The King's Concubine by Anne O'Brien

 A masterful historical romance from King Edward III's reign in the mid-thirteen hundreds.  

Alice Perrers origin is not well documented and can only be guessed at.  She has nothing and no rank in life, so she must survive by her own means.

King Edward III and Queen Phillipa have an arranged marriage, yet they truly love one another.  Queen Phillipa's health is failing and her, so she remedies her inability to have physical relations with the King by finding Alice and setting her up as the King's concubine.

Alice is not well liked by the majority of the royal house, but King Edward won't let anything happen to her.    Alice sets a plan with William de Windsor, possibly the love of her life, for when the King dies.  She can only have confidence as the King's court accuses her with treason.

This is a remarkable rendition of an historical era of which records are not always complete.  Anne O'Brien's research supplied her with gaps to fill in to create a dramatic story.

Happy reading,

 Dawn

READER INTERVIEW ~ Patricia (Patty) 😀

Today, I am excited to be interviewing Patty Way, who is talking with me from Pennsylvania.  

Hello, Patty!

And before we get started, I know your birthday is in October ~ so...Happy Birthday to you!  🎂 🎈

Lexi: How did you get into reading romance novels?

Patty: I've always been a reader.  In school, I loved historical novels about royalty.  Then I discovered Georgette Heyer at a bookstore when on vacation at the beach.  From there, I moved on to Barbara Cartland, whose writing style was similar.  Then I discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers and the rest of that group of romance writers. 

 

Lexi: What are you good at?

Patty: I'm good at listening and offering suggestions.  At work, my friends used to call me Dr. Way because I was their psychologist!  I am also good at writing letters and keeping in touch with friends and organizing group events, such as group lunches, group vacations, I've even been a wedding planner and photographer for several friends' weddings.  And I'm good at deciphering legal jargon, interpreting legalese into layman's terms, circumventing Medicare and health insurance issues for family members.

Lexi: It sounds like you were a very valued member of the office.  People like you are needed in every office, I think.  You are obviously a very good listener.

Lexi: What makes you happy?  

Patty: The little things...Being outside, dreaming of living at the beach or being at the beach, warm and hot weather and high humidity, when I don't have to make decisions and when I have time to myself.

Lexi: I'm with you on the warm weather.  It's one reason I moved to the Caribbean.  If the healthcare had been better, I'd still be there!

Lexi: What types of romance do you like to read?

Patty: Historical, paranormal, time travel, and erotica (aka ~ mature adult).

Lexi: What are you proud of?

Patty: Working at the same place all my career (over 40 years) and being respected by and friends with the professionals (judges, attorneys, police) I worked with.

Lexi: What’s your average day look like?

Patty:  Get up 6 - 6:30 a.m., breakfast and my time (reading, Facebook, emails, taking walk) until 1:00, when my brother and I get my mom (she's 99, has dementia, can not walk, can barely hear and is mostly incontinent) out of bed. I wash her, dress her, we get her on the potty chair, then to her chair.  The afternoon is spent with me getting her lunch, eating with her (she takes most of the afternoon to eat) sitting with her, then getting supper for her, and helping her eat.  After supper, I help her with her dentures, sit with her until around 7, then get her ready for bed.  After she is in bed, 7:30 or 7:45, I still stay in the same room as her, usually on my laptop or watching t.v.  My bedtime is between 11 and midnight.  I sleep in the same room with her to make sure she is all right during the night.

Lexi: Wow, your day is full of giving to your mom.  You are a saint.  It's so wonderful of you to help her in her time of need.

Lexi: What is your favorite color?

Patty:  Purple. 

Lexi: What is your favorite time of day?

Patty: Morning.

Lexi: Do you have any pets?

Patty: Two cats - Punkin, a Maine Coon mix, and JJ, a small Tuxedo.

 Lexi: Your two kitties are so precious!

 

 Lexi: Are you single or in a relationship?

Patty: Single.

