Spotlight: Texas Baby Conspiracy by Barb Han

Book Description

She’s fighting for her and her baby’s lives

But she can’t remember why…

Injured and locked up in a decrepit trailer, Alyssa Hazel wakes to only fragments of memory. She knows she's pregnant, her life is in danger—and there's one man she can trust once she escapes. But police officer Blake O’Connor hasn't forgiven Alyssa for walking away from their marriage. Can he protect her and their unborn child…even when this conspiracy hits too close to home?

Excerpt

When Alyssa Hazel stirred and felt nothing but walls on all four sides of her, shock robbed her voice. Panic caused her pulse to pound and the extra blood thumped against her skull. Her head threatened to split open as she tried to recall where she was and why she was here.

She pushed her hands out, trying to see if the walls would give. The material was pliable but solid enough to hold form. She felt for cracks or anything she could grip. Movement hurt. She attempted to stretch out her legs and couldn’t get very far.

Where was she? What happened? Why was she enclosed in such a tight space? A haze pressed down on her brain and the pressure was the equivalent of a thunderstorm rolling in.

It was pitch black and she couldn’t remember a thing about where she’d been or what she’d been doing before ending up in this…whatever this was. Forcing recall only made her brain hurt more. A stomach cramp drew her legs tighter to her belly.

Wouldn’t there be a door if she was in some kind of compartment? There would have to be a crack around a door or hatch. She reached up and couldn’t find a ceiling. That seemed like the first good sign so far. It meant that she might be in a small closet or storage room.

She felt around, trying to get her bearings because right now she was at a loss as to where she was and what she was doing there. Bringing her hands to cradle her stomach, she knew one thing was certain, she was pregnant. Very pregnant. Her belly was huge.

Again, her mind drew a blank to a question that was so basic she felt like she should have an answer. What on earth was she doing there? She brought her hand up to her head and looked for a reason for the memory loss and headache. She touched a tender spot and felt dried blood.

At least she thought it was. Seeing was impossible despite her eyes adjusting to the dark.

Logic said if she’d gotten inside this structure, there had to be a way out. Bracing her hands against thin walls, she maneuvered up to a sitting position.

Next, she instinctively checked to make sure she had on clothes and then immediately checked for her wedding ring. The band was gone. Thank heavens she had on a cotton shirt and jeans. No shoes but she did have on socks. She remembered wearing her favorite boots. The random memory seemed to float around with no context to ground it. Where had she been going? What had she been doing?

A noise startled her. She froze, unable to make out what it was or exactly where it came from other than out there.

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About the Author

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Barb Han lives in Texas with her adventurous family and beloved dogs. Reviewers have called her books "heartfelt" and "exciting." When not writing or reading, she can be found exploring Manhattan, on a mountain, or swimming in her backyard.

Connect with the Author 

Website: https://www.barbhan.com/  

Spotlight: GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIPS: SCENIC DRIVES by A Reader’s Digest Book

Summer travel is surging. According to AAA, road trips continue to dominate and 43.6 million Americans are expected to travel by car this Independence Day.

Let the natural beauty of America’s most scenic drives inspire the travel bug within you and get you exploring the wide-open spaces and breathtaking vistas in our country.

Absorb the best America has to offer from the slow lane! This collection of scenic drives, broken out by five regions, features breathtaking road trips, both long and short. Highlighted by over 140 gorgeous photos, each trip also includes helpful info to help you plan your trip. Inspirational photos showcase why these well known drives are worth the drive. Many of the drives are described in the first person by readers and journalists who have made the trip, taken the photos and visited the cool places along the way.

Excerpt

OAK CREEK CANYON

Red rocks, steep switchbacks and dramatic views make this Arizona drive a nail-biter.

Story by Marija Andric

Excerpted from GREAT AMERICAN ROAD TRIPS: SCENIC DRIVES, A Reader’s Digest Book, copyright © 2020 by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.  Used by permission of Trusted Media Brands, Inc., New York.  Available wherever books are sold.

Growing up in Arizona, I loved the biodiversity of the state. Minutes from my home, I could hike the best trails in the Sonoran Desert, and after a few hours of driving, I could breathe fresh alpine air and marvel at fall foliage. And there’s one scenic drive in Arizona that has it all: Oak Creek Canyon.

This 15-mile state-designated scenic road along Route 89A begins in Sedona (if you’re coming from Phoenix) and winds its way north to Flagstaff. It curves up the Colorado Plateau from the high desert to a landscape of ponderosa pines.

