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May I introduce: Sara Walter Ellwood "Gambling On A Secret"



Book 1 of The Colton Gamblers….

 
In anticipation of the June release of Book 3: Gambling On A Dream, Kensington Publishing has put Book 1: Gambling On A Secret on sale!

***ON SALE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY FOR $0.99***

Blurb:

When Charli bets everything on a secret, will she find the deck stacked against her?

Former runaway-turned heiress Charli Monroe is hiding her sordid past and planning a future in Colton, Texas. Attending the local college for a degree in social work, she intends to raise cattle on her newly purchased ranch, which she plans to open as a home for troubled teens. Only a few glitches—the Victorian mansion is crumbling, the barn needs a roof, and her oilman neighbor wants more than friendship. When she meets Dylan Quinn, Charli is willing to take a chance on the town drunk to help her rebuild the rundown ranch.

Dylan has his demons, too. The former Special Forces commander can’t get past his ex-wife’s betrayal and the botched mission that left him with much more than a bad limp. Certain the greedy oilman next door to Charli wants much more than just her heart, Dylan’s even willing to stop drinking in order to protect her.

When things get dangerous and secrets of the past are revealed, is he only looking out for his new employer, or is she the new start he so desperately needs?
COVER QUOTE: “Full of intrigue, tangled pasts, and raw emotions, this one is guaranteed to keep you turning pages from start to finish and then wishing for one more chapter!”
Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author.
Ms. Brown also named Gambling On A Secret as one of her favorite romance reads in 2012 in the Happy Ever After Blog on USA Today.

“HONESTLY this was a FABULOUS read. Gambling on a Secret is a gripping, entertaining and an absolutely delightful romantic read which is set in the town of Colton located in Texas. Sara Walter Ellwood has scored with this book. This has been one of my favourite reads for 2013…” Read the rest of this 5 Satin Pillow review at Satin Sheets Romance  

 

Excerpt:

Dylan regarded her for a long moment and cocked a brow. Damn, was he making fun of her? He looked her up and down. “Wouldn’t a woman like you be more comfortable getting manicures and massages in a Dallas spa, not worrying about cattle breeds and barn roofs? It’s no secret around town you’re the heiress to the Monroe Farm Equipment fortune, and you sold a huge ranch in Oklahoma your grandfather left you. Why on Earth did you buy a dump like this?”

Now he’d pissed her off. Charli might have more money than she’d ever dreamed of having. She might like to dress in designer clothes, but it was none of this jerk’s business which ranch she bought. Or why she wanted it. She had a business plan and a vision for the ranch; what else mattered? “I happen to like this place. It suits me better than the ranch I sold.”

“Is that so? Did you bring any equipment with you? A tractor, a planter, hay mower, baler, anything?”

He would bring up one of the stupidest things she’d done. Sighing, she admitted, “I sold the equipment with the ranch when I decided to leave Oklahoma. One more reason I need a manager.” Her cheeks burned. “When I sold the ranch after inheriting it, I didn’t intend to buy another.”

“Why did you buy another ranch?” He slid his gaze back to hers and peered at her as if he could read her every thought--but what had her swallowing hard was the spark of something hot in his eyes.

She tightened her arms in the hug she gave herself--a self-protecting, insecure gesture she’d acquired while she lived with her abusive lover in Las Vegas as a teenage runaway.

“Buying a ranch the size of this one isn’t something most folks just wake up and decide to do, Miss Monroe. A ten-thousand-acre spread takes commitment and dedication and is damned hard work.”

Yeah, she knew that.

He looked down at her multicolored Manolo Blahnik five-inch heeled slides. The ghost of a smile touched his lips again, but this time little crinkles formed at the corners of his eyes, which held a spark of interest she didn’t want.

Damn, he was good-looking. She squelched that notion like the roach she’d killed earlier in the house. Hadn’t her life with Ricardo taught her a handsome face meant nothing but trouble?

“I can’t imagine you stuffing those pampered and polished feet into rubber boots to muck around in the barn.”

Me, either. But she would if she had to.

She drew in a breath and dropped her arms to her sides. “I think we should get back to asking questions about you. When your sister called about my newspaper ad, she said you were exactly what I’m looking for.”

