We’re coming into the home stretch with our CANDY HEARTS ROMANCES! Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Today, I want to introduce you to Laura Strickland, Cait Jarrod, Angela Hayes, and Brandy Wilson and their CandyHearts additions: ASK ME, FIND ME, GOT LOVE? and I LOVE YOU. And don’t forget to enter the WILD ROSE PRESS RAFFLECOPTER for a chance to win a KINDLE FIRE. Details below.
ASK ME by Laura Strickland
BLURB:
Alone on Valentine’s Day, Leo Rankin attends the library’s Blind Date With a Book event hoping for something he can take to bed with him that night, and finds himself competing against Gerri Webb for the last remaining book. Wild child Gerri is not his usual type. Yet he feels an immediate, sizzling attraction and agrees to share the book and its accompanying bag of candy hearts.
The whole idea of a Blind Date With a Book is to go off genre, so Gerri doesn’t mind when their flirty conversation suggests they unwrap each other rather than the mystery book. When a candy heart advises, “Ask Me,” she asks Leo back to her apartment. She never expects button-down Leo to hit all her buttons, but by the next morning she fears her heart’s in danger. Can one night spent off genre translate to real life?
EXCERPT:
“Be a gentleman,” the black-haired woman told Leo, “and let me have the book.” She already had her library card out, clutched in her other hand.
“Why don’t you share it?” the clerk suggested impishly. “See what happens.”
The black-haired woman laughed a bit nervously. Before Leo could speak, the clerk snatched the library card from her hand and wanded the book. “There you go. Oh, and every book comes with a little bag of candy hearts. Have a happy Valentine’s Day.”
Leo frowned and snatched the small, red bag the clerk pushed across the counter at him. Elsewhere in the building, lights dimmed. They had little choice but to leave.
Yet the woman still clutched her side of the book.
“Who gets to take it home?” she asked.
Leo smiled suddenly. “Pretty ridiculous to be negotiating over an unknown book for company tonight, isn’t it?”
“Pitiful,” she agreed.
Leo hesitated, impulse nibbling at him once again. He could suggest they get a coffee or a drink together. Sure, she was a far cry from the kind of woman he usually dated, almost diametrically opposed. But it beat being alone, right?
She gave him a provocative look. “Maybe the candy hearts hold the answer to who gets the book first.” She dug into the small, red bag in his hand to draw forth a single heart, and Leo saw her fingernails were painted black. She opened her palm with the heart on it, words facing upward.
Ask Me, Leo read.
Well, then. He drew a breath. “Want to go somewhere for coffee?”
Read me review of ASK ME here
Buy links:
Amazon Wild Rose press
Author bio:
Born and raised in Western New York, Laura Strickland has pursued lifelong interests in lore, legend, magic and music, all reflected in her writing. Though her imagination frequently takes her to far off places, she is usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario with her husband and her “fur” child, a rescue dog. Author of Scottish romances Devil Black and His Wicked Highland Ways as well as The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy consisting of Daughter of Sherwood, Champion of Sherwood and Lord of Sherwood, she has also published two Steampunk romances, Dead Handsome: a Buffalo Steampunk Adventure and Off Kilter: a Buffalo Steampunk Adventure as well as two Christmas novellas: The Tenth Suitor and Mrs. Claus and the Viking Ship. Her Lobster Cove Historical Romance, The White Gull, is the prequel to her new release, Forged By Love, a Lobster Cove novella. Ask Me is her first Romantic Comedy.
Find Laura Here: Web site:
FIND ME by Cait Jarrod
Blurb:
In Heather Ridge, Virginia, myth has it the lucky recipients of the two FIND ME candy hearts distributed each year are soul mates.
Too afraid of seeing her one-time trusted friend, good-hearted Lyse Haynes refuses to go to her high school class reunion. But when she receives a second invitation containing the elusive candy heart, she takes an overdue vacation to pursue the dream of finally finding her soul mate.Ice cream creator Cooper Schmidt plans to take his product nationwide. His marketing team proposes the perfect destination for his next store. Unfortunately, it belongs to the father of the woman he’s harbored feelings for since high school. He uses her belief in myths and mails her the candy heart to entice her to Heather Ridge, in hopes she will convince her father to sell.
Ice cream creator Cooper Schmidt plans to take his product nationwide. His marketing team proposes the perfect destination for his next store. Unfortunately, it belongs to the father of the woman he’s harbored feelings for since high school. He uses her belief in myths and mails her the candy heart to entice her to Heather Ridge, in hopes she will convince her father to sell.There’s just one problem. After ten years, his old feelings tumble forward, stronger than ever, and Lyse has
There’s just one problem. After ten years, his old feelings tumble forward, stronger than ever, and Lyse has a decision to make—discover who has the candy heart companion or follow her heart.
Excerpt:
“Legend has it, there are two FIND ME candies produced each year. When two people lucky enough to receive them see each other, they know they found their soul mates.”
“Phfts.” Coop chuckled. “Good one.”
Rill ignored him. What he said was intriguing. She always considered legends, myths, and superstitions as truths. “Shush,” she said out of the corner of her mouth and focused on the storeowner. “Go on.”
“The thing is, most times finding the other person is hard. People don’t know where to search. They check under flashy exteriors, smug attitudes, and never see the person’s soul.”
“Come on,” Coop growled. “You’re not gonna trust what he’s dishing out, are you? How can manufacturers produce two candies, send them out worldwide, and expect the two people who receive them to find each other?”
Odd, he didn’t get uptight about any of Rill’s other stories. Today, his forehead pulled down, and his lips flattened.
“It’s a myth,” she said.
“Yeah, which you believe.” He spoke with a combination of concern and disgust.
“I think it’s lovely. I bet that’s how I’ll find my soul mate.”
Her comment got another, “Phft,” from Coop.
“I bet it will, little lady.” Rill put the tray back under the counter.
“Let’s go.” Coop grabbed her hand. “Thanks, Rill.”
“Anytime,” he chuckled. “One more thing.”
She pulled on Coop’s hand. He wouldn’t stop, so she yanked it. “Yeah?”
“The two people can only meet in Heather Ridge.”
“You’re kidding me.” Coop fumed, snatched her hand, and tugged her out of the store.
“What’s your problem?” Again, she jerked her hand away from his and stopped. “I think the story is great. It’s romantic. A dream.”
“You haven’t checked out its veracity.”
Leave it to brain boy to think science rules everything. “Sometimes there is no explanation.”
“I hear pigs fly. Do you think I should trust hearsay?”
Now, he was being mean. “Not nice.”
He smiled lopsidedly. “You’re right.” He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head on his chest. Unlike with anyone else, she discarded the dispute and absorbed his comfort.
“Hey, Lyse!” Wally shouted from across the road. “Want some flowers for Friday? Come on, I’ll let you pick them out.”
No one ever bought her flowers. “Um…”
Coop gave her a tight squeeze and released her. “Have a great time,” he said and walked in the opposite direction of the florist. “See you around.”
Author of award-winning romantic suspense Band of Friends series, Cait Jarrod won Reader Choice Awards for best HEA (Happily Ever After), suspense, and Editor’s Choice.
Her heroes have been described as “every girl’s dreams,” the heroines as “strong, down-to-earth, and likable,” the secondary characters “hysterical.” The plots are “fast-paced, unpredictable and clever.”
Buy Links
Amazon Wild Rose Press
About the Author:
Author of award-winning romantic suspense Band of Friends series, Cait Jarrod won Reader Choice Awards for best HEA (Happily Ever After), suspense, and Editor’s Choice.
Her heroes have been described as “every girl’s dreams,” the heroines as “strong, down-to-earth, and likable,” the secondary characters “hysterical.” The plots are “fast-paced, unpredictable and clever.”
Stay in touch with Cait:
Blog/Newsletter/ Facebook/ Twitter
GOT LOVE? by Angela Hayes
BLURB
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, gorse fairy, Flora Hawthorne is up to her neck in flowers, chocolate, and all things romance. She has no time for love, until she comes face to face with her own personal Cupid and the sparks fly!
