Tag Archives: #Sweetromance

#Tuesdaytease #giveaway #preorder SABLE (ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID – Book 12)

I’m having a special TUESDAY TEASE today because it’s also a chance to win 1 of 5 Amazon Gift Cards once SABLE releases.

Here are the rules:

And here’s today’s teaser:

“Listen,” he said, “I’m starving and I imagine you are, too, since neither of us got a dinner break last night. Want to go grab something quick before heading home? The diner across the street makes the best waffles this side of the Mississippi.”

When a corner of her mouth lifted a bit, he felt ten feet tall. In the next instant it flattened again.

“I’m actually heading there for a breakfast meeting right now, so, sorry. I can’t.”

“Business meeting?”

When she rolled her eyes, he thought she looked all of sixteen years old again. Since he’d known her when she was that age, a familiar feeling of warmth moved within him.

Sable expelled a tortured groan. There was no other way to describe the sound that rumbled up from the back of her throat and blew past her lips.

“I wish it were a business meeting, but no.” When he cocked his head, she added, “I’m meeting with my cousin, Moira. She has something to”—she lifted her fingers in air quotes—“discuss with me, but I already know what it is and I really wish I had an excuse not to go.”

“Okay, now I’m seriously interested. What’s so horrible she wants to talk about?”

“Me.” Another eye roll.

“You?”

She nodded.

“What about you?”

“Not me specifically, I guess, but my unmarried, childless state.”

If he wasn’t mistaken there was a hint of bitterness in her tone, topped by a whole lot of embarrassment, solidified when her cheeks turned three different shades of crimson within a millisecond.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I can’t believe I said that out loud. And to you, of all people,” she mumbled.

He’d think about the last part of her sentence later. For now, he said, “Let me take a guess here.”

She opened her eyes and – halleluiah – looked him in the eye.

“She wants to fix you up.”

Eyes closed again, she nodded.

“And you…what? Don’t want to be?”

Another nod.

“Because? You don’t like to be set up? Or you’re already seeing someone?”

He said a silent prayer it wasn’t the latter.

“The whole thing is ridiculously embarrassing, for starters,” she said. “I’m thirty years old and can get my own dates, thank you very much. But you’d think I was either twelve and knew nothing about the world the way my family acts, or pushing fifty and looking at a lonely later life with nothing for companionship but cats and Netflix movies.”

He wanted to laugh but kept the merriment inside him, understanding she was dead serious. She hadn’t said she was seeing someone, though, so that was telling.

And promising.

Preorder your copy here: SABLE and then follow the rules if you’d like a chance to win one of those 5 Amazon GCs!

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#Saturdayblogs CHANCE (Last Man Standing) is a 2022 Heart Awards Finalist! #sweetromance #novella

So this happened….

Dear Peggy,

We’re excited to notify you that your book, Chance ( Last Man Standing) is a 
Category 5.5: Sweet Novella2022 Heart Awards Finalist

Thank you, OKRWG! I am humbled and sosososo very Honored!

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#firstlinefriday VANILLA WITH A TWIST #OneScooporTwo 2.24.2023 #icecream

This little gem is part of the ONE SCOOP OR TWO SERIES from Wild Rose Press and is my second sweet romance. It was published 5.20.2020, the day after my 60th birthday, so I consider it a very nice birthday present to myself! LOL

The first line of VANILLA WITH A TWIST reads:

On the third day of his enforced vacation, Deacon Withers decided he’d had enough.

Doesn’t that line want to make you read on so you can discover WHAT he’s had enough of?? Hee hee. At least, that’s my hope.

Oh, and by the way, VANILLA WITH A TWIST was a 2020 HEART AWARD WINNER in the Sweet romance category in the Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild Awards! SWEET!

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#Tuesdaytease 2.21.2023 SABLE ( Always a Bridesmaid)

This little gem is up for preorder right now and releases on 5.27.2023, just in time for my birthday. SABLE is book 12 in the ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID series.

Instead of the typical tease for today, I want to show you the book trailer I made the other day when I had an hour to kill waiting for dinner to cook.

Always a bridesmaid… never a bride. It’s the siren song of many a frustrated woman. While they might not be able to compete with 27 Dresses—the hilarious comedy on the subject—each of our heroines has a story to tell about playing second fiddle to the beautiful bride.

Will they ever find their own happily-ever-after? Or, will once again be buying a dress they’ll never wear again?

Welcome to the new multi-author series, Always a Bridesmaid, a fun companion to last year’s wildly successful Last Man Standing series. All books in both series are standalone stories, linked only by subject matter.

