Love Like Dandelion Roots by Katie Nelson

Moving back to your small hometown can be a bit nerve racking.  It's great to revisit your youthful memories, but the questions of "What brings you back?" can get annoying and embarrassing.

 Melissa, Mel, returns to Aspen Hill, Minnesota and its two stop light intersections.  To be around her mother and father is a treat, and amazingly, a job as a grade school teacher falls in her lap.  Not too bad of a start.

When her father falls ill, Mel jumps to help at the gas station he owns of which she had worked during high school.

 It is unavoidable in a small town to not bump into her former flame, Trey.  He was more than a fling.  He had pulled her out of her shyness and had created a relationship she had thought was promising.  That ended as fast as it started.

Now, Trey's son is in her classroom and Trey is in the gas station.

There may be a lot of explaining to do, so is it worth the time and understanding?  That's how love works.  Patience, time, getting to know one another, and an undeniable heart flutter does so much!

Happy reading,

Dawn

The Accidental Inheritance by Cate Woods

 Sacramento to Dithercott, England is quite the lifetime move.  Cassidy Beeswhistle's family lineage started here in a grand castle along with the Beeswhistle Inn, and her decision is made rather quickly after her father's passing. 

Cassidy's profession as a Cordon blue chef had puddled out.  Her eleven-year-old daughter didn't fit in at school, so nothing stopped Cassidy from wasting no time in purchasing the Inn unseen to start a happier and more productive life for both.

The Inn held a lot of unimaginable surprises upon arrival.  Heart sinking, Cassidy mentally tallied the time and money to fix the Inn.  A glimpse of the family's former castle didn't help her mind ease because the castle had been lost two hundred years ago in a hasty gambling bet.  

The majority of the English community didn't welcome the American taking over the Inn, yet she found a friend in Angeline and her daughter, Jim, the vicarage, and possibly Ned, the current owner of the castle.

Cassidy rarely made time for relationships with men, but now she had interest in two men.  Jim's personality exuded friendship and delight from day one, and it was a chore to get to know Ned.  

Take the easy mark or make it another task?  Only the heart can figure this riddle out.  

With little spare time while opening the Inn, battling a local sabotage on her profession, assuring happiness for her daughter, and figuring men out, it's a pot filled road to the end of Cassidy's to-do list.  Romance and love will find its own way to the heart! 

Happy reading,

Dawn

Rent Yourself An Elf by Savannah Scott

 Not too late for a great Christmas story.  Don't forget Easter is just around the corner and the holidays are related!  For whatever reason, I was in the mood to read this.

It's a delightful rom-com, and Noelle has a problem with Christmas.  It's not that she doesn't like it, but rather it was always centered around her grandmother who has passed and left her home for Noelle as an inheritance.

The house is old and needs a few minor repairs.  As a grade school teacher, Noelle has little time to do much more than plan to teach and teach.  She squeezes in a few dinners with her best friends.

They surprise her with an elf because she needs entertainment other than just work.  

His name is Liam.

Liam is a handyman for hire, wearing a Santa hat for the occasion, and appears at Noelle's door to do handywork for two days.  He's too busy and consumed with his trade to think about women.  

Noelle isn't perfect like her sister.  Yet, Liam notices everything good about her immediately.  

The kindling is set for the fire.

When she gets herself in a pickle over needing a date for a family event, let's see if Liam can fill the ticket. 

The match is lit and will the fire burn?!

 It's a feel-good read and can be enjoyed even without decorations and snow for the holiday!

Happy reading,

Dawn

  

A Woman to Admire

     

       Hello, gentle readers! Hope you are all well and staying safe!

        Yesterday, my DH and I attended a birthday celebration for a dear friend. She’s 98. Yes, you read that right. 98! But one would never know that to look at her or talk to her. She doesn’t look 98. Not at all. She doesn’t act it either.

She is young at heart and she is stunning. Beyond beautiful. When we saw her yesterday, her hair and makeup were perfect and she was dressed to the nines and that wasn’t because it was her birthday. She dresses like this every day. She has a collection of hats that she wears whenever she goes out…and not just any hats…these are the wide-brimmed fashionable hats of a bygone era when women wore gloves and didn’t dare step out of their homes without looking their absolute best.

