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Monday, August 31, 2020

Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hey, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Nora LeDuc and her new book, “Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes,” which is part of the exciting Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End Book Box Set!!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post – except the Available at Amazon picture, which takes you directly to the Amazon Book Sale Page.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Nora and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes
by Nora LeDuc

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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LAST CHANCE BEACH BOOK BOX SET BLURB:


LAST CHANCE BEACH is the island paradise where dreams go to live again and wishes may come true. It’s Summer’s End on the island, and the cottages, condos, hotels, and bungalows are filled to capacity.

There’s still plenty of time to find summer fun and summer love, new romances and second chances; hot alpha males and heartwarming heroes, beach bunnies, dudes, and romance popping up when you least expect it.

Throw a log on the beach bonfire tonight and celebrate LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, a special collection of 14 short stories from bestselling authors—all new, never published before—that will thrill the hopeful romantic in you. Some stories are sweet; some are sizzling hot. All will touch your heart and make you want to book a vacation to LAST CHANCE BEACH!

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14 BOOK BLURBS:


Hot August Night by Joan Reeves, NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Can a chef and a hot dog loving cop resist desire when they’re forced to share the same overbooked beach cottage?

Something New by Liz Flaherty, USA Today Bestselling Author
Their lives are all planned out--until they're not.

I Do…Again by Nancy Fraser, Amazon Top 100 Author
Can they re-ignite what they once had and take a last chance on love?

The Man in Gull Cottage by Caroline Clemmons, Amazon Top 100 Author
Will the solution to her dilemma drive them apart or into one another's arms?

That One Summer by Maddie James, Amazon Top 100 Author
He's the one who got away. She's the one who couldn't commit.

Romancing the Spouse by Jan Scarbrough, Amazon Bestselling Author
Can she turn back the clock to save her marriage?

Blue Sky Summer by Kathleen Lawless, Amazon Bestselling Author
Of all the beaches on the coast, who does she see again? Him!

Hangover Husband by Bonnie Edwards, Amazon Bestselling Author
What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there.

One Last Shot by Marcia King-Gamble, National Bestselling Author
She can run, but can she hide?  Will love still find her?

Secondhand Hearts by Kathryn Hills, Award Winning Author
Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Paradise Perfume by Connie Vines, Award Winning Author
Fragrance and love cannot be hidden.

Dreams of the Past by Laura Hunsaker, Award Winning Author
Can dreams of the future erase her nightmares of the past?


Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes by Nora LeDuc
She wants someone interested in a fling. He wants someone interested in a ring.

Frankie McKinley’s last three relationships went up in flames. Her best bud insists she needs to relax, have a fling. But Frankie’s not into casual hookups. She vows to resist the lure of romantic Last Chance Beach and take a break from men. She’ll concentrate on her dream, opening a gift shop. Or so she’d promised herself until the morning her gaze locks with the handsome Sean Thomas-Michael’s sea-blue eyes.

Can't Buy Me Love by Hannah Rowan
Things aren't always what they seem.

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EXCERPT TWO:

From Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes:


His brows shot up with interest. His lips parted slightly. Blue eyes that matched the sea drew Frankie to him and caused a sensation of dizziness to dance in her head. She was aware she was staring, but she couldn’t stop.
The squawk of a bird broke through the scrape of forks against dishes and the murmur of voices. The noises faded away. Even the thud of her heart seemed to pause when he nodded to her.

“Attention, everyone.” A server standing nearby with a carafe of coffee interrupted Frankie’s moment. “MacDyver has been sighted.”

“Quick the food.” Tikki covered their meals with napkins.

Silverware clinked as diners dropped their utensils and popped up their overhead covers–– their futile attempt at protection. As Frankie shoved her chair back to open their umbrella, she peeked at the man.

He picked up his toast and held it for a second. The seagull struck. With one swoop MacDyver grabbed the bread from his fingertips. A hush settled over the throng, and the bird soared heavenward with a snide cackle out the side of his beak and disappeared.

All gazes fell on the stranger MacDyver had robbed as he rose to his six-foot-plus height.

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GUEST POST:

My Favorite Scene in the Book Beach Kisses and Sunset Wishes:

Most definitely, I have two favorite scenes in Beach Kisses & Sunset Wishes. The ending where they declare their love and the first kiss. Today, I’ve chosen to go with their first kiss.

Before I began writing this novella, I had a few ideas in mind for my characters. My hero and heroine recently had broken off disastrous relationships. Neither was excited about getting involved with each other. They justified spending time with each other with excuses. He wanted to see the sights. She was just giving him a tour. They needed a nudge to jolt them into action. That was their kiss. This moment would reveal the promise of what could be between them if they allowed their feelings to develop.

