Spotlight: The Magic Ingredient by Lindy Miller

(A Bar Harbor Holiday Novel)
Publication date: October 13th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The end of summer is approaching, but even at the height of Bar Harbor’s tourist season, Eve Silver is having a hard time keeping enough dough in the bank to sustain the family bakery. Her only hope of paying past due bills is to win the catering bid for the town’s upcoming Harvest Happening festival. Otherwise, it’ll be lights out for Mount Desserts by Christmas.

Widower Jeff Perry is moving with his twelve-year-old daughter, Candy, from Manhattan to Maine with one goal: starting over. When sparks fly between Jeff and Eve as the town readies for the annual harvest festival, Candy wishes she had a love potion to help her dad fall in love again.
​
Will Eve be able to save Mount Desserts—and open her heart to Jeff—by the most bewitching night of the year?
It’ll take a lot of love, a little bit of luck … and just a pinch of magic.

EXCERPT - THE MAGIC INGREDIENT (BAR HARBOR HOLIDAY SERIES, #1)  BY LINDY MILLER  (ROSEWIND BOOKS, OCTOBER 13, 2020)

Part of eating a cupcake was the experience, and in Eve's opinion, a little extra frosting on your face made it all the more gratifying. Her mouth filled with the taste of vanilla, chocolate, and marshmallow, all of the flavors intermingling just as she'd planned. Still, something seemed off. It wasn't enough to toss the batch out, but in Eve's opinion, the recipe hadn't quite reached perfection.

Eve swallowed, wiping away the frosting from her nose. "It's not perfect."

"It's incredible," Jeff countered before he shoved the rest of the cupcake into his mouth.

He had a dollop of frosting on his nose, which made Eve smile despite her frustration at the recipe. "I don't know if I believe your verdict, but at least you didn't call it glitzy."

Jeff mumbled something that sounded like idtellinguidperfek around the mouthful of pastry.

"Something is missing. Something small, a flavor that isn't quite there. It's not major, but enough that I notice." Eve wiped her hands on a dishcloth and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration. "I don’t know why I can't get it right. Maybe I'm not as great a baker as I think I am. It shouldn't take so many tries to get a recipe correct. Not if you know what you're doing."

Jeff wiped his face and leveled his gaze at Eve as he stepped closer. "I don't think that's true at all. You're a fantastic baker. You're a fantastic lot of things."

He was so close now Eve could smell his scent—musky and warm, with notes of pine and sandalwood. An inviting smell. Eve wondered how she'd never noticed it before. Then again, the more she felt drawn to Jeff the more she'd tried to keep her distance, kind of like reaching her goal—one step forward, two back.

"Really?" she asked, hoping she sounded interested and not incredulous. She didn't want to offend someone offering her a compliment, even if she didn't believe it. "I try so hard and I feel like I come up short."

"Doing everything on your own isn’t easy, and I can see how you might think that you're failing, but you're looking at the situation the wrong way."

Eve shook her head and kept her eyes downcast, even when Jeff's hand found her shoulder, sliding down to cup her upper arm. His touch sent a tingle down her flesh and she resisted the urge to look up. 

"Is there another way?"

"Instead of focusing on what you're not doing well, think of all the things you are amazing at. Try to see yourself as ..."

He paused. 

Eve wondered if he'd changed his mind about whatever it was he was going to say.

Jeff cleared his throat and started over. "Try to see yourself the way I see you. Like Candy does, and Doris and Annie. And Bapo, for what it's worth."

Eve snickered, despite herself. "You're never going to get tired of ribbing him, are you?"

"Never." Jeff's hand slid further down her arm to rest on her elbow. "My point remains.”

The place where Jeff's hand rested on her arm pulsed. "How do you all see me?"

"We see someone who works hard every single day, around the clock, never taking any time for herself. Who gives her all to everything she does, even when it seems impossible, and who makes everyone feel needed and wanted when she's around simply by being there." Jeff stepped in closer. His heat brushed up against her chest. "It isn't about finding the perfect recipe for a new confection or keeping the family business around for another generation, Eve. It's about you. You make Mount Desserts worth saving. And I believe in you. We all do, even if you don't believe in yourself."

When Eve finally looked up, she found herself staring into Jeff's eyes. They were warmer and sweeter than any chocolate ganache she'd ever made. 

His free hand found its way to her other elbow and she allowed herself to be drawn from the counter. Jeff pulled her into his embrace, his hands releasing her elbows to slide around the small of her back, holding her close.