He shrugged again in a not-a-care-in-the-world way again. What was this guy’s problem? If she weren’t running out of time, she would tell him to leave. She couldn’t waste this year, which meant she had to get someone hired. And her prospects were limited.

“Can you do the job?”

“Affirmative.”

She waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, she frowned. “Do you have any references?”

“I expected you to ask. Everything you need to know should be in here.”

She moved closer and took the folded sheet of paper he held out the window. After glancing at it, she wasn’t surprised it was a resume, but his listed experience had her heart beating a little faster. She looked up at him. “You have a degree in agricultural business from Texas A & M, started up your own ranch and served in the Army?”

He looked off in the distance. “I was in the service for thirteen years, three years in the Corps of Engineers, four in Airborne and the last six in Special Forces.” His jaw clenched, making his face the chiseled block of cold stone again. “And I know something about building. When I wasn’t deployed, I built the house and barn on my two-hundred acre ranch.”

“You don’t own the ranch now?”

“No. My ex-wife got it in our divorce settlement. I planned to get out of the Army after my last tour in Afghanistan and raise cattle. But things never happen the way we want them to.”

The bitterness of his tone had her stepping away. She shivered again and busied herself with looking at the resume. Whatever his ex-wife had done to him, it wasn’t good. “Your reference list is pretty skimpy.”

“The first name is my old commander, but I just got word he’s shipped out on a secret mission.”

Something wasn’t adding up. Either he was hiding something or his sister had lied about his experience. “Your sister said you worked on Oak Springs Ranch while in high school, but it’s not listed on your resume. Are you related to the owner, Leon Ferguson? You said your mother grew up there.”

His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned into a tight line. “Leon is my mother’s stepbrother. While my grandfather was still alive and ran the ranch, I worked there until I joined the Army after he died. I chose not to mention it.”

But why? She didn’t press the matter. She wasn’t seriously considering him for the job anyway, was she?

She studied the resume again. “Brenda Dailey. Is this person off-limits, too? Or can I speak with her?”

“My ex-wife. I’d appreciate it if you don’t involve her. I put her on there because of the ranch.”

She looked up at him. “The divorce that bad, huh?”

Dylan shrugged and looked away. He gripped the top of the steering wheel hard enough to whiten his knuckles. “Suppose it’s no secret. Our divorce has only been final four months, and she married her baby-daddy the day after it became official. You figure it out.”

“Ouch. Okay, I won’t call your ex. Nevertheless, I’d like to see your house. Your sister mentioned you were a carpenter.” She glanced at the address of his former ranch. “Killeen’s south of here?”

He nodded. “It’s your two hours and tank of gas.”

“Thank you for stopping by. Your number’s on here. I’ll call you.”

“Thanks for your time, Miss Monroe. Good luck with this place.” He looked around at the buildings and over her before he turned the key in the ignition. The rusted bucket of bolts sputtered and the starter groaned before the engine turned over.

As he pulled away, she looked at the piece of paper in her shaky hand and studied his name at the top.

Damn, she’d hoped he was the one.

She crumpled the paper, and the memory of his weathered eyes, as dull and gray as her ranch buildings, came to her. What ghosts did he see when he closed them?

She opened her palm and stared at the wad of paper. Feeling haunted by the past was something she understood very well.

Buy Links:


 

Bio:

Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published and international Amazon bestselling author of the anthology set Cowboy Up. She also publishes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name Cera duBois.

Author links:


 

Also look for:

Book 2: Gambling On A Heart at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Available now for preorder—Book 3: Gambling On A Dream at Amazon | Barnes and Noble  | Kobo


Get hooked on "Let me Love You" - #MFRWHooks #AuthorRT #Baseball

 

Welcome to another MFRWHook!

 

"Let Me Love You" is set in Melbourne / Australia
            

 
 

 
I hope you get hooked by this Snippet
 
BLURB:
Oliver Dempsey, pitcher for a Melbourne baseball club, loves the women, and they love him… 
But he keeps them at an arm’s length, and when he meets Tamara, he’s unprepared for the attraction he feels for her. Told by his coach that she’s off limits, only draws him in more. 
Tamara Amis moved to Melbourne to find some distance between her past and herself… 
With the help of her uncle, the coach of a Melbourne baseball club, she quickly finds a job, and a place to live. Yet, one meeting with the handsome pitcher stirs unexpected emotions that threaten to overwhelm her.
It’s Oliver’s injury that brings them together, but as they find out about each other’s pasts, how can they be ready to share a future?



