Saturday, July 13, 2024

Jennifer Ivy Walker & Her New Romantic Suspense Novel

Please welcome Jennifer Ivy Walker and her latest release, steamy historical romantic suspense, The Witch of the Breton Woods.

The Witch of the Breton Woods is a romantic suspense featuring a reclusive healer and member of the clandestine French Resistance who has been ostracized by local villagers and labeled as a witch. She lives alone in a secluded cottage in Brittany during the Nazi Occupation of France during WWII. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper whose plane was shot down by German anti-aircraft artillery, she is determined to hide him from the Gestapo and la Milice--the local paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Nazis--who are relentlessly hunting him.

Blurb

Traumatized by horrors witnessed during the Nazi invasion of France, a young woman retreats to the dense Breton woods where she becomes a member of the clandestine French Resistance. When she finds a critically injured American paratrooper whose plane was shot down, she shelters the wounded soldier in her secluded cottage, determined to heal him despite the enormous risk.

Ostracized by villagers who have labeled her a witch, she is betrayed by an informant who reports to the Butcher—the monstrous leader of the local paramilitary organization that collaborates with the Germans. As the enemy closes in, she must elude the Gestapo while helping the Resistance reunite the American with his regiment and join the Allied Forces in the Battle of Brittany.

Can true love triumph against all odds under the oppressive Third Reich?

Excerpt: The Wounded Soldier

Low, agonized moaning interrupted Yvette’s nightmarish reverie.

That’s a man’s voice. And it’s coming from over there. She followed the deep groans through a copse of trees to find an American soldier impossibly tangled in a nylon parachute. Suspended from a high branch of a massive oak tree, he was dangling upside down, hanging by an obviously broken leg. A sharp bone protruded from the torn, blood-soaked pants of his khaki uniform, and dried blood—which must have leaked from under his helmet—covered half of his contorted face. His pitiful wails pierced her heart.

I can’t lower him to the ground by myself. He’s twice my weight. And if I cut the ropes, he’ll plummet headfirst. He already has a head injury, judging from the gore all over his forehead. Please, God, let him hang on until I get back.

“I’ll go get help. I promise to come back soon.” She called up to him, hopeful that he could hear her. And that he understood French.

 

The Witch of Breton Woods

The Wild Rose Press, July 10, 2024

Romantic Suspense/ Historical Romance

163 pp.

Heat Rating: Steamy

 

Buy links

Amazon         Barnes and Noble


About the Author

Jennifer Ivy Walker has an MA in French literature and is a former high school teacher and professor of French at a state college in Florida.  Her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, incorporating her lifelong study, summers abroad, and many trips to France.

Social media contacts

Website:  https://jenniferivywalker.com/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bohemienneivy

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/bohemienneivy/the-witch-of-the-breton-woods/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209456185-the-witch-of-the-breton-woods

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-witch-of-the-breton-woods-by-jennifer-ivy-walker

Tiktok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@jenniferivywalker

Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A-VLgO7Aww

Saturday, July 6, 2024

Leffis Key In the Crosshairs--My New Mystery

Someone is killing people with a crossbow, but what connects the murders is a mystery, and only a birder and the aide to a dead Senator can find the answers.

Longboat Key, on the Gulf Coast of Florida is one of the barrier islands that protects Sarasota from the bad moods of the Gulf of Mexico. This is what it’s like to live on the Gulf Coast of Florida: by day the sky is the deep blue of Paul Newman’s eyes; at close of day it’s flooded with a full palette of reds, oranges, pinks and purples. Put it this way: I have a lot of pictures of my children—I have even more pictures of sunsets in Sarasota!

In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key, takes place on a small key adjacent to Longboat. A strip of low dune and mangrove swamp, it’s home to the Marine Rescue Facility and a nature walk. Our heroine Palmer is on that walk looking for birds when she finds something a lot less desirable—which, to her surprise, eventually leads to something a lot more desirable.

