, those glittering, intelligent wolf eyes, as she used to refer to them, a gold-brown mixture. His mouth thinned, relaxed a little. For a split second, Mattie thought he’d smiled, or that maybe some amusement had flittered across his narrowed, intelligent gaze. 
“I’ve been real busy, Mattie. That’s not the welcome I was hoping for.”
Mattie gulped back her tears. “What the hell else did you expect?”
Mark shrugged lazily, lifting one shoulder, keeping his gaze pinned on Tal. The woman seemed like someone he wouldn’t want to mess with. Mark saw the look in her eyes, saw the fine tension in her body, and felt the energy around her. If she wasn’t law enforcement, then she was military. He met her gaze and hardened his look in her direction, willing her to stay right where she was. Missing nothing upon first perusal, Mark could quickly size up another person and know just how dangerous they were. This woman was damned dangerous, even though she wore a camel-colored pantsuit with a bright orange tee beneath it. She wore no makeup, her black hair lying like a shining cloak around her proud shoulders. 
His gaze moved back to Mattie. “I need to talk to you,” he repeated.
Snorting vehemently, she snapped, “I want nothing to do with you, Mark!”
His gut clenched, his heart twisting with guilt and need of her. Mark tried to bury the pain he carried deep within him. He watched the flare of righteous anger in Mattie’s slitted dark green eyes. Reining in the desire for her that was always with him, he rasped, “Okay, then here it is: you tell your father to keep his wranglers out of the northeast corner of your ranch two nights from now, Mattie.” His voice dropped. “This isn’t a joke. You need to keep everyone out of that area.” He started to turn, stopped himself, lifting his head, meeting Mattie’s tear-filled eyes. Less gruffly, the hardness in his gold-brown eyes dissolving, almost turning tender, he said, “Take good care of yourself, Mattie . . .”
Before Mattie could snarl at him, he turned on his heel and was gone. When the door slammed shut, Mattie jumped. She was breathing raggedly, her heart sledgehammering in her chest. Gulping, she looked at Tal.
“Are you okay?” Mattie asked in a trembling tone.
Giving a slight nod, Tal said, “I’m fine. Is he gone?” She gestured with her chin toward where Mark had disappeared.
Turning, Mattie quickly walked out to the mudroom. Peering out the window, she saw nothing but the outskirts of Van Horn. It was as if Mark had never been there. But he had. She had goose bumps across her skin, and she absently rubbed her upper arms, feeling stunned by his sudden and unexpected presence.
She heard Tal get up, the chair scraping back against the tiled floor. Because of her ankle, she couldn’t move quickly, and Mattie hurried back and met her at the sink. “He’s gone.”
“Did you see where he went?”

Shaking her head, she whispered, “No . . . I looked, but he’s like a ghost. Just . . . gone.” Touching her brow, she added apologetically, “I’m so sorry, Tal. You didn’t need this. God, I didn’t need it either.”

See how it all began in Tangled Pursuit

Lindsay McKenna lives her life as a risk taker, and it shines through the books she loves to write: romance, adventure and suspense. She started writing at age thirteen and continues to hone her writing skills to this day. She sold her first romance novel in 1981. The rest is history.

Because she went into the military, this experience became the backbone of her writing—she is credited with writing the first military romance novel (Captive of Fate, 1983, Silhouette Special Edition) and has created a thriving sub-genre within the romance field! As a New York Times Best Selling author, she has sold 23 million books and in 32 foreign languages in her career thus far. Her many experiences in the U.S. Navy are backdrop for her understanding of the military in general, and also her very successful Morgan’s Mercenaries, which is an ongoing series in Silhouette to this day! Forty-five books strong!

Lindsay has gone Indie in 2015 and has created a new family saga on par with Morgan’s Mercenaries It is known as the DELOS SERIES. There will be paperback and eBooks created under Blue Turtle Publishing, her company for her fans. Readers who love Morgan and his family are bound to fall in love with the Culver family. Delos is romantic suspense, which Lindsay is well known for. It took her five years to create and bring DELOS to her readers. It was worth the wait, but we’ll let you decide that.

