Spotlight: That Summer in Maine by Brianna Wolfson

A novel about mothers and daughters, about taking chances, about exploding secrets and testing the boundaries of family

Years ago, during a certain summer in Maine, two young women, unaware of each other, met a charismatic man at a craft fair and each had a brief affair with him. For Jane it was a chance to bury her recent pain in raw passion and redirect her life. For Susie it was a fling that gave her troubled marriage a way forward.

Now, sixteen years later, the family lives these women have made are suddenly upended when their teenage girls meet as strangers on social media. They concoct a plan to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Their determination puts them on a collision course with their mothers, who must finally meet and acknowledge their shared past and join forces as they risk losing their only daughters to a man they barely know.

Excerpted from That Summer in Maine by Brianna Wolfson © 2020 by Brianna Wolfson, used with permission by MIRA books. 

ONE YEAR AGO

All mothers wish a perfect love story upon their daughters. The wish that their daughters will grow up wrapped in love and that one day they will go on to wrap others in love. They wish for their love to be simple and pure and uncomplicated.

As a single mother, Jane did everything she could to uphold that perfect love for her daughter, Hazel. At least, she’d tried.

Today, Jane gave birth to twin boys with a man she had recently fallen in love with and married. In the postbirthing haze, Jane could taste the salt on her upper lip where her sweat was now dried. The fiery heat deep within her body was starting to subside and her spine still felt sore and twisted. Jane held one twin against her bare chest while the other was tucked into the crease of her husband Cam’s arm. Jane motioned for him to come closer and embrace the start of their family. “I love you,” she said and kissed him and then the two babies gently. She looked up to see if she could find her daughter. The back of Hazel’s shoulder was just visible in the doorway as she stood cross-armed, looking away from the room. Hazel, at fourteen years old, looked both young and old for her age all at once standing there. 

“Come in, honey, and meet your brothers,” Jane said gently. 

Hazel turned around slowly, her black hair like a veil in front of her eyes. She shuffled toward her mother without lifting her feet and leaned over her bed. Jane brought her free arm up toward Hazel’s face and tucked her daughter’s hair behind her ear, revealing her eyes of different colors. Her lashes were damp, and her eyes—one green and one hazel—were clear and dewy. A mother can always tell when her child has been crying. Jane leaned over to kiss Hazel’s cheek, but her sudden movement startled her newborn, who let out a brief wail that ended when Jane returned her body to its original position. 

Hazel’s shoulders fell. Hazel wanted that kiss. Perhaps needed it. 

“Meet your brother Griffin,” Jane whispered to Hazel, tilting her arm ever so slightly so that her daughter could see her brother’s face. “And that’s Trevor over there.” Cam took a few steps toward Hazel and smiled with pride. 

“I thought we were going to name him August,” Hazel challenged. 

Jane chuckled. 

“Last-minute change. Give them both a big kiss, big sis.” 

Hazel rolled her eyes and placed her lips on each baby and then huffed out of the room without another word. To Jane, her family finally felt full. But she could tell that for Hazel, something had emptied. 

In her happiness of sharing this moment with Cam and welcoming her two new healthy babies, Jane had neglected to consider the impact on Hazel’s perfect love story. Cam came over and kissed her forehead. 

“I love this family,” he said. 

Jane let that sink in. Deep. And then wondered if he was including Hazel in his definition of family. And couldn’t deny a shift within her own heart. It had expanded and made room for two more babies. And these two new sons deserved their own pure, simple, uncomplicated love story. And Jane would give it to them wholeheartedly. She felt resolute and focused about it. 

Indeed, she forgot to wonder what it would mean for Hazel’s happiness. For her sense of family and her sense of self.

Buy on Amazon | Audible | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Brianna Wolfson is a New York native living in San Francisco. Her narrative nonfiction has been featured on Medium, Upworthy and The Moth. She buys a lottery ticket every Friday.

Connect:

Author website: https://www.briannawolfson.com/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51798228-that-summer-in-maine 

Spotlight: The Philosopher's Daughters by Alison Booth

Publication Date: April 2, 2020

A tale of two very different sisters whose 1890s voyage from London into remote outback Australia becomes a journey of self-discovery, set against a landscape of wild beauty and savage dispossession.

London in 1891: Harriet Cameron is a talented young artist whose mother died when she was barely five. She and her beloved sister Sarah were brought up by their father, radical thinker James Cameron. After adventurer Henry Vincent arrives on the scene, the sisters’ lives are changed forever. Sarah, the beauty of the family, marries Henry and embarks on a voyage to Australia. Harriet, intensely missing Sarah, must decide whether to help her father with his life’s work or devote herself to painting.

When James Cameron dies unexpectedly, Harriet is overwhelmed by grief. Seeking distraction, she follows Sarah to Australia, and afterwards into the Northern Territory outback, where she is alienated by the casual violence and great injustices of outback life.

Her rejuvenation begins with her friendship with an Aboriginal stockman and her growing love for the landscape. But this fragile happiness is soon threatened by murders at a nearby cattle station and by a menacing station hand seeking revenge.