End of boardwalk where Palmer finds corpse

Blurb

Palmer Lind, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, embarks on a bird-watching trek to the Gulf Coast of Florida. One hot day on Leffis Key she comes upon—not the life bird she was hoping for—but a floating corpse. The handsome beach bum who appears on the scene at the same time seems to have even more secrets than the dead man.

His story begins to unravel as the pair search for answers to a growing pile of dead bodies. Spies, radical environmentalists, and wealthy businessmen circle around each other in a complex dance. Which one is lying? What do a seemingly random group of individuals have in common, other than being targeted by a crossbow?

Buy Links:

Amazon  Barnes&Noble  ITunes

Books2Read  WildRosePress

Thursday, June 27, 2024

C. D. Bennett & her new romantic suspense No Good Dead

Please welcome C. D. Bennett and her new romantic suspense, No Good Dead. 

Hello readers, I am thrilled that M.S. Spencer invited me to her blog today. I appreciate the opportunity to connect with all of you and introduce you to my upcoming release No Good Deed, a book that, in a small way, took shape from personal experiences. This novel takes place on a family ranch in the rugged mountains of Colorado, a beautiful state filled with breathtaking views and people that share a deep-rooted love of the outdoors. It also happens to be where I spent a lot of my childhood. I got to play among the aspen trees and have ridden through those mountains on horseback. I still miss it. Since I can't hop on a plane every time I get nostalgic. What better way is there to revisit my old stomping grounds than to write about it?

I also included a main character that previously worked as an EMT (just like I did). It is how I put myself through college. Everyone says to write what you know, right? Needless to say, my heroine can handle a crisis. It's a good thing too, because Kiya James couldn't have known that saving the life of a stranger would make her the target of a dangerous unknown adversary. When she joins forces with the victim and his family, she finds herself thrust into a world filled with endless greed and relentless danger. It also opens the door to new love and found family.

I would love to hear your thoughts on No Good Deed!

 

Blurb:

No Good Deed…goes unpunished.

Kiya James’s relocation to idyllic Riverton, Colorado is disrupted when she discovers a critically wounded man lying in a field near her home. Little does she know that her selfless act to save the man’s life would thrust her into a world of corruption, greed, and danger. As the only witness to the initial attack, and shaken by an attempt on her own life, Kiya is offered refuge with the victim’s family. Together, they struggle to uncover the circumstances that would trigger an unknown assailant to unleash a string of deadly attacks in an otherwise quiet rural ranching community.

Jake McCleary’s world could have been destroyed with a single bullet if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of a stranger. Now, in a desperate attempt to protect her and his entire family, Jake must fight to defend his home, livelihood, and the woman who is rapidly capturing his heart, against the vicious actions of a criminal who will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants. But will they find the answers they need in time, or will they lose everything to the conceit of a madman? And will the bond between his wounded brother and the woman that saved him prove to be too big of an obstacle for Jake to overcome in the pursuit for Kiya’s love?

Introduction to the excerpt:

In this excerpt, Jake and Kiya have been spending time together while trying to uncover information about an attack on Jake’s brother, Dylan. Jake starts to realize that his feelings for Kiya aren’t as simple as he thought, but he would never hurt his brother by coming between the two of them.

Excerpt: Troubling realization

Outside, the air had turned chilly causing Kiya to shiver slightly when the wind blew across the yard. Jake immediately wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. He had snagged it from a peg hanging inside the door as they were leaving. “What are you doing running around out here without a jacket?”

“Thanks, I didn’t need one on my way over, and I wasn’t expecting it to get so cold. The temperature changes fast around here,” she said as she snuggled farther into the jacket.

They made the short walk to the cabin in relative silence, but as they entered the glow given off by the light near the front door, Kiya stopped and turned toward Jake. “Thank you for inviting me tonight. It was great getting to see Dylan that way. Even if he still tires easily.”

