Lady Anne (book two) Redeemed Blurb Being forced to leave one’s country and shipped to America is a terrible beginning for any marriage. In fact, Anne and Aaron are not legally married, since Anne refused to sign the marriage certificate. Certain Anne will love her new life, Aaron pays off her servants, shuts down her home, and takes her to America against her wishes. He quickly discovers that an angry, defiant Anne is more than his heart can endure. If he could turn the ship around, he would have done so. Instead, he assigns Jacko to deal with the hell-cat. When they finally arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, Aaron no longer wishes to marry Anne. Still he cannot send her across the ocean in the icy winter waters. It is far too dangerous. So, the angry she-cat remains ‘his wife’ as they make the long journey home to his ranch in the Kentucky hills. Having no alternative, Anne agrees to remain six months on his ranch, until it is safe to cross the ocean again. Then, come summer, if she wishes, she can return to England. Unfortunately, when they finally reach Aaron’s ranch, he discovers over half his horses have been sold on the cheap, his ranch is in disrepair, and the man he had put in charge is now declaring he is the owner of the property. His anger towards his ‘wife’ is no longer his main concern. He must reclaim his property, rehire his men, and rebuild his ranch. With winter arriving, if he doesn’t turn matters around quickly, they will all die. AMAZON WIDE Aaron bought a wagon, then went in search of a horse and driver. For the purchase of horses, he visited his friend and fellow horseman, Jeffrey Gavins. Jeffrey laughed at his request. “Now this is a turnabout. Normally I buy horses from you.” “Yes, well, I have just returned from England and hate to waste the trip for naught, so I’ve bought supplies and a wagon. Now, I need a horse strong enough to pull a wagon of goods home. Jeffrey frowned. “I heard your father was ill. Is he better now?” Aaron was in such hell that the mention of his father didn’t even register a prick of pain. “No, he died. But my speedy departure did give me time with him.” Jeffrey patted Aaron on the back. “Your foreman brought some fine horses down for auction. A few too fine, if you ask me. I bought them on the cheap, and if you want them back, I’ll return them at cost.” When Aaron entered Jeffrey’s private stables and his finest mare raised her head and snorted at him in recognition, he lost his temper. “God Almighty! He sold you Cleopatra?” “He put her up for auction. I simply bought her. I know you’ve thought well of your foreman, but I’m glad to see you back before winter. He didn’t buy supplies when he left after the auction. To be honest, Aaron, I sent a man to Kentucky to ensure the fool hadn’t sold off all your horses and run away with the money.” The possibility of losing his ranch did manage to register—even in his current hell. “And what did he find?” “Your foreman was at your ranch. My man talked to some of the side hands, and they didn’t seem to think anything was amiss, so I figured he had just made a mistake in selecting horses for sale.” Aaron walked down the row of stables and identified two more of his better mares and one very strong stallion. He was shocked when Jeffrey told him how little he had paid for the lot. “It wasn’t entirely the foreman’s fault. The buyers were low bidding him because they knew he wouldn’t know better.” Jeffrey shrugged. “And he didn’t.” Aaron shook his head. “He should have pulled the horses from bidding the moment he saw what they were about.” Jeffrey shrugged. “I don’t think he came down with the resources to do that. They had him in a vice.” “I want the names of the buyers.” “Not from me.” Jeffrey’s face turned stubborn and hard. “You’ll have to see if your foreman remembers their names. I have to work with those men.” “Jeffrey…” Jeffrey reached out and petted Cleopatra’s nose. “Look, I saved your favorites. Consider your loss as the cost of training a foreman.” About the AuthorLiza O’Connor Liza loves to write books. In fact, she has over fifty novels now and she still continues to publish a book a month. She writes in a multitude of genres: Romance, Comedy, Historical, Paranormal, Suspense, Sci-Fi, & Western. She even has one Young Adult novel. Thus, her books have a wide range of heat from mild to adult language and situations, that are determined by what seems realistic for each of her many stories. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIZA O'CONNOR Liza's Blog and Website Facebook Twitter http://www.lizaoconnor.com/ http://www.facebook.com/liza.oconnor.90 https://twitter.com/Liza0Connor Check out my growing basket of books—I have over 50 now.   Anne thought she had finally found someone who loved her for herself. Someone who saw past the horrors of her past, but with the move to America, she began to doubt the man she's learned to love.