Lindsay loves to hear from her readers and loves to know what they’d like to see her write next. Stay up with the latest on the Delos Series here. Please visit her Web site at www.lindsaymckenna.com. And be sure to sign up for her free quarterly newsletter. It contains exclusive content found nowhere else on the Net. Plus, giveaways and other surprises, to her loyal and faithful subscribers!

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SPOTLIGHT: SAVING JAKE (BLESSINGS, GEORGIA) BY SHARON SALA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SAVING JAKE (BLESSINGS, GEORGIA) BY SHARON SALA

 

 

 

Release Date:  October 4, 2016

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

There is always hope

 

After eight years in the Marines, Jacob Lorde returns to Blessings, Georgia, with no plans other than to hole up in his empty house and heal what’s left of his soul. But with a charming next door neighbor and a town full of friendly people, keeping to himself is easier said than done.

 

As long as you can come home

 

Laurel Payne understands far too well what Jake is going through, after witnessing her late husband experience similar problems. She’s in no hurry to jump into another relationship with a complicated guy, but their attraction is undeniable—and perhaps exactly what both of them need.

 

 

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REVIEW:  SAVING JAKE (BLESSINGS, GEORGIA) BY SHARON SALA

 

Saving Jake by Sharon Sala

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Resilience. We all have this quality embedded within. The ability to weather the bruises life throws our way without caving in. Jake returns to civilization a changed man. His body may have healed but his mind is slow on the uptake. The turmoil of his experience has left him broken and guilt-ridden. Heartbreaking images are on a continuous reel in his head. Traumatized he becomes a loner with nothing for company but his painful memories. Until Laurel sets her mind to bringing him out of his dark cocoon and into the light. Blessings is an apropo name for a place where the people care and miracles happy. Ms. Sala writes from the heart and that's why her stories are so appealing for me. Saving Jake is about conquering the past and rebuilding the path to the future.



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Dear Reader:

I welcome you to Blessings, Georgia, the best small town in the South.
No, there aren’t any secrets kept here, and yes, everybody knows your business, but when bad things happen, good people come to your rescue.
I grew up in a place like that—-a place everyone should live in at least once in their lives, but since that’s not possible, I’m offering the next best thing: stories about that way of life—-touching stories, funny stories, stories that will break your heart on one page and heal it on the next.
Count Your Blessings was the novella introducing my readers to the Georgia landscape.
You and Only You was the first full-length novel set in Blessings. It’s a story about the faithfulness of friends and family and what it means to be Southern to the core, as well as being a sweet love story to enjoy.

I’ll Stand By You was the second full-length novel. It’s a story about how people starting life off on the wrong foot can still find a way to live happy ever after.

Saving Jake is the next story, the one you’re holding in your hands. It’s a story that gets to the heart of what matters in life: redemption, forgiveness, and trust. It’s a story of the times, and yet timeless in its simplicity.

Pick up one of my stories and take a visit to Blessings with me.
You just might like it enough to stay.
See you between the pages,
Sharon Sala

 

EXCERPT

Chapter 1

Thomas Wolfe once wrote, “You can never go home again.” Jacob Lorde never took the word of a stranger. He was on the way home, marking the passing of every mile with a war-weary soul. He needed a place to heal and Blessings, Georgia, the place where he grew up, was calling him.
He’d come back briefly over a year ago to bury his father, and the calm and peace of the place had stayed with him long after he’d returned to his unit. Only a couple of months later, an IED on one patrol too many earned him a long stint in the hospital and brought his time with the army to an end.
Now he was coming home to try and bury the soldier he’d been.
He wanted to be done with war.
He needed peace.
He needed the emotional security that comes with knowing where he belonged.
He needed that like he needed air to breathe, so when the Greyhound bus in which he was riding came around the curve and he saw the city-limit sign of Blessings gleaming in the early morning sunlight, his eyes blurred with sudden tears. He took the sunglasses from the pocket of his uniform and slipped them on, then held his breath as the bus began to stop.
The brakes squeaked. They needed oil.
Jake stood slowly, easing the stiffness in a still-healing leg, walked down the aisle, and then out into a sweet Georgia morning. He took a deep breath, smelling pine trees on the mountains around him and the scent of smoke from someone’s fireplace.
He was home.
The driver pulled his duffel bag from the luggage rack beneath the bus, shook his hand, and got back on board. The rest of the trip home was on Jake.
***
Ruby Dye had just opened The Curl Up and Dye when the Greyhound bus rolled through Blessings, belching black smoke from the exhaust. Because the bus came through Blessings on a regular basis, she never paid it any attention, but today it began slowing down. When it stopped, she moved closer to the window, waiting to see who got off, but the only person she saw was the driver who circled the bus to remove luggage from the carrier beneath.
A few moments later, the bus drove away in a small cloud of the same black smoke. It was then Ruby saw the man in uniform reaching down to get his duffel bag. From this distance she couldn’t tell who it was, but he was limping slightly as he walked away.
“Welcome home, soldier,” she said softly, and then went back to work.
***
Jake paused on the sidewalk and took a deep breath as the early morning air filled his lungs. Enveloped by the silence, he exhaled slowly as the weariness of the bus ride fell away. Shifting the duffel bag to rest easier on his shoulder, he headed south. Unless he caught a ride somewhere between here and home, he had a six-mile hike ahead of him, but after sitting for so long, he didn’t care.
As he walked through town, it was somewhat comforting to see everything pretty much looked the same. Granny’s Country Kitchen still appeared to be the main place to eat. He thought about stopping there for breakfast, but food wasn’t as urgent a need as it was to see home.
He continued south down Main, noticing one thing had changed. The old barbershop was closed. There was a sign in the window that read: Haircuts Available at The Curl Up and Dye. He smiled, remembering Ruby Dye and the girls at her shop.
When he noticed a school bus heading out of town, he guessed the driver was beginning his route and thought of all the boys and girls hurrying around in their homes right now, getting ready for school, still innocent of what life could do to their dreams.
Traffic was picking up by the time he reached Ralph’s, the small quick stop at the edge of town. He’d already had the utilities turned on at the house a month earlier, had cable set up so he’d have television service, and had the house cleaned at that time as well. But there wasn’t any food, and picking up a few things here would be enough to tide him over while he settled in. The bell over the doorway jingled as he walked in, which made everyone in the store turn and look.
Jake knew the army uniform he was wearing and the military duffel bag marked him as a vet and wondered if there was anyone inside who might give him a ride.
Ralph Sinclair, who had always reminded Jake of Santa Claus because of his white hair and beard, was behind the counter. “Jake! I heard you might be coming home. It’s good to see you!”
“Hi, Ralph. It’s good to be here,” Jake said.
He set his duffel bag against the counter, picked up a small shopping basket, and started moving down the aisles. He was reaching for a squeeze bottle of mustard when he heard someone call out his name. When he turned to look and saw Truman Slade standing at the end of the aisle, the first thought that went through his head was, Well, hell. Probably the only enemy he had in the entire state, and he was not only out of prison, but back in Blessings. A muscle jerked in his jaw as he forced himself not to react.