“It’s surprising how effortless it is for you to tune in to how he’s feeling. You noticed his change in energy quicker than any of the rest of us.”

Jake’s words were spoken lightly, but his eyes appeared guarded. Kiya shrugged. “I know what to look for, that’s all.”

“I suppose that could be it,” he allowed.

The wind picked up again causing Kiya’s hair to flutter across her cheeks. Without thinking, Jake reached over and smoothed the silky strands away from her face, but the mental image of his brother’s interaction with her earlier in the evening had him pulling his hand back and shoving it into his pocket. He had been unprepared for his reaction to their almost instant and very obvious bond. He was struggling with the fact that he didn’t like it.

 

No Good Deed

The Wild Rose Press, June 26, 2024

Romantic Suspense

308 pages

 

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press

Books2Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble


About the Author:

I am an avid reader and nature lover who enjoys adventurous outdoor activities when I'm not busy writing romantic suspense novels. Horseback riding, hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, and swimming are some of my favorite pastimes. I have even "taken the plunge" with skydiving and scuba diving. I live in rural northwest Pennsylvania with my family and a menagerie of animal companions. I am currently working on my third book.

 

Contacts:

Website  Amazon Author  Facebook

Instagram  Goodreads  BookBub

Pinterest

Monday, June 17, 2024

Marla White and Framed for Murder

Please welcome Marla White, author of the acclaimed Pine Cove Mystery series. The second in the series, Framed for Murder: A Pine Cove Mystery, has just released. Marla, could you tell us a bit about the background of the series?

Framed for Murder: A Pine Cove Mystery is set in the fictional, tiny, Southern California mountaintop village of Pine Cove that may or may not bear a close resemblance to the very real town of Idyllwild but is obviously a lot more murder-y than the real thing.

I’ve been to Idyllwild as a mentor for several retreats and have stayed in rooms from the awesome to the eccentric, but they showcase the beauty of the place. Pine trees, clear blue skies, a rushing brook, and not a chain coffee shop in sight.  And the people are so lovely!

When I learned the Wild Rose Press was looking for holiday themed novellas, I was in the midst of failing to bake Starlight Mint Surprises and the origin story to “Framed” was born. I thought it would be funny to have a character running a B&B who was equally baking challenged. And what better place for the B&B than a small, mountain town like Idyllwild?

More than dealing with being a terrible cook, Mel is also dealing with the trauma of losing the only career she ever wanted, being a beat cop for LAPD. I’ve always loved fish-out-of-water stories and wanted to play with the idea that this quirky little town is exactly what she needs to heal. “Framed” is the second book in the series and she’s not there yet, but her mountain home is starting to grow on her.

 

Fascinating—what a contrast between small town baker and former cop in the same body! Can you give us a summary of the story?

Old enemies become allies to unravel a deadly mystery

Mel O'Rourke used to be a cop before a life-changing injury forced her to turn in her badge. Now she leads a relatively peaceful life running a B&B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. That is, until her old frenemy, the charismatic cat burglar Poppy Phillips, shows up, claiming she's been framed for murder. While she’s no saint, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone and sets out to prove Poppy's innocence.

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

Pine Cove
How about an alluring little excerpt?

Too much conversation before coffee. 

“Excuse me, is that your car parked out front?” She struggled to maintain a polite tone.

The woman’s head snapped toward her, her perfect lips making a surprised little ‘o’ before breaking out in a broad smile. She removed her wireless earbuds, blasting classical music across the room. A swipe to her phone silenced them, and she got to her feet in a fluid motion, stepping toward her with the grace of a ballet dancer. “Officer O’Rourke, how good to see you,” the woman gushed in a lilting British accent. “Or should I just call you Mel?”

“Poppy?” She was too astonished to squeak out more.

“In the flesh.” The lithe woman beamed but stopped short of wrapping her arms around Mel in an enthusiastic hug. So many questions rattled around in her pre-coffee sluggish brain, but she blurted out the most obvious one first.

