Now Available: Lines of Fire by Janet Lane Walters

Lines of Fire
The Guild House - Defender's Hall

To honor a promise made to his dying father, Alric trains as a Defender. For some reason the Swordmaster wishes him gone and his first two bondings end in failure. A failed third one will see Alric banished. His meeting with the older daughter of the Swordmaster reveals a double heart bond, but she has been promised to Petan, the Swordmaster’s favorite. A duel is fought and though Alric can read Petan’s lines of fire, the other dueler cheats and nearly kills Alric. Petan is banished but he knows secret ways into Defenders Hall. Kalia, his now bondmate’s lines are tarnished. Not only do Alric and Kalia need to find Petan, they must learn how to cleanse her lines.

~ Available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AZB8R4A/

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Now available in one special edition, three romance novels by Janet Lane Walters: Choices, Gemstones, and Code Blue.

 

 

Choices

Previoulsy published as Come Into the Light

Johanna Gordon,  the Director of Nursing at Hudson Community hospital has never worked elsewhere. The hospital is her home. The CEO has plans and she suspects those plans will ruin the hospital and cause trouble with the nurses’ union. While delving into the problems, she is faced with other choices. Her social life suddenly expands with the arrival of an old love and the appearance of a new one. Her problems are now twofold. Can she save the hospital and can she choose the right man to bring happiness into her life?

Gemstones

When Nicola Gordon and her younger sisters travel from India to England, she goes to a marriage she doesn’t want.

Drew Barlow has no desire for marriage, but his distant cousin and Nicola’s grandfather, ran the estates into debt. Drew agrees to the marriage for the money and to please the Dowager, Nicola’s grandmother, but he has no trust for women or for love.

When the two meet they clash and come together, igniting a blazing attraction they cannot resist.

From Fallen Angels - Janet Lane Walter's latest book Gemstones is a stunning tale of the differences between two cultures, English and Indian, and what occurs when two different cultures clash. After the death of her father, eldest daughter Nicola Gordon must take charge of her family, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth, a budding flirt, and ten year old Margaret, a hoyden of the worst degree.

 

"Wonderful quick read. Characters are realistic and personable. Easily understood introduction to Indian culture and gods. Quick moving storyline. Not too wordy. Perfect length. Descriptions of time period, costumes, life, and cultures were great. I really liked this author's work. Will definitely look for her other books." 4 Stars, Amazon Reader ck93532

  

Code Blue

Previously published as Obsessions

When Susan finds the body of the hospital’s “gossip queen” in the orthopedic storage room, she doesn’t realize this is the first of a series of murders involving her colleagues or that her life is in danger. She is a widow and is exploring a new romantic relationship that promises love but she fears the man she is falling for is as controlling as her dead husband. The arrival of courtship gifts, at first, seen as innocuous soon takes on a sinister note.

"This book kept me on edge from the first page to the last. Several times I just 'knew' I'd figured out who the killer was, but each time, there was a bit of doubt there until the very last paragraph! I highly recommend this book. 4 Stars (Excellent!)" ~ Tracie's Book Reviews by Kathy's Faves and Raves

"A series of murders, suspense, action, a tad of love makes Code Blue an intriguing tale designed to mystify your mind. If you love mysteries, you'll love Janet Lane Walters newest release. 4 Stars!" ~ Just Views

"Fast-paced mainstream novel. . .Walters plots carefully, each scene constructed to perfection. For readers who enjoy being terrified, this is an author to turn to for entertainment. She tells all, while managing to create paranoia among the characters." ~ Affaire de Coeur 

~ Find this Special Edition here 

Be sure to enter our Sweet Treats Scavenger Hunt for your chance to win an eBook Reader or a gift basket from Books We Love! Find the details here: http://bookswelove.net/contest.php

Mountain Moonlight by Jane Toombs Excerpt

From our friends at Kindle Nation:

 

 An excerpt from Jane Toombs'
Mountain Moonlight

Plus a great selection of terrific reads from
Books We Love 

 

 A mother and son adventure in the mountains of the Southwest...

 ...sparks an unexpected rekindling of romance with an old flame...

 ...in this sweetly sexy novel from
Books We Love fave Jane Toombs.

 
Divorced mom Vala comes home to Apache Junction with her young son for a treasure hunt into the unfriendly territory known as the Superstitions.

Their wilderness guide is Bram, her heart's desire when she was just 16.

Will that night long ago that neither can forget bring them together or keep them apart?

Watch them meet again in this Free Kindle Nation Shorts excerpt from

Mountain Moonlight

by Jane Toombs

5.0 stars - 3 reviews

Kindle Price: $2.99

Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled

Here's the set-up:

Vala, now a divorcee, and her young son, Davis, arrive in Phoenix, Arizona, intending to hike into Superstition Mountain to follow an old map her son was given by an elderly Apache before he died. Davis believes it's a treasure map. Convinced by a camping outfitter that they need a guide, Vala checks the list on the store's bulletin board, and finds one name crossed out--Bram Hunter! Even though she left Phoenix with her family when she was sixteen, she's never forgotten him.

Which drives her to call the number listed.

Bram has no intention of guiding anyone anywhere right now, but he remembers Vala -- especially one night long ago -- and agrees to meet her.