***
Truman Slade was two hundred and twenty-three pounds of pure mean, exacerbated by the years he’d spent in prison thanks to Jake Lorde’s testimony against him. Truman didn’t give a damn that all of that had happened when Jake was still in high school. All he knew was the kid’s statement at his trial sent him to prison for eight years. The years and Truman’s lifestyle had not been kind to him. Even when he was young, his short legs and big, round face, plus a distinct underbite, had given him a bulldog look. Now he had the big belly to go with it.
The moment he’d seen Jake Lorde walk in the door, his first thought had been time for payback. He walked up to where Jake was standing, pushed himself into Jake’s personal space, and waited for him to react. He so wanted to whip his ass.
To Truman’s dismay, Jake didn’t acknowledge his presence. Instead, he calmly reached over Truman’s head for a loaf of bread, which accentuated how short Truman really was, and how tall Jake had grown. As he did, his elbow grazed the tip of Truman’s nose, which made Truman flinch. Jake was acting as if Truman were invisible. When he turned around and moved a few steps down and put a box of granola in the basket with the bread and mustard, Truman followed.
“Still afraid of your own shadow?” Truman whispered, then made a gun with his hand and pointed it at Jake.
Jake stared at Truman until he flushed a dark, angry red and shoved both hands in his pockets. Jake walked back to his duffel bag, pulled a big handgun from a side pocket, gave Truman another look, and then slapped it down on the counter in front of Ralph.
“Hey, Ralph, do you know where I could get ammo for this?”
Truman heard Ralph talking, but he couldn’t focus on the words, thinking of that look Jake had given him. It was just beginning to dawn on Truman that war had changed Jake Lorde in a dangerous way. By the time he tuned back in on what was being said, Jake had shoved the handgun back into his bag and was at the deli, waiting to get some lunch meat and cheese sliced to take home.
Truman was leaning against the counter with a smirk on his face, and when Jake approached with his shopping basket to pay, Truman purposefully slid his shoe in front of Jake, intending to force him to step aside. Instead, Jake took the next step right on top of Truman’s shoe and then stopped.
Truman inhaled sharply. The bastard was standing on his foot! He started to push Jake off, and then something told him not to lay a hand on the man. By his own actions, he was momentarily pinned to the floor.
Jake paid, picked up the groceries, shouldered his duffel bag, and left the store.
Truman groaned beneath his breath when the pressure on his foot was released and then hobbled out the door and drove toward town. He needed to put distance between him and Jake Lorde to recoup his swagger.
As for Jake, his head was pounding as he walked out of the store. The blood raced through his veins the same way it had done at the end of a deadly exchange of gunfire. Even though the morning air was cool, he could almost feel the desert heat. Despite his inability to focus, instinct kept him moving toward home.
***
Laurel Payne was on her way into Blessings to an early morning cleaning job. She would have to drop her daughter, Bonnie, off at a friend’s house in town until it was time for them to walk to school. There were always difficulties arising from being a single parent, and having good friends to help her out like this made her life a little easier.
She was less than a mile from town when she saw the soldier walking on the side of the road. Her heart skipped a beat. The sight of a man in uniform was still a painful reminder of her own husband, Adam, who’d come home from a war without a single wound and then shot and killed himself only a few months later.
As for the traveler, she knew who he was even before she got close enough to see his face. She knew because she’d been the one who’d cleaned his father’s house weeks earlier. He was not a stranger. He was a few years older, but she’d known him all her life.
When she passed him, the first thing she thought was that the neighborly thing to do would be to give him a ride home, but she didn’t want to reawaken the sleeping demons in her life by befriending anyone who reminded her of Adam. Then she glanced in the rearview mirror, saw the slight limp in his stride, and her heart sank. Despite her reservations about getting involved, she hit the brakes.