There was no denying the butterflies now.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Lindy Miller is an author of feel-good love stories that are full of sweet moments and happy endings. She believes the best time to fall in love is during the holidays, preferably over a cup of warm tea or a delicious vegan pastry - two things she can't get enough of.

A free spirit, Lindy loves to travel and has a soft spot for Bar Harbor, Maine though she grew up at home in the South. She is married to her childhood sweetheart and bakes as often as she can for her husband, son, and pets - especially her golden retriever, Finn, who has a tendency to show up in her stories (and her Instagram!)

Lindy is represented by Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.

Member Romantic Novelist Association (RNA).

Connect:

https://twitter.com/lindywriteslove

https://www.lindymillerromance.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lindywriteslove/

https://www.facebook.com/lindywriteslove/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: An Allusive Love by Aubrey Wynne

(MacNaughton Castle Romance, #2)
Publication date: October 6th 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

A woman in love... An infuriating Scot… A tantalizing chase.
Kirstine MacDunn has loved Brodie MacNaughton forever. He returns her affection—as his best friend and confidante. After enduring one too many of his infatuations, she finally takes matters into her own hands.

Brodie’s knows it is his destiny to lead Clan MacNaughton, but his grandfather insists the honor goes to the oldest. When Brodie and his brothers struggle to convince the chief that tradition is not always the best path, he turns to Kirsty for support. She surprises him with more than advice. A kiss that sends unexpected fire through his veins.

Pride, Highland politics, and tragedy collide, proving Brodie’s ability to lead. But when a resentful clan member’s revenge threatens Kirsty, he realizes how precious and allusive true love can be.

Excerpt

A flash of red and blue jumped into his vision, disappeared, followed by a screech and the clip clop of horse hooves. Brodie nudged the gelding’s sides with his heels and guided it down the hill. He came across a basket, partially filled with plants, then a wool shawl in the MacDunn tartan. At the bottom, in a shallow gully, lay a tangle of skirts and plaid, and a cursing girl. A dapple-gray pony stood on the other side of the path, sedately munching on grass. 

“Weel, what do we have here?” Brodie grinned. “Are ye in need of some help, my bonny lass, or just need a wee rest?”

Kirstine pushed up on her elbows, kicked at her skirts, and righted her plaid. Somewhat. She blew the deep red locks from her eyes and squinted up at him. “Look who has come home. My brawny Brodie to the rescue.” She smiled, dark eyes lit with pleasure as she held out a hand.

He slid from the saddle, then grasped her fingers, and pulled her to her feet. “The pony doesna like ye?”

“He’s young and still a wee green. A hare dashed out in front of him, and he spooked.” She brushed off her backside, then stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “I was daydreaming instead of paying attention. On yer way home, then?”

He nodded and bent to help her collect the herbs that had spilled from her basket. Kirstine’s mother was the clan’s healer and sent her daughter out regularly to replenish medicinal supplies. 

“What were ye dreaming about?” He retrieved the shawl that had been draped over her hair. 

“None of yer business,” she replied with a smirk, then picked up her skirt and ran when he raised a bushy black brow.

Brodie caught her easily by the waist and tickled her belly as she doubled over and squealed in mock protest. She wriggled against him, and the movement startled him when a familiar pounding began low in his belly. Often a result of close contact with other women. Never Kirsty. His muscles grew taut as his brain comprehended his body’s reaction to his best friend.

When her elbow drove into his gut, his breath came out in an oomph, and he let go. 

They faced one another, hands on their knees, and he blinked at the warmth that rushed through him. A smile curved her pink lips. His eyes travelled from her mouth to her neckline, her breasts rising and falling as she took in deep gulps of air.

He swallowed.

Something odd stirred inside Brodie as he tried to fathom what had changed. Her eyes still reminded him of a dark cup of coffee. Her thick, cherry waves fell across her shoulders; threads of deep red tipped with gold glistened and shimmered as her body dragged in another breath. He reached out and slid a silky strand between his fingers. Her plump lips were parted, and he bent forward to ki—

Kirstine froze, her eyes wide. 

He dropped the lock of hair. Their gazes locked. “For the love of saints,” he whispered. “When did ye become so lovely?” 

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule, and barn cats. Obsessions include wine, history, travel, trail riding, and all things Christmas. Her Chicago Christmas series has received the Golden Quill, Aspen Gold, Heart of Excellence, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and twice nominated as a Rone finalist by InD’tale Magazine.

Aubrey’s first love is medieval romance but after dipping her toe in the Regency period in 2018 with the Wicked Earls’ Club, she was smitten. This inspired her spin-off series Once Upon a Widow and the Scottish Regency series A MacNaughton Castle Romance with Dragonblade Novels. 