SABLE

ALWAYS BEING A BRIDESMAID IS GETTING OLD…

Pediatrician Sable Miller is sick and tired of being the go-to, dependable bridesmaid in all her family and friends’ weddings. But her demanding job, the ridiculous hours, and endless family commitments keep her from finding the perfect man. A matchmaking service? Sounds like too much work. Swipe right dating? Not her thing. The bar scene? When was the last time she even had an evening free to go to a bar?

And forget about dating the myriad of on-the-make doctors and residents in her hospital. Besides, workplace romances never work out.

Sable’s options to meet the man of her dreams and start a family are dwindling and time is running out, because she promised herself the next wedding she would attend would be her own.

Kristopher Lee, the Physician’s Assistant assigned to Sable has a crush on his new mentor. But she’s got a hands-off rule when it comes to dating someone she works with. Kris is nothing if not persistent, though. After all, he didn’t survive three tours in the Army without focusing on a goal. And making Sable Miller fall in love with him is his best goal yet.

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The final chapter in the DEERBOURNE INN series from Wild Rose Press #smalltownromance #weekendreads

Yesterday’s #firstlinefriday was from my Deerbourne Inn sweet romance HOPE’S DREAM. Five years ago The Wild Rose Press put out a call to authors to write a series about a small Vermont town called WILLOW SPRINGS. My addition was HOPE’S DREAM, which released on November 5, 2018, and the final book LOVE A LA CARTE by Carol Henry, is releasing on February 20th.

To commemorate this auspicious publishing endeavor, and to celebrate the end of the series, The Wild Rose Press is having a celebration on Tuesday night at our public Chat.

HOPE’S DREAM was the second book in the series and even though I wrote it 5 long years ago, I still think of it as one of my favorite titles.

Here’s a look at Hope’s Dream and then a little about the final book in the series, Love A la Carte.

Hope Kildaire gave up her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner when a car accident killed her father and left her mother an invalid. Working two jobs and caring for her mother leaves the twenty-seven-year-old with no time for fun or relationships. When a law firm representing her paternal grandparents sends her several letters, Hope ignores them. She despises the family who disowned her father and wants nothing to do with them.

Lawyer Tyler Coleman’s job is simply to obtain Hope’s signature on a legal document. Getting it is harder than planned, though, when an unexpected attraction blossoms between them. If Ty is honest with Hope about why he’s in Willow Springs, he’ll fulfill his assignment but may risk hurting her.

The opportunity to have everything she’s ever desired is at Hope’s fingertips. Will her dream come true at the expense of Tyler’s love?

When Nathan Harte received a review that trashed his restaurant and reputation, he left New York to start over in Willow Springs, Vermont, at the Deerbourne Inn. Pleased with his new life and success, he’s preparing to receive an award for his achievements when trouble steps through his door—Chantel St. Ives, his ex and the author of the bad review. Is she here to repeat history?
Chantel, a food and wine critic, discovers Nate’s location at long last. She’s always wanted to explain what happened with her critique, but he disappeared. Now she’s determined to hash it out with him and hopefully rekindle the love they had, but he’s hostile and suspicious. Can she rebuild his trust?

All the books are stand-alone stories, but you will see many local characters flow between each one since the series is set in a small Vermont town. The books range from sweet to sexy, historical to contemporary, with even a little paranormal thrown in. They span the seasons and holidays, too.

Here are all the glorious covers.

As you can see, there are a host of award-winning and best selling authors who are part of this wonderful series.

You can read each of the books in the series, via ebook, here: DEERBOURNE INN

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#Firstlinefriday 2.17.2023 HOPE’S DREAM: A Deerbourne Inn novella

In my DEERBOURNE INN addition, HOPE’S DREAM, the first line is a first for me – 1 word. LOL

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#TuesdayTease SABLE: ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID #preorder

So last year a group of authors got together and penned the LAST MAN STANDING SERIES, of which my guy was CHANCE. This year we’re taking on the ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID gals.

My addition is SABLE, Chance’s little sister.

Pediatrician Sable Miller is sick and tired of being the go-to, dependable bridesmaid in all her family and friends’ weddings. But her demanding job, the ridiculous hours, and endless family commitments keep her from finding the perfect man. A matchmaking service? Sounds like too much work. Swipe right dating? Not her thing. The bar scene? When was the last time she even had an evening free to go to a bar?

And forget about dating the myriad of on-the-make doctors and residents in her hospital. Besides, workplace romances never work out.

Sable’s options to meet the man of her dreams and start a family are dwindling and time is running out, because she promised herself the next wedding she would attend would be her own.

