Spotlight: My Kind of Love by Nikki Ash

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Micaela

Once upon a time, a boy and a girl met and fell in love…

That’s the way my love story began, but unlike the fairy tale, it ended with me standing in the cemetery, watching my prince get lowered into the ground, along with all our dreams.

Now he’s gone and I’m lost.

Until an impromptu trip to my family’s beach house has me spending time with Ryan.

With his help, I’m learning to live again and make plans for the future.

The only problem is, we both know they can’t include him.

So, when our time is up, we do the only thing we can do—go our separate ways.

Ryan

My entire life, I’ve felt like the waves in a raging sea—crashing and breaking, never settling.

Until Micaela stormed in like a hurricane, colliding into my life and my heart.

I thought she’d be my destruction, but instead she turned out to be my calm.

The more time we spend together, the more life she breathes into both of us.

But all too quickly, our time is up and she’s ready to face her future—one I can’t be a part of.

So, I do the impossible and walk away.

But life is crazy, and love knows no bounds. You might’ve thought this is where our story ends, but the truth is… it’s only the beginning.  

Exclusive Excerpt 

“I can’t believe you’re graduating tomorrow.” Lexi, my best friend and pseudo cousin, takes a hit off the joint she brought with her as a graduation gift and passes it to me.

I take a small hit, since I’m not usually one to get high, and nod. “This will be you next year.”

I pass the joint to Georgia, my other pseudo cousin and best friend. “Both of you, right?”

“Yep,” Lexi says, speaking for her younger sister like she often does. “Georgia took extra classes and we’ll be walking across the stage together. We’ll both be free from educational hell in twelve months.”

Without taking a hit, Georgia passes the joint to Lexi. “I’d hardly call it hell. We go to a private school that costs more a year than most pay for their house.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “Our lunch is catered and includes items like sushi and Thai, and we have a Starbucks… an actual Starbucks in the quad.”

I laugh at that, but don’t argue. She’s not wrong. Lexi and Georgia live in Los Angeles and attend one of the most prestigious private schools on the West Coast. Similar to the one I attend here in Las Vegas… well, did attend.

As of tomorrow at ten o’clock I will officially be a high school graduate. And come August I’ll be a freshman at the University of Las Vegas.

“Semantics.” Lexi takes another hit. “I can’t wait to be done with high school. It’s such a waste. I don’t need a diploma to do what I want to do.”

“You need one to go to college,” Georgia points out.

Lexi rolls her eyes. “Maybe I won’t go.” She shrugs, making Georgia and me laugh.

We all know Lexi is all talk. She’s a daddy’s girl through and through, and Tristan Scott has made it clear a college education is important, which means Lexi Scott will be getting one, whether she likes it or not.

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About Nikki Ash

Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher and mom by day and a writer by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children to Wuthering Heights to the latest Single Parent Romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book.

Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out. – Pam Ally

While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the

weekends!

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Spotlight: Forever My Cowboy by June Faver

The Garrett family have been ranchers for generations—they love the land, and the joy of family and children.

Cade Garrett’s orderly life is upended when his sister and her husband are killed in a plane crash. He's ready to step in and take care of their two young children, but he’s thrown for a loop when the children’s aunt is named their guardian and plans to take the children with her to Dallas.

Unexpected sparks fly when he meets Jennifer LaChance. Can Cade and Jenn band together for the good of the children—or that create all kinds of opportunities for friction?

Excerpt

Tyler Garrett climbed out of his big double dually truck and rounded the cab to open the door for his lovely wife. He took the containers out of her hands and helped her slip down to the ground.

“Is he expecting us?” she asked.

Ty shook his head. “You know Cade doesn’t stand on ceremony. Cade is all about family.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Poor man,” she said. “I haven’t really accepted the fact that Sara is gone. I can’t imagine how he feels.”

Ty gestured toward the house. “Sara was a little brat when we were young, always tagging along…but she was sweet. Turned out to be really smart in school. When she and Jason LaChance got married, it was what everyone expected. She fell in love with the flyboy as soon as she set eyes on him.” He shook his head. “Great couple. I guess I never thought anything could happen to them. I haven’t really kept up with them lately, but they always looked so happy together when I saw them in church.”

Leah made a scoffing noise. “You’ve been so wrapped up in your music, it’s a wonder you keep up with anything.”

He leaned against the doorbell. “I just try to keep up with you.”

The door opened and Cade Garrett stood inside, appearing to be exhausted. He had always been a big, good-looking man, but sorrow was etched deeply on his face. Without speaking, he stepped back and gestured them inside.