The woman has boundless energy, too. Her own personal fountain of youth, it would seem, hidden somewhere inside. I get tired just watching her! At this age, she is still very active in her community, attending chamber of commerce meetings to help small businesses grow (she was a small business owner at one time), traveling to visit her children and grandchildren (and yes, great grandchildren), posts twice a day (at least) on Facebook (always uplifting, inspirational messages—she calls her Facebook friends ‘her peeps’, which is adorable. She’s adorable!), reaches out to those who need help, and volunteers with hospice and one of the local mental health agencies here.

This is a woman who has lived and lived well. That’s not to say she didn’t have hard times because everyone does, but no one would ever know that in speaking with her. Every hard time was a lesson to be kinder and that’s how she looked at it. She learned that lesson well because she is kindness itself. 

And love. She exudes love…there’s no other way to say it. And I do love this woman. She is no relation. Like I said, a friend, but she has never treated me as anything other than another daughter and my DH as a son.

Did I mention she gives the best hugs? I was happy to receive several of her famous hugs yesterday!

As I watched her greet her guests, moving through the crowd with infinite grace and uncommon style (there were a lot of guests—she is well loved), I thought…not only is this woman someone to admire, but also someone to emulate. She is the grand dame, the matriarch, the queen, and I am so fortunate to be part of her world. Happy birthday, my friend!

Stay well! Stay safe! And remember to spread kindness wherever you go!

Marie

The Do Over by Sharon Peterson

 My last review was beautiful and serious, so now it's time for a lot of fun.  A kettle full of laughs is necessary to get through the dingy, brown days of late winter.

Perci is a people-pleaser, starting with her mom, and then her boyfriend, Brent, and all others. 

Apparently, Brent is too hard to please. 

I want to tell you, as a reader, how Brent broke-up with Perci, but I can't.  I had to put the book down and wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes.  For Perci, I want to smack him, but I can't deny the humor.  

She has a change in her romantic relationship, changes her job because she works with Brent, and the other life changes are all done by keeping a sense of humor in life. 

Perci, in her late twenties, is my kind of woman.  She loves her forget-the-rules grandma, loves chocolate, and is working on the idea of loving herself.

Hot-Man-Next-Door, Nate, gets involved.  And a good thing he does.  He's accidentally what Perci needs and wants and should have.  With all the sudden changes in her life and happenings in the family, Nate pulls Perci through with the best of kisses and tulips (two-lips).  Those are kind of the same, but not really:)

Laugh and love,

Dawn

 

YA JUST GOTTA WONDER.

 

Hey gang, hi ya, how are ya?  Good, I hope.  Well, I’ve been MIA because I’ve been working hard, but wanted to stick my head in with a quick, little story that will make you go, “HUH?" 

It did me.  LOL 

I went to the lab the other day for the yearly, much-dreaded, mammogram... and yes, that's the way I look at the machine too...like it's my arch nemesis. Anyway, I’ve done these for many years—probably have not had hundreds of them, but certainly dozens—and they never get any better.  I don’t think the technique has improved one iota since my very first one. 

Now, to be fair, I’m certain the technology and accuracy has improved, but not the technique as experienced from my end. Hence, my firm belief that it is all men behind the development of this method—which I am certain would be significantly improved (fast) if men had to use the same methodology on their “equipment”.  Could someone propose that at the next user meeting…please! 

Okay, I digress.  Since the process has not improved one stupid millimeter, I’m not going to go into detail here—we all get it.  But if you want to see a blog I wrote a few years ago about my mammo, here is a link to that one.  😊  Enjoy…then come back here and read about the head-scratching moment I encountered at this year’s appointment. 

Link to Old Blog Post

Now, as I was saying, I had a WTF moment at this year’s mammo appointment.  All went as it always has—compassionate woman administered the test, reminded me to remove the BB’s, and all was good. But on my way OUT of the clinic, I encountered a handwritten sign in all capital letters, using red ink, taped to the inside of the door that read as follows: 

THIS DOOR EXIT ONLY!

Now, I have to surmise that there was a big problem with this door being used as an entrance instead of an exit—hence, the handwritten sign that someone felt needed to be posted (and with emphasis). 

But I’m not sure the solution, as implemented, truly yields a lot of improvement. 

Wouldn’t you think you would stop more “entering” violators by posting this sign on the outside of the door?  I actually checked outside and there were no signs anywhere…only on the inside. 

HUH!  

