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Author Kirsty Ferry is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today I am delighted to welcome Kirsty Ferry who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel,  Spring at Taigh Fallon … over to you Kirsty!

Spring at Taigh Fallon

“They slid into two or three other dances at which they seemed to become less and less proficient, until, during the Lomond Waltz, they suddenly found their rhythm, Angel held firmly in Kyle’s arms.

It felt quite nice. She closed her eyes, and found herself moving easily, choreographed perfectly in a dance that seemed to be made for them. All thoughts of him spoiling Taigh Fallon drifted out of her mind, and she was in another place, another time…

‘Connor is watching,’ she said, giggling. ‘See him! Oh Alasdair, see your poor brother.’ She peeped over his shoulder and smiled at the man standing at the edge of the ballroom. Connor raised his glass at her as she was whisked away, turning circle after circle …

She snapped her eyes open, back in the church hall – or rather she wasn’t. She was being waltzed out of the door, into the cooler evening air. There was a little knot garden – some sort of apothecary’s garden, she assumed, filled with healing plants in little beds, and the scent of mint and rosemary tickled her nose.

‘At last. Fresh air. That was some workout,’ Kyle said. He released her and it was a moment before her head stopped spinning to match her body. ‘We seem to be the perfect dance partners, if nothing else.’

‘Yes. We were well-matched in there.’ She broke off a mint leaf and crumbled it between her fingers, inhaling its scent. ‘Neither of us were very good.’

‘Until the end.’ Amusement coloured his voice. ‘Anyway, the reason I brought you out here, was because I don’t beat about the bush. We didn’t get off to a good start. We don’t like each other and we barely tolerate one another. However—’ And before Angel could protest, he grabbed her to him and kissed her. Just as swiftly, he let her go and she stumbled a little, wondering whether she had dreamed it. But no – her lips felt hot and she was breathing in the tang of his aftershave, the scent overlaying the herbs that surrounded her.”

Kirsty Ferry says, “Spring at Taigh Fallon is the second book in my new Tempest Sisters series for Choc Lit. These stories are a bit of a departure from my normal novels, as they are, on the whole, contemporary – but this one, Angel’s story, has a touch of the Gothic and a wee bit of a timeslip involved. I couldn’t resist it, and when you meet Angel, and if you know how much I love Wuthering Heights, you’ll hopefully understand why the story has that sort of thread running through it! The extract above is when Angel forms a tentative truce with Kyle, her best friend’s cousin, and a man she has previously done nothing but argue with. But you know what they say; where passion is concerned, hate can be pretty close to love…”

OO the fine line between love and hate is always intriguing! Thank you for sharing your wonderful extract Kirsty!

Discover more about Spring at Taigh Fallon

From old secrets come new beginnings …

When Angel Tempest finds out that her best friend Zac has inherited a Scottish mansion, Taigh Fallon, from his great aunt, she immediately offers to go and visit it with him. It will mean closing up her jet jewellery shop in Whitby for a few days but the prospect of a spring trip to the Scottish Highlands is too tempting.

Then Kyle, Zac’s estranged and slightly grumpy Canadian cousin, unexpectedly turns up at Taigh Fallon, and events take a strange turn as the long-kept secrets of the old house begin to reveal themselves …

Part of the Tempest Sisters series, which can be read in any order.

Published by: Choc Lit.
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Kirsty Ferry is from the North East of England and won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009 with the ghostly tale ‘Enchantment’.

Her timeslip novel, ‘Some Veil Did Fall’, a paranormal romance set in Whitby, was published by Choc Lit in Autumn 2014. This was followed by another Choc Lit timeslip, ‘The Girl in the Painting’ in February 2016. ‘The Girl in the Photograph’, published in March 2017, completes the Rossetti Mysteries series. The experience of signing ‘Some Veil Did Fall’ in a quirky bookshop in the midst of Goth Weekend in Whitby, dressed as a recently undead person was one of the highlights of her writing career so far!

Kirsty’s first timeslip novel ‘The Memory of Snow’, commended in the Northern Writers’ Awards, is set on Hadrian’s Wall, with the vampire tale ‘Refuge’ set on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. She has also put together a collection of short stories, a non-fiction collection of articles and writes Gothic Fiction under the pen name Cathryn Ramsay.

Kirsty has had articles and short stories published in Your Cat, Peoples Friend, Ghost Voices, The Weekly News and It’s Fate, and her short stories appear in several anthologies. She was a judge in the Paws ‘n’ Claws ‘Wild and Free’ Children’s Story competition in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and graduated from Northumbria University in December 2016, having achieved a Masters with Distinction in Creative Writing.