Anne is a resilient woman who took a horrible event and made it better. She surrounded herself with people she trusted (and some she probably shouldn't have trusted) but when she's asked to make a life altering choice, she sets out to cause trouble not only for herself but for the people she loves. Ms. O'Connor's books all have a wonderful message and give the reader hope for a positive outcome no matter what they are facing. Her characters are flawed but redeemable. Lady Anne's books feature a special treat. These books fit into her amazing series, Xavier and Vic, British Sleuths! I loved getting to spend some time with Jacko and can't wait to see what else Ms. O'Connor writes!  Could You Forgive? I am a pretty laid back person. There have been things which have hurt me deeply but I've gone on to forgive the person. But I did keep my anger for a while. It usually took a few years to get over it. Elsie has very good reason to be angry at Corbin. He did walk away when she was down. I'd really want to get even first but since they shared a great love... any forgiveness is possible. Blurb: “Elsie?” the dust settled, and she took a deep breath, gathering her anger around her. Carefully, trying not to let her limp show, she turned toward the now famous natural horsemanship trainer. The Lakota cowboy, Corbin Darkhorse, and the very first man she had ever loved, stood watching her. He was even more handsome than she remembered: dark hair, dark eyes, with long-fingered hands weathered by the sun and wind. She swallowed a mouthful of dirty words and wondered why he had to be here, on this day, as she picked up her mustang for the competition. Forgiveness had never been one of Elsie Rosewood’s strengths, and Corbin could see she hadn’t changed over the last ten years. In fact, she looked as wild, angry and stubborn as the mustang pacing in the corral behind her. His mind filled abruptly with the old image of Elsie’s face bloodied, as a previous wild horse threw her to the ground and trampled her limp body. Ten years was a long time to run, and Corbin knew if he ever wanted to have peace, and the trust of the only woman he’d ever loved, then he would have to prove how much he had changed. The only thing standing in the way of a once- in-a-lifetime love is a Mustang Training Competition, $100,000, and a past neither forgotten nor forgiven. Place Your Pre-Order Today!  About the Author:
Christina Rhoads resides on an Arabian horse farm where she divides her time (when she isn’t fixing fence or stacking hay) between writing novels, painting and training equines. While studying creative writing, as she earned a BA in English from Indiana University, she fell madly in love with the act of creating characters and then sharing them with the world. She often describes her ideal afternoon as one spent riding her horse, Major Temptation, and then curling up with a good book and cup of peppermint tea. For more on Christina’s books check out her website or connect with her on social media. www.christinarhoads.com https://www.facebook.com/Christina-Rhoads-212417315991236/ https://www.instagram.com/christina.rhoads.author/?hl=en  Captive State is a science-fiction world domination movie similar to the movies like Independence Day or Cloverfield. You can check out my review on my review page or by listening to the broadcast on Monday morning at 8:40 am on WHMI radio station.