I sure hope the person who posted this sign isn’t responsible for anything truly important...like testing or reading results. Perhaps there is a special position for Coordinator of Handwritten Door Warnings. 

One can only hope.

Well, that’s my story, confused and confounding, and I’m stickin’ to it. Hang on tight now ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya,  

Be sure to sign up for Kayce’s newsletter and get a couple of free ebooks at:

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Note:  If you already have the free books, sign up anyway so you don’t miss any shenanigans—and be sure to forward the link to all your friends who might want to join us.

 

 

A Single Rose by Muriel Barbery

Rose, A Japanese woman in the middle of her mundane life and living in America, receives the announcement of her father's death.  She doesn't know her father as she was brought up by her mother and grandmother.  An invitation to her father's reading of the will is reluctantly accepted.

The catch to going to Kyoto, Japan for the finality of her father's wishes is she must be accompanied by her father's assistant, Paul.  

Paul is finishing his service to Rose's father as a guide for her in the Japanese culture.  

The scenery and habits in Kyoto are a deep breath of beauty and thinking about what is really around a person.  The descriptions of gardens, restaurants, and historical monuments bring the reader into the story.  

Paul has a sensitivity to the beauty around him, which gradually creates a closeness between him and his client's daughter.    

This calm read is perfect for Valentine's Day.  Appreciate the grandness around you of simple things.  Anything small can become an influence on the peace and love available to all.

Love what you read,

Dawn

The Midwife and the Orc by Finley Fenn

 Sex, Sex, Sex!  That's what happens on Orc Mountain.

Part of many things, but that's probably the most fun part.

The lord's daughter, Gwyn Garret, certainly isn't innocent.  She's been betrothed to Roy for years and wants to dump him.  He's a scoundrel.  She wants to move to the home she inherited from her aunt right at the foot of Orc Mountain. She's a midwife, a botanist, and just wants a free life.

Joarr is a threat to her move.  He's part of Orc Mountain, a creature/man who can make any woman want him.  His aggressive moves and best sex, whether on a table, in a tree, or while being hunted, will make Gwyn's resolution to say no fail.  

The lord father has made a law against Orc men and the woman copulating. When Gwyn discovers what Joaar can do with his sex and the rest of his body, she understands resisting is impossible.  

Not only that, but Joaar has a reason to use her.  It's only fair to mention that Gwyn is using him, too.  

So what's the problem?  Joaar is hunted by the lord and his village, Gwyn is hunted by Roy and the Orcs, and they both have hidden agendas.  It's all fair if they excuse one betrayal for another along with finding a tender moment between all the hot and heavy sex.

A tantalizing story from a series, so sit by the fire and enjoy!

 Dawn

Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score

 When everyone figures out that working in teams can result in a lot more answers and happiness, we'll find a much more loving world.

Nash Morgan, Chief of police of Knockemout, VA, is the leader of a team.  He has a hard time communicating since he was shot and can't remember what happened.  That must be terrible.  He feels he can't do his job, shutting his mind away from others, and a woman isn't in the cards. 

Studly-Do-Right is what Lina calls him.  Good looking and a pain in her ass.  Especially since she is kindly offered to rent the room next to Nash's.  Her purpose for being in town is strictly work, related to the work Nash has at hand.  She can't let him know.  She likes to love 'em and leave 'em, so it's not her style to be sentimental and honest with men.  

Something is different in Knockemout right now.  An attempted murder on the chief of police, a missing and insured classic sports car, and Nash and Lina both after the same guy.

They can't avoid each other forever.  

Each run-in creates heat.  

If the fire ignites, they can share investigative evidence.

If the fire ignites, they can share each other.  

Unlikely.  Nash and Lina are both against the tingles of sensation that bounce between each other.  Sometimes a weakness can make a strong alliance.  

This is a scorcher of a romantic suspense.  The search for the criminals, and the love and romance have one problem after another.  As long as all, or at least most, of the problems are resolved, Nash and Lina can make a truce to allow themselves happiness.

Enjoy your read,

Dawn

A NEW YEAR, SO MANY NEW CHANCES.

 

Hey, gang, how the hell are ya?  Doing good here, just busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm with jock itch.  And let me tell you…that is busy! 

So, in case you missed it, we’ve moved into a new year…365 new chances to get it right.  Oh wait…today is the 12^th, so I guess that means there are only 354 chances left. Guess I better get on it. 

