Spotlight: Secrets In Our Scars by Rebecca Trogner

Secrets In Our Scars
Rebecca Trogner
Publication date: February 7th 2018
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense

A sexy romance. A twisted mystery. One mistake can change everything.

On a sweltering summer day, Daisy Aldridge knocks on the wrong door. Yanked inside. Trapped and pressed against her only means of escape she spirals into a panic. Years ago she suffered an assault. Alone and afraid, she kept it hidden and dealt with the emotional aftermath in her own way.

But this time she’s not alone. She’s helped by a man who seems vaguely familiar. Roy Blackwood is massive, muscled, powerful, and controlled. She tells herself she wants nothing to do with him.

Roy sees through her resistance. He wants her. Needs her. He promises to find the identity of her birth parents and unveil the person who leaves her anonymous gifts. And most important of all, earn the love and trust of Daisy Aldridge..

A standalone, full-length romance.

Excerpt He taps his finger by my full glass of milk, but doesn’t remark on it. “I’m not Jason King’s bodyguard. My company was hired by the studio to provide security.” Oh, this is his business tone. So what tone was he using before? “Why were you there?” I toss my hands up. “Nope, no, don’t care. None of my business. Remember, nothing happened.” “You misunderstand my intentions.” With his right hand, he inches the glass of milk closer to me. “I want you to press charges against Jason King.” “What?” I sit ramrod straight. “Impossible.” “He deserves to be punished. He assaulted you yesterday. Might have done much worse—” “I can take care of myself.” A dark memory lifts its ugly head. Can you? “I had the situation under control.” “I know what you thought—that I’d want to cover this up, pay you off, or keep you from the police.” Pay me off. What type of a person does he think I am? “Wait…that was the Jason King?” “The one and only.” “He’s short.” I knew the man was an actor and seemed vaguely familiar but never thought it was Jason King. “That he is.” Jason has starred in a string of spy pictures where he saves the world from terrorists and mass destruction and megalomaniacs. The man in the trailer was not the urbane character he plays, but small and mean and a deviant asshole of gigantic proportions. “He’s also a junkie blasted out of his mind most the time.” Too quick for me to protest, he takes my hand, engulfing it in his large one. “I’ll go with you to the police. I’ll testify on your behalf.” “No. You’re making too much out of this.” He squeezes my hand tighter. “Nothing happened. I walked into the wrong trailer. That’s all.” “You don’t have to be afraid.” Can’t he see what this would do to my aunts? To the business? And all the press attention? He can’t force me to do this. “I’m not.” I try to free my hand still trapped in his. Instead of letting go, he rolls his hand over, so the underside of my arm is facing the ceiling. The fresh cut in the crook of my elbow is clearly visible. He knows. My face burns. I fold in on myself. “Please,” I plead, “let go.” “I want to help you.” “I don’t need help.” Finally, he releases my hand, and I wrap my arms around my chest. He dips his head, attempting to make eye contact. “It’s not healthy. Pretending it didn’t happen.” And nods towards my arm. My eyes downcast, I murmur, “It’s not what you think.” “I see.” His voice softens. “My mistake.” I push back from the table and stand. “Are we done? I need to get back to work.” My shoulders roll forward, and my thick hair falls around my face, shielding it from the patrons who are no doubt confused as to why plain-old Daisy is with someone like Roy. He steps around to my side, placing his hand on my back. “I’m sorry.” His rich voice low, so only I can hear. “I regret I didn’t get to you sooner. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It wasn’t my intention.” How does he do it? One moment I’m struggling along the outer rings of panic, and with just a few words he pulls me back to a place of reassurance. Keeping my head down, I let him maneuver me through the restaurant and out to the street. I turn to him. “I do appreciate what you did for me.” “It wasn’t nearly enough.” He blinks a few times and gestures with his free hand to the sidewalk in front of us.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:

Rebecca Trogner started writing her first novel after watching True Blood. Of course it was about vampires and thus The Last Keepers Daughter was born. The next, The Last Guardian Rises, continued the series. Her latest book, Secrets In Our Scars, is a contemporary romance and a lot spicier. She's working on her fourth book with the help of her rescued animal pets.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Love, Christmas - Movies You Love (The Holiday Series, #2)

Love, Christmas – Movies You Love
(The Holiday Series, #2)
Publication date: October 16th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance

Sprinkle a little Christmas magic into your life with 25 ALL-NEW, never before released romances. Each title – exclusive to this set – is inspired by a favorite holiday movie, spun into a fantastic love story by a NY Times, USA Today, and/or award-winning, bestselling author and delivered to you in this wonderful collection full of cheer for the coming season.

