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Musings From An Addicted Reader

Musings From An Addicted Reader

Monthly Archives: August 2017

Deeper by Robin York

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Deeper (Caroline & West, #1)Deeper by Robin York
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caroline Piasecki couldn’t believe her ex-boyfriend took a private moment between them and posted them online. Now she is the girl on campus who is a walking smear campaign, she is reeling but doesn’t seem to be able to get away from the noise around her.

West Leavitt has a reputation of being up to no good most of the time and Caroline has successfully avoided him for the past year but when West ends up beating up her ex, she feels she needs to talk to him. Caroline tries to stay away from West but something about him pulls her in and they become friends of a sort. However Caroline wants more and West’s past is preventing him from acting on what he really wants, Caroline.

This is book one in the Caroline & West series. I felt for both characters in this book. Caroline is a victim and it takes awhile for her to get her bearings. West has had a hard life and his home life is unwinding and he feels pulled into several directions. I wasn’t sure where this story would lead and was surprised by how it turned out. Definitely picking up the next book.

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Making His Baby by Lulu Pratt

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Making His BabyMaking His Baby by Lulu Pratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blake is glad he took his friends advice to go to his high school reunion, it put him in the path of Carrie who was a waitress the event. Blake figures she will go home with him but is pleasantly surprised when she declines and finds himself asking her out on a date. The date though doesn’t go as planned for Carrie though, Blake wants Carrie to carry his child but when Carrie finds out who Blake really is she makes some plans of her own.

Entertaining read, I was a bit surprised by Blake’s proposal didn’t see that coming. Carrie is a spitfire, enjoyed her character a lot. If you are looking for a light fun read, this is one to pick up.

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Cover Reveal: Sure Thing by Jana Aston

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Sure Thing
Jana Aston
Publication date: October 10th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A new STANDALONE romance from New York Times bestselling author Jana Aston

Have you ever set out to have a one night stand with a sexy stranger?
No? I’m the only one?
Just kidding, I would never.
Ever.
Not usually.

But then I figured, why not? My entire life I’ve been good and it’s gotten me nowhere.
No job.
No apartment.
No boyfriend.

I’m owed a little fun, aren’t I? A reward for being good.
Sure, a new pair of shoes would be more appropriate, but Mr. Sexy Stranger is more appealing. And when he speaks—in that British accent—it’s a done deal. Every American woman has a hot British guy fantasy. Well, most do. I haven’t taken a poll or anything, but I’m pretty sure it’s a fact.

Except…
You know that saying about best-laid plans?
Good, because I don’t either, but I assume they go awry.
Like my one night stand…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

 

Author Bio:

Jana Aston likes cats, big coffee cups and books about billionaires who deflower virgins. She wrote her debut novel while fielding customer service calls about electrical bills, and she’s ever grateful for the fictional gynecologist in Wrong that readers embraced so much she was able to make working in her pajamas a reality. Jana’s novels have appeared on the NYT, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists, some multiple times. She likes multiples.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter

 

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Cover Reveal: Falling Fast by Aurora Rose Reynolds

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Falling Fast is the newest standalone

from Aurora Rose Reynolds!  

Meet Colton & Gia October 2017!

Add to your TBR: http://bit.ly/2vLKlrP

Full Blurb

Colton Allyster is relieved to be back home. After six months of rehabilitation, losing his career as a Marine along with his fiancé, he’s had to learn quickly what’s really important. Colton grew up wanting to serve his country. Managing his parents’ biker bar was never part of his plan, but after meeting Gia Caro, he’s beginning to think that’s exactly where he’s meant to be.

Ever since Gia Caro arrived in the small, sleepy town of Ruby Falls, Tennessee, her life has spiraled out of control. Between losing her grandmother a little more each day to dementia, and her hot boss’s constant attention, her once quiet existence isn’t so quiet anymore.

After weeks of sidestepping Colton, things get out of hand, and before Gia knows what’s happening, she’s spending her nights in his bed and her mornings in his kitchen. And as he cleans out drawers and makes room in his closet, she starts to wonder if she’s falling too fast.

About the Author

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat who’s husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her Husband and pet fish. She’s married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration everyday. In her free time she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time at home with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates everyday and admires it’s beauty.
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Rewired by S.R. Johannes Book Blitz

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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ReWired
S.R. Johannes
Publication date: August 27th 2017
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult

YA cyber thriller, ReWIRED, by Shelli Johannes-Wells (writing as S.R. Johannes), which offers a fresh and exciting new take on the genre, and could be described as Ally Carter’s HEIST SOCIETY meets THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO for teens.