Today's hook:  

“It’s often seen in athletes,” the surgeon replied to Tamara.

“One wrong move—”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but nodded towards the knee. Oliver knew what he meant anyway. One wrong move could mean anything, but in his case, he mightn’t be playing baseball for a while.

“So now what?” Tamara asked.

Annoyed, Oliver shot her a look. “Out!”

Both the surgeon and Tamara looked at him in surprise.

“My knee, my injury, my questions.” He raised his eyebrow slightly. “My privacy.”

Tamara stared at him, and despite the drugs playing with his capability to think, he held her stare. Their eyes locked for a long moment before she shook her head.

 
 
 
5 Stars:
This is the first book I read by author. I really enjoyed this book. I will have to read book 1 in this series. You can read this as a standalone
 
 
 

May I introduce: Lindsay Downs"La Contessa and The Marquis"


La Contessa and The Marquis
by Lindsay Downs
 
Thank you very much for having me visit you and your blog to introduce my newest regency cozy mystery series, Rogues and Rakehells Mystery. The first book in the series, La Contessa and The Marquis is now available and as I’m not sure where you, the readers of this post, live in the world I’ve included all the Amazon buy link for your convenience. 

Blurb-
When Bianca Maria Ledford Goretti, La Contessa de Massa, flees back to her homeland and the safety of her godmother, The Duchess of Gorham, little does she realize who’s arms she lands in.
Lord Rainer Cross, Marquis of Hathaway, is a well-known and dangerous rakehell within the ton. Little does he suspect his godmother has set him up to halt his skirt chasing days.
Over time the reason for Bianca’s return comes to light which has Rainer deeply concerned. Not sure who he can trust Rainer turns to has several of his more interesting staff. He has them use their talents to ferret out the truth.
Everything get more complicated when they learn a friend might not be who he claims to be. Not sure who to trust, except Rainer and the duchess, Bianca learns several startling facts which could protect her from harm.
Once everything is revealed the duchess steps in with a surprise, something neither could have ever seen coming.


Buy Links-
Amazon US- http://tinyurl.com/pyw2lba
Amazon UK- http://tinyurl.com/nhp3oph
Amazon CA- http://tinyurl.com/kwf494z
Amazon AU- http://tinyurl.com/q6ssryz
 Amazon DE- http://tinyurl.com/pcmhkgm
Amazon FR- http://tinyurl.com/ms85q3a
Amazon BR- http://tinyurl.com/m8849d6
Amazon IT- http://tinyurl.com/jwy7524
Amazon MX- http://tinyurl.com/lwqv3c9
Amazon NL- http://tinyurl.com/msfmqj2
Amazon ES- http://tinyurl.com/mch56nh
Amazon IN- http://tinyurl.com/m4bqqfu

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXamzz68x4

Bio-
I’ve been an avid readers ever since I was old enough to hold a red leather bound first edition copy of Sir Walter Scott’s The Lady of the Lake in my lap.
So it only seemed natural at some point in my life I take up pen and paper to start writing. Over time my skills slightly improved which I attribute to my English teachers. 
My breakthrough came about in the mid 1970’s when I read a historical romance written by Sergeanne Golon, Angelique. This French husband and wife team opened my eyes to the real world of fiction. Stories about romance, beautiful damsels, handsome heroes and plots which kept me hooked. Of course, being a man, I had to keep my reading hidden from others as that wasn’t appropriate reading for men.
With this new found appreciation of the written word I took up other books and devoured them as a starving person would a plate of food. I them attempted to write again. I still wasn’t satisfied so I put it aside for years as other events entered my life.
Finally, in the early years of the new millennium I tried again to write and once again met with limited success. At least now I was able to get past the first page or two. Then, in 2006 a life changing event brought me back to my love, I took a job as a security officer. This allowed me plenty of time to read different genres. 
My favourite was regency. As I poured through everyone I could get my hands on I knew this could be something I wanted to attempt.
Since 2012 when my debut regency romantic suspense released I was hooked and have, except for a few contemporaries, focused on this genre.
Since 2012 I’ve lived in central Texas. I’m also a member of Romance Writers of America and their local chapter.