Kristopher Lee, the Physician’s Assistant assigned to Sable has a crush on his new mentor. But she’s got a hands-off rule when it comes to dating someone she works with. Kris is nothing if not persistent, though. After all, he didn’t survive three tours in the Army without focusing on a goal. And making Sable Miller fall in love with him is his best goal yet.

“I tried to introduce her to a guy from my office last month,” Sable’s cousin Moira said. “Single and a stockbroker. I invited him to dinner, Sable too. She called me at the last minute and canceled, saying she had to cover at the hospital. I swear all she does is work.”

“This is the sixth family wedding in a row where she’s been a bridesmaid,” Aunt Mary declared. “Goodness knows how many times she’s stood up for her friends.”

“Does she even have friends?” Teresa asked. “If all she ever does is work, how can she?”

That hurt.

Sable had a score of college and medical school friends she got together with whenever she could. And yes, she’d been an attendant at all their weddings. So what?

Come to think of it, they were all married now, too. She was the lone single on not only the family front, but in the friendship ring as well.

A sudden burst of sadness overtook her.

“That old saw always a bridesmaid never a bride fits our girl to a tee,” Aunt Mary said. She blew out a breath. “I’m worried for her. You know if her mother were still alive she’d be trying to find someone for Sable just as we are. It’s our duty as her sisters to make sure her daughter is happy and settled down.”

“I just can’t understand why some worthy man hasn’t already swept her off her feet. Our girl is beautiful. Stunning, even. Smart and savvy. And so kind heart hearted and warm,” Teresa said. “You’d think a dedicated pediatrician who looks like she does would be snatched up in a heartbeat. What’s wrong with men?”

A question Sable had asked herself numerous times over the years. She’d had two long-term relationships since graduating college and dated when she could. She’d thought she’d be married by now with kids, a dog, and that house in the suburbs that fulfilled the American dream. Unfortunately, the men she’d been involved with hadn’t liked coming in second to her career. With so much time spent studying, then her on-call rotations while in residency, the relationships had fizzled out due to lack of available time to spend together. One guy had even accused her of being married to her job.

Sable had to consider he wasn’t wrong.

“Maybe it’s not the men,” Moira offered. “Maybe Sable’s too picky and no one can live up to her expectations.”

Well that’s wrong, Cuz.

The only expectations Sable had at this point were the man not be abusive, have a pulse, and tolerated her crazy work schedule without an argument.

“Maybe,” Teresa said. “At this rate, Mary’s right and Sable’s always going to be a bridesmaid and never a bride. I’d hate to see her turn into an old maid with nothing to show for her life but a career.” Sable could hear the swish of her hair as the woman shook her head.

“And sitting alone in an apartment every night with just a herd of cats for company.”

Sable blanched at the picture forming in her head.

The trio left a moment later.

Sable blinked back the tears swirling in her eyes. Her aunt’s words hurt—more because they were true.

What to do about it was the question. Meeting available men was difficult at best. The men she met in her practice all had children who were her patients, and wives. Picking up a man in a bar was something she would never do even if faced with that lifetime of loneliness and feline companionship. She’d tried a few dating apps but the men she’d met hadn’t been what she’d been looking for. They fell into two categories once she told them she was a physician. Half were intimidated by her brain and earning potential, the other fifty percent got naughty ideas along the let’s play doctor route.

No thank you.

The notion to succumb to her aunt’s desires and meet some of the men they had lined up for her was fast becoming something she needed to consider.

One thing she was certain of as she left the stall and glanced at her visage in the mirror over the sinks. The next time she attended a family or friend wedding it was going to be her own. She was sick of always being a bridesmaid.  She wanted top billing and she was going to do whatever she had to in order to ensure it.

If only she could figure out how to do so without involving her busybody family.

Releasing into the world on Ma7 17 just in time for my birthday, lol. You can preorder your copy now, here: SABLE

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A visit with author Jana Richards from Wild Rose Press

I adore my Wild Rose Press sisters, and Jana Richards has been a sister since the beginning of my writing journey with WRP. Today, I’m featuring her and a few of her books in the Victorian Mansion Series. Have a look….

Jana, take it away.

The Story Behind the Victorian Mansion Series

I originally wrote RESCUE ME, book 1 in my Victorian mansion series, many years ago. Like over twenty-five years ago. I submitted the story to Harlequin’s Duets, a line devoted to humorous, light-hearted love stories. Harlequin passed on RESCUE ME, and not long after, a computer crash wiped out the digital copy of the book. The last surviving copy was a printed manuscript that I’d stuffed into a box and pushed into the back of a closet.