Spoiler Alert:  (In 354 days, the option renews for us lucky enough to make it that far. YAY!  Alright, it’s a date then…we all meet back here same time next year to see how well we used those chances.  K?)  

What have I been doing, you ask?  Well…I’m working on a new story. I am elbows-deep in the newest Dallas Bradshaws book.  What’s it about?  Uh…hot cowboys.  DUH!  Shhh…don’t tell anyone, but I’m writing it for the next BMG Kickstarter campaign that will kick off later this year. Squeee!!!  I repeat…shhh…it’s a secret, so DO NOT tell anyone yet.  But it’s gonna be suhweet!!!  (More information to follow…stay tuned.) 

Another thing I did about a week ago was babysit for my granddogs Zeus and Zoe.  Zoe is just the sweetest thing ever and she basically found the biggest pillow and the warmest blanket she could find, and then she snuggled in to watch TV with me.  Zeus...not so much. Yep, Zeus is the guy who only likes the lady in the bedroom, and that trend continues. Although he did screw up once and jumped into my lap to hang out with me while I was in the living room chair. When he later realized his error, he again donned his terrified face and went back to hiding behind the rocker.  But I was clever and texted my grandson to sneak out to the living room quietly because I needed a witness.  

And, as you can see to the right, I also have a picture to prove his duplicitous nature.  So, Zeus is now going to have a lot of trouble selling the idea that he’s really terrified of the woman in the living room. I know…one mistake and you pay for that forever.  Again, I remind you—he is not right. 

What else? Hmmm…let’s see…I went with my sis and some of her partners in crime to Medieval Times last week.  OMG, how much fun was that!  Gorgeous, well-trained horses, birds of prey, and sizzling hot Knights with swords and axes. Be still, my freaking heart!  That is totally my brand of F-U-N all rolled up with H-O-T…and the wine wasn’t bad either.  A good time was had by all…and no, contrary to what you may have heard, we did not take any of their knights hostage. 

It’s my story, I’m tellin’ it my way.  😊 

Okay, back to the new year.  I have to ask…what are you going to do with all those new chances you’ve been given to get things right?  Are you going to be kinder, be stronger, take some ass-kicking classes, work harder, play like a rock star, read faster, learn how to sleep in a hammock, laugh more, practice laughing until you cry, save more, spend it like you got it, travel more, stay home and lock the doors, visit family more, host dinners for friends, sell the welcome mat, exercise more (uh…no), relax more, lose weight (yes, please), drink less alcohol (say it ain’t so!), eat more veggies, find an excellent place to hide your hoarded twinkies, get more organized, let it all hang out, spend less, blow the wad, buy an aardvark, sell a giraffe, cook more, eat out more, sleep more, stay awake until the cows come home, fall in love, dump the arse, get pregnant, pray you’re not pregnant, clean your house, hire a maid, mow the lawn more often, hire a gardener, eat less junk food, stock up on twinkies in preparation for the Zombie Apocalypse? 

So, what’s your poison? 

What are you hoping to accomplish in the new year?

 

Me? I’m hoping to lose a little weight, get a little more organized, do more traveling, have a lot more fun, and write a lot more books, and maybe even sell that giraffe.  I guess that means I’m going to have to learn how to write on a plane with a laptop that has two screens, while I drink my low-calorie alcoholic beverage for lunch. Hmmm…I think I can learn to do that. As for the giraffe…well, no one meets all their New Year’s resolutions, do they?

Whaddayathink?  Can I do it? 

Whatever your goals are, whatever your plans are, I wish you the best of years.  May your enemies be few, your challenges defeated and your dreams realized.  

HAVE THE BEST YEAR EVER!

Well, that’s my story, naughty and nonsensical, and I’m stickin’ to it. Hang on tight now ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya,  

Be sure to sign up for Kayce’s newsletter and get a couple of free
ebooks at: 

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Note:  If you already have the free books, sign up anyway so you don’t miss any shenanigans—and be sure to forward the link to all your friends who might want to join us.  Its gonna be a F-U-N year!

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A HOTEL WITH A WATER FEATURE?

 

Hey Howdy, Gang!  I hope everyone is doing absolutely outstanding, that you are moving fast, getting’ shi… er… stuff done, and are ready for the upcoming holidays.  I can’t wait! Even though I’m totally not ready. 