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | BOOK DEPOSITORY | KOBO UK | KOBO US | APPLE IBOOKS | BN

About the Author

Alison Booth was born in Melbourne, brought up in Sydney and has worked in the UK and in Australia as a professor as well as a novelist. Her most recent novel, A Perfect Marriage, is in the genre of contemporary fiction, while her first three novels (Stillwater Creek, The Indigo Sky, and A Distant Land) are historical fiction spanning the decades 1950s through to the early 1970s. Alison’s work has been translated into French and has also been published by Reader’s Digest Select Editions in both Asia and Europe. Alison, who holds a PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics, is an active public speaker and has participated in many writers’ festivals and literary events.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

The Philosopher's Daughters

Spotlight: Finding Hemingway by Ken Dortzbach

A romantic comedy with a touch of magical realism, Ken Dortzbach’s debut novel Finding Hemingway (Cloister Inn Publishing, July 7, 2020), sends its protagonist on a life-changing adventure after she receives a mysterious phone call from Ernest Hemingway. Embarking on a spontaneous 6-month trip to Spain, New York lawyer Callie McGraw finds herself surrounded by red wine and a rotating cast of friends and lovers. She becomes enamored with the country’s art and culture, but soon realizes that she’ll have to face some of her biggest fears. A vividly drawn ode to both Spanish culture and the soul-striking spark of a good book, Finding Hemingway showcases the empowering story of one woman’s journey to self-acceptance and fulfillment. 

Buy on Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Trailer for the novel Finding Hemingway by Ken Dortzbach

About the Author

KEN DORTZBACH: Ken Dortzbach is a native of Madison, Wisconsin. A graduate of Princeton University and the Northwestern University School of Law, he practiced law internationally for almost twenty years, including living abroad and working in countries across the globe. During that time, he found a special appreciation for Spain’s history and culture; when it came time to pen his first novel, the country became the perfect backdrop for his book. In combining his passion for Spain with his longstanding interest in Ernest Hemingway, Finding Hemingway was born. He has two kittens—along with two grown children. Ken and his wife now live in Wisconsin and divide their time between Milwaukee and Madison; they enjoy traveling far and wide together. To learn more about Ken’s work, please visit: https://kendortzbach.com

Connect:

Instagram: @kendortzbachauthor

Facebook: @kendortzbachauthor 

Twitter:@kendortzbach

Spotlight: Restoring Our Chance by Alexa Michaels

Publication date: May 29th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

What if your next patient is an old love, who you haven’t heard from in ten years? 

Any other woman would have turned and run the other way the moment they saw Logan Peterson—after what he did, he would deserve it.

The thing is, I can’t walk away from him. And now we have to stay professional, because I am the only one who can help him. But there’s this undeniable pull between us—it’s what brought us together ten years ago and it could destroy us now.

Do I risk a second chance with him? Would it even work, especially since I kept a secret from him for ten years?

And they say love is supposed to be easy, right?

Restoring Our Chance is a second-chance romance featuring a gentlemanly alpha male and a bold, fiery heroine. It is currently a standalone in a soon to be larger series.  No cheating. No cliffhangers. But will there be a happily ever after? Well, read it today to see if love can be restored!

***Author’s note: this book is intended for a mature audience in terms of content, language, and passionate happily ever afters!

Excerpt

Her black pencil skirt hugged her curvy hips and I could tell her ass was just as plump and delicious as it had always been. Although her blouse was loose, I knew those perky breasts were in there somewhere. I wanted to go searching through the snowy white material until I freed them from the gauzy fabric. Samantha’s body was perfect, and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. I could see my case manager ogling her behind as she walked away from him. Although he was a big guy, I was bigger and undoubtedly meaner. I shot him a look, unleashing a fierce scowl at the bastard. And he shrugged, as if to explain that what he was doing was the normal guy thing to do. It might be normal to appreciate a fine woman, but this was no ordinary woman. This was my Sammy. Or at least, she had been. 

I looked back to her face, panic bubbling in my chest at the thought: She’s here, but is she mine? 

“Good to see you again,” she said, sticking her hand out as if she expected me to shake it. 

I crossed my arms and glared down at her. She was a tall woman, and those exquisite heels—which she had tripped over when entering the room—made her even taller, but I could still look down my nose at her. “Is that how you greet an old friend?”

“We were never friends. You were my older brother’s friend, and because of that, I am not sure I am the right doctor for this case. There is a conflict of interest seeing as we have a history—”

“I think our history is exactly why it needs to be you,” I cut in. 

I raised an eyebrow in challenge. If the court-appointed babysitter was not present, I might have kissed her then. The plan had been to take it slow and assess the situation, but now that I was back in her presence, all I could think about was picking right back up where we had left off. My dick loved that idea. Clearly my body would get the better of me if I was not careful. The moment she had tripped through that door—always one to make an entrance—the damn piece of wood had become rock hard and was threatening to break the seam of my pants. I was hoping she hadn’t noticed. 

“You need a neutral party to do this properly. I am afraid I can’t be neutral.”