I was blessed with the perfect romantic location, Last Chance Beach. Incorporated into the setting are various sounds and sights––the rhythmic sound of rolling waves, children laughing in the water, the sky’s vivid yellows and oranges at sundown–to set the mood.

To make the evening more memorable, I added a drum ceremony. The drummers have gathered on the white sand to celebrate the sunset. The observance and the tempo of the instruments added to the island appeal and backdrop to the passage. So now Frankie and Sean stroll together along the edge of the blue ocean with the sun disappearing into the sea. And because my hero is a true romantic, he’s given the heroine a pin that looks like the flowers at her grandmother’s home.

Below is a brief excerpt from the scene:

His warm breath brushed her cheek. His woodsy coconut fragrance sent a swirl of heat through her stomach. If she leaned a little more, their mouths would meet. Their gazes locked as he straightened. She wanted more than anything to kiss him.

Gulls flew over them and called to each other in their piercing voices.

He moved back.

She put her palm over the pin on her chest. The best present ever, she thought, trying to steady her emotions. “I’ve heard wishes made on the beach at sunset come true.”

“Ah, then I’ll show you mine.” Gently, he touched her lips.

Thank you, Fabulous and Brunette, and Readers, and until we meet again, stay healthy, wealthy in books, and wise.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Nora grew up in rural New England where she currently lives with her family. She enjoys visiting and spending time with her friends, the Winettes, in Florida, where she continues to write. Her current book, Beach Kisses, Sunset Wishes is her seventeenth. In October, Christmas at the Easy Breezy will be released. You can find Nora on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and her website: Noraleduc.com. She also contributes to the Romance Gems’ Blog every month.

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CONNECT WITH NORA:

Website:

Facebook:

BookBub Author Page:

BookBub Book Page:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK:


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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Nora will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

The Strong Amongst Us by J. A. Boulet - Book Tour - Book Sale - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host J. A. Boulet and her new book, “The Strong Amongst Us”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with J. A. and to increase your chances of winning!

This eBook is on SALE on Kobo for ONLY $0.99 during the book tour!!!  See below for more details.

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


The Strong Amongst Us
by J. A. Boulet

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GENRE: Historical Fiction

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BLURB:

On a stormy day in October 1875, a boatload of Icelandic explorers crash land on a beach paradise called Willow Point on Lake Winnipeg. Except it proves to be anything but paradise.

On that fateful day, young Nathan Olason steps afoot onto the soil of a foreign country, a place that he is determined to claim as his new home. Against a stunning backdrop of Lake Winnipeg, Nath and his relatives struggle to stay alive against all odds in this strange unforgiving new country called Canada. With natural sand beaches and breathtaking sunsets, the lake quickly changes to a menacing force, with massive storm surges and frigid temperatures, claiming lives like flies. Nath soon realizes that to claim this wilderness as New Iceland, he must persevere.

Events soon blow wildly out of control as heavy snowfalls, emerging governments, racism and mass starvation tests Nathan’s limits. With the help of a beautiful local Cree woman named Anwa, they learn vital hunting and ice fishing skills, teaching themselves how to live off the land. Then just when they think they have prevailed, tragedy strikes an ominous blow, a smallpox epidemic that decimates villages, quarantines the town of Gimli, but most of all threatens to claim what he holds dear the most.

With stirring realism, surprising bits of humour and steamy romance scenes, The Strong Amongst Us weaves a rich historical tale of immigration, manhood, immense love and resilience, leaving readers empowered by the sheer will of the human spirit.

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EXCERPT ONE:

He stared at the beautiful sun, peering over the horizon of gentle waves. The coldness stung, but he embraced it. The lake was much calmer today. He loved it actually; luck was on his side. They would most likely be able to send the funds request of the remaining five-thousand-dollar loan to the Dominion today by boat.

A movement caught his eye. Someone was pulling in a larger boat. He stood and used his hand to shelter from the sun. He squinted into the bright rays. It was just one person, pulling in the boat. He strapped his boots on and scurried over to the dock.

“Hey, do you need a hand?” Nathanael shouted as he approached.

A woman’s voice lilted into the air, gentle but full of strength. “No, I am okay.”

“No, I must! Let me help you,” Nathan insisted.

She looked at him stubbornly, shook her head and relented. “If you must.”

Nath grabbed the rope and helped pull in the boat, anchoring it along the sand. “Is this the boat that will be taking the letter to the Dominion for us today?”

“It is, yes,” she replied. “Sorry for my English. I am still learning.”

“You are native to this land?” Nath asked. “How long have you lived here?”

“Forever,” she laughed. “Ma and Pa were born here, so was I.”

“Interesting,” Nath said. “It is a beautiful land. And a beautiful lake.”

“Yes, Nath, it is,” she replied.

“You remembered my name?”

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GUEST POST:

Falling in Love with the Main Characters:

Firstly, the most important thing I believe that I did when writing this book was falling in love with Nathanael Olason myself. When you love someone yourself, as a writer, the passion will come through your writing without the author even knowing it.