Mimi Barbour – A Wonderful Life – Though Rylee works with troubled teens, can she and an angel help a man living a nightmare?
Leanne Banks – A Royal White Christmas – Can a secret prince be a Christmas wish-come-true for a small-town girl?
Joan Reeves – Brianna’s Season For Miracles – Her seductive persona hides what she’s ashamed of… What will happen if the man she’s fallen for discovers her secret?
Mona Risk – Jingle With My Princess – The doc and the princess… He saves lives, but she may save his heart.
Rebecca York – Can She Get Home for Christmas? – Will a killer stop her from getting home for Christmas?
Jacquie Biggar – Mistletoe Inn – A grieving man finds the greatest gift is love.
Alicia Street – Miracle on Christmas Tree Street – A single mom discovers her business partner is more than he seems.
Nancy Radke – The Holiday (Christmas) – Jodi’s house-swap to Maui came with a small dog and a shipwrecked sailor.
Katy Walters –Letters from the Snowman – The snow revealed a precious love.
Stephanie Queen – Holiday Affair – Melissa goes from riches to rags but will she find gold in a holiday affair?
Aileen Fish – Christmas in Connecticut – Can a wounded warrior learn to trust her celebrity chef crush after discovering his secret?
Rachelle Ayala – A Christmas Creek Carol – A reclusive writer is given a one-star review on her life by characters from her past, present, and future.
Dani Haviland – The Polar Xpress – She prefers dogs to men…until she rescues the doctor.
Traci Hall – Love, Actually (By the Sea) – Two strangers. One intimate night. Reunited a year later, can it actually be love?
Taylor Lee – The Ref-er-ee – With a family this discombobulated, it will take a referee to save their Christmas.
Donna Fasano – Her Mr. Miracle – It’s Christmas Eve and Veronica is stuck in a nearly deserted seaside town… She needs a miracle.
Cynthia Cooke – A Christmas to Remember – A Christmas storm. Wedding plans in peril. Has a lost love been found?
Susan Jean Ricci – A Joyous Holiday Inn – Can Twigg restore the joy of Christmas to Chloe’s indifferent heart?
Tamara Ferguson – Two Hearts Home for Christmas – Can a long ago promise of love bring two lonely wounded warriors home for Christmas?
Suzanne Jenkins – Christmas with the Clouds – Tracy isn’t interested in love until an unexpected Christmas visitor changes her heart.
Natalie Ann – How Gavin Stole Christmas – Can Jolene help Gavin find the Christmas spirit when he’s the epitome of Mr. Bah Humbug?
Ev Bishop – A Sharla Brown Christmas – For single parents Sharla and Jake, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year…until it’s not.
Alyssa Bailey – In the Spirit of Christmas – Chase can protect Tara from danger, but can he protect his heart?
Stacy Eaton – Finding Love on Christmas Vacation – Christmas isn’t the same for Lucy without her father…until she meets his friend Maverick.
Jen Talty – The Christmas Getaway – A mix-up in reservations leaves a mother and her son to share a cabin with a broken-hearted stranger.
Melinda De Ross – Boyfriend Wanted for Christmas – A thirty-something singleton’s desperate yet humorous quest to find a boyfriend in the seven days before Christmas.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEKS:

A Wonderful Life by Mimi Barbour

Prologue

“Clarence, you haven’t stopped watching Noel Bradford for days. What in the world is happening to that young man?”

“I’m glad you noticed my preoccupation, Sir. I’m afraid he’s not doing too well. Do you remember a man called George Bailey?”

“Certainly, I do. Wasn’t he the reason you got your wings?”

“Yes, that’s him. Well poor Noel Bradford is heading in the same direction; he’s on the bridge right now, ready to jump. I’m thinking it’ll take the same interference to stop him from killing himself that it took to prevent George from doing the same thing many years ago.”