 

Lexi: What initially draws your interest to a book? (Author, cover, blurb, etc?)

Patty: Author and topic.

 

Lexi: Do you have a preference between e-books or paperbacks? Why?

Patty:  Paperbacks, I read very few e-books.

 

Lexi: Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Patty:  I identify as an introvert but most consider me an extrovert.

 

Lexi: What is your most treasured possession?

Patty:  Photos and personal items of my ancestors.

 

Lexi: If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Patty: On the beach in a beach house where the weather is warm all year long.

 

Lexi: How often do you read?     

Patty:  As often as I can.  4 days of the week for an hour each time.

 

Lexi: What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Patty: Talk to my cats, get dressed, and drink coffee.

Lexi: You sound like me talking to the cat in the morning. 😀

 

Lexi: Do you have a favorite quote or saying?

Patty: “Be still and know that I am God; for lo, I am with you always.”

 

Lexi: What kind of car do you drive? If you had your choice, would it be that one or something different?

Patty? Jeep Patriot and Jeep Renegade.

 

Lexi: What did you think you'd be when you grew up?

Patty: Secretary, wife, and mother.

 

Lexi: What's your favorite holiday? Why?  

Patty:  Christmas.  I love the Christmas season.  The joy and merriment, shopping, happy people, decorating, and the feeling of good anticipation.

Lexi: Do you dream at night? Do you remember your dreams?

Patty: Yes, several times a night.  Always in color and I do usually remember them.

Lexi: Patty, I loved learning more about you, thanks for sharing!  Before I let you go, let's do the quickie questions.

 

Dark-haired hero or light-haired? Dark hair; long dark hair.

Vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate.

Hot and spicy or sweet and salty? Hot and spicy.

Spicy food or not spicy? Not too spicy.

Beard or no beard? Beard or 5 o'clock shadow.

Hot weather or cold? Hot.

Chest hair or no chest hair? Chest hair.

Morning person or night person? Morning.    

Coffee or tea? Coffee.

High heels or boots? Boots.

Beach or mountains? Beach.

Cats or dogs? Cats.

Hero with long hair or short? Long.

Rent or own? Own.

Working or retired? Retired.

Blonde heroine or brunette? Brunette.

Coor or eat out? Eat out.

Recliner or easy chair? Recliner.

Sweet or salty? Sweet.

Lexi: This has been great!  Thanks again, and happy birthday! 😊

New Release ~ TWO OF A KIND by Alexa Rivers

 

Two of a Kind

(Haven Bay, Book 2)

by

Alexa Rivers

Blurb ~ 

After a lifetime of being held back by illness, blogger Brooke Griffiths is finally healthy enough to pursue her dream of hiking to Mt Everest base camp. The first step in her plan is convincing professional adventurer Jack Farrelly to help her prepare. Only, they exchanged a mind-blowing kiss weeks ago, and he never called, which in a town the size of Haven Bay, is downright awkward. All she has to do is put her pride aside to achieve her goal. Should be easy—right?

Jack Farrelly dated a woman in the public eye before, and he doesn’t care to repeat the experience, no matter how tempting Brooke is. Though the instructor in him wants to help her get ready to hike Mt Everest, he thinks she’s better off setting her sights a little lower. But denying her proves impossible—both professionally and personally—and before long, he’s in deeper than he ever imagined possible.

When old wounds are reopened, can Brooke and Jack overcome the pain of their pasts and take a chance on love? Or will they let the fear of being hurt keep them apart?

Buy Link ~ https://www.bklnk.com/B088P8T8LB

Book Excerpt ~

Slamming the car door shut, Jack strode to the foyer, where the group was waiting. The Kathmandu couple had come back for more and greeted him with eager smiles. Mavis had also returned, but she’d brought Betty rather than Nell. Three fit guys in their twenties lounged against a wall, talking quietly between themselves and stealing occasional glances at the final member of the party. Brooke.

If Kat hadn’t shared what she had, he wouldn’t have believed that Brooke had been anything other than perky and energetic since he’d seen her last. She looked vibrant standing behind the desk, a smile flirting with the corners of her mouth and a rosy flush on her cheeks. Lust speared through his gut and he bit the inside of his lip to stifle a groan. Why did she have to be so appealing, with her electric blue eyes and dewy complexion? His body reacted to her instinctively, going on an all-systems-alert. Strange, when he was rarely affected this way by a woman. Ruthlessly squelching his response, he reminded himself that he couldn’t think of a girl less suited to his lifestyle, and he was sure the same could be said when it came to his suiting her. Unfortunately, his mind and his body had different ideas.

“Hi, everyone,” he said, once he had himself under control. “I’d like you to all head into the parking lot. I’ll join you in a moment.” When they started moving, he pointed at Brooke. “Except you.”

Mavis and Betty tittered and exchanged glances, like they didn’t want to leave her alone with him. He raised a brow and they hustled away, casting dubious looks over their shoulders. He scowled. Did they really think he posed a risk to her?

“You wanted me?” Brooke asked, coming around the desk to stand in front of him. He tried not to notice the way her slim-fitting tank top outlined slender curves. Not appropriate. Even if she wasn’t all wrong for him, she was probably too young to be interested. It was hard to gauge her age, but he put her somewhere in her early twenties. Compared to his thirty, that was a big difference in life experience.

“I think it’s best if you stay here,” he told her, noticing that Kat hovered a few feet away.

Her jaw dropped. “Why? I managed all right the other day. I didn’t hold anyone up, or get in the way.”

He sighed. Did she really want to go down this path? “No, you didn’t. But you slept for eighteen hours afterward.”

Her gaze slid over to Kat and she glared. “I was fine,” she insisted through gritted teeth.

He softened his expression. “Be honest with me, Brooke. You’re not doing either of us any favors if you pretend to be fine. I’m not a mind reader. If you come with me, I need to be able to trust you to let me know how you’re doing at all times.”

“Okay, maybe I overdid it,” she conceded. “I should have taken it easier, but I’ve learned my lesson, and I promise to be more up-front with you and pace myself.”

“I’m not sure I’m willing to take that risk,” he said. “We’re walking farther than we did last time, and I don’t have time to figure out how we can make it work for you.”

She crossed her arms and looked somewhere over his shoulder, blinking rapidly as though holding back tears. “If I need to stop, I will, and you can collect me on the way back. Please.” A note of pleading entered her voice, and it twisted Jack’s gut. “I need to do this. It’s important. I could explain why, but it’d take more than a couple of minutes and I know you want to get moving.”

“Brooke, honey,” Kat said, laying a gentle hand on her arm. “It’s one trip. There will be others.”

Would there? Because Jack wasn’t sure.

Brooke closed her eyes. “Sorry. Of course there will.” She released a shuddering breath. “I’m being unreasonable.”

“Maybe a little,” Kat confirmed, a smile creeping over her face. “Why don’t you sit this one out so Jack doesn’t get off schedule, and then we can have a talk about what to do in the future once he returns.”

Jack could see the emotions warring within her. Apparently joining the group meant a lot to her.

“Okay.” Her shoulders drooped, and oddly, his mood dropped with them. “I guess that will be fine.”

“Great,” he said, before she could change her mind. “I’ll come by once we’re back.” He didn’t know where he’d find her, but considering he didn’t plan to go anywhere near her without Kat to play mediator, his friend could show him where to go.

“Don’t forget,” Brooke warned, and from her expression, he could tell that if he did, she’d hunt him down.

He nodded, then followed the others outside, finding them waiting beside the four-wheel drive.

Betty waved a hiking pole as he approached. “Did you scare that poor girl away?”

“We decided she’s better off not joining us today,” he replied.

She harrumphed, in that way only little old ladies could. “I don’t suppose that was her idea.”

He didn’t say anything, just handed bags to the three young men. Once they’d all geared up, he issued directions, then fell into step at the back.

Betty joined him. “You know what I think?” she asked.

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me whether I want to know or not.”

She thwacked his leg with the end of a pole. “You’re a cheeky devil, Jack Farrelly. I think you don’t want Brooke coming because you don’t like the way she makes you feel.”

Huh. Well, there’s a thought.

“And how’s that, Betty?”

“Aroused.”

Jack tripped over his own feet. Dear God, what?

He glanced at Betty. Had he heard her correctly? Had the God-awful word “aroused” just passed between her prune-like lips?

She hooted with laughter. “I hit the nail on the head, eh, Jack?”

She… He…

He shook his head, both amused and dismayed. It wasn’t as though he could deny it.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, then added fondly, “and get your pointy little nose out of my business.”

Author Bio ~

Alexa Rivers is the author of sexy, emotional small town romances set in gorgeous New Zealand.

She lives in a small town herself, complete with nosy neighbors and quirky traditions.

She shares a house with a neurotic dog and a husband who thinks he’s hilarious.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, baking and decorating cakes, eating those cakes, cuddling fluffy animals, drinking excessive amounts of tea, and absorbing herself in fictional worlds.

Author Contact Links ~

Email: alexa@alexarivers.com
Facebook: facebook.com/alexariversauthor
Instagram: instagram.com/alexariversauthor
Twitter: Twitter.com/LexRiversWrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18995464.Alexa_Rivers
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/alexa-rivers
Website: alexarivers.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Alexa-Rivers/e/B07PWNRD5S/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

New Release ~ HONEYMOON HIDEAWAY by Mia London

 

Honeymoon Hideaway

by 

Mia London

A broken, jilted bride.An exotic paradise. A lonely man who craves her innocence.

Blurb ~ 

Catherine Dalton can’t believe her eyes. That couldn’t be Jack. Not her Jack. And certainly not two days before they're supposed to marry! As Cat’s world crumbles around her, she wonders how she'll ever pick up the pieces in a life that she devoted and built around one man and move on. At the urging of her bestie, she escapes to the beautiful island of St. Lucia, hoping against hope for a way to mend her broken and devastated heart.

 

Nicholas Westbrook has traveled to the Caribbean many times. It’s the company’s most-profitable territory... and the perfect stepping stone to his next promotion. The last thing he expected on another business-as-usual trip was a chance encounter with the lovely jilted bride from Austin, alone on her honeymoon. He shouldn't pursue her--rebounds aren't his style. But this blonde beauty draws him in like a fine wine that needs to be uncorked and savored.

Can Cat unwind and enjoy everything Nicholas coaxes out of her, knowing there's no future between them?

~ Buy Links ~

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/34muuF8

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/honeymoon-hideaway-mia-london/1137540935?ean=9780983247470

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/honeymoon-hideaway/id1529211154

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/honeymoon-hideaway-1

GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mia_London_Honeymoon_Hideaway?id=vlP5DwAAQBAJ

About Mia ~

An Amazon bestselling and award-winning author, Mia loves to write.

She's been reading fiction for years and finally decided that the images and scenes floating around in her head needed to make it to paper.

She's a huge fan of romance, highly optimistic, and wildly faithful to the HEA (happily ever after). She's inspired by most anything around. And her biggest obstacle is not having enough time to get it all down on paper (or computer, as the case may be).

Her goal is to create a fantasy you will enjoy with characters you could love.

She lives in Texas with her attentive, loving, super-model husband, and her perfectly behaved, brilliant children. Her produce never wilts, there are no weeds in her flowerbeds, and chocolate is her favorite food group.
And then she wakes up.

Where to find Mia ~

Newsletter Sign up ➜ www.mialondon.com
Facebook➜ www.facebook.com/MiaLondonAuthor
Twitter➜ twitter.com/MiaLondonAuthor
Goodreads ➜ www.goodreads.com/author/show/8414916.Mia_London
Instagram➜ www.instagram.com/mialondonauthor/
Bookbub ➜ www.bookbub.com/authors/mia-london

PRE-HOLIDAY MEGA GIVEAWAY!!!

 

NOW LIVE!  Join me and 78 other authors in this HUGE pre-holiday giveaway.  There is $462.00 in gift cards plus e-books from bestselling authors ~ to go to ONE winner ~ up for grabs!  

The giveaway runs through December 1, 2020.  Do not miss out ~ click on the link below.  

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ec8aae6739/?

Good luck!!

~ Lexi 😊

Losing Words

 

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

So, I had a little hiccup with my writing. I’m currently working on a Mail Order Bride story with a big twist and I was going along pretty smoothly BUT the other day, I opened my file—like I do every weekday morning―and got hit with an error. I don’t know how it happened or why. I didn’t do anything differently than what I normally do.

Okay, fine. I can handle this. I can figure it out….except, I couldn’t because once the file was opened, it could not be saved or closed (I couldn’t even change the name to try to save it….just wouldn’t do it…kept popping up with errors, telling me I couldn’t do what I needed to do).

I’m panicking now. Wouldn’t you? And the worst thoughts were going through my head…like my computer, which is on the older side and a bit cantankerous, was crashing and dying. This is doubly bad as I’m using my computer for work, too. If I crash and burn, I wouldn’t be able to sign in for work, forcing me to take a PTO day, which isn’t bad in itself—I have plenty of time—but PTO on a Monday is never a good idea.

Anyway, after walking away from the computer (because I had to…otherwise, it might have found itself thrown out the window), I came back with an idea on how to save my manuscript. Needless to say, it didn’t work. I was able to shut down my computer, but by doing so, I lost the file completely.

Not to worry. I frequently email myself my manuscript so I went looking for it. *Sigh* I hadn’t emailed myself in over two weeks. Still, I had something, which is better than nothing so I saved the manuscript back onto my computer. Wonderful…except, that version was over five thousand less words than the current one that I lost.

I must confess, after realizing I’d lost over five thousand words, I wanted to give up. I wanted to cry (but didn’t….I don’t cry very easily). Why didn’t I back up more often? Or emailed myself more often? And the biggest question of all: why do I continue to write?

The answer was startlingly simple. Because I love it. Writing feeds a need in me, a passion (plus it helps to get all those voices out of my head). I am not the same person when I don’t write. I’m not as happy. I’m not as grounded. That does not mean that I don’t struggle with the writing, because I do. All. The. Time. And those five thousand words? For some authors, that’s just a days’ work. For me, those words were dragged kicking and screaming from my brain and took a few weeks to write (I have limited time, like so many of you).

The next morning, I noticed something very weird when I turned on my computer
again. It put itself through a SCAN and REPAIR of the C drive. I had never seen that message before, but at that moment, hope flared in my heart. Was it possible I didn’t lose the manuscript? Was it possible I could retrieve that file once the C drive was repaired? Well, no. Didn’t quite work that way. The file was well and truly gone, but I still had the version of the manuscript I had emailed myself (which were missing those five thousand words) so that’s what I’m working with, trying to recreate what I lost. Maybe I’ll be lucky and those scenes that I lost will come out better than before. In the meantime, I’m emailing myself the manuscript every day. We’re not going to let this happen again! It’s just too heartbreaking!

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

Marie

READER INTERVIEW ~ Michelle 😀

Today, I am thrilled to be interviewing Michelle Hedgcock, who is chatting with me from Michigan.  Hello, Michelle!

Lexi: Tell me about your significant other.

Michelle: My husband is an IT manager for a special medical company. He works hard there and here at home too. He’s handy around the house, does the laundry and helps cook meals. During gardening and preserving season he helps as much as he can, especially with the preserving. I feel I’m the luckiest woman to have such a supportive and involved husband. He’s a great dad as well. The relationship he has with our daughter (only child) is fantastic. We’ve been together since 1992 so I’d say we suit pretty well.

 

We met thru cruising downtown a local city. Initially I was dating one of his friends. His friend eventually married one of my friends. We’re still all friends. 😊

Lexi: I agree, you definitely have a keeper for a husband.  How old is your daughter?

Michelle: Alexis just turned 16 in July. With the pandemic getting her license was delayed so she just got it this week, as we were finally able to get into the secretary of state. 

Lexi: What's your favorite dessert?

Michelle: Vanilla ice cream with various types of toppings: hot fudge, chocolate, caramel, sprinkles, whipped topping. Or salted caramel ice cream. Oh, there’s also buttered pecan ice cream…that reminds me of my great grandpa because it was his favorite.

Lexi: What's your average day look like?

Michelle: I’m not a morning person although I try. I get up by 7 most days although I try to get up earlier than that. Doesn’t always work and since I work from home, I don’t feel the need to get my butt out of bed earlier than needed. I spend at least an hour checking Instagram and Facebook (I manage a few groups for clients so I check first thing in the morning to make sure nothing hinky has been posted or rude comments made) and reading. I eat breakfast then go out to let out the chickens, feed and water them. Some days I take a walk in the veggie gardens and orchard. I might harvest something, pull a few weeds, or address any pests. Then I sit down and do a quick look at email then I start my work for clients.

Midday 1 hour break for lunch where I read some more. Sometimes I’ll preserve what was harvested, bake, or do some food prep after lunch. Otherwise it’s back to the computer to work.

 Around 5 I start making dinner (unless it’s my husbands or daughters turn to cook, then I work until dinner is ready). After dinner sometimes we watch an episode of Forged in Fire or Mythbusters. Dishes are also done after dinner.

 Then I go back to work, depending in the time of the month. Or I’ll work on house paperwork like the budget, meal planning, bill payments, etc. Then I’ll read about ½ an hour before bed. I’m in bed by midnight but I aim for 11:30.

Lexi: Your day sounds sooo organized but with a nice mix of outdoors, fun stuff, home stuff, and work.  What do you do for your clients?

Michelle: I'm a virtual assistant for homestead bloggers. I do a variety of things such as research, Facebook scheduling & posting, write newsletters, edit posts and documents, manage FB groups, manage email.

Lexi: What is your favorite color?

Michelle:  Mid to dark purple 💜

Lexi: How often do you read?

Michelle:  Daily

Lexi: How many books a month do you read?

Michelle:  Average around 29

Lexi: What kind of car do you drive?  If you had a choice, would it be that one or a different one?

Michelle:  Haha! I drive a 1998 Chevy Silverado. It’s paid for and runs just fine. Once we have debt paid off we’ll save up to get me a mid-sized SUV. I haven’t decided which one I want though.

Lexi: My husband had a Chevy Silverado and I loved it.  It had a bench seat.

Lexi: How many children, grandchildren, great grandchildren all total do you have?

Michelle: 1 teenage daughter.

Lexi: What do you do for fun (besides reading romance novels)?

Michelle: Papercrafting, kayaking, biking, swimming.

Lexi: What did you think you'd be when you grew up?

Michelle: A manager of some sort! I had no clue what field I’d be in, I just knew I wanted to be in charge. LOL Now I’m in charge for sure…I am my own business.

Lexi: Before I let you go, lets do the quickie questions!

Dark-haired hero or light-haired? Dark-haired

Hot weather or cold? Hot

Coffee or tea? Tea. Coffee is ick!

High heels or boots? Boots

Cats or dogs? Cats

Cook or eat out? Cook

Flip flops or sneakers? Sandals

Hiking or swimming? Swimming

Perennials or Annuals? Perennials

Organized or chaotic mess? Organized

Lexi: Thank you so much, Michelle.  It was super fun learning more about you. 😊