Spotlight: Ambush Before Sunrise by B. J. Daniels

Wrangler Angus Savage has come to Wyoming to help Jinx McCallahan get her cattle to high country¬. He’s signed on for the dangerous drive, eager to reconnect with the woman he knew when they were kids. Now in the wilderness the no-nonsense cowboy and the strong-willed rancher must navigate the trail’s many hazards—like her treacherous ex who wants her back…or dead.

Excerpt

JINX WATCHED ANGUS GO. She still hadn’t figured out why he seemed so familiar. Nor had he said anything. She sighed and rose to take her dishes back to Max.

“I can take those for you,” Brick said, shooting to his feet.

She smiled but shook her head. “Stay here by the fire with Ella.” She was glad when he sat back down. She needed to be alone. Brick was sweet and a good wrangler. He amused her with his blatant attempts to charm her, but he was wasting his time. While he resembled his brother, they didn’t seem to be anything alike. Angus was a mystery to her.

The more she was around him, the more she felt a strange sense that they’d been here before. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew this man, as in another life. It was crazy. Sometimes she’d find herself studying his face as if a memory was so close she could almost touch it.

“He’s handsome, isn’t he?” Max asked, startling her. She hadn’t realized that she’d reached the chuck-wagon. Her mind had been miles away.

“Pardon?” she asked, turning to face him as she conjured up her most innocent face.

Max laughed. “You were staring at Angus Savage—and not for the first time, I might add.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was…thinking.”

“Thinking? I can just imagine.” He turned back to his cooking.

She didn’t want to know what he’d imagined. Nor did she want to continue this conversation. Still, she asked, “Have you ever run across someone you felt as if you knew in another life?”

He chuckled. “That your story?” 

“I’m serious.”

Max turned to look at her. “I can see that. I suppose it’s possible the two of you met before. Your mother and his were good friends.” The cook frowned. “I think she took you with her up to Cardwell Ranch once years ago.” So that could have been it, she thought. “You don’t remember?”

She shook her head and yet as he said it, she had an image come to mind of mountains shooting up from a green river bottom and a large red barn set against a wall of rock and pine trees. A memory teased at her. “How old would I have been?”

“Eight or nine,” he said as he turned back to his cleaning up. “You didn’t stay long, just overnight, I think. That’s probably why you don’t remember.”

But she did remember a little. Now it really nagged at her. It wasn’t just that she’d seen him before. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had hap-pened during that visit; she was sure of it.

She turned to look at Angus again. He’d rejoined his brother and cousin on a log by the fire. His face shone in the campfire light. Max was right about one thing; the cowboy was handsome as sin. Had he re-membered her? He would have been a little older than she was by a couple of years at least.

“Why don’t you just ask him?” Max said with a laugh. “Otherwise, it’s going to drive you crazy.”

He was right about that, as well, but what if Angus didn’t remember her? She’d feel foolish. Then again, what if he did? What if he was just waiting for her to say something?

“While you’re making up your mind, why don’t you hand me your dishes?” Max said with a shake of his head as he took them from her.

Leaving camp, she checked the cattle, glad that Brick and Royce had volunteered to take the first shift. She didn’t expect trouble. Not tonight. T.D. was angry and vengeful, but he never planned ahead. He knew she was taking the herd up into the high country for summer grazing today. Maybe he would even wait until she returned to continue threatening her, rather than try to catch them. His laziness might pay off for her.

But unfortunately, she also knew that her being up here in the mountains put her at a disadvantage. T.D. wasn’t stupid. He would realize how vulnerable she was up here. Anything could happen in the mountains on a cattle drive. People got injured. Others died. And T.D. was desperate to get his hands on her ranch. He would come after her.

In the distance she heard a coyote howl. Another answered, then another. She was more worried about wolves and bears, than coyotes. But she could only protect her herd so much. It was the nature of the business.

The camp was quiet as she walked back toward the fire. From out of the dark shadows, she spotted a lone figure still illuminated in the flames. Ella gave her a nod as she pulled up the log next to her again. The heat of the blaze felt good this high in the mountains since it was only early June.

Jinx could feel the long day in the saddle in her muscles. She yearned for sleep, but it had been hard to come by for some time now. It wasn’t just T.D. who haunted her dreams.

Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author B.J. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and three springer spaniels. When not writing, she quilts, boats and plays tennis.