You can follow Kirsty, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter | website | blog

Don’t miss author Morton S Gray #SharingTheLove with an extract from The Girl on the Beach on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Sue McDonagh is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts and magic moments from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am excited to welcome Sue McDonagh, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel Summer at the Art Cafe, and a preview extract from her new book,  Meet Me at the Art Cafe … over to you Sue!

 

Summer at the Art Cafe

“Counting to 40, she walked purposefully out of the building, turning a sharp left towards the test compound, and walked straight into Ash peering round the corner of the building.

‘Oof, sorry!’ she spluttered, clutching his arm to save herself from falling. ‘I just wanted to see how he got on.’

‘Me too,’ muttered Ash, his eyes on the compound. ‘I don’t want him to see us in case it puts him off.’

He pulled her in front of him so they could both see, and it was several moments before Lucy realised he was still holding her arm. For a heart-stopping moment, she wondered what it would be like to lean back into his comforting presence, feel his arms encircle her and gather her into an embrace.

She shook herself. Get a grip, woman!

‘Cold?’ he asked, releasing her arm as if he’d only just noticed it there.

She shook her head.

‘No. Nerves.’ It wasn’t really a lie, she thought.”

OO I loved this, thank you, Sue!

Discover more about Summer at the Art Cafe:

From watercolours and cupcakes to leather jackets and freedom …

If you won a gorgeous purple motorbike, and your domineering husband said you were too fat for leathers and should sell it, would you do as you were told – or learn to ride it in secret?

Artist and café owner Lucy Daumier intends to do just that – but learning to ride is far from easy, especially under the critical eye of prickly motorcycle instructor, Ash Connor.
But gradually Lucy gets the hang of it, and in the process re-discovers the girl she used to be. So starts an exciting summer of new friendships and fun – as well as a realisation that there is more to Ash than meets the eye when she is introduced to his seven-year-old daughter, Daisy.

But can Lucy’s new-found happiness last when a spiteful family member wants to see her fail?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

As an extra treat Sue is also #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, Meet Me at the Art Cafe:

“As they reached the sea where it lapped untidily against the shoreline, she handed Liam an apple and tucked him into her side on the grassy bank.

‘Once upon a time,’ she began, looking across the calm turquoise water, ‘there was a little girl with sticky up black hair that never went where it was supposed to, no matter how many times it was brushed, or how many clips and bows her mummy put in it. But her daddy loved her just exactly as she was, and never tried to change her.’

‘Are there dragons in this story, Mummy?’

‘Do you want there to be dragons?’

‘Not really.’ Liam leaned against her, and nibbled at his apple. ‘Sometimes I do. But not today. Who is the little girl?’

‘Well, it was me. This is a story about me. Is that okay?’

Liam nodded. ‘Okay. I prefer proper stories, really. Out of a book. But it’s okay.’ He patted her thigh with a sticky hand and she chuckled.

‘My daddy used to find things, and then fix them.’

‘Like you!’ Liam fixed her with his wide eyes.

‘Yes, a bit like me, only my daddy fixed things with engines. He was ever so clever. But he did make a bit of a mess.’

‘You’re messy too.’ Liam nodded sagely, and Jo rolled her eyes. How had she ended up with such a tidy child?

‘It’s called “creativity”, actually,’ she responded. ‘Anyway. I used to help my daddy to fix things in his garage, but Mummy always wanted to take me out. In little dresses. And white socks. Yuk!’

‘Yuk,’ agreed Liam, through a mouthful of apple. ‘Where is he now, your daddy? Is he in space?’

‘Erm, well, he sort of is, darling, because he’s in heaven now.’”

Thanks, Sue. I could feel the love between the characters!

Discover more about Meet Me at the Art Cafe:

Would you take a chance on a bad boy with a leather jacket and a vintage motorbike?

That’s the question single mum Jo Morris has to ask herself when she collides with local bike mechanic Ed Griffiths on a rainy Welsh hillside. Working at the Art Café, Jo hears the gossip and is all too aware of Ed’s reputation.

But whilst he’s certainly no angel, there is something about Ed’s daredevil antics that Jo can’t ignore. And as she gets to know him better and watches the kind way he deals with her young son Liam, she begins to wonder – is there more to this ‘bad boy’ than meets the eye?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Preorder the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Sue McDonagh says, “Arty, biking, writing granny, that’s me! Living on the Welsh coast, right at the bottom before it plops into the sea, I was a policewoman in Essex before I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a very early age.

“Thanks to my amazing family and friends, I made a full recovery, left the police, met the man I then married and went to live in semi-rural Wales – okay, I thought it was semi-rural after living in Essex. I mean, you had to drive fifteen miles to get to a Marks and Sparks. Where on earth did people buy their knickers? All right, it was a small town that thought it was a village. And it had a beach.

“I fell in love with it, along with the two adorable little boys I inherited. They inspired my passion for painting children, and subsequent career change as portrait painter. I’ve even been on the tv!

“The beach formed a huge part of my life, and I trained as a beach lifeguard, patrolling the beach and competing on the single ski. That all stopped when I needed a hip replacement and found carrying equipment too painful. Not to be outdone, I and three pals did a 45 mile walk and raised over £10,000 for Cancer Research, and not long after that, I decided I’d learn to ride a motorbike.

“That was a huge and entertaining learning curve, and has inspired my debut novel, Summer at the Art Cafe. I’m on my second hip now, still riding my 1000cc red Honda, and I’ve made some of my most enduring friendships through biking.

“I hope you enjoy reading about my characters and their stories. Some of my life has inevitably given birth to some of theirs, but their personalities are all their own, and I keep expecting to see them in the local supermarket or on the beach! Please leave me a nice review if you did enjoy it – it helps other readers to decide whether they might like to read it too 🙂 xx”

Discover more about Sue McDonagh here: Twitter |  Facebook | blog

Don’t miss author Kirsty Ferry #SharingTheLove with an extract from Spring at Taigh Fallon, on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Berni Stevens is #SharingTheLove

Book Review, Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am pleased to welcome Berni Stevens, with an extract from her novel,  Revenge is Sweet. Berni kindly sent over two extracts for this post, allowing my YA daughter, who is a HUGE fan, to choose which was posted. Amelia delighted in selecting this one, saying, “I love this bit!” And I can see why …

Revenge is Sweet

“Will

Elinor came towards me like an exquisite dream. Tonight she is absolutely breath-taking, not that vampires have breath to take, although the sentiment remains the same.

The ivory dress clung to her tiny frame, only to flare out near her ankles in tiers of flimsy material. Her slim shoulders were bare, and the diamond pendant I had given her for a wedding present sparkled with cold blue fire against her creamy skin.

Someone had curled her glorious waist-length hair, and twined dark red rosebuds amongst the bright copper curls, to match the roses she carried. Tonight she even wore make-up, and her eyes shone like sapphire stars when she looked up at me from beneath darkened eyelashes. Truly, I have never seen her look more beautiful, or more enchanting. She could ask me for anything in the world at this moment and I would do everything in my power to get it.

Luke took Elinor’s left hand from his arm, and placed it in mine. Her hand felt so tiny, so fragile, and it trembled a little. She is so precious to me, I am forever thankful the fates made our paths cross.”

Ellie

Leaning down to whisper in my ear, Will said, ‘I think Vivienne is safe from the refund demand.’

I smiled, and he continued, ‘You look so enchantingly beautiful, I am speechless.

‘Doesn’t sound like it, Mr Spooky,’ I whispered back.

‘Still being cheeky, soon-to-be Mrs Spooky.’

A small laugh burst from me, and the tension immediately left my body. The registrar peered at me over the top of his half-moon glasses with a surprised look.

Anyone who has ever attended a civil ceremony as opposed to a more formal ceremony in church, will know how short the civil one is. One moment you’re single, the next you’re married. It all seemed a bit of a blur actually. I could only think about Will, and how incredibly handsome he looked.

He always looked good enough to eat, no matter what he wore, but tonight he had dressed in a black tux, dazzling white wing-collared shirt, and black silk bow-tie. The only colour about him was the vivid green of his amazing eyes.

When we came to the moment where we had to exchange rings, Stevie handed my ring to Will, who slipped it on my finger, and then raised my hand to his lips.

‘Ti amerò per l’éternità,’ he said softly. ‘I will love you for eternity.’”

Thank you for #SharingTheLove Berni, and for the fact my mum kudos goes up just by knowing you! Amelia’s guest review of Berni’s Immortals of London series can be found here.

Discover more about Revenge is Sweet (Book 2 in the Immortals of London Series): 

Hell hath no fury like a vampire seeking revenge …

Life hasn’t been exactly normal for Ellie since she became a vampire. Although joining the legion of the undead was always going to take some getting used to, even if you are the partner of Will Austen, the Elder of London.

But when Daniel, a fifteen-year-old fledgling vampire, unexpectedly turns up at Ellie’s and Will’s Highgate home, things start getting very strange – and more than a little scary.

Events take a devastating turn as a mystery troublemaker leaves behind a trail of carnage – and it soon becomes clear they will stop at nothing to get the Elder’s attention, even if it involves hurting the person he cherishes the most …

But when it comes to Ellie, Will Austen is the wrong vampire to mess with.

Genre: Fantasy / Vampires
Publisher: Choc Lit
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Berni Stevens lives in a 400-year-old cottage with her husband, black cat, four goldfish who think they’re piranha, and occasionally her son when he comes back for some TLC. She trained in graphic design, and has worked as a book cover designer for over twenty years.

Her love of paranormal fiction began at school when she first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and she’s been a fan of the fanged ever since. She is on the committee and the book panel of The Dracula Society – a literary society for fans of gothic literature and film.