“Mommy, what are we doing?” Bonnie asked, as Laurel made a U-turn in the road.
“I’m going to give Mr. Lorde a ride home,” she said.
Bonnie frowned. “But Mr. Lorde went to heaven already. Did he come back?”
Laurel sighed. “No, honey. That man we just passed is his son.”
“Oh,” Bonnie said, but her curiosity was piqued.
***
Jake saw the old pickup coming toward him but paid it little mind because it was going the wrong way to do him any good. When it came closer, he noticed a young woman and a child inside, but didn’t recognize them. He nodded politely as they passed and kept on walking.
When he was a little farther down the road, he heard the vehicle braking, then turning around, and his first instinct was to brace for another confrontation. When the pickup caught up with him and stopped, he didn’t know what to expect.
Laurel rolled down the window and managed a brief smile.
“Jake Lorde?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m Laurel Payne, your neighbor down the road. Get in and I’ll take you home.”
Jake breathed an easy sigh of relief. “Thanks,” he said, and put his things in the truck bed. He saw the little girl in the backseat as he opened the door and winked at her as he got in.
Bonnie was immediately charmed, partly because he reminded her of her father, whom she missed, and partly because he belonged to Mr. Lorde, whom she had adored.
Laurel waited until he settled before she accelerated.
“Welcome home,” she said shyly, and kept her eyes on the road.
“Thank you,” Jake said, trying to figure out who she was, and then it hit him. “You were Laurel Joyner, right?”
She nodded.
“You said it’s Payne now. By any chance did you marry Adam Payne? I knew him in high school.”
“Yes, I did,” she said.
“My daddy is dead,” Bonnie announced.
Laurel sighed. “That’s my daughter, Bonnie. She’s a first-grader this year.”
“Hello, Bonnie. I’m sorry about your daddy, and I’m sorry for your loss,” he told Laurel.
“Thank you,” Laurel said, but when she wasn’t forthcoming with any further information, Jake didn’t push the issue.
A few minutes later they drove up on the mailbox at the end of his driveway. Laurel slowed down, and when she turned off the road and headed up the driveway, the ruts were so deep that they bounced in the seats all the way to the house.
“Sorry,” she said.
“Looks like you just pointed out the first repair I need to put on my list,” Jake said.
She pulled up to the fence surrounding the yard, put the truck in park, and started to get out.
“No, don’t get out. I can get it all,” Jake said. “I really appreciate the ride and hope I didn’t make you late to wherever you were going.”
“We’re fine with the time,” Laurel said. “Have a nice day, and again, welcome home.”
“Thank you,” Jake said.
Laurel waited while he gathered all of his things from the back of her truck and then headed for the front door. As soon as he was clear of her truck, she began backing up to turn around.
When Jake turned to watch her hasty exit, he saw her little girl on her knees in the backseat watching him. She waved.
He waved back and then they were gone and he had no other excuses to delay the inevitable. He reached above the door for the key, unlocked it, and went inside. He set his duffel bag against the wall and then headed to the kitchen with the groceries.
His footsteps echoed on the old hardwood floors, and despite the cleaning, the rooms smelled musty. He set the groceries on the counter and then opened the two windows in the kitchen to start airing the house. The house might get chilly, but he was choosing fresh air rather than airless, musty rooms.
Opening the cabinet doors as he put up food was like turning back time. His mother’s dishes were still stacked in the same places they had been when he was growing up. A couple of coffee cups were missing, probably broken from years of use. When he opened a drawer to the left of the sink and found the notepads and pens they’d used to make lists and saw his father’s writing on the top page of one pad, a moment of anger swept over him. His father’s grocery list was still here, but he wasn’t.
He picked up the one on top to begin a new list of things he was going to need, then took it with him as he walked through the rooms, making notes of what he needed to buy.
He knew for sure he needed toilet paper, bath powder, and toothpaste for the bathroom. Laundry soap, stain remover, and cleaning supplies for the utility room. Light bulbs for the house, and everything it took to restock a kitchen.