Where you can find me-
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/lindsay.downs.7 
Facebook Pages- 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindsay-Downs-Author/325132754200597?ref=hl   
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Regency-by-Lindsay-Downs/421654731286944
Twitter- @ldowns2966
LinkedIn- http://www.linkedin.com/home
Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3210224-lindsay
Lindsay Downs-Romance Author- http://lindsaydowns-romanceauthor.weebly.com/
Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Lindsay-Downs/e/B007NQAIIS/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_2


Excerpt-
Rainer Cross, Marquis of Hathaway, settled his shoulder against a pillar where he’d ensconced himself so he could overlook the ballroom. A warning glare to several want to be rakes was all that was needed to send them scurrying back to their mommas. 
With a renewed resolve, to search down one particular individual, his piercing blue eyes studied the throng of ladies. Some too old but searching for a lover, even if for a brief tryst. Others on the hunt for a husband of which he had no interest, at least with them, as he already had his sights set on one person in particular.
Granted, he’d not seen her, except from a distance, but if the reports were to be believed she was, without a doubt the most beautiful lady, the truest diamond, to ever grace the ton.
Then, as if Venus rising from the ocean, she appeared at the top of the grand ballroom vestibule. He could feel the air rush from his lungs, something he’d never experienced before, as he fixed his gaze on her.
Seeing her in the flesh, as it were, he knew all the whispers circulating about had been true. Without a doubt she was the most beautifully, enchanting and mysterious woman he ever set his eyes upon.
He was pleased to see she was conversing animatedly with an elderly, heavily bejewelled woman. From where he was standing and the angle of the matron, Rainer wasn’t able to see her face.
“As long as she’s not my godmother, then I most assuredly will gain an introduction to the Contessa,” he mumbled to himself.
Due to the loud voices, so everyone could be heard over the musicians, he didn’t hear their presentation. His only concern was the woman accompanying the contessa as he already knew her name- Bianca Maria Ledford Goretti, La Contessa de Massa. Levering himself off the pillar he
started toward them, still unable to see who her chaperone was when a friend, another fellow rake, stopped him.
“Rain, I do hope you’re not going after that delicate morsel, as I’ve it on excellent authority she’s eaten up and spit out several lords,” Tony, or more precisely Anthony Fuller, Earl of Wyatt, his friend from their days at Eton then university, informed him.
“My dear friend if she does, then I’ll die a happy man for la Contessa is a gem whom I wish to possess.”
“Ah, and that’s the rub. After she dismisses you she’ll then tread over your heart leaving nothing but a shell of a man. Trust me on this for I’m sure you’ve heard the rumour her first husband died mysteriously.”
“Tony, the only lady I fear is my godmother. If you’ll excuse me I’m going to attempt an introduction,” Rainer told him. With a pat on Tony’s shoulder he stepped around his friend and started for the divan where both ladies had settled.
As he made his way forward he wasn’t surprised to see both women had already collected a small group of young ladies around them. What he found amusing were several swains on the outskirts, all trying to be noticed by either lady.
Upon seeing a frontal assault was out of the question Rainer selected to attack from the rear. Stepping into an adjourning, but linked, alcove he easily approached them and came to a halt within feet of his object.
“Damn. I thought she wasn’t in town,” he mumbled on spying his nemesis, best known as his godmother, The Duchess of Gorham.



Get hooked on "Let me Love You" - #MFRWHooks #romance #Baseball

 

Welcome to another MFRWHook!

 

"Let Me Love You" is set in Melbourne / Australia
            

 
 

 
I hope you get hooked by this Snippet
 
BLURB:
Oliver Dempsey, pitcher for a Melbourne baseball club, loves the women, and they love him… 
But he keeps them at an arm’s length, and when he meets Tamara, he’s unprepared for the attraction he feels for her. Told by his coach that she’s off limits, only draws him in more. 
Tamara Amis moved to Melbourne to find some distance between her past and herself… 
With the help of her uncle, the coach of a Melbourne baseball club, she quickly finds a job, and a place to live. Yet, one meeting with the handsome pitcher stirs unexpected emotions that threaten to overwhelm her.
It’s Oliver’s injury that brings them together, but as they find out about each other’s pasts, how can they be ready to share a future?