5-star praise from Amazon readers:

Thoroughly enjoyable!
"...a well paced, romantic, story. A great day's read that left me smiling. ...sweetly sexy, with great supporting characters..."
Tugs at the Heartstrings"I love romances involving characters who were attracted to each other the past...The sizzling chemistry between Vala...and her high school crush Braun is set and ready when the two characters meet again years later. ... Davis, Vala's son who was sadly rejected by his father, adds a strong dash of tenderness to the story as well. This is a must-read romance! Bravo, Jane Toombs!"

an excerpt from

Mountain Moonlight

by Jane Toombs

Copyright © 2012 by Jane Toombs and published here with her permission

Chapter 1

"Apache Junction," Davis said as Vala stopped the rental car in front of a store advertising camping equipment. "That's a really cool name for a town, Mom."

Seeing his enthusiasm made her almost forget the hassle to get here--how she'd argued and pleaded for ten days off so they could fly to Arizona after the Christmas holidays, which she already knew she couldn't take off. Davis would have to miss a week or so of school, but that couldn't be helped. Finally her employer had rather begrudgingly given her the seven vacation days she had coming plus another three days leave of absence.

She was grateful she hadn't been fired. Heaven knows she needed the job. Since Neal's new wife had blessed him with a son last May, he tended to be careless about his child-support payments for Davis. He was equally careless about keeping in touch with his first-born son. Or maybe heartless was the right word.

Davis tugged at her arm. "Look!" He pointed. "That's it, that's Superstition Mountain."

She stared at the towering mass of rock--volcanic, she'd read somewhere--off to the northeast. It wasn't her first view of the mountain because she'd lived in Phoenix when she was young. Her thought now was the same as she'd had back then--Superstition Mountain didn't look real, thrusting up forbiddingly like it did in the middle of this flat land.

"I'm glad we came," Davis said, his gaze fixed on the mountain. "Really, really glad."

So was she. Davis probably believed he'd convinced her to make the trip because of his earnest arguments about how finding the treasure was going to make up for having to spend a lot of money to get to Arizona. She didn't intend to admit to her son that she was willing to do anything to keep the bright glow of enthusiasm in his eyes. Before John Mokesh had given him the old deer skin map, Davis hadn't been interested in anything. Even his Christmas computer game, one he wanted, failed to fill the bill.

Poor Mr. Mokesh had died in his sleep the night after he'd presented Davis with the map.

To her surprise, her son had accepted the old man's death without excessive grief, saying, "Mokesh told me it was his time to die. That's why he gave me his treasure map."

"Mom, you're lollygagging," Davis said. The word came from her father and probably from his father, but it had caught Davis's attention and he liked to use it.

"I was just thinking," she said.

He grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the store entrance. Once inside, Vala told the clerk, a tanned, healthy-looking woman with a long braid down her back, that she and her son planned to make a trip into the Superstitions. "But I don't know much about camping," she admitted, "and so I haven't the faintest idea what we'll need."

The clerk's eyebrows raised. "You're planning to trek into the Superstitions without knowing anything about camping? I hate to rain on your parade but that is not a good idea. Not without a guide. That mountain isn't greenhorn-friendly. Fact is, Superstition Mountain can't be called friendly to anyone."

"A guide?" Vala repeated. "How do I go about finding one?" She hadn't planned on any extra expenses but maybe guides took credit cards.

"We got a list posted." The woman jerked a thumb toward a bulletin board near the front of the store. "Names and phone numbers. We don't guarantee any of the guides but, as far as we've heard, they're all able to bring you out of the Superstitions in almost as good a shape as you were when you went in. Any one of them can tell you what you need to buy and we'll be more than glad to sell you whatever they recommend."

Thanking her, Vala went to take a look at the list while Davis roamed through the store, examining the camping gear. The third name on the guide list was crossed off. Perversely, she wondered why, leaning closer to see if she could make out the letters beneath the heavy dark line. Was it Bruce something? Or Brian? No, that was an "a" and then an "m" after the Br. She gasped, staring at the paper in disbelief. Bram! Was it possible? The last name certainly looked like Hunter.

Turning toward the clerk, she called, "What about this Bram Hunter? Why is he crossed off?"

The woman shrugged. "That's Bram for you. He only works when he feels like it."

Glancing at the list again, Vala took a pen from her bag and squinted at the paper as she wrote down the barely legible phone number, all the time telling herself it was a waste of time.

Bram had taken his name off the list, so why call him? She already knew he wasn't available as a guide and if she made the call for old time's sake, he probably wouldn't remember her anyway.

Why should he? She'd left Phoenix with her family when she was sixteen and, at that age, she'd been a bookish, mousy, overly shy girl.

He might not remember her but she'd never quite forgotten him. At eighteen Bram Hunter was the most devastatingly handsome boy in the school with just enough of a shadowed reputation to intrigue every girl she knew. Including her. Her mother, unlike the mothers of her friends, had never bothered to warn her to steer clear of Bram Hunter, believing Vala was too shy to speak to any boy. Her mother had been right--in a way. But there were some things her mother never found out.

Is it possible Bram recalls that night with the same awful clarity that I do? Vala wondered.



Bram Hunter lounged on his terrace, gazing at Camelback Mountain, absently stroking Sheba, the Siamese draped across his lap. The day was warm and sunny, no more than Phoenix deserved after a week of rain. He hoped the good weather held until Friday when he'd be leaving for the Caribbean.