Yuri slammed the gate behind him and approached the group. Nath smiled and stuck out his hand. “My name is Nathanael. We are part of a much larger group of Icelanders that have recently settled on Willow Point. We are here to ask for your assistance.”

His courage and determination is palatable. When he begins to fall in love, my readers start loving his girlfriend too, because she is not perfect to everyone else but, in his eyes, she is the best thing to happen for him.

“I can show you how to hunt the deer,” Anwa offered. “My family has been eating deer meat for centuries. We use bow and arrows for the deer.”

“I would love that.” Nathanael looked at this small strong woman and was amazed. She knew how to fish and hunt this land better than anyone, and she was half the size of some of his Icelandic cousins. “I think that’s pretty amazing that you are so experienced in fishing and hunting, Anwa. It is rare for a woman to know such things.”

Anwa looked up; her large brown eyes shone with achievement. “Thank you, Nath. No one has ever said anything like that to me before.”

I include many glimpses of into Nath’s emotions as he prepares to commit to the love of his life.

Nath’s heart exploded. His pent-up emotions released into a torrent of misery and happiness.

They stood there at the door, crying on each other, so happy to just be in each other’s embrace again. Her smell wafted into his nostrils, filling him with her pheromones until he felt high and giddy. Her softness made his heart melt instantly. He forgot every single thing he had rehearsed and just said the next thing that came to his mind.

Then finally when the weather, environment, governments and a dangerous smallpox epidemic carry them towards the climax, they bravely face each obstacle together.

As they returned to the entrance, the smell of smoke filled their nostrils again. It was a sickly acrid smell, something Nath had never smelled before.

Anwa spoke firmly to James Settee. “Whatever are they burning, Reverend?”

James coughed and cleared his throat. “They are burning the bodies and clothing. Just in case it is smallpox.”

Anwa breathed in sharply and stomped out with Nath in tow. He rushed to catch up with her.

“Hey, babe,” Nath called out to her.

She continued rushing to the horses, without turning back once.

“Hey,” Nath said as he finally caught up to her. He grabbed her arm. She turned to face him with tears flowing freely down her pretty face. She collapsed into his arms as he engulfed her whole body into his.

The strength of both main characters are felt through their actions. Readers experience Nath and Anwa’s lives on very personal level, every tear and every fear, taking readers on a roller coaster ride of love, racism, hardship, death, storms and hope for a better future.

It was November 27, 1876. A cordon sanitaire station was set up at Netley Creek, sixteen miles from the northern border of Manitoba at Boundary Creek. The quarantine line was being enforced by a thirteen-member military garrison.

“We are here to stay now,” Nath said, solemnly.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy The Strong Amongst Us (Book One of The Olason Chronicles). My wish is that it changes your life as much as it changed mine. My gracious thanks also to Fabulous and Brunette for hosting me.

Enjoy a free excerpt on my website:

Chapter One Preview:

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AUTHOR BIO:


J. A. Boulet is the passionate author of The Olason Chronicles, a historical saga of immigration, love and perseverance. The Strong Amongst Us Book 1 was released on Amazon in April 2020. She was born and raised in Western Canada as a first generation Canadian from European descent. Her parents landed in St. John’s, NFLD as refugees in 1956, a direct result of the Hungarian Revolution. J. A. Boulet was born many years later, raised in a strong Hungarian culture and proudly calls Canada home to this day. She started writing poetry at the age of five and progressed to short stories and novels. She has a keen interest in history, healing, family bonds and embracing the unknown. J. A Boulet writes with a spine-tingling realism like none other, grabbing your emotions and refusing to let go. The Strong Within Us Book 2 is scheduled to be released on November 11, 2020.

She currently lives in Canada with her two teenaged sons and a crested gecko named Mossio. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit.

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CONNECT WITH J. A.:

J. A. Enjoying Some R&R Out on the Lake
PC - @ J. A. Boulet

Website:

Blog:

Email:
admin@jaboulet.ca

Twitter:

Instagram:

YouTube:

Reddit:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS & BOOK SALE INFO:

**The Strong Amongst Us eBook is on SALE on Kobo for ONLY $0.99 during the book tour!!!**


Amazon US Kindle eBook:

Amazon US Paperback:

Amazon US Hardcover:

Amazon CA:

Amazon UK:

Amazon AU:

Amazon FR:

Amazon IT:

Barnes and Noble Hardcover:

The Book Depository Hardcover:

BAM! Books-A-Million Hardcover:

Chapters Hardcover:

Kobo eBook – ON SALE $0.99!!!:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

J. A. will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.




**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Friday, August 28, 2020

Wild Wales by Patricia Evans Cox - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Patricia Evans Cox and her new book, “Wild Wales”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Patricia and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Wild Wales
by Patricia Evans Cox

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GENRE: Lesbian Romance

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BLURB:

Aisling Moss is balanced on the crystal edge of success as one of the most sought-after wedding planners in London…until one ill-advised move brings her career crashing down around her feet like a toppled tower of champagne flutes. The next day, a letter from a family solicitor arrives at her flat, and she has to choose between picking up the pieces of her career in London or taking the next flight to Wales to honor the wishes of someone she loves.