Connect:

Website: http://www.bjdaniels.com/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48829281-ambush-before-sunrise 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bjdanielsauthor?lang=e

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BJ-Daniels-127936587217837/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b.j.daniels/?hl=en

Spotlight: The Silent Daughter by Claire Amarti

The Silent Daughter
Claire Amarti
Publication date: May 7th 2020
Genres: Adult, Psychological, Suspense

Schoolgirl missing, the ticker reads, and the camera cuts to a girl’s face. Blonde hair waterfalling over her shoulders, serious eyes, lips a little parted like she’s about to speak. That’s when I realize I’ve been holding my breath, because the gasp when I inhale almost chokes me.

Sadie Kelly has lost her job. Until last month, she was a teacher at Horton College – the same high school she went to ten years ago along with her best friend, Fiona. But Fiona died in an accident on their graduation night, in circumstances Sadie’s spent the last ten years trying to forget, and since then nothing’s been the same.

Now Sadie’s back where she grew up, jobless, and living temporarily with Fiona’s mother. But when she hears that Devon Hundley, a Horton schoolgirl, has gone missing, everything changes. Devon’s the daughter of Philip Hundley, a man Sadie knows all too well, and Sadie can’t stop thinking about the last time she saw Devon. It was the day Sadie left Horton for good, and heard Devon murmur four little words as she walked away. Four words Sadie prayed she had misheard:

I know your secret.

A gripping page-turner for fans of Kerry Lonsdale, Diane Chamberlain, and Liane Moriarty.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I lower my gaze to the grey headstone before us.

Kennedy, Fiona.

Beloved daughter.

Loyal friend.

The familiar nausea churns in my stomach. Beside me, Jan kneels down and starts pulling small weeds from the headstone. The weeds are only ever small ones, because Jan comes here regularly. She watches over this little patch of earth. The lettering on the headstone is sharp and clear – I hear they carve them with lasers these days. I think for a moment what it might be like to be a gravestone carver. Quiet, I decide. Peaceful. The right kind of life for someone like me, the hermit I’ve become.

Jan places the little clump of pink freesias underneath the stone. She’s always calm and matter-of-fact when we visit her daughter’s grave, no tears. She just sees to the weeds and clucks her tongue whenever there are signs of youths drinking in the cemetery, empty cans or cigarette butts. She treats it like a living room that needs cleaning but it’s hard to know what she really feels – how much she’s recovered or ever will recover from the loss. It’s the one thing – okay, one of the two things – that I will never talk to Jan about. I just don’t have the words. And if I’m honest I probably don’t want to know what exactly she feels now. I can’t bear the guilt.

‘Okay love, we’ll be off now.’

I don’t know if it’s me or Fiona she’s talking to. The wind whips around her words, moving across the grass and shaking the spruce trees by the cemetery wall. Jan plants her hands on her thighs and levers herself back up from the ground. We link arms and I steer us back towards the parking lot.

‘You mustn’t worry about the job thing, Sadie,’ Jan says. ‘You know you can stay with me for as long as you like.’

‘I know,’ I say, and give her arm a squeeze through the raincoat.

‘Everybody needs a break sometimes,’ she goes on. ‘It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’

A break is a nice way to put it. She’s conveniently leaving out how I was asked to leave Horton College, and how I’ve been having periodic panic attacks since arriving back, jobless, to Milham. It’s frankly embarrassing. Jan’s house has always been a second home to me though. As for my actual home, Mom’s house is only a three-minute drive from Jan’s, but that door is closed to me these days.

‘I sometimes think that -’ Jan pauses. ‘I sometimes think it was my fault, Sadie.’

I stop walking, taken by surprise.

‘What do you mean? What was your fault?’

She sighs. ‘Well, you know. Driving you so hard. Pushing you. You never did ‘have a break’ growing up, did you? I was always pushing you to do more. You and Fiona. But Fiona was different. She never worked as hard as you did.’

She didn’t have to. Fiona was smart, smarter than me. Smarter than almost anybody. I touch the locket I always wear around my neck.

It’s true, Jan coached us, pushed us. But I always wanted to be pushed. I wanted to escape little Milham town every bit as much as Jan wanted me to. Everything she dreamed for us, I dreamed too. Harder than she knows.

I squeeze Jan’s arm again.

‘You were my fairy godmother. You still are. Don’t second guess yourself. And don’t worry about me. Something will come up.’

She turns her head just enough to look me in the face; her raincoat squeaks. She smiles at me.

‘You’re a good girl, Sadie.’ Her voice is kind, loving. ‘You always were.’

I drop my eyes from hers, focus on the parking lot. The drops are coming down thick now, enough that nobody could tell if it’s rain on my face or tears. I glance back. The wind is strong and the flowers are cheap, and there’s already a flutter of pink petals come loose, whipped up in the air like morbid confetti.