Red Rock Crossing, with its view of Cathedral Rock, is a must-see.

Photo Credit: Danita Delmont/Alamy Stock Photo

Getting to the start of the drive is a treat for the senses. Route 89A rolls through Oak Creek Village, passing iconic red rocks that are named for their shapes. The landscape has an unearthly feel, and its singular beauty is unforgettable. Bell Rock, which is just off the road, is a popular spot to pull over for pictures or go on a hike along the lower, easier trail.

My family and I took this drive in the summer to escape the dry desert heat and in the fall to see the foliage, which begins to turn in November. After crossing the Midgley Bridge, our first stop was Slide Rock State Park, a 43-acre historic apple farm that was at one time the Pendley homestead. Growing apples in the high desert sounds far-fetched, but Frank Pendley mastered an innovative irrigation technique in 1912 that allowed his orchards to thrive. In fact, today park officials still use the same technique to water the remaining heirloom trees.

Though the apple orchard is amazing, the main attraction is the park’s namesake natural slide, which is a slippery chute of worn sandstone about 80 feet long and up to 4 feet wide. The waters of Oak Creek, which carved this canyon, are icy cold and refreshing. Children and adults alike squeal in delight as the water carries them down the slide into a pool.

Algae makes the rocks especially slippery, so it’s important to wear water shoes. It’s also important to look up and appreciate the canyon walls and cliffs that surround the park. I’ve never been disappointed by that view.

Back on the highway, you could easily stay in your car to take in the sights, but along the road, a few picnic sites, campgrounds and overlooks, such as Banjo Bill and Halfway, are well worth exploring.

The farther you drive, the higher you climb. The air cools, and by the time you reach the West Fork Trail, ponderosa pines appear alongside oaks and junipers. The trail, one of the most popular in the area, follows the west fork of Oak Creek.

In fall, the trees are ablaze with reds, oranges and yellows. The canyon walls soar, and the sound of the moving water soothes. You’ll step onto a paved trail that leads to a footbridge over the creek and Mayhew’s Lodge, the ruins of an old guesthouse that burned down in 1980. At that point, your West Fork Trail adventure begins. The in-and-out hike is about 6 miles round trip.

Slide Rock State Park’s natural slide is an oasis of fun.

Photo Credit: Pat Canova/Alamy Stock Photo

The thrilling part of the drive begins at Pumphouse Wash. For the following 2 miles, the road curves into a series of switchbacks, each steeper than the last. 

If you’re lucky enough to be the passenger, you’ll see some gorgeous views of the canyon. (My mother always kept her head down during this part of the drive.) If you’re the driver, well, you’re probably looking at your knuckles and the road ahead.

Years ago, my husband-to-be and I went on this curvy drive. Though I knew where we were going, he insisted on using GPS. As the GPS attempted to chart the switchbacks, the fine pink line of the road turned into a blob.

It’s a slow drive to the top, but when you get there, be sure to stop at the Oak Creek Vista. Take a look back at where you’ve been, and marvel at the wonder of it all. The elevation changes and the diverse ecosystems of the drive are laid out before you. It’s a popular stop with visitors. The overlook is also home to a market offering Native American arts and crafts.

At this point, you’re on the Colorado Plateau’s southwestern edge. This is commonly referred to as the Mogollon Rim. The air up here is cooler and the forest is thick with pine trees.

The old lumber town of Flagstaff (home to the San Francisco Peaks, Northern Arizona University and Route 66) lies ahead. But that’s a scenic drive for another day.

POINTS OF INTEREST

Length

15 miles

Fun Fact

The dramatic reds and oranges in the rocks of Sedona come from iron oxide, left from a post-glacial ocean that filled the Verde Valley.

Words to the Wise

A Red Rock Pass is required if you want to stop and park your car along the drive.

Side Trip

Thousands of years before Hollywood discovered the red rocks of Sedona and the beauty of Oak Creek Canyon, the Sinagua called this place home. Though they moved on centuries ago, they left behind the Palatki and Honanki cliff dwellings. The sites are open to the public and overseen by Coconino National Forest staff. Call 928-282-3854 to reserve a tour spot.

Nearby Attractions

Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff; Tlaquepaque district, Sedona; Fort Verde State Historic Park, Camp Verde; Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott; Smoki Museum, Prescott

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Spotlight: Saving Danger by Katie Reus

Series: Red Stone Security #17
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 24, 2021

To maintain her cover and keep her family off her back, they fake a relationship.

Having spent her whole life trying to prove she’s just as capable as her three older brothers, art retrieval expert Ivy Danger has landed the biggest gig of her career, one that will pay off the mortgage of the animal shelter she owns. That is, if she doesn’t die before finishing the job. Even if she locates the stolen art, the violent gang of thieves won’t give up their million-dollar payday without a fight. She has one person she can turn to for help—Nash Harris. Security expert, her brother’s best friend…and the gorgeous man of her fantasies who treats her like a kid sister. Not that she’d do anything about her attraction anyway—not when it would screw up her family dynamic if things went sideways between them.

Now it’s impossible to tell what’s real and what’s not.

Despite having known Ivy forever, “brotherly” is the last thing Nash feels for the sexy troublemaker. She’s it for him. The One. He’s known it for a while…but convincing Ivy is another matter. When they have to fake a relationship for her current job, things shift between them. They’ve worked together before, but she’s in over her head with this latest job. But before anything can come of it, he’ll have to keep her alive when she’s targeted by a dangerous group known for violent retaliation. Nash will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to prove she can trust him—on the job, with her life, and with her heart.

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About the Author

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.

However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.

Connect:

Website: https://katiereus.com/ 

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

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/306216912797590

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1563059.Katie_Reus 

Blog: http://katiereus.blogspot.com/ 

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Spotlight: You May Kiss the Groomsman by Samantha Chase

Series: Meet Me at the Altar #3

Release Date: August 24, 2021

It seemed like a good idea at the time…

When Josie Sullivan agrees to marry her friend Tyler, it’s just so he’ll get a promotion at work. That’s what friends do, right? But what should have been a quick, quiet affair starts to look like the real thing when his family shows up in the middle of the “proposal.” Now, it’s no longer a quick stop at the courthouse during a lunch break, but a full-blown wedding and there’s nothing Josie can do to stop it.

There was no way he could hold his peace…

Daniel Alexander hasn’t been home in years. After fifteen years as a Navy SEAL, he’s more than ready to return to civilian life. Being away for so long, he’s missed a lot of his younger brother’s life and it seems like he’s back just in time to stop him from making the biggest mistake of his life. No matter how he breaks it down, something’s just not adding up about this wedding and he’s determined to figure out why. And he’s not just trying to stop it from happening because he’s finding himself wildly attracted to the bride-to-be.

Or because they can’t stop kissing each other.

Josie had given up on finding her own happily ever after and as her attraction to Daniel keeps growing, she’s suddenly regretting her decision to help out a friend. Now she just needs to decide if she wants to kiss the groom…or the groomsman.

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About the Author

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Connect:

Website: https://www.chasing-romance.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3 

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

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

Newsletter: https://www.chasing-romance.com/newsletter 

BookBub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/samantha-chase

Spotlight: Scandal's Deception by Pamela Gibson

Series: Scandal Series, Book 4
Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Jane Stafford, raised in America, is shocked to learn she is a wealthy heiress, her late father was an earl, and her English mother is alive. Anxious to meet the woman she long-thought dead, she travels to London, only to be whisked away by her sinfully handsome guardian to a remote estate to be “schooled” in the ways of the ton.

Gilbert Carmichael, Lord Ralston, chafes at having to make a rebellious young heiress acceptable to society, especially one who is impetuous and blatantly democratic. Because the instruction she needs is more than deportment and dancing. It’s also about how to spot a rake who might woo her for her fortune.

When Ralston learns his ward is to be used as a pawn in an elaborate scheme involving a secret impersonation, he will move heaven and earth to keep her safe. Because proximity has brought the uncomfortable knowledge that his interest may be more than duty—it just might be love.

Excerpt

Jane slanted a glance at Ralston who seated himself on the grass-covered cliff next to her. The sea below crashed against the rocks.

“Now you’re here,” he said, “stuck with a society you want no part of and rules you’d rather not know, let alone follow.”

“My opportunities here seem less obvious, but I haven’t explored them yet. Perhaps I could become a midwife or a teacher. We had dame schools in Baltimore, places where educated women taught young girls to read, write, and cipher in their homes. Perhaps I could start one here.”

His laughter was deep and rich, and his expression, while skeptical, was not unkind.

“I think you will do whatever you put your mind to, and society be damned. But not until you reach your majority.”

“You’ll prevent me?”

“For your own good, yes. But, Jane”—he took her ungloved hand in his—“’tis only for a year. Then I shall have no say.”

She pulled her tingling hand away, heat flowing through her body from his touch. “There is that. I do have a question. Will I have enough funds to pay the staff and care for the upkeep of the property? We haven’t discussed that part of my inheritance yet.”

It worried her because she would be the responsible one—not only for herself, but for others who would rely on her. She couldn’t be a governess or a companion. Those acceptable positions for a woman of good birth would require her to live elsewhere, and now that she’d seen the property, she wanted to live here.

“Your father had investments, and there will be income from those business ventures for you and your sister.”

“Will it be enough?”

He turned, and the amused look on his face was disconcerting. “I believe your father expected—perhaps hoped—you would find someone to marry. In society, that’s how aristocratic women are cared for. By husbands.”

“Are you telling me the funds from Papa’s investments won’t be enough to run two households? Mine and Jocelyn’s?”

He turned back and faced the sea. “I am not saying that at all. I believe Jocelyn is well on her way to finding someone to spend her life with. Perhaps once she’s married, she can introduce you to appropriate suitors.”

Anger singed her insides. “You know I do not wish to marry. I value my independence. Men have too much power over their wives. Especially here.”

Seeing him rise, she got herself up, knowing he would assist her if she stayed where she was, but not trusting the emotions building inside.

The wind intensified, and a few whitecaps appeared on the water below. A strong gust wrestled her loosened bonnet from her head, blowing it toward the edge of the cliff. She chased it and picked it up before it blew away.

“Jane. Move away from the edge.” Ralston’s voice carried on the wind. Before she could step back, another gust propelled her forward.

Strong arms enfolded her and practically dragged her away from the precipice. Breathing heavily, she turned to see her guardian’s worried face.

“Why didn’t you heed my warning?”

“I bent to retrieve my bonnet.”

“You can buy another bonnet. Never do that again. In fact, I forbid you to walk out here. This path is not stable. A man slipped on that path you see in the distance and slid down the face of the cliff. Luckily he wasn’t alone and was rescued. It was a near thing.”

“You can forbid me to do things now. In a year’s time, I shall be on my own, and if I want to stand here and stare out to sea, I shall do so.”

“Stubborn, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I am. What are you going to do about it?”

She’d forgotten how gorgeous his eyes were, even now as they stared into her own, a flare of heat making her think of the defiance literally melting away inside her. Her heart beat wildly as his arms tightened and he drew her to him. When he lowered his mouth to hers, she sighed and met him willingly. His lips were soft and smooth, pressing gently at first, then harder until she opened her own and let his tongue caress the inside of her mouth.

Her arms circled his neck so she could move closer, trying to soothe an unknown ache in her breasts, to ease a need she’d never felt before, one that compelled her to rub her body against his.

Abruptly, he stepped back. “Please forgive me. I seem to be making a habit of this.”

She brushed her knuckles along his jaw. “I’m not sorry. I’ve never had a real kiss before. Not a peck, was it? Consider it part of the ‘talk’ about rogues.”

He held her gaze one last time, offered his arm, and they silently strolled back into the house.

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About the Author

Author of eight books on California history and sixteen romance novels, Pamela Gibson is a former City Manager who now lives in the Nevada desert. She has a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration, but her passion is and always has been writing.

Having spent three years messing about in boats, a hobby that included a five-thousand-mile trip in a 32-foot Nordic Tug, she now spends most of her time indoors happily reading, writing, cooking and keeping up with the antics of Ralph, her Siamese rescue cat.

If you want to learn more about her activities go to https://www.pamelagibsonwrites.com and sign up for her blog and quarterly newsletter. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, and Goodreads.

Scandal's Deception

Spotlight: Perfect Grump by Nicole Snow

Publication date: August 19th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow returns with a laugh-out-loud wild office romance where two total opposites fight to deny their perfect chemistry.

I’ve caught a raging case of bosshole.
Signing on as a company driver for Brandt Ideas felt like a dream.
Big-girl salary. Stellar benefits. Glorious people—minus one.
Nicholas Brandt was put on Earth to drive me insane.
Of course, he’s my bossman.

He spent the first month mistaking me for a dude.
Then he “apologized” with the grace of a drunken moose.
A perfect grump with a brutal reputation.
A heart-thief sculpted like a fallen angel.
A master at making me question all of my life decisions.