Oh well, it will come whether I’m ready or not.  But I do have my tree up.  😊  I’m smiling because anyone who knows me well knows that my tree stays up all year.  Why?  Because I ADORE Christmas and because I absolutely detest rework.  LOL  But I do see that my sweet angel is leaning just a bit.  I’ll have to get a broom and bump her back into position.  

Okay, first let me apologize for being MIA.  I have been working a big Kickstarter project for the Butterscotch Martini Girls (as you probably already know).  And I now know why they named the platform Kickstarter…because it started kicking my you-know-what on Day 1!  So when I survived it, one of the first things I did was grab my buddy Dani Petrone and we headed up to Flagstaff to do a little resting, eating, drinking, brainstorming…and then more of the same. 

…And this is where things really went off the rails.  We checked into a hotel I have stayed in many times before, but I haven’t been there since COVID.  Well, just like some people I know, the hotel didn’t fare all that well through the pandemic.  In fact, our first clue that something might be amiss was when we pulled into the parking lot and noticed it looked like the place hadn’t been raked, trimmed, or cleaned up in a couple of months. Not a good start.  Sigh. 

Hmmm…maybe they don’t have any rakes, trimmers, or mowers. 

Lobby seemed fine, as it was decorated nicely with a warm and welcoming fire in the fireplace. Oh-kay, no reason to panic. Then we checked in and parked around back to be near the outside entrance that was closest to our room. Hmmm…back parking lot TOTALLY empty…and I mean TOTALLY.  I’ve never experienced that at this hotel before. 

I’m starting to itch. 

So, we park close to the entrance, which happens to be next to the dumpster. Okay, I left a couple of empty spaces between me and the trash, then we unload a couple of suitcases and head inside. Clue Number TWO came when we got inside, took the elevator up to the third floor, exited and rounded the corner to find two refrigerators sitting randomly in the little lounge area and a mop bucket sitting right in the middle of the hallway. It was impossible to tell if there was mopping in progress or a leak in the roof, so we crossed our fingers and continued down the hallway. 

The itching is escalating. 

We find our room easily, unlock the door and enter through the gates of HELL…and the fires of hell must be blazing because our room is H.O.T!!!  Like probably 82 degrees and the fan is a crankin’.  OMG, I immediately start searching for the thermostat as I am stripping.  Of course, again…anyone who knows me knows I live in arctic temperatures.  I cannot stand to be hot, and I’m about to spontaneously combust.  Hell, even Dani is hot—so you know it was toasty. 

After much searching on my part, Dani finally points out to me that the thermostat is right in front of me on the wall.  Okay, I get a little discombobulated when I’m hot…my brain starts to overheat at about 75 degrees.  So I immediately go to work on the thermostat, I reset the temperature to 67, make sure the fan is set to on, and I dash out the door to get more suitcases and cool off in the chilly Flagstaff outdoors. 

Now the itching is turning into hives  AND I’m sweating like a whore on nickel night! 

So, I dodge the bucket, go around the refrigerators, and exit the building to see a young man headed straight for my truck.  He spots me step out the door and immediately changes directions, makes a big loop through the parking lot and comes back by, after having gone nowhere. He acts like he is going to duck inside the fence around the dumpsters until he sees me watching him, then he heads on around the building, back the way he came. 

I resist the urge to bang my head against the door of my truck. 

Then I grab the last of the bags and drag them upstairs, around the fridges and the bucket I’m starting to think of as a water feature. Dropping them in the room, I hustle Dani out so we can grab some dinner while the damn room cools off. On our way out of the parking lot, we notice a line of people walking through the parking lot.  WTH?  We look around and discover that the parking lot is actually a shortcut between an apartment building and the bus stop which is right in front of the hotel.  Great! 

We had an absolutely lovely dinner, then headed back to the room a couple of hours later, full of steak and margaritas, and fortified with leftovers. It was delicious! Back at the hotel, we decided to park in the front lot, at the opposite end of the hotel from the bus stop. Less busy. The fridges are still camped in the lounge, the water feature is still right where we saw it last, and the room is still hotter than nine kinds of hell.  Not a damn thing has changed.  So now we try to get the windows open. 

Well, I guess the hotel has a lot of jumpers (probably shouldn’t have been a surprise) because we can’t get the windows open. Then I notice the screens on the outside of the windows have big holes in them, edges of the holes shredded and flapping in the wind. Guess those jumpers didn’t think to remove the screens before leaping. 