Sixteen-year-old Ada Lovelace is never more alive and sure of herself than when she’s hacking into a “secure” network as her alter ego, the Dark Angel. In the real world, Ada is broken, reeling from her best friend Simone’s recent suicide. But online, the reclusive daughter of Senator Lovelace (champion of the new Online Privacy Bill) is a daring white hat hacker and the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group responsible for a string of high-profile hacks against major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. Ada is swiftly proving she’s a force to be reckoned with, when a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI. To protect her father’s career, Ada is sent to ReBoot, a technology rehab facility for teens…the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself.

It’s bad enough that the ReBoot facility is creepy in an Overlook-Hotel-meets-Winchester-Mansion way, but when Ada realizes Simone’s suicide is just one in an increasingly suspicious string of “accidental” deaths and “suicides” occurring just after kids leave ReBoot, Ada knows she can’t leave without figuring out what really happened to her best friend. The massive cyber conspiracy she uncovers will threaten everything she cares about–her dad’s career, her new relationship with a wry, handsome, reformed hacker who gets under her skin, and most of all–the version of herself Ada likes best–the Dark Angel.

With a deliciously twisty plot, the topical bite of Cory Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER, ReWIRED delves into technology addiction, internet privacy, and corporate/government collection of data, as it vividly illuminates the universally human questions about ethics, privacy, and self-definition that both underpin these socio-political issues and dovetail with classic coming-of-age themes. Ultimately, ReWIRED is about the daily choices we all make about who we want to be, how much of ourselves we choose to share with others, and the terrifying risks and exhilarating rewards of being ourselves, online and off.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Simone never did anything without a reason.

There’s only way to find out what that was. I need to get on a computer. And I know just where to find one. In Ms. Matthews office.

When Ms. Matthews pops in for room check, I pretend to be deathly ill. Getting this lady to believe me isn’t as hard. My fake gagging sounds cleared the room really fast.

After everyone heads to their first activity, I sneak down to the lunchroom and snag the lunch lady’s security card from her register. After some time observing, I know the center uses a standard swipe system, so hopefully this card will gain me access.

I inch down the back hall and stop a few doors down from Ms. Matthews’ office. As soon as the security camera swings away, I run to the door and swipe the card. When the panel beeps, I push open the door and close it behind me. I lean back and breath. So far, so good. I roll the interior blinds shut so no one can see in and eye the bookshelves.

That modem light told me there was a computer in here somewhere.

I just have to find out where Ms. Matthews hides it.

Trolling around the cramped space, I’m careful not to shift anything out of place. Some paranoid people set traps. A moved garbage can, a misplaced pen, or a wrinkled cushion can all shows signs of an intruder. I’d bet all my typing fingers that Ms. Matthews keeps this office extra dusty, hoping to snag a fingerprint or two.

I nose around her desk, looking for a clue, and tug on the top drawer. It’s locked but easily crackable. Using a letter opener, I jimmy the latch until it opens, careful not to leave a scratch. I sift through a few ancient photos of Ms. Matthews and a boy who I assume is her son Patrick, an old pack of hairy gum, and a letter from the bank about some missed payments. I also come across a book of deposit slips. The carbon copies recorded huge amounts. Wow, this place brings in some serious dough. Seattle has way too many computer addicts. I jot down the bank routing number and the account number in my notebook before replacing the slips.

Sitting in her chair, I twirl, taking in the view from every angle. When I spot the paneled wall, I stand and knock. Sounds hollow. The perfect place to hide a computer.

Or a body.

There’s no door handle, but there is a keypad. The kind that usually has an open button for convenience or in case of forgotten codes. I go back to the desk and slide my hand around the drawer past broken pencils, dust bunnies, and lonely paper clips. In the very back, my finger grazes a small lever. The paneled wall slides back, revealing a hidden room.

Open Sesame!

I pull on the light cord and step into the damp space reeking of mothballs and mold. I squint in the dim light. Filing cabinets and stacks of cardboard boxes labeled with black marker crowd the tiny room. Jim. Sandi. Michelle. No names I recognize.

Unfortunately, there appears to be no order to this lady’s stacking madness. I rummage through some old files until one folder catches my eye: CONSTRUCTION PLANS. There, I discover archives of the mansion’s floor plans, including past building additions and blueprints. The schematics show me the enormity of this old place.