“I see. Then what are you waiting for, Clarence? You must go and save him.”

“I suppose you’re right. I just hate the thought of that icy water. It took me forever to warm up the last time.”

“Clarence, if you stop that poor fellow from ruining all the lives of the people who will one day love him, I’ll send you the wherewithal to get warm, now off with you. There’s no time to waste.”

Chapter One

Noel Bradford never believed himself to be a coward, a weakling who gave up in troubled times, a man whose shoulders were so narrow they couldn’t bear misfortune.

He was wrong.

Four days ago, when the police had knocked on his door to give him the horrifying news that his parents and their driver, his only brother, had all been killed in a car accident, he’d thought nothing could get worse.

They were heading to their favorite resort in Aspen when their car careened over the bank of the mountainous road, dropping into a lake probably 400 feet below. The back end of the car, where the license plate could be seen through binoculars, proved it was their vehicle and the chance of any survivors was nil.

—

A Royal White Christmas by Leanne Banks

Chapter One

A baying howl cut through the early December night, even through the walls of the cottage Brice rented. He glanced up from the material he was studying and the baying howl echoed again. The fireplace crackled, and Brice knew the snow was still falling.

Again, the baying howl broke through the quiet.

Sighing, Brice rose from his laptop and peered out the window. The floodlights revealed nothing. He was going to have to brave the cold, he supposed.

Tugging on his boots, jacket and gloves, he opened the door and trudged outside. “Talk to me beagle or hound,” he muttered.

Another howl cut the air. Several moments later, Brice found the beagle wagging its tail, its leash wrapped around a tree trunk. The beagle whined and barked. He immediately noted that the dog was female. “Well, good evening to you, Miss. A fine mess you’re in. Let me help you out.” He unwound the leash and waited for the beagle to run for freedom. Instead the dog came at him and licked his hand.

“I know you have an owner,” he said. “That’s a nice leash.”

The beagle continued to nuzzle at him and whine.

“I guess you can stay the night. It’s a nasty one,” he said and looked at a tag. “Brandi,” he read. “I’ll give your owner a call, but you can stay the night.”

Brice pulled off some chicken and rice from his leftovers and offered it to the dog. She gobbled it up quickly. “You have a good appetite,” he said and dialed the number on the dog tag. The number rang and rang then disconnected. Brice frowned. “That’s not good,” he muttered to himself and punched in the number again.

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: An Unconventional Innocent by Dayna Quince

The heart may choose the road less traveled…

Pressured into an unwanted marriage, Dorothea Manton escapes to her friend Lucy’s cottage, hoping to hide out until her twenty-first birthday when she will be able to choose her own fate. But trouble still finds her in the form of an injured soldier who collapses near the cottage. Free from the tethers of her conniving family, Thea befriends the major. Though friendship isn’t the only thing on her mind. Handsome and kind, Major Henry Felton treats her like a grown woman…not a sheltered miss.

With little money and no place to live, Felton would most likely be dead had this brave and intelligent young woman not rescued him. But her identity remains a mystery. She’ll give him only her first name and nothing more. What could she be hiding, and who could she be hiding from? The closer they grow in their quiet little cottage, the more rabid his curiosity becomes…and the deeper he falls for her.

Before Thea and Felton can explore their newfound feelings, a rival for Thea’s affections intervenes and declares himself Thea’s protector. To Felton, he reveals things about Thea she should have told him herself. Jealousy and honor clash, and Thea’s protector has an agenda of his own. Meanwhile, Thea’s erstwhile fiancé is on the hunt. With time running out and two men vying for her heart, Thea knows she must choose between a wounded soldier and a wealthy lord before her unwanted fiancé claims her.

Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Dayna Quince was only fourteen when she developed a serious addiction to romance novels. What began as an innocent desire to read became an all-out obsession with the romance genre. She gave book reports on romance novels, got in trouble for reading during lectures, and would rather spend her time reading than attending high school parties. After all, high school boys could not compete with the likes of Stephanie Laurens Devil Cynster. After getting her first job, her addiction only got worse. She now had her own money to spend and a car to get to Barnes and Noble as frequently as she wanted. She managed to maintain a somewhat normal life, marrying her high school boyfriend who was aware he was competing with fictional men for her attention. Dayna soon began writing her own romance novels, inspired by her love for all things romance. Dayna and her husband live in Southern California with their two children and three fur babies. Dayna is happiest at home where she can be with her family and write to her heart’s content.