Now I’m hyperventilating. 

I call the front desk, making it clear to them that it is MUCH too hot in our room and someone needs to fix it. They sweetly apologize, but say they can’t do anything because the entire hotel is switched to heat.  I said, “Then at least make it go off.” 

She sweetly repled, “Oh, you can do that right at the thermostat…just turn it to a cooler setting and it will shut off.” 

Uh…no, it won’t.  I not so sweetly explain that we set the thermostat to 67 about 3 hours ago and it hasn’t cooled off a one single degree. 

She then sweetly says, “You can open a window and that should cool it off quickly.” 

I replied, “We tried. We can’t get the windows open, and the screens have holes big enough to throw a body through them. God only knows what will fly in if we ever manage to get them open."  (Probably a hungry herd of Pterodactyls.) 

Silence for a minute as she processes my comment. Then she offers to send maintenance up. 

Excellent! 

So…the maintenance guy has some difficulty understanding me because English isn’t his first language and, let’s be honest, I don’t really speak mainstream English—and certainly not when I’m itching, sweating, hyperventilating, and generally about to explode. 

But we finally get our point across, and this sweetheart of a man climbs up into the ceiling and fiddles with something up there that blessedly shuts the heat off. Then we manage to crack the windows—which is all we can do because we are on the third floor and…well…jumpers. 

So we change into our jammies and I sit my happy arse right in front of the cracked window with the flapping screen, waiting for it to cool enough for me to sleep.  Neither Dani nor I slept well that night because it remained just too warm. By the next day, it had improved enough that we no longer considered packing our stuff out to another hotel. By the second night, it was nice and chilly, and by the next morning, we really didn’t want to get out of bed because it was cold. But having complained about it being hot, we didn’t really feel we could now complain that we were cold.  LOL  So, we closed the window and went down to breakfast. 

The only other issue we had was on the 2^nd day, we spotted a large wet spot in the elevator where someone had spilled something bringing their breakfast back to their room.  We told the front desk they needed to have housekeeping clean the floor in the elevator before someone slipped in the mess.  Later that day, we saw someone had put a neon green stickie on the floor next to the mess…probably to help housekeeping find the big messy spill. That evening when we came back in, we saw that someone (probably housekeeping) had cleaned up the green stickie. 

But apparently, they don’t have mops at this hotel either because the spilled mess remained. 

The saving grace was that the hotel had a happy hour every night and a couple of good bartenders…vacation saved!  Twice the front desk apologized to us for the condition of the hotel, indicating they were preparing to undergo a large renovation. About 5 years too late, if you ask me…but better late than never. Would I go back to that hotel again?  Probably not until after that “large renovation”…but then there is the free booze. Hmmm…guess we now know why the bar is right inside the front door and why the happy hour was free.  They want to stop you before you get out the door. 

There’s a lot to be said for free booze! 

Well, that’s my story, torrid and toasty, and I’m stickin’ to it. Hang on tight now ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya, and I hope each and every one of you has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!    Hugs,

Be sure to sign up for Kayce’s newsletter and get a couple of free ebooks at:

https://subscribepage.io/wnOodI

 

Note:  If you already have the free books, sign up anyway so you don’t miss any shenanigans—and be sure to forward the link to all your friends who might want to join us.

Shiver by Karen Robards

 East St. Louis, Illinois is nothing like its step-sister, St. Louis, Missouri.  East St. Louis is where things happen and no one sees.  Samantha Jones lives in the shit-hole in Illinois, but she has the love of her life, a young son, and a job as a

night repo-woman.  

That's all she cares about, and she carries a Smith and Wesson to make sure she stays alive to care for her son.

Daniel Panterro is living a nightmare at the same time, only he's bound and bloody in the back of Sam's next repo job.  The classy looks of the BMW she drives her cranky repo truck to, holds him in the trunk when she pops the lid.  

Sam wants nothing to do with the streets of East St. Louis, and Danny cannot reveal his true identity.  Doesn't matter.  She's entangled in his troubles whether she saw who put him in the trunk or not.  

It's a crazy ride.  Danny takes Sam hostage, yet he protects her relative to the situation.  

Sam chastises herself for noticing Danny's good looks beneath the dirt and blood.  The fact that he doesn't want her dead is a relief, too.

Could it be more than just survival?  Could something good and loving come from a frightening hide-and-seek with the thugs after them?  Will Sam and Danny live to find out?