“It’s just me and Leah,” Ty said, ushering her inside.

She took in Cade’s appearance, obviously sympathetic. “Um, we brought you a little something.”

“Hey, Leah. That’s very kind.” He shook his head. “I’m just overwhelmed at the moment.”

“We’re all just devastated about Sara and Jason.” Ty reached out to Cade, wrapping his arms around him and holding him for a long moment. He felt a tremor ripple through Cade’s body.

Cade drew back, his eyes lowered and lips pressed together. “Thanks, Ty. Let’s go back to the kitchen.” He led the way but turned and put his finger to his mouth. “The kids are here.”

Ty and Leah followed Cade as quietly as possible. Ty set the container on top of the counter and Leah placed a paper bag next to it.

The kitchen occupied one end of a sizable combination family room and casual dining area. A large television was mounted above the fireplace mantel, and a big yellow SpongeBob image cavorted across the screen. On Cade’s sofa, a tiny, diapered girl slept on her stomach, drooling. Fortunately, there was a small blanket under her.

Leah smiled. “Aw, Lissy’s so pretty.”

Leo had wedged himself under the coffee table, lying on his side with his knees folded up. He gazed at them with large blue eyes…as sad as Cade’s own.

“That’s where Leo has holed up,” Cade said. “He’s pretty confused right now.” He shrugged his wide shoulders. “I guess I am too.”

Ty felt his cousin’s aching grief. “Dad wanted us to tell you, he’s got your back. Anything you need.” He spread his hands. “He figured you didn’t need the entire Garrett clan to cluster around you right now, but we’re all here for you.”

“Thanks, Ty. Did you draw the short straw?” A wry smile lifted one corner of his mouth.

Ty grinned in return. “No, asshole. I got to come because you and I were in the same grade all the way through school. We’re more than cousins, bro.”

“I know, bud. Just giving you a hard time. What did you do with your kids, Ty?”

Ty removed his Stetson and tossed it on a side table. “Leah’s grandmother is taking care of the kids. Gracie is helping.” He had to smile when he thought about how much Gracie loved her brand-new baby brother. “She loves playing big sister.”

Cade nodded, seemingly wrapped in emotion. “I hope I can be good enough to raise Sara’s kids without screwing them up. That’s my biggest fear.”

Ty gave him a slap on the shoulder. “Oh, get over yourself. I’ve never known you to lack confidence about anything. In school you did okay, and you were a leader in sports.”

Cade raked his fingers through his thick, dark hair. “I know, but this is different. More important.”

“You can always lean on your family if you need a break. I know Leah and I can keep the kids for you.”

Leah nodded, adding her support.

Cade took a wide stance and hooked his thumbs through his belt loops. “Thanks, man. That means a lot…but I think, right now, I need to keep them as close as possible. They need to know I’m doing what Sara would want me to do. I’m going to raise her children as she would want them to be brought up.”

Ty realized Cade was just speaking through his grief. “You and the children are going to need all the family you can get. The Garrett clan is a formidable force around here.” He turned to see his beautiful wife doing what Leah would always be doing: leading with her heart.

Leah was sitting on the floor, her back against the sofa. Leo had crawled out from under the coffee table and was plastered against her like a baby monkey clinging to his mom.

Ty swallowed hard, while Cade stared at her, openmouthed. “It’s okay. She has that effect on kids… Heck! She has that effect on everyone.”

***

Excerpted from Forever My Cowboy by June Faver. © 2021 by June Faver. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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About the Author

JUNE FAVER loves Texas, from the Gulf coast to the panhandle, from the Mexican border to the Piney Woods. Her novels embrace the heart and soul of the state and the larger-than-life Texans who romp across her pages. A former teacher and healthcare professional, she lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country.

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Spotlight: A Deadly Fortune by Stacie Murphy

Genre: Historical Mystery

A historical mystery in the vein of The Alienist, in which a young woman in Gilded Age New York must use a special talent to unravel a deadly conspiracy.

Amelia Matthew has done the all-but-impossible, especially for an orphan in Gilded Age New York City. Along with her foster brother Jonas, she has parleyed her modest psychic talent into a safe and comfortable life. But safety and comfort vanish when a head injury leaves Amelia with a dramatically-expanded gift. After she publicly channels an angry spirit, she finds herself imprisoned in the notorious insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island. As Jonas searches for a way to free her, Amelia struggles to control her disturbing new abilities and survive a place where cruelty and despair threaten her sanity.