Connect:

Website: https://aubreywynne.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/magnificentvalor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aubreywynne51
Instagram: https://instagram.com/Aubreywynne51
Bookbub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/aubrey-wynne
Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Aubrey-Wynne/e/B00II8QD6G/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7383937.Aubrey_Wynne
Newsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/k3f1z5
Facebook Reading Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AubreyWynnesEverAfters/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Chasing Wind by Kaira Karmakar

Publication date: September 17th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

A touching story set in India, Chasing Wind is a tale of two girls breaking barriers of class, distance, and time to forge an unforgettable friendship.

When twelve-year-old Siya travels from New Delhi to a small mountain village, she expects a relaxing summer vacation with her grandmother. A girl from the mountains quickly changes her plans for a lazy holiday. Pari is everything Siya isn’t: loud, carefree, and adventurous. She climbs over walls and rolls down hills without a second thought.

They come from different worlds. Siya’s city family has a housekeeper, a cook, and a driver; Pari’s dad cooks for Siya’s grandmother. As the girls share adventures in the forest and village, their worlds quickly intertwine. But all too soon, their time together ends, and Siya returns to the city. They never forget each other and keep in touch through letters—until their friendship is tested by a tragedy neither of them expects.

Excerpt

Summer of 2012 

The fiery sun casts its warm rays across the bustling city, and it feels hotter than the inside of a stove. The dryness in the air stills the trees that usually sway along with the cheery wind. The marigolds, no longer nourished and appealing, have crisp petals the color of umber. It hasn’t rained for days, and now the parched leaves are covered in layers of dense dust and thin cobwebs. I can hear the sharp noises of rustling leaves and wheels skidding on the road echo in the bedroom. I’m relaxing on Mom and Dad’s comfy bed, right under the gushing air vent, watching my favorite TV program when Mom comes marching into the room.

“Siya, do you know where my wallet is?” she channels her dark eyes on me. Her shiny black hair reaches below her shoulders, bouncing as she trots around the bed. After looking under the pile of house-decor magazines on her table, her eyes are drawn back to me as she impatiently waits for a response. 

“No,” I say, tilting my head back to the large TV screen. 

“I kept it on the bed around an hour ago before you started watching TV,” she says, placing her hands on her hips, “right on top of the blanket. 

Are you sure you haven’t seen it?” I shake my head. 

“Yes, I’m sure. I don’t know where it is.” 

“The pizza delivery man is standing outside our house, and I really need to pay him, or he might just leave.” 

My friend Lila is coming over for lunch, so Mom ordered pizza for us to eat. 

“I really don’t know where your wallet is. It wasn’t on your bed when I sat entered the room.” 

Mom lifts up the fluffy blanket beside me and sighs after she pulls out her wallet from under the blanket. 

“There it is,” I say, watching Mom’s face turn into a slight frown as she furrows her eyebrows. She presses her lips together. 

“Lila’s mom said that Lila will be here in half an hour. Remember to get dressed on time.” 

“Okay,” I mutter, so that Mom will stop troubling me. 

“And turn off the TV in five minutes. You’ve already watched a lot of TV today.” She walks out of the room, leaving the door a little open even though she knows it annoys me. I’m in the middle of the best scene in the episode, and I cannot let anyone ruin it for me.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Kaira Karmakar is a high school student. She developed a passion for writing as a young child and has been crafting stories about her own life and the characters in her imagination ever since. When she is not writing or reading, Kaira enjoys painting, sketching, and playing the piano.

Spotlight: The Boy and the Lake by Adam Pelzman

Family Saga Fiction. Literary Fiction

Date Published: October 7th, 2020

Haunted by his discovery of a beloved neighbor's body floating lifeless in the lake where he's fishing, 16-year-old Benjamin Baum is convinced she was murdered despite her death being deemed an accident.  While those around him tire of his fixation on finding a supposed killer, Ben's alienation leads to drinking and the reader begins to wonder if he's a reliable narrator. The plot takes a shocking twist, revealing the terrifying reality that things are not what they seem—that, beneath a façade of prosperity and contentment, darkness lurks. 

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Adam Pelzman was born in Seattle, raised in northern New Jersey, and has spent most of his life in New York City. He studied Russian literature at the University of Pennsylvania and went to law school at UCLA. His first novel, Troika, was published by Penguin (Amy Einhorn Books). He is also the author of The Papaya King, which Kirkus Reviews described as "entrancing," "deeply memorable" and "devilishly smart social commentary." The Boy and the Lake, set in New Jersey during the late 1960s, is his third novel.