I shove a few in my back pocket. I case they come in handy later.

Something hums a familiar song, grabbing my attention. I spin around and spot an old school desk in the corner. Sitting on top is the prettiest sight I’ve seen since checking out of reality and into CrazyLand.

A computer.

And not just any machine. A state-of-the-art HP PC injected with a speedy processor. Matthews may pretend to live in the 1800s, but she’s more tech-savvy than she lets on. Not to mention, a total hypocrite.

“Hello, beautiful,” I whisper. The stress of the last few days dissipates.

The Dark Angel is back.

Author Bio:

S.R. Johannes is the award-winning author of the Amazon bestselling Nature of Grace thriller series (Untraceable, Uncontrollable, and Unstoppable). She is a winner of the IndieReader Discovery Award in YA, an IPPY a Silver Medalist for YA Fiction, a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Young Adult Fiction, and a Finalist in US Book News Best YA Book.
Since leaving Corporate America, she has followed her passion for writing and conservation by working with The Dolphin Project, the Atlanta Zoo, other animal rescue organizations, and by weaving conservation themes into her books.

Currently, she lives in Atlanta, GA with hEnglish-accented husband and the huge imaginations of their prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Flower Predictions by Lilliana Rose Promo Blitz

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Fantasy/Romance
Date Published: August 2017
 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png
Thinking Triena would be safer without him, Braklen leaves her. Now a wanted criminal, Braklen puts as much distance between him, Triena and the Queens by taking up a job on a smuggling ship. He throws himself into his work to forget about the guilt building inside of him for leaving Triena as well as the love he has for her.
Triena is alone, her rabbit stolen from her, and the Energy is behaving in unexpected ways making it difficult for her to predict the future. Her love for Braklen is strong and she sets out to find him, while trying to keep away from the Queens. With no other option she takes passage with Captain Ri who forces her to use the Energy for his own benefits.
Will she be able to find her beloved rabbit, and Braklen, before the Queens find and destroy her?
Other Books in the Flower Readings Series:
 

Flower Readings, Book One
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Published May 2017
Triena lives on an outback moon earning a living by offering flower readings for customers. Cast out from the Queens, the Energy Readers, Triena wants to return, but the only way to do that is to kill Braklen and use his energy to look into the future.
Braklen, a Peacekeeper with the Queens, arrives at the Triena’s Tea House. He doesn’t realize the danger he is in when he sits down for a flower reading.
Triena sees her chance to kill Braklen by using the potency in flower buds. The Energy guides her hand, and instead, the suppressed feelings toward Braklen surface.
Can she kill the man she loves?
 
Excerpt

 

Braklen looked down into the bowl full of gray something that was meant to be food.
“I wouldn’t eat that, man,” said a fellow evening-shift worker sitting opposite Braklen.
Despite the warning, Braklen dunked a spoon into the thick broth. “Can’t be too bad.” He spooned the greasy liquid with gray floating bits into his mouth. He choked.
The other man laughed, slapping his hand down on the metal table. “You’ll get used to it.”
Braklen coughed as the last of the liquid went down. “Tastes like jet fuel.”
“Wouldn’t put it past the cook to put some in. He probably thinks that it’d give us a boost to work harder.”
“How can you eat it?” Braklen’s spoon was poised above the liquid, but he couldn’t bring himself to take another mouthful. This was a long-haul flight and the bowl of slop was the only thing to eat. He’d just finished a twelve-hour shift in the engine room trying to repair the electronics in the backup system that were so worn out and old, it should’ve been thrown out instead. It was the first ship that accepted his qualifications as a mechanical engineer. He’d boarded, wanting to get as far away as possible from Triena.
His heart lurched, skipping beats, then contracting, causing pain to spread out across his chest. He knew he shouldn’t have boarded, or left her unconscious on the ground. But, since the chip had been deactivated, there was no point hanging around. She didn’t really want me there, not really.
The guy shrugged his shoulders, scrapping the last of the broth onto the spoon and delivered it into his mouth. “I’m already pretty thin. I’ll fade away if I don’t eat.”
Braklen laughed. “Hasn’t anyone complained?”
His men put up with a lot when he was in charge but he would’ve had an uprising if they’d ever had this food from the galley. Emptiness clawed at his gut at the reminder he didn’t command a unit of Peacekeepers anymore. Worse, he was now a wanted man.
He’d contemplated taking Triena with him, turning her in to the authorities and begging to be reinstated. But, much as he wanted his life back, that wasn’t an option. It was clear he’d been set up, a pawn for them to use to get to her. She’ll be better off without me. Safer without me. 