 I'm looking at another move, this time out of state and to a place I've never lived before. This is the second time this has happened in my life. When I married in the early 80's, I left behind Ohio for Michigan. While I only knew one person, I quickly learned to love my new hometown. I believe this gives me a unique perspective on what a person is willing to do for love. Have you ever moved away from home with your husband and only him? Left behind your family and friends? In Amanda Marin's new release, North to Nara, she explores what one young couple is willing to give up for love. It's more than just moving, though. Her story is about the quest for a society where everyone is allowed to live freely. This is such an important piece in light of our own world these days. I hope you will pick up your own copy and share with me what you think of this Dystopian romance which felt a lot like Hunger Games mixed with The Handmaid's Tale. Blurb: Behind the beauty is heartache... unless their love can save them. Neve Hall has always admired the good works of the civil servants who brought prosperity back to the Nation. She especially respects the Sufferers—empaths who, with the help of technology, anonymously bear others’ troubles for them. But when her assigned empath is abruptly retired, she uncovers certain secrets. Like the identity of her new Sufferer, Micah Ward... and the fact that behind his kind smile is a life filled with loneliness and pain. The closer Neve grows to Micah, the more desperate she becomes to protect him from a cruel and gruesome fate. But in a world where only a few are allowed the luxury of love, saving Micah comes with a price: Neve must choose between her loyalty to the Nation or her heart—a decision that will take them both on a race for their freedom, and their lives. EXCERPT: I have no way of knowing if my attempt to keep pain from Micah has worked—I don’t, at least, until a couple days later, when he visits me again in the butterfly exhibit. We walk around the museum corridors once more, this time in a different direction, on a different floor—through an exhibit on horses. And we talk. “Did you suppress things this week at the Center?” He asks this almost immediately, after he tells me the director still hasn’t made a decision about his punishment. I bite my lip and glance away, trying to distract myself by examining a prehistoric drawing of a pony. If I admit the truth, Micah might ask me more questions. He might ask why I did it. And even though I know the answer—because I think it’s cruel what the Nation has done to him, because I like being near him, and because I almost certainly care more about him than I should—the idea of telling him all this scares me. “Yes,” I say, my voice small and timid. “How did you know?” “It felt different this time,” he explains softly. “It was easier. Less painful.” I look up at him again. “Then I’m glad,” I tell him. “That was what I hoped for.” He pauses, and I see the confusion in his face, the way it knits his eyebrows closer together. He’s never had a Sieve suppress feelings to protect him before, I’m sure. He’s only ever had them take from him. He doesn’t quite seem to know what to make of it. “You know you don’t have to do that, right…?” he asks. “I know.” Micah’s quiet a moment as we continue walking, probably guessing correctly the reasons for my suppression, whether I say them out loud or not. I’ve been paper-thin to him since our first Suffering session, after all: he’s always seen through me. Then, as we round a corner, his hand brushes against mine. His fingertips gently graze against my knuckles, testing to see if I pull away. I don’t. Instead, I slip my hand into his. And he smiles. Be Sure to Grab Your Own Copy Today!  About the Author:
When Amanda was a child, her father traveled frequently for business, always bringing her back a book as a present. Whether she was getting lost in the pages of a tale about far-away knights, girls with supernatural powers, or kindly giants, she was quickly hooked on stories. Over the years, Amanda has followed her own yellow brick road of reading and writing, and although her adventures haven't involved sword fights or saving the planet from certain annihilation, they have involved jobs in scholarly publishing and marketing, a modest amount of travel, and a lifelong love of novels. Amanda holds degrees in English from Salve Regina University and Boston College. She lives in southern New Hampshire with her family and a precocious pet poodle named Snickers. Links: Website: www.amandamarinwrites.com Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/amandamarin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandamarinwrites Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amarinwrites/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Amanda_Marin BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amanda-marin  Luke Perry’s passing did one thing right in my book. More than sharing how important it is for healthy living, Luke’s death put the focus on how a blended family should work. Even at the lowest times in our lives, we need our family around us. When Luke passed, his ex-wife and the mother of his children were at his bedside along with his fianceé and children. In the days that followed, both women were seen having lunches together with the children as they grieved as a family.  As a divorced mom who remarried, I understand the anger and despair in dealing with your ex-spouse. Obviously there was a reason why you aren’t together anymore. It wasn’t a decision made lightly by anyone, especially if there are children involved. Please know that if you left a bad situation due to violence or abuse, then this doesn’t fit you and I’m not saying that my beliefs work for everyone. However, Luke’s death showed how it is possible to put the past behind you for important events.  When my daughter and son graduated high school or when my daughter married, my ex and I put aside any anger or resentment and hosted the events as a team, working to make sure the happiest days for my children were ones they could look back on with fondness. Why can’t it be that way for the end of life? I had a life with my ex-husband. We’d been married for twenty years and though we had issues, he was at one point, the most important person in my life. Why wouldn’t I want him there when I leave my mortal body and ascend to Heaven? It doesn’t mean that my current husband is less in my heart, but it sets a wonderful precedent for my own children. Love triumphs over everything else.  Thank you to Luke’s family who understood what was really important in his final moments. They set a precedent which I feel we should all live up to.