Andrew Cavanaugh is familiar with despair. In the wake of a devastating loss, he abandons a promising medical career—and his place in Philadelphia society—to devote himself to the study and treatment of mental disease. Miss Amelia Matthew is just another patient—until she channels a spirit in front of him and proves her gift is real.

When a distraught mother comes to Andrew searching for her missing daughter—a daughter she believes is being hidden at the asylum—he turns to Amelia. Together, they uncover evidence of a deadly conspiracy, and then it’s no longer just Amelia’s sanity and freedom at stake. Amelia must master her gift and use it to catch a killer—or risk becoming the next victim.

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About the Author

Stacie Murphy grew up near Nashville, TN. She began writing A Deadly Fortune in 2017 as a way to force herself to stay off Twitter in the evenings. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, daughter, and the worst cat in the world.

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Loxby Manor

Audio Spotlight: Wonder Tales: Favorite Fairy Tales From Around the World

Narrator: Elizabeth Klett

Length: 11 hours 16 minutes

Publisher: Spoken Realms⎮2020

Genre: Classics

Release date: Oct. 13, 2020

Synopsis: This collection of 40 fairy tales contains well-known favorites from authors like the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Oscar Wilde, Charles Perrault, Madame de Beaumont, and Joseph Jacobs. It also collects rare gems from folk-tale traditions around the world, from Germany to China, from Scandinavia to Arabia, from Russia to Japan, and from Italy to Canada. These beautiful, frightening, funny, romantic, and whimsical stories will introduce you to princesses in peril, beastly brides and grooms, adults and children behaving badly, daring and adventurous girls, and clever and devious tricksters. These wondrous tales will be enjoyed by listeners both young and old.

Listen to excerpt from the book here.

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About the Narrator: Elizabeth Klett

Elizabeth Klett is an English literature professor by day and an audiobook narrator by night. She has been a professional audiobook narrator since 2011 and has produced over 200 titles for ACX, Bee Audio, Findaway Voices, Spoken Realms, and Tantor Audio. She trained as an actor at Drew University and holds a doctorate from the University of Illinois. She loves reading (and teaching) fiction, drama, and poetry of all kinds, and delights in creating distinctive voices and accents for literary characters. An absolute Anglophile, Elizabeth has narrated dozens of books in a British accent, despite the fact that she's originally from New Jersey. Her expertise in analyzing and understanding literature makes her recordings particularly enjoyable for her listeners.

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Spotlight: A Man of Honor by J.A. Nelson

Quill Point Press
Paperback, eBook & AudioBook; 414 pages

Genre: Historical/Thriller/Mystery

A Man of Honor tells the fictional tale of how one man’s oath gave birth to the legend of Hamlet.

How far would you go to keep a deathbed promise?

Surrounded by the bodies of slain monarchs, a dying prince extracts a promise from his friend, Horatio: “Tell my story.”

Rival kings of warring nations strive to lay claim to the throne, now vacant, but what will happen to the people who live there, at Helsingør’s Krogen Castle? How will Horatio preserve his honor and the prince’s legacy while surviving this murderous kingdom and the men who would rule it?

Despite the odds and threats against him, Horatio persists, weaving the story of his dear friend into the fabric of one of their oldest and most revered medieval texts.

But when a nefarious Spaniard thwarts his plans, Horatio must once again risk everything to fulfill his oath.

With the help of some unexpected allies in the form of Margrete, a courageous lady-in-waiting, and Lanier, a disgraced French nobleman, Horatio undertakes this perilous quest that will lead him on a journey none of them could have ever predicted, to a place none of them ever thought they would see.

And after their hard-fought journey will it all be for naught?

Will Hamlet’s glory be Horatio’s downfall?

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About the Author

J. A. Nelson’s passion for exploring connections between history, literature, and evidence in written texts has shaped her life—from a BA (Occidental College) and MA (The George Washington University) in cultural studies to a two-decade career at the National Archives of the United States, working with historical documentary treasures and helping people access unique stories in those records. Ms. Nelson is a native of Culver City, CA, a Los Angeles suburb. She lives with her husband in Northern Virginia. A Man of Honor, or Horatio’s Confessions is her debut novel.

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Man of Honor

Spotlight: The Scent of Leaves by Kathryn Trattner

Publication date: January 15th 2021
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales, Retelling

Janet has always dreamed about leaving her small town behind and starting over somewhere fresh. The only thing keeping her going is a photography obsession and her film camera. For her, life is a series of late nights spent working at a local gas station and days earning a final college credit before graduation. But she’s been putting it off for so long she’s starting to feel like it might not happen.