“How did you get in here?” She’d locked the front door after the posted eight o’clock closing time last night. The guests all had keys to their own cabins or rooms and had instructions to call if they needed her after eight. The safety protocol was a habit she’d stuck to religiously after finding a murdered man sitting in a chair right across from the one vacated by her…nemesis? Acquaintance? She shook her head, unable to put a label to their relationship.

“Well,” she purred, her brown eyes sparkling behind long fake lashes, “I drove up early this morning and it was too cold to sit in my car until your eight a.m. opening time.” She gestured to the sign in the window stating lobby hours. “So I let myself in. I knew you wouldn’t mind.”

Poppy Phillips was a thief. A notorious cat burglar, sometimes called “The Ghost” by social media outlets and more whimsical members of the public. Many police forces had been chasing her for years, including the LAPD. They knew she’d committed a multitude of crimes, but never found the evidence to make the charges stick, until last year. Mel, hot on her heels in pursuit after a daring robbery, got within an arm’s length of grabbing her with the stolen items on her person when the thief nimbly jumped from the roof of the building they were running across, over an alley, to land on the one next door.

Mel tried to follow, but slipped and slammed into the side of the building instead. With her partner too far away to help, she clung to the rooftop by her fingertips until they cramped from the strain. She started reciting the Hail Mary for what she thought would be the last time when two strong, slender arms pulled her to safety. It was Poppy. She could have kept going and escaped, but she came back to save Mel’s life.

As they both collapsed to the roof, breathless and laughing at the absurdity of the situation, she cuffed herself to the thief and arrested her. Rather than lashing out and trying to escape, she just sat there and laughed some more. It was almost insulting how chill she was about the whole thing. But, since one rescue deserved another, she convinced the prosecutor, a member of her extended family, to drop the charges in light of services rendered. So what was she doing here?

Making a mental note to change the lock and check into a security system to prevent another surprise visit from potentially less amiable thieves, she persisted. “Yes, but what are you doing here? In Pine Cove?” She narrowed her eyes at the intruder. “Are you on the run?”

Poppy’s eyes grew wide in a nearly convincing guise of innocence. “No.” She huffed with the perfect blend of indignation and hurt feelings. “Why would you say such a thing?”

“Experience?”

After mulling her statement over for a moment, the Brit gave her a crooked grin. “You got me there but seriously, after our run in on the rooftop and you managed to keep me out of the nick, I got to thinking, is this what I really want to do with my life? So, I decided to turn over a new leaf. When I heard about your lovely B&B, I says to me-self, ‘Poppy, that’s the ticket. Go work for your old pal Mel.’ And here I am.” She spread her arms wide like a magician who had performed a trick and awaited her due applause.

Mel scrubbed her face with her hands. “This is too much conversation before coffee.”

Framed for Murder: A Pine Cove Mystery

The Wild Rose Press, June 17, 2024

Cozy Mystery, Romance

300 pp.

Heat Level – on a pepper level? A poblano for salty language and mild kisses

Buy Links:


Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Apple Books

GoodReads

AllAuthor

Books2Read 

Book Bub

 

About the Author

Marla White

Marla White is an award-winning novelist who prefers killing people who annoy her on paper rather than in real life. Her first full-length mystery novel, “Cause for Elimination,” placed in several contests including Killer Nashville, The RONE Awards, The Reader’s Favorite, and finishing second in the Orange County Romance Writers for Romantic Suspense. Originally from Oklahoma, she lived in a lot of other states before settling down in Los Angeles to work in the television industry.  She currently teaches at UCLA Extension and gives seminars about the art of script coverage. When she’s not working on the next book, she’s hiking, cheering on the LA Kings, or discovering new craft cocktails (to, you know, drown her sorrows over the Kings).  

Contacts:

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheScriptFixer

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

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21467766.Marla_A_White

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/marla-a-white

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MHIzkB

Substack: https://substack.com/@marlawhite?utm_source=edit-profile-page