He was passing a window when he saw the school bus go by the house. He glanced at the clock and smiled. Fifteen minutes to eight—-the same time he’d always caught the bus. He continued through the house, checking off things needing repairs. The showerhead was leaking and he’d noticed loose boards on the front porch when he’d stepped on it.
Several times he thought he heard footsteps in the house and would turn, expecting to see his father walk into the room with a big welcome-home grin on his face, and then remember. He made a note to get a Wi-Fi connection at the house and to set up his email.
It was moving toward noon when he finally closed all of the windows and turned on the central heat to warm up the house, then grabbed the keys to his dad’s pickup from a small nail inside one of the upper cabinets and headed toward the barn. It’s where he’d left the truck after the funeral.
A trio of pigeons roosting in the rafters flew off when he entered. The red Chevrolet truck was a little dusty but otherwise intact. Jake unlocked it with the remote and then looked inside. It was just as he’d left it. He backtracked to the last granary where he’d hidden the battery and put it back in the vehicle. He checked the oil, the transmission fluid, and the air pressure in the tires before he was satisfied, then started it up and drove it to the house and parked beneath the carport.
He was back in the kitchen making a sandwich when he thought of Laurel Payne again and wondered where she’d been going so early, then wondered what she did for a living. It had to be tough being a single parent.
He sat down in the living room to eat and turned on the television to catch local news, only to realize he didn’t recognize any of the journalists reporting. So some things had changed after all.
The food he’d made was tasteless, but his hunger had been satisfied, and that was all that mattered. He was thinking about going into town and setting up his banking, then checking in with the post office to let them know he was home and to resume delivery.
But then he fell asleep and went back to war.
The explosion from the IED sounded like the end of the world, and when Jake came to, he thought he was dead. The pain from his wounds had yet to register, and he was trying desperately to stand. He couldn’t hear, he couldn’t see for the smoke and dust, and he couldn’t feel his legs. This was a blistering disappointment. He thought heaven would be prettier than this.
Someone yelled at him. DeSosa! He was telling him not to die, but the way he felt, he wasn’t making any promises. It wasn’t until the ground began vibrating beneath him and the air was spinning above his head that he started yelling for help. That was a chopper, and he didn’t want to be left behind.
Jake woke up in a sweat, his heart pounding and tears in his eyes.
“Son of a… Ah, God,” he muttered, and bolted off the sofa as if he’d been launched, trying to get as far away from the dream as possible.
He yanked the front door open and strode onto the porch, taking in the fresh air in gulps. The sweat on his forehead began to cool as the tears dried on his cheeks, and he began to pace. The loose boards squeaked, reminding him of a job still undone. Furious from the dream and frustrated because the war still haunted his life, he went straight to the toolshed for a hammer and nails, then back to the house.
Every time the hammer made contact with a nail, it took everything he had not to duck, because it sounded like gunshots. He was so focused on getting rid of the nightmare that he didn’t see Laurel Payne driving home, but she saw him.
***
Laurel was already exhausted and she still had four loads of laundry to do and supper to cook for her and Bonnie. She’d actually forgotten about seeing Jacob Lorde this morning until she drove past the house and saw him on his hands and knees on the porch. She saw the hammer in his hand and remembered the loose boards when she’d been there last month to clean the house. It was obvious he wasn’t wasting any time putting it to rights.
But when she consciously noticed how broad his shoulders were, she looked away. She didn’t care what he looked like. He didn’t matter in her world and never would. She had a daughter to raise, and she wanted nothing to do with another war vet.
Her head was hurting by the time she got home, and climbing those steep steps into their double-wide trailer seemed like insult adding to her injury. Once inside, she breathed a sigh of relief at being in her own home, not someone else’s, and headed for her bedroom.
The first thing she did was take down her hair. It was thick and a slightly curly auburn that hung well below her shoulders, and sometimes having it up all day gave her a headache. As soon as it was down, the release of tension in her body was palpable. She quickly changed her clothes and got to work.