Dance Until Dawn, a paranormal romance, was Berni’s UK debut with Choc Lit, published 7th April 2014. Revenge is Sweet, the sequel, was published in eBook format on 12th July 2016. Now the third novel in the trilogy is well under way, with a story that centres on a lovelorn werewolf!

Berni has several short stories published in various anthologies; romantic, gothic and sometimes just plain fantasy!

Follow Berni Stevens and discover more about her work here: Twitter | Facebook

Don’t miss author Sue McDonagh #SharingTheLove on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Angela Britnell is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am delighted to welcome Angela Britnell, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, Here Comes the Best Man  … over to you Angela!

Here Comes the Best Man

“‘Sorry the transport’s not fancy.’ Josh opened the truck door. ‘I didn’t expect to be ferrying any ladies around on this trip.’

‘You mean you’ve managed to entice other women into your luxurious vehicle?’ Louise joked in an effort to allay her nervousness. Lingering memories of last night’s rendezvous in the park made her body hum. ‘It suits you.’

‘Battered around the edges, in need of a paint job and a little rusty around the undercarriage?’

‘You said it, not me. My thoughts ran more on the lines of unpretentious and hard-working.’

A wide grin creased his face. ‘Hop in and we’ll see if she’ll start.’

‘I hope we’re still talking about the truck?’

‘You are trouble.’

‘Have you only now worked that one out, Mr Robertson?’

‘Sweetheart, I knew you were a threat to my sanity the day I set eyes on you.’ His delicious, low drawl made her skin suddenly too tight for her body.”

OO I loved this extract, Angela. Thank you for sharing, I have Here Comes the Best Man on my kindle and look forward to reading it, soon. 

Discover more about Here Comes the Best Man:

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow. But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day. Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Angela Britnell grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Twitter |  Facebook | website | Instagram |

Don’t miss author Berni Stevens #SharingTheLove with an extract from Revenge is Sweet, on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Author Jackie Ladbury is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

To kick us off I am delighted to welcome Jackie Ladbury who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, The Magic Of Stars … over to you Jackie!

The Magic Of Stars

“Their eyes locked as she looked up into his face.

‘Seatbelt?’ he asked, his voice unusually husky.

His fingers tightened their grip on her upper arms and she shivered at his touch. She’d never heard the word seatbelt sound so inviting.

‘Seatbelt,’ she repeated. The single word hitched in her throat as if she had run a marathon. ‘Right,’ she said, staying exactly as she was, pressed into Marco’s warm chest. Her shivering increased, but she didn’t think it was because of the cold. The urge to stay snuggled up to him was overwhelming, his touch sending vibes of tingling awareness radiating through her body.

Damn it, the breathiness was still there. Something shifted between them as she held his gaze. It was no more than a look, but it was enough to set Sapphire’s heart pitter-pattering.

Marco picked at a lock of wet hair that was sticking to her cheek and held it between his fingers for a second before tucking it behind her ear. Realising that he had behaved slightly inappropriately, he pushed himself forward to address the driver. ‘To the Caledonian, please.’”

Thank you for sharing your wonderful extract Jackie, I think my heart is pitter-pattering now too!

Discover more about The Magic of Stars:

Sapphire Montrose always felt like a loser in the struggle of life, but when she becomes the airline manager of a run-down airline she starts to believe she is a winner – until she unwittingly propositions her new boss and all her hard work is undone.

In a moment of recklessness air stewardess, Sapphire Montrose throws caution and her dress to the wind by propositioning a handsome stranger in a hotel in Florence, only to find herself waking up alone and embarrassed in her hotel room.

Unfortunately for Sapphire, it turns out that her new boss, Marco Cavarelli, is the man she failed to seduce and she is now fighting for her job and her self-respect when he tells her there is no place in his revamped airline for an alcoholic woman with lascivious tendencies. To make matters worse she is increasingly attracted to him and he seems to be giving out the same vibes. Or is he simply testing her? One wrong move could be the end of her career. But what if he really is offering love – and is he worth the risk?

Shortlisted in the Harper Collins Flirty Fiction competition!

Genre: Romantic comedy
Buy the book Amazon Uk | Amazon.com |

About the author:

Jackie Ladbury writes heart-warming contemporary and historical women’s fiction that is always guaranteed a happy ever after. From spending many years as an air-stewardess and seeing that it really is love that makes the world go around, she determined to put the same sparkle and emotion into her stories. Her life is no longer as exotic (or chaotic) as it was in those heady days of flying as she now lives a quiet life in Hertfordshire with her family and two cats, spending her days making up stories and finding excuses not to go to the gym.

You can follow Jackie, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter | website | Amazon

Don’t miss author Angela Britnell #SharingTheLove on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.