Fast forward to 2007. I’d finally sold my first novel to a small publishing company. I’d read that offering a free book at various retailers was a good way of getting attention, but I didn’t have anything to offer. But then I remembered the completed story stuffed into a box at the back of the closet. I dug it out and wondered how I’d turn this pile of paper into an ebook.

Where there’s a will there’s a way. I took my pile of papers to my day job and fed it through a scanner. (Just to be clear, I did this after office hours.) The scanner turned the paper into a PDF, which I emailed to myself and converted into a Word document that I could revise. Because, oh boy, did it need revision. My writing had changed over the years, hopefully for the better.

I also had to come up with cover art. I couldn’t afford a cover artist, so I purchased a piece of vector art for $5 and a friend helped me put the text on it. Using software at Amazon and at Draft to Digital, I put the cover and the manuscript together and magically turned them into an ebook! I offered it free at several retailers.

That low-budget free book served me well for several years. But by 2018 I decided I needed something more. A free book isn’t terribly useful unless it leads to further sales. So I wrote a companion book to RESCUE ME called TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. Both are set in the same, somewhat shabby Victorian mansion in Toronto. This time, I commissioned a really great cover from artist Rae Monet, and it’s one of my favorites, probably because of the pug! I put the cover and buy links in the back of RESCUE ME, hoping to entice readers to buy the new book.

But I’d made a couple of fundamental flaws in my marketing. First of all, I didn’t change the cover of RESCUE ME when the new book released. It still had my homemade cover. Secondly, I wrote TAKE A CHANCE ON ME as a spicy, sexy book while RESCUE ME is a sweet romance. I reasoned that most of my other books were of the spicy variety, so it represented my writing better. Perhaps that was true, but it meant the Victorian Mansion two-book series (or duet) was uneven when it came to heat levels.

So, in 2022 I decided to do something about it. First, I commissioned a new cover for RESCUE ME. It was finally time to get a professional cover and once more Rae Monet came through. Second, and most difficult, I rewrote TAKE A CHANCE ON ME to make it a sweet romance. I found it wasn’t simply a matter of removing the sex scenes. The tone of the book had to change as well. It required a lot of work and took much longer than I’d expected.

But finally, by December of 2022, I was able to relaunch the Victorian Mansion duet with a new cover for RESCUE ME and a rewrite of TAKE A CHANCE ON ME. Both are now available on Kindle Unlimited. It’s been a long time coming!

Chelsea Andrews can’t decide who’s more dangerous—the creep on the Toronto city bus, or the handsome stranger who rescues her. Was he acting as he claimed, or is he that weird in real life? She doesn’t stick around to find out. Fate intervenes when her rescuer, out-of-work actor Matt Malone, sublets the apartment next door. Chelsea soon discovers the most dangerous thing about her charming new neighbor is the damage he’s inflicting on her heart.

Or is it? Soon after Matt moves in, strange romantic notes begin showing up at the art gallery where Chelsea works. Then she’s followed home from the bus stop late one night, and her apartment is broken into. Despite her growing feelings for Matt, all the evidence points to him as the culprit.

Matt is at a crossroads. His acting career is stalled, and all his siblings are getting married and having babies while his love life is non-existent. Something has to change. Things begin to look up for Matt when he moves next door to Chelsea. He’s totally captivated by the beautiful blonde and wants to take their relationship to the next level. But when he discovers what Chelsea suspects about him, his plans are put in jeopardy. And how can he protect her from the real stalker? 

Is Matt the kind, funny, sincere man Chelsea is falling in love with, or some kind of letter-writing stalker? She must decide whether he is a dream come true or her worst nightmare.

Here are my buy links:

Rescue Me:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008WU7FEY

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B008WU7FEY

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008WU7FEY

Teacher Darcy Ferris loves to travel almost as much as she loves her Toronto neighborhood. But no matter how far she roams, she always returns to the genteelly shabby Victorian mansion where she grew up, the last place her father lived. Darcy’s world is turned upside-down when the Victorian is slated for demolition.

Since the death of architect Nick Cummings’ mother, his father has retreated from his real estate development business, and from life. In a desperate attempt to interest him in something once more, Nick buys a beat-up Victorian mansion and draws up plans to replace it with a Victorian-inspired condo. He hopes his father’s old spark will return if he helps him build the new condo. But he doesn’t expect such opposition from his new tenant, Darcy Ferris. Nor does he expect to fall in love with her.

Nick and Darcy must come to terms with the past before they can forge a future together. And they’ll need to take the biggest chance of all – on love.