For more information about Dayna, please visit her website, “like” Dayna on Facebook and follow her on Twitter or Instagram. Sign up for Dayna’s newsletter to be notified about upcoming releases. She loves hearing from her readers. Email her directly at daynaquince@gmail.com.

Look for Dayna’s Jack’s House releases from the Desperate and Daring Series. 

Spotlight: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Release Date: October 2nd 2018
Graydon House Books (Harlequin)

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences, but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

Excerpt

“It’s too hot for coffee,” Emeline announces suddenly, even though she’s not allowed to have a sip of the beverage. “It’s too hot for dresses and shoes and hair and fingernails. It’s too hot for stockings and feathers and fur.”

Mr. Barrett and Father break off their conversation, and silence falls over the parlor. Mother shoots our guests an apologetic look and then a pleading one at Emeline. “I’m so sorry. It’s past her bedtime and she’s getting tired.”

But Emeline isn’t done. She’s goes over to Mr. Barrett and looks up at him. “It’s too hot,” she repeats. “And I’m not tired at all. There’s a pond behind the house, did you know? I want to go to the pond and see the mermaids.”

I should take her upstairs to bed, but I don’t move. Mr. Barrett is looking down at her with a queer expression, a crease between his brows. She takes his hand in hers. His aren’t tapered and elegant like Cyrus’s; Mr. Barrett’s hands are capable, strong, and Emeline’s hand completely disappears in his. “Please, let’s go to the pond where it’s cool and we can swim with the mermaids. I want to go play with the little boy at the pond.”

“What little boy? What on earth are you talking about, Emmy?” But Emeline ignores Mother’s question and her lip begins to tremble when it becomes clear that she isn’t going to get her way.

By this time even Catherine and Mr. Pierce have paused in their giggles and whispers and both are staring. Crimson spreads over Catherine’s face. “Really, Emeline. Leave poor Mr. Barrett alone.”

Mother gets up slowly, and I can tell she doesn’t have the energy for this. “It’s dark out, Emmy. And Mr. Pierce and Mr. Barrett have business to discuss with your father.” She reaches out to take her hand, but Emeline dives out of her grasp.

I’m mortified. I understand Emeline, but Mr. Barrett will never return to our house if she behaves like this. I try to catch her attention, but she misses the cautioning look.

“I don’t want to go to bed!” I’ve never seen Emeline in such a pout before. She must be tired beyond reason, and the heat certainly isn’t helping. Hands clenched at her sides, she looks as if she’s on the verge of bursting into tears. But instead she just stomps her little foot.

But just as her foot comes down on the carpet, both doors slam shut with a great bang.

Mother jumps, Catherine lets out a little cry and Father’s eyebrows look as if they are about to fly off his face. The room goes silent, the only movement the residual wobbling of a vase on the table.

We all look at each other. Even Emeline looks surprised, because if we didn’t know better, it was almost as if she caused the doors to fly shut with her foot.

Father is the first to speak. He clears his throat and glances around. “Must be the wind,” he mumbles. “You think you have a house built new and it wouldn’t be full of drafts and loose doors, but I suppose there’s no such thing as peace of mind in New England construction.”

Mother is quick to agree with him, and Mr. Pierce gives a dubious nod. But we all know that there was no breeze, that it’s been so still that a feather would have hardly quivered, let alone two doors slamming. No one wants to say so though at the risk of frightening Emeline.

Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Hester comes to writing from a background in museum work and historical archaeology. She loves the Gothic, the lurid, the dark...so long as the ending is a happy one. She has never seen a ghost, though she remains hopeful.

Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband. THE WITCH OF WILLOW HALL is her first novel.