Today's hook:  

He kissed her again, this time as lightly as the touch of a feather, and she shivered with the sensations that poured through her. A surge of physical sensation flooded her as he caressed her body with his hands, tracing the plane of her stomach, before his fingers traced the bottom curve of her breasts.

"That’s just the beginning of how much I missed you,” he whispered to her, as he left a trail of kisses down her throat to her shoulders.

Arching into him, she said, “It’s nice to be missed."

He stopped, and she looked down only to find him cocking a brow at her. A grin spread across his face, and a hint of mischief showed in his eyes. That was when she noticed just how much she’d missed him.


 
 
 
5 Stars:
This is the first book I read by author. I really enjoyed this book. I will have to read book 1 in this series. You can read this as a standalone
 
4 Stars:
This is an enjoyable romance exploring the way two people cope with loss and tragedy in different ways, with likeable secondary characters adding variety and humour.
 
 
 

May I introduce: Alison McMahan "The Saffron Crocus"


The Saffron Crocus

by Alison McMahan



1 - I love the title. How did you come up with it?
For a long time I just had it labeled "The Venice Story." Then it became "The Venice Opera Story." After I wrote the scene with the jewel I realized I had my title, The Saffron Crocus.

2 - You studied film production and even run your own company. What made you write a book?

The Saffron Crocus is my third book, but my first novel. My first book, Alice Guy Blaché: Lost Visionary of the Cinema, put the forgotten story of the first woman filmmaker back on the map. That was published in 2002. It's a non-fiction book, but it's been turned into a play and now a company out in Hollywood is making a documentary. My second book, on the work of Tim Burton, was published in 2005. So I've been writing books for a long time. I also write screenplays. My sci-fi screenplay, Imprinted, is currently under option. Some stories are best told as novels, some stories as screenplays.

3 - Tell us a bit about your current project.

It's another historical for young adults. The title is The Circassian Slave Girl, set in the Black Sea, on the island of Rhodes, and in Istanbul in 1482. A girl is sold by her parents into slavery. She is supposed to be delivered to the Sultan's harem in Istanbul, but on the way there the ship she is on is attacked and taken by the Knights of St. John, who take them to Rhodes. This is terrible for her, because if she isn't delivered to the Sultan her parents won't get the money they need to keep starvation at bay, and to make things worse she's fallen in love with the son of the slave merchant on the ship.
 
Blurb:
Venice, 1643. Isabella, fifteen, longs to sing in Monteverdi’s Choir, but only boys (and castrati) can do that. Her singing teacher, Margherita, introduces her to a new wonder: opera! Then Isabella finds Margherita murdered. Now people keep trying to kill Margherita’s handsome rogue of a son, Rafaele.

Was Margherita killed so someone could steal her saffron business? Or was it a disgruntled lover, as Margherita—unbeknownst to Isabella—was one of Venice’s wealthiest courtesans?

Or will Isabella and Rafaele find the answer deep in Margherita's past, buried in the Jewish Ghetto?

Isabella has to solve the mystery of the Saffron Crocus before Rafaele hangs for a murder he didn’t commit, though she fears the truth will drive her and the man she loves irrevocably apart.

 

 

 Author:

Alison McMahan chased footage for her documentaries through jungles in Honduras and Cambodia, favelas in Brazil and racetracks in the U.S. She brings the same sense of adventure to her award-winning books of mystery and romantic adventure for teens and adults. 

Alison loves hearing from readers.



Twitter: @alisonmcmahan




Purchase Links:




 

Excerpt:

 Who knew a singing career would be this much trouble?

“Rafaele!” She flew into the garret. “Piero, it was so wonderful, wait until I tell you!”

The stool next to the bed was knocked over. The tray with the genepy bottle was on the floor, one of the cups broken. The fat candle that had been burning next to Rafaele’s bed had been flung to the other side of the room.. Canvases were strewn all over the floor, some of them slashed, and many of Master Strozzi’s jars of paint elements were broken.

Did Piero and Rafaele have a fight? She quickly suppressed the thought. Who would get into a fight with a man who was already injured?

Something else must have happened.

She walked across the garret. “Piero? Rafaele, are you here?”