A good girl.

If only she knew.

Author Bio:

I’m an author who writes suspense stories about ordinary women – women like the ones we all know and love – who find out that their ordinary lives may not be quite so ordinary after all! My hope is that you will root for them, fear for them, and find yourself holding your breath when the action starts to get a little hairy!

When I’m not doing writing, I can be found strolling the streets of Brooklyn, New York City, my adopted home, dodging pigeons and traffic. I moved here a little over eight years ago – I hail from Ireland originally – and never looked back. To me there’s nothing more wonderful than that feeling of finding – or making! – a new home, that mixture of excitement at finding a place in the world, and the comfort of being able to come back to it time and again. That’s what reading feels like for me… and for you too I suspect! It’s also the same joy I get from writing. I hope my books can become a kind of home for you too: a place where you can trust that you’ll find a wonderful adventure, and then land safe and sound at the end of it all, ready to do it all again another day!

Website / Facebook / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Life Forgotten by Layne Deemer

Release Date: May 7

When you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, you’re bound to fall apart. Who will be there to help pick up the pieces?Nellie Campbell is a fixer. She’s selfless in her need to solve the problems of the people she loves. When her mom is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, she puts her own life on hold and dives head first into caretaker mode. Her days are spent consumed with the troubles of others—her mom, her wayward sister, the neighborhood stray cat, the single mom next door. She tackles every issue as though it were her own, ignoring herself in the process.Until she meets Jude Hargrove. After one brief encounter, he manages to awaken something inside of her that she had long left for dead. Herself.But is it too late for Nellie? Can Jude help her see her own worth or will she be destined to see herself as a problem that just isn’t meant to be solved?

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2yihjan

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/34HqFZs

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3b9ERNf

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2XHtUyK

Meet Layne Deemer:

Layne Deemer aims to push boundaries with her writing. Her stories deconstruct the ordinary until it becomes something else entirely. 

She has a degree in Communications with a minor in English and has worked in the fields of public relations, marketing, and advertising, but writing has always been her true passion. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading. Her wish list of books will take her a lifetime to get through. 

She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, Adam, their two kids, Stella and Jasper, and their bulldog, Archie. In addition to Life Forgotten, she is also the author of Frayed, a psychological thriller.

Connect with Layne Deemer:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlaynedeemer

Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorlayne

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorlaynedeemer

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/layne-deemer

Spotlight: Chasing After Love by Suzette Riddick

Can a desperate lie lead to crazy love?

Nancy Redmond’s professional life is on point. It’s her personal life that could use a major overhaul. Selling her business and relocating from the midwest to the east coast, Nancy is determined to get a fresh start and prove to herself that she doesn’t need a man to fulfill her. 

Gabriel “Gabe” Saxton’s world is turned upside down when he catches the woman he’s to marry in a compromising position. Devastated, he’s convinced karma has finally caught up to him for breaking an old lover’s heart.

After ten years Nancy and Gabe are unexpectedly reunited and the attraction between them is just as magnetizing. As the couple overcomes previous hurts and betrayals and is on the path to forever, Gabe’s former life collides with the one he’s building with Nancy. Blindsided, Nancy retreats and releases Gabe from his commitment to their relationship. But will she regret her decision?

Excerpt

Nancy Redmond was pissed the second her cell phone dinged, signaling an incoming text. If she wasn’t in one of Chicago’s five-star restaurants on New Year’s Eve, she would have made a scene. Bright red lips pursed, she glanced around the dimly-lit dining room at the other patrons. Their faces illuminated by flickering candles on the tables, they chatted and dug forks into succulent meats, while sipping on wine. Meanwhile, her stomach made obnoxious noises because she was so hungry.

Blindly, her hand searched the inside of the clutch on the chair beside her for her phone. A soft gust of air blew past her lips. Just as she thought, Christopher had texted to cancel their dinner date. It was the third time this month he’d bailed out on her at the last minute. The first time she understood because he forgot about a school event he was supposed to attend for his six-year-old kid. Being that her dad pretty much forgot about her after he and her mom divorced when she was four, Nancy refrained from catching an attitude. Every child needed their father in the picture. That’s what she believed and, besides, she didn’t want to be responsible for keeping a kid and his father apart.

Though she was livid, Nancy couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. Her bestie, Daphne Turner-Collins, had praised her when she told her how mature she’d behaved and hadn’t flipped out on Christopher for ditching her.

