This blog is for those 18 and older.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Happy 2021

 

Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!
Well, Christmas has come and gone and we are looking 2021 square in the eye. It’s been a strange year and if I say it seemed to go slowly, yet flew by at the same time, I think you would understand.
Our holiday was lovely. Quiet. Just the DH and I. We had lasagna, which is my traditional Christmas dinner (because I just can’t do turkey a month apart, as much as I love it). I also made my famous (well, in my circle anyway) cheesecake. I watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Christmas Eve, another tradition I’ve been doing for 30 some odd years. You know, every year, I promise myself I won’t cry at the end and every year, I do. I doubt that will change in the years to come. Something about that movie just grabs my heart and squeezes.
So, as I was saying, 2020 has been a very strange year…And yet, I’ve learned some things about myself.
I am a social person…more than I realized. I have a small circle of friends who are very dear to me…quite frankly, I love them. I’ve missed seeing them…and when that “missing” gets to be too much, I will engage a perfect stranger in the supermarket parking lot (physically distanced, of course, and masked) for a short conversation just to hear someone else’s voice.
I’m a hugger by nature and I think I miss that most of all (hahaha—the poor dogs have been on the receiving end of all the hugs I miss giving…I’m not sure if they like it or not, although I will admit, I’ve seen them running when they see me coming with that look in my eye).
Zoom and Duo calls are the not the same as being there, but they will certainly do in a pinch. Emails, too. Since being more or less home-bound for the past couple months, I frequently check up on friends via an email…just a short “Are you okay” email and a couple lines on how I’m doing. I try to do that on a weekly or semi-weekly basis.
I’ve learned that yes, I can work from home (I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough discipline but it turns out, I do).
I’ve learned how much I depend on my DH for nothing other than being there and making me laugh when I become too stressed. I will admit that we have gotten closer and that’s saying something…we’ll be married forty years next month!
And I will celebrate the New Year, again, quietly, just the DH and I and hope that 2021 will be a better year for everyone.
In the meantime, I remain, as always, so grateful…for so many things.
Wishing you all joy and peace, today and always. Happy holidays!
 Stay well! Stay safe! And remember, be kind!

Marie

Monday, December 28, 2020

UNDER THE MISTLETOE: MEDIUM & STEAMY ROMANCE HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA ~ Hosted by BookSweeps is Live!

 


Today, I have a fun surprise to share with you...

I’ve teamed up with 50+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Medium & Steamy Romances to 2 lucky winners!

Oh, and did I mention the Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader? 😁 

You can win my novel TEMPTATIONS OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE, plus books from authors like Samantha Chase and Dani Collins.

Enter the giveaway by clicking here 👉 bit.ly/SteamyRomance-Dec2020

Good luck and enjoy!  The contest runs through Wednesday, January 6, 2021.


Always, 😊

Lexi






Sunday, December 27, 2020

Upcoming Release - ROGUE HUNTER by Louise Rose-Innes

 


Rogue Hunter

A British Special Ops Military Romance

(SAS Rogue Unit, Book 7)

By

Louise Rose-Innes



Releasing January 2, 2021 - Preorder now!




~ Blurb ~ 


Drake’s military career is over. This job protecting a wealthy socialite is all that’s on offer.
How hard can it be, right?
Wrong.
Izzy Beaumont is like nobody he’s ever met before. Wild, spoiled, sexy – but also secretly vulnerable, he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
When she’s kidnapped, he’ll stop at nothing to get her back. Even if it means putting himself in the firing line.

Kidnapped by pirates?
Really?
She thought that stuff only happened in movies.
Yet, here she is, imprisoned on this rust bucket in the middle of the Atlantic, instead of on her friend’s party yacht in Tenerife.
Just when she thinks it’s all over, Drake, her mysterious bodyguard, comes bursting in. The strong, silent type, she’s been trying to get him to open up for weeks. Seeing him standing there, a dripping sea-god with abs harder than barnacles and eyes the color of the ocean, she knows that instead of rescuing her, he’s captured her body and soul.

This is a sizzling military-tinged "falling for the bodyguard" romance by Amazon bestselling author, Louise Rose-Innes. This is book 7 in the SAS Rogue Unit series but can be read as a standalone. It has pirates, warring tribes, sizzling chemistry, conspiracies, betrayals, double-crosses, and plot twists galore! Oh, and a happily ever after, of course.