About the Author

Lilliana Rose enjoys creating worlds for her characters to play in and fall in love. Check out more of her work, www.lillianarose.com
Contact Links
Website
Twitter
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Purchase Links
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Cover Reveal: When Hearts Collide by Niecey Roy

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Cover Design: RBA Designs

Release Date: September 18, 2017

 

Synopsis

Rachel Bennett’s plan is simple, no distractions until she finds her dream job. What she didn’t plan for was a fender bender with a scowling, sexy man in an expensive suit. Craig Larsen has enough stress trying to save his dealership’s reputation, he definitely doesn’t need a sassy redhead who can’t drive turning everything upside down. One thing is certain, life was much more peaceful before they crashed into each other.

Fate has other plans for them, though. Soon they find themselves plotting a yard war against a grumpy neighbor, toilet-papering the trees of an old high school nemesis, and fighting over the last slice of pizza. Can two very different people plus one fender bender equal a chance at forever?

Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

One of Five ARC’s for When Hearts Collide

 

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About the Author

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who wrote sappy poetry about every relationship gone wrong. She had her heart broken many times before the man of her dreams stepped off a big Navy ship and swept her off her feet, promising to never hold her shoe obsession against her.

From that day forward, she swore she’d never again write sappy poetry of unrequited love. Instead, a sucker for smooches and happily-ever-afters, Niecey Roy now writes contemporary romance inspired by her sailor’s sexy brown eyes and charming sense of humor.

Connect with Niecey

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2wbD2gz

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2wD4tkz

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2wWCZGi

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2wDiO0c

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2wWtiYC

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2vlq1CA

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2xGUasE

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Winter Signs by Sarah Gai Book Blitz

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Winter Signs
Sarah Gai
(Season Named, #2)
Publication date: August 31st 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

‘She may not hear, but her world is far from silent’

Winter Harris had everything she ever thought she needed–a soulmate, a best friend, and the one person in this entire world who made life worth living. He was her everything–until he was ripped from her life.

Nolan Reed never thought he would lose his heart the first day at his new school, but he had no choice the moment he laid eyes on Winter Harris. The only problem was, she wasn’t his to love.

When a tragedy occurs, lives are changed in ways they can never come back from. Will the years gone by be enough to fix the shattered pieces of Winter’s heart? Can Nolan ever be enough to help heal it?

‘A delicately handled heartache, that will leave you breathless and thinking about it long after you have finished reading’

Goodreads / Amazon

—

 

Author Bio:

So this is me in short. I’m plus size and completely adorable (or so my husbands tells me) A momma of three princes who light my world. I drink way too much coffee, chocolate is a staple. I love to write after midnight and my love for short stories will never fade. With such a limited amount of time to enjoy quiet writing, I have mastered the skills of fitting a lot into a small amount of pages. Humour keeps me smiling and well.. if you’ve read my books you’ll know that I put a lot of myself into the characters. And to answer your questions. My best friends and I forgot the part about growing up and love every minute of it. Aside from writing I also run a publication IndieLove Magazine, promoting Indie Awesomes from a range of fields and professions. Check it out at http://www.indielovemagazine.com
In 2017 I will be saying goodbye to Chick lit for a while and heading into Contemporary Romance. I hate to be put in a box! Join my street team at http://www.sarahgai.com and come have some fun!
Love to all xo.
Wanting to write for all the women out there who want a good short read about strong friendships, romance and body positive, love the skin you’re in kind of fiction. Check out http://Facebook.com/sarahgaiauthor or http://www.sarahgai.com

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Symphony Of Power by Julie Morgan Promo Post

30 Wednesday Aug 2017

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On sale for $.99!!
Symphony of Power: a Chronicles of the Fallen story (The Symphony Series Book 2)
Kai finds himself on a new path; one that he must fight day and night for.
Having to overcome the loss of the Valkyrie, he longs for someone to sooth both him and is Oni demon. The path to love for Kai is about accepting something that he had no idea he needed; a triad with him, Felix and a willing woman.
Felix didn’t have time for love, feelings, or anything of the sort. This idea of Kai’s couldn’t come a worse time. Just when he lets his guard down to feel something, to let two of the closest people in, his pack is attacked. Now, all three of them must to fix what was broken and take the target off the back of the Oni.
Angelica had her work cut out for her being both bartender and banshee. She’d always fantasized about being in the middle of the demon and were-panther, but she never really thought that was a possibility. However, now the tables have turned and the offer has been put out for the taking.
The three must come together as one to heal what has been broken, or else everything will fail.
(can be read as a stand alone)
Amazon:
http://amzn.to/2wxOVOq
iBooks:
http://apple.co/2fYA6hI
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Escape From Heartland by Jacquie Gee Book Blitz

30 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by ehmusings in Uncategorized

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Escape from Heartland
Jacquie Gee
(Heartland Cove, #2)
Publication date: August 22nd 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

We hardly know each other, yet somehow, on some unexplainable level, it feels like we’ve known each other forever.