“Look at you acting all grown up,” Daphne had teased.

Of course Nancy couldn’t resist telling her to “shut up.”

The second time he’d texted to cancel on their date to see Maxwell three hours before show time, Nancy couldn’t bite her tongue. His excuse this time had been his baby’s momma, Ebony, had an emergency and he had to go to the rescue to watch their son. The chick had four sisters. Nancy found it strange that not one of them was available to babysit. This time when Nancy told Daphne about Christopher jumping ship, she did admit his timing was suspect.

Before she could cuss Christopher out via text, the waiter walked up to the table.

“Miss, can I get you something to drink while you wait for your party to arrive?”

My Lord. Stephan the waiter was too fine for his own good. He wasn’t as tall as Nancy liked her men. But his flawless expresso complexion, heavily-lidded bedroom eyes and full lips made up for what he lacked in the height department. Her eyes discreetly, or so she thought, drifted to his feet. Nancy had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from groaning. 

When she finally looked back up into Stephan’s handsome face, he was grinning at her and undressing her with his eyes. Heat fanned across her cheeks as she delicately cleared her throat. Somebody appreciated the effort she’d put into looking good tonight. Stephan and his fine self, for the time being, put her anger on simmer. His lingering gaze made her feel sexy and not rejected. Later for Christopher. A drink or two, something to eat and any excuse to keep Stephan coming back will keep the night from being a total bust.

“He’s not coming. I’ll be eating alone.”

Nancy hated how her voice lightly quivered the way it did right before you’re ready to cry. She wanted to jump across the table and wrap her arms and legs around Stephan when he murmured for her ears only, “He’s a damn fool. Sis, you’re beautiful. You deserve better.”

Yes, I do! “Thank you.”

By the time Nancy drank three glasses of wine, stuffed her face with savory seasoned lamb chops, grilled brussels sprouts, and red velvet cake, her mood had soured again. Couple after couple floated through the revolving glass doors, hugged up as they sought refuge from the cold.

Envy was such an ugly emotion that had taken Nancy years to combat. She could feel its familiar tentacles crawling up her insides as the couples were ushered past her table. Surrounding her like happy sharks in an ocean of sappy love, holding hands and grinning as they spoke in hushed tones. Nancy had to get out of there when the dude at the table across from her slid a ring box across the white linen tablecloth. She rolled her eyes when the young woman gasped before covering her mouth with both hands.

“Aw, crap.” 

Nancy realized she was louder than she intended when dude shot her the evil eye. But she could care less about his funky proposal or the fact that she probably spoiled the mood. Her glass of red wine toppled over when she abruptly stood, spilling the contents and splattering the front of the overpriced dress she’d bought to impress Christopher.

Tucking her clutch under her arm, Nancy slightly staggered her way to the ladies’ room. Now in front of the mirror, tears stung the back of her eyes as her gaze went to the tiny spots the red wine made against the cream-colored fabric of the dress she wore. It felt like her entire life was nothing but one big stain beginning with her conception. Only two things had ever gone right in her life. Her friendship with Daphne and owning her own business. 

Well, maybe three. After years of being at odds with her mother, Madeline, they were finally in a good place. Recently they were able to pick up where they left off when she was a teenager. Just as they were getting settled into a comfortable mom-daughter relationship, Madeline moved to Haddonfield, New Jersey six months ago. She’d joined a counseling practice across the bridge in Philly as a behavioral health specialist.

Nancy hustled her butt into a stall before a tear could fall and she was caught by someone coming in to use the bathroom. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness suffocated her as she wished for her mom or Daphne. Even though they were only a phone call away, they were probably off doing their own thing and could do without her drama. Daphne and her husband, Adrian, were most likely cozied up butt-naked somewhere in that huge house they lived in. And Madeline out with co-workers at some fancy club in Philly to bring in the new year. This once she would have to tough it out until the morning.

“Oh no,” Nancy mumbled under her breath as she made her way to the sink to wash her hands. Carefully, she set her clutch on the vanity next to the woman who she’d almost ruined her proposal. Turning on the water, Nancy eyeballed her reflection and then the woman. When their eyes met, Nancy smiled although she was miserable. “Congratulations.”

A brief stint of counseling taught her it was okay to show kindness even in the midst of chaos.

Blue eyes sparkled at Nancy as the woman smiled and wriggled the fingers on her left hand, displaying a sizable diamond. “Thank you! Isn’t it gorgeous?” she beamed, now holding her hand practically under Nancy’s nose.

Nancy couldn’t help laughing. Girlie was acting like they were besties. “It is.”

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Suzette Riddick is a wife, mother and nurse practitioner who enjoys writing about flawed characters on a quest for love. She is an Amazon Best-Selling Author and was featured in USA Today ~ Happy Ever After. A native of Philadelphia, PA, Suzette loves to travel, read and is addicted to Chanel parfum. To learn more about Suzette visit her website at www.suzetteriddick.com.

Connect: AUTHOR SITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Spotlight: The Plus-One Proposal by Cassie Cross

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Peyton Castillo’s life is nearly perfect. She has a job that makes her happy, the perfect apartment, friends who love her, and all the time in the world to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. She’s single and loving it, but she has a handful of weddings she’s RSVPed to and no plus-one to go with. That’s where Adam Portman, her gorgeous-and-knows-it coworker comes in. Peyton’s proposal is simple: she’ll complete a work assignment Adam’s been dreading if he agrees to be her date to one of the weddings. The offer is tempting, but sparks fly when Adam counters with a proposal of his own. That work assignment isn’t the only thing he’s been dreading. His parents’ 30th anniversary celebration is coming up soon and his mother is determined to set him up with her best friend’s daughter, who will be at the party. Adam needs a date to play along and convince his mom he’s off the market, and Peyton is the perfect choice…

Exclusive Excerpt: 

I give myself one last makeup check in the rearview mirror, swiping off some barely noticeable mascara flakes under my eyes. I touch up my lip gloss and make sure to grab my sweater from the passenger seat, because I’m almost always cold and I know Adam will tease me if I so much as shiver and don’t have it with me.

He catches sight of me almost immediately after I shut my door. He gives me this cute little wave that makes me smile, and I’m left doing that awkward thing where I’m not sure whether to look at him for the rest of the long-ish walk or if I should look away until I get closer. 

I settle on a happy medium somewhere between the two, but can feel the weight of his eyes on me during the trip. 

When I meet up with him, he greets me with a, “Wow. You look beautiful.” It’s so sincere that it shakes me a little. Not that he hasn’t complimented me before, because he definitely has, it’s just never been so soft and intense, making a little bit of tension thread through the air between us. 

“You look good too.” Like I’ve completely lost control of all my bodily function, I reach out and run my fingers along his lapel as I say it. He stares at me for a long, drawn-out moment before the whole weird and strangely thrilling moment is broken by the ringing of the church bells. 

“We should probably go in,” he says, voice a little unsteady. He offers me his arm and I take it. “How’s the report coming?”

“Are you trying to make sure that I’m holding up my end of the bargain before you follow through with yours?” I ask, playfully bumping his shoulder with mine.

“If you hadn’t started it, I was planning on taking off.”

“I hope you were planning on doing it in front of everyone so they have something to talk about while the wedding party is taking pictures.” 

He gives me this look like, of course. “With you in that dress, they probably already will,” he says with a wink, moving us further into new and uncharted territory.

Buy on Amazon 

About Cassie: 

Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80’s sitcoms.

Connect with Cassie: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossWrites

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

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

Cover Reveal: Break You Hard by Michelle Hercules

Break You Hard
Michelle Hercules
(Rebel Hearts Duet, #1)
Publication date: November 3rd 2020
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

He came into my life like a thunderstorm.
Furious.
Devastating.
Loud.
I was lost in the dark until his lightning struck the sky, brightening everything for a split second, but long enough for me to find a way out.
I’m a single mom, trying my best to survive. There’s no room in my life for anything else. Or so I thought. The more time I spend with Jessie, the more I realize he’s not a bad boy who needs saving, he’s the man who has captured my heart.

***

She came into my life like a summer breeze.
Soft.
Warm.
Gentle.
I was spiraling out of control, headed straight for destruction until her kindness removed the barbed wire around my heart.
I was the lost cause, the black sheep in my family. I wanted to hurt everyone to forget my pain. But Riley saw past all my bullshit. She tried to help me even though her own life was in shambles. Now all I want is to prove that I can be the man that she needs even if it could break us hard.

Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Michelle Hercules always knew creative arts were her calling but not in a million years did she think she would write a novel. With a background in fashion design she thought she would follow that path. But one day, out of the blue, she had an idea for a book. One page turned into ten pages, ten pages turned into a hundred, and before she knew, her first book, The Prophecy of Arcadia, was born.

Michelle Hercules resides in The Netherlands with her husband and daughter. She is currently working on the Legends of Gattica series.

Facebook Page / Instagram / Facebook Readers' Group / Amazon / Bookbub