Rafaele was not in the bed. The sheets and blankets she had piled on top of him were strewn everywher. Blood-stained sheets spilled over the edge of the pallet. There was a pile of clothes on the floor.

She walked around to get a closer look.

Not clothes. It was Piero. Face down, one arm over his face, as if to defend himself.

A puddle of blood under him.

Dead.

RELEASE DAY: "Let Me Love You" ~~ #Newrelease #MFRWAuthor


 
 
 
 
Let Me Love You
By Iris Blobel

Blurb:

Oliver Dempsey, pitcher for a Melbourne baseball club, loves the women, and they love him…

But he keeps them at an arm’s length, and when he meets Tamara, he’s unprepared for the attraction he feels for her.  Told by his coach that she’s off limits, only draws him in more.

Tamara Amis moved to Melbourne to find some distance between her past and herself…

With the help of her uncle, the coach of a Melbourne baseball club, she quickly finds a job, and a place to live. Yet, one meeting with the handsome pitcher stirs unexpected emotions that threaten to overwhelm her.

It’s Oliver’s injury that brings them together, but as they find out about each other’s pasts, how can they be ready to share a future?

 

Buy Links:


Amazon Australia: http://bit.ly/1Aq2J7r


Kobo Books:

Barnes & Noble:

 
 

Excerpt:

 Sweat ran down Oliver’s back, soaking his shirt. He’d been on the field for a couple of hours, but frustration grew in him with every ball he missed. He placed his hands on his knees and took a deep breath, fixing his stare at the ground. For Pete’s sake, he was a pitcher, not a hitter, and well known for his fastballs as well as his perfect curveballs. Alas, he had neglected his hitting. Today, his swing was below average, and, unable to focus, he walked over to the bench where he spotted Coach Becker shaking his head towards him.

Pointing his finger back towards the field, the coach said, “Head right back out there, Oliver. You need to improve your hand-eye coordination. I want to see more, and better.”

Oliver cursed under his breath. “It’s not going to happen. My shoulder’s killing me. It’s been a long day.”

Coach Erik Becker rubbed his face.

“It’s not gonna happen today,” Oliver persisted.

With a grimace on his face, his coach nodded.

"Righteo, call it a day. But I want you back out there again in the morning, though.”

Oliver eased off his gloves and shoved them into his back pocket, before removing his helmet.

The coach gave him a gentle slap on his back. “I need you to concentrate more tomorrow. Remember what I told you. You need to focus on your proper stance as well as swinging the bat. Keep your eye on the ball as it comes towards you. Try to connect the bat with the ball, preferably at the fat of the bat. We have a game coming up soon. Go and deal with the shoulder issue. Check in for a massage.”

Oliver wiped his forehead with his arm when he noticed a woman standing in the coach’s shadow. Raising his eyebrows, he nodded towards her as to ask who she was.

Erik turned slightly. “Oliver, this is my niece, Tamara. She’s moved here from Perth. Tamara, this is Oliver.”

Oliver extended his hand towards her. “Nice meeting you.”

She ignored his hand and took a step back. Taken aback by her reaction, Oliver instinctively checked his hand for dirt or sweat. Questioningly, he looked at his coach.

Erik ignored the situation and simply said, “Have your shower and see me before you head off to discuss your training schedule.”

Nodding, Oliver took another quick look at Tamara. For a brief moment, their eyes met, and he was puzzled by her expression. It seemed as if her intense blue eyes were trying to hide something. The distant look in them was almost mysterious, and combined with her body language, he couldn’t help but get the impression something was wrong. She was very guarded.

With one last look towards Tamara, Oliver turned and left.

As soon as he got to the locker room, he peeled off his t-shirt. Pain shot through him the instant he lifted his right shoulder. He’d been ignoring the twinge during the training session, but knew he had to have it looked at. The fucking skateboard rider had nearly knocked him over the previous day when he came out of nowhere. Oliver hadn’t had a chance to move out of the way fast enough and slammed his shoulder into a post.

He slowly stripped out of his track pants before grabbing a can of Coke out of his bag. Leaning against the wall, he chugged half of the drink while enjoying the quietness around him. Everyone else was still out on the field trying to please Coach Becker. He choked a laugh, hoping his mates would put Erik in a better mood than he had. They had a few important games over the next few weeks before the season ended, and for the first time in years, the club was doing well.