Buy Links ~ 

AMAZON US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HPRZJVR

AMAZON UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HPRZJVR


About the Author ~



Louise is an English author of romantic suspense & cozy mysteries.  She lives in leafy Surrey and when she isn't writing, can be found walking through the countryside or kayaking on the river Thames.

She loves to write about brave, warm-hearted men and the feisty, independent women who love them.  Her romantic suspense novels are usually set in exotic or dangerous destinations such as West Africa, the Caribbean, Mozambique, and Middle Eastern war zones.  Her cozy mysteries are typically English and set in a fictional Surrey village.




Author Contact Info ~


www.louiseroseinnes.com

https://www.facebook.com/louiseroseinnes

https://www.instagram.com/louiseroseinnes/

https://twitter.com/LouiseRoseInnes


Friday, December 25, 2020

Veronica Reviews ~ THE EARL OF CHRISTMAS PAST by Kerrigan Byrne

 




The Earl of Christmas Past


(A Goode Girls Romance, Book 5)


by


Kerrigan Byrne





★★★★★

5 Stars



Historical/Paranormal Romance (Novella)






Stranded in the middle of the wilds of the Scottish Highlands during

a blizzard, Vanessa Latimer is half frozen and agrees to stay in the only offered room at the inn…one that just happens to be haunted…


Johnathan de Lohr, once a decorated soldier and earl, lost his life in the battle of Culloden.  After over a hundred years, he is still at a loss how his spirit became trapped in an inn he never visited.  With the holiday solstice, Johnathan once again awakens, but this time there is a beautiful woman in the room…one that may be the very woman he’s waited for his entire existence…


Vanessa and Johnathan are soulmates that sadly didn’t have a chance to discover each other in one life…but perhaps a Christmas miracle will allow true love to find a way…


Kerrigan Byrne is on my auto read list!  This holiday short was so whimsically romantic and verra smexxy that I immediately started reading it over when I got to The End.  Loved and highly recommend!


Sharing what I love, 



Veronica

 



**I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book that I received via the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

A Mistletoe Kiss (A Tangled Charms Romance) by Jennifer Faye

The village of Marietta has everything for a perfect Christmas, falling snow, soft lights around the streets, and Suzanna Simms who can't help violate her own commitment of being single for this year's holiday.

Suzanna has been around the block on the almost-married circuit and wants peace this year.  Her artsy knick-knack store, Tangled Charms, will keep her plenty busy along with friends and family.

Jake Hamilton, her new next-door neighbor, feels the same way about getting tangled up in a relationship.  He has his furry St Bernard to keep him company during dinners of pizza and to-go food.

It's just funny how they keep running into each other, needing assistance with lights or carrying groceries, and sneaking extra opportunities to informally end up together.  

Somehow, Suzanna and Jake end up together, no strings attached, at her parents for dinner.  Family, thinking she needs a boyfriend, assume they're together.  And then the fun really starts as Jake and Suzanna fake it through the holiday season.

Pay attention to when the "faking" is real.  It's hard to pick the right episode, whether it's the contagious smile, the slip of his arm around her waist, or a trip to the ice skating rink!  

Enjoy,

Dawn Kunda  

 

Sunday, December 20, 2020

FINDING HOPE (A Colorado Veterans Christmas) by Tiffani Lynn

 



Finding Hope

(A Colorado Veterans Christmas)

by 

Tiffani Lynn






Blurb ~ 

Marine Corps veteran, Cy McMullen walked away from his life, and everyone he loved, never looking back. Suffering from severe PTSD from his time overseas has left him socially crippled and emotionally damaged. With limited coping skills and an inability to trust anyone, he now lives a hopeless, solitary life on the streets.

Registered Nurse, Rosie Rossi recently moved to Colorado Springs to be near her sister, after a forced estrangement that lasted nearly two decades. She loves spending time with her sister and family, but she needs something to call her own as she struggles to deal with the ghosts of her own past. She soon finds purpose in volunteering at the local Veteran's homeless shelter. 

One cold December afternoon, circumstance pushes Rosie and Cy together in a way that forces them to come to terms with things they've long since avoided. An unlikely friendship blossoms between the two with a warmth that could melt even the most frozen of hearts. 

In a season where miracles are born, fate chose to bring these two lonely, broken people together to heal one another. The pain of the past is the only thing standing in their way, but they both have been given a gift, something they thought was gone forever... hope.


Buy Links ~       


Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UYR3tI

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2JhKznk

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3l9D8eW

iBooks: https://apple.co/33hs21s




~ About the Author ~


The west coast of Florida is home for Tiffani and her family. She’s a music loving, baseball adoring, crazed hockey fan who enjoys writing spicy romance novels.


 



Where you can find Tiffani ~


Twitter: @tiffanilynn74
Military Romance Book Lovers Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3dtWRnm




Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Ugly Mask Contest

 

Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!
This year has been…strange, odd, difficult (fill in your own word here), and yet, we are persevering and trying to make the best of it. I know I am. Yes, I’m struggling with not being able to see friends like I would like, but all in all, I’m managing. As my mother always said “It’s better than a sharp stick in the eye” and really, who could argue with that?
I am still going into the office two days a week (properly masked and practicing physical distancing…not very hard because I see an average of ten people while I’m there. That’s it and most of those are down the hall and we wave, but that all.)
I’m very fortunate that I work for a really good company and even though we don’t see each other, there are Team meetings and so forth. This year, in lieu of our annual Christmas party and walk down “North Pole Way”, we are doing other things…such as…an Ugly Mask Contest. Now, I’m sure you’re familiar with this concept…we’ve all heard about Ugly Sweater contest and I’ve personally participated in an Ugly Tie contest, but this is a first for me; however, it sounds like fun.
I was trying to think on how to make an ugly mask even uglier. I asked my DH , but he really had no suggestions. I asked a couple other people and got some good ideas and it finally hit me when I went grocery shopping. As I was checking out, I saw a string of lights that go around your neck and well, one thought led to another and voila!
This is the finished product. I used little bows, jingle bells, sequins and those lights. I like it. I can even make the lights flash! Now, I’m not
saying this is even in contention with my workmates….I have some very talented people on my team, but for me, it isn’t bad (although looking at this picture, I find a number of ways to improve upon what I have and make it even uglier!). 
Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!
Marie

Sunday, December 13, 2020

New Release ~ LAWSON & JILL by Caitlyn O'Leary

 

  



 Lawson and Jill

A Night Storm Legacy Novel, Book 1

(Offshoot of the Night Storm Series, Books 1-4)

by

Caitlyn O’Leary










Synopsis ~ 

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠?

Sick and tired of being sick and tired, Lawson Thorne knows he needs help, but it’s difficult for a Marine Raider to admit. But seeing someone you love, someone so strong, break? Makes a man think hard about walking a different path.

Jill Keiler knows heartache, up close and personal. She has closed in on herself, and she doesn’t know how to open up anymore. When she sees Law, she immediately knows he’s a kindred spirit.

Can two people who have been through the fire find solace in one another’s arms? Perhaps even find laughter again? 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭, 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴?

3 Chapters and a new epilogue have been added since the release in the Danger and Desire Anthology.  Only $2.99


Buy Links ~

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35qAewM

iBooks: https://apple.co/2SDdfbI

B&N: https://bit.ly/3ntBBCU

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3nuYvd5


About the Author ~      

Caitlyn O’Leary is an avid reader and considers herself a fan first and an author second. She reads a wide variety of genres but finds herself going back to happily-ever-afters. Getting a chance to write, after years in corporate America is a dream come true. She hopes her stories provide the kind of entertainment and escape she has found from some of her favorite authors.  Don’t forget to join her Facebook Reader Group, Caitlyn O’Leary’s Crew, where you can watch Caitlyn and her hubby do their occasional comedy routines…oh yeah….LIVE shows.  



~ Keep up with Caitlyn O'Leary ~


Facebook: tinyurl.com/nuhvey2

Twitter: @CaitlynOLearyNA

Pinterest: tinyurl.com/q36uohc

Goodreads: tinyurl.com/nqy66h7

Website: www.caitlynoleary.com

Email: caitlyn@caitlynoleary.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1WIhRup

Instagram: http://bit.ly/29WaNIh

FB Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3jIOm9F