Take a Chance on Me:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KNBM8G3

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

Jana Richards’ Social media links:

Website:  https://www.janarichards.com

Blog:  https://janarichards.blogspot.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

Amazon UK Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

Newsletter Signup: https://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

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#holidayshopping2022 #onlineshopping Gift a book for the Holidays from @peggyjaeger

Since the pandemic I have shunned in-person shopping as much as I can, opting for home delivery when it’s available – or other online ways to get what I need.

This holiday season is no exception for me. The thought of being crammed into a mall with coughing kids and grumpy shoppers is not my idea of undiluted pleasure.

If you’re like me ( yay!), have a romance book reader on your Holiday list – or even if it’s you, and want to get them something special, take advantage of my 2022 Holiday book store this year. All the books listed are in print, $11.00 a piece – a sizable discount even from the ‘Zon, and shipping/handling is cheaper than the post office.

Why am I doing this? Simple – I want to make it easy for people to get my books without spending the horrible markups you see in retailers and online distributors. With the economy still in recovery mode, this is the very least I can offer to my readers.

Interested?

Check out the order form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17Ve1YnqXBl034ujM-Ygq7Af2-03AApZwABtGygzMBIE/edit

and visit my author page here to see blurbs for the books offered: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B00T8E5LN0

Happy Holidays, kids, from one romance reader to another.

This is just a sample of the dozens of books available:

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Another LAST MAN STANDING takes the fall as DONOVAN releases today #sweetromance #LMS

My good friend KARI LEMOR has the latest LAST MAN STANDINGDONOVAN, which releases today.

Like sweet revenge?? This book’s for you!

DONOVAN – Kari Lemor

Going, going, gone, to the lady who wants sweet revenge.

Magnolia Popham never forgot the way Donovan Sinclair humiliated her when she worked for his family. Years later, he’s on the auction block to raise money for the children’s hospital, and she’s got the perfect plan to pay him back. A month mucking stalls and feeding chickens is just the thing to make him see what it feels like to be the hired help.

Donovan never meant to embarrass Maggie, yet now he’s paying the price. He didn’t know one stolen kiss years ago could cause so many problems. Toiling beside her at Popham Farm shows him the successful woman she’s become, and he’d like to get closer. Even with the drudgery of working the land, he wants nothing more than to bid on her love…and win.

“Eight thousand for this strong, strapping man to do with as you please. According to our rules, of course,” Cissy clarified, but Donovan wondered how vigorously they enforced those rules. 

“Do I hear nine thousand for Donovan Sinclair?”

“Nine thousand.” Mrs. Wisenthall was determined. The others seemed to have dropped out of the race. 

“We have nine thousand dollars for this handsome man. Any other takers?” Cissy waited and glanced around. Donovan couldn’t see more than shapes sitting at the tables due to the lighting. 

“Okay, then. Going once, going twice—”

“Fifteen thousand dollars.” 

Donovan froze. The voice wasn’t one of the ones who’d been bidding before. This one was soft as a breeze and sweet as honey with a lilting southern accent.

“Fifteen thousand. Any other bids?” Cissy cocked her head, but Mrs. Wisenthall remained silent. “Going once. Going twice. I think we have a winner.”

Donovan could make out the shape of a woman walking toward the stage. And what a shape it was. The dress was classy, floral, and hugged her figure lovingly, stopping about an inch above her knee. High heels accentuated her long, trim legs and clicked on the wood floor as she approached. A white, large-brimmed hat perched on top of her head, covering all but a long curl of brunette hair that swirled across one shoulder, then dipped between her breasts. 

Well now. This was a new circumstance. Maybe he could forgive his mother if he got to spend some quality time with this exquisite creature. Provided she knew it was a temporary situation.

Cissy cleared her throat as the mystery woman sauntered closer and tipped her head up. As Donovan took in her features, memories drifted through his mind, and the blood drained from his face.

“Donovan Sinclair sold for fifteen thousand dollars to Magnolia Popham.”

Find all of Kari’s books here: 

https://www.karilemor.com/

Kari Lemor has always been a voracious reader. One of those kids who had the book under the covers or under the desk at school. Even now she has been known to stay up until the wee hours finishing a good book. Romance has always been her favorite, stories of people fighting through conflict to reach their happily ever after.

Writing wasn’t something she enjoyed when young and only in the last few years began putting the stories that ran rampant in her head, down on paper.

Now that her kids are all grown and have moved out, she uses her spare time to create character-driven stories of love and hope.

She spends her time with her husband divided between a small town in New England and beautiful St. Augustine.

See all the LAST MEN STANDING hunks here: LMS

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