Jules Bates is a fish-out-of-water in conservative, small town, Heartland Cove. A modern girl with modern dreams that have so far taken her all the way to father’s bait shop at the end of town. There, she spends her days, elbow-deep in worm dirt. She can’t remember the last time she’s been on a date, or dressed in anything but a lumberjack shirt and hip waders. Her life seems to be at a stalemate. It’s like her best friend said, “The perfect guy doesn’t just walk through your door and sweep you off your feet, you know?”
Or does he?

Jayden Sievert is on a mission, to solve the mystery of his life. But first he needs to track down a ghost. One in particular. The legend of Heartland Cove. Arriving in the small town, with his ghostbuster wannabe equipment in hand, he purchases the Caldwell place, much to the horror of the townsfolk—a stately Georgian Manor overlooking the sea, with a less than pleasant past. No one’s been brave enough to set foot in that place for over a decade.

Is this man mad? Or perhaps just a little crazy?

Jayden ignores them all. He knows the key to his success lies in his ability to minimize distractions, but then he meets Jules. Could she be the answer to the long-buried secret that Jayden’s spent a lifetime searching for?

The second in the series of sweet romances set in fiction Heartland Cove, this contemporary coming-of-age romance features a deliciously unexpected paranormal twist!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“Maybe she was here and left. I was supposed to be here sooner. Maybe she thought I was a no-show.”

“Maybe. But she would have texted. Anna’s not one to give up that easily on a sale.”

“Well, then, I guess we’d better keep looking for her.” I lean against the doorjamb, feeling the cold air encroaching on us again.

The muscles along the sides of Jules’ jaw twitch, as lightning snakes across the front bay windows. Then, without warning, the air hits Jules in the back, tossing her forward into my arms. I instinctively catch her as thunder strikes and it appears she’s leapt into my arms because of it, but it’s actually the ghost at play. He’s tossed her into my arms.

“What was that?” Jules cranks around looking very distressed.

“I dunno for sure.” I shake my head. “But you better stay close.”

She clings to my chest. No argument there.

Lightning strikes again and thunder crashes. “She’s an angry one and she’s close.”

“Ridiculously angry,” Jules adds.

“Is this a typical Maritime thing?”

“No,” she snaps, trembling. “I don’t remember rain even being in the forecast!”

Another crash of thunder and she scowls, looking deeply troubled. It sounds like it’s hitting right outside the door. “You’re right.” Jules’ eyes look like they’re about to pop from her head. She talks a mile a minute. “Anna must have left. Otherwise, we’d have seen her jeep. She can’t be here, or she’d answer me. We should go.” “She whirls around, ready to bolt from the building, and I catch her by the waist.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” I say into her ear, pulling her to me, her feet still kicking. “No sudden movements, my friend. Besides, we can’t go out there right now in the middle of all this.” I look again to the lightning streaking the panes of the windows, like fireworks now. Every window of the house is affected, illuminating in rapid sequence. Thunder booms all around us, shaking the rickety old structure.

“Well, we can’t very well stay here.” Jules glowers into my eyes, as I lower her to the floor. “I’ll take my chances.” She turns, about to bolt again, and a particularly loud crash of thunder sends her screaming back into my arms.

“I think it’s best if we let things die down out there a bit.”

“I think you’re right.” She buries her face in my chest. Her skin is warm and soft in contrast to the cold air around us, closing in tighter with every moment.

Jules looks up as lightning slashes the windows again. She lets out a small shriek and digs her nails into my chest.

“It’s only a storm,” I say, trying to comfort her.

“I don’t think so,” she gasps. The lights above the staircase flash on and off again. A strong crack of thunder hits, driving a gasping Jules to crawl the fronts of my shins. “Okay, look,” she says, breathlessly, fearfully, staring up into my face. “There’s something I should have told you. This place is haunted, okay?” Her words come out fast and slightly garbled, her voice trembling as hard as her hands. “I probably should have told you that on the drive up here, but Anna said she really needed the sale, and there was the possibly of her winning the trip to Hawaii to consider and—”

“I know.” I gaze down at her.