Finn Morgan was forced to end her fighting career after an injury sidelined her dreams of being a star in the cutthroat world of professional women’s boxing. Her job as a short-order cook in a Brooklyn diner certainly doesn’t compare, but it also doesn’t require her to think about what she wants to do with her life. Sleeping with her boss’s wife and spending quality time with a punching bag is all she needs, until the day she comes home to find a letter from across the pond, surrounded by a pool of warm sunlight, on her entry table.

Once in Wales, long-kept secrets and unexpected demands surface for both Finn and Aisling, and they are forced to make hard decisions about their futures: Do they return to rebuild the lives they had, or take a chance on love in wild, windswept Wales?

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EXCERPT TWO:

Aisling spoke slowly, more to herself than to Finn. Her voice trailed off, but she snapped back to reality after a few seconds and looked back at Finn across the kitchen.

“I kissed the wrong person, I guess.”

Finn waited for her to go on, but she didn’t.

“How do you lose an entire career from one kiss?”

Aisling smiled, letting the silence speak for her.

“Oh shit,” Finn said slowly. “You didn’t kiss the groom, did you?”

She laughed and pulled the pen out of her hair. “Um, no...not the groom.”

“Then it can’t be that bad. What’s the big deal?”

Aisling ran her fingers through her hair and loosened the waves until they fell over her shoulders. “It was the bride.”

“Wow.” Finn shook her head, smiling, and folded what was left of the charred cardboard box into the trash. “I did not see that one coming.”

“I thought not. Most people don’t.”

Finn smiled and stepped into the living room, then leaned back in as soon as she passed the doorframe.

“This fire is beautiful. Did you do that while I was folding myself into the bathtub?”

Aisling didn’t answer, just walked slowly into the room, where a cheerful fire crackled and warmed the air. When they’d walked into the house an hour ago, it had been empty and dark, but now the entire room looked gilded, as if the firelight had melted into gold over every surface. Once again, the hearth had been swept clean and even the dented copper bucket next to the fireplace had been filled with freshly cut wood. Aisling stared into the flames, then slowly raised her eyes over Finn’s head and up to the ceiling.

“What are you looking at?” Finn said, following her gaze to the cracked plaster ceiling arched above her head, secured at the apex with an unfinished wooden beam.

“Nothing,” Aisling replied, her eyes scanning the room, half expecting to see the golden orbs of light she’d seen in the castle. But there was nothing. “Just a memory, I guess.”

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GUEST POST:

Falling in Love with the Main Characters:

First of all, thank you for having me!

We fall in love with our characters before they are…. well, the characters they become. As writers, we fall in love in the inspiration stage, and that’s the way it should be. Everyday experiences sift and distill into the characters that touch all of us.

Because they are us.

Like the plain girl in the grocery checkout line who looks up only once, just long enough to catch the blue hot creativity that sparks off her like wildfire.

Or the physically challenged woman that won’t let me help her up the stairs, so I wait around the corner, watching. When she gets to the top of the stairs, I whisper silent words of apology that fall with tears of raw admiration.

I don’t tell her because I should have known.

It’s the single mom of three that left an abusive relationship and now silently connects the worn silver dimes and nickels and crumpled dollars we leave on the table, end to end, into a tangible future.

The characters we love, that shape our books and our community, are all around us. We see ourselves in them because in our community of women, there is more that binds us than divides us, and well written, honest stories remind us of that every day.

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AUTHOR BIO:


Patricia has been slinging ink and falling in love with characters since her boarding school days, and continues to write in her hometown of Eureka Springs, AR.

Her handmade tiny home in the forest, strewn with leather journals and forgotten cups of tea, serves as her writing studio. Her dogs Dublin and Snoo do their best to help by snoring loudly at her feet.

Patricia has lived in Ireland and England and returns there frequently to write, as well as to a much loved tiny island off the coast of Glasgow, where the owner of the local pub saves her the red velvet chair by the fire.

More of her writing can be seen at her website, www.tomboyinkslinger.com and at the links below.

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CONNECT WITH PATRICIA:

Website:

Facebook:

Instagram:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

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BOOK BUY LINKS:


Amazon Kindle eBook:

Amazon Paperback:

Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:

Barnes and Noble Paperback:

BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:

Google Play eBook:

Kobo eBook:

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Patricia will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.



**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.