Looking to settle down, Cupid Tharin Terize wants fairy Flora Hawthorne to be his valentine, not just for one night, but for the rest of time. Now, all he has to do is convince her.
EXCERPT
Tucking a few extra napkins in her coat pocket, Flora picked up her coffee, only to spin around and smash right into a cashmere-clad brick wall.
“Aw, snapdragons!” She exclaimed over a chorus of stunned gasps and excited squeals, the contents of her cup now soaking the shirt in front of her. Thinking quickly she dropped the near empty cup, pulled her scarf from around her neck, and used it to blot at the spreading coffee stain. “Sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s my fault, I was too close.”
Flora looked up. All rational thought fled her mind. This was no elf, fairy, or nymph in front of her. Oh, no, this was a cupid! Gorgeous beyond description with tempting chocolate eyes a fae-kin could get lost in for days, he had a neatly-trimmed beard that framed a perfect white smile and dark shoulder-length hair that accented a face obviously carved by The Mother, Cailleach Bheur herself.
“Wow, you are ripped under there, aren’t you?” She admired without thinking, only to blush when she realized what she’d said. The man was in possession of a clearly well-muscled chest and the requisite washboard abs that went with it. “Not that I’m trying to cop a feel or anything,” she confessed. “But that’s nice. Kudos on the hard work by the way.” Shaking her head, Flora mentally chided herself. This was not going well.
Read my review of GOT LOVE? here
BUY LINKS:
Wild Rose Press Amazon
About Angela:
A married mother of two, I split my time between bringing characters to life by computer, and yarn to life with needle and hook. You can find me at www.authorangelahayes.blogspot.com where I help connect readers and the authors they love.
Find Angela here: Facebook / Twitter Pinterest/ Amazon / GoodReads
I Love You by Brandy Wilson
Blurb:
Tate Campbell liked his life. Running his bar kept him busy and paid his bills, and a relationship with anyone wasn’t on the horizon. He sure wasn’t expecting a Valentine surprise, especially one who looked like a fallen angel—with a broken-down car.
Dace Robinson’s career as an ER doctor left little time for relationships. Valentine’s Day was just another day on the calendar, albeit one filled with annoying decorations and sad reminders she had no one special in her life.Until the night car trouble compelled her to seek help in a biker bar, and the handsome owner claimed Dace as his woman – she had no idea how sweet Valentine’s Day could be.
Excerpt:
“You’re a guy. You have to say us getting intimate wouldn’t be stupid, or you lose your membership card in the man club.” Pushing up against him was like being pressed against a wall; a really sexy wall with a seriously buff body and a mouth made for slow, sensuous kissing. He was implacable, immovable, and irritating—not to mention protective.
And hot. Completely and utterly hot.
“My membership card in the man club?” Gently he traced her lips with his index finger. “Hate to disappoint you, but I wouldn’t belong to any club that would have me as a member.”
“Quoting Groucho Marx isn’t furthering your cause.”
“And here I thought humor was an aphrodisiac.” He chuckled. “Dace, you kiss like an angel, and I’ve already told you I want to see you again. You’ve got my number, so the ball’s in your court.” He nudged his hardness against her hip, as he nodded at her erect nipples straining through her scrubs. “There’s attraction on both sides here, unless I need my eyes checked.”
He traced a finger across her collarbone, and down the neck of her scrubs into her cleavage, making her shudder. “Let go, babe. Just for a few minutes.”
She gaped at him, her mouth open. Thoughts whirled through her head, arousal and sheer lust fogging her brain.
To let go…just for a few minutes…
No patients, no nurses, no ringing cell phones, no decisions to make, no paperwork, no intercom pages…
She couldn’t help it; she nodded.
Buy Links:
Amazon Wild Rose Press
ABout Brandy:
Brandy lives with her family – her husband and two spoiled furbabies – in the cold Midwest. When she isn’t reading, writing, editing, or connecting with fans on social media, she loves experimenting with nail art, making jewelry, and jumping on her hubby’s Harley for a ride.
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