 We've been with Country Music Superstar, Finn Murphy and his wife, Lara for many adventures. We've seen how loss and love have shaped their marriage. We've seen happy times and bumpy roads. Now it's time to let these two amazing characters lead a quieter life. But this isn't really goodbye, more like until we see you again. Blurb: West Virginia, New York, Tennessee…Lara and Finn Murphy have lived in all of these places. And thanks to Finn’s career as a country music singer, they have had the opportunity to explore many more. But what they have discovered along the many roads traveled, is that the only real place that matters is where each other is—that is the place they belong. The pair will need to hold onto that truth as they face their greatest challenges yet. On top of dealing with Pop’s terminal illness, Lara and Finn’s young daughter is caught up in an emergency situation. The traumatic event not only scratches at old wounds but brings an unwanted public spotlight on the family. Amongst the emotional upheaval, can they find sanctuary and comfort in each other? Will they learn to reconcile what has happened in the past to find peace in the present? Can they finally and completely let each other in? And, will their road of life, full of detours and U-turns, finally have a happily ever after? The final book in the Country Roads series, THE PLACE I BELONG, will take you on an emotional, heartfelt journey. Pre-Order Your Copy Today!
 Captain Marvel finally arrived in theaters to a large round of applause on International Women's Day. With a nod toward strong women and the friendships they cultivate. You can check out my review on my Movie Review page or listen to my review on Monday on the radio station, WHMI.
 Happy Book Birthday, Laurel Houck!!Becoming a published author isn't an easy task. First you have to have an idea, then comes the hard part... you have to actually finish the book. Many people have wonderful ideas but they never put their behinds in the chair and complete their writing. A new idea comes around or they let their negative tape get in the way. But you MUST finish a book in order to become an author. Edits, querying and more edits. All of those are things that occur before you become an author. Cover art is selected and you establish your brand. Whew, are you tired yet? Becoming a published author isn't for the faint of heart...but today we have another new member to the club! Laurel Houck... Some say you never forget your first kiss... but really, you never forget your first book! The Girl with Chameleon Eyes It’s an abrupt, uncomfortable incarnation for Summer, the ghostly girl with chameleon eyes. Exotic hues roil in her gaze as she seeks to recall what awful sin in her past has doomed her to roam the earth. And to discover what—or who—will bring her to eternal rest. Kota, brunt of bad jokes because he’s different, feels an instant connection to Summer. She recoils at the mere sight of him. Yet they are drawn together in a dance of mutual need, choreographed by the ages. As Summer grows more attached to both her young foster brother and to Kota’s friend, Preston, she struggles against complacency. Until discovering that if she doesn’t expiate the guilt on her soul by her seventeenth birthday, she will roam forever. For her, it’s hate at first sight. For him, it’s instant attraction. When the pieces of their lives begin to unravel and intertwine, will love be enough to save them both? Or will evil decide their future? Excerpt My vapor solidifies with no warning whatsoever. Abrupt. Compact. Unexpected. I’m near a dumpster that squats behind a floodlit Sheetz gas station, the stench of hot dog grease and burnt coffee strong in my nostrils. My feet are last to materialize, so that for a moment when I look down, I’m floating about five inches above the pavement, white mist above black asphalt. With the physical transformation comes the rest of it. Light and cool converts to heavy and hot. Yearning and searching morphs to fear and uncertainty. Naked and misty transforms to flesh-bound and clothed. I’m grateful for the garments that cover my skin, even if how that happens is a mystery to me. The nausea and dizziness are stronger than the last time I can recall. I lean against the dumpster and slide to the ground, knees up, head in my hands. It will pass soon. I hope. “Miss, are you okay?” A deep voice rumbles above the traffic noise. The tall, ruddy-faced cop is standing over me, wearing a black uniform and a hat with a band of navy and gold squares. “I’m Officer Sullivan. Did someone hurt you?” “I’m fine.” I scramble to my feet, glad it’s dim in the shadow of the dumpster. I’m still shaky and have no clue what color has risen in my eyes. Between the lights and my startling arrival, anything is possible. I keep my head down. What can I tell him? I know that I used to be alive, that now I’m a ghost, and that I’m searching for something to expiate my guilt over...what? Beyond that, fuzzy at best. Grab Your Copy Today!! |
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