Robards delivers another one of her high-octane romantic suspense novels, and I recommend opening the cover!  

Happy reading,

Dawn

The Texas Hero's Homecoming by Charlene Sands

 A failing farm and a father failing in his ability to keep the farm together is a growing problem for Autumn Messina.  She has a dream of becoming a teacher, yet at the same time keeping the farm running is running her down.  

 On a frustratingly hot day while at work on the farm, Sam Russell appears.  Autumn is not in the mood for her former crush to show up.  

 Sam completes ten years of special forces and returns home.  He owes his life to Autumn's brother and intends on repaying the family. 

 

Sam left Autumn behind when she was a teenager, and her anger erupts in a fresh barrage of doing whatever it takes to keep him out of her business.  Although, he has a lot of good ideas.

Meanwhile, as Sam attempts to help the farm, he also joins a local group of veterans.  He learns how to help them through rough patches, which includes making them feel useful.  

Sam's knowledge of the farm, hardworking veterans, and continual kindness to Autumn start to crack her guard against him. 

It's only a matter of bumping into each other a few times, results on the farm, and a constantly changing plan that draws Autumn into Sam's arms for good.

Happy reading,

Dawn

If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon

 You may wonder why I'm presenting an older version of a romance, yet the novel isn't quite in the classic genre.  I thought it would be fun to experience the difference in writing from the 1980's and now.  

If Tomorrow Comes was a best-seller just as there are many current best-sellers.  The story is fast paced, loaded with adventure, and what isn't better than romance ripping the seams out of any character's plans?  

Tracy Whitney has a career in Philadelphia banking and is engaged to a rich man with a rich family.  Their unborn baby will have a brilliant future.

When her mother commits suicide in New Orleans, Tracy abruptly leaves to find out why. She quickly, and kind of irrationally, comes up with a plan to get back at the men who she feels caused her mom to lose it.  

Her first plan against the local Mafia ends her up in prison.  Getting worse, her fiancé cuts her out of his life, and she loses the baby.  Tracy will never give up, though.

 A greatly imaginable scheme to break out of prison starts her new career as a thief.  She loves it, and she takes away money and assets from people who really don't deserve what they have.  

Jeff Stevens turns up repeatedly during her encounters for stolen goods.  Like many men, she doesn't trust him and thinks he wants to step in on her plans.  Surprisingly, he gives her tips as a co-thief.  Interest and a relationship begin to hatch.  They travel the globe as thieves until they decide to retire in South America.  

Granted, it's so much fun being bad!

Happy reading,

Dawn

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

 The season of witches, pumpkins, and black cats is looming.  Katherine Howe puts together a story rich with history, witches, paranormal, romance, and thriller.  

As a Harvard graduate, Connie Goodwin has the summer to create a dissertation for her doctorate.  The hard part is coming up with a topic.  Another hard part is created when her mother insists Connie clean up her grandmother's abandoned house near Salem, Massachusetts in order to sell it.  

Connie is overwhelmed with the work at the house, which she chooses to live at for the summer.  The topic of her dissertation, well, that is found among the old books and papers her grandmother collected.  

A centuries old Bible with a key and scrap of paper with the name Deliverance Dane enacts Connie's curiosity.  She finds out Deliverance was a witch from 1691, and her story is astounding.  Deliverance created the Physick Book of remedies.  All Connie needs to do is find the book and her dissertation is complete.

Many hours of consideration and wondering with a mind in need of information to fill the blanks, Connie meets Sam who's high up on a steeple.  Turns out he repairs steeples for historical buildings.  They become close friends, both interested in the history of Salem.

One other person with great interest in Connie's thesis, is Professor Chilton Manning.  his interest is exaggerated, and he pressures Connie to find the Physick Book.  He has ulterior motives, and the friendship and love from Sam is a great help in Connie's multiple projects, some of which are unknown dangers.  

Actual history of the Salem witch trials, a little magic, and intertwined romance produce an exciting read for the Autumn.

Happy reading,

Dawn

I ONLY LIKE THE WOMAN IN THE BEDROOM!

 

Hey, gang, how the hell are ya?  Doing good here, just busy as all get out trying to work my way through Kickstarter and now BackerKit. But I’m getting there! 