Why is it always the terrible ones who make a girl tingle?
The longer I’m stuck with Satan in endless Chicago traffic, the faster he wears me down.
When he needs a “date” at this rich-people charity dance, I crack.

I say yes.
I kiss my incurable, broken, off-limits boss—and God help me, I like it.
I invite disasters fated to rip my heart out.
And just when Nick Brandt can’t cut my life into tinier confetti, the unthinkable does.
Guess who wants to save me.
Now guess how much barbed wire I’ve got to keep Mr. Anti-Perfect in exile…

Full-length enemies-to-lovers romance overflowing with hilarious quips, teary-eyed twists, and slow-burn steam that sizzles off the pages. A magnificently bad-tempered boss pursues his spitfire driver in a knock down, claiming, need-you-to-live whirlwind to the Happily Ever After.

Excerpt

I’m in the arms of Chicago’s hottest billionaire bad boy. Only, he’s no bad boy, no scandalicious ticket to tabloid-worthy misadventures.

He’s morphed into Prince Charming. He’s too well-behaved.

I’m scared.

“Hey, Nick?” I whisper.

“Yeah?” His warm minty scent tickles my nostrils, a rich cologne tinged with a hint of his sweat and heady testosterone.

“What’s really going on?”

He looks down at me, his head tilted. “What do you mean? Last I checked, you lied about how much you suck at dancing, Reese. Everybody’s watching us and they love it.”

Not what I’m getting at.

I’m about to ask what I’m really here for tonight and why, because it’s obvious to me there’s more going on here.

This doesn’t add up, and it’s not my paranoia speaking.

Yes, I’m playing a part—his fake date.

I’m here, spinning in this beautiful ballroom, hanging on his arm. I’m not even freaking out as we fade into each other, as he enthralls me a little more with every breath, or when people start aiming their phones at us for pictures.

But this isn’t what we’re here for. I’m guessing everyone in this room has an opinion of Nick Brandt, one way or another. We’re not here to impress them.

Who, then? What? Why?

Before I can ask, the lights go lower. The dancing turns infectious, and we’re surrounded by gently twisting bodies, happy couples glued to each other’s eyes and following his lead. Our lead.

A few of those couples wear their desire, their love, full of longing looks and knowing glances and wandering hands.

Oh, God.

Maybe it’s the atmosphere or maybe it’s his smell, but before I know what I’m doing, I’ve leaned my head on his chest. And then I’m just lost in the moment, his willing captive, too overwhelmed for words when his thick hand caresses my face.

His fingers dip under my chin, urging me up to a beautiful doom.

It’s in those eyes. They glow like soft green stars, intense and urgent, asking a silent question—or is it a demand?

What will you do, Miss Halle? I hear him saying in my head. What will you do if I take that mouth right here? Right now?

My toes scrunch up in my shoes. Our movement slows, our eyes lock, our breaths turn heavy.

And when his gorgeous face sweeps down, so ready to devour me, I don’t even have a prayer.

Our lips collide like they’re opening a portal to another world, hot and wet and wild.

He tastes as good as he looks.

He deepens his kiss, drinking me in with a muffled groan.

He swipes his tongue in my mouth, chasing me, swinging between a litany of teases and filthy, claiming strokes.

The nip of teeth against my bottom lip makes me squeak—but holy flipping bossman, I don’t care.

All the tension that’s been choking us for months—all the magnetism since the day he truly met me as a woman at that office pizza party—boils up my throat and into my fingers.

I’m clinging to him, moaning, soaked and wanting and too stunned for words. He gives back a guttural noise that’s too much like the sound I imagine he’d make inside me.

Insanity, it’s nice to meet you—and that’s a big fat problem.

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About the Author

Nicole Snow is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She found her love of writing by hashing out love scenes on lunch breaks and plotting her great escape from boardrooms. Her work roared onto the indie romance scene in 2014 with her Grizzlies MC series.

Since then Snow aims for the very best in growly, heart-of-gold alpha heroes, unbelievable suspense, and swoon storms aplenty. With over a million books sold, she lives for the joy of making two people fight with every bit of their soul for a Happily Ever After.

Current fan favorites include her Enguard Protectors series, accidental love novels, plus long beloved MC romance thrillers like the Grizzlies and Deadly Pistols.

Connect:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7192004.Nicole_Snow

http://nicolesnowbooks.com/

https://twitter.com/Nicolesnowbooks

https://www.instagram.com/nicolesnowbooks/

https://www.facebook.com/nicolesnowbooks/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nicole-snow

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