A squeak from the depths of the house roused the Siamese and she leaped off his lap to hurry inside to her five tiny kittens.

Motherhood had certainly changed Sheba's personality-- tied to her kittens, she'd actually become a worrier. He hoped she'd regain her zany, carefree attitude once her brood was old enough to leave for homes of their own. He'd made mistakes in his life but luckily none of them had been the mistake of tying himself down to a wife and family.

Marriage had never been on his agenda. He yawned and settled back on the lounge. In less than a week he'd be scuba-diving off St. Amaris, one of the islands the tourists hadn't yet found. He hated crowds. He wouldn't mind a stray blonde or two to spice up the night life, though, the kind of woman who wasn't looking for any real involvement, just a few laughs. He smiled and closed his eyes.

The phone rang, jolting him. Muttering a curse, he rose and padded into the house, aware he'd left the answering machine turned off.

"Hunter," he growled into the phone.

"Uh, hello," a woman said. "This is Bram Hunter, isn't it?

He grunted an assent. When she didn't immediately continue, he said impatiently, "What was it you wanted?"

"I was wondering if you--that is, do you remember me?" Bram rolled his eyes. Guessing games. He hated cutesy. "How the hell do I know?"

There was a pause and then she said, "I'm Vala Channing."

Vala. For a long moment he forgot to breathe. She was the last person in the world he'd ever expected to hear from. "Yes," he said finally. "I remember you."

"I wasn't sure you would. I'm in Apache Junction and I happened to see your name on a guide list."

He frowned. "I thought I took my name off that list." "Well, it was crossed off."

After another pause, he said, "Are you living in Arizona now?"

"No. Davis and I--he's my son--are just visiting here."

So she was married. "Your husband's not with you?"

"I'm divorced."

I'm, not we're. Most people said we're divorced. Was that significant? Bram shook his head. Why should he care how she worded it?

"I was wondering," she added, then paused again. Evidently Vala hadn't conquered her shyness.

"What were you wondering?" he asked.

"Well, I know you're a guide. Would you be willing to tell me something about Superstition Mountain? Davis and I are planning to hike in there and I'm not much of a camper."

Bram scowled and his annoyance showed in his voice.

"The Superstitions are no place for amateur campers."

"I've already been told that. I was hoping you'd give me a few pointers."

Her persistence reminded him of another characteristic of Vala's--she was shy but stubborn. What the hell, he had time to spend an hour or so talking to her--it would take at least that long, he supposed, to convince her to try camping somewhere else. Besides, he was sort of curious to see what she looked like after fifteen years.

That didn't mean he was going to ask her into his home. Very few people even knew where he lived, much less got invited to visit. "You're in Apache Junction?" he asked.

"Yes."

"There's a cafe in town called Auntie Mame's. I'll meet you there in about forty-five minutes, okay?"

After hanging up, he didn't move for a minute or two. Vala Channing. At sixteen she'd been slender and fair-haired. Though not exactly pretty, there'd been something about her that caught his attention--maybe the somewhat exotic upward tilt to her blue eyes, eyes that reminded him of a spring sky, clear and unclouded. Or maybe the hesitant smile that lit her face on all-too-rare occasions.

It wasn't that he'd thought of her often over the years, because he hadn't. But, somehow, that one night they'd been together stuck in his memory with the tenacity of a cactus spine. And equally barbed.



In the booth at Auntie Mame's, Davis slurped the last of his chocolate shake through the straw and then eased back in his seat. "I still don't see why we can't just buy a tent and stuff and start off," he said. "We've got a map, haven't we?"

"Superstition Mountain isn't like the Catskills back home," Vala said. "I want Mr.

Hunter's advice before we go any farther." What she'd actually hoped was that, once Bram recognized her name, he might offer to be their guide even though he'd taken his name off the list.

His gruffness on the phone had convinced her that would never come to pass. In fact, after his go-away-and-don't- bother-me manner, she was surprised he'd even agreed to meet her here--a meeting she was looking forward to with both anticipation and trepidation. She touched her hair with nervous fingers and ran her tongue over her lips. Did she have time to go to the ladies room to check her lipstick again? Probably not, but there ought to be a mirror somewhere in her shoulder bag....

"Is that him?" Davis asked.

Vala stopped burrowing in her bag and glanced at the tall, dark-haired man striding toward their booth, suddenly finding she hardly had enough breath to say, "Yes," to Davis.

He stopped at the booth, his gaze holding hers for a long moment. "Vala," he said, nodding. Then he turned to look at her son. "I'm Bram Hunter," he said, "Do you mind if I sit next to you, Davis?"

"I guess not," Davis mumbled, sliding over to make room. Bram eased onto the seat, said,

"Coffee," to the approaching waitress and looked at Vala again. "Why the Superstitions?" he asked.

"It's a long story. Back in Westchester, where we live, Davis inherited a map from an old Apache."

"Ndee," Davis said almost inaudibly without looking at either of them.

Bram glanced at him. "Tell me about the man who gave you the map," he said to the boy.

"His name was Mokesh and he's dead." Davis ran the words together as though getting them out fast so he could withdraw into silence once again.

"He was Ndee?" Bram persisted.

Vala noted a glimmer of interest lighten her son's sullen face. "Mokesh said Apache was an enemy word."

"Do you know what Ndee means?" Bram asked.

Davis nodded. "The Dream People. I know lots about them. Like how their Thunder God makes Superstition Mountain his home. And about Swift Wind. And how the buffalo came to the Ndee."

Vala was amazed. Davis rarely spoke more than a word or two to strangers and then only if she insisted.

"Mokesh must have been a good friend of yours," Bram said.

"He was my best friend. And I was his. That's why he gave me the map when he knew it was his time to die."

"If you want to show it to me, I'd like to see the map."

"Sure. I got it right here in my pack." Davis unzipped the pack and removed the rolled deer skin wrapped in plastic. The waitress set Bram's coffee in front of him and he pushed it across the table toward Vala, shoving the other dishes aside, too, to make room to spread out the deer skin map. His attention was fixed on Davis, not once did he look at Vala.

Both he and Davis bent over the map, Davis pointing to the various strange and primitive markings and telling Bram what Mokesh had said about them. "He told me when I came to the X, I'd find my heart's desire. So then I knew it was a treasure map."

"Heart's desire," Bram repeated. "Mokesh didn't say treasure?"

Davis shook his head. "But what else could he mean?"

They've both forgotten me, Vala thought. I might as well not be here in the booth. Or even the cafe. Despite being pleased that Davis had taken to Bram, it miffed her a little to be so totally ignored.

"Mom said I ought to make a paper copy of the map on account of the deer skin's so old and cracked and all," Davis said, "so I did." He pulled the copy from his pack and handed it to Bram.

After comparing the copy to the original, Bram nodded. "Good job."

"I tried to be careful." Davis's pleasure at the praise showed in his voice.

It occurred to Vala that she had never once, in the years before or after their divorce, heard Neal praise his son. Quite the opposite. Neal always seemed to be pointing up Davis's flaws. Two left feet. All thumbs. A snail could run faster. Couldn't throw a ball straight if your life depended on it. The name of the game is to hit the ball. Neal blamed her. She couldn't count the times he'd said so, not caring whether Davis heard or not. Look at him-- short and skinny, takes after your side of the family, even to the glasses, just like your old man.

It was true her father wore glasses. Unfortunately for Davis, her bookish father was also disappointed in the boy because he wasn't much of a reader.

"So, are you going to help us find the treasure, Mr. Hunter?" Davis asked, startling Vala.

"Are you going to be our guide?"

She hadn't thought to caution her son not to mention guiding because she hadn't dreamed Davis would come far enough out of his shell to say any more than he had to-- certainly not to a stranger. She tensed, waiting for Bram's terse refusal--after all, he had crossed his name off the list.

Bram didn't reply immediately. Instead, he helped Davis roll up the deer skin. "I don't know if I can," he said at last, speaking to the boy rather than to Vala. "I've made plans that I'm not sure I can change."

He pulled a couple of bills from his pocket and jerked his head toward the electronic game at the back of the cafe. "Why don't you try your luck at zapping space monsters--my treat--

while I discuss things with your mother?"

Davis hesitated but when Vala didn't say anything, he took the money Bram offered, saying, "Okay. Thanks."

Both she and Bram watched him until he got the bills changed, reached the machine and fed in the money. When the beeps and whizzes and other exotic noises began, Bram abruptly faced her.

"What in hell are you thinking of, letting your son believe in that map?" he demanded.

"Or do you believe it in, too?" His tone implied that only a child or a fool would. Startled at his attack, Vala sat back and crossed her arms over her breasts. "I'm not saying the map will lead to treasure. But you must admit it is old. Like John Mokesh-- he was in his nineties. And he was also an Apache. If anyone knew Superstition Mountain in the past, the Apache did."

Bram scowled. "I don't doubt this Mokesh was old but that doesn't mean the map is.

Faking age with deer skin or paper isn't difficult. Do you have any idea how many different bogus maps of the Old Dutchman Mine are in circulation? I've personally seen at least twenty variations and God only knows how many copies of each variation have been circulated since Jacob Walz died in 1891. Walz was the old Dutchman, in case you don't remember."

"I never heard of Jacob Walz. Or the Old Dutchman Mine," she said indignantly. "What does that have to do with the map Mr. Mokesh gave my son?"

"Maps purporting to lead the way to treasure somewhere in the Superstitions are a dime a dozen. And not one of them worth a damn. Apparently people never ask themselves why, if the map leads to a gold mine, the person who sold it to them didn't use the map to find the gold himself. You're setting Davis up for a mighty big disappointment. Do you think that's fair?"

She glared at him. "You have no right to criticize what I'm doing. Especially when you haven't a clue as to the circumstances."

He glared right back at her. "What are the circumstances that would lead a mother to promise her son something she can't deliver?"

"I'm not promising Davis anything!" she cried, so furious at Bram's presumption that she forgot to be careful about what she said. "All I want is for him to be himself again. Except for John Mokesh, the map is the first thing my son has taken any real interest in for well over a year.

He believes in that map. Do you expect me to tell him it's a fake and then watch him slump back into apathy? Well, I'm damn well not going to!"

"Keep your voice down," Bram warned, increasing her annoyance even though she knew he was right. She didn't care about the others in the cafe but Davis mustn't hear any of this.

Bram put his arms on the table and leaned toward her. "What are you going to do, then?"

"Follow the map into the Superstitions," she snapped. "That's what Davis wants and so that's what we'll do."

Bram shook his head. "I see you're still as stubborn as ever."

She unfolded her arms and pushed his cup of coffee toward him. "I'm not stubborn, just determined to help my son in any way I can."

He ignored the coffee. "But will this be a help in the long run?"

Vala didn't answer immediately. "I can't deal with long range planning at the moment,"

she said finally. "I can only deal with today. I'm sorry to have bothered you--this is no concern of yours."

Belatedly realizing he probably was married, with children of his own, she added, "I guess I was so wound up in my own problems that I forgot everything else. I should have realized you'd have plans, this being a family time of year and all."

He half-smiled. "I'm one up on you--I didn't make the mistake of getting married.

Apparently it was a mistake?" Vala wasn't accustomed to sharing her private life with anyone but since he already knew she was divorced, why not admit the truth? It wasn't as though she was confessing her innermost secrets to a total stranger.

"A mistake, yes. Maybe not the worst I've ever made but right up there near the top. But some good came of it-- Davis."

"I like him." Surprise tinged Bram's words, whether because of the feeling or because he'd admitted to it, she wasn't sure.

She smiled, her anger at him gone. "So do I."

He smiled back and, for a moment, she felt something pass between them and go tingling along her nerves, making her feel more alive than she had in years. How could she have forgotten how dark his eyes were, or how he'd once made her feel when she'd gazed into them?

She'd best remember that looking into Bram's eyes could prove to be a dangerous occupation.

"Strange, you showing up in town," he said.

"Not any stranger than me seeing your name on that guide list," she countered.

"Next time I'll have to remember to use a darker pen when I cross it out."

His words made the moment of awareness vanish as if it had never been.

Vala didn't realize the electronic noises had ceased until Davis appeared at the booth and Bram slid over to make room.

"How'd you do?" Bram asked.

Davis shrugged. "So-so." He glanced at Vala, then back at Bram. "Did you decide?" he asked.

"You have to answer a question of mine first," Bram said. "Have you ever ridden a horse?"

"Sure," Davis said. "I learned two years ago at camp and I go to the same place every summer so I get to practice."

Bram looked at Vala. "You?"

Since she'd figured he'd ask her next, she'd already made up her mind what she had to do.

She nodded, avoiding Davis's eye.

"In that case," Bram said, "since I couldn't talk your mother out of the camping trip, it looks like it's up to me to keep you two greenhorns out of trouble."

"Yay!" Davis cried. "Can we start off right now?"

"Tomorrow morning early. You two have to get equipped first and I have to arrange for the horses and collect my own gear."

And cancel your plans, Vala thought, wondering what Bram was giving up to be their guide. After his lecture to her about fake maps, she was amazed he'd changed his mind and agreed to take them. Her glow of happiness was, she assured herself, for Davis's sake.

Once he'd finished supervising her purchases at the camping store, Bram left them, saying he'd come by their motel at six the next morning so they could follow him to the place where the horses were.

"Be ready to roll," he warned.

"We will," Davis promised fervently.

He was quiet on the ride back to the motel and so was she, going over and over in her mind that strange moment or two of silent communication between her and Bram. What did it mean? She took a deep breath and shook her head. Never mind what it meant, she had no intention of getting involved with any man. And certainly not Bram Hunter.

After they reached the motel and had carried all their purchases into their room, Davis said, "I didn't want to say anything before in case Mr. Hunter might change his mind. But, Mom, you lied to him."

Vala nodded. "I know. I suppose I ought to be sorry. It was in a good cause, though."

"He'll find out real soon," Davis warned her.

"Maybe not. At least not right away. After all, what's so difficult about riding a horse?"

Davis rolled his eyes. "Whoa. I can't believe you said that. You don't even know how to get on a horse."

"So you'll teach me how before tomorrow. I'm a quick study."

"I can tell you how to mount a horse," he said, "but there's a lot more to it than that.

"Mom, you're gonna be really, really sorry.

... Continued...

Download the entire book now to continue reading on Kindle!

Mountain Moonlight

by Jane Toombs

5.0 stars - 3 reviews

Kindle Price: $2.99

Text-to-Speech and Lending: Enabled

 

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When Susan finds the body of the hospital’s “gossip queen” in the orthopedic storage room, she doesn’t realize this is the first of a series of murders and that her life is in danger. She's a widow exploring a new relationship but is the man she's  falling for as controlling as her dead husband? His seemingly innocuous gifts begin to take on a sinister note.
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Free at Amazon June 7-8: Choices by Janet Lane Walters

Johanna Gordon,  the Director of Nursing at Hudson Community hospital has never worked elsewhere. The hospital is her home. The CEO has plans and she suspects those plans will ruin the hospital and cause trouble with the nurses’ union. While delving into the problems, she is faced with other choices. Her social life suddenly expands with the arrival of an old love and the appearance of a new one. Her problems are now twofold. Can she save the hospital and can she choose the right man to bring happiness into her life?

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Now available: Choices by Janet Lane Walters

Johanna Gordon,  the Director of Nursing at Hudson Community hospital has never worked elsewhere. The hospital is her home. The CEO has plans and she suspects those plans will ruin the hospital and cause trouble with the nurses’ union. While delving into the problems, she is faced with other choices. Her social life suddenly expands with the arrival of an old love and the appearance of a new one. Her problems are now twofold. Can she save the hospital and can she choose the right man to bring happiness into her life?

~ Find this title here

Free at Amazon May 17-18: Code Blue by Janet Lane Walters

When Susan finds the body of the hospital’s “gossip queen” in the orthopedic storage room, she doesn’t realize this is the first of a series of murders involving her colleagues or that her life is in danger. She is a widow and is exploring a new romantic relationship that promises love but she fears the man she is falling for is as controlling as her dead husband. The arrival of courtship gifts, at first, seen as innocuous soon takes on a sinister note.

"This book kept me on edge from the first page to the last. Several times I just 'knew' I'd figured out who the killer was, but each time, there was a bit of doubt there until the very last paragraph! I highly recommend this book. 4 Stars (Excellent!)" ~ Tracie's Book Reviews by Kathy's Faves and Raves

"A series of murders, suspense, action, a tad of love makes OBSESSIONS an intriguing tale designed to mystify your mind. If you love mysteries, you'll love Janet Lane Walters newest release. 4 Stars!" ~ Just Views

"Fast-paced mainstream novel. . .Walters plots carefully, each scene constructed to perfection. For readers who enjoy being terrified, this is an author to turn to for entertainment. She tells all, while managing to create paranoia among the characters." ~ Affaire de Coeur 

~ Find this title here

Now available: Code Blue by Janet Lane Walters

When Susan finds the body of the hospital’s “gossip queen” in the orthopedic storage room, she doesn’t realize this is the first of a series of murders involving her colleagues or that her life is in danger. She is a widow and is exploring a new romantic relationship that promises love but she fears the man she is falling for is as controlling as her dead husband. The arrival of courtship gifts, at first, seen as innocuous soon takes on a sinister note.

"This book kept me on edge from the first page to the last. Several times I just 'knew' I'd figured out who the killer was, but each time, there was a bit of doubt there until the very last paragraph! I highly recommend this book. 4 Stars (Excellent!)" ~ Tracie's Book Reviews by Kathy's Faves and Raves

"A series of murders, suspense, action, a tad of love makes OBSESSIONS an intriguing tale designed to mystify your mind. If you love mysteries, you'll love Janet Lane Walters newest release. 4 Stars!" ~ Just Views

"Fast-paced mainstream novel. . .Walters plots carefully, each scene constructed to perfection. For readers who enjoy being terrified, this is an author to turn to for entertainment. She tells all, while managing to create paranoia among the characters." ~ Affaire de Coeur 

~ Find this title here

Free at Amazon Thurs. Mar. 29

Red Magic by Juliet Waldron

Red-headed Caterina von Velsen, a tomboy and superb horsewoman, detests her older sister's husband-to-be.  Christoph von Hagen is handsome and brave, but he is also a Casanova, a man with a reputation that stretches from his mountain manor all the way to Vienna.  When Caterina’s older sister dies in a riding accident only a week before her wedding, Caterina is forced to take her place. She now belongs to a man she firmly believes to be “a cold-hearted rake.”

There is magic in Christoph’s lonely mountain home, as well as in the locket Caterina’s aunt gave her long ago.  Misunderstandings and preconceptions hinder the coming of true love, as well as the strange attraction she feels toward her husband’s magnetic, foreign horse master. Set in 18^th Century Germany, RED MAGIC tells the story of a young woman’s transition from rebellious girl to adored--and adoring--wife.  

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Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch

Rose Cottage hides a dark secret known only to Harry Davidson and his two dogs.  The thatched cottage lies nestled among the rolling hills of picturesque West Sussex, England.  Constable Alaister McMaster of the Sussex Constabulary stumbles across a fragment of broken china that opens up an investigation leading him to Rose Cottage.  Due to  his loyalty to a good friend he agonizes over a moral dilemma which prompts the investigation to turn to a new suspect – himself.
 

~ Find this title here

A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters

Liz Jordan’s life is hectic. With twin sons who have never known their father, a new job and her reliable sitter moving to Florida, she has no time for live. Her new job allows her to move her boys from the city to a safer environment. At least she hopes so but an older neighbor boy brings trouble. Add widower Alex Carter, neurosurgeon and the hospital’s most eligible bachelor and the problems escalate. Can she afford to admit she’s found love a second time? Can he when he believes his first marriage was perfect?

"A Double Opposition is an enjoyable read. The author has nicely weaved in the hospital nursing staff dynamics. When I read about Dr Alex's undecipherable handwriting and his pushback to use computers, it bubbled up for me fun memories and laughter. Alex's habit to "speak first, then think", not understanding women from his Mars lookout, and the energy of the 9 year old twins is reality. I am going to buy more of Janet's books." ~ 5 Stars, S.C., Amazon Reader and Verified Purchase

~ Find this title here

Carousel by Barbara Baldwin

Jaci Eastman is inadvertently drawn through time to 1874 when she photographs a restored carousel. She lands at Wildwood horse farm and must rely on the good graces of its owner, Nicholas Westbrooke.

Nicholas is a man who likes routine, but Jaci unwittingly shatters his illusions about women, passion and love. She tells stories of flying machines and teaches science to his niece. She's outrageous in her dress, manners and language, and yet he finds her irresistible.

Jaci has always believed only reality can be photographed. But then she falls in love with Nicholas. When he begins carving the exact horse that transported her through time, will she use it to return to the present, or stay and create a new reality?

"Wow. Double Wow! Carousel is an outstanding book…I loved that when the passion got intense between the two, Nicholas never forgot his honor as a gentleman with Jaci." ~ Cheryl, 5 Angels and Recommended Read by Fallen Angel Reviews

"Barbara Baldwin just put another keeper on my bookshelf. Jaci is independent and just what the strong, sexy, and oh so enticing Nicholas needs. I loved this book! Sexy and the romance is steeped deep so that you fall in love with her characters and can't help but cheer for them." ~Simply Romance Reviews

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Free at Amazon Monday March 19

The Witch
War-N-Wit, Inc. Book 1 by Gail Roughton

Ariel Anson thinks she has her life in order.  She's young, smart, and beautiful, even if she doesn't believe the beautiful part. She's a paralegal with a great career and a fiancé who's a CPA. You just can't get any steadier than that. Then she meets private investigator, bounty hunter, process server Chad Garrett. What does War-N-Wit, Inc. stand for anyway?  Warlock and Witch? For real? Oh, yes! For real. Her life as she knows it is over!  

 

"War-N-Wit, Inc. The Witch is a delightful romance filled with humor and adventure. From the first page on, Ms. Roughton held me captive and I couldn't wait to see what happened." ~ Roseanne Dowell, author of Time to Love Again, Designed for Love and Secrets, Lies and Love

~ Find Gail's titles here 

Gemstones by Janet Lane Walters

When Nicola Gordon and her younger sisters travel from India to England, she goes to a marriage she doesn’t want.

Drew Barlow has no desire for marriage, but his distant cousin and Nicola’s grandfather, ran the estates into debt. Drew agrees to the marriage for the money and to please the Dowager, Nicola’s grandmother, but he has no trust for women or for love.

When the two meet they clash and come together, igniting a blazing attraction they cannot resist.

From Fallen Angels - Janet Lane Walter's latest book Gemstones is a stunning tale of the differences between two cultures, English and Indian, and what occurs when two different cultures clash. After the death of her father, eldest daughter Nicola Gordon must take charge of her family, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth, a budding flirt, and ten year old Margaret, a hoyden of the worst degree. 

 

"Wonderful quick read. Characters are realistic and personable. Easily understood introduction to Indian culture and gods. Quick moving storyline. Not too wordy. Perfect length. Descriptions of time period, costumes, life, and cultures were great. I really liked this author's work. Will definitely look for her other books." 4 Stars, Amazon Reader ck93532

~ Find Janet's titles here 

High Maintenance by Jamie Hill

Deidre North is enjoying a ski vacation with her family after Christmas, when an accident sidelines her from the slopes with a cast on her leg. She's depressed about spending another New Year's Eve alone, until she meets the lodge's handsome maintenance man. Rick Beaufort is good with his hands, but is he smooth enough to convince this high maintenance woman to take a chance on him?

 

~ Find Jamie's titles here

Deadly Betrayal by Jude Pittman

Jude Pittman returns with another book in her popular Indian Creek Texas series, more sensual, more mysterious, Deadly Betrayal will keep you glued to your seat.

"DEADLY BETRAYAL is a fabulous mixture of Texas humor, heart-pounding action, sexy nuances and mounting suspense. There's plenty of excitement, plenty of intrigue, a local flavor to tickle the toughest of taste buds and a good serving of hot, steamy romance to titillate the senses. I found the main characters in this contemporary murder mystery artfully created and surprisingly colorful. Kelly is relentlessness personified and his sweet, Texan manners made him very endearing to this reader. Stella is a sassy firecracker, fun to follow. I am quite sure that reading the first book in the series would behoove someone wanting a full appreciation of the characters and their back story. And, having read this offering, the third book will be much anticipated. A realistic and immensely satisfying story!" ~ Heather, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

~ Find Jude's titles here 

Ten Past Midnight by Jane Toombs

Six stories and three poems on the dark side of paranormal. Everything from ghouls to the heart-eating Egyptian beast who decides one's  fate.  Even the touches of romance are definitely different. But what traveler can expect the norm when on the wrong side of midnight?

         Ten past midnight

         All's not well.

         Every road leads right 

         To hell...

~ Find Jane's titles here

Free at Amazon Friday March 9

Killer Karma by Lee Killough

Inspector Cole Dunavan finds himself in the middle of a parking garage with no memory except of his murder. After remembering who he is and accepting that he is now a ghost, he has more problems. He is a ghost with no idea how being a ghost works. No one sees or hears him. He cannot move objects and initially cannot move through closed doors. He learns to his horror that his body has not been found, and everyone thinks he has run off with a woman who is actually an informant. A woman whose life he may have put in danger. He must save her, find his killer, and show his wife he has remained faithful.