“You know about the trip to Hawaii?”

“No.” I laugh. “I know about the house.”

“You do? And you came to look at it anyway?” Jules scowls. Her voice cracks.

“Call me crazy—”

“Evidently!”

“And you’re a very good friend, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Thunder crashes again and she snuggles close. The cold air presses us even closer.

“I’m… ah…” I start, feeling as though I owe her some sort of explanation. I can’t tell her all of it, but I should tell her something. “I sort of fancy myself a bit of a paranormal sleuth,” falls out of my mouth. It’s not completely the truth, but it’ll have to do for now. I feel guilty lying to her, but I swear when this is all over, I’ll tell her the truth.

“So, like a ghostbuster wannabe, is that it?” Jules pulls back, her voice nearly shrieking.

“Something like that—”

“You knew this could happen, and you dragged me up here?”

“No!” I frown. “I—I had no idea this would happen.” I run a flustered hand through my hair. What does she think I am, a monster?

“Unbelievable.” She drops her hands from my chest. “I knew this was too good to be true.”

“What was?”

“Never mind.” She turns her back to me.

“Look, i-if it’s any consolation, this is not what you think.” I move closer. “It’s not voluntary. I have a gift or something. I—I see things—”I stammer, trying to explain the unexplainable.

“Omigawd, you see dead people?” She melts away from me.

“No, no—not like that. Well, sort of—”

She glares back at me, panicked.

“Okay, no, that’s not it.” I put up a hand. “No, that’s exactly it.” Jules gulps. “But only sometimes, and especially when they’re related to me—”

“Fantastic. So, what? You know the guy that haunts this place?”

“In a roundabout way, yes.”

The wind picks up, throwing the chimes that hang on the porch outside sideways into the wall, causing both our heads to snap around. A second gust of wind drives the chimes into the door and Jules back into my arms. The cold air intensifies, engulfing us like a blanket.

“It’s a long story,” I whisper in her ear. “Maybe I’ll tell you sometime over a beer—”

“I don’t drink beer.”

“Okay, fine, what do you like? Wine?”

“Moscato.”

Another resounding crack.

Jules screams. “I have to get out of here!”

“No, wait!” I reel her back when she tries to run again, catching a flash of green glowing light out of the corner of my eye. I pull her even closer than before.

“So, let me get this straight,” she clings, her breath jagged. “You make a living by talking to dead people?”

“No, not usually.” Gawd, I hate lying to her.

“But that’s why you’ve come to the Cove. To talk to a dead person.”

“One in particular, yes.”

“Why is that?” She glares up at me.

“Well, I was hoping this could wait till our second date, but, okay …” I glance briefly at the floorboards then back up into her eyes. “I came to talk to a ghost about my heritage. I’m hoping to find out exactly who I am.”

Thunder cracks so loud it drowns me out. I’m not sure that she’s heard me.

“And this ghost, he’s here, now?” Jules voice wobbles.

“I dunno for sure.” I glance around.

Thunder booms and lightning flecks like a light show. Hinges creak, and both our faces snap around and stare at the door, gape-mouthed and terrified, as it grates slowly open, revealing the raging storm outside. Wind howls within. The door gasps open and closed.

“I think it wants us to go.” Jules swallows as lightning wildly stripes the sky.

“I think you might be right.” A blast of thunder shakes the floorboards, and I grab her hand and step forward, as the door slams furiously shut, and the lock falls with a clunk. Jules’ body shakes at the end of my arm. “What do we do now?”

Author Bio:

Jacquie Gee is the alias of Jacqueline Garlick. Maybe you’ve read her?
We are one and the same. Two faces of one author with very different writing styles. That way, I keep readers happy by keeping my writing passions separated.
On a personal note, I love to talk… strange for a writer, I know, but I do. I’m told I can be pretty funny, though, my kids see things in a different light. I love to write romances with a strong, sassy, heroines, and scrumptiously, gorgeous leading men. I write sweet romance surrounded by chocolate and an overweight sheltie. Neither of which are related. And there are always with fresh flowers in the room. Raised in a small town in the country myself, I like writing about them best. I mean, who doesn’t love a small-town? Enough about me, what about you?
Drop me a line and let’s get to know each other.
jacqueline@jacquelinegarlick.com I love to hear from readers!

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