One night Tom appears, charming and handsome, and going out of his way to get to know her. Suddenly he’s everywhere in her small town, appearing and disappearing at odd moments, creeping in on her days and nights. As they spend time together, Janet falling more under his spell each day, she begins to realize that reality is different around Tom. Small things begin to happen, odd occurrences turning into strange events, as Janet is pulled deeper into the mystery surrounding him.

In this modern retelling of the classic Ballad of Tam Lin the world is brought into sharp focus through the lens of a camera. The line between what is and is not real blurs, nature stealing in around the edges, and Janet comes to understand that there is more at stake than just a broken heart.

Excerpt

She chose at random, stepping into another opulent room. Sheer curtains were pulled tight, the doors closed, and the room felt breathless. She crossed the room, going around the tufted blue couches, embroidered cushions on the floor, pushing the pale curtains aside. Deep forest, lush and green, right on the other side of the glass, so close she stepped back in surprise. There was something eerie, wrong with the view. Ominous. Turning, she surveyed the room again, wondering if she had ended up on the opposite side of the house somehow.

The blue and gold theme continued here, solid deep carpets of Greek blue, gold foiled tables and wide shallow bowls holding nothing but reflections. A carved marble fireplace and hearth, above it, standing tall and larger than life a painting of Brenna.

Janet stumbled back into the windows, rattling glass, hearing the squeak of branches on the other side, scrabbling to get in, scrabbling to touch her. The woman above the mantle looked down on her, haughty, chin tilted up, eyes fever bright. A crown sat atop golden braids, high and spiked, spun of frosted sugar and cobwebs. Her shoulders were bare, the floral tattoos alive, lined with gold and silver paint. A barely there gown, the tops of her breasts seeming to hold the fabric up alone, followed the curve of her body, clinging to hips and thighs.  

The portrait was more real than the room, more alive than the trees on the other side of the windows, and the painted woman was watching her. She crossed to the door, the eyes of the painting on her, burning. Doubt and shame swept her, overtaking her, but she did not know where they were coming from. Did not matter. They were there. She felt like a trespasser suddenly, like a thief, caught in the act of lifting diamonds from a jewelry box. But she was letting irrational fear take over. The woman on the canvas, made of paint and fabric, she was not real.

Stop it. I’m not afraid of you.

At the door she hesitated, caught between the room and the hall, the cusp of being and never been. She turned back, squaring her shoulders and went to the hearth. 

She reached out, standing on tiptoe, to touch the canvas. Her finger pressed against it, into it, coming away wet with fresh green paint, leaving behind a perfect print of the index finger of her right hand. 

Janet stood, staring at the smudge of color on her fingertip, cold racing along her spine. Wet paint. Fresh paint. She eased toward the door, refusing to turn her back on the painting, even for a second. At the door she fumbled the camera from her bag, snapped a photo without really looking through the viewfinder, and pulled it shut with a bang.

Being in the house was beginning to wear her down, feeling trapped in a loop between the atrium and the blue doors. A whole hall of blue doors with brass knobs, all of them the same, all of them leading into rooms that should have taken her to the pool.

There was something unsettling about the house. How it looked and how it felt were very different, like two images not lining up. She reached out, touching what looked like a smooth painted wall but feeling the crackling texture of chipping paint. Her thoughts were tumbling, spinning through to places she did not want to follow. She needed a different set of eyes, a pair attuned to this place. She ran a finger around the lens of her camera, lingering over the feel of hard plastic and metal. Ryan had told her to take photos of the house, to pay attention.

The house seemed to be deserted, a wasteland of velvet and satin, painted tile and cut flowers. But it did not feel that way. It felt full. Watchful. Aware. She followed the doors, through room after room, coming back time and again to the hall, the atrium. The camera bag bumped her hip as she walked, taking photos. The view through the lens was different, the rooms appearing less polished, the velvet worn, loose threads and worn spots appearing along the arms of upholstered chairs. But as soon as she lowered the camera the space appeared as before.

Janet wondered which was reality, perfection or decay?

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About the Author

Kathryn Trattner has loved fairy tales, folk stories, and mythology all of her life. Her hands down favorites have always been East of the Sun, West of the Moon and the story of Persephone and Hades. When not writing or reading she's traveling as much as possible and taking thousands of photos that probably won't get edited later. She lives in Oklahoma with her wonderful partner, two very busy children, one of the friendliest dogs ever, and an extremely grumpy cat who doesn't like anyone at all.

Want to hear about the latest release? Sign up for my newsletter Magical Mundane Madness at kathryn.substack.com

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19929212.Kathryn_Trattner