As he walked to the showers, he thought about his training session and wondered whether his shoulder was to blame for the bad hits, or his lack of training. But who was he kidding, he always liked to throw everything he had at people, yet was hopeless in receiving anything thrown at him. That applied in baseball and in life. When he’d been to see his first baseball game as a kid in Los Angeles, he’d known he was born to pitch.

 


Catch up on Australian Sports Stars Book 1 "Love Will Find You" #NewRelease #Football

 
"Let Me Love You",
Book 2 in the Australian Sports Stars series
 will be released on the
13th January 2015
 
 
Blurb:
nullOliver Dempsey, pitcher for a Melbourne baseball club, loves the women, and they love him…

But he keeps them at an arm’s length, and when he meets Tamara, he’s unprepared for the attraction he feels for her. Told by his coach that she’s off limits, only draws him in more.

Tamara Amis moved to Melbourne to find some distance between her past and herself…

With the help of her uncle, the coach of a Melbourne baseball club, she quickly finds a job, and a place to live. Yet, one meeting with the handsome pitcher stirs unexpected emotions that threaten to overwhelm her.

It’s Oliver’s injury that brings them together, but as they find out about each other’s pasts, how can they be ready to share a future?
 
Buy Links:
Amazon Australia: http://goo.gl/9eB4BT
Amazon US: http://goo.gl/UL0nSa
 
 
 
~~ So why not catch up o Book 1 first ?~~
 
 
 
 Blurb:
After his father’s heart attack, Australian Football League player Tyson Gaspaldi takes his parents on holiday to a small place at the New South Wales coast.

One morning, following a surfing session, he comes across a crying woman on the beach. Everything about her intrigues him, and he can’t walk away. She’s not only sexy and humble, but, as he soon finds out, vulnerable as well.

It’s only been a few months since Katie Cassidy lost her sister in a car accident.

Still overwhelmed by the loss, a chance encounter on the beach with an attractive stranger awakens unexpected emotions inside her. She’s instantly drawn to his caring nature, but also his looks.
However, Tyson’s past quickly catches up with them, causing Katie’s childhood demons to return, and the road to romance becomes anything but smooth.

 
Buy Links:
Amazon Australia: http://goo.gl/JOK4vN
Barnes & Noble:   http://goo.gl/LBsdXh

 
 Excerpt:
Over an hour later, Tyson took the next wave back to shore. He shook the water out of his hair and wiped his face before he walked back towards his car. As he struggled with his surfing board against the gentle breeze, he saw a woman sitting only a few feet away from him. Her body shook from her sobs as she wiped away her tears. It was none of his business, yet he stopped. He disliked the feeling of pity and helplessness creeping up on him. Inhaling a deep breath, he turned and walked towards her.

“Hi there,” he said quietly so as not to startle her.

She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned to him. Shading her eyes with the other hand, she echoed his greeting, “Hi.”

Ty’s gaze went out over the ocean before looking back at her. The thin long-sleeved shirt which hugged her curves nicely, and the cargo pants she wore, gave her a very casual, but sexy look. She smoothed a loose strand of her curly light brown hair behind her ear and met his gaze. Although teary and red, the beautiful green colour of her eyes shone through brightly. He knew he couldn’t walk away. He looked at her for a second or two, noticing the tight lines of her lips. Still, she had a beautiful mouth. Even though her lips were slightly swollen from crying, there was an urge inside him to touch them and find out what they felt or tasted like. He sighed. Not that long ago he’d burnt his hands with a girl in his life and had sworn off the opposite sex, but there was something about the woman in front of him that drew him in and intrigued him. He’d always been a sucker for a lady in distress.

“Are you okay?” he asked, scratching his head.

Her mouth curved into a tentative smile. “Yes, I am.”

He frowned. “Was that sarcasm in response to a stupid question?”

“Yes, it was.”

Damn, she had a gorgeous smile that made his stomach tighten. She didn’t offer more.

After a brief, but silent moment, he offered her his hand. “Tyson.”

She ignored his hand. “Nice meeting you, Tyson.”

He chuckled. “This is where you tell me your name.”

She let out a sigh as she looked away from him. It was a fine line he was walking. He was well aware of it. More than anything else, he wanted to help her. It was in his nature. She was hurt, and it seemed she was alone as well.