"Killough keeps the action driving forward, but does not neglect character development. We get to know our protagonist's loved ones, and to care about them. We begin to understand why the antagonists do what they do. Will there be any justice? Will anyone find out what happened to him, or will they believe the false report circulating? And if they do find out, what then? Killough does not give us easy answers. The climax of Killer Karma is a marvelous crescendo, both complex and poignant." ~ Sherwood Smith

 

"Killough has created more than a paranormal police procedural here. This is a novel about love and redemption, about friendship and possibility. Any reader who enjoys a good mystery with strong psychological elements, compelling characters, and a fascinating storyline will relish this one. I highly recommend it." ~ Pari Noskin Taichert, Fresh Fiction web site

~ Find Lee's titles here

 

 

A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters

Liz Jordan’s life is hectic. With twin sons who have never known their father, a new job and her reliable sitter moving to Florida, she has no time for live. Her new job allows her to move her boys from the city to a safer environment. At least she hopes so but an older neighbor boy brings trouble. Add widower Alex Carter, neurosurgeon and the hospital’s most eligible bachelor and the problems escalate. Can she afford to admit she’s found love a second time? Can he when he believes his first marriage was perfect?

"A Double Opposition is an enjoyable read. The author has nicely weaved in the hospital nursing staff dynamics. When I read about Dr Alex's undecipherable handwriting and his pushback to use computers, it bubbled up for me fun memories and laughter. Alex's habit to "speak first, then think", not understanding women from his Mars lookout, and the energy of the 9 year old twins is reality. I am going to buy more of Janet's books." ~ 5 Stars, S.C., Amazon Reader and Verified Purchase

~ Find Janet's titles here

 

The Fisherman's Daughter by Sydell Voeller

Psychology professor Vanessa Paris receives word that her father has disappeared from his fishing boat in Puget Sound and rushes to her childhood home in the San Juan Islands to try to help find him. Tragedy has been no stranger to Vanessa--years ago her mother died and more recently, her brother. The possibility of losing her father now is almost too much to bear.
 

But when Vanessa arrives at the family owned tourist lodge, she meets Lowell Maxwell, who offers to help her search for her father. Back in high school, Vanessa harbored a secret, unrequited crush on Lowell. Now, he's a tough, jaded cop on leave from L.A., working for her father as a carpenter on a temporary basis, and even more dangerously appealing. 

Vanessa and Lowell are like sunshine and darkness. Despite her losses, she focuses on positive action and the good in people. Lowell, however, chases down the bad guys, flirts with danger, sometimes even death--and he's determined he'll soon return to the force in L.A.  

Is there still a chance of finding Vanessa's father alive and well? Can she take a chance on loving Lowell, risking the possibility of his dying too? And what is the dark secret that has driven him back home, a secret that has convinced him there's no longer any room in his heart for love?  

 

"Sydell Voeller has a magic touch with description.  I could almost feel the sea spray misting my face as Vanessa Paris sailed across Puget Sound and hear the splash of water as the crab pots were hauled in and the day's catch tallied.  Oh, yes, and the rustic mailboxes with wild blackberries growing nearby.  What a lovely place to live.  And I got to visit there for a while." ~- Kathy Ishcomer, Under the Covers Book Reviews 

~ Find Sydell's titles here

Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
 
In the summer of 1966, Richard Franklin Speck, a twenty-two year old Ordinary Seaman, waiting for a berth aboard a merchant ship, murdered eight student nurses inside a townhouse in South Chicago, shocking the surrounding hardworking, religious community to its very core. 

 
Twenty years later, Carly Rocket and her business partner, Mike, find themselves inside Stateville Correctional Facility hired to cast extras for a Hollywood movie. Unbeknownst to her, Speck is one of Stateville’s inmates. His infamous murders took place only blocks from her childhood home leaving her with deep emotional wounds. Discovering that Speck is enjoying his life behind bars, Carly is outraged and conspires with a guard to make a video tape of Speck’s uninhibited life in an attempt to change prison regulations. But it backfires, and suddenly Carly finds herself in danger of becoming Speck’s ninth victim.

"Trusting Evil is a very different kind of suspense novel, a true original, revolving around the heinous crimes of one Richard Speck who tortured, raped and murdered 8 student nurses on July 14, 1966, in Chicago. Speck had Born to Raise Hell tattoed on his arm. All of that is true. Every word. And what is fictional in the novel rings true as well. This is a heartfelt, inspired novel written by Mary Leo, who lived in that time, very near to where it all happened.

Carly Rockett was a young girl, in love with Ringo Star and living the normal life of a teenager when the crimes occurred, and changed her life forever. She is haunted by the brutal murders throughout the rest of her childhood and into adulthood. She is traumatized by what she perceives as her own part in what happened. Only whiskey can fog the horrid memories, and not even then. She is obsessed by Richard Speck. Her life is spiralling downword fast. Carly works in the movie business, and one day finds herself filming a movie inside the very prison where Richard Franklin Speck, in all his ugliness, lives quite happily. Leo portrays with a chilling vividness scenes that make you want to look away, though you cannot.

The prose is fast moving, and as spare as Hemingway’s. The dialogue brilliant, the descriptions and sensory details, always just enough to pull the reader into the story and hold them fast until the last word. It’s more than that, though. It’s also a love story. I promise you, you won’t be able to put Trusting Evil down, and, like Carly, you’ll be haunted by this gripping story long after you’ve read the last word.

Highly recommended." ~ Joan Hall Hovey, Author

~ Find Mary's titles here