Connect: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Spotlight: Return to Eden by Katy James

RETURNING TO EDEN is a fast-paced, sexy second chance romance with all the feels. Eden Ellis is on the brink of starting her adult life when the one person she loves most betrays her in a way she never saw coming: he marries her stepsister. Heartbroken, she does the only thing she can. She starts over thousands of miles away. But old loves die hard and Jude isn’t going to let theirs go down without a fight.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 28, 2018

A conversation I was never supposed to hear.

A bargain I had no right to make.

A promise I couldn’t break, no matter the consequences.

It cost me what I love most.

Her.

I know Eden thinks it’s all my fault.

And it is.

But it’s hers, too. Because she ran, vanished, before I had a chance to explain.

Before I had a chance to tell her the one thing that could’ve saved us.

Now she’s back and I’m determined to make up for all the years we lost.

Determined to win back the woman who’s always been mine...

Consequences be damned.

Excerpt

Copyright© 2018 RETURNING TO EDEN

Katy Ames

I blame it on jet-lag. On lack of sleep and food. On grief. On the simple fact that I’m back in this goddamn town, facing down all these tired ghosts. Any or all explain why I’m seeing things.

Seeing him.

For a split second my memory supplies a snapshot of the boy I grew up loving. I see the curl of hair on his neck, that one that would never straighten, no matter how many times he smoothed it. I glimpse his newly-muscled shoulders, too broad for his teenage body and the reason why his arms hung slightly away from his sides. And there’s the shadow of stubble dancing around his mobile lips, the ones I dreamed about for more years than I dare count. The image is so clear, so perfect, so forbidden, I have to haul in a breath. And, God help me, I swear I catch a hint of grass and sun-baked sweat and sweet summer air.

My knees buckle under the sheer joy that memory evokes. But it’s the realization that it’s a mirage, a long-lost dream, that almost sends me crashing to the sidewalk.

That boy is long gone. As is the girl who worshiped him. Here, now, we’re just two people in the same place.

Eyes wide, lungs tight, I watch Jude, all long limbs and powerful body, stride across the gallery before stopping in the center. His back is towards me, his head turned as he scans the photographs lining the wall.

It doesn’t matter how many times I blink or how many times I curse, he doesn’t disappear. A battle blazes to life inside me. One of foolish hope and familiar despair. My feet demand I leave as fast as possible. But my traitorous fingers beg to get closer, to slip into that thick mahogany hair, longer than it once was, and see if it’s as soft as it used to be.

However fierce a fight my body is waging, my mind is unhelpfully blank. A problem, I realize, when Jude begins to turn towards me and I have only seconds to decide if I’m going to flee. Or if I’m going to stay and face the man who made me run away from home.

Buy on Amazon

About Katy Ames

Katy Ames has spent most of her life on the East Coast and hopes to spend more of it in the UK, primarily so she can indulge in her serious plaid obsession. There isn’t a teenage drama or a period British TV show she hasn’t binge-watched at least twice. And she can be persuaded to do almost anything with the promise of bourbon, chocolate, or a nap (not necessarily in that order).

Katy is mom to a small human who has an obscene amount of energy and a blissful ability to ignore swear words, and wife to a man whose reading habits are way too serious. Katy and her family reside in Washington, D.C., a city she where never intended to live and loves so much she’d be happy to talk about it for hours. Just ask.  

Katy writes contemporary romances with heroines who aren’t afraid to be kickass, heroes brave enough to love them, and stories that get a little messy before they end happily ever after.

Connect with Katy:  Website  | Facebook  | Instagram  | Goodreads  | Amazon  |

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: The Love That Saved Him by Sophie Barnes

He needed escape…

Suffering from the recent loss of his wife, Pierce Jackson leaves behind his corporate job in New York City and heads to the Klondike. There he meets Sarah Palmer whose eighty-five-year-old gold mining grandfather wants to lease the most dangerous part of Pierce’s property. The last thing Pierce wants is to fall for Sarah. But as they start working together, a bond begins to form, and Pierce must eventually ask himself if he can overcome guilt and heartache and welcome the love of another woman into his heart.

And found a new beginning instead.

Sarah has a lot more on her mind than starting a relationship with her handsome new neighbor. But as she gets to know Pierce, she begins to wonder, what if? Encouraged by her matchmaking grandfather whose biggest wish is to see her settled, Sarah finds herself swept up in the most unexpected romance. But with shocking family history unfolding and a gold-mining expedition that could go wrong in so many ways, there’s a lot for Sarah and Pierce to take care of before they can find their happily ever after.