So, today I wanted to tell you about what I faced last week at home…a dog.  To be specific, a little “wack-job” of a dog that can’t weigh even 20 pounds.  He’s (I think) a chihuahua / Jack Russell cross and is crazy as a goat that’s been loosed in an LSD lab.  Seriously!  The dog is a freak. Nothing this animal does makes sense. 

Okay, let me back up.  Here’s a cartoon picture of the little guy from a couple Christmases ago.  I know…he’s cute. Don’t let that fool you. He’s not all there, and he's a bad judge of character.  He actually belongs to my son and DIL, and he’s a total mommy’s boy…and the biggest fraidy cat I’ve ever seen. His name is Zeus.  I think they were hoping he would live up to that, but I honestly don’t see that ever happening. 

Anyway, here is where being a poor judge of character comes in…Zeus is afraid of me. Terrified, actually.  Or at least that is how it would appear to the casual observer. But the truth of the matter is…the dog just ain’t right.  He’s so terrified of me that he won’t let me catch him to go outside, so we have to leave his leash on him the whole time he is here…because he’s not smart enough to know that just because he’s under the bed, the leash is still out there where that woman can get to it. 

I have never abused the poor little thing, nor have I even threatened him and no one in the family can figure out why he has fixated on me. But Zeus has been part of the family for…hell, I think about eight years, and yet you would think every time he sees me that he is seeing some big, hairy monster for the very first time ever. They pull into the driveway, and he gets out of the car all excited to be here and I step out the front door and say, “Hi”, and he freaks the hell out. It’s the same routine every time and is so funny and weird that it has become the family joke that Zeus loves going to gramma’s house until he learns who lives there…because clearly, no one has ever told him before who lives at this house. 

Recently, he’s surprised us all, as he’s begun to warm up to me—well, sort of. His mom and dad will bring him and his sister, Zoe, by and leave them with me to babysit for a few days. Zoe…no problem. She’s in my lap the minute they are gone and, while she will cry a little bit over them leaving, she does great with me. 

Zeus, on the other hand, needs time to warm up to this stranger he’s clearly never seen before ever in his whole life.  Who could be so heartless as to expect a sensitive young man like him to just jump into the lap of a perfect stranger?! 

Well, the newest thing is that within an hour of his parents leaving, a switch flips in his brain.  He spends the first hour he’s here cowering behind a chair, peeking out to see if I’ve left yet. Then he just can’t stand it anymore and when he sees me sit down in the recliner in my room and Zoe getting all the pets, here he comes, launching himself into my lap. Scared the bejeebies outta me the first time he did it.  I saw him flying at me and worried that he'd finally snapped. 

So, once in my lap, he’s as happy as can be…stays glued to my side the rest of the day.  I sit, he’s in my lap.  I sit at my desk to work, he’s right behind me in the recliner…we are best buds…in my room, for the remainder of that day. 

Then he sleeps... 

Apparently, when he sleeps, his brain does a “clear storage” operation and he’s the living embodiment of 50 First Dates. I go to get them out of their kennel, and he is cowering in the back, avoids me like the plague all the way to the door, then hides behind a chair the minute I take his lead off and snap the short leash on him.  Yes, he still has to drag the leash because friendship is a very fleeting thing with this wackadoodle. 

This photo is the morning after he has just spent the entire day following me and laying in my lap.  Now, all this said, keep in mind that I do spend most of my day in my bedroom, working—either in the bedroom recliner or at my desk.  If I move into the living room mid-day, all bets are off…the dog that has just been in my lap all morning is now terrified of me again. I go to the bedroom, we are buddies.  Move back to the living room later and I’m dead to him. His friendship seems to be very location-specific…again, only with me. 

We have tried to sort it out and the only thing we can come up with is that he really only likes the woman in the bedroom.  Apparently, the woman in the living room is a terrifying, mean person that is NOT to be trusted. 

Have I mentioned yet that he is NOT right?

Well, that’s my story, weird and wacky, and I’m stickin’ to it. Hang on tight now ‘cuz we’re gonna go real, real fast!

Love ya,  

 

Did you miss the Butterscotch Martini Girl Kickstarter? Worried about what new items we have added that you may have missed? You can still get in on the fun and pick up some great items either by backing a tier or choosing ala carte! Go to the BackerKit platform NOW at the link below, as you only have a short time and some of the new items are limited quantity only. When they’re gone, they’re gone.

COWBOY CRUSH CAMPAIGN ON BACKERKIT