“Apologies, I didn’t mean to come on to you. But I’ve never been good with going past a girl who cries.”

“Does that happen often?” she asked as she turned back to him.

“Actually, no.” He laughed. “Only with my little niece.”

A tiny smile appeared on her face. “How old is she?”

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “My niece? Turned four just a few days ago.”

She stared at him as he waited for her next question. Yet, it never came.

“I’m kinda getting cold here,” he said after a long moment. “Could I invite you for a coffee or tea?”

“No, but thank you for the offer. And thank you for caring.”

“Will you be here again tomorrow?”

A small sigh escaped her lips, and she shrugged slightly. “Not sure.”

He nodded and stood.

“It’s Katie,” she said as she stood as well.

Ty’s heart skipped a beat. “Nice meeting you, Katie.”
 

***

 
Katie stared after Tyson. She couldn’t believe how fast her heart was still beating. It’d been a short conversation, but his smile and his touch had done all sorts of crazy things to her insides. With one final hiccupping sob, she picked up her jacket from the sand and walked across the dunes towards the parking lot. For the first time since Paige’s death, she experienced a sense of joy. It had only been a couple of minutes that she’d talked to Ty, a stranger, but she liked him. Wiping the last tears from her face, she walked to her car, recalling those chocolate brown eyes beneath his black lashes and the straight line of brow. But it’d been his smile that’d been so contagious. His teeth were even and white, in a nice contrast with his olive skin. Anticipation rushed through her as she contemplated returning the next day. In her mind, she imagined touching his body. He’d looked so damn sexy in his wet suit, unzipped down to just below the navel, revealing a muscular chest and powerful shoulders. She’d certainly been attracted to his tall, athletic physique. And she liked the way his dark, damp hair had started to curl slightly around his face.

Katie walked towards her car across the street when she heard her mother’s voice. “Here you are, love.”

Katie turned and smiled. “Mum? What are you doing here?”

Her mother placed her hand on Katie’s shoulder. “Caring for my little girl.”

A smile tugged at Katie’s lips, appreciating her mum’s words. “I needed a little time out, I
suppose.”

“I had a feeling you’d be coming down to the beach,” her mum said before placing a kiss on her daughter’s forehead.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned into her mother’s embrace, enjoying the comfort of a parent. “I miss her so much, Mum,” she said, her voice nearly breaking. The tears streamed down her face once more as her chest tightened again. Grieving was so painful, emotionally and physically. Yet, for the first time since her sister’s death, Katie felt something other than mourning. Something different. Sadness had suffocated all other emotions, but today something had surfaced. She wasn’t sure whether it was good or whether she was ready for it, but she’d never believed there was a timeline to grieving a person.

“We all miss her, darling, but she wouldn’t want us to stop living. Her life’s come to an end, you will need to live your life with twice as much enthusiasm, with four eyes, with two hearts and—”

“Without her,” she finished her mother’s sentence.

Her mother gave a slow nod. “Have you been working this week?”

Katie drew in her lips before she answered. “Yes, I have, but I took today off. Only today.”

“You need to keep this job, love.”

She inhaled deeply. “I know.”

Her job in the administration at the local shopping centre was nothing much on the career ladder, but it paid the rent and the groceries every week. Her boss had been very considerate since her sister’s sudden death, and helped her juggle her time off as well as catching up with her night classes in marketing.

Her mother turned Katie in her arms. “How about a little walk along the beach?”

“I’d like that.”

As they headed towards the dunes, her mum said, “You two loved the beach. Some weekends, you’d snuck out of the house and come here in the early hours. I was always worried, but your dad would say —” She imitated her husband’s deep voice. “They’ll be all right. The girls have the sea in their blood.”

She laughed. “But I always saw that tiny little bit of relief on his face when you two came back. You can’t be too careful near the water.”

Katie joined her mother in her laughter. “We’d watch the boys surf.”

“I liked my idea of you two building little sandcastles better.”

“Mum, we were teenagers.”

Her mother shrugged. “I was in denial. Sue me.”

Side by side, they walked along the shore, both comfortable with the silence, enjoying the fresh breeze off the water.

“I feel close to her when I’m here,” Katie said as they stopped to watch a few dolphins swim past.