By the time the school bus stopped to let Bonnie off, Laurel was taking the last batch of cookies from the oven. She had the third load of clothes in the washing machine, a load in the dryer, and vegetable soup simmered on the back burner.
The sound of Bonnie’s footsteps coming up the steps of their trailer was Laurel’s signal for an emotional shift. Whatever was bothering her did not belong on her little girl’s radar. She turned toward the door with a smile. Seconds later, Bonnie came inside in a rush, talking nonstop.
“Mama, I got a happy face on my new words, and Lewis threw up on my shoe at lunch. Mrs. Hamilton washed it off but it still smells funny. I think it got on my sock, too. Milly was mean to me at recess but I told her she was acting like a baby. Then she cried, which proved I was right. Can I have a cookie? How long till supper?”
Laurel grinned. “Come here and give me a kiss. I missed you today.”
Bonnie threw her arms around her mother’s neck and kissed Laurel’s cheek as she reached for a cookie.
Laurel grinned when she saw the second cookie in Laurel’s other hand and stopped her long enough to get the stinky tennis shoes and socks off Laurel’s feet.
“Change out of your school clothes before you go feed Lavonne, and put on socks with your old shoes. It’s chilly out today.”
“I will,” Bonnie said. “Can Lavonne have a cookie, too?”
“No. Chickens don’t need to eat sugar. Just her regular feed, okay?”
“Okay, Mama,” Bonnie said, and ran barefoot to her room, her little feet making splat, splat sounds as she went.
In minutes she was out the back door and running toward the little chicken coop. Her daddy had built it for Lavonne, and she thought of him every time she went to feed her pet, but it was getting harder to remember what he looked like. That scared her a little, but she was afraid to talk to Mama about it. She heard Mama crying sometimes at night. It was hard being Mama’s big girl when she still felt little and scared.
When she unlocked the gate to the fence around the coop and Lavonne came running, it made the sad thoughts go away. Lavonne was her buddy and had the prettiest black feathers ever. Mama said she was from a family of chickens called Australorps, but Bonnie disagreed. Lavonne was from the family of Paynes.
The chicken’s constant clucks sounded a lot like Bonnie’s chatter as Bonnie scooped up feed and put it in the feeder inside the coop. When she left the chicken yard to get fresh water, Lavonne was right beside her, clucking and occasionally pausing to peck the ground.
“What was that?” Bonnie asked. “Did you get a bug? Good job!” Then she suddenly squatted and pointed her finger in the grass. “Oooh, look, Lavonne, there’s another one!”
Lavonne was on it in seconds, then wandered off a few feet while Bonnie carried fresh water back to the coop and filled the watering station. As soon as she was through with all that, she pulled a fresh hunk off the bale of straw and loosened it. She was getting ready to put it in Lavonne’s nest when she saw the egg.
She squealed and dropped the straw then came out of the chicken coop on the run, screaming, “Mommy, Mommy.”
When Laurel heard Bonnie’s scream her heart stopped. She dropped the armload of wet clothes back into the washer and went out the back door on the run.
“What’s wrong?” she cried, as Bonnie ran into her arms.
Bonnie held out the egg in two hands as if it were pure gold.
“Look, Mama, look! Lavonne laid an egg. Does that mean she’s all grown up now?”
Laurel was so weak with relief it took a moment to answer.
“Well, my goodness, I guess it does. Way to go, Lavonne,” Laurel said.
Bonnie giggled.
“We’re both growing up, aren’t we, Mama? Here, you take the egg. I’m going to play with Lavonne some more.”
Laurel sighed as she watched Bonnie running back to the coop. Yes. Her little girl was growing up. She turned around to go back to the house, carrying the proof of Lavonne’s launch into hen-hood, and the farther she went, the angrier she became at Adam. By the time she reached the back steps, she was crying.
“Oh, Adam, just look at what you’re missing. Why did you have to go and blow your damn head off? We need you. Life wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

 

 

 

SHARON SALA has over ninety-five books in print and has published in five different genres. She is a seventime RITA finalist, four-time Career Achievement winner from RT Book Reviews, and five-time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award. Writing changed her life, her world, and her fate. She lives in Norman, Oklahoma.

 

 

 

 

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