 Connect:

Website: https://www.adampelzman.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adam.pelzman.5

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7341058.Adam_Pelzman

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

Spotlight: Madame President by Tara Sue Me

Release Date: October 6, 2020

Publisher: After Six Publishing

This is Washington DC and there’s only one she here.

A smart, standalone, contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tara Sue Me.

For Independent Anna Fitzpatrick, being President of the United States means she’s finally in a place to make a difference. Known for her intellect and charm, she never appears anything other than calm. After getting dumped by the man she’d been living with once he learned of her presidential bid, Anna vows to remain single throughout her term. It's an easy task, after all, no man has ever made her feel the way her law school classmate did years ago. Or at least the way he made her feel until he walked away without so much as a goodbye.

Navin Hazar is content being one of the nation’s top news anchors. It may not be the plan he had for his life, but plans don’t always go as anticipated. Like his plan for no one to find out he knows Anna personally or did know her, once upon a time.

For fifteen years, they’ve been able to ignore each other, but her election to the highest office changes everything. And when Navin inadvertently lands on Anna’s Press Pool, they realize the only thing more aggravating than politics is love.

 Excerpt 

I hear her approach more in the silence descending upon those she passes than I do from any noise her group makes. Though there are only four agents with her today, two in front and two behind, their appearance holds everyone spellbound. Conversations stop mid-sentence. No one moves.

As they continue toward us, Gabe and I step into the hallway without a word, allowing her security team to search my office before she enters. I take a deep breath and prepare myself to come face-to-face with a memory from my past, one I’ve avoided as much as possible. I see now it was inevitable and childish for me to behave this way. 

She’s walking toward me, talking to someone at her side, and then she looks at me and I have to remind myself to breathe. I’ve seen numerous pictures and videos of her, but they in no way compare to flesh and blood Anna. She was memorable in her early twenties. She is stunning standing before me now, a woman in her thirties.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

NEW YORK TIMES/USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Even though she graduated with a degree in science, Tara knew she’d never be happy doing anything other than writing. Specifically, writing love stories.

She started with a racy BDSM story and found she was not quite prepared for the unforeseen impact it would have. Nonetheless, she continued and The Submissive Series novels would go on to be both New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers. One of those, THE MASTER, was a 2017 RITA finalist for Best Erotic Romance. Over one million copies of her books have been sold worldwide.

Connect:

Website: https://www.tarasueme.com/

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

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tarasueme

Promo Link: http://bookbuzz.net/blog/contemporary-romance-madame-president-by-tara-sue-me/

Spotlight: If The Broom Fits by Sarah Sutton

Publication date: October 6th 2020
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Halloween really is the worst.

Blaire’s got to be the only person on the planet who hates Halloween. At least the only person in her small town, which practically worships the holiday. Ugh. And it doesn’t help that her super-hot ex-boyfriend, Lucas, is determined to convince her otherwise by making her take part in “festive activities.” Apparently carving pumpkins and watching scary movies is going to magically change her mind about the holiday? Yeah, right.

But Blaire has never told anyone the truth of why she hates Halloween or the truth about why she broke up with Lucas. She’s definitely never told anyone about how much she second-guesses that decision. Being around him is so much harder than she thought, especially when it looks like he's starting to move on. 

And when she gets a letter in the mail from someone who broke her heart, can Blaire overcome the negativity drowning her? Or will her bitterness and secrets push everyone she loves away?

With scary movies and pumpkin spice, If the Broom Fits is a sweet and heartfelt autumn romance that will put you in the spirit of Halloween.

Excerpt

“You look like a dork.”

Donnie didn’t even glance down at himself as I spoke to him, his expression self-assured. “I do not.”

I pressed my lips tightly together to keep from smiling. “You definitely do. Why are you dressed like a shark?”

Or, at least, that’s what I thought he was supposed to be. The silvery-blue material covered his entire body, accented with a hood and a face hole. It didn’t quite reach his ankles since he was so tall, which made the whole thing look a little silly. An extra bunching of material gathered at his armpits, so his arms stuck out a little at his sides. 

A tiny little fin was even attached to his back, and it flapped with each movement he made.

“It’s sea-life dress-up day,” Donnie said in a cheerful voice. “I thought this was pretty clever.”

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

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).

Connect:

https://twitter.com/SarahMaeSutton

https://www.sarah-sutton.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sarahmaesutton/

https://www.facebook.com/SarahMaeSutton/

https://www.sarah-sutton.com/members

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19703739.Sarah_Sutton

a Rafflecopter giveaway