Excerpt

Pulling up next to a black Jeep at a little past one o’clock, Sarah registered the large log home the new owner had built. It looked as though it belonged in the pages of a home and garden magazine, not out here in the wilderness. It had clearly cost a fortune and was much more grandiose than the smaller log cabin where Murphy had once lived. She fleetingly wondered if that place still existed somewhere further back behind the trees while allowing her gaze to roam over the newer structure. A wide gable spanned the front entrance and tall glass windows and doors opened out onto a deck turned toward the view of the mountains.

Sarah glanced across at her grandfather, who sat stiffly in the seat beside her. “Well, we’re here. Ready to check out the ridge?”

“It’s just a formality,” her grandfather reminded her. “I already know I want it.”

She didn’t comment. Instead, she turned off the engine, repositioned her scarf so it covered the lower part of her face, and pulled her hood up over her head before stepping out into the cold. She’d just closed the truck door when the front door of the cabin swung open, and a man stepped out. He descended the front steps quickly and came toward them at a brisk pace. “Hello.” He extended his hand. “I’m Pierce Jackson.”

Somehow, Sarah managed to untangle the knot her tongue had formed the moment she’d laid eyes on him. If his voice had seemed rather enticing, then the man himself was…

Straightening her spine, she accepted the hand he offered and gave it a firm shake. “Sarah Palmer.” She gestured toward her grandfather, who stood a little off to one side. “This is Thomas Palmer, my grandfather. He and I work together. It was his idea to come up and look at the land you’ve got to offer.”

“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” Pierce said as he shook Thomas’s hand.

“Likewise,” Thomas said. “We’re just behind those trees – about two hundred yards away, I should think – but with all the snow we’ve been having this winter and last season keeping us occupied, I’m afraid we never managed to come and welcome you to the area.”

Pierce crossed his arms. “It’s alright. I’ve been pretty busy myself since I moved here.”

For reasons she could not explain, Sarah wanted to know more. “What—”

“Sarah and I are mostly interested in the ridge,” Thomas said, cutting Sarah off and getting straight to the point. “We’re familiar with it of course, but it wouldn’t hurt to take another look, if that’s all right with you.”

“It’s the reason why you’re here, isn’t it?” Pierce asked as he looked from one to the other. “Why don’t we grab the Argo and head on over there? If you like what you see, I’ll invite you for coffee while we go over the contract.”

“And if we don’t like what we see?” Thomas asked with a mischievous glint to his eyes.

“Then I’ll still invite you for coffee,” Pierce said. “Just give me a second. I’ll be right back.”

Sarah watched him go, unable to stop herself from comparing him to Billy as he walked to the garage. Their height and hair color were similar, but Pierce was broader, his stride more solid. “Why did you cut me off before?” she asked her grandfather as she turned to face him.

“Because you were about to pry, and if there’s one thing that man doesn’t want or need, it’s prying.”

Sarah frowned. “I was just curious to know how he ended up here.” Her grandfather raised an eyebrow. “How do you know he wouldn’t want to tell us?”

“Trust me. The haunted look in his eyes is more than enough. I’ve seen it before.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he stared straight back at her, unflinching. “Leave it alone, Sarah, and let’s just focus on what we came for.”

For a second, she felt as if the ground was falling away beneath her feet. She didn’t need to ask what he was referring to, because she already knew. Which was why she just stood there, saying nothing, while snowflakes drifted lazily around her shoulders and until Pierce returned with his all-terrain vehicle. “Climb aboard,” he yelled over the sound of the engine.

Leaving the front passenger seat of the Argo to her grandfather, Sarah took a seat on the back bench. Holding on tight, she anticipated the occasional bumps and a few sharp turns, enjoying the speed and the illusion that all the memories her grandfather had just stirred to life were being left far behind.

Focus.

That’s what she’d been doing for the past three years, and that was what she would continue to do now. So she pushed her thoughts of Billy from her mind and considered her grandfather. He needed her, depended on her, and she would not let him down.

The Argo slowed, producing a spray of snow before coming to a stop. “It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” Pierce asked as he looked out over the ridge at the far end of his property. It was a steep drop to the river below and equally steep on the other side too, where a grey wall of rock rose toward another peak.

“I think it’s beautiful everywhere in the Klondike,” Sarah whispered, her voice muffled by her scarf. She spoke up, this time wanting to be heard. “Life up here can be harsh. The city folk don’t understand why anyone would choose to live in such a remote location. Personally, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s just a cleaner, less complicated way of life.”

Turning in his seat, Pierce looked at her as if she’d somehow managed to put into words an idea he’d been trying to hold onto. And she saw then, in that fraction of a second, the devastation her grandfather had spoken of earlier, only this time she felt a piece of her heart break for this man. Nobody deserved to suffer the kind of pain that left such a mark.

Breaking eye contact, Pierce climbed out of the Argo and turned to offer her his hand. It was firm beneath her own, his arm strong and steady, supporting her weight until she reached solid ground. She barely managed to get her balance before he’d released her again and started toward the other side of the vehicle, his boots squeaking against the snow.

“Would you like a hand as well?” he asked her grandfather, who readily accepted the offer, much to Sarah’s surprise. In her experience, Thomas liked to handle everything on his own. The fact that he was giving up some of his control to a perfect stranger reminded her that he was getting on in years.

Disliking the thought, she chose not to dwell on it, walking out toward the edge of the ridge instead. “There’s at least twenty feet to the river below,” she called out, her voice pulled away on a gust of wind that swept in behind her. Hugging herself, she turned back to face the others. “How wide do you suppose the area is?”

“A quarter mile, last I measured,” Pierce said. “I’ll add another quarter mile in width and sell you the claim for forty grand. How does that sound?”

“Well,” Thomas began, “I’d say it’s probably reasonable enough if there’s gold here. But if there isn’t…” He allowed the point to remain unspoken.

“Look, the way I see it,” Pierce said, crossing his arms, “you called as soon as my ad appeared in the paper. Furthermore, you seemed pretty eager to come take a look at it, even though I’m sure that doing so was just a formality. Your insistence on the ridge tells me you’re pretty certain of what you’ll find once you start digging. So the offer stands. Take it or leave it.”

Watching her grandfather hesitate, Sarah decided to take charge. “You’re right, but contrary to my grandfather’s opinion, I happen to think you’re asking too much – almost twice of what we paid last year.”

“Except last year, you were mining somewhere else,” Pierce said. “If you want the ridge, then this is the price you’ll have to pay.”

Glancing over at her grandfather, Sarah prepared to tell Pierce Jackson they weren’t interested, only to find her grandfather telling the man, “We accept.”

She could only stand there gaping at them both as they shook hands, completely dumbfounded by what had just happened. Finding her tongue, she walked over to her grandfather, determined to talk some sense into him. “I know you were hoping to claim the ridge, but—”

“No buts about it, Sarah. I’ve already agreed.”

She wanted to scream or hit something. Pierce Jackson would do nicely right now. God, she was angry with both of them, except to his credit, Pierce had no idea how much money they had at their disposal. Sure, they could dish out forty grand on the claim, but there would be other expenses on top of that, the most costly being the new equipment they needed.

“Shall we go back to my cabin so I can print out the paperwork for you?” Pierce asked, already helping her grandfather back into the Argo.

“Will it be served with fresh coffee?” Sarah asked, sounding more irritable than she’d intended. Too late for that now.

“Of course,” Pierce said with a somewhat puzzled expression. Coming toward her, he held out his hand. “Would you like me to help you get in as well?”

“Thank you, but I think I can manage.”

Shrugging, he turned away and climbed into the front, leaving her to get in on her own. Cursing beneath her breath, Sarah scrambled on board, her butt landing on the bench with a thud. Somehow she would have to fix this before her grandfather gave up all of his hard-earned money for a dream Pierce Jackson seemed all too happy to indulge.

Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Born in Denmark, Sophie has spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian.

She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parson’s School of design, but most impressive of all – she’s been married to the same man three times, in three different countries and in three different dresses.

While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion – writing.

When she’s not busy, dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Newsletter

a Rafflecopter giveaway