“Look, Sammy-Girl—”

She cut me off, suddenly in a well contained rage. There was a flash behind her eyes; those long fingers flew into the air to wave about. I saw that she was about to unleash a volley of emotions on me, but at the last second, she swallowed hard and her splayed fingers found her hips. With that professional demeanor back, the only tell she exhibited was her slightly raised voice and her sharp tone. Her words were laced with venom, something she probably didn’t display with most of her clients. “This is a professional mental health facility in a state of the art hospital, Mr. Peterson. You will address me as Dr. Bowers.”

“Okay, Dr. Sammy.” I chuckled to myself as her eyes grew wide and her nostrils flared.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53440906-restoring-our-chance

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

When Alexa isn't writing, she can be found with a book in her lap and a mug of coffee or glass of red wine within reach.
​
A native of the North Woods, Alexa is an avid lake-jumper, beach lounger, and sunshine lover. 
​
Alexa is living a happily ever after with her own steamy hero. Together they have two fur-babies and would love a few more!

Connect:

https://twitter.com/Alexa12Michaels

https://www.alexamichaels.com/

https://www.instagram.com/author.alexa.michaels/

Spotlight: Out of My League by Sarah Sutton

Out of My League
Sarah Sutton
Publication date: June 16th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

It’s all fun and games until someone catches feelings.

Sophia Wallace is convinced her life is over when her high school cuts the journalism program. Without the elective, she loses her chance to intern with the biggest newspaper company in the county, and why? All because the baseball team needs more funding.

To make matters worse, her boyfriend publicly dumps her at a party, which is mortifying. But the icing on the cake is when the captain of the baseball team and the most popular guy at Bayview High, Walsh Hunter, decides to be chivalrous. He jumps in, throws his arm around Sophia, and declares his undying love for her. In front of everyone.

Suddenly, Sophia is thrown into a world of fake relationships and undercover journalism, and she realizes she’s way, way out of her league.

Good thing she’s got the team captain to teach her how to play.

But faced with choosing between saving her journalism class or her newfound feelings for Walsh, will she strike out or hit a home run?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Staring at his face, I noticed a faint, silvery scar underneath his right eye, as small as my thumbnail. I reached out with my free hand, tracing my fingertip along his skin. A featherlight touch, barely there. “What happened here?”

His gaze never left mine. “Baseball cleat. Fourth grade. One of my teammates threw it at me.”

“Some little league kid threw their shoe at you? Why?”

“I told him that he couldn’t bat very well.” Walsh shrugged. “He couldn’t take the truth.”

I snorted. “You were that kid? The dream crusher?”

“Well, someone had to be.” His small smile was unapologetic. “Ask me who the kid was.”

I looked at him for a moment before tipping my head. “No way. Scott?”

“Who else would be that aggressive as a fourth-grader?”

Dina pulled at my arm as I laughed, shaking my head at the thought of miniature Scott throwing a shoe at small Walsh. I stepped out from the tangle of leashes at our feet, glancing down. “Oh, your poor rich-boy shoes.”

“What?” Walsh looked at his feet. “Oh.”

Brown smeared the side of his expensive-looking shoe, probably coating along the bottom. “With dogs around, you should probably watch where you’re walking.”

Walsh let go of my hand to switch the leash and proceeded to try and smear the offensive substance onto the grass. “Now you tell me.”

“Should we clean the poop off your shoe together? Is that romantic?”

His response was dry. “Ha-ha.”

“What? Shouldn’t we get a photo and caption it, ‘This might’ve been an accident, but falling in love wasn’t’?”

“Watch it, or I’ll wipe it on your ankle.”

I jerked back just in case he tried it, nearly tripping over Dina’s wealth of leash.

Author Bio:

Sarah Sutton is a YA Romance author, bringing you stories about teenagers falling in love (sometimes with magic)She spends her days dreaming up ideas with her two adorable puppies by her side being cheerleaders (and mega distractions).

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Christmas Spirit by Alexandrea Weis

The Christmas Spirit
Alexandrea Weis
Published by: Rosewind Books
Publication date: October 27th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

SOMETIMES IT TAKES ONE BROKEN HEART TO HEAL ANOTHER.

Courtney Winston is a writer on a deadline. Eager to finish her book and get over a recent break-up, she ditches Christmas with her family and retreats to a secluded cabin in the mountains.

Appliances rarely work, and cell service is spotty, but Courtney senses there is more to her rustic rental—something dark and haunting.

Then Peter, the attractive Stone Mountain Lodge owner, and a meddling cook, Mrs. Finn, keep coming around, shattering her peace and offering advice on how to fix her heavy heart.

Courtney grows closer to Peter, but Mrs. Finn warns her of his troubled past. Undaunted, Courtney sets out to win him over. But being with the brooding stranger may end up costing her more than she ever imagined.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, advanced practice registered nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

Weis writes romance, mystery, suspense, thrillers, supernatural, and young adult fiction and has sold approximately one million books. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.

She is a member of both the International Thriller Